Sensory seekers: modifying the dining encounter
I participated in the Trend Watch panel for New Food earlier this year, which was hosted in the famous Twickenham Stadium in London. My main point of emphasis during this discussion was the significance of the sensory components of food and drink. I summarize the main conclusions here, along with how providers might satisfy the increasing demands of “sensory seekers.”
What is included in the sensory experience?
The food-related habits of consumers have changed in the last few years. Global epidemics, changing political environments, and rising costs of living have all had an impact on how we assess our purchases, when we eat, and how we perceive meal occasions.
As a result, customers will value the entire sensory experience—from discovery to preparation and purchase to, of course, eating it—more in 2023. Brands and suppliers face a difficulty in adapting to this shifting consumer mindset. Furthermore, I think it will be essential to comprehend the sensory experience at each touchpoint.The effect of COVID-19 on the senses was one of the frequently more persistent symptoms for certain people.
When it comes to food, scent and taste are essential, and the impact they have on the dining experience is significant. People stayed home due to the epidemic, and since prices are rising, they won’t be dining out as much as they did before the virus. The sensory experience is restricted when one stays at home, therefore as we go into the “new normal,” customers who are yearning for that sensory experience will try to replicate it there.
Smell
As we are discussing food, taste is a fantastic location to begin our sensory exploration. Bigger, bolder flavors will be seen in new product development as we continue to explore with our more daring palates. It will become increasingly commonplace to create new combinations that blend disparate taste sensations or stretch the bounds of flavor.
To address this, St Pierre created its Brioche Pretzel Rolls, which will be introduced to the US market in the second quarter of 2019. We’re fusing the traditional pretzel roll’s salty flavor with the sweetness of a delicate, light brioche. Sesame seeds also give the product texture, which is another crucial factor that suppliers need to take into account.
Feel
It is important to consider texture in all of its forms. For instance, what effect will it have on texture depending on whether the food is eaten hot or cold?
The significance of texture is highlighted by the plant-based category, as it is an essential component in accurately duplicating its animal equivalent. Plant-based products will not be successful if they have an improper texture.Products are multifaceted; adding texture to any item adds intrigue and keeps customers coming back for more. Texture plays a part in what we mean when we say at St Pierre that there should be “a taste of Paris in every bite.”
At the outset of the purchasing process, texture should also be taken into account. Picking things up in stores allows customers to interact with them physically. What impact does this experience have on the things they decide to buy?
Visual
In addition to a product’s texture, packaging is important for both touch and visual clues. In actuality, eyesight plays a bigger part in dietary decisions than it has in the past. Since most people eat with their eyes, the visual experience is crucial for everything from choosing a product in a crowded market to how the meal is presented on the plate. And for that reason, we use our St Pierre packaging to convey our genuine French recipes, and we use Eiffel Tower displays to showcase our product in stores.
We aim to persuade customers to pick up our goods by starting our visual journey at their first point of contact—sight. Next, we make sure that our brioche has that unique glossy coating that makes it ideal for the Instagram generation. Food that is visually beautiful and makes you want to eat it—food with a splash of color. However, it’s also critical that the experience be pleasurable enough for customers to want to tell others about it, whether that happens in person over a meal or online via social media.
Sounds
It’s also critical to think about the auditory experience that users will have with the product; after all, there’s a good reason why sausages sizzle and corks explode. Providers should think about how customers will use their goods and take that into account when creating recipe concepts.
Consider aural cues when promoting brands on social media. Here at St Pierre, we’ve created our very own “sonic trigger,” a piece of music that we own and have come to associate with our brand and the excellence of our merchandise.
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Aroma
Lastly, since our sense of smell determines around 80% of what we taste, its significance in this sensory experience should not be undervalued.
Scents have the power to evoke memories as well; interestingly, nostalgia is a concept that has been gaining popularity lately.
In the out-of-home industry, mixologists are incorporating scent sprays into their concoctions to create a multisensory experience.
The five senses
The rise of sensory restaurant locations is evidence that customers are seeking more immersive experiences. A novel experience is offered by eating “blind” and depending only on texture, taste, smell, and sound, but astute suppliers will consider ways to include all five senses in new goods in 2023. We are already considering ways to include every sensation in the experience that our brand offers as we approach the new year.
Working on new product development is, in fact, really exciting right now, and St Pierre Groupe is eager to keep adopting emerging technologies and consumer trends in the upcoming year.