MCA Food Safari
Shortly after joining Jellybean I was invited on the MCA Food Concept Study Tour. As the leading foodservice agency it is imperative for us to keep abreast of emerging trends and new concepts so I jumped at the chance of getting to grips with recent changes in the OOH market – as well as sampling a few dishes along the way of course!
MCA Marketing in Foodservice Conference 2016
As a leading foodservice agency we make it our business to stay informed of the challenges that our clients face in the market and endeavour to provide them with solutions. We were therefore delighted to attend the MCA Marketing in Foodservice Conference 2016 which brought together senior marketing professionals from across the foodservice sector to discuss the current challenges faced and how they are dealing with them.
It’s not all snails and frogs legs
It was always a worry of mine, when I moved to France, that I would be force fed the dreaded escargots and cuisses de grenouilles. Needless to say, I survived. I had brief encounter with an andouillette (a kind of pork sausage made with intestines and chitterlings) but I’m trying to erase that from my memory. Frogs’ legs on the other hand, actually surprisingly bearable, they are very small and mostly just tasted like chicken.
To kiss or not to kiss? That is the question.
My first month at Jellybean is now at a close and like time in general, it has flown by. So now I feel less like a ‘new’ Bean and more like an ‘old’ Bean, which is probably more fitting.
Like all those who start at a company, or in fact are new anywhere, I was very aware of those crucial, sometimes awkward first impressions. A particular situation that seems to feature most in these scenarios is the initial greeting, whether it is a client, friend or colleague. What struck me most when I joined Jellybean is that, more often than not, I was kissed by the client, even at the first meeting which, I found quite unusual. One of our clients even commented “that is what we do now”.
Was this a new way of breaking down barriers? I would be very interested to know if this is indeed the norm between agencies and clients. What is the current protocol? I am sure this has been covered in many a magazine but it seems to have passed me by. Perhaps this could be a potential subject to cover in training? Sometimes a handshake/hug/kiss mishap leads to awkwardness, which is fine – but if you’re not careful, it can lead to an unwanted kiss, or worse; head-butting. It did happen to a friend who I believe is still recovering from the embarrassment.
It does not appear that there is any difference between sexes when it comes to the initial greeting. If anything it comes across slightly chivalrous from men. In this respect do we follow our European counterparts more than our American colleagues? In America kissing is seen as very personal and reserved for family and loved ones. However, in contrast their neighbours in Mexico kiss everyone!
The relationship between client and agency has always been an interesting one, and one to nurture and build on so that it becomes an extension of the company. At Jellybean it is evident from the relationships we have developed with our clients that we are very much seen as part of the company’s marketing team.
I am very proud to have become a Bean and to be part of the fantastic work that is created by Jellybean within the foodservice industry. I also look forward to kissing plenty more clients – haha.
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice pr agency. We help top brands with food service pr, food service marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Complain? But I’m British!
“Have you enjoyed your stay?”
My boyfriend and I catch each other’s eye. Our conversation is unspoken. We’re both wondering whether to answer the question truthfully.
The truth of our stay in Ibiza this month was that it wasn’t that enjoyable. Hoping for a relaxing stay in the north of the island, the holiday was blighted by my boyfriend getting food poisoning from the all-inclusive food and spending most of it sick or still weak and recovering. Add to that a room in the noisiest part of the hotel, staff that found it difficult to understand us, and an overall drainage smell problem we unfortunately spent a large part of the week pining for the shores of rainy England.
However, faced with the question at check-out we were still stumped with how to react. Acknowledging the British blood that pulses through our veins, we turned back to the reception staff to murmur in unison “Mmmm yep, great thanks!” and scurry off to our airport transfer, ashamed at our own inability to speak up.
What I was doing whilst holed up in the hotel room, waiting for my boyfriend to emerge from the bathroom, in which he spent far too much of our holiday, was write a TripAdvisor review in my head, all primed and ready to press send as soon as the wheels of our plane hit Gatwick ground. Given the opportunity to speak my complaint to staff… oh god no! I couldn’t bear the awkwardness, but put me behind a keyboard…
I laugh at my own ridiculousness, but the sad truth is that I feel more able to air my grievances on a review site or over email, rather than face to face confrontation. Review sites are becoming more and more important for customers, and for businesses. Barclays Feedback Economy Report revealed that 45% of people are more likely to post a review than they were 18 months ago*. Certainly true of me – this is my first foray into the heady world of online reviewing.
Love them or hate them, these review sites are extremely important to foodservice businesses with a whopping 70% of millennials seeing online reviews as key when deciding where to stay or eat**. Restaurants and hotels are being urged to take notice and act on feedback rather than hoping the negative criticism goes away. The Barclays report says that responding to customer feedback could add £3.2bn to the sector making it vital they start listening**.
Although I wish I could have had the confidence to tell the hotel how I really felt about our holiday, having the opportunity for an online review gives me the chance to tell them how I feel in a more thought-out way. There may be those who abuse the medium but at least for me it is a comfort to know that despite my 5’5’’ stature and shy nature, at least my voice will be heard!
*https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/367082/better-customer-feedback-management-could-boost-hospitality-revenue-by-32b
**http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Online-reviews-could-provide-3.2bn-boost-to-hospitality-by-2026
Jellybean Creative is a leading food service marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with food service pr, food service marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Jellybean Helps Bring Saffron Summer to Surrey
We’re very excited to tell you about Saffron Summer…Surrey’s best kept Indian dining secret – and our new client!
Meeting back in April with a bag of jellybeans splayed across the table, Saffron Summer tasked us with heading up the PR and social media to help launch its fine-dining Indian restaurant, just a short number of weeks away! With our credentials boasting ‘PR and social media experts’, ‘foodies’, and local residents…it was a job made for us!
The Indian Haute Cuisine restaurant is conveniently located on the Claygate, Esher, Hinchley Wood and Surbiton borders. With this in mind we sent out a host of invites to the local press and a handful of coveted VIPS asking them to join us for the restaurant’s not-to-be-missed opening!
With a photoshoot, dedicated launch night menu and social strategy in hand, we opened the doors, alongside the gracious Saffron Summer team, to new friends (and hopefully returning customers!) last Wednesday evening.
Upon arrival guests were treated to street food live – a food station where Executive Chef, Awanish Roy, formerly of London’s famed Cinnamon Club, and team, prepared a selection of Indian street-food style dishes including Gol Gappa, Bel Phuri and Dhai Puri. Much like the full menu at Saffron Summer, the dishes are far from your typical British ‘curry house’ offering, and instead, take Asia’s familiar spices and flavours to produce exciting Indian dishes with an all-important contemporary update.
Following this reception a selection of canapés and bowl foods were served. Highlights included Tandoori Guinea Fowl Tikka, Lamb Seekh Kebab in Rumali Roti and the dish with perhaps the biggest surprise, Wild Boar Vindaloo over rice! Once again, this is where the true authentic Indian cooking style shines through at Saffron Summer; the overwhelming heat of a vindaloo us Brits are familiar with is nowhere to be tasted – instead the dish brings a warmth and rich flavour to your palette. A truly wonderful dish in my opinion!
Also enjoying the delights of Saffron Summer were the great and the good of Surrey. Guests included Taste Awards Judge, Jackie Mitchell; President of the Leatherhead Chambers of Commerce, Jackie Quinn, and The Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, Councillor Geoff Austin with his wife, The Mayoress. From the décor, to the staff, the street-food to the mains, Saffron Summer was a hit with everyone! It’s different, it’s exciting, it’s true Indian cuisine but not as you know it!
Just check out the reviews on Facebook and TripAdvisor…the people of Surrey agree!
For everything Saffron Summer follow us on Twitter too and check out the website to book.
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
National Jelly Bean Day
A whole 24 hours to celebrate how wonderful it is to be a Bean!
Thanks to a lover of the sweet chewy treat (President Ronald Reagan, perhaps?) our namesake has got its very own national day (22nd April), and as the leading foodservice marketing agency we think it’s a brilliant excuse to celebrate our passionate team, wonderful clients and the exciting work we’ve got up to over the last 28 years (hint, hint).
This year we’re asking you to answer our quiz to be in with the chance of winning your very own personalised Jellybean machine – courtesy of our ever-so talented Creative Director, Gary Brazier.
You’ll learn a bit about us, you’ll receive some Jelly Belly Jellybeans for your efforts and you’ll be helping us celebrate our special day – what’s not to love about that?
To enter the quiz, click here.
And be sure to stop by our Twitter this Friday, where we’ll be celebrating #NationalJellybeanDay in style.
See you there!
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Making that dream come true
This last weekend my brothers and I finally made our dad’s long held ambition come true.
Back in the 1970’s, and more than once, my father (now 85) and mother along with friends made several attempts to visit the fabled “La Mère Brazier” restaurant in Lyon. For nearly a century politicians and well-known figures from a wide range of fields have flocked to the tables of this Lyon restaurant that has become an institution.
Opened in 1921 by Eugénie Brazier – the first female chef to have been awarded, in 1933, three Michelin stars twice, it now holds two michelin stars under chef Mathieu Viannay, winner of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France craftsman award in 2004.
Chef made us very welcome as he introduced himself and listened to our story of the four Brazier boys finally visiting Mère Brazier. His task was made more difficult by two being vegetarian, not me I hasten to add! – (how could I when working for the leading foodservice agency!) Neither veggie brother had eaten at such an establishment before, knowing hâute cuisine chefs often don’t cater to their type.
Mathieu rose to the occasion however, by providing a culinary experience that caused my elder vegetarian brother to exclaim at the end of the evening that it was the best meal he had ever eaten… truly magnifique.
Dad and I had the ‘menu dégustation’ and we were delighted by several amuse bouche – one, foie gras coated in beetroot jelly, was an absolute delight.
There followed spider crab with a citrus fruit foam, then scallops with candied lemon, kumquat and spinach, then fillet of haddock with courgette, asparagus, Cul Noir pork with a sorrel bouillon.
My brothers meanwhile were delighted with cheese soufflé with two truffle oils, french onion soup and wild mushroom tartlettes.
Dad and I then had roast pigeon, potato and apple mille-feuille with a Calvados jus. There followed a selection of cheeses, a pre-dessert of madelin soaked in liqueur with a delicious ice cream, finishing with a floating island of rhubarb and milk jam… served along with mini lemon meringue that was just wonderful along with a mini coffee bean chocolate patisserie.
My brothers shared a magnificent chocolate tarte with rice ice cream and a patisserie creation with biscuit crumb and ice cream that sadly nobody can remember what it was, other than absoltely delightful!
A wonderful weekend, made even more special by spending time with my family, playing golf and playing Risk – a family game from our youth.
So sorry my other brother couldn’t be there, but then Australia to Lyon would have been a weekend trip too far.
All credit to Eurostar and TGV for getting us there and back in perfect time – we really couldn’t fault their service either. A weekend to remember for all time and finally dad made it!
So, what did you do at the weekend?
Jellybean Creative is a leading food service marketing and food service design agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Tea Time
With my upcoming nuptials fast approaching, my mum decided it was time to take a break from the stress of planning and organised an afternoon tea treat at The Landmark, London.
Set in the Winter Garden, a soaring glass-roofed atrium in the centre of the hotel, the quintessentially English afternoon tea kicked off with an elegant array of sandwiches – classic cucumber, organic egg mayonnaise and mustard cress, free-range corn-fed chicken with tarragon crème fraîche and Lapsang Souchong smoked salmon. Then it was on to the freshly baked raisin and apple scones with Cornish clotted cream and five different jams, followed by a selection of miniature desserts such as raspberry macaroon and spiced carrot cake – all rounded off with Champagne of course!
It was a truly special afternoon and got me thinking me thinking – why do we hold afternoon tea in such high regard?
A British institution since 1840, afternoon tea has experienced a resurgence in recent years, with the organisers of Afternoon Tea Week reporting a 70% increase in bookings since 2013^. It’s said that seventh Duchess of Bedford, Anna Maria Stanhope, ‘invented’ afternoon tea to fill the void between lunch at noon and dinner at 8pm. While it gradually became popular with her friends, as well as those outside her social circle, it wasn’t considered a formal event until Queen Victoria introduced a ‘tea reception’ with up to 200 guests between 4pm and 7pm.
Today, it’s considered a special event, often used as part of a celebration with friends and family. One thing’s for sure, it was certainly an extravagant and sophisticated ‘mini-hen’!
For more information about The Landmark’s afternoon tea, visit www.landmarklondon.co.uk
^ http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/blog/the-afternoonteacouk-team/all-about-afternoon-tea/
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.