Premier Foods launches Mother's Day and Easter menu guide

The guide contains the findings of exclusive independent research commissioned by Premier Foods to establish whether menu offerings around Mother’s Day and Easter are currently reflecting the needs of consumers.

Premier Foods executive chef Mark Rigby has developed nine new recipes based on the research, which are detailed in the guide along with hints and tips for making the most of the two occasions and increasing footfall among both new and existing customers.

To celebrate the launch of the guide, Premier Foods is also offering chefs the chance to win a spa break for two at Ragdale Hall if they download it from www.premierfoods.co.uk​​ by 10 April 2015.

Sarah Gray, Premier Foods channel marketing manager, said:  “With consumers once again dining out more frequently, the importance of special occasions can’t be underestimated. Our latest research ensures we remain at the forefront of trends and consumer insight.

“Our latest research revealed that 55 per cent of mums prefer to eat out of home on Mother’s Day, highlighting the importance for chefs to really get behind the occasion. The guide showcases the sales opportunities behind these key events and we really encourage our customer to make use of our new recipes.”

Independent research​

The research was conducted by Cambridge Direction, who spoke to both caterers and consumers to see if perceptions match reality when it comes to Mother’s Day and Easter offerings.

It highlighted the importance of Mother’s Day for foodservice outlets, with 77 per cent of caterers agreeing the event is important for driving uptake and sales, and 23 per cent reporting a sales uplift of over 60 per cent on the day.

The majority of caterers also said Easter was an important event for attracting new customers, but only 7 per cent reported a sales uplift of over60 per cent during the Easter period.

Additionally, while 55 per cent of mums said they would eat out-of-home on Mother’s Day, only 23 per cent said they would eat out of home over Easter, suggesting caterers are missing out on a huge opportunity by not promoting Easter menus and promotions.

Roast dinners were voted the most popular dishes for both Mother’s Day and Easter, although 29 per cent of consumers said they would seek ‘new and modern’ choices.

Nearly half (45 per cent) of mums said they would look for foodservice outlets to provide a special Mother’s Day menu, but the majority were happy to go a la carte for Easter.

Infographics: Caterer and consumer insight​