Loblaw Releases Second Annual Canadian Food Trends List

TORONTO, Nov. 22, 2017 /CNW/ - Retro-inspired meals, freak shakes and cook-and-cut sheet meals are a few of the trends that will be exciting Canadian home chefs in 2018. Under the marketing tagline of Taste the New Next, today, Loblaw announces their list of 2018 Canadian Food Trends, which highlight what Loblaw believes we'll be eating in the coming year.

"With the announcement of the Loblaw 2018 Canadian Food Trends we hope to encourage Canadians to think differently about what they are eating and where their food comes from," says Greg Ramier Executive Vice President, Market Division, Loblaw Companies Limited. "We hope our food trends list will inspire Canadians to try new things and discover new family favourites."

In the summer of 2017, the Loblaw Food Council – a diverse group of Canadian experts including professional chefs, registered dietitians, academics and Loblaw food experts – met to review internal and industry data and share predictions for what will be hitting kitchen tables next year.

The Loblaw 2018 Canadian Food Trends are as follows:

Closing the Food Loop

• GIY (Grow It Yourself): Backyards and balconies are a great place to better understand where food comes from. Loblaw expects to see greater public interest in GIY, from backyard beehives and chicken coops, to balcony herb and sprout gardens.

• Right-Size Portioning: Canadians will remain focused on reducing their personal food waste by placing a larger emphasis on cooking what they know they can eat, rather than filling their plates.

• Leftovers Revival: Canadians will look for new ways to combine leftovers to create great tasting meals that reduce waste and save on food prep time.

• According to Loblaw Food Council member Chef Ned Bell: "Many Canadians are having conversations about how to reduce food waste in their households. Using leftovers to make new and exciting meals throughout the week is one simple thing we can all do at home to help make this challenging issue delicious."

Occasional Indulgence

• Freak Shakes: Dessert should be fun. Canadians will go crazy for toppings on their favourite milkshakes – like Nanaimo bars, cakes and pies – making them more like a fun dessert than a drink.

• Wake and Cake: Cake always tastes best first thing in the morning. Occasionally eating sweet treats in the morning, provides the body more time to work off the indulgence, and less reason to feel guilty.

• Full Fat: With more knowledge about good and bad fats, many will turn to fuller fat options, like full-fat yogurt.

• Futurist and Loblaw Food Council member Sanjay Khanna: "In an increasingly virtual world, Canadians are seeking food experiences that are novel, sensory and nostalgic. The faster the world changes, the more Canadians yearn for themes and variations on the familiar."

Rediscovering Traditions

• Dual-Purpose Ingredients: Shop once – use it twice. Canadians will continue to experiment and look for new ways to use food ingredients such as seaweed for both eating and skincare; and florals for flavoured teas, cocktails, baking and bath bombs.

• Retro-inspired: Sometimes to find inspiration we must look to the past. Being adventurous in the kitchen in 2018 will include replicating the signature dishes of childhood and generations past, with a modern twist.

• Dan Clapson, Food Writer and Loblaw Food Council member notes: "Canadians are reliving their family traditions from their childhood and updating those delicious foods from their youth with a modern twist for their families – making meals that are nutritious, delicious and reminiscent of being a kid."

• Kathy Jollimore, Chef, Food Stylist, Food Writer and Loblaw Food Council member believes: "Canadians are looking to evoke a sense of nostalgia when it comes to their meals, but now benefit from unexpected ingredients and cooking tools that can help modernize these retro classics. For me, it's about maintaining the great taste that you remember from when you were a kid, but reinventing it to make it a healthier and balanced meal."

Rethinking Nutrition

• Renewed Nutrition Focus: With the launch of the updated Canada's Food Guide, Canadians will be interested in learning and understanding the changes that have been made and how they can incorporate the revised nutrition guidance into their diets. The revamped Food Guide will lead to more discussion about how to define nutrition, what Canadians should be eating and how to navigate credible sources for nutritional information.

• Gut Health: Canadians are more aware than ever about how their bodies work and the importance of good gut health. The use of pre- and probiotics, as well as fermented foods, will continue to gain popularity as we place a higher importance on how our gut health affects our overall health.

• Reduced Sugar: As some fats become friendlier, attention is turning to excessive sugar consumption and its effect on the body. Consumers will be seeking low-sugar foods, as well as ways to reduce their sugar intake.

• Sue Mah, Registered Dietitian and Loblaw Food Council member: "Canadians have taken a vested interest in what we put in our bodies, including the food choices we make. Gut health is the biggest trend I'm seeing right now. Probiotics are here to stay."

Cooking on the Clock

• Breakfast with a Twist: Canadians want a breakfast that is portable, high in protein and something that can be prepared the night before. Think cook-and-cut sheet meals and the inclusion of non-traditional breakfast proteins like chicken, seafood and beans.

• Meal Kit: Meal kits will continue to be popular, with consumers looking for chef–inspired, great-tasting meal options. Beyond great recipes, consumers will be looking for value pricing, minimal packaging, more customization options and reduced subscription requirements.

• Claire Tansey, Writer, Chef and Loblaw Food Council member notes: "Canadians think they don't have enough time to cook, but the fact is, every meal doesn't have to be Instagram-worthy. Breakfast, for example, can be as simple as scrambled eggs in a wrap, which takes less than five minutes. I want to challenge Canadian's assumptions that they don't have time to cook. Cooking can be fast AND really delicious."

"As a chef, it is inspiring to watch the excitement Canadians have for the food they eat and feed their families," said Chef Mark Russell, Executive Chef, Loblaw Companies Limited. "Every day through our stores we strive to support this passion by offering great products, a wide variety of food, counsel from our instore dietitians, cooking classes and special food events."

Throughout the year, the Loblaw 2018 Food Trends will be brought to life in-store, online and in kitchens across Canada. At the centre of food innovation, the Loblaws^® store at Maple Leaf Gardens*, will showcase these trends at various times throughout the year. Loblaw invites foodies from across the country to see what's new in food in 2018.  For more information please click here(Open in a new tab).

ADDITIONAL LOBLAW FOOD COUNCIL MEMBER QUOTES

Rita DeMontis, National Lifestyle Editor for Sun Media and Loblaw Food Council Member

• "Canadians are going to become more conscious about the history of the food they are buying and eating - looking at where the food trail starts to where it finishes."

Jacob Richler, Founding Editor, Canada's 100 Best Restaurants and Loblaw Food Council Member

• "Canadians are looking for shortcuts that lead them to a delicious home-cooked meal. Meal kits allow us to enjoy quick, healthy, fresh meals with minimal waste. The important thing is not the amount of time it takes to make a meal, but the end result."

Emma Waverman, Writer, Influencer and Loblaw Food Council Member

• "It's important to remember that cooking isn't scary, and you shouldn't be afraid to try something new. Try making savoury breakfasts by incorporating new proteins like chicken, mild fish or beans. It is a great way to prepare, quick and simple breakfasts with a twist."

Evan Fraser, Professor at the University of Guelph and Loblaw Food Council Member

• "Canadians have become aware of the importance of the micro-biome and gut health as a determinant of overall health and fitness of a person. I think this is one of the most interesting frontiers of science underway right now and delighted that it has captured the public's imagination."

Sylvain Charlebois, Dean and Professor at Dalhousie University and Loblaw Food Council Member

• "Given that convenience seems to have more currency than ever before, two worlds are currently colliding in the ready-to-eat space at grocery stores, which caters to people seeking portable solutions to accommodate their hectic daily lives."

*Reg'd TM. Lic'd use.

About Loblaw Companies Limited Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unit holder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, banking, and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 192,000 full and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.

Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the companies' stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at more than 1,250 Shoppers Drug Mart^® and Pharmaprix^® locations and more than 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial^®; affordable Joe Fresh^® fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top consumer brands in Life Brand^®, no name^® and President's Choice^®. Through the PC Plus^® and Shoppers Optimum^® loyalty programs, more than one in every three Canadians are rewarded for shopping with the companies.

SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited