As pubs across the UK navigate evolving consumer habits, shifting economic pressures and continued recovery from recent turbulence, innovation has become the cornerstone of resilience. In Lumina Intelligence’s recent webinar “Reimagining the Pub Experience: Trends, Tech & Innovation”, a compelling narrative emerged: the pubs that thrive are those reconfiguring formats, embracing technology and catering confidently to new guest expectations.
As a leading foodservice agency, we never miss the Arena Savoy Lecture, which is a highlight of the foodservice calendar. This year was no exception as Kate Nicholls, OBE, CEO of UK Hospitality and Karl Atkins, CEO of Foodbuy Group and Alex Demetriou, CEO Foodbuy UK&I (the UK’s leading food procurement company) headlined the night as they shared their take on the market to the gathered foodservice professionals.
Last night, the Hilton London Metropole played host to one of the most inspiring evenings in the foodservice calendar – the 2025 Public Sector Catering Awards! A packed room of industry professionals came together to celebrate the unsung heroes who keep our vital services running with passion, purpose, and phenomenal food. From care homes to hospitals, schools to prisons, and even our armed services these catering professionals are relied upon to keep our country running.
For those who find themselves in the Gen X category, or even some of you Boomers, I am sure you will recall Hotelympia. Well, it may not be called that anymore, but that hasn’t stopped HRC (it’s current moniker) celebrating an incredible 90 years! Over that time, it’s true that much has changed across the hospitality industry, but the one thing that hasn’t is the fact that at its heart it’s a people business. However much technological advances can help drive guest experience and operational efficiencies, people will always be at the core of hospitality. Which is why it was so good to head up to the ExCel with fellow bean Clare Freeman to check out in person not one, but the four co-located shows: IFE, IFE Manufacturing, The Pub Show and HRC.
If you’ve been following tabletop trends in hospitality and foodservice, you’ve probably heard whispers about the BPA ban. But what does this mean for you, your business, and your customers? Let’s break it down…
At a recent Alliance of Independent Agencies event, I heard a staggering statistic that there are now around 30,000 agencies in the UK, with 16,000 of those set up in the last 10 years! With so much competition and increased pressure on marketing budgets it’s never been more important to have a clear specialism as an agency. Thankfully, jellybean has always been all about food and drink, from our foodservice roots to our natural evolution into retail and consumer. For over 37 years we have been laser focused on food and drink be it foodservice, retail, convenience or consumer. Of course, the downside to being a sector specialist is that you can limit your potential growth into other areas and on occasion come up against client conflict. We believe the upside far outweighs these factors as we have created a clear vision for our business and team, attract other likeminded food-obsessed colleagues and build a depth of knowledge that can help clients’ brands and businesses grow.
The hospitality industry is undergoing a major transformation, thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI). From improving operational efficiency to enhancing guest experiences, AI is reshaping how businesses operate. A recent report by CGA powered by Niq with industry leaders found the following:
As we usher in 2025, the food and drink industry is poised for exciting changes. As a leading food and drink marketing agency, we’re here to help you navigate these trends and turn them into actionable strategies. Here’s a deep dive into some of the trends set to shape the industry in 2025 and how you can leverage these insights to stay ahead.
In the world of foodservice, the official start of Christmas is undoubtably the Arena Christmas Event. This year’s was sold out with a waiting list, which says it all. Little wonder though when you consider the venue – The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park and of course the stellar line-up. With over 220 guests in attendance, it was an ideal occasion to catch-up with industry contacts old and new and hear from experts in the field, on their foodservice market predications.
jellybean has been a long-time supporter of the great work Hospitality Action does for those in need in the hospitality industry. As a Hospitality Action Ambassador, I am also personally keen to do all we can to support their great work. Some row across the Atlantic (see Spirit of Hospitality), me, well I’m more of a nice dinner at a posh hotel kinda girl, so when we saw the line up for the Winter Chefs’ Dinner at Raffles OWO we were in!
As further news on the employment bill hits the headlines we take a look at the changes to tipping laws which came into effect at the beginning of the month (1st October 2024). As consumers we are of course keen to see our tips go to those who deserve them, but how will the new tipping legislation affect the hospitality industry? We take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of this new change to tipping laws.
In an ever-changing digital world, with AI exploding and hospitality businesses seeking new ways to drive customer experience and business efficiencies, digital transformation was the obvious topic for Arena’s Autumn Event. As the leading foodservice agency, we jumped at the opportunity to catch up with industry friends and contacts, whilst getting to hear from innovative events catering company Freemans Event Partners and Jeremy Blain CEO of Performance Works International, not to mention the chance for a sneaky peak behind-the-scenes at Lords Cricket Ground.
After a short hiatus for a worldwide pandemic, the Universal Cookery and Food Festival was back with a bang this year. With the location set appropriately in the Garden of England (Kent) the imposing big top at Loddington Farm played host to a wide range of brands, along with a trends and debate stage and The Staff Canteen Live. Not only was the event, dubbed Glastonbury for chefs, awash with food and drink, it also offered farm and foraging tours for those up for braving the elements and getting back to nature.
As the leading food and drink agency we make it our business to stay ahead of foodservice market trends. One of the many ways we do this is via Lumina Intelligence. This week we attended their informative webinar on the pub and bar market. These are our top 10 take outs… Read More
The Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony saw this year’s games come to a spectacular finale with Team GB ranked a very respectable 7th in the medal league table (we’re only a small island!) – having achieved a spot on the podium every day of the Olympics. The games legacy of inspiration and excitement will doubtless go on to inspire future generations of athletes, but not only did it leave behind memories of incredible athletic feats it also left a culinary legacy…
This summer jellybean is excited to launch our first Top 25 Food and Drink Influencers Report. The report highlights the rising stars across the food and drink scene from cooking at home and eating out, to vegan, drinks, and chef influencers.
Here at jellybean, we’re committed to supporting local projects and being an active member in the Leatherhead community. That’s why, this year, we are proud to have offered our support to a local charity, Leatherhead Youth Project (LYP), to sponsor its suitably foodie 5-A-Day Campaign.
Whether we’re attending the latest foodservice and retail insight events, keeping in the loop on social media with our monthly Trend Watch, or our favourite activity – sampling food at top-rated restaurants, as a leading food and drink marketing agency, we make it our business to stay up to date with the latest food trends. Read on for a rundown of our best restaurant recommendations this month (July 2024) …
There is one ‘gong’ that everyone in hospitality covets. From hoteliers to chefs, restauranteurs to mixologists, the iconic ‘lady holding a clamshell’ is frankly the equivalent of an Oscar when it comes to hospitality. So, I was hugely honoured to be invited to attend this star-studded night by Jacobs Media, publishers of The Caterer magazine and hosts of the Cateys. As a leading food and drink agency with over 37 years in foodservice and hospitality (six years longer than the Cateys have been running!) we have been proud to work with many Cateys’ award winners and sponsors over the years. So, it was wonderful to witness another cohort of winners receive their well-deserved awards.
With a stellar line-up including Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO, UK Hospitality, James Brown, CEO, BrewDog Bars, Pano Christou, CEO, Pret A Manger, Dame Karen Jones DBE, and Simon Stenning, Founder, Future Foodservice, this year’s Savoy Lecture was a must-attend date in the foodservice calendar. Of course, as the leading foodservice agency we were there to hear what these leading lights of the industry had to say and enjoy the wonderful hospitality of The Savoy, whilst also getting to catch-up with contacts new and old.
