Bidvest honey water

Bidvest honey water is part of the foodservice giant’s summer range

Bidvest has launched its new summer range with Brexit tipped to influence consumers to back British products this year.

Unveiling 140 new dishes as part of its Create Summer campaign, the foodservice giant said the collection had been inspired by months of extensive research to identify the “hottest” trends for 2017.

Bidvest said the UK voting to exit the European Union meant the idea of backing British is growing as more consumers are “seeking out and supporting regional products”.

An increased interest in “everything” America and the Far East, including Korean and other Asian foods, are also set to lead to big sales for such lines over the next 12 months.

Healthy eating and the rise of flexitarian dining have been named as major trends, leading to half the company’s new range being either gluten free, vegetarian, or vegan.

Current food trends and innovations were “front of mind when designing and choosing dishes for our summer range” said Bidvest campaign & studio controller Gail Bridgeman.

“Consumers want to try new flavours, they are mindful of where their food has come from, and are looking for experiences when it comes to eating out,” she said. Bidvest insight manager Lucy Pedrick said demand for takeaway options had also grown, with more than half of consumers buying meals on the go. she said, with continuing changes in technology, social media, and the government leading to people eating more “inspiring foods”.

“We’re seeing much more of an experimental consumer than ever before, right across the generations,” she said. “With the rise in home cooking, consumers are becoming more adventurous both at home and when eating out. The good news is that brands are reacting quickly with products, combinations and concepts that not only surprise and delight consumers, but complement one another.”