2019 Catering Predictions

Yes...that time of year is here. You’ve barely caught your breath from holiday events and you’re neck-deep in planning for 2019.

This is also the time of year when industry professionals predict what the future will hold. Because you don’t have tons of time to scan through hundreds of articles, we’ll keep it simple for you, serving-up the top trends from the soothsayers.

• Colors of the Year. The home decorating and fashion industries set the stage for the hot colors each year. While home hues will include blues and greys, the fashion world is showcasing “an unrestrained and experimental approach to color.” Pepper stem, mango mojito, turmeric, sweet corn, and soybean are part of the PMS spring/summer palette, which looks good enough to eat.

• Talking about tasty trends. Garnish, garnish everywhere! You’ll be seeing more cocktails with creative touches and cannabis-infused foods will be growing like weeds. Here are a few more predictions.

• Give the consumer what he or she wants. And what exactly will that be? Ethics and authenticity will be more important to the 2019 consumer than ever before.

• Give the employee what he or she wants. Finding the right talent is always critical in our business, but how we identify and screen those people will evolve. This tip sheet from human resources professionals can help you with your search for the perfect team. Workforces will be more diverse than ever and you will need to fine-tune your management and communication skills to adapt. Finding temporary help will become easier as the gig economy continues to surge.

• Bots are Hot. Technology is pervasive in all industries, but the automation of catering will mean that consumers have more choices at their fingertips and planners/restaurants can work smarter and more cost-effectively. The term “sentient spaces” refers to using customer data to deliver more personalized experiences to consumers as soon as they walk through the door. Facial recognition may be creepy, but it can streamline and personalize many aspects of our business.