Happy National Maple Syrup Day!
Maple is moving from the morning hours and making its way to all-day parts. Operators are pushing maple beyond traditional breakfast dishes and experimenting with it in non-alcoholic beverages, cocktails and savory concepts. Mentions of maple on menus are up overall 3.4% year over year¹. According to the Technomic Menu Monitor, maple is up 85% in non-alcoholic beverages and almost 15% in alcoholic beverages between the second quarter of 2016 and the second quarter of 2017².
Up until recently, sugar and sweetened products played a significant role in the American diet. Today, 76% of consumers are avoiding any type of sweetener³ and searching for better-for-you alternatives. Instead of artificial sweeteners, consumers are looking for more natural alternatives like maple, honey and agave.
Pumpkin spice has its loyal fans, but operators and consumers alike are ready for the season’s newest flavor.