When social media is driving flavour trends and the economic landscape is ever-changing, it can be tricky keeping up with what’s hot. The main question is, how can operators meet demand, bring something new to the table, and tempt customers through the door. With the help of Lumina Intelligence and an insightful snapshot led by Tim Price, we’ve summarised what’s leading out-of-home at the moment, and what to keep an eye on in the coming months.
As we covered in our previous blog post – ‘Wellbeing, Connection and Growth, we’ve bean embracing January!’ the first month of the year presents the perfect opportunity for us to take it easy and detox, with challenges like Dry January. This initiative has been around for 12 years now and has stuck for good reason, with over 200,000 people signing up last year. For some, it provides motivation to try cutting alcohol out of their lives for a month, and for others, it’s the chance to reflect and be mindful of how much alcohol we actually drink and see if we can cut down at all (if we want to, of course).
HRC, (Hotel, Restaurant & Catering) was back at ExCel for 2024 as part of Food, Drink and Hospitality Week which also hosts IFE Manufactoring, IFE, The Pub Show and International Salon Culinaire. And as the leading food and drink agency we were there in force, exploring the exhibition hall and supporting our wonderful clients.
Who doesn’t love a themed cocktail night? Just around the corner on March 24th, is National Cocktail Day, and if the fact that it falls on a Sunday doesn’t dampen your spirits, we’ve got you covered!
A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I got together for a chill night-in which consisted of us each making a round of cocktails inspired by our jobs. What ensued, was a boozy insight into each other’s 9-5.
As a leading food and drink marketing agency specialising in both out of home and retail, we eagerly anticipate the quarterly Lumina Intelligence briefings.
These sessions play a vital role in keeping us well-informed about the most recent developments and emerging trends in the foodservice industry, allowing us to best inform client strategy. The latest forum from the Lumina team did not disappoint, with the very insightful debrief followed by the cult-status Food Safari around Borough Market – it’s safe to say we all left with a lot of food for thought and very full but happy tummies!
Last week, I was fortunate enough to visit Barcelona for my oldest friend’s hen do. What ensued, was a three-day trip jam PACKED with sangria, beautiful sights and great food. To say we tapped into the tapas trend is an understatement – if we weren’t out ordering tapas, we were recreating our own spread on the beach – what a dream.
Join me as I take you through our culinary journey…
Following several difficult years of Covid, we’re struck now by the cost-of-living crisis, affecting families and individuals in a number of ways. While Christmas is a time of celebration, this time of year can be tricky – especially now with costs creeping up and the traditions that come with the holiday season, such as gift giving and preparing a feast.
If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that we beans enjoy a cocktail or two in the sun. Never has this been truer, than when I went bar hopping in the serene and scenic harbour town of Cavtat in Croatia with my best friend, sampling Piña Coladas whenever possible.
Let me take you through our experiences, rating each Piña Colada along the way.
We’re encountering some of the hottest weather this country has ever seen, and I for one, am LOVING IT. However, as we’ve reached record-breaking temperatures in the UK this summer, we need to maintain a sensible body temperature, stay hydrated, and ensure we don’t go gaga with the heat.
Last week, Arena, The Hospitality Network held an insightful webinar tackling the importance of sustainability in the workplace. Joined by experts in the field, Dr Emma Keller, Head of Sustainability, Nestlé UK & Ireland; Anne Simonnet, Head of Sustainability & Compliance, Foodbuy UK & Ireland and Peter Statham, Head of Sustainability & Government Relations, Brakes, the panel shared their insider knowledge of where we are today and how to move forward.
It’s no secret that the beans enjoy a tipple or two and with World Cocktail Day upon us (13th May) and summer hot on its heels, we’ve reflected on our top picks, the memories that come with them and where you could enjoy one too.
For Easter this year, jellybean wanted to do something a little different…
As part of our journey to become more environmentally friendly, we sent out 150 seedball tins to the beans, our clients and foodie friends to scatter in their gardens and support the bee population.
It’s safe to say that hospitality is nestled within everybody’s hearts, playing an important role in one way or another. Whether it’s through the fond memories of celebrating a birthday, heading to the local pub to reconnect with old friends or whether it’s where you learnt the true value of tip money for those all-important cocktails that weekend.
As I’m fairly new to the ‘bean team’ and learning about the amazing work that Hospitality Action continuously do, I’ve been eager to dive head first into their 2021 initiative ‘To Hell and Back’ to raise funds for the industry that means so much to us all. Together with 16 of my teammates, we are committed to travelling 535 miles to contribute toward HA’s immense 30,000-mile total between 10th – 18th June, through walking/running and cycling (though I think by June 18th, quite a few of us will be crawling toward that G&T at the finishing line).
