Our quarterly Social Senses blog posts got a face lift! These posts moving forward will be created in partnership with Tastewise, who monitors social media activity in the food and beverage world. They’re a new source to us, so these posts will have a slightly different look and feel,while still providing the latest and greatest from consumers’ homes to retail shelves. This post includes listening dates: April 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020.
Homemade!
Homemade desserts are up 70% from this time last year – thanks COVID! It’s pie and homemade ice cream season. As consumers were at home April – June because of varying quarantine orders, they began to experiment in the kitchen again. And what better way to comfort yourself during these times of uncertainty than making batches of chocolate chip cookies, brownies, pies, and more! Consumers began to pull out those dusty family recipe books in search of their favorites and as summer approached, pies and ice cream were on the menu.
Some of the top trending recipes identified on Tastewise from late spring and early summer include: Layered Berry Angel Food Cake, Baked on the Grill Brownies with Strawberries, and Blackberry Crumble Pie
Mashups
Comfort food was the buzz the past few months with consumers stuck at home with their families. Luckily, there have been some great mashups and co-branding happening to breathe life into your favorite treats, especially in the dessert space! Consider these Kit Kats and Oreos. The urge to buy them increases when you see new flavors – you just have to pick them up and try them.
Look at this mom who made ice cream sandwiches out of Dunkin Donut Munchkins!
Ice Cream
With warmer weather, consumers are turning to their favorite cold treat. Ice cream saw increased sales because consumers were stockpiling at home during quarantine, but ventured out to find some when quarantine restrictions were lifted. According to Tastewise, consumers were looking for some flavors beyond their traditional chocolate and vanilla. Check out these examples of premium and innovative ice creams.
Ice cream is also expanding beyond the cone and bowl. Consumers are experimenting with ice cream and how they can eat it. Mochi isn’t new, but consumers continue to talk about it. It’s snackable, portioned, and you can eat it on the go! Ice cream novelties and homemade concoctions are also a big part of summer rituals.
Ube All Day, Every Day!
This colorful tuberous root just can’t stay out of the limelight! The purple sweet potato from the Philippines provides a slightly sweet flavor and lots of natural color to many foods and beverages. First, consumers were experimenting in their kitchens and now many restaurants have picked up on the trend and are benefiting from the Instagram-ability of ube. From ice creams to smoothies to pastries – ube is a versatile ingredient and many consumers just can’t wait to share their creations on social media.
Layers of ube chiffon and danish cream make this cake not only colorful but decadent and a perfect after-dinner treat
Who doesn’t love a good mash-up? This Dalgona coffee and ice cream concoction is a great summertime treat and is a great example of how social media can put something in the mainstream so quickly. Dalgona coffee is a new topic and it’s already being worked in with familiar menu items!
Ube is versatile and can be used in traditional recipes as well as fun, Instagram-able moments. This Japanese milk bread is incorporating an ingredient from a different culture to make something even more unique.
Our social listening is provided by Tastewise, with interpretation by our analysts.
I’ve seriously upped my pie game during COVID, so much so that my soon-to-be 8 YO son just requested Apple Pie instead of cake for his upcoming birthday!