Arena Spring Event: From Treatonomics to Girl Power

Highly anticipated, Arena’s sold out Spring Event, was its first of 2025 and it did not disappoint. Arena provides foodservice industry professionals with a fascinating day of learning, networking and thought provoking discussion on the issues that matter.

Taking place at the Sofitel London St. James, myself and fellow bean, Senior Account Executive Alvi Tysall – along with 200 attendees – gathered for the morning session to find out how the hospitality industry was shaping up.

Presented by Jill Livesey – MD at Lumina Intelligence we were first given a frank take on an industry still in recovery, the sectors performing, food trends to watch out for and predictions for the future.

Economic & Consumer Landscape

There was a cautious economic outlook due to inflation
Positively, travel had strengthened in 2024, and is back up to 96% of pre-pandemic levels
‘Treatonomics’ is driving growth with consumers continuing to spend on entertainment, from Taylor Swift to major film releases and sports events, such as the Euros and Paris Olympics, all giving the industry a much needed boost and there’s more to come with Oasis this summer!
Record-breaking weather events also had an impact with surprisingly high temperatures, record breaking storms, and heavy rainfall all affecting the industry.

Market Opportunities

The total UK eating-out market outlet numbers are looking optimistic and predicted to grow to +0.4% by 2027 to 325,109 outlets.
Pubs are diversifying by offering enhanced experiences, from introducing accommodation (move over boutique hotels), to hosting event-led experiences, as well as investing in refurbishments to enhance consumer appeal.
Food-to-go continues to boom and innovate, seeing PizzaExpress collaborating with Tesco on its first PizzaExpress Pod.
Operators are expanding, with Bristol business Sandwich Sandwich opening its 1^st London site after 30 years in operation.
The future is tech, with Popeyes Chicken chain integrating AI into its drive-thrus and operators embracing more app loyalty schemes to enhance their value in including Itsu.

Trends & Consumer Preferences

Diets are about adding benefits with consumer health perception evolving from diet fads to focussing on gut health, protein intake, plant-based options and personalised programmes due to weight-loss drugs (e.g. Ozempic).
2025 has seen the rise of the ‘Plant Index’, replacing Veganuary as a more nuanced health movement, with the goal to include as many varieties of plants in your diet as possible. Operators such as Leon have embraced this by including ‘plant counts’ on their menus.
Despite the cost of living crisis, there’s been a growing interest in sustainability practices, with 56% of businesses prioritising low-waste initiatives in 2024 (growing from 48% in 2023).

Key Food & Drink Trends for 2025:

Health and wellbeing is driving demand with Cascara or Coffee Cherry Tea, Matcha, Cottage Cheese, fermented dairy, collagen drinks all being tipped to become food trends, as well as CBD Coffee.
Speciality salt, mango, whipped feta, mushroom tea, blue algae or Spirulina, and stout are all predicted as ones to watch too.

Future Outlook

Investment in high streets is shifting with an increase in high street outlets (+1.1%), while city centre outlets are in decline (-0.3%)
Consumer psychology is shifting towards quality first and then value (77% vs 74%). As we’ve seen, brand loyalty remains a driver as well as consumers becoming increasingly sustainability and social responsibility conscious when it comes to choosing what and where they eat.
Worryingly youth unemployment, those aged 16-24 years old (NEETS) has reached 900k, highlighting workforce challenges. Talent is becoming as much a challenge for the industry as cost.
Happiness is emerging as a primary factor in job acceptance by 2030, highlighting that the hospitality industry needs to work on promoting the benefits of choosing a career in the food sector.

Championing Women in Leadership.

This year’s Arena Event coincided with International Women’s Day, making it the perfect setting (after a wonderful networking lunch) for an inspiring panel discussion with four female leaders in the hospitality industry. The conversation offered invaluable insights into career progression, leadership, and the ongoing journey toward true DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion).

The impressive panel featured Karen Bosher – Former MD of Greene King, now NED and Chair to Bootlegger Bars. Joanna Aunon – Chief Impact Officer at WiHTL, Claire Morris – MD of Sodexo Live! UK and Ireland, and Sally Hillman – MD of Restaurant Associates.

To start, the panel shared personal reflections on how gender has shaped their careers. While many felt that being a woman had worked to their advantage, Karen pointed out that success often requires being a “certain kind of woman” especially in the wet-led industry where being a woman could be a barrier of entry.

Age and experience also played a role. Sally shared moments where she felt overlooked due to a combination of age and gender, including when she was of child-bearing age. The feeling being she would lose ambition after having children, but she also acknowledged that she was given opportunities she may not have expected.

The message for the leaders listening in the room? Career paths are not a one-size-fits-all, organisations must engage in open conversations with employees to understand what will help them thrive at different career stages including men.

The Challenge of Parity in the Boardroom

The panellists highlighted a pressing issue that while women are entering the industry and rising through the ranks, they don’t reach senior leadership roles. This talent loss highlights the need for businesses to build pathways that support women all the way to the boardroom.

Karen highlighted that this diversity will improve strategy and thinking, but businesses need to buy into it and not just tick a box. They should be including all demographics, and not forget the 55 year old man, as well as women – the thinking being that a balanced business is a productive and profitable one.

Changing the Industry Landscape

One of the most powerful discussions centred around how we can bring more people, particularly women, into the industry, especially following Jill’s worrying briefing around NEETS (16-24 year olds). The key challenge being to encourage new talent when there are so few role models. Sally emphasised the need for better industry education and career path visibility. Coaching and development was also highlighted by Karen, having plans in place once you’d attracted talent so they can see you can go from the bar to the boardroom. Authenticity and the importance of being our true selves was also discussed and the impact it can have on productivity – as much as 35% when we don’t think we can be ourselves in the workplace.

Breaking Barriers

With gender parity in leadership not expected until 2158 (we kid you not), it’s clear that change isn’t happening fast enough. The panellists discussed ways to accelerate progress, including the need for more transparent data reporting and legislative action to drive change. It was also highlighted that DEI isn’t about giving groups a bigger slice of the cake, it should be a core part of business strategy and ensuring everyone has the tools to share in success.

Empowerment was also highlighted, the importance of self-advocacy and taking charge of your own career paths. If a company isn’t delivering, one panellist explained, move on, you are not a tree.

The discussion concluded with some thought provoking tips to takeaway:

Culture – Invest in your culture; legacy cultures and micro cultures can be a huge barrier but if you get it right many of your challenges can be overcome.
Vulnerability – Leaders need to be authentic and vulnerable, sit within their teams and not be afraid to have open conversations or ask questions.
Leadership – Invest in education, particularly at leadership level, it will flow down and as a result everyone will succeed.
Be an Ally – Don’t underestimate the impact you can have as an individual, as one leader’s beliefs can spark an organisational movement.

jellybean’s Commitment to Change

At jellybean, we’re proud to be a company that champions DEI, not only on International Women’s Day, but every day. Following the inspiring panel discussion, we are as committed as ever to creating a workplace where all voices are heard, our team is nurtured, and they are supported in their career journeys.

Arena Spring Event: From Treatonomics to Girl Power