Getting Comms Right

Earlier this week, I paid a visit to the Caterer Summit to find out more about the latest developments in the UK food and beverage market. With a wealth of speakers including Michelin-star chefs and leading hospitality figures, the summit provided much food for thought on the trends shaping the future of dining, ranging from vegan-led menus to sustainable cooking preparation.

Of course, the trends we see on the high street are exactly the same as those that impact F&B outlets in travel retail. Here are my top takeaways from the event:

Experience is king – Customer experience is set to become of even greater importance for F&B operators, with many restaurant-goers keen to capture photos of eye-catching dishes and venues when dining out. The Caterer found 42% of consumers believe documenting their night out is of great importance, while 50% experience ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out) when seeing images of their friends’ night out on social media. Phil Tate, chief executive of market analysts CGA, gave the example of Mind Palace – a Sherlock Holmes-themed cocktail bar that invites visitors to solve a mystery – adding that ‘immersive reality’ experiences such as this are set to grow in popularity in the near future.

Veganism in growth – Veganism is set to become the largest future F&B trend, according to 65% of hospitality business leaders. Restaurants have been quick to embrace this opportunity. At the conference, Tredwells chef patron Chantelle Nicholson revealing the new ‘Vegwell’ tasting menu has received an overwhelmingly positive response from diners, including vegans and meat-eaters alike.

A sustainable way forward – A recent Caterer survey revealed 49% of hospitality business leaders expect food waste and sustainability to become an increasingly important topic over the next six months. While there is still much work to be done in this regard, caterers and restaurateurs at the summit spoke of the changes they have been implementing to reduce their environmental impact, from using beeswax wrappers instead of clingfilm to removing all single-use plastic from kitchens.

Invest in your staff – Half of all hospitality workers quit their job within the first 90 days of employment, according to Luke Fryer, chief executive of employment app Harri. Summit panellists agreed more must be done to create a working environment that encourages staff retention, making workers feel valued and offering them the opportunity to grow their skills.