News

Barbecue category driven by niche and ethnic flavors, preparations

October 31, 2010

Barbecue concepts, like nearly all restaurants, have found growth elusive as of late. But Technomic’s newest study sheds light on those that are outperforming the competition by providing the right combination of comfort and adventure.

Technomic’s “Market Intelligence Report: Barbecue” offers insights into where growth opportunities exist in the category, and how restaurant operators can make the most of them.

“Barbecue was a great starting point for this new series of reports,” said Mary Chapman, director of product innovation at Technomic. “Barbecue is known for its complex mixture of flavors and preparation methods, and the category as a whole represents that same intriguing complexity. It is a highly regional and evolving category, with some larger chains declining in sales and units, and other emerging chains poised to take their place.”

Chapman points out that while the barbecue category was down 6.7 percent in 2009, high growth rates were achieved by concepts taking advantage of trends involving ethnic flavors and preparations, such as Hawaiian and Korean barbecue. American style concepts able to differentiate themselves as best in class also have seen growth in spite of economic challenges.

Key report findings include:

Consumers continue to seek out more healthful options when dining out, but many do not realize that barbecue preparations or sauces can add a savory quality to food without additional fat or sodium.

Barbecue has appeal across multiple dayparts, but consumer preferences vary depending on whether an entrée incorporates chicken, beef or pork.

Barbecue menu items are able to touch on each of the top flavor attributes listed by consumers, and can be suited to each customer’s taste through the variety of preparation methods and sauces available.

The 2010 "Market Intelligence Report: Barbecue" includes data from Technomic’s MenuMonitor online trend-tracking resource, which analyzes the menus of more than 1,200 top chain, emerging concepts and leading independent restaurants. The report also profiles more than 30 leading and emerging concepts in the Barbecue category.