Wake up to Profit
Breakfast is big business and now represents 12% of total out of home visits, with a 7% growth year on year*. With one in three people eating out for breakfast at least once a week*, increased trade in this meal occasion has seen many operators expanding and extending their morning offer. And for those outlets that don’t offer a breakfast menu, it’s time to wake up and seize the opportunity.
Why the popularity?
• During times of economic uncertainty, consumers trade down from expensive dinners to lunch and breakfast
• Breakfast is offered in many different types of outlet
• Quality of coffee is high – one of the bases for a successful breakfast offer
• It offers value for money
• Busier lifestyles have prompted a blurring of meal times so consumers may choose brunch or all-day heartier breakfast when dining out
What’s trending?
• Convenient and quick serves
• Earlier opening hours
• Portion size choices
• Wider variety of fillings or toppings
• Take-away options
• American breakfasts
The classics
The full English is still the breakfast dish most likely to be selected in pubs, restaurants and cafes* with a national chain revealing that it sells millions of traditional breakfasts annually in its 900 pubs. Bacon and sausage baps are still as popular as ever and these too make a perfect offering.
A cracking start
Egg consumption is on the rise as more customers eating breakfast out of home are searching for dishes that include them*. Scrambled, boiled or poached; at least one egg dish should feature on your menu. And, to add premium, offer options such as a bacon, egg and avocado toasted sandwich or scrambled egg with smashed avocado and smoked salmon.
Free-from options
It’s crucial outlets have gluten-free options available. American cuisine is popular in the UK so sweet pancakes are perfect, but use gluten-free flour. Smother with bacon and maple syrup or serve with a scattering of berries, bananas and honey for a lighter option. Eggs are naturally gluten free so omelettes, frittatas or tortillas work well, and add combinations of ham, cheese and tomatoes. A full English with eggs, bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes can be served, just make sure the sausages and baked beans are gluten free. Or for a healthy breakfast, smoothies with milk and fruit are a great option or charge a higher price by adding yoghurt or gluten-free oats with nuts and seeds.
Cereals
Although the cereals category* is in decline, according to Horizons some 44,687 hotel outlets in the UK continue to order almost £2 billion worth a year. Weetabix is one of the few cereal companies to share nutritional value onpack, so its Alpen Muesli and No Added Sugar varieties are attractive propositions for foodservice. The reduction in case sizes of Alpen sachets helps operators who are under increasing pressure to stock a range of options for their guests, but struggle with storage space. New cases contain 30x50g sachets, a reduction of 20 sachets per box. This also means Alpen can be sold in smaller hospitality venues such as boutique hotels and guest houses with limited storage space.
Brunch appeal
Brunch has become an appealing, profitable, must-have option for the industry. “All-day brunch is one of the key eating out trends for the year ahead,” said managing director of Horizons, Peter Backman. “Consumers’ ongoing preference for eating what they want, when they want it, would see the continued erosion of traditional dayparts to which foodservice operators must respond with flexible menus throughout the day.” Diners are seeking different, innovative dishes when they brunch, and ordering alcohol with this meal is acceptable – giving operators another opportunity to boost daytime profits.
Pizza for breakfast!
Crust Bros at London Waterloo has a brunch menu featuring six pizzas topped with favourites such as avocado, mozzarella and green pesto, chestnut, porcini mushrooms, cheddar and marmite, and potato, caramelised onion and mozzarella. A set price of £20 per person includes one pizza, dessert, tea and coffee. Unlimited bubbles (Italian sparkling wine) can be added for an additional £15 per person for 90 minutes. They offer a delivery service too.
On the go
“Consumer behaviour is changing, and the need for convenience at breakfast is becoming ever more apparent,” said Sarah Morris, national account manager foodservice, Weetabix Food Group. “There are 3.5 billion occasions annually where people are either skipping breakfast or eating it out of home* so ‘to go’ options present an area of opportunity for operators.” On-the-go options don’t have to mean unhealthy; in fact consumers are demanding healthier options such as porridge, eggs pots, muesli and seeds and grains. One growing product in this sector is breakfast drinks. Weetabix On The Go range has sold over 18 million bottles in 2017. The ‘proper breakfast bottled’ has seen a 51% increase year on year with resealable 250ml bottles, available in chocolate, strawberry, banana and vanilla flavours.
Make your offer more appealing:
• Offer a free refill on coffee
• Offer 2FOR1 deals on quieter days
• Offer an all-day breakfast
• Offer a ‘to go’ service
Make it inspirational
Thanks to global influences and consumers being more adventurous, the ‘Rise & Shine to Global Tastes’ highlighted by McCormick’s 2017 Flavour Forecast, breakfast has suddenly woken up to a whole new range of dishes.
• Warm, sweet congee – traditionally served savoury, the Far East’s creamy rice porridge with exotic rice varieties, warm spices and fruit juices is topped with mango, coconut or a balsamic drizzle.
• Sorghum Grain Bowl – classed as the ‘new cereal’, this gluten-free, ancient whole grain native to Africa is mildly nutty in taste with a hearty texture and best paired with plant-based milks and aromatic cinnamon and ginger.
• Middle Eastern-inspired breakfast hash – tender chickpeas, ground lamb or beef and roasted vegetables seasoned with a blend of coriander, cumin and fennel, topped with a spicy skhug (pronounced shug) sauce. This complex, Middle Eastern hot sauce is made with Thai bird’s eye chillies, cumin, cardamom, garlic, parsley, coriander, olive oil and lemon juice.
