What's Going on at Breakfast: At Home and Away from Home

The American Egg Board recently presented and sponsored a webinar in association with Prepared Foods titled What's Going on at Breakfast: At Home and Away from Home. Featuring Courtney Parks, Executive Chef, Open City and the Diner. Eric Giandelone, Director of Research, Mintel Foodservice and Craig "Skip" Julius, CRC, CCS, CEC, Director of Innovation at AdvancePierre Foods, the webinar looked at consumer eating behavior at-home and away-from-home, what's changing and what opportunities exist for food formulators in consumer package goods and foodservice.

Following you willfind our top ten discussion points from the presentation. Next to each statement, click on the Incredible! Egg and listen to commentary as the participants address the key issues.

1. Foodservice breakfast sales continue to grow, prompting even more restaurant chains to add morning menus.
   
   
   
2. The low-cost/high-margin aspect of breakfast items has allowed operators to offer aggressive deals to maintain daypart traffic while waiting for an economic rebound.
   
   
   
3. Breakfast items are popular with diners beyond the breakfast daypart; some experts expect to see breakfast dishes begin to be offered on chain menus during non-traditional times of the day.
   
   
   
4. Breakfast remains the "comfort food" meal, but consumer interest is growing in more healthful comfort food options.
   
   
   
5. Breakfast sandwiches not only fill the portability and convenience criteria for weekday diners, but can also fill an increasing desire for healthful fare.
   
   
   
6. A supplier who understands that weekday and weekend diners have different needs will be especially valuable when partnering with operators.
   
   
   
7. As more competitors enter the breakfast daypart, chains will increasingly look to suppliers as menu development partners.
   
   
   
8. Ethnic twists on breakfast items help operators differentiate their menus from the competition while exciting consumer interest and encouraging consumer trial.
   
   
   
9. Among the newer trends seen at breakfast are the diversity and creativity of the carriers for familiar breakfast ingredients.
   
   
   
10. Recyclable packaging and gluten-free foods are two things on which operators would like to see suppliers focus more attention.