Feeding Your Numbers in 2026: The Trends Shaping Smarter, Healthier Workplace Dining
2026 Is Here, But What Trends Will Impact B&I Dining Over The Next 12 Months
At Connect, we believe workplace dining should do more than satisfy hunger but should feed your numbers by supporting wellbeing, energy, and productivity across your business.
In 2026, the B&I catering landscape continues to evolve. Employees want food that feels good, tastes great, and aligns with their lifestyle. Businesses want value, reliability, and innovation that keeps people on‑site and engaged. Our chefs work closely with our associated BANT‑registered nutritionist to bring all of this together, creating menus that balance taste, nutrition, sustainability, and commercial sense.
By blending culinary creativity with nutritional insight, we stay ahead of emerging food trends. From nutrient‑rich bowls to flavour‑forward global dishes, to café offerings shaped by consumer behaviour, we bring your team food that’s fresh, functional, on‑trend, and genuinely good for you.
Whether you’re managing workplace dining facilities or exploring new contract catering options, here’s what you can expect from Connect in 2026.
Elevated Comfort & Caramelised Notes
Caramelised, nostalgic flavours are predicted to be huge in 2026: think miso brown butter, salted honey, and brûlée style sweetness. These trends offer comfort with a premium twist, which works brilliantly across both restaurant dishes and workplace cafés.
How we bring this into B&I catering, with dishes like: Miso brown butter glazed chicken served with sticky rice and greens, salted honey roasted squash bowls for a warming vegetarian option, brown butter blondies or miso caramel muffins in on-site cafés. This trend is perfect for the corporate environment: familiar enough to feel safe, elevated enough to feel special.
Colourful Carbs & Better Bread
Soft buns, bao, and enriched doughs continue to dominate high street food. In 2026, they look like they’ll get a nutritious edge this year: brighter colours, fermented doughs, fibre boosted bases, and globally inspired fillings.
At Connect Catering, we translate this into workplace friendly options that feel indulgent without compromise. Expect menu highlights such as: Green Goddess Bagel with herby cream cheese, greens & citrus, miso-glazed Tofu Bánh Mì with pickles and crisp vegetables, Turmeric Brioche Chicken Roll for a colour pop lunch option. These grab and go heroes are ideal for employees who want speed, flavour, and nourishment.
Nutrient Rich Bowls for Focus & Function
Consumers want meals that support energy, gut health, and mood, without sacrificing on flavour. We expect bowls will remain a star format in 2026 because they’re customisable, colourful, and easy to eat at a desk.
We use diverse produce, functional ingredients and bold dressings inspired by global cuisines.
Examples from our 2026 bowl lineup include: a tantalising Korean-inspired gochujang rice bowl with sesame greens, a vibrant Middle Eastern shawarma buddha bowl with roasted cauliflower & pomegranate, and a refreshing Caribbean coconut & mango grain bowl for a bright midday lift. These bowls keep energy levels steady all afternoon.
Global Flavours with Familiar Formats
This year’s biggest flavour story is fusion with familiarity. Customers want global influence, but in formats they recognise: sandwiches, burgers, salads, soups, wraps, and hot bowls.
Connect introduces world flavours in ways that work commercially for corporate sites: a Katsu Sando that’s as comforting as a regular sandwich but full of flavour, ground pork gyro with tzatziki & chilli for a Mediterranean hit, or a tikka lamb & bhaji burger with raita for an Indian inspired twist These dishes make lunchtime more exciting and create talking points at work, ideal for boosting on site engagement.
Street Food in the Workplace
Street food’s popularity continues to rise, driven by variety, colour, and social media appeal.
For 2026, we’re expanding on our:
• Global Street Food Days (Korean BBQ, Middle Eastern Market, Latin American Fiesta)
• Chef Innovation Challenges to keep our teams creative
• Seasonal street food pop ups within workplace cafés
These events help increase footfall and support a more vibrant office culture.
Bold Fruits & Better Sweet Treats (for Workplace Cafés)
Workplace cafés aren’t just about coffee they’re social hubs. Cakesmiths’ 2026 report highlights a shift towards bolder fruits, hybrid formats, and indulgent, eye catching bakes.
We can bring these high street trends into your workplace cafés with options like: blood orange & raspberry traybakes, brookies, or rhubarb & vanilla pastries. These treats satisfy the 3 pm slump while offering colour, freshness, and excitement.
Healthy Snacking with Purpose
Snacking is continuing to shift from “treat yourself” to “fuel yourself”, with a focus on gut health, steady energy, and reduced sugar.
We’re developing on‑site café snacks such as: high‑fibre seed bars, probiotic‑boosted yoghurt pots, reduced‑sugar bakes with fruits as the hero, protein‑rich mini bites. Perfect for hybrid schedules, afternoon dips, and well-being focused companies.
Seasonality, Sustainability & Provenance
According to Cakesmiths, 90% of Brits wanting more UK‑produced food and sustainability becoming a core expectation, so we are doubling down on: seasonal menu changes, British produce, low‑waste menu design, responsible sourcing and transparent ingredient stories. Seasonal menu updates also boost engagement and perceived value, a win both for people and for business.
Value, Experience & the Rise of the Workplace “Third Space”
Dining in 2026 is about more than food, it’s about creating a space where people feel good spending time.
That’s why Connect focuses on:
• Warm, inviting dining layouts
• Café spaces that feel like high street coffee shops
• Experiential food days
• Dishes that look as good as they taste
• Service that feels personal and human
A great workplace café can boost culture, retention, and employee satisfaction, and we design our services with that in mind.
Ready to Refresh Your Workplace Dining?
At Connect Catering, we specialise in B&I catering across offices, campuses, and business parks. Whether you need a full restaurant operation, a café, or high impact grab and go, our chefs and nutritionist work together to create food that excites, energises, and supports wellbeing.
We’d love to help you bring flavour, creativity, and science backed nutrition into your workplace in 2026.
Ready to bring these trends to your site?
