Lunch Business: Westlers Street Food

Rise of Street Food

 “Over the last few years the popularity of street food has grown significantly as consumers have become more adventurous, with 47%[1] of consumers saying they planned to eat more street food in the future. One consumer trend that is dominating the foodservice industry is convenience. As people’s lives get busier, there has been a shift towards having accessible food that can be eaten on-the-go and street food has many qualities that suits consumer needs for quick and tasty food.

“The street food trend could be great news for caterers who are able to successfully adapt their menus and introduce dishes to meet consumer needs. Toppings can be an easy way of adding themes to menus which can be ideal for relating to an event which has been organised. The ability to add toppings and premium sides to dishes can broaden the appeal of a menu whilst boosting profits. Premium sides like sweet potato fries, chilli nachos and char-grilled corn on the cob can be great accompaniments because they can be hand-held and fit the theme of street food.

“The benefit of the hand-held nature of street food is its versatility, being served directly to the customer without plates or cutlery. This can help to free up room in the establishment as street food can be eaten outside, stood up or sat down without the need for a table. ”

Fine Frankfurters

“In 2014 the use of hot dogs on menus grew by 86%[2] over the previous year, as consumers fell back in love with this classic street food. Frankfurters are the ideal street food as they are perfect for ‘premiumisation’ as they can easily have toppings and sides added to them to increase consumer appeal whilst improving profit margins. Toppings such as guacamole, salsa, sauerkraut and horseradish mayonnaise are just a few that can help add value and can be easily combined to make themed dishes. Further choice for consumers can be offered with a variety of buns and bread which allows for them to personalise exactly how they want it.”

Street Food Solution

 “The Westlers frankfurter is a premium pork product that can offer caterers the ideal solution for serving the perfect street food option. With a meat content of 90% and naturally smoked over beechwood to offer the consumer an authentic and great tasting product, caterers can be sure that they are offering the highest quality to their diners.

“The hot dog market is continuing to expand and evolve and Westlers has responded to this by offering caterers an industry leading product, which offers outlets a quality product on which to build a premium gourmet offer.

“Westlers can also provide caterers with cooking equipment such as roller grills, steamers and bain maries, which allows service direct from the bar. This has the added benefit of relieving pressure on the kitchen as the customer may order a frankfurter from the bar, reducing potential waiting times for other food orders cooked in the kitchen.”

[1]The Street Food Report 2014, Santa Maria

[2] Horizons 2014, Britain’s menus reflect changing nature of eating out