Magazine: A possible way of the future of catering

Finger food can definitely be considered the seed of the typical food of the future. Finger food does not designate a new type of food but a regrouping of a few already existing ones, in line with the current eating habits. To narrow the definition down, for distributors finger food is a product type, while for cooks it is a new type of snack or small portion of food one eats with their hands. According to Csaba Mossóczy, sales manager of McCain Food Hungary the trade is still unaware of the product’s advantages. Erika Balka, product manager of Plusfood Hungary is of the opinion that those who still go to restaurants focus on quality instead of price. Still, few finger food manufacturers offer comprehensive solutions to bar and restaurant owners. Mirtill Németh, Ardo Hungary Kft.’s managing director stresses the convenience and health trend characteristics of their products. Her view is that in the future finger food sales and the number of available products will grow. Mária Tóthné Kecskés, Hungerit Zrt.’s domestic trade and marketing director says that with the constant improvement of living standards and consumption level the market has become more open to the finger food segment. János Volosinovszki, managing director of Nádudvari Food Kft. opines that finger food is more and more accepted, volume sales are expanding thanks to the speeding up of people’s daily routine. Csaba Mossóczy’s experience is that ‘more complicated’ products cannot be sold on the Hungarian market because of their price. Mária Tóthné Kecskés puts the majority of finger food into the fast food category but adds that the quality of these products hardly differ from homely food. Erika Balka says that Plusfood’s finger food products are pre-fried and quick-frozen, so they can be prepared in just a few minutes in an oven, without using oil. Mirtill Németh adds that Ardo’s vegetable-based finger food products are trendy, healthy and affordable. János Volosinovszki believes that finger food is in line with 21st-century trends in catering and reckons it is a grocery category that will serve as a model for other categories, for instance in terms of portion size packaging.