Dessert is increasingly considered an anytime occasion

Study conducted by Technomic reveals the latest trends and data to understand consumers’ shifting dessert behaviors and attitudes

CHICAGO, Oct. 5, 2017—Consumers are slowly shifting away from the traditional view of dessert as a post-meal occasion and are increasingly defining dessert as an anytime occasion, according to Technomic’s recently released 2017 Dessert Consumer Trend Report. Planned dessert occasions are also on the rise, and 18- to 34-year-olds are increasingly likely to visit specific restaurants for a meal because of a dessert they offer.

“Portable desserts like milkshakes, smoothies and fruit are increasingly popular for anytime occasions like snacking and replacing meals,” explains Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights at Technomic. “Greater oopportunity exists to drive off-peak traffic by positioning desserts as craveable, stand-alone occasions throughout the day or by emphasizing the snackable nature of top desserts like fruit, cookies, brownies and ice cream.”

Key takeaways from the report include:

• Thirty-two percent of consumers eat dessert after a meal at least twice a week
• Forty-six percent of consumers’ dessert occasions are planned (rather than impulse)
• Forty-eight percent of consumers say they are willing to pay more for desserts that are made from scratch

Compiling findings from more than 1,500 consumers as well as Technomic’s MenuMonitor and Digital Resource Library, the comprehensive 2017 Dessert Consumer Trend Report serves as a guide for foodservice operators and suppliers to better understand consumer consumption of and attitudes toward dessert, as well as identify key areas of opportunity.

About Technomic
Only Technomic Inc., a Winsight company, delivers a 360-degree view of the food industry. We impact growth and profitability for our clients by providing consumer-grounded vision and channel-relevant strategic insights. Our services range from major research studies and management consulting solutions to online databases and fact-finding assignments. Our clients include food manufacturers and distributors, restaurants and retailers, other foodservice organizations and various institutions aligned with the food industry. Visit us at https://www.technomic.com.

About Winsight, LLC
Winsight LLC is a business-to-business media, event, data and information company specializing in the convenience-retailing, restaurant and noncommercial foodservice industries. Winsight has an extensive media portfolio with leading publications, including CSP, Convenience Store Products, Restaurant Business, FoodService Director, and now Grocery Headquarters as of June 2017. Winsight Media offers a suite of digital products, including websites, e-newsletters, webinars, video, apps and custom marketing solutions. The Winsight Events group produces exclusive large-scale executive-level conferences, including Restaurant Leadership, Global Restaurant Leadership, FARE Conference, Outlook Leadership, Convenience Retailing University, FSTEC, Restaurant Trends & Directions and MenuDirections. Winsight also owns Technomic Inc., the leading provider of market information and advisory services for the food industry. For more information on Winsight and its brands, go to www.winsightmedia.com or www.technomic.com.

SOURCE: Technomic