Since our office is located in the Chicago suburbs, we were particularly interested in an article that appeared recently in the “Dining” section of the Chicago Tribune.   Contained in this feature was a listing of breakfast sandwiches that provide … “a dozen delicious reasons to get out of bed.” The author of the feature, Tribune Critic Phil Vettel, credits the egg’s versatility as one of the reasons for the many unique combinations that were found in his survey of breakfast sandwiches at Chicago area restaurants. Here are a few highlights from the article that stood out to us:

Bakin’ & Eggs’ BLT – Two slices of thick-cut bacon, two sunny-side-up eggs, aged Cheddar cheese, walnut and basil-pesto mayo, field greens, and juicy tomato stacked inside multigrain bread

Bodega N 5’s La Ribera – Pork sausage resting on a warm multigrain bun with egg, bell pepper, carmelized onions, and a tangy cow’s milk cheese

Jam’s Egg Sandwich – Fried eggs, shredded pork cheek, ricotta salata and tart plum relish on a French bollo (bread) roll

Fannie’s Killer Fried Egg Sandwich at M. Henry*– Sourdough toast layered inside with eggs, blackened applewood smoked bacon, tiny tomatoes, sprigs of thyme and crumbles of Gorgonzola

Honey Café’s Breakfast Burger – A six-ounce grilled beef patty topped with a fried egg and applewood smoked bacon on a brioche bun and served with maple syrup-mayo

Nightwood’s Bagel Sandwich – A bagel spread with a smoked trout-cream cheese blend topped with an over-easy egg, thick bacon slices and a dollop of slaw

Xoco’s Open-Face Breakfast Torta – A Mexican bolillo roll slathered in roasted tomato and a small amount of black bean, then topped with a poached egg that has been topped with a dusting of housemade sour-salty queso fresco, green chile and raw onion

Note: All listed restaurants are in Chicago with the exception of Honey Café, which is located in Glen Ellyn, IL.

*American Egg Board’s Eggscellent Chef Ambassador and owner of M. Henry, Michael Moorman, developed this sandwich, which is also featured in the photo above.

Source: Chicago Tribune Dining section, Thursday, March 29, 2012, page 1

According to Mintel, “Breakfast at limited service restaurants has been well-positioned to capture sales of consumers trading down from more expensive breakfast experiences at full-service restaurants. Despite solid value price points by several full-service operators, the perception that full-service dining is more expensive still exists. As such, positive growth by limited-service players serves to offset struggling sales thru full-service restaurants.”

Additional insights on limited service restaurants from the February 2012 Mintel report include:*

• Usage of limited-service restaurants is greater (54%) than usage of full-service restaurants (42%) for breakfast
• Among limited-service restaurants, fast food is used by 47% of respondents for breakfast, followed by coffeehouse/donut shops (32%) and fast casual restaurants (23%)
• Fast food users skew higher in looking for value meals, dollar menus and snack-size breakfast items
• Analysis of the limited-service breakfast menu reveals that the number of breakfast menu items by QSRs increased 17.3% from Q3 2009-Q3 2011, while menu items available on fast casual menus increased 28.4%

*Based upon a survey of internet users aged 18+ conducted in November 2011

Source: Breakfast Restaurant Trends, Mintel Group Ltd., February 2012

The following trends were published in a report titled Breakfast Restaurant Trends from the Mintel Group Ltd. in February 2012. Consumer data is based upon a survey of internet users aged 18+ conducted in November of 2011. As referenced in this report: “Breakfast has been a notable trend in the restaurant industry as operators have either added breakfast platforms or revitalized breakfast offerings to counter declines in traffic and tepid consumer spending in the recession’s wake.”  Some additional insights from this report include:

Breakfast Marketing and Pricing

• In 2011, Mintel estimates 2.1% growth in breakfast restaurant sales and a market value of more than $25 billion
• The average price of breakfast menu items increased 4.2% from Q3 2009-Q3 2011. With an average menu price of $5.24, breakfast remains a good restaurant value
• Fresh is the leading ingredient marketing claim used on breakfast menus, representing 11.8% of total menu items in Q3 2011
• Menu items making the fresh claim have seen steady price increases up 10.6% from Q3 2009-Q3 2011
• Breakfast is ordered an average of 4.8 times per month by breakfast restaurant users, which demonstrates significant upward growth potential
• Men and respondents aged 18-34 emerge as high-frequency users of breakfast from a restaurant
• Nine out of ten restaurant-goers order breakfast on weekdays, outpacing usage of breakfast on weekends
• Quality attributes rank as the most important restaurant selection factor for breakfast
  • Pricing of breakfast restaurant items rank high on the list of consumer interests, with 70% interested in value meals and 65% in dollar menu items
  • Marketing breakfast items as healthy will get the attention of 60% of breakfast restaurant users – especially women and those aged 35-44

Breakfast Menu

• The number of breakfast menu items available increased 24.2% from Q3 2009 – Q3 2011
• Breakfast sandwiches are the most common breakfast menu item, representing 14.8% of all breakfast menu items in Q3 2011
• Oatmeal has shown the most growth on the breakfast menu from Q3 2009-Q3 2011
• Coffee/coffee drinks are the most popular menu item ordered for breakfast, with 50% of consumer ordering overall
• Hand-held, portable items (i.e. breakfast sandwiches or bagels) are more likely to be ordered on weekdays reflecting the propensity for dashboard dining
• Some 73% of breakfast restaurant users show interest in savory items compared to 50% who are interested in sweet breakfast items

Source: Breakfast Restaurant Trends, Mintel Group Ltd., February 2012

Background:

The following insights are based on an online consumer survey conducted by Technomic in September 2011. The survey respondents included a nationally representative sample of more than 1,500 American consumers. This survey examined consumer purchasing behavior, attitudes and preferences regarding breakfast.

• Despite the growth of the breakfast category, operators still have ample room to boost incremental traffic and sales during the breakfast daypart.
• For weekday breakfast occasions, about three in five consumers surveyed skip breakfast at least once a week.
• One way operators can increase sales is to target younger consumers for weekday occasions. More than three-fifths of consumers aged 18-34 skip breakfast at least once a week, compared to about half of those aged 35 and older.
• Half of consumers polled say they skip breakfast on the weekend at least once a month.
• Breakfast patronage has increased at all foodservice locations measured since 2009 both during the week and on the weekend.
• More than two-fifths of consumers now patronize fast-food restaurants for weekday breakfasts, up from just a third in 2009.
• More than a tenth of all consumers surveyed, and a fifth of those aged 18-34, indicate that they will purchase breakfast away from home more often in the coming year.
• Four-fifths of consumers who expect to purchase breakfast away from home more often in the next year expect to patronize fast-food restaurants, making these locations the most likely to see increased traffic in the near future.
• Two-thirds of consumers who indicate that they will purchase breakfast less often cite having less money to spend on dining out.
• Operators can drive traffic and encourage consumers to visit for breakfast frequently through lower prices, value menus and coupons or other discounts.

Source: Technomic, Inc. The Breakfast Consumer Trend Report 2011

The February 2012 issue of Restaurant Business highlights the growth of the breakfast daypart in a feature article contained in the Foodservice Buyer Menu R&D section of the magazine. Technomic is the source for the breakfast research data that is quoted in the article: “According to The Breakfast Consumer Trend Report published by Technomic last November, convenience is motivating consumers to trade at-home breakfast occasions for away-from-home purchases. Plus, the market is not yet saturated and there is still opportunity for growth in this category, Technomic data shows. About 60 percent of Americans skip breakfast at least once a week and 18- to 34-year-olds are the biggest breakfast skippers.”

A side-bar within the feature lists additional insights from the Technomic’s The Breakfast Consumer Trend Report:

• 18% of consumers are purchasing breakfast away from home more often than they were a year ago
• 46% of today’s consumers say they patronize fast-food concepts for weekday breakfasts compared to 33% in 2009
• Breakfast sandwiches are seeing the most growth; limited-service restaurants have added 45 breakfast sandwich items since 2009
• More the 10% of the 1,500 consumers surveyed, and 20% of those aged 18 to 34, indicate that they will purchase breakfast more often in the coming year
• About 33% of consumers who purchase breakfast at QSRs strongly agree that these restaurants do not offer enough healthy choices.

An interview with the owner of Wild Eggs in Louisville, Kentucky rounds out the feature. At the four locations of this restaurant chain, sales of breakfast items have been rising 8% year to year. (The Executive Chef of Wild Eggs, J.J. Kingery, is an American Egg Board Eggscellent Chef Ambassador.)

American Egg Board photos and/or recipes developed by our Eggscellent Chef Ambassadors and highlighted in the feature include:

1. Breakfast Sliders developed by Chef Keira Moritz (mini egg, bacon and sausage sandwiches topped with cheese)
2. Killer Fried Egg Sandwich from Chef Michael Moorman (a fried egg sandwich on crispy sourdough bread topped with Gorgonzola cheese, applewood smoked bacon and tomato slices)
3. Egg Panini Rarebit from Chef Ouita Michael (a scrambled egg-based panini sandwich with honey mustard and a tangy cheese rarebit sauce for a burst of flavor)

Source: Restaurant Business, February 2012

 Hot off the press is the February, 2012 issue of Restaurant Hospitality. A “Morning Meals” feature contained in this issue highlights some very innovative menu items for the breakfast daypart at restaurants across the country. Consider these ideas for sandwiches, wraps and more when planning your breakfast menu, specials or limited time offers (LTOs).

• Open-Faced Breakfast Sandwich with Eggs, Spinach & Goat Cheese from La Brea Bakery Disney Café in Anaheim, CA
• Grilled Portabella Breakfast Sandwich (with a fried egg) from Roots Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
• MacBenedict, (macaroni & cheese topped with traditional Eggs Benedict ingredients), MacDaddy’s Macaroni and Cheese Bar, Monroe, CT
• Peanut Butter Waffle with Grape Compote and Whipped Grape Jelly, Coeur D’Alene Resort, Coeur D’Alene, ID
• Eggs Croque Madame, (a French-style ham & cheese sandwich topped with a fried egg), Holly Hill Inn, Midway, KY*

*Chef Ouita Michel, Executive Chef/Owner of the Holly Hill Inn is an American Egg Board Eggcellent Chef Ambassador; for more information see the following link: http://tinyurl.com/7k6k4ap

Source: Restaurant Hospitality, February 2012

Following are highlights of Datassentials breakfast-focused menu trend research that appeared in the January 19 issue of QSR magazine. Datassentials analyzes trends based upon a data base of menus from 6,000 North American restaurants. Here are a dozen eggsciting highlights:

1. Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) have experienced a large increase in their breakfast offerings, with current breakfast penetration in this segment running at 47%.
2. Nationwide, QSRs account for the majority of breakfast menus that are available.
3. Over the last four years, there has been an increase in the breakfast item availability at QSRs, from 76% in 2007 to 84% in 2011.
4. There has been particularly strong breakfast menu activity at the top level chains, though that growth may be starting to level off.
5. At major chains in both the QSR and Midscale segments, there has been a lot of activity in the area of limited time offerings (LTOs).
6. In the QSR breakfast segment there is plenty of room for ongoing growth.
7. Despite their wide availability, breakfast sandwiches are still experiencing excellent growth.
8. Other top growing items on breakfast menus include Mexican, ethnic or upscale offerings.
9. Current penetration of breakfast sandwiches on breakfast menus is over 61%.
10. The top three breakfast proteins on QSR menus include eggs, bacon and sausage, while the top three grains on QSR menus are muffins, bagels and tortillas.
11. QSR breakfast entrée menu pricing has increased by 28% from 2005 to 2011.
12. The following trends are being adopted on breakfast menus: Minis, Kitsch (i.e. retro), Mediterranean, Brunch and Ethnic.

“Although the breakfast daypart has been an area of growth for restaurants … for the past few years, consumer data shows that the market is not yet saturated and there are still ample opportunities within this category. Consumers increasingly trade at-home breakfast occasions for away-from-home purchases. Eighteen percent of consumers indicate they are purchasing breakfast away from home more often now than they were one year ago. This increase is clearly driven by the need for convenience as fast-food restaurants have seen the most dramatic increase in breakfast patronage: 46% of today’s consumers say they patronize fast-food concepts for weekday breakfasts, compared to just 33% in 2009. Amid heightened competition and pressures on consumers’ disposable income, opportunities exist for operators and suppliers to capitalize on consumers’ needs at breakfast. “

Following are highlights of additional menu insights that were derived from the Technomic 2011 Breakfast Report:

• Breakfast is a growth category for the limited-service segment, in which seven chains have started serving breakfast since 2009.
• Limited-service restaurants (LSRs) have added 45 breakfast sandwich items since 2009.
• Bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches are the leading variety of breakfast sandwich at limited-service restaurants.
• Sandwiches have been central to driving the growth of the breakfast daypart within the limited-service segment.
• Biscuits are the top bread for breakfast sandwiches at leading LSRs (28.1%).
• Sausage and bacon outpace other breakfast proteins for breakfast sandwiches by a clear margin (not including eggs).
• The top cheese varieties unsurprisingly veer toward traditional options like Cheddar and American.

Source: Technomic, Inc. 2011, The Breakfast Consumer Trend Report

The following Breakfast and Brunch trends were highlighted in the National Restaurant Association online survey of 1,791 members of the American Culinary Federation in October-November 2011. Consider these trends when planning breakfast menu items for the upcoming year.

1. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items (e.g. Asian-flavored syrups, chorizo, scrambled eggs, coconut milk pancakes)
2. Traditional ethnic breakfast items (e.g. huevos rancheros, shakshuka, ashta, Japanese)
3. Fresh fruit breakfast items
4. Prix fixe brunches
5. French toast/stuffed French toast
6. Chicken and waffles
7. Egg dishes

Egg dishes were also identified as a Perennial Favorite by 56% of the respondents to this survey.

Source: National Restaurant Association, Chef Survey: What’s Hot in 2012.

Gobbling down sugary, empty-calorie carbohydrates might be some people’s idea of breakfast, but it should be important to start the day off with good nutrition. Part of that is satisfying the need for protein. Eating high-quality protein foods, like eggs, for breakfast can help a person to feel more energized and satisfied throughout the day as compared with eating more protein at lunch or dinner.

Most people admit they don’t take the time to cook breakfast, unless you count preparing a toaster pastry, so they increasingly choose to pick up something on the way to work or school. Breakfast sandwiches with eggs are a component of a large majority of all breakfasts at quick-service restaurants. In fact, a 2011 Datassential study found that 80 percent of hot breakfast sandwiches at quick-service restaurants include eggs, says Alice Heinze, R.D., director of foodservice for the American Egg Board.

Increasingly, the public is aware of the nutrition benefits of eggs . Eggs are nutrient-dense, containing lots of nutrition in relation to their calorie count. Heinze says the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also suggest Americans “eat a nutrient-dense breakfast.”

“The amount of protein in one large egg is 6 grams or 12 percent of the Recommended Daily Value and the protein in eggs is the highest-quality protein found in any food,” Heinze says. Eggs also are an excellent source of choline and selenium and a good source of vitamin D, phosphorous and riboflavin.

In addition, recent studies have shown that eggs have less cholesterol than ever before. The USDA recently found the average amount of cholesterol in a Grade A large egg is 185 milligrams, 14 percent lower than the 212 mg previously recorded. More than 40 years of research have demonstrated that most healthy adults can enjoy eggs without significantly raising their risk of heart disease, Heinze says.

Most restaurants approach breakfast as a “double barbell’ strategy, says Steve Solomon, national account director for the American Egg Board. The challenge is to balance value against premium and health against indulgence. At breakfast, guests choose the value and health perception of simple breakfast sandwiches containing eggs while others choose to increase that protein by adding premium bacon, ham, sausage, or specialty cheeses as part of a more indulgent offering.

“Items such as applewood-smoked bacon, higher-quality hams such as Black Forest and Rosemary, and cheeses such as artisan cheeses built around eggs can increase the premium aspect of these breakfast items,” Solomon says. “Competitors are raising the bar, and quality is ramping up everywhere.”

Nearly all quick-service chains have their own proprietary version of the breakfast sandwich built around eggs, but many are increasing the flavor and quality profile.

Dunkin’ Donuts Big N’ Toasty sandwich is a good example, featuring two fried eggs, cherrywood-smoked bacon, and American cheese on Texas toast. The item augments Dunkin’ Donuts’ already popular egg white flatbreads. Subway offers a variety of breakfast sandwiches featuring Black Forest ham, bacon, and steak, with eggs and cheese on flatbread or rolls. Starbucks’ Veggie & Monterey Breakfast Sandwich has vegetables, an egg, and Monterey jack cheese on an artisan roll. Its Bacon & Gouda Artisan Breakfast Sandwich has bacon, Parmesan frittata, and aged Gouda cheese on an artisan roll. Both of these sandwiches are 350 calories. McDonald’s maintains its dominance with the Egg McMuffin, featuring an egg, cheese, and Canadian bacon on an English muffin. McDonald’s also serves the McGriddle, with bacon, egg, and cheese on a pancake.

Source: QSR magazine, November 2011.