Think in terms of advancing the menu adoption cycle.
If your brand is racing in the retail lane – with its well-defined and rigid planning cycles – getting in front of foodservice buyers can feel like a dive into the vast unknown. What does the whale over there actually eat, and where is that other big fish hiding?
Here’s how to better navigate.
The best time to influence operator buying consideration is when they’re taking on the delicate and often stressful work of menu change.
That said, menu adoption is a combination of year-round impulse decisions and cyclic events. Plan for a little of both.
Be ready to facilitate menu change before operators know they need it.
Food trends generally make their way from larger metro markets such as LA, New York, Miami, and Chicago to mainstream markets in 12 to 18 months.
Menu revisions aren’t necessarily a constant goal for operators – after all, a consistent menu brings back the coveted loyalist – but the pace of menu adoption is quickening, thanks to recent supply chain constraints, food costs running amok, and the rapidly changing demands of consumers. Address these pain points early and head-on. Then tie your brand’s solutions to larger food trends to encourage menu trial and adoption.
Look through the 3 lenses to menu adoption.
Consider these three important lenses to determine how your brand can influence menu creators throughout the year.
- Think fresh seasonality.
With four seasons in a year and away-from-home dining occasions such as Mother’s Day and the December holidays, seasonal relevance quickly becomes a factor for those in charge of the menu. Help operators understand where your products can meet their seasonal and occasional needs – and let them know at least six months in advance. Generally, they need 90 days to plan and 90 days for marketing and training rollout. Some operate on much quicker timelines than this, but you’ll benefit from giving the operator advance support and clear information on how your portfolio can assist with their seasonal and ownable menus. - Push creativity with menu-ready LTO concepts.
The greatest artists of the kitchen are always looking for ways to expose their customers to new flavors, building unique twists and playing into emerging trends so they can show off a bit of their edge – which is the creative expression behind the restaurant. Gently peppering operators and chefs with trend-forward inspiration at least every 3-6 months can help set the stage for a quarterly menu update or an LTO boost. - Simplify the addition of dayparts and menu occasions.
Because food costs are often erratic and a constant sore spot for management, sometimes the answer is creating more dining occasions or repurposing the pantry for other unique ways to use all the product in the house. Help operators navigate options by laying out a daypart versatility outlook such as brunch options, more sharable, and take-away meals.
Plan ahead for effective conversations.
Using these lenses, you can quickly identify easy solutions for operators. The trick is getting out there well in advance and training your sales force to help carry out the consultative conversations – in addition to marketing your brand and products directly to operators and chefs.
