Far from an occasional afterthought or add-on for foodservice customers, sweet treats are a must for every menu. Survey results from the market research firm Datassential reveal a robust appetite for desserts. Sixty-three percent of consumers said they had a dessert within the past day, and 95% reported enjoying one within the past week (1).
What’s more, operators rely on desserts to sweeten sales. Sixty percent said desserts drive profits (2). And consumer demand for desserts is growing: 45% of operators surveyed saw a spike in overall dessert sales over the past year, with dessert limited-time offers returning to pre-pandemic levels (1).
“Dessert is a well-loved category and menu part that’s chock-full of options and opportunities —ice cream, cake, ice cream cake, cookies, Cronuts, sweet dessert-meets-breakfast dishes like red velvet pancakes... I could go on and on,” said Renee Lee Wege, senior publications manager for Datassential (1).
Seventy-seven percent of consumers surveyed had their last dessert away from home—a stat that underscores the importance of adding signature desserts that set you apart from the competition and can’t be purchased at retail.1Fifty-three percent of consumers overall surveyed look forward to signature dessert from a restaurant—a percentage that rises to 58% for millennials and 62% for Gen Z (3).
Understanding consumer preferences is critical in developing desserts that can drive extra revenue, enhance the customer experience and encourage repeat visits. Here are a few ideas and insights to help you elevate your dessert offerings.
Nostalgic desserts that bring back sweet memories are trending. Fifty-seven percent of consumers (62% of Gen Z) yearn for desserts that evoke the flavors and feelings of yesteryear. Meanwhile, 43% of dessert-serving operators currently offer nostalgic desserts, and another 32% are interested in adding them (3).
Nostalgic offerings that treat customers to fresh twists on the familiar merge memory with novelty. Consider elevated desserts that harken back to the good old days while satisfying a hankering for new taste experiences, like our Chocolate Hazelnut Sour Cream Pudding with Brown Sugar Creme Sauce.
Desserts that combine seasonality with memory can be especially appealing. More than 4 out of 5 consumers are drawn to desserts that evoke nostalgia or the qualities of a specific season (3). Elevate your dessert menu with items like our Apple Cider Doughnut Pound Cake with Sweet Cinnamon Greek Yogurt that combine seasonality and memory.
There’s a world of opportunity when it comes to dessert concepts. Thirty-eight percent of operators are interested in adding globally inspired desserts to the menu. That’s a good thing, given that 41% of consumers surveyed overall (58% of Gen Z and 54% of millennials) are interested in dessert concepts with international flavor profiles (3). Add international flair to your menu with inventive concepts like Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis and Citrus Graham Crumble, a tart and creamy take on the classic Italian dolce, made especially luscious with Cabot Greek Yogurt.
Or try Strawberry Rhubarb Sour Cream Crème Brûlée, a sweet spin on the French classic made all the more rich and satisfying with Cabot Sour Cream.
When choosing dessert ingredients, it’s essential to bear in mind that over half of all consumers consider flavor a top factor when ordering a dessert away from home. Flavor surpasses format in importance for dessert development (2).
In fact, 84% of consumers say flavor is extremely or very important when selecting a dessert, and 93% of operators cite it as extremely or very important when purchasing dessert products (3).
Cabot Creamery Foodservice offers deliciously creamy, award-winning cheese and dairy products that make desserts and pastries the best they can be.
1 Datassential, Foodbytes: Dessert Decadence, 2023
2 Datassential, How restaurant operators can tap into the latest dessert trends
3 Datassential, Desserts Keynote Report, March 3, 2023