The Situation

Takeout and delivery rose exponentially during the pandemic. Even with the return of in-person dining, 68% of adults say they’re more likely to purchase takeout food from a restaurant than they were before, and 53% say purchasing takeout or delivery food is essential to their lifestyle¹.

Whether your guests are eating in-person or on-the-go, connecting with them is more important than ever – and the way to do that is through storytelling. Consumers want to hear stories behind people, products and the planet. We asked our Culinary Insiders how you can tell stories around your menu to connect with guests and keep them coming back.

People

In foodservice, stories can be centered around the people who make the ingredients, cook the food, or purchase and enjoy it.

When you tell these stories to your guests, it helps build connections and keep your operation top of mind whether they’re dining in-house or on-the-go.

A little goes a long way

Chef Bob knows the little moments mean the most, which was his inspiration behind these Bear Naked® goody bags. A simple, extra surprise sent with your guests' meal is a great way to say ‘thank you’ and connect with them – consumers will remember that extra touch, and more than likely, tell their friends and family about it.

Say ‘thank you’ and connect with guests with an extra surprise."

Products

Guests value transparency behind the products they consume, which means they want to hear stories about locally sourced, sustainable ingredients. When choosing where and what to eat, consumers' top priorities are ingredient safety and avoidance of GMOs², so creating new recipes with products that meet expectations and sharing those stories is important.

Sustainable, locally-grown plant-based foods

Using a plant-based product in a trend-forward dish, like this MorningStar Farms® mac and cheese, is one way you can easily introduce storytelling into dishes your consumers like. This dish uses plant-based chorizo made from non-GMO soy sourced in the Midwestern U.S.

One of the latest ways consumers are investing in sustainability is by swapping out meat for plant-based protein."

Craving Something Good

For more inspiration on how to meet consumer demand with products your guests know and love, check out the stories behind Kellogg’s brands that are making a positive impact your customers can feel good about.

Planet

After a year of increased demand for takeout containers and pre-packaged foods, consumers and operators alike are refocusing on green packaging that meets safety and cleanliness standards.

Convenience and flavor without the guilt

Chef Bob’s parfait is a quick, craveable breakfast item for consumers on-the-go that bridges convenience and freshness in a sustainable way. His clean label, vegan, gluten free ‘cookie’ is made from Bear Naked® Granola and is kept separate from the yogurt to maintain food quality and avoid adding multiple containers.

Affecting change, one plant-based meal at a time

By replacing just one meat-based meal with a plant-based alternative – like this Incogmeato® Ground Torta – once a week for one year, your guests could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 184 car miles, save 3,600 gallons of water, and save 1,000 square feet of land.

Guests realize when they eat plant-based, they can enjoy great flavors and great impact."

MorningStar Farms® Veggie Calculator

Check out the veggie calculator to see the impact of choosing plant-based on the environment.

Recipes

For more inspiration for your menu, check out these recipes from Chef Bob, Chef David, and Chef Brian inspired by their people, product, and planet stories.