New Zealand cafés are no longer just for morning brunches and a coffee fix according to The Coffee Club NZ. Kiwi consumers are looking for increased flexibility as they demand more meal options, a wider range of flavours and the ability to customise the menu.
“What we’re seeing here in New Zealand, and overseas, is that customers are tailoring dining more to their own personal wants. It has started with customers wanting to eat traditional breakfast meals at any time of the day.
But it is also now evolving to a point where people are seeking more diverse cuisine and ingredients” says Andy Lucas, Director and Marketing Manager of The Coffee Club New Zealand.
“You have to be able to provide a wide range of flavours from different countries as people are getting more adventurous with their dining and wanting to experience different tastes. But it has also got to be done right, the ingredients have to be up to scratch. Consumers are much more discerning than they were a few years ago.”
Customisation is another hot trend in New Zealand this year. This originated in the USA, where a number of fast food outlets are allowing customers to ‘hack’ the menu – ordering meals that aren’t publicly available, but available to those in the know. A similar trend is starting to develop in New Zealand.
McDonald’s recently launched “Create Your Taste,” which enables customers to customise their own burgers. The Coffee Club is also well-known for being able to adapt any menu item, depending on the customer’s indivdual preference.
It’s expected that more restaurants and cafés will follow suit in the future as customers seek to personalise their dining experiences.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how Kiwi tastes dictate how things develop here. Our menus are going to have to become even more flexible, while not compromising on quality.
Restaurants and cafes are also going to have to switch the menu options up more regularly, to drive frequency and encourage ‘word of mouth’ visits. Really, the key to success going forwards is to be adaptable and 100% customer focused.”
