Amazon Names “Meat-Free” Top Summer Grilling Trend

Amazon UK released new report “Smile It’s Summer” to identify the biggest summer trends in 2018 and beyond. The report—commissioned by Amazon— was compiled by market research firm Stylus Innovation Research + Advisory Company (SIRAC) which examined the sales of products on Amazon to inform its trend predictions. In addition to trends such as using artificial intelligence to assist in travel planning, SIRAC found that consumers are increasingly opting to forgo meat at summer grilling events (which is dubbed the “Vegan Beet-BQ”). “We’ll also see big changes in al fresco dining with the arrival of the ‘Beet-BQ’, as meat-free alternatives to traditional burgers and sausages enter the mainstream,” SIRAC trend expert Steve Tooze said. “Our choice of condiments is expanding too, with kimchi soon to be found on every picnic table and, as gardens are tended to by robotic mowers, there’ll be plenty of time to perfect these popular new vegan barbecue recipes.” SIRAC identified that in the previous 12-month period, the top-selling vegan items on AmazonFresh were coconut-based cheese, burgers, and sausages. In conjunction with the report, Amazon launched a curated shop for customers to buy items from its trendy categories, including a section with meatless meats that also features fresh cauliflower.