Flora Southey is Editor of Food Navigator, her role comprises of covering the latest food trends, sustainability, regulation, and nutrition across Europe, North America, and APAC. In her Q&A, as part of the Lumina Q2 Food Strategy Forum, Flora provided a fascinating look at what consumers are hungry for in the ingredient world, as well as what food and beverage manufacturers and operators should be focussing on to make the most of the opportunities.
It’s been a challenging time for the pub market; but how is it fairing and what are the trends pubs need to consider to drive growth? Here are our take outs from last month’s Lumina Q2 Food Strategy Forum.
As part of Lumina Intelligence’s Food Strategy Forum day the beans enjoyed a Food Concept Study Tour, dedicated to highlighting London’s most exciting operators at the forefront of innovation. The theme for this quarter “Demonstrating Quality,” showcased how venues are elevating classics such as burgers, pizzas and sandwiches with innovative flavours, locally sourced ingredients, and refined processes.
On the hottest day of the year so far, myself and jellybean Account Director, Clare Freeman headed to London for the Lumina Q2 Food Strategy Forum. Hosted at the Everyman Cinema – Kings Cross, the fully packed session provided an insightful look into the eating out market, as well as what consumers want, the pub market and ingredient innovation. The Lumina panel walked us through the ongoing challenges, as well as the significant opportunities, for growth in 2025 and beyond.
On the hottest day of the year so far, myself and jellybean Account Director, Clare Freeman headed to London for the Lumina Q2 Food Strategy Forum. Hosted at the Everyman Cinema – Kings Cross, the fully packed session provided an insightful look into the eating out market, as well as what consumers want, the pub market and ingredient innovation. The Lumina panel walked us through the ongoing challenges, as well as the significant opportunities, for growth in 2025 and beyond.
jellybean is thrilled to celebrate an award season like no other!
We have been recognised by not one, but three award bodies in recent months, including the prestigious Drum Awards for Marketing (finalist), World Food Innovation Awards 2025 (winner) and Foodservice Packaging Association Awards (winner). These global and UK programmes acknowledge excellence and innovation in marketing, the food & drink industry, as well as the packaging sector.
May has passed us by in a heady mix of product launches, video campaigns, strategy sessions and of course, sunshine. It may have been a busy one but that hasn’t stopped us getting up to all sorts of high jinks, both during, and outside of, office hours. Some of our favourite finds from the last month include…
I’ve been lucky enough to explore most of Italy over the years but Puglia, right down in the heel of Italy, had evaded me. That changed in May this year, when, thanks to a friend’s wedding, we had the perfect excuse to visit and turn the weekend into a holiday. With a week to explore and a car rental sorted, I appointed myself chief navigator* and we made our way from Brindisi to Ostuni to Monopoli by way of Polignano a Mare. Puglia is olive grove country – the region is Italy’s largest producer of olive oil – and the scenery makes for beautiful road trips. Olive oil is the base for many of the regional dishes and it will come as little surprise that everything we ate was outstanding, made with super-fresh ingredients for some delicious meals.
Just recently, British Baker released its annual Bakery Market Report, 2025.[i] Taking a deep dive into the trends across bakery and coffee shops, as well as the top 75 businesses in the market, this report is a great analytical review that can help operators tap into consumer demands and improve performance.
On the 21st May 2025, Courtney and I headed into Clapham for the hottest ticket in town – the CLASS Bar Awards!
What better way to spend a sunny Wednesday afternoon than glamming up for a night out in London and celebrating the achievements of those lucky enough to win a coveted CLASS Bar Award.
If there’s one thing I’m especially good at, it’s spending money. And well, I can’t think of anything I’d rather spend it on, on a Friday night, than dinner out, and a few drinks.
Now, I’ll be honest, I do have a soft spot for The Plough Inn in Cobham. Not just because they ask for my ID every time I go, but because I used to work there. Many years have gone by since the days of Eat Out to Help Out (in a 40-degree summer no less) and of course menus have changed and staff have moved on, though it’s still got its charm, and a beautiful garden terrace. I do credit The Plough Inn (owned by Rarebreed Dining) for properly introducing me to the world of steak. Prior to my twenties, I was the horrid sort of child who used to order a steak… well done.
I recently sat in on a Mintel webinar looking at the financial mindset and spending trends of British consumers over the last few years.
Set against the rather bleak context of a struggling economy, inflation remains stubborn, not quite dropping to the Bank of England’s 2% target. Whereas most consumers were once confident with their financial status – partly due to Covid-19 as opportunities to spend declined, today’s environment sees the majority of Brits either ‘getting by’ or feeling the pinch. It’s not all doom and gloom though, as these results are an improvement on 2024, but consumers are exercising caution.
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.
It’s the on-trend flavour of 2025 and it’s been embraced at all levels from the high-end indies to supermarket shelves. A beloved ice-cream flavour, we’ve seen it gain new levels of popularity over the last few months. Native to Central Asia, the U.S, Iran and Turkey are the leading producers of the nut that everyone is going crazy for – pistachios.
April has been and gone and, in its stead, spring has most definitely sprung. Sunny weekends and a late Easter has meant talk of alfresco eating has started in earnest and there’s a definite sense of summer on the horizon.
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.
Calling all food lovers! If you, like us, enjoy top-notch street food, celebrity chef demos and live music, food festivals are a must-visit.
The UK has endless opportunities for food lovers to get out and about and experience a diverse range of cuisines, with everything from gourmet dining to sizzling street food on offer across the country. Whether you’re into Michelin-starred cuisine, BBQ feasts or artisan delicacies, there’s a festival for every palate. Here are a few you might like to sample in the coming months…
