Unilever Food Solutions: Future Menus 2025 National Events
Since the inaugural Future Menus launch in 2023, Unilever Food Solutions has partnered annually with Matriarch to bring the Future Menu Trends to life through innovative brand experiences. In 2025, the campaign returned with a bold national rollout, building on the momentum of previous years and connecting even more chefs across South Africa to the future of food.
The Goal
To bring Unilever Food Solutions’ global and local foodservice trends and culinary insights to life for chefs, food professionals and hospitality industry insiders through a multi-sensory, immersive experience that didn’t just tell them what the trends were—but showed them how they tasted, felt, and could work in their own kitchens.
The Approach
A Future-Facing Culinary Journey
Matriarch executed a dynamic national roadshow of experiential marketing events designed to immerse guests in the 2025 Future Menu Trends, with a strong focus on interactivity, inspiration, and innovation.
As Kevin Lakay, General Manager of Unilever Food Solutions South Africa, put it:
“Today’s diners crave more than good food – they’re looking for cultural connection, customisation and creativity on the plate.”
This insight guided the design of every element, from dish development to décor and guest engagement.
The Experience
1. Trend-Led Interactive Kitchens
Each of the four 2025 Future Menu Trends – Street Food Couture, Borderless Cuisine, Culinary Roots, and Diner Designed – was brought to life through a dedicated, chef-led tasting station. Guests were invited to explore and sample bespoke dishes inspired by each trend, carefully crafted to be both innovative and commercially viable for the South African market.
2. Bespoke Dish Selector (Quiz + QR Codes)
Interactive QR codes and a playful personality quiz allowed attendees to discover “what type of chef they are” and receive a curated dish recommendation. This personalised touch encouraged deeper exploration of the flavours and made the experience feel uniquely tailored.
3. Guided Tastings & Culinary Insight
Guests enjoyed guided tastings while hearing from chefs and trend experts about the inspiration behind each dish. These moments created a space for meaningful dialogue and real-world application of the trends.
4. High-Touch Hospitality
From beautifully branded plating to seamless guest check-in and thoughtfully curated décor, every detail reflected Unilever Food Solutions’ commitment to being a trusted, trend-forward culinary partner.
And most importantly? We design for real people. The result: not just a pretty stand—but an experience that delivers on your brand promise.
The Result
The 2025 Future Menus events successfully combined forward-looking culinary trend insights with hands-on food inspiration. Through a powerful mix of sampling, interactivity and storytelling, the experience made the future of food feel accessible, relevant and exciting for chefs across South Africa.
Matriarch helped position Unilever Food Solutions not only as a leading product supplier, but as a true thought leader and innovator in the South African foodservice industry.
