Demand for gourmet, high-quality burgers is on the rise. More consumers are moving away from fast food burgers, and looking for premium burgers they can enjoy at home. The era of the sad, soggy burger is over, and it’s time for something new to take its place.

The growing trend for gourmet burgers is the perfect time for butcher’s counters to flourish. So, how can you make the most of this trend and set yourself apart from others?

 

The origin of burgers

It’s hugely debated where the burger originally comes from. Some suggest Texas, America is the home of the burger, whereas others believe it to be from Hamburg, Germany (as the name would suggest). Historians have even observed evidence that burgers existed in ancient Rome!

Whilst there was a thriving meat trade and exports from Hamburg, America popularised the burger as it’s known today, a meat patty between bread. With the high-quality beef products imported from Germany, restaurants often advertised their ‘Hamburg-style’ meat in the mid-19th century.

Burgers are now a staple of British culture, it’s hard to think they were only introduced 70 years ago by the American fast-food chain, Wimpy.

Following their introduction in London, the food was quickly popularised. Before long, it was a BBQ essential, with Brits looking for ways to step up their burger game, both in restaurants and at home.

Over time, Brits have been moving away from the Americanised fast food burger, looking for more exciting textures, ingredients and flavours to satiate them.

 

Crafting the ultimate burger

So how can you build a burger that has the whole town talking about your counter?

We have a few tips to help you get the ball rolling!

 

Quality Ingredients

Not only does better quality ingredients simply just taste better, but more consumers are looking for locally sourced products. This is reflected by the constant increase in sales for organic food, now in its 12^th year of consecutive growth.

More eco-conscious customers are also looking for food with less food mileage on the clock. This makes your counter with produce from local, British farms the place to be!

By focusing on high-quality, local ingredients, not only will your burgers taste great, but customers can rest easy knowing they’re making an environmentally sound purchase.

 

Meat Variety

As fitness crazes are overtaking the world, the consumption of leaner meats, especially chicken and turkey, is increasing, with 60% of surveyed people saying they’re trying to eat healthier. Fortunately, these meats can easily be made into delicious, gourmet burgers, too!

(Though beef burgers remain firmly planted at the top of preferences, with 73% of people choosing this protein as their preference. The humble beef patty remains supreme for now!)

 

Value Added Products

The classic, plain meat patty just isn’t cutting it for some customers anymore, which is where value added products come in. These offer exciting new things to your customers, that help your counter stand out from the crowd.

You will want to try a variety of value-added burgers to cover customers who are just looking to dip their toes in, all the way to adventurous customers who love to try anything exciting and exotic.

Seasonings & Mixes

Burger seasonings and complete mixes are the perfect way to zhuzh up your beef patties effortlessly. These help to add exciting flavours and textures to your products, hassle-free.

Complete mixes not only add flavour but help you to bind your burgers effortlessly. You can even find some free of allergens, like gluten and egg.

Innovative Products

Having alternative styles of burgers can help make them stand out at your counter. Staying on top of food trends is a great way to entice old and new customers.

Some examples include:

• Beef Truffles
• Burger Bombs
• Burger Stacks
• Meatballs
• Koftas

 

Gourmet Flavours

Now, when we say gourmet, we’re not talking gold leaf burgers with caviar!

Food trends are constantly changing, new flavours and products always entering the market. Recently, you might have noticed ‘Swicy’ (sweet and spicy) flavours becoming popular, such as the hot honey trend. This want for new, exciting flavours translates to burgers, too.

Similarly, more customers are looking for more global and exotic flavours to try at home, looking to enjoy quality, authentic tastes from the comfort of their own grill. Flavours inspired by the Middle East, Morocco, and Asia are all the rage right now!

Keeping on top of food and flavour trends and incorporating them is a surefire way to win over customers’ tastebuds.

 

Dietary Options

Dietary restrictions are coming up more regularly as they become easier to identify. That means more customers at your counter will be looking for suitable products for their requirements!

Allergens & Gluten Free

The top 14 allergens you’ll want to be aware of are:

1. Celery
2. Gluten (e.g. wheat, rye, barley & oats)
3. Crustaceans (e.g. prawns, crabs, lobsters)
4. Eggs
5. Fish
6. Lupin
7. Milk
8. Molluscs (e.g. mussels, oysters)
9. Mustard
10. Peanuts
11. Sesame
12. Soybeans
13. Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphites
14. Tree Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts)

Whilst 2.4 million adults in the UK have a diagnosed food allergy, more than 30% of UK adults have reported adverse reactions to one of these 14 allergens. That means 1/3 of your customers can benefit from dietary friendly options!

More frequently, you’ll find customers who have a gluten free diet. This might be due to an allergen or intolerance, like coeliac disease, or just a lifestyle choice.

Previously, gluten free options haven’t been to the same standard as their gluten-based alternative. However, some products have successfully bridged this gap, offering a gluten free safe option, with the same fantastic texture, look and taste.

 

Clean Labels

As time progresses, customers are less worried about ‘low-fat’ and ‘sugar-free’ claims. Instead, they’re more interested in whether a product contains artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. Additionally, more customers are interested in products that are organic, gluten free and high protein.

As a butcher, the traceability of your meat is a huge selling point to customers! Being able to confirm your meat is local produce not only builds trust but also aligns with the growing demand for transparency and sustainability.

Highlighting that your burgers are made from locally sourced, high-quality meat without any artificial additives can significantly enhance their appeal. Emphasising clean labels on your products can attract health-conscious consumers who are looking for wholesome and natural options for their meals.

Similarly, make sure the mixes and seasonings you add to your burgers align with the needs of your customers!

 

Practical Tips for Butchers

So now you have the perfect burger, it’s time to let people know!

Make sure you have your display clearly labelled with dietary requirements and flavours so your customers can easily find what they’re looking for.

Next, be sure to display it attractively. Easy ways to do this are using unique butcher display trays, artistic food signs and sustainable packaging are great ways to draw customers’ eyes to your products.

Now, get advertising! Both Instagram and Facebook are fantastic places for you to share pictures and information about what your counter has to offer that day. You can even share top tips with your customers so they can get the best from your products, guaranteeing they’ll be coming back for more! It’s also a great place to connect with others in the trade and get some product and counter inspiration.

Finally, don’t forget to keep getting feedback from customers on what they found worked well and what they might like to see from your counter.

 

How can The Dalesman Group help?

We recommend getting started and having a play with a few gourmet flavours to host at your counter and experiment with your available added value products and display.

For added value products, we have a full range of burger mixes and seasonings available to buy online at DalesmanDirect.com, designed to make delicious, perfectly binding burgers, every time.

Not suited to what you need? Not to worry – our NPD team are always happy to work on bespoke blending or even product matching.

If you use our products, don’t forget to tag us so we can see your fantastic craft!

Not sure where to start? Our team of experts are always available to lend a hand. Just get in touch with them:

Email: taste@thedalesmangroup.co.uk

Phone: 01274758000

Or leave a message for the team below: