Study: Healthful sandwiches to see growth

The sandwich has been a popular solution for lunch and dinner cravings since the Earl of Sandwich first slapped some beef between two slices of bread more than two centuries ago. Now, the sandwich could be the key to gaining sales amid the industry’s sluggish overall growth, a report from market research firm The NPD Group said.

But not just any sandwich will do. To tap into the opportunity, operators will need to offer options that are fresh, flavorful and nutritious, officials of Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD said.

“There’s going to be demand for healthy/light options,” said NPD analyst Bonnie Riggs. “This is something that restaurant operators can capitalize on for growth opportunity.”

According to NPD’s recently released report, The Future of Foodservice, healthful or light sandwiches are one of a few food groups forecasted to grow strongly in the next decade. In 2012 there were 3.5 million servings of healthful/light sandwiches, and the category is expected to increase 7 percent to nearly 3.8 million servings in 2022. Meanwhile, industry traffic is forecasted to grow just 4 percent by 2022. Healthful foods, in general, show growth potential for that period, with healthful breakfast servings expected to increase 13 percent and healthful entrées expected to increase 7 percent.

Grilled chicken and turkey/turkey club sandwiches currently dominate the healthful sandwich market, accounting for 40 percent and 35 percent of servings, respectively. The remaining portions are made up of tuna salad, 9 percent; chicken salad, 8 percent; vegetable sandwiches, 7 percent; and grilled fish sandwiches, 1 percent.

Those classic sandwiches may give way to more bold offerings as operators experiment with more full-flavored, ethnic or highly spiced ingredients in their breads and other carriers.

“Fish tacos are really catching on,” Riggs offered as an example. “Three or four years ago, you wouldn’t see people trying [that].”

Consumers are already eating more per capita servings of healthful/light sandwiches than they were just a few years ago. According to NPD data, per capita servings of healthful/light sandwiches grew from 10.7 in 2006 to 11.3 in 2012.

While the majority of healthful/light sandwich orders currently comes from adults aged 25 to 49, the report predicts that adults 65 and older will support incremental growth of this category in the future.

“The growth has a lot to do with aging seniors and boomers,” Riggs said. “It is important to recognize [older adults’] loyalty and their wants and needs. [The findings] really reinforce the opportunity for new menu development in this area.”

Healthy sales

A number of restaurant chains are already putting their spin on the traditional healthful options and adding innovative new sandwiches, as well.

Subway, for example, focuses on creating and promoting healthful choices for its diners. The Milford, Conn.-based chain’s Fresh Fit line of low-fat sandwiches launched in 2007 as a way for the chain to bundle its existing healthful sandwiches with better-for-you drinks and sides, and the platform now accounts for nearly half the chain’s menu, not including breakfast.

“The Fresh Fit sandwiches are the cornerstone of the Subway menu,” said Lanette Kovachi, Subway’s corporate dietician. “[They] perform extremely well.”

While traditional chicken and turkey sandwiches have always been Subway favorites, options such as the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki, introduced in 2001, have become extremely popular.

Subway’s newest health initiative was becoming part of the Heart-Check Program, gaining certification from the American Heart Association for meals that meet the association’s nutritional guidelines. Fresh Fit meals meet the criteria and are indicated as such by the Heart-Check icon on menus. Subway said customers have responded well to the Heart-Check certification.

“The health and nutrition aspect of our menu offerings is a top priority for us when looking at new products,” said Kovachi. “We are constantly looking at new and innovative items, and 2014 is shaping up to be an exciting year.”

While diners may be famous for large portions and greasy-spoon offerings, fresh, healthful fare has always been on the menu at Silver Diner, a 14-unit chain based in Rockville, Md. And with healthful items accounting for about 13 percent of sales, it’s clear they are popular with consumers.

“People want to eat lighter,” said Silver Diner co-founder, chief operating officer and vice president of culinary operations Ype Von Hengst. “You don’t want to clog your arteries up seven days a week.”

While the menu features indulgent items such as a Bacon Bleu Burger and a Philly-style cheese steak, the Tomato-Mozzarella, which includes fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, roasted peppers and homemade pesto on ciabatta bread, is among the most popular sandwiches.

“The flavors just go wonderfully together,” Von Hengst said. “People love the freshness of it.

“Anyone who doesn’t offer these items is going to fall behind,” he added. “This is not a [passing] trend.”

Moving beyond traditional healthful fare was a key mission for LYFE Kitchen, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based fast-casual chain built on the idea of eating well and feeling good.

So alongside the grilled chicken sandwich and veggie burger, the menu also features the Quinoa Crunch Wrap, a whole-wheat tortilla filled with crunchy vegetables, avocado, edamame hummus, rice and adzuki beans. The protein-packed wrap is one of the chain’s most popular dishes, holding its own even against the traditional burger.

“The big surprise for everyone was our Quinoa Crunch Wrap,” said chef Tal Ronnen, who developed the item for LYFE.

Ronnen, who is vegan, said the wrap is his answer to the same-old grilled vegetable sandwiches many restaurants routinely offer up as a healthful or vegetarian option.

“I can’t bear to look at another grilled veggie sandwich,” Ronnen said.

The Fish Tacos, made with grilled mahi, chayote slaw, avocado, green onion, cilantro, chipotle a?oli and salsa fresca on a corn tortilla, are also a big hit with LYFE customers.

“I don’t know anybody in this day and age that doesn’t know that food has a direct association with the quality of life,” Ronnen said. “The more restaurants cater to that, the more successful they’ll be.”