As two avid Spurs fans, it was only right that Nick and I joined Arena’s latest sell-out ‘Behind the Scenes’ event at Tottenham Hotspur’s world-class stadium – a day that combined thought provoking talks with an insider tour of how elite venues are redefining hospitality.
At jellybean, it’s our job to stay on top of the ever-changing foodservice industry. That’s why we’re members of the Lumina Intelligence Food Strategy forum and make sure we make it along to their quarterly briefings as we did this March for their Q1 update. As expected, the UK foodservice market is adapting to economic shifts, evolving consumer behaviours, and exciting new trends. Here are the key takeaways from Lumina Intelligence’s latest insights.
Ever since returning from Austria, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about their incredible food. I originally booked for the skiing, but I was just as excited to dive into the local cuisine. Rather than sticking to the usual dishes you can find anywhere – like pizza or pasta – I wanted to experience the real flavours of Austria. As someone who never says no to a sweet treat, I was in my absolute element.
Despite having worked at jellybean, the leading food and drink agency, for the past 6 years, surrounded by dedicated foodies and food and drink brands on a daily basis, when it comes to eating out, I’m not someone who typically experiments. I tend to play it safe with the usual Italian’s, Indian’s and Burger places, so you can imagine, I’m not the most experienced when it comes to ramen. But… after visiting Bone Daddies in Soho, I might be rethinking that!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever planned a holiday around your taste buds!
I confess, I’m smitten by traditional Greek flavours. While getting a nibble of Greek delights in England is charming, there’s nothing like enjoying it straight from the source. So, guided by my ever-hungry stomach, I set sail for Agia Pelagia in Crete this summer. Just a breezy 20-minute drive from Heraklion, this quaint fishing town promised a plateful of authentic Greek yumminess.
As the curtains begin to close on Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re reflecting on the power and impact of this incredible event. For the past week, we have all come together, spread awareness, fostered understanding, and shined a light on the importance of mental wellbeing, not only in the workplace but in everyday life too. Though this special week is ending, let’s remember to keep the conversation going.
Note to self: when you book a last minute, spontaneous trip to Paris with your vegan friend, make sure you do your foodie research.
If you didn’t know before (which I certainly didn’t), France isn’t the most ‘up to date’ when it comes to vegan and vegetarian options. Practically every menu in traditional Parisian restaurants offers meat-only dishes, with minimal vegetarian choices and zero vegan options – making it impossible for a carnivore and a vegan to eat together *sobs*.
Whether you’re embarking on your own health journey or jumping on the back of a new health craze, the past decade has seen increased media attention on healthy living.
It has been one hell of a year for the hospitality industry (excuse the pun) so when I found out about Hospitality Action’s 2021 ‘To Hell and Back’ challenge to raise funds for the hospitality industry, I was more than happy to get involved!
When you think of Spain and Spanish cuisine, what are the first thoughts that come to mind? Paella? Tapas? Sangria? Me too, but Spanish cuisine consists of so much more than just paella and tapas (although they can never be ignored), and in recent years people have come to celebrate the extraordinary flavours and variety of produce that the cuisine has to offer.
If you’re anything like me then you’ve probably started the new year hungover and stuffed to the brim with leftovers from Christmas dinner, chocolate, crisps, more chocolate and a whole heap of alcohol! Because of this (and the fact we use ‘but it’s Christmas…’ far too often throughout December), January is the month the majority of us choose to take back the reigns and decide to start our year off right -to be as healthy & active as possible.
After last year’s successful clothes sale to raise money for Cancer Research, picking this charity again was an easy decision. Having people close to me diagnosed with/or sadly losing their battle with cancer was a great reason for me to raise money, donate unwanted clothes/gifts and raise awareness of this fantastic charity.
Well…there’s no escaping it – Gin is most definitely in.
With gin sales soaring year-on-year, it is no wonder that sales in Britain are sky rocketing. The gin category is booming, to the point where consumers now drink gin out of home more often than they drink vodka, who’d have thought we’d see the day?
In today’s society, food is no longer a way to feed yourself. It has now become a lifestyle, which many millennials call being a ‘foodie’. A person who has a passion or refined interest in food, who eats food not out of hunger, but due to their interest or hobby. A ‘foodie’ is constantly in search of the perfect photograph, consisting of perfectly composed food on a perfect plate, in a perfect setting. ‘Foodies’ will do whatever it takes to capture their desired shot, whether that means standing on a chair or table in the middle of a busy restaurant to get the ideal angle.
Every year, millions of pictures of food are posted on social media with Instagram being the pivotal platform for a picture of the perfect pastry, or two. As it stands, there are currently 188 million hashtag mentions on Instagram under #Foodporn. A recent study from YPulse shows 63% of people between thirteen and thirty-two years old post their food pictures on social networking sites while they are still eating. Moreover, 57% of people in the same age range posted a description of the food they were eating at that time – it is no wonder that the #FoodPorn trend has exploded. Food on social media is a key trend to watch and using the hashtag #FoodPorn means the food industry can easily track audiences on social networking services to see what’s hot!
Choosing Cancer Research as my charity for the Jellybean 12 days of giving was a no brainer. Having people close to me diagnosed with/or sadly losing their battle with cancer was a great reason for me to raise money and create awareness of the charity. Studies show there are now more than 200 different types of cancer and 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer within their lifetime, making this a disease a we all want to beat. Cancer Research’s aim is clear – together we will beat cancer.
When Ray Kroc, the first McDonald’s franchise restaurant opened its doors in Illinois, 1955, fast food dining became the latest breakthrough in the eating out sector. The fact that food could be ordered and ready to eat within a significantly short amount of time was considered to be something of the future. Fast forward to 2018 where all the advances in technology mean service throughout the foodservice industry is quicker than ever. So, what sorts of technologies are now shaping the foodservice industry and out of home eating?
Although the idea of ‘veganism’ originated in the 1940s, there was not a valid definition confirmed until the late 1970’s when ‘The Vegan Society‘ became a registered charity. So, what is the definition of being a vegan? ‘The Vegan Society’ states “A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals”. Ellie Murrell from food and drink marketing agency Jellybean reports.
Earlier on in the month, we made our way through the hustle and bustle of the Hotelympia crowd and took a seat at the Hospitality Futures stage, for The Ultimate Dining Experience panel discussion. The panel was led by one of our very own Beans, Susan Bolam, MD, along with Ben McCormack (Editor of SquareMeal) and Dave Rooney (Creative Director and Founding Partner of LXA). Held in the heart of Hotelympia, one of the premier foodservice events in the calendar, we set out to discover what the perfect restaurant would look like and asked ourselves ‘What is The Ultimate Dining Experience?’
