Food Genius, a foodservice data provider specializing in gathering, preparing, and serving granular foodservice menu data and analytics, has published a new monthly industry analytics presentation focused on one of America’s most common cuisine types. 

Mediterranean cuisine has been growing in popularity over the last number of years in part thanks to the successful growth of new quick casual operators like Zoës Kitchen and the massive rise of the Greek yogurt category. 

Food Genius decided to focus its regular monthly menu data analytics around this cuisine and has some interesting takeaways for those in the restaurant industry who are thinking about how to incorporate Mediterranean ingredients and flavors into their offerings.

Mediterranean Menu Trends and Insights, Food Genius’ data presentation details analytics on what ingredients, dishes, proteins, and dressings are most commonly utilized within Mediterranean cuisine in the US. 

With an emphasis on plant-based ingredients, health experts recently promoted Mediterranean cuisine as a healthy and well-balanced diet that could curb memory loss as the brain ages.

With consumers maintaining focus on healthy restaurant options, Food Genius believes there are opportunities for non-Mediterranean operators to think about how they too can incorporate Mediterranean-inspired flavors or ingredients that consumers will gravitate towards.

Key insights from Food Genius’ Report: 

• Hummus is only featured on 14 percent of all menus nationwide, but 75 percent of Mediterranean menus.
• Lamb appears to be more established as a distinctly Mediterranean ingredient in its application, than in most other cuisines.
• The average price of Mediterranean entrées across the US is $7.48.