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feeling the pinch.

It’s no surprise that the cost of living crisis will continue to be a key factor driving food trends for the foreseeable future. Restaurant owners are not only facing rising costs across food, rent and electricity, but consumers are also cutting back on discretionary spending which means there will be less money being spent on out-of-home dining. Using more cost-effective cuts of meat such as shin and neck to create budget-friendly dishes, creating a lunchtime special offer or refining menus to showcase quality dishes over quantity are just some of the ways we will see venues pivoting to combat the cost of living crisis.

TL WINTER ASSETS COGNITIVE EATING TEXT
The foods that contribute to our overall gut health have been in the spotlight for years, but what about the foods we eat for our brains? It’s been proven what we eat can affect our memory, concentration and focus. Keep an eye out for a newfound interest in foods and drinks, such as oily fish and wholegrains, that can influence better brain function.
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EPIC

pie fillings.

2023 has been donned the year of the ‘pleasure pie’. While classic meat pies will forever be a comfort food we expect to see a rise in more fancy fillings such as lamb and fennel, game with thyme stuffing, red wine beef cheeks and luxurious, creamy lobster.
RISE of the REDUCETARIAN.
Vegetarian, flexitarian and vegan, they’re all familiar terms for those who either choose a meat free, semi-vegetarian or a completely plant-based diet. Reducetarians however simply make a commitment to minimising their consumption of meat, dairy and eggs. We expect to see more reducetarians as consumers continue to focus on making better choices for the environment.

The humble sandwich will be all but that in 2023. We are living in the great sandwich renaissance. While chicken and pastrami have long been filling favourites, we’re beginning to see more international flavour combinations wedged between bread across the country. Keep an eye out for new takes on Italian deli, the Argentinian choripán and the delicious Vietnamese bánh mì reigning supreme.

brand purpose
& activism.
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Move over price and convenience, brand purpose and activism is in. It’s been proven that purpose-driven brand actions positively affect purchasing behaviour. If climate change or other social issues are important to you and your business, now is the time to really shout about it.
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Whether you put it down to consumers seeking comfort, the cost of living crisis or the pure joy of nostalgia, it’s no secret that retro foods have well and truly made a comeback. Jump onboard the train this season with warming retro classics such as beef wellington, coq au vin or anything slow cooked.
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If you’ve been paying attention to your social media feed lately you would have noticed the increasing number of ASMR recipe videos from chefs around the globe. ASMR stands for ‘autonomous sensory meridian response’ and is a term used to describe a response triggered by audio or visual stimuli. ASMR recipe videos have an appealing aesthetic and focus on the preparation and cooking of food with little to no talking. Think the sound of vegetables being chopped on a wooden board or meat sizzling in a pan. Some of our favourite creators include @laurent.dagenais and Australia’s own @andyhearnden.

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curry craze.

Name something better than a delicious winter warming curry. We’ll wait. The rich curries and spices of Indian cuisine have been a favourite around the country for quite some time, however 2023 is set to be the year we see curries from other countries around the globe become more mainstream. Think African curry, Indonesian rendang, Thai green curry or massaman and Japanese curry which is said to be on the rise in global markets. Consider having fun with these flavours in entrée dishes and sides.

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level up.
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There was significant growth in the cocktail world in 2022 and with shows like Netflix’s Drink Masters shining light on some of the world’s top mixologists, we expect to see the cocktail world levelling up in 2023. Think more cocktail and food pairings, social media worthy presentation, unique garnishes, immersive experiences and more.

one to watch:

tequila.

US market research shows that tequila has seen significant growth in bars and restaurants across the country. Much like any other trend, we expect to see this one make its way down under with tequila set to dominate spirits lists in 2023.

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TL WINTER ASSETS INGREDIENTS AND FLAVOURS

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