If you have a product to sell to the foodservice industry, it’s crucial to keep your eyes on what’s on its front burner. This year, we’re seeing chef-crafted dishes using premium local ingredients, a specialized dining experience, and delicious simplicity. It might cost a little more than it did last year, but diners are here for it.

Here’s more about what we’re seeing in current foodservice trends.

What’s cooking for 2025?

Surging demand. Even in an uncertain economy, consumer demand in foodservice was up last year and continues to rise into 2025. The USDA reports Americans are spending almost 54% of their food budgets at restaurants, even more than they spend to cook at home.

Premium, artisanal ingredients. We’re seeing things like caviar and truffle ingredients 40% more often on menus. Locally-sourced items are also booming — think Minnesota maple syrup or honey from a restaurant’s own hives —  and sustainability continues to be strong.

Consumer dietary trends driving menu innovation. Trends like gluten-free options, probiotics for gut health, plant-based dishes and ancient grains are increasingly popular with consumers, and they’re driving the creation of new and exciting dishes. The fastest growing segment in this category? Plant-based alternatives. Datassential predicts we’ll see them on 40% of restaurant menus by the end of this year. We’re not talking about salads and quinoa burgers. It’s about alternatives to meat and dairy, like Impossible Burger et al, aquatic proteins from sea moss or duckweed, oatmilk for lattes and white sauces, vegan cheeses. A growing trend in this category we’re watching: plant-based deli meats. Are they going to replace corned beef at Katz’s Deli anytime soon? Not likely. But they’re emerging as an increasingly popular alternative to the real thing.

Chefs are influencing their peers and consumers. Those dietary trends we just talked about? Chefs are at the root of many of them. It’s nothing new — Julia Child brought French cooking to American kitchens — but it is exploding lately, fueled by the ubiquitous nature of social media. Yes, much of the food content you find on Instagram or TikTok can be… questionable. Watching an influencer explain the booming “trend” of making a big salad in their kitchen sink? No. But, legit foodie trends are popping up on menus and migrating onto social media. Think kimchi-infused everything, fusions of global ingredients with local comfort foods (Korean barbecue tacos or dumplings with surprises inside like wild rice soup) and dishes that are hyper-local that celebrate an area’s heritage and history.

Challenges in distribution, purchasing and supplier relationships. A few bumps in the road still exist for this industry, which isn’t news to anyone in it. Supply chain uncertainty (will we get avocados and tequila from Mexico or dairy from Canada anymore?), the Great Egg Shortage of 2025, and labor shortages in farm fields and kitchens nationwide because of immigration crackdowns all add up to more hurdles for foodservice.

Price, value proposition and accessibility. Three out of four restaurant managers report average food costs are higher year over year. There’s nothing the industry can do about it. That’s why the value proposition of not just the meal but the whole experience is vital now.  It means a delicious entrée made with premium, artisanal ingredients — locally sourced, if possible — in a lovely, welcoming setting with top-notch service.

AI and machine learning. No, we’re not going to have the bots cooking meals on a widespread basis, although there are some novelty restaurants in the world that use robots to flip burgers. But AI is exploding everywhere in our society, and that includes the food industry. Ways AI and machine learning are growing in foodservice: reservations, bots answering simple questions from customers, voice-enabled ordering for to-go diners, machine learning that remembers customer preferences and makes menu suggestions based on those, and smart staffing.

Simplicity. In the wake of an uncertain economy and rising prices, chefs are focusing on creating simple dishes infused with local ingredients that burst with natural flavor combinations.

About those chef-inspired trends…

We talked to chefs who are involved in the purchasing decisions at their restaurants to talk about those trends, and what matters most to them when considering new products and ingredients for their menus.

If you have a product you want to get in front of chefs, here’s what they told us they’re looking for:

Product quality at the right price. No matter the trend, no matter the year, chefs want outstanding quality at a fair price. Things that turn their heads? Strong product claims, clear differentiators from similar offerings and side-by-side performance tests. All of that, plus pricing that’s in line with other, similar brands.

Personal relationships with concierge service. When a small food company is trying to get their product noticed, chefs want face-to-face presentations like in-house demonstrations, samplings for the staff, and concierge-level service when distributors fail. That means, the small company needs to be willing to deliver their cases of locally-made kimchi in the back of the boss’s truck at the eleventh-hour, if necessary.

Willingness to meet chefs where they are. Yes, it means in-restaurant. But it also means being visible at industry events, trade shows and other occasions where food people gather. It’s about making it easy for chefs to notice, sample and get creative about using a product or ingredient that’s new to them.

Want to learn more about how to get your product noticed? It’s one of our specialties. At Wilks Group, we have our ear to the ground in the food industry and know what’s capturing chefs’ interests.

Let’s connect, talk about the industry and discuss opportunities for your company. Contact us today at  hello@wilksgrp.com, 312-815-5505 or fill out a contact form here.