Smartphone apps catering to food take on ritzy, high-end angles
Implications - Upscale food apps are symptomatic of a desire to communicate prestige, especially in the overshare era of social media. Technology that makes higher-end goods available allows for more convenient upscale experiences that are easily shared. This also allows consumer to indulge on an as-needs basis, making for a more non-committal form of luxury.
Workshop Question - Design (or redesign) an app that offers your consumers a sense luxury, what characteristics would be included?
Trend Themes
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Upscale Food Apps — The trend of upscale food apps is driven by the desire to communicate prestige, making higher-end goods more available and convenient, leading to non-committal luxury experiences.
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Virtual and Mobile Culinary Experiences — There is a new trend of virtual gourmet experiences catering to foodies' love of luxe and rare delicacies that makes them accessible to everyone, while mobile sommelier apps offer detailed beverage info and food pairing recommendations on-the-go.
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Chef-curated Food Apps — The chef-curated food apps trend lets users drink and dine like the pros, using exclusive professional reviews from some of the best chefs and mixologists around the world to explore the best food and beverage spots locally and globally.
Industry Implications
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Hospitality Industry — The trends reveal the hospitality industry's growing focus on offering elevated food experiences through technology, causing a shift towards virtual and mobile gourmet experiences, and the curating of food and beverage spots by professional chefs.
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Technology Industry — The trends highlighted point to the technology industry's growing involvement in making higher-end goods available, creating non-committal luxury experiences, and giving mobile information on fine dining experiences.
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Food and Beverage Industry — The food and beverage industry must focus on delivering elevated food experiences, as it is clear that there is a growing demand for upscale food apps, virtual and mobile culinary experiences, and curating of food and beverage spots by professional chefs.
