Foodservice Drives Fresh Produce Demand

Long before influencers inspired what we eat, foodservice was shaping the way we experience food. Restaurants, chefs and operators were the original influencers, making familiar items fresh, introducing new ingredients, and showing consumers what is possible on the plate. For fresh produce, this relationship drives demand from the plate back to the farm.

The roots of modern foodservice lie in communal dining, but it was the rise of restaurants in the 18th century that began to position chefs as trendsetters. Fast forward to today, and that influence has only accelerated. With restaurant industry sales projected to top $1.5 trillion, according to the National Restaurant Association, foodservice remains one of the most powerful platforms for shaping consumer behavior. In fact, USDA data shows that nearly 59% of total U.S. food spending happens away from home, reinforcing just how essential foodservice is to the way Americans eat.

So what does that mean? It means foodservice is a live test kitchen for produce. Chefs take what farmers grow and translate it into something craveable that’s worth repeating at home. There is a shared passion that is hard to replicate. Spend five minutes with a grower talking about their crop, then step into a kitchen where a chef is building a dish around that same ingredient, and you see it immediately. Both are obsessed with flavor, appearance and what their final product says to the world.

More than 80% of operators say fresh produce is essential to their menus, according to insights from the International Fresh Produce Association. Produce in foodservice is projected to grow at a rate that slightly outpaces the overall industry. Foodservice has tight margins and constant change, so that kind of balanced growth signals real opportunity.

The produce industry has seen this foodservice-driven demand take hold. Think about the rise of avocados, once a niche item in many parts of the country, they became a staple thanks in part to menu penetration through guacamole and avocado toast. Mushrooms have followed a similar path, evolving from a side component to a center-of-the-plate feature in plant-forward menus. Even mangos have followed a similar path, gaining traction as chefs introduced global flavors and applications.

And yes, watermelon has had its moments, too. From fresh juice bars to savory applications like salads, and even rind pickles or compressed flesh preparations, foodservice has helped expand how people think about using the whole fruit. It is always fun to see that lightbulb moment when someone realizes watermelon is more than a delicious summer slice.

Foodservice also plays a critical role in educating consumers about seasonality, as limited-time offers create excitement around peak flavors. The strong sense of season has traditionally been a defining strength of produce and foodservice. But is the conversation evolving? Today’s consumer expects access to fresh produce year-round. Retail has set that expectation. Foodservice operators are increasingly building menus that feature produce across seasons, supported by a global supply chain.

This is not about abandoning seasonality, it is expanding the role of produce so it can deliver both consistency and an aha moment. A guest might fall in love with a dish in July, but they want to order a watermelon dish that’s seasonally inspired in January. Foodservice has the ability to make that happen while still celebrating peaks along the way.

Produce-forward dishes continue to align with trends around freshness, health and global flavors, all while offering operators flavor diversity. For the produce industry, foodservice delivers scale, visibility and influence over how products are used. A new flavor pairing or technique from a chef creates a ripple effect. Consumers bring the experience home from retail, turning trial into habit.

This is why continued collaboration between the produce industry and foodservice operators is so important. It is not just about selling more product. It is about growing consumption. The opportunity in front of us is significant. By leaning into foodservice, the produce industry connects with consumers through innovation in a way that feels authentic.

Retail is part of where purchase happens, but foodservice is where the ideas begin.

After all, trends may start online, but they truly come to life on the plate. Retail is part of where purchase happens, but foodservice is where the ideas begin. Sometimes, the next big idea starts with something as simple as reimagining a slice of watermelon.

Megan McKenna is senior director of marketing and foodservice for the National Watermelon Promotion Board, Winter Springs, FL.