How can your sandwich shop better cater to the dietary needs of your customers?

As a proud owner of a sandwich shop, it's essential to take into account the special dietary needs and allergies of your customer base. Just a few small adjustments to your range can make all the difference for your customers with specific dietary preferences. It's not just those who are on gluten-free, low-salt, vegan or vegetarian diets, but also customers who prefer a healthy or organic lunch who will benefit. By adding in these options, you'll appeal to a wider audience and give your existing customers a bigger selection to choose from.

What are the most common dietary needs and food intolerances?

As a chef, you want everyone who enters your shop to find something on your menu that meets their dietary needs. In the past, this was a much easier task; today it's no mean feat. Many people now have gluten-free, low-salt, vegetarian, pescatarian or vegan diets. Others want to eat a healthier or organic lunch. These choices may be made out of preference but can also be due to allergies. Want to make sure every customer leaves happy? Our experts will help you create an inclusive menu that takes into account the dietary needs and preferences of your customers.

Which dietary needs do you need to take into account at your sandwich shop?

  • Vegetarian: vegetarians avoid meat and fish but eat dairy products and eggs.

  • Vegan: vegans avoid all animal products, including dairy, eggs and sometimes even products like gelatin and honey.

  • Low calorie: products and dishes that contain less calories than average. These customers may be looking for low fat fillings or low calorie sauces.


What are the most common food allergies?

There are many food allergies you need to take into account. These are the allergies and food intolerances you need to be mindful of when creating your menu:

  • Gluten

  • Lactose

  • Nuts

  • Shellfish

  • Soy

  • Eggs

  • Sesame

  • Sulphites (preservative)

If you are not 100% sure that your dishes are fully free of these ingredients because you process certain ingredients in your kitchen, such as nuts, always state that your dishes may contain traces of these products.

Tip: our products always have a full list of ingredients. We recommend providing this information on your online or physical menus marked with clearly recognisable symbols.

How to put together a menu that meets all the dietary needs and preferences of your customers

The first step towards successfully serving your customers with special dietary needs is creating a wide range with several options. For example, a range of fillings and alternatives. This may mean serving vegetable soup alongside chicken soup to cater to vegetarians and vegans.

For calorie conscious customers, you should offer salads (with the dressing on the side), wraps or healthy sandwiches. Make sure this group has a healthy dessert option, like a sugar-free pudding or smoothies packed with healthy nutrients. For people on a gluten-free diet, you can offer gluten-free bread and gluten-free wraps.

For customers that prefer to eat organic, you can incorporate dishes with organically grown ingredients. Our tip? Work with local suppliers that supply their own products. Then you can be sure the products are really organic. Be sure to verify organic labels.

Changes like these not only make customers with specific needs and diets happy but also your existing customers. Over 70% of the Belgian population welcome new bread and filling options at their regular sandwich shop. Most are willing to pay a premium for them. More interesting data:

68%

prefer bread with seeds and grains because they believe this is the healthier choice.

62%

would buy a ready-made sandwich more often if there were greater options available.

50%

avoid sandwich shops that only offer white bread.

Be clear about what's on the menu

Food allergies should be taken seriously. So make sure your menu contains symbols indicating the potential risks. For example, symbols for fish, nuts, eggs etc. This allows customers to ask you to leave out a specific ingredient. Don't be afraid to ask about dietary restrictions or potential allergies, as this will prevent costly mistakes that could have serious consequences for your customers.

LLBG helps you to create an inclusive menu that meets the dietary needs of your customers

To support you in serving customers with special dietary needs, La Lorraine has a wide range of vegan, vegetarian, organic, gluten-free, lactose-free, high-fibre and halal products. You'll find products that meet all your customers’ needs here. This allows you to easily add products to cater to dietary preferences without needing to perfect an endless range of bread recipes. In addition, our products already have an extensive list of ingredients that you can download. The screenshot below shows where you can find the most important information regarding allergies and diets:

Our range of products for customers with special dietary needs

Welcome customers with dietary needs and food allergies with open arms

Have you expanded your menu? You'll want to let your customers know about that, so why not hold a themed event such as a ‘Healthy Saturday’ or a ‘Meat-Free Monday’? You could even make this a weekly occasion. Shine a spotlight on your new options by suggesting them to customers or create a separate menu of suggestions.

LLBG: your reliable supplier for an inclusive range

Want to expand your range to serve all your customers? Interested in finding out how our products meet the dietary needs and preferences of your customers? With over 80 years of experience in the milling and bakery sector, La Lorraine is your reliable partner. Download our catalogue or make an appointment with one of our representatives to discover how we can meet the dietary needs of all your customers.

La Loraine Group
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Catering to your customers’ dietary needs | LLBG | La Lorraine Bakery Group