What a hell of a year we have all had, the ups & downs, the isolation and the lockdowns. We have all suffered in one way or another. Hospitality took a big hit during the lockdowns, with the closures, tier systems and curfews being introduced, making it harder for them to do what they do best.
On the 17th May we were finally allowed to dine-in in British pubs and restaurants. No more hunkering under heaters or shielding our plates from hail stones – Hurrah! As foodies through-and-through the bean team were delighted to be able to finally eat inside and enjoy some old favourites and even try some new experiences.
Here at jellybean we pride ourselves on our ability to offer clients our expertise across a vast number of specialist subjects. With 25 beans across five divisions, there’s scope to have our fingers in lots of pies and hone our crafts at the same time. Whilst some of us get giddy with excitement at the thought of planning a face to face press launch, others get their kicks from activating shopper marketing solutions, creating video animations and even getting to the heart of a brand with a complete redesign and repositioning project. We’re a close-knit bunch of beans – thanks Microsoft Teams for helping us keep it that way during the past year – and as well as sharing gossip from our out of office lives we make it a priority to regularly share our professional learnings, latest insights, new tools and platforms which we and our clients would benefit from knowing about.
As part of Public Sector Catering’s fantastic Plant-Based Week, the jellybean team was in high attendance at the publication’s ‘Future of Plant-Based Meals’ webinar, where industry experts weighed in on the key issues around plant-based eating in the public sector.
When anyone entered my Nana’s house she would always ask them three questions. Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Are you warm enough? For those of us lucky enough to have known her, they will concur that this dedication to great hospitality was just one of the reasons she was so loved. Any answer in the affirmative was followed by mountains of scones, toast, pots of tea and fruit cake arriving on hastily arranged occasional tables. Keeping people well fed and watered has always been, and will always be one of the most fundamental ways to care for the wellbeing of those around you, and that sense of satisfaction lives long in the memory.
As a leading food and drink agency we make sure we stay ahead of the game when it comes to the latest foodie trends. So we always look forward to see what trends The Food People predict will be shaping menus and shopping baskets. We may be nearly half way through 2021, but with a rather stuttering start to the year due to Covid, now seems as good a time as any to take a look at what they are tipping to be the next big foodie trends. So, here we go…
There are currently over 10,000 fish & chip shops in the UK with a market value estimated at a staggering £1.2bn. They serve around 382 million meals a year of which 167 million are just fish & chips. That’s six servings for everyone in the UK. In fact, 80% of people visit at least once a year and 22% of people visit every week! Whether enjoyed on a harbour-side dodging pesky seagulls, or impatiently snaffled from under the paper on the way home – it’s fair to say Brits love fish & chips, especially when covered in salt & vinegar.
Having spent quite a few years of my life working in pubs and restaurants, the hospitality industry is one I hold close to my heart. The past year and a half has been hard for many of us including the hospitality industry so hearing about Hospitality Action’s 2021 To Hell and Back challenge, I along with many others from the jellybean team decided it was time to give back and pledge a few miles to help raise money for the hospitality industry.
The past year has certainly been a bit different, to say the least! I think everyone at one point or another has experienced some degree of personal ‘hell’, whether that be malfunctioning Zoom calls, not being able to see family, queues at the grocery store, or not being able to buy loo roll.
In April last year we sadly lost a convenience retail legend and all-round top bloke Raj Aggarwal who was taken all too soon by Covid 19. He was just 51. The following day Raj’s father also sadly died.
There’s no question that the hospitality industry has had it tough this past year. From lockdown closures to re-opening with restrictions and social distancing considerations, the hospitality industry has constantly had to re-think their business strategies in order to survive.
The last year has been a struggle for everyone. Not being able to go out and socialise with family and friends in a pub or restaurant, staying at home eating and drinking too much, trying to keep yourself sane and keep yourself from putting on the weight whilst binge watching series on TV. With all this in mind, to hear that Hospitality Action are setting a challenge for 2021 called ‘To Hell and Back’ to raise funds for the hospitality industry, I was more than excited to get involved.
That’s the first thought I had when Fiona asked us to put into words why we’re rising to the challenge of Hospitality Action’s fundraising initiative, ‘To Hell and Back’.
No-one needs reminding of the hellhole that was 2020 and whilst recovery is still very much in its infancy, it does at last feel as though we may be heading towards some form of normality.
It all kicked off this week when 12 European football teams, including the Premier League “big six” teams, decided to create a breakaway European Super League.
I’m sure like most of us you have upped your ‘step’ game during lockdown, with not much else to do other than go for a stroll as a way of socialising or for a change of scenery. You’ve possibly also joined the ‘fitbit’ gang, with most of us setting ourselves the 10,000 steps a day goal. I’m now putting this new habit to good use by supporting Hospitality Action’s 2021 initiative ‘To Hell and back’ to raise funds for the hospitality industry, alongside my fellow beans.
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!
The latest in Arena’s #AskArena series featured a panel discussion focussed on re-opening right when it comes to B&I contract catering. With a stellar line up including Allister Richards, COO, CH&CO; Hamish Cook, Head of Group Food Services – Global Operations, ISS; Rajat Chawla, Commercial & Business Excellence Director – Northern Europe, Aramark; Phil Sanders, Out of Home Commercial Director, Britvic Soft Drinks and JP Kloppers, Managing Director, Yoyo.
I visited Berlin a couple of months before the Covid pandemic hit, back in November 2019. Whilst I was there, the city was celebrating 30 years since the fall of the Berlin wall, a wall that divided families and loved ones for almost thirty years. I highly recommend Berlin, not just for its fascinating history, but also for its fantastic food. Below I will take you through a whistle-stop tour of the dishes I tried, tested and loved (and a couple that I didn’t have time to try but wish I had).
