There is more fresh fruit on US restaurant menus: a study commissioned by the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (Cffa), which pulled data from 4,800 national and regional chains and independent restaurants, showed three-quarters of restaurants featured at least one fruit item, with almost 8 per cent of all dishes on the menu featuring at least one fruit ingredient. It revealed that between 2009 and 2013 fruit grows in menu penetration across nearly all segments.
Whole fresh fruit has become the most commonly purchased format, while the word “fresh” had become the key descriptor, appearing on more menus than the words “seasonal”, “organic” or “local”. The study showed a majority of operators valued having fresh fruit year round more than offering locally in-season fruit. Avocados, lemons, oranges and apples were each found on more than a quarter of US menus, with citrus fruits considered an essential ingredient for fine dining and in-house cocktails. “The research shows that fruit is an essential element on US restaurant menus, with an emphasis on freshness,” said Maeve Webster, senior director at Datassential, the company that carried out the research.
The positive trend for healthy food in the Us is confirmed by another survey carried out by the National Restaurant Association: the research, involving 1,800 professional chefs, said that the main trends for 2013 will be fresh products and healthy food. In this context, the European fresh fruit and vegetable products promoted by the European Flavors project – including kiwis, apples, nectarines, chicory and Sicilian oranges, and also processed products such as tomato sauce or orange juice – are an attractive option for US consumers. This is confirmed by the positive export figures of Italian fruit and vegetables to the USA, which over the last 3 years have risen to 18 thousand tons, a turnover of 20 million euros.
