For the past four weeks, we have been posting blogs about the growing trends and popular ingredients that are driving the U.S. sandwich industry. From authenticity to health and wellness, the six sandwiches we have covered so far each fulfill unique cravings for foodies everywhere.
So far, we have introduced:
- Breakfast Sandwiches and Protein-Based Salad Sandwiches
- Tortas and Cemitas and Garden Tartines
- Brisket Sandwiches and Cuban Sandwiches
In our final blog from this series, we will cover sweet and savory sandwiches and croque monsieur and madames.
Sweet and Savory Sandwiches
Trend Drivers: Flavor adventure, authenticity, and sustainability
Trend Stage: Penetrating
Sweet and savory sandwiches meet two major criteria: satisfying a sweet tooth and providing a hardy meal. Adding jam in a hot or cold sandwich has increased among restaurants from 7.5 percent in 2011 to 11.1 percent in 2014. Including jam in a hot sandwich is even more common, with usage doubling during that period to 4.4 percent.
Restaurant kitchens and grocery stores have begun showcasing novel jams, with flavors such as bacon, tomato, red onion, and carrot, and adding them to already popular sandwiches to create new savory-sweet options. Internationally influenced sandwiches such as the Danish smorrebred or Japanese pancake sandwiches include these jams to create the perfect sophisticated offering.
Croque Monsieur and Madame
Trend Drivers: Flavor adventure, authenticity
Trend Stage: Emerging
Croque monsieur is, simply, a grilled ham and cheese, but with the addition of a fried egg on top, it becomes a croque madame. Restaurants can provide a fresh take on these familiar ingredients to make many variations of these two French sandwiches.
From a practical standpoint, both of these sandwiches are very easy to prepare. Because of this, it’s no surprise that the number of menu listings for croque monsieur or croque madame increased from 9 in 2005 to 54 in 2014. Since the madame is served with a fried egg, it is the perfect addition to breakfast menus.
Thank you for following us through this blog series and exploring the different sandwich trends that are sweeping through restaurants across the country.
To learn more about how new food trends are affecting the industry, check out the report.
Thanks for reading!
Caitlin Stewart
Marketing Coordinator
MarketResearch.com
