The last couple of years have seen a dramatic switch to takeaway and delivery from traditional dining in at restaurants. Though we’re all back to getting out and about to enjoy our favourite venues, the takeaway sector has continued to zoom forward with new concepts and trends emerging.

Here are a few of the current takeaway trends to take advantage of in your food business.

1. Tempt with new menu items

Do you remember when takeaway consisted of fatty fast food options with a wilted garnish thrown in as an afterthought? Those times are long gone thank goodness! Now, takeaway menus compete for attention with everything from street food to gourmet meals for fine dining at home.

Liven up your takeaway menu with dishes aimed at new markets like health-conscious consumers and diners who put sustainability at the top of their priority list. Add fresh flavours and new twists on old favourites. Wholesale relishes for example have the flavour-punching power to transform old favourites into new classics to tempt diners. Get adventurous with relishes like hot pepper relish to spice up chargrilled meats and sliced jalapeno peppers for a Mexican twist.

2. Use eye-catching packaging

No doubt you put a lot of effort into presenting dishes to appeal to the eyes as well as the stomach. This concept is just as important when it comes to packaging for takeaway and delivery.

Have cardboard boxes or paper bags printed with your name or logo and brand colours. Let your customers know you’re serious about sustainability by using recyclable materials. Appeal to health-conscious diners with nutritional information or tell customers exactly where the ingredients in their dish come from.   

3. Make multiple streams of income

Are you making the most of the multiple streams of income that the takeaway business offers? As well as giving your customers a standard takeaway menu to choose from, consider adding meal kits to your offering so people can cook for themselves.

You could even offer kits created especially for big occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. For example, devise a kit for romantic occasions that includes a bottle of wine and chocolates with the meal of choice. Create birthday meal kits for a variety of ages with surprises thrown in. This also offers you an opportunity to partner with complementary businesses to supply extras like gifts and wine, which can help expand your customer base.

Savvy food entrepreneurs are also producing branded items to go with their takeaway menus. Maybe you have a signature biscuit or condiment you make in-house that could be sold separately with takeaway orders. Think dinner tonight, plus a biscotti to have with the morning coffee!

Keeping up with the latest takeaway and delivery trends can help you generate new custom in today's exciting food landscape. Just think about what might work for your business and give it a try.