What was the industry talking about in this month 5, 10, 15 or even 20 years ago?
Each month, we'll be taking a look back through two decades of food and beverage trend forecasting, revisiting what was emerging, growing, and peaking during this month in years gone by.
- 2009 - Happy 250th Birthday to Guinness - In honour of its 250th birthday, here are a few facts about our famous Irish brew:
- The famous beer made its first appearance in 1759, first brewed by Arthur Guinness. Within 10 years it was being exported to England.
- Arthur enjoyed the Methodist teachings of John Wesley and initiated the first Sunday schools in Ireland.
- The animal illustrations which accompanied the1930s adverts were drawn by the illustrator John Gilroy.
- It has to be poured three-quarters full and then left to settle until a clear line between the dark liquid and the head, known as the Bishop's Collar, is formed. Then you can top it up – the famous two-part pour. The whole process should take 119 seconds, 90 seconds given over to the liquid settling phase, not that we're counting (we're definitely counting).
- Guinness is brewed in 35 countries, and often given a local twist. The biggest market is the UK, followed by Ireland, Nigeria, the US and Cameroon.
- What is in Guinness? Roasted barley gives the distinctive dark colour which, although appearing black, is actually a dark ruby. The rest is water, hops and yeast. The water comes from the Lady's Well in the Wicklow mountains. Isinglass, or fish air bladders, is used to filter the brew, making it unsuitable for vegetarians, but apparently fine for pregnant women who need the extra iron source!
- 2011 - Across the Atlantic at David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago, candles were being made from rendered bacon fat with a vegetable base wick! Diners could not only enjoy the smell of bacon from the lit candle, but then pour the liquid fat as a condiment over their meal. Interactive and natural, unlike many candles on the market which are made from nasty toxins.
- 2015 - To celebrate their 65th birthday, Dunkin' Donuts launched a vanilla cupcake flavoured coffee.The Vanilla Cupcake Flavoured Coffee was the latest addition to the Dunkin' Donuts Bakery Series® packaged coffee range, available in coffee aisles nationwide. Combining two wonderful New York treats – caw-fee and cupcakes, Dunkin' Donuts attempted to tap into a playfulness in the consumer psyche and offer another example of the blur between food and drink.
- 2020 - This wasn't just any of kind of pop. This was Marks & Spencer pop. Which basically meant two things: 1) it was delicious and 2) it featured Percy Pigs. As an extension of the Percy Pig franchise, M&S introduced the Phizzy Pop, a sparkling water flavoured with white grape and raspberry.
- 2024 - Five Guys launched a limited-edition popcorn flavoured shake, featuring an indulgent combination of popcorn syrup and crunchy popcorn pieces.
The best way to understand what's next is often to understand what came before. Discover the full story in our latest 20 Years in Food & Beverage Trends e-book, featuring two decades of trend evolution, consumer shifts and future opportunities.
Click HERE to buy your copy - £24 from the sale of this book goes directly to the TFP Foundation.
Image Credits: Guinness / David Burke's Primehouse / Dunkin' Donuts / M&S / Five Guys