The Lovely Lisbon
Feeling like we needed to get away from rainy old England, my boyfriend and I went on a quest to find a nice cheap break to somewhere that neither of us had been to before – here’s where we stumbled upon Lisbon, the capital of Portugal and boy am I glad we did!
We started off by walking around the town to see what it had to offer and to our delight we came across what would be our first taste of traditional Portuguese life. Unsure of exactly what we were queuing for, we joined a big line to what seemed like a little shop, where people were coming out with a shot of drink – excited to see what all the fuss was about we continued to queue! It was a big triumph when the shot ended up being the traditional Portuguese liqueur – Ginjinha – which is made using sour cherries and sugar – from this night forward this fruity shot became tradition after every meal!
As for the food, it was absolutely delicious, from chicken to shrimp cakes to steaks, all covered in my favourite…garlic. What topped it off for me though was their traditional ‘pastel de natas’ – a Portuguese egg tart pastry. This mouth-watering, delicate treat, which is not only offered as dessert but also sold across their traditional ‘pastelerias’ – little coffee houses full of tasty treats – was truly one of the highlights of my holiday.
Lisbon was full of culture, beautiful sights and great night life but what really made it for me was the small, picturesque restaurants, bars and cafes.
All in all we had a fantastic break and I’ll definitely be looking to go back to Lisbon to do more exploring!
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Afternoon Tea at The Goodwood Hotel
Last weekend, I took a trip down to Chichester with a few friends where we decided to treat ourselves to an indulgent afternoon tea at The Goodwood Hotel. Anyone who knows me will know just how much I love cake and so for me this was a perfect day out!
We arrived at the hotel and decided to have a wander around the grounds to make the most of the unexpected sunshine. The grounds are beautiful and you can see why many people choose it as a wedding venue. After our walk we made our way inside where we were shown to our table. Within a few minutes we were each sipping a glass of prosecco and presented with a choice of teas. We kept it simple and all went with traditional English Breakfast tea, which was topped up generously throughout our stay.
The afternoon tea itself was a delight and looked too good to eat! The finger sandwiches included truffle egg mayonnaise, hot smoked salmon with pickled cucumber and lime Crème Fraiche as well as traditional ham and mustard.
Once we had finished the sandwiches, we moved onto the next tier which was freshly baked golden raisin scones served with homemade clotted cream and raspberry jam which we all agreed were well up to Mary Berry’s standards!
Although by this point we were pretty full, there was of course still room for more. We finished our afternoon tea off with a selection of mini treats including chocolate brownie, banana loaf and vanilla posset – my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
We had a lovely time at The Goodwood hotel and I would highly recommend it for an afternoon of indulgence and a day off from the diet.
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, foodservice strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
How is it that mums always make the best tasting food?
I recently moved back home to save money to buy a house of my own and my mum has very kindly taken to making my lunches and cooking my dinners. I was feeling rather guilty about how much time she was spending on all this food prep for me, but I just can’t bring myself to say ‘stop’ and stem the stream of such tasty food.
Menu items to date have included a summer fruit salad – it’s all in how she cuts the mango chunks – and turkey mince stewed with mushroom and potato – so greyish but so moreish.
But, I was thinking the other day, are they actually the best tasting meals or is it just my brain tricking me with nostalgic memories of home cooked food? Although my mum is a great cook, I have a sneaky suspicion it’s the latter. Apologies Mother.
My case-in-point being that I was once forced to eat Lemon Meringue Pie at school by a cruel, cruel prefect and now, although I literally love soft gooey meringue and creamy lemon curd, I can’t stand the sight of the pie itself. Probably for the best to be honest!
I’m just hoping the mum-cooked meals aren’t a phase and we move on to ‘if it’s’ – if it’s in the freezer, we’re having it! That will be a day of food mourning for me.
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Jellybean’s Lunch Box Day
Throughout the calendar year jellybeanshows its support for various deserving causes – Hospitality Action’s Lunch Box Day being our most recent fundraiser. On Friday 23rd October we joined many a business in the hospitality and foodservice sector to raise money for the charity. Supporting all those who work or have worked within the industry in the UK and find themselves in crisis, we stuffed our faces, dug deep in our pockets – and snapped some selfies!
For Hospitality Action’s first ever Lunch Box Day, the charity asked participants to donate the money they would have spent on lunch that day. Thankfully the beans were lucky enough to be treated to a range of goodies all kindly supplied by jellybeanMD, Fiona! Subway sandwiches, crisps, fruit, cookies and cake (any excuse for a good cause) were all on the menu. A group #SandwichSelfie later and we were all tucking in.
Hospitality Action is one of the charities jellybeanis proud to actively support and its first ever Lunch Box Day was a great way in which everyone could get involved to help raise some money for a fantastic cause. Here’s to next year’s!
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
EDUcatering Awards 2015
When it comes to unsung heroes school caterers are definitely up there. Juggling challenging budgets, picky pupils, government guidelines, special dietary requirements and of course forever doing all they can to keep parents and governors happy. But every year the EDUcatering Awards seeks to give these hard working individuals the recognition they deserve with a gala awards night. This year the awards took place at the prestigious Royal Garden Hotel. With over two hundred and fifty entries across fourteen categories and twenty eight judges, only the highest quality entries made it through to the list of nominees and then only the very best were lucky enough to walk away with a coveted EDUcatering Award.
The evening kicked-off with the irrepressible Alan Dewberry, who began proceedings in his inimitable fashion, however this year he handed the compere baton over to Tim Baker, Head teacher of Charlton Manor Primary School, which is known for its standout school meals programme. The evening flew by in a haze of good company and fabulous food from the team at the Royal Garden headed up by Steve Munkley, but some of the highlights included…founder of Mary’s Meals, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow being honoured with The Special Award (which was collected by London Mary’s Meals fundraiser Gerrard McMahon), a standout performance from the renowned Sylvia Young theatre school pupils and of course Jeanette Orrey, founder of the Food for Life Partnership at the Soil Association, receiving her Lifetime Achievement Award. You can of course view the full list of winners here, but without naming them all, suffice to say congratulations must go to all the nominees, winners and of course the sponsors and organisers H20. A great night for a great sector!
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
The Alchemist
Last weekend, I met up with some of my old University friends in London for a day spent doing what we do best – catching up, eating and drinking cocktails!
After a few recommendations from friends, we decided to go for dinner at The Alchemist near Liverpool Street station and it certainly lived up to its great reviews.
After spending 15 minutes deciding on which cocktail to have (the cocktail menu is huge!) we all picked something from the ‘Molecular Madness’ section and what we were served was brilliant. Each cocktail is carefully made using a molecular drinks-making technique so each cocktail is like being served a mini science experiment. As expected we had to have a few each to sample more of the fun on the menu – our favourites were the ‘Lady Marmalade’ which was served over dry ice and the ‘Bubble Bath’ which bubbled up as you sipped.
In addition to the amazing cocktails, we also had some delicious food – the menu offers something for everyone with a real variety to choose from. A snapshot of our dishes we enjoyed below…
Starters – We shared mini Yorkshire puddings with pulled pork as well as duck spring rolls with Hoisin sauce.
Main – I chose steak frites with salt and pepper fries and the girls had satay salmon with an Oriental vegetable salad and a Japenese ramen with beef fillet.
Dessert – The best part of any meal – we shared a peach Melba Mess and a salted caramel cheesecake.
The Alchemist combines lovely food and cocktails with a great atmosphere – I will definitely be returning.
Address: The Alchemist, 6 Bevis Marks, London, EC3A 7BA
Reservations : 0207 283 8800
Twitter: @TheAlchemistLon
Facebook: The Alchemist Bevis Marks
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Lifting the Lid on The Out of home Opportunity
The out of home market, foodservice, eating out, away from home, catering, HORECA – whatever you call it, it’s a growing market that has long been the poor cousin to retail.
This comes down to a number of reasons, one, retail, although highly competitive and hard on margins, is a bigger market and realistically the number of trade buyers you need to convince to make your brand a success can fit into one room (although you probably wouldn’t want them to be). Then, once you understand your consumer, it’s all about reaching them wherever they may be, with a strong (ideally emotionally engaging) message and then prompting them to purchase with effective shopper marketing during their retail journey. Whereas with the out of home market, although margins can be healthier, it is a complex and fragmented beast, which, when viewed by the untrained eye, can be rather daunting. First there’s the route to market listings that need to be secured through the national big hitters as well as the myriad of regional wholesalers, then there’s the challenge of communicating to thousands upon thousands of buyers with vastly different agendas, both independent and group and ensuring that messaging is tailored to them and their particular needs. You might manage to get listed at head office in a huge organisation, but if it’s an undisciplined multiple (not working off a centrally developed menu) pulling those sales through is quite another challenge. Whilst the independents can be fickle creatures opting for whatever is on promotion at the time. Sounds fun doesn’t it! (And that’s just the start).
So why bother? Why not just ignore it? Well, as the out of home market accounts for over a third of consumer spending on food (38.8p in the pound), is valued at £85.3bn and growing at 2.8%*, I think you’ll agree that although it might be a tricky nut to crack it’s well worth it! However, when it comes to convincing the board and colleagues who may not appreciate the out of home opportunity there is nothing quite like facts and stats (and of course the accompanying ‘so whats?’) to give credence to your argument for budget, resource and focus on the out of home market. That’s why we’ve created our ‘Out of Home Facts in a Flash’ infographic – lifting the lid on the out of home opportunity in an easy to digest format which is available to download here. We hope it helps you fight the foodservice corner and of course you know where to come when you decide to go for it!
*M&C Allegra Eating Out Report 2015
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Arena Face2Face with Ch&Co
It speaks volumes that the very first external event to be held at Lambeth Palace was this week’s Arena Face2Face. A key date in the calendar for any food and drink pr agency, this year Alistair Stewart was face to face with not one but two industry heavyweights. With the big news in contract catering being the merger of CH&Co and HCM Group; to have both, Bill Toner – Group CEO and Tim Jones – Chairman, there in person was quite a coup for Arena.
The day started with a tour around the historic Lambeth Palace and its stunning grounds. Home to archbishops through the ages, the palace was stunning and the talk very informative. Then it was onto the main event – the Face2Face. The fact that Tim made it along at all was a real achievement and testimony to his professionalism, in the light of the sad passing of his wife Robyn Jones last week. Alistair paid tribute to Robyn as the hugely respected business woman with a passion for the industry and the driving force behind the merger which it turns out was really her vision.
Alistair Stewart kicked off the interview with a question on how the merger was received by the banks. Predictably with the city, they needed convincing and reassuring that the current brands would retain their brand equity and that the whole would, as they say, be greater than the sum of its parts. Bill, Tim and Robyn were confident that merger was the right course and went to great lengths to ensure the team dynamic worked and the business strategy benefited both parties with high performing brands remaining managed by their separate MDs. The message was clear to the banks and the industry it would be business as usual, but with a tougher business edge.
The interview then turned to what advice Bill and Tim had for the rising stars of the industry. Tim advocated gaining a range of experience in your twenties across a portfolio of companies without jumping around too much. Then looking to set up on your own to reap the substantial rewards, both financial and personal. Whilst Bill, who was very happy as a corporate man, also recommended the startup root, as having experienced both he was happy to say that going out on your own is far more fun.
When it comes to recruitment they of course want people who are driven and ambitious, but equally they have to care about the business and understand it. They look to get exactly these kinds of people onboard and by delegating effectively they have built strong teams where people have the opportunity to shine and show initiative, responsibility, and challenge the business to do better. Of course renumeration is an important part of attracting quality people and the national living wage can pose a challenge for business, but it’s one that is welcomed by both Tim and Bill. Plus, as part of their CSR commitment (which is even written into their investors contract), they support both Hospitality Action and Springboard and offer apprenticeships, as well as a comprehensive staff development programme, which gives them an enviable retention rate and helps attract the best and the brightest.
At the heart of their business is of course the food and with Tupperware their biggest enemy (as consumers often choose to bring in food from home over eating at work – including much to his continuation, Bill’s lawyer son) they have to ensure their food offer is on trend, high quality and offered at a reasonable price. With menu fatigue a constant danger they also have to keep things fresh when it comes to staff feeding with innovation and pop-ups to trial new cuisines and concepts.
As for the ideal supplier…It has to be a partnership where trust is paramount. Innovation and quality are of course very important, but honesty is key, as nobody likes nasty surprises. Whilst purchasing tends to specify supplier partners for each of the operating brands, Tim was keen to stress that clients can be specific if there is a particular product they want, as in his words, “the client is king”.
The interview then turned to the wider world and how the economy affects business. Working in so many sectors of staff feeding they believe their sales offer a fair measure across different sectors, but overall consumers seem to be more confident and are spending with a stabilised economy. As much as things do change, people will always need to work and eat when they are there. So with a growth strategy aiming to get them to £300million in the next 3-5 years and a growth strategy ‘somewhat different to big boys’ it will be interesting to see how Robyn Jones’ legacy develops under the guiding hands of Tim and Bill in the coming years.
With the interview drawn to a close by Alistair, Lorraine took to the stage to announce the winner of the charity raffle along with a new trial format for the rest of the event, based around bowl food and crucially more opportunity to network. Then it was time to adjourn to the great hall to enjoy five delicious dishes (not to mention the amazing canapés) and some rather stunning cheeses courtesy of sponsors, Futura Foods.
With conversation and wine flowing, the afternoon went by in a flash, as yet another successful Arena event came to a close. Well done to Lorraine and her team on breaking new ground and trying both a new venue and new format. The jury will soon be in as to its popularity as the new format was gauged via live feedback on tablets at the event so everyone got to have their say.
But here’s a worrying thought – the next event on the Arena calendar is the Christmas Lunch at the Mandarin Oriental on 7th December which will doubtless be with us before we know it so I’d get booking now if I were you! Maybe see you there?
jellybean is a leading food and drink pr agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, 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.
A Bajan Occasion
I recently had the pleasure of holidaying in Barbados and along with the friendly locals, the beautiful beaches and the fantastic weather, I was able to experience some traditional Bajan food too. Not only in the nearby restaurants and bars, but also home cooked.
Whilst out and about I indulged in delights such as pan fried Swordfish on a bed of pureed yam and sweet potato, with a melon and mango salsa. Light, tasty and so fresh! Combined with the odd Dark and Stormy – a cocktail made from dark rum, ginger ale and fresh lime – all couldn’t have been more right with the world!
Back at the villa (our temporary home for the week), creating our own traditional Bajan fayre was easier than I thought! Using simple ingredients sourced locally, such as fresh tuna, red snapper, chicken and flying fish, together with farm grown vegetables like yams, okra and breadfruit, it was easy to add traditional spice combinations and apply simple cooking methods to create many a pool side feast.
A must have for every meal was Bajan hot pepper sauce. Made with mustard, scotch bonnets and turmeric, it’s a thick hot sauce with a bright yellow colour, speckled with pieces of red Bonney hot peppers. At first you have a good strong mustard flavour, but then, wait for it….the heat kicks in! This was perfect mixed up with mayonnaise and used as a spicy dip for our pre-dinner crisps and snacks!
A firm favourite was fresh tuna steak from the local fisherman (see pic) rubbed in Bajan Seasoning and seared on each side. The famous Bajan Seasoning is made up of a number of herbs and spices, including Bonney hot peppers, cloves, garlic, parsley, marjoram and thyme to create a fairly fiery kick. As much as we had all the time in the world on holiday, we didn’t want to spend it making the seasoning from scratch when there was a pool to be swum in, so we did cheat and used a jar – choosing the one with the best brand name (see pic).
We served our delicious fish with salad and Bajan Macaroni Pie, also known simply as ‘pie’. Pie is one of the most popular foods in Barbados – it’s their own take on macaroni and cheese, specially seasoned and baked to perfection so that it can be sliced and served (see pic).
Another culinary delight we were more than willing to try our hands at, was Rum Punch – essential to wash down the fantastic food of course! The Bajan’s mix a mean rum punch and we learned a little rhyme from some of the locals to help us create the perfect mix…
One of sour, Two of sweet, Three of strong, and, Four of weak… So as long as we remembered lime, sugar syrup, rum (Mount Gay of course) and water – we were set.
If it hadn’t been for the rum punch, I think Barbados offered me one of the most healthy holiday cuisines and it’s one I’m already recreating back in England!
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, digital and foodservice design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Down on the Farm
Well they say there is more than one way to skin a rabbit, but it seems that if you’re going to do it properly there is only one way to skin a deer. This and much more I discovered at the Universal Cookery and Food Festival this week.
Held at Vallum Farm, the Craft Guild event attracted chefs from all walks of life, as well as suppliers, farmers and even little old me. I kicked off my day with the intriguingly named ‘Feature & Fur’ tour. Not for the faint hearted, chef Jose Souto set about skinning and butchering a deer (minus the head and antlers in case you’re interested). With hints and tips galore for any budding game chefs on how to get the most from the carcass, it was rather more Dexter than To the Manor Born, but all the same very interesting.
Then it was time to take a turn around the big top tent, where suppliers, including our friends at Essential Cuisine, displayed their wares for chefs to sample. From chef knives to edible flowers, Cornish salt to water from just down the road, there was lots on offer and the tent was abuzz with chefs chewing the fat (mainly metaphorically speaking, but possibly literally in some cases).
Then it was time for lunch, and as you might expect from a chef event, the food was to die for! I opted for black n blue beef burger in a blue cheese and white chocolate roll – amazing! After lunch it was time to catch up with familiar faces, take another turn around the tent and wander outside to meet some of the livestock in attendance (and that isn’t a rude reference about the chefs I might add).
You have probably heard of Wagyu beef and how it is renowned as one of the very finest meats in the world. And I can assure you having sampled a little (prepared by the talented Nigel Crane) that it is indeed very tasty. However, what you may not be aware of, is that they are also amazingly cute. If they didn’t retail for breeding at over £6,000 and I didn’t live in a Victorian end terrace, I might have been tempted to take one back home with me (much to the consternation of Virgin East Coast I suspect). Having stared lovingly at the beasts, there was then just time to hear all about the rise of Wagyu in the UK and take a look at the rare breed pigs and sheep before embarking on the farm tour.
Run by husband and wife team, Vicky and Peter Moffitt, the farm not only hosts events like this one, it also has a tea room, full restaurant, mini cheese production, bakery and space for budding food producers to use. And if that weren’t enough, they also have their own chickens and vegetable & herb garden, which helps stock the tea room and restaurant, plus plans to add a bee hive. Goodness knows how they also manage to run the working farm on top of all that, but they do!
Back in the tent the speaker and demo programme hosted by Nigel Barden continued with industry movers and shakers (including Terry Laybourne, John Williams, Nigel Howarth and Craig Bancroft) sharing their thoughts on how the industry has changed along with a good few recollections, including bed hopping hotel guests, pot washers who doubled as bookies and even tales of Mrs Thatcher’s love of M&S ‘ping’ meals.
It made a fitting end to a busy day for me as I boarded the shuttle bus back to Newcastle and left the chefs to tuck into the local beer and dance the night away with the band and BBQ. As I write this on the train back down south I’m sure the party is in full swing, but what I miss out on this year I promise to make up for next year when the #UCFF2016 heads to Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire. Maybe see you there!
But before I sign off, praise must go to Billy and Jacki and the team at McCullough Moore, The Craft Guild and Vallum Farm on a great event – well done guys!
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, 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.
The Crazy Bear Hotel
Over the weekend, we decided to take a trip to The Crazy Bear Hotel and what a delight it was. Hidden within the small town of Beaconsfield, as we arrived at the 15th century boutique hotel we were pleasantly greeted with a glass of champagne…because as you know, there is only one way to start a weekend away! Having been shown to our suite, we were in awe of the luxurious decor, right down to the fine detail including Swarovski crystals embedded into the walls – too of course add an extra touch of glamour!
Treating ourselves to one of their exclusive Thai massages in the afternoon, left us feeling relaxed and ready for our evening meal in their Thai restaurant our favourite cuisine, although I can’t deny the traditional English restaurant’s menu looked just as tempting. I have no doubt we’d made the right choice after enjoying the Premium Sharing Menu, with our favourite dish being the Gressingham Duck Breast Red Curry with Pineapple & Lychees… delicious! Although we cannot forget the 10 other dishes we got through which you can see here.
After eating as much as humanly possible, we then went on to enjoy a couple of cocktails in the bar. It would take a year to get through their extensive cocktail list, but the ones we did finally decide on were lovely, and the decadent atmosphere combined with great company left us sat there sipping cocktails for longer than anticipated!
The following morning we reluctantly packed our bags and headed to breakfast for our last taste of the extravagant surroundings. The traditional English breakfast was a delight and just what we needed after the meal the night before…including the one too many cocktails!
The Crazy Bear Hotel really is a special experience and the hotel delivers above and beyond what is shown on their website, screaming opulence from every detail. I would highly recommend it to anybody looking for a touch of extravagance and a hotel out of the ordinary. We will definitely be returning!
For more details on The Crazy Bear Hotel, visit their website here: www.crazybeargroup.co.uk – you won’t be disappointed!
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice public relations, food and drink pr, 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.
M&C Allegra UK Eating Out Quarterly Market Report – Top Take-outs
Now in its seventh year the M&C Allegra ‘Eating Out in the UK Report’ quarterly debrief offers a great snapshot of the out of home market. Usually the sole domain of subscribers, we were lucky enough to be invited along to hear what’s what in the out of home market, hot off the proverbial presses. Held at The Royal Society, a rather fitting location for such an academic study of the foodservice market, the findings were derived from both top down and bottom up research, with a few assumptions thrown in for good measure to deliver insight across the market.
With a cram-packed agenda interspersed with some musical interludes handpicked to match the subject matter (yes, it was a new one on me but was, I have to say, rather endearing) the morning session covered: an overview of the market and its size, the competitive landscape, consumer trends and their journey from pre, during and post all through to the future outlook of the market. There was a lot to take in, but with some furious note taking I managed to get some handy take-outs…
- The out of home market (including retail on the go) is valued at £85.3bn with around 329,683 outlets, with retail, travel and leisure making up £18.8bn and 98,443 outlets, hotels, pubs and restaurants making up £62.4bn and 168,430 outlets, and contract catering (both B&I and public sector) making up the remaining £4.1bn and 62,900 outlets.
- Market growth – Good news! Current turnover growth is a healthy 2.8%.
- Market drivers – Are the 5A’s – affordability of eating out, absorption of foodie culture, adaptability of operators, accessibility across the UK, availability of a range of cuisines.
- Consumer spend on eating out – is running at 38.8p in the pound, bouncing back from recession times when it dipped to 37.7p.
- Eating out expenditure & frequency – Frequency is up 5% driven by 18-34 year olds, but average spend is down 3% (again as millennials tend to spend less and visit lower end outlets), however participation is up 1% (and expected to rise further) which means average spend per head per month is up 1% and total spend it up 2%. In general Londoners and millennials over-index when it comes to eating out, but interestingly there is life outside London and 18-24s in the North are increasing spend. Indeed with rents through the roof in capital the regions are increasingly key to growth.
- What’s growing and what’s not? – Branded new fast food and street food is growing (although from a low base) and in general branded and managed operators in pub, bakery and hotel segments are seeing growth (with smaller agile millennial brands nipping at the heels of the bigger boys and the danger of brand fatigue ever present). London and the East Midlands is growing, as far as foodservice outlets, whilst independent restaurants and tenanted pubs feel the squeeze.
- What do consumer want? Well from the consumer panel research undertaken it seems what they ‘really really want’ (as the spice girls put it) is a treat! (Don’t we all!). Generation Y tend to choose where to eat based on cuisine type and use vouchers regularly, while older consumers go for convenience, and women are of course the decision makers! (No surprises there). As far as branded concepts go, millennials are open to experimentation and newer brand like Chicken Shop, Friska, Red’s True BBQ, Dishoom, Pizzabuzz and Thaikhun are certainly ones to watch.
- The eating out journey – Younger consumers will tend to view menus online to decide on where to eat out. Food quality is important, but other factors such as service rank just as highly, especially when it comes to repeat visits, whilst recommendations and online reviews are hugely important for all age groups – as no man is an island.
- The future – On the up side this is a market sector set to grow by over £9bn by 2018 (a rise of 48% on the previous 3 years!). Eating out activity is expected to rise, driven by generation X and Y and consumers termed as ‘pleasure seekers’. Food culture has gained cool status, whilst the current price-led issues in the grocery sector benefit the out of home operators. Plus, more landlords recognise the benefits of foodservice outlets. However, on the downside, how the national living wage will impact on profitability is not yet known. There are rising property costs in London and across the country. In some areas there is concern over market saturation, whilst as operators try to be everything to everyone there is a danger of them losing their identity and competitive edge. And, of course, the rise in home delivery choice and quality may adversely impact the eating out market.
- In a nutshell however, MC Allegra put it this way ‘Tune In – Millennial Movers Making Waves in Upbeat Eating Out Market’.
All in all it was a great event, informative and entertaining in parts, so little wonder it attracted the likes of Five Guys, Wagamama, Pizza Express, McDonalds and of course the great and the good from supplier side brands. But if you weren’t there and these snippets have peaked your interest you can find out more at www.mcallegra-fs.com
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice public relations, food and drink pr, 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.
The BBC Good Food Show
Last week, I took a trip down to Hampton Court Palace to visit the BBC Good Food Show. It didn’t turn out to be the sunny bank holiday we had hoped for but the rainy weather didn’t dampen our spirits and we still managed to visit every tent to sample the range of food on offer – all for research purposes of course…
The show certainly lived up to its name and we indulged in a variety of really good food! We started the day with Portuguese Custard and Cinnamon Pastries from a little start up company called Global Eat who are soon to be opening in London – keep your eyes peeled! For lunch we had a Caribbean chickpea curry with spicy slaw and to finish off I had THE most amazing brownie – peanut butter and raspberry. Of course in between this we sampled a range of cheeses, breads, sausages and cakes so we were a little full to say the least.
As a massive fan of The Great British Bake Off, the highlight of my day had to be watching a baking demonstration by Paul Hollywood followed by a Q&A with him and past GBBO winner Jo Wheatley – very exciting!
It was the perfect venue for the show and the sun even came out in time for us to wander around the palace grounds, which brought back memories of school trips as a child. The gardens are beautiful and it was a lovely way to finish of the day.
For keen foodies or anyone who just loves food, I would definitely recommend visiting one of the Good Food shows. Check out the full list of dates at http://www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com/
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, 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.
Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables
We’re not afraid to highlight other people’s great work here at Jellybean. Especially when it comes to great work that addresses serious issues in the food and drink industry we love so much – here’s a great one from Intermarche in France.
Currently part of the ‘Designs of the Year 2015’ exhibit at our very own Design Museum in London, this campaign titled ‘Inglorious Fruit and Vegetables’ tackles the problem we face globally where 300 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables are thrown away every year because they are unusual looking.
As 2014 was the International Year Against Food Waste, Intermarche made the decision to tack onto the back of this activity and address the issue head on.
Stars of the campaign were the ‘Grotesque Apple’, the ‘Ridiculous Potato’, the ‘Hideous Orange’, the ‘Failed Lemon’, the ‘Disfigured Eggplant’, the ‘Ugly Carrot’ and the ‘Unfortunate Clementine’.
The pay off to all of this was that now it’s even easier to eat your five a day as these fruit and vegetables are as good as ‘calibrated’ fruit and vegetables, only these ‘inglorious’ ones are 30% cheaper. So a great PR message, and a saving for customers. Win Win.
To counter any concerns from consumers that these inglorious products were inferior in terms of flavour, Intermarche produced a range of ‘inglorious’ soups and juices which they sampled in store – if you’re chopping, souping, juicing or dicing these fruits and vegetables, what does it matter how they look when you buy them?
The results? An overall store traffic increase of 24% with a reach of 21 million people on social media after one month.
The recipe for success here as we see it? Well, it seemed like a perfect combination of:
- Allying your work to a great piece of PR activity which has real penetration as well as a truly worthy cause
- Great creative with a sense of humour
- Boots on the ground in stores to sample the fruits and vegetables and to answer questions
- Traditional PR
- Social Media
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, 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.
The Great British Food Festival
This weekend I happened to stumble across The Great British Food Festival at Dalemain Estate in Cumbria. Now anyone that knows me knows that I love anything to do with food, so when I saw those little yellow signs pointing the way to this foodie heaven, I did a quick ‘U-ey’ and got a bit excited.
It was cheese, chutney and chocolate galore – everything I hoped for. You’ll be pleased to hear that I managed to restrain myself to only 17 cheese tasters (if they’re that small they don’t count, right?), half a chocolate brownie and a falafel and humus wrap (from the lovely Kath’s Kitchen).
To be really honest with you, the foodie products at the show were very similar to the likes of those showcased on London’s South Bank during the summer, but there’s just something about the amount of passion and love that’s gone into them from the independent suppliers that really draws me in. I’m not buying the cheese because it tastes incredibly different from the cheddar that I can buy from Sainsbury’s, I’m buying it because I know the love and care that’s gone into making it and I feel that should be supported!
Has anyone else been to any food festivals of note recently? Let us know if you have any recommendations from across the land on @JellybeanAgency.
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, 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.
A Postcard from Stein-Ville
When it comes to foodie breaks it is fair to say you can’t beat London for its diverse cuisines and experiences, and you certainly won’t go hungry in New York! But there is a less obvious contender when it comes to eating out in style and there’s not a skyscraper in sight. I talk of course of Padstow, lovingly nicknamed Stein-Ville,this Cornish coastal retreat offers a foodie paradise nestled between the rolling hills and breaking waves of Cornwall.
This August we stayed over the estuary, in Rock (playground of the rich and famous – in fact Gordon Ramsey is rumoured to have just bought a holiday home there!). Travelling by ferry and sea taxi (I can’t recommend it enough – not a tailback in sight) we made numerous forays into Padstow and the surrounding area to check out the foodie delights on offer.
We were lucky enough to rest our heads at the St. Enodoc Hotel which is home to Outlaws, Nathan Outlaw’s restaurant (one of three as he has one in Port Isaac and another at The Capital in London) and we enjoyed two fabulous meals there, not to mention the breakfasts! The food it must be said was great and as you would expect from Nathan Outlaw there was an array of delicious fish dishes to choose from. But on the subject of fish, no holiday to Padstow would be complete without a visit to Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant and it didn’t disappoint, throw in Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen at Watergate Bay, Scarlets healthy spa food at Morgan Porth, a lunch at Paul Ainsworth’s No.6, sourdough pizza at Rojano’s, a pasty and cream tea from Rick Stein’s Patisserie and you can see why I’ll be hitting the cross trainer this September!
It was of course all fabulous and shows how amazing our industry is. Indeed, working in the hospitality sector, some might say it’s a busman’s holiday, but as the leading foodservice agency I think it’s important to keep in-touch – it’s a tough job but someone has to do it! (cue the violins!)
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, food and drink pr, 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.
Local Foodie Discovery
I have just discovered a wonderful new foodie shop in Fetcham, near Leatherhead, called Greenwise, and if you care about the quality of the food you eat then this is definitely the shop for you.
They specialise in organic, Fair Trade, locally produced food – even down to Fetcham Honey! And for those who suffer with lactose, gluten and sugar intolerances it offers a huge range of foods, plus wonderful fresh produce. You can wander around the shelves, salivate at the foods on offer from around the world and sample one of the little tasting samples on show – perhaps some locally produced lemonade or a fresh smoothie. Then once you have got your taste buds interested you can sit and enjoy a coffee or may a Red Espresso made from Rooibos Tea – caffeine free and full of anti-oxidants – and of course accompanied by a locally made cake (gluten and sugar free). On my latest visit I bought a tub of Pina-Colada flavour coconut ice cream, which is dairy, lactose and soya free – so delicious with fresh strawberries or raspberries – quite a revelation!
This is obviously a shop that cares deeply about the food it sells, its provenance and its health benefits. Their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/greenwiseshop is well worth a visit to see what they have on offer.
jellybean is a leading foodservice marketing agency 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.
