Here’s A Quick Guide to What’s Trending

Why is a condiment as common as ketchup trending on American menus? It’s because operators are making their ketchup uncommon by making theirs special.

Datassentials reports that ketchup menu mentions rose by 7% in the past year and by 28% since 2015. What? Better yet, the restaurant insights company predicts that ketchup menu mentions will grow another 28% by 2022. Truth is—customers count on ketchup and some smart operators are turning a condiment typically given away into a signature sauce that customers will gladly pay for to enjoy.

A survey of restaurant operators finds that 54% of them are making at least one signature sauce from a few simple ingredients back-of-house.

A survey of restaurant operators finds that 54% of them are making at least one signature sauce from a few simple ingredients back-of-house. These signature sauces are typically listed on the menu at a price ranging from 35¢ to 50¢ and served in ramekins.

One of the fastest growing signature sauces is sriracha-flavored ketchup, up 41% in the past year and up 380% since 2015. Datassentials predicts that the growth will continue by another 70% by 2022. Red Gold offers Huy Fong Hot Chili Sriracha Ketchup in 20-ounce squeeze bottles.

Other perfect matches for ketchup include gochujang, +483% in the last four years and chipotle ketchup, +30% during the period. Another rising signature sauce on the rise is fry sauce, made with equal parts ketchup and mayo, up 12% in the past year and predicted to grow by another 8% in the next four years.

Chains that have recently menued a signature ketchup include: Red Robins-using a BBQ ketchup for their El Ranchero Burger, First Watch-leveraging a chipotle ketchup for its Hacienda Hash and Granite City Food and Brewery’s own Irish Pub Chips featuring red ale ketchup.

Operators are turning to signature sauces to set their menus apart. Make sure ketchup is on the table for discussion with your culinary team in building your own signature sauce. Request your free sample of any of Red Gold ketchup products now, tell us that you are interested in making the switch to Red Gold and a sales representative will contact you.