Research released to coincide with National Burger Day has shown what consumers expect from a gourmet burger offer.
The poll by Mintel shows that 60% of respondents had visited a burger outlet in the three months to Jul. The group said the increasing appetite for burgers is set to grow the market in the UK to £3.2bn in 2016 – up 22% since 2011.
When it comes to what makes a burger venue ‘gourmet’, freshly made burgers top the list. The poll shows 71% would expect freshly made burgers from a gourmet burger venue, followed by customisable burgers (54%) and a choice of how the burger is cooked (48%).
But whilst some consumers are focused on burger preparation, for others ingredients take top billing. Almost one third would expect to see artisanal ingredients at a gourmet burger venue, while one quarter would expect detailed information on where ingredients come from and 22% would expect information about which cuts of meat were used. Finally, for one in 10 (11%) consumers it’s not about the burger at all as they would expect to see craft alcoholic drinks on the menu.
Kiti Soininen, Head of UK Food and Drink Research at Mintel, said: “Consumers see freshly made burgers as the biggest marker of a gourmet burger venue, something that sets them apart as this is not traditionally offered by fast food venues. Customisation is also a top expectation for gourmet offerings, in line with a more general demand for knowing what goes into one’s food and the trend for personalisation. Fast food venues are already looking to incorporate customisation options into their menus and competitors should look to follow suit.” Kiti continues.
Indeed, even outside of gourmet burger bars, customisation is a trait consumers are keen to see at fast food restaurants. Two in five (41%) fast food users are interested in seeing customisable dishes, for example selecting the bread, meat and toppings, and 35% are interested in a wider choice of burgers with meat other than beef. Additionally, 16% of fast food consumers would be interested in seeing alcoholic beverages on the menu.
Finally, it seems that fast food restaurants need to take note of evolving appetites as near one third (31%) of UK fast food eaters would be interested in trying high-fibre bun options, 23% a wider choice of non-meat options and 14% more gluten-free dishes.
