The hamburger has long had a prominent place in America’s diet. The pandemic only enhanced that, as consumers who grew tired of fixing dinner could turn to their local burger chain for a quick and easy meal. Now that the lockdown portion of the pandemic has (mostly) ended, burgers are still as popular as ever. What has changed is that consumers want to up their burger game.
Retail giant Kroger, in a list of the top food trends it is following for 2022, pointed to a “grocery glow up.” “Cooking at home isn't just about convenience anymore; emulating restaurant and travel experiences at home with upleveled, ‘Instagram- able’ meals is trending today,” the company said. “Consumers are raising the bar when recreating dining experiences at home and have been met with the premiumization of frozen food as well.” It listed its Simple Truth Grass-fed Beef Burgers and Beef Hot Dogs as products that are a part of this trend.