Exploring the Possibilities within Small-Plate Culture
The demand for smaller portions is driven by more than weight management and loss of appetite from GLP-1. Prolonged inflation, and less discretionary income are big factors. Consumers aren’t solely health-concerned, they’re hunting down deals.
Currently, we see the highest rate of “discount dining” in 50 years, a Gen Z and millennial shift to earlier “happy hour” restaurant bookings, bargain cocktails, one-half of consumers clamoring for reduced packaged food sizes and restaurant portions, eateries testing smaller offerings, and major CPG companies rethinking their value proposition at shelf.
As the industry wrestles with sizing and pricing, we’re focusing on culinary inspiration – a space to play that merges flavor and practicality. Enter, global small plate culture. The essence of small plate culture – regardless of region – is not about filling the plate, but sampling a wide variety of small bites, flavors, textures, and temperatures, as well as the promotion of discovery, and communal eating.
To inspire both retail and foodservice, we invite you to take a quick, world tour of our favorites. Sure, you can think about each as something that might work as a “global flavor,” but we encourage you to consider how we’ve deconstructed them, highlighting their unique DNA and possibilities for interpretation directionally – rather than literally – regardless of cuisine.
Spanish Tapas
& Basque Pintxos
DNA. Seasonal freshness, regional specialties, and beverage pairings. It’s common to see cold gazpacho in the heat of summer, a country-wide celebration of Andalusia, Catalonia, Basque Country, and Galicia regions, along with suggested beer, wine, sherry, cava, Tinto de Verano, vermouth, and sangria companions.
Stretch
Enable a “tapeo experience,” inspired by the ritual of hopping from venue to venue to sample a variety of dishes at each, for example:
- Packaged “road trip” bites featuring different nibbles inspired by favorites along Route 66.
- Manufacturer-prescribed “aisle visits” to gather branded components throughout the store.
- Moveable feast collaborations between host restaurants in proximity, or all locations with a campus dining footprint.
Mediterranean Mezze
DNA. An emphasis on vegetables, legumes, pulses, dips, whole grains, and healthy fats, with meats more of an accent than a star. Flavors skew bright, herbal and aromatic and textures range from creamy to tender to crunchy.
Stretch
- A modular, mezze “matrix” or branded platform of interoperable SKUs designed to be mixed and matched via on-pack “pairing codes,” complete with QR-linked playlists and hosting tips.
- A mezze fusion line, e.g., Mexican Mezze (black bean tahini, Mexican street corn “slices”, cotija-based dip, and tortillas for tearing).
- Mezze Bento Boxes (one each of a core dip, vegetable item, protein bite, carb, and garnish).
Japanese Izakaya
DNA. Drink-forward, casual nibbling. Like tapas, izakaya involves explicit food and beverage pairings, with a gradual flow of dishes for eaters to graze on over time. Shareables include salty snacks, grilled and fried items, simmered dishes and a rice or noodle “closer.”
Stretch
- Izakaya Air Fryer Kits with skewered, marinated proteins and vegetables, plus a brush-on sauce.
- Connect the dots between this drink-forward ritual and our current “little treat culture,” and double down on small dishes of sweets served with coffee.
- To create ambiance and embrace ritual, consider branded towels that can be dampened and microwaved, to refresh and “sanitize” hands and face before grazing.
Korean Banchan
DNA. Small, vegetable-laden bowls served at room temperature or chilled, intended to accompany rice or a main dish. They are thoughtfully clustered in the center of the table in a way that balances color, texture, and preparation, to cue variety and abundance. Bowls include raw, blanched, stir-fried, steamed, and fermented items meant to satisfy both nutritional and sensorial needs. The number and range of banchan can signal the formality of the meal.
Stretch
- Korean American BBQ, with grilled proteins and ramekins of kimchi slaw, gochujang baked beans, sesame potato salad, marinated cucumbers, and pickled onions.
- Imagine a banchan-inspired cocktail flight served as a main drink and 3-5 small side pours, with the drinker moving between them.
Hopefully, the above helps to push thinking into next year – especially around those ideas that leverage experience to answer the call for smaller portions with greater value.
Katherine Plueger
Vice President, Strategy & Insights at JT Mega
Katherine Plueger conducts category, competitive and consumer research to develop the actionable insights that lead to better strategy for our clients.
