Modern Brunch Trends
Don’t miss out on the brunch boom!
Brunch is breaking foodservice boundaries, gliding from the formal-buffet standby to casual, flavour-forward menus. Today, brunches are global, comfort-driven, boozy and social. Classic omelet stations have been supplanted by Bloody Mary bars that offer trendy garnishes such as beef jerky, Sriracha shrimp and BBQ sliders. Eggs Benedict have been upgraded, adding toppings such as harissa hollandaise with a finish of za’atar spices.
Millennials are driving brunch innovation, looking to the weekend as a way to blow off steam, hang out and maybe experiment with global flavour mash-ups. The opportunity to capture this hugely important demographic is significant in this space. Another bonus to the modern brunch trend? It has doubled its potential, moving beyond Sundays into Saturdays. Datassential, which tracks menu trends, reports that the number of restaurants offering brunch grew by 14 percent from 2011 to 2015.
Adding the right menu mix is key to brunch-time success. We’ve pinpointed a few dishes that we think present opportunity for distinction, hitting the sweet spot of familiarity while adding just the right amount of flavour innovation.
3 Ways to Tap into Brunch
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EXPAND
YOUR HOURSRestaurants that already offer brunch could build business with simple changes such as expanded days or hours. As fewer consumers live 9-to-5 lifestyles, there is a growing interest in brunch fare on Saturdays, weekdays and in the afternoons or evenings.
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EVOLVE
YOUR MENUConsumers’ definitions of appropriate foods for breakfast or brunch are broadening. Adding regional or ethnic items can help build excitement and incremental sales.
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ELEVATE YOUR
BEVERAGE MIXConsider adding a wider variety of fresh fruits, juices or smoothies to boost consumer perceptions of freshness—and sales.
Source: Technomic, Inc.
3 Brunch Superstars
Eggs Benedict
This brunch classic is getting serious attention. Chefs are switching out traditional Canadian bacon for chorizo or pork belly, for example. They’re swapping the standard English muffin for corn cakes, savoury biscuits or brioche.
But the easiest pathway to menu distinction, and the component getting the most play here, is the hollandaise.
Our chefs offer a few ideas, relying on Kraft Bistro Sauce for its creamy texture with undertones of Dijon mustard, horseradish and garlic.
- CHIPOTLE BISTRO HOLLANDAISE
- Kraft Bistro Sauce
- chipotle
- orange marmalade
- MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO HOLLANDAISE
- Kraft Bistro Sauce
- sun-dried tomato
- oregano
- SRIRACHA BISTRO HOLLANDAISE
- Kraft Bistro Sauce
- Richardson Ultimate Sriracha Sauce
- soy sauce
Benedict 2.0
I just worked up a Benedict that featured black bean cakes topped with poached eggs, pork carnitas and Kraft Bistro Sauce—a perfect upgrade for modern brunch menus.Dane Higgins, Corporate Executive Chef
Hashes
Traditionally served at breakfast with a base of potatoes topped with cheese, vegetables and eggs, hash offers a great platform for creative brunch-friendly dishes. Comforting, filling and familiar, the condiments served with the hash offer one of the best ways to create signature brunch experiences. Modern brunch is all about the sociable, shareable vibe.
Consider adding a ketchup bar to let yours guests choose from customized ketchups—perfect for modern hashes or any other potato-based brunch dish.
- FIVE SIGNATURE FLAVOURED KETCHUPS
- Heinz Ketchup + harissa
- Heinz Ketchup + Kraft BarBQ Sauce
- Heinz Ketchup + curry powder
- Heinz Ketchup + ginger
- Heinz Ketchup + Richardson Ultimate Sriracha Sauce
Hash 2.0
I recently played with hash in our kitchens here and landed on this: roasted red potatoes tossed with pastrami, grilled onions, Richardson Ultimate Smoky Barbecue Sauce and a fried egg on top.Dane Higgins, Corporate Executive Chef
Brunch Tacos
For modern brunches, tacos offer the perfect bridge between breakfast and lunch…and between familiar and adventurous. A hit with millennials, tacos are the new breakfast sandwiches. Chefs today are looking beyond traditional Latin builds and saying “anything goes” when it comes to tacos: eclectic, global mash-up, veg-centric—all find a perfect home here.
The sauce on a taco is what makes it craveable. Our chefs devised a few creative signature sauces that work their magic when drizzled over a brunch taco.
- SERRANO-RANCH TACO SAUCE
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- Kraft Rancher’s Choice Dressing
- serrano peppers
- SPICY CILANTRO TACO SAUCE
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- fresh cilantro
- lime zest
- hot sauce
- GOCHUJANG TACO SAUCE
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- milk
- gochujang
ON THE HORIZON
Look out for chilaquiles, the next iteration of Latin-themed breakfast/brunch items. These “breakfast nachos” see fried tortilla chips and red or green salsa simmered until the flavors meld. Queso fresco, a fried egg and maybe avocado slices finish this craveable dish. They’re getting lots of play on menus in the U.S., so much that they’re poised to take the torch from breakfast burritos and tacos.
5 Easy Ways to Update the Classic Brunch Bagel
Bagels and cream cheese go together like brunch and Sundays. Modern cream-cheese-and-bagel builds take very little labour and are endlessly customizable. Start with Philadelphia Cream Cheese, the standard-bearer of quality and consistency.
