Survey: Organic produce, grass-fed beef among hottest menu trends
National Restaurant Association releases new research showing explosive growth of organic food demand at nation's restaurants

by Sustainable Food News
December 13, 2006

Organic and locally grown produce, grass-fed and free-range meat are today's hottest menu trends, according to the National Restaurant Association's survey of more than 1,000 chefs.

New research from the NRA's 2007 Restaurant Industry Forecast released Tuesday also revealed that organic food items are growing in popularity across the board at table-service restaurants.

Among fine dining restaurants that currently serve organic items (more than six out of 10), 52 percent expect higher sales in 2007; 42 percent of casual dining restaurants that serve organic menu items (four out of 10) expect them to grow; and 27 percent of family dining restaurants (currently, three out of 10 offer organic items) report similarly, according to NRA's survey.

There are approximately 935,000 U.S. restaurants, the group said. Restaurant industry sales are expected to reach a record $537 billion in 2007 - a solid 5 percent increase over 2006 sales.

Locally produced food items are also growing in popularity at table-service restaurants. Eighty seven percent of fine dining restaurants serve local items, compared to about three out of four family and casual dining restaurants. And 51 percent of fine dining, 38 percent of casual dining, and 31 percent of family dining operators expect sales of locally sourced items to grow in 2007.

This development is also seeing 'fast food' restaurants following the long-term trend of health and wellness, offering and promoting healthful options and diversifying their menus. As Americans spend 47.9 percent of their food budget in restaurants, the industry is heading into 2007 as an economic powerhouse and an essential part of Americans' lifestyle.

The survey results also showed that bite-sized desserts, flatbread and bottled water top the list of "hot" menu items, which also include pomegranates, fresh herbs and exotic mushrooms, whole-grain breads, focaccia, and figs.