FEA’s recent Light Equipment and Tableware Forum shined a light on the latest trends and products currently being seen in the market. Here are 10 top trends and takeaways from the forum…

1. Colour

White is taking a back seat but colour is being seen everywhere front of house – from cutlery to buffet displays, from server ware to glassware. But come 2025, white may be back!

2. Sustainability

Almost every exhibitor was showing products designed to save energy or reduce waste. Reusable labels for plastic containers, induction hobs, hot air chafers, portioners, cutlery with recycled plastic handles, multiple alternatives to single use plastic. Companies are investing in sustainable and recyclable packaging and looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their distribution systems.

3. Matt

Gloss may be more practical, but matt is absolutely on trend, especially when it comes to tableware.

4. Stonewash

Although it may have appeared to be a brief fad, it is becoming a long-term trend. Cutlery with a stonewash finish is set to stay, at least for a while. It comes in all sorts of colours, such as black, copper, stainless steel, champagne, etc. Alongside stonewash there is sandblasting for a slightly different matt effect (generally smoother and lighter), while brushed cutlery gives a satin-like finish. They all look cool, but there is a practical element to this trend, too, which may explain its longevity: the finish does not show scratches, so it lasts longer, which saves money, and it does not show fingerprints, so there is no need to polish it, which saves staff time.

5. Allergens

The hospitality industry is still coming to grips with the issue of allergens, and lots of companies are developing products to assist in this important work. Purple is the colour, and there was a huge range of utensils, storage systems, boards and suchlike on show at the forum.

6. Melamine

The unstoppable rise…Some might think that it is only a matter of time before melamine tableware gets accepted in even top class restaurants, but it is becoming a reality. Maybe not generally, but at least one exhibitor had a special piece of server ware, made of melamine, that had been developed for a top chef. In the USA it’s already big in the upscale and casual dining sectors, so it is likely only a matter of time until it becomes more accepted in the UK. Meanwhile there was a huge range of different melamine products on display, including quite a few with a matt finish.

7. Cost cutting

In today’s economic climate, it’s no surprise that operators are looking more keenly than ever at prices. It means the search for that elusive point of difference is relying more and more on buying clever. Suppliers are well aware of the issue and are trying to find lower cost solutions to the conundrum. Shipping and transport costs are rising, so it is likely that product prices will rise again towards the end of the year.

8. Retro

There is always a touch of retro in the air and the 2024 Forum’s take on it had a distinct whiff of the 70s about it… specifically sizzle ‘n cheese. Sizzle platters, fondu sets and raclette are all reported to be making comebacks. It provides table theatre to enhance the dining experience for guests and grab that elusive point of difference.

9. Equipment that does the job

This is all about saving staff time by finding kitchen gadgets that can either do the job by themselves, or at least help staff do it more quickly. For example, as ice cream and gelato become more popular, machines that make them automatically are on the rise.

10. Sharing

Covid may have briefly halted the trend for sharing platters, but it is back with a bang now. It’s not just about the social aspect, there is also the fact that consumers want to try new foods and, by sharing it, they spread the risk – if they don’t like a dish, hopefully their friends will.

Source .foodserviceequipmentjournal.com