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.
Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2016
Working at a leading foodservice agency I’ve been lucky enough in my time to attend some of the most prestigious events in our industry’s calendar, but none are more hotly anticipated than the annual Craft Guild of Chefs Awards which are known as the ‘Chef Oscars’.
Last night (1st June) saw the event celebrate its 23rd year and with my invite firmly in hand, me and my fellow Jellybean, Susan, headed to the Lancaster London Hotel – a stunning venue to host the crème-de-le-cream of the chef world. After National Chairman, Lee Maycock welcomed everyone we were presented with four delicious courses by the Lancaster’s talented culinary team, who had the responsibility of feeding the 800 guests.
To kick off proceedings there was ‘A Taste of Nipa Thai’ which included chicken satay, prawn rice paper wrap and spiced papaya salad, the second course was ‘From the Island Grill’ – and my favourite dish of the evening – a creamy Waterloo cheese risotto served with Lancaster London smoked salmon. This was followed by a succulent Grilled Fillet and Cottage Pie of West Country Beef and finally for dessert – just when you thought you couldn’t eat another bite – heaven on a plate appeared in the form of an indulgent Milk Chocolate & Hazelnut Slice, Dark Chocolate Fondant & White Chocolate Ice Cream which I think even chocolatiers Mark Tilling and Will Torrent, who I’d spotted across the room, would have been impressed with!
After the first class feast, everyone settled to see who would be recognised as the greatest culinary talent in the industry and be presented with the prestigious Special Award, which saw Michelin-starred brothers, Chris and Jeff Galvin receive the top honour. My excitement of dining at Galvin at Windows later this summer has now reached a new high after listening to the phenomenal achievements of these two very talented chefs.
As part of the night, chefs and industry observers were asked to vote for the Innovation Award Category. Our table was divided on whether it should be German Gymnasium (everyone go, it’s a fantastic restaurant next to King’s Cross), Sexy Fish and Susan’s favourite, Soho Farmhouse – who proved victorious and is now on my wish list to visit – I’m hoping my fiancée will read this and take note!
Here is a rundown of all the winners:
Apprentice Chef Award
Eleanor De Maria, Eurest Services
Armed Services Award
Flt Sgt Richard Greenhalgh RAF, Royal Air Force
Banqueting and Event Chef Award
James Buckley , Levy Restaurants
Chef Lecturer Award
John Crowe, North West Regional College, Londonderry
Competition Chef Award
Robert Kennedy, Sandhurst Military College
Contract Catering Chef Award
Stuart Nisbet, Elior UK
Development Chef Award
Diane Camp, Reynolds Catering Supplies
Ethnic Chef Award
Chad Rahman, Chez Mumtaj
Innovation Award
Nick Jones, Soho Farmhouse
New Restaurant of the Year
Chris White, the White Spoon, Cheltenham
Pastry Chef Award
Stephen Tarling, Daylesford Organic
People’s Choice Award
Gareth Billington, Sodexo
Pub Restaurant Chef Award
James MacKenzie, Pipe and Glass Inn
Public Sector Chef Award
Scott Pring, Bridgewater College
Restaurant Chef Award
Will Holland, Coast Restaurant
Young Chef Award
Arthur Quin, Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant Crosthwaite
A big thank you to Dewberry’s Stuart Barnett for the invite who proved the perfect host ensuring our glasses were topped with the brilliantly named Riesling, Kung Fu Girl. I’m a bit bleary eyed this morning but to be part of such a special evening it was worth it – fingers crossed I get a golden ticket for next year.
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.
Sandwich Week 2016
As you cannot have failed to notice, this week is British Sandwich Week, which features the British Sandwich Designer of the Year competition and the Sammies Awards. Sandwiches are of course a British staple and with the food-on-the-go market continuing to grow, out-stripping the rest of the eating out market, according to the British Sandwich Association, sandwiches currently contribute a staggering £7.85bn to the UK economy and around £4.4bn to the food on-the-go sector*. They have come a long way from the humble white bread sandwich, with the sector embracing bagels, wraps, speciality breads, open sandwiches and much, much more. Indeed, sandwiches are seen on menus across practically all sectors of the foodservice market proving popular across the board. Interestingly Kantar research have identified that sandwich penetration (in and out of home) is currently running at 79% which means there are 9 million consumers in the UK who are yet to be converted – so there is still a good opportunity for growth. Indeed, 70% of us spend over £3 on a sandwich, with the BLT topping the chart of fillings, although chicken has the broadest appeal in all its forms. Surprisingly hot drinks are more likely to accompany a sandwich than cold drinks and cake is twice as likely to accompany a sandwich than crisps although 40% are eaten on their own. Two thirds of us have a sandwich at least once a week, but the real opportunity for those selling sandwiches out of home is, as ever, to drive more consumers to choose sandwiches more often and trade up to higher priced, more premium options by inspiring them with innovative new flavours and formats. As to what a sandwich looks like these days, well the sky is the limit and the British Sandwich Designer of the Year Award showcases just that.
With the offer of a day up in town at the Lancaster London sampling some of the best sandwiches in the country it seemed sheer madness to refuse. The event was hosted by Gethin from the BSA who did a sterling job, taking us through the thirty different competitor sandwiches split into six rounds (excuse the pun) each having to incorporate one of the sponsor’s products into their creation. Having showcased some of the finalists on Sunday Brunch with some controversial opinions expressed by Piers Morgan (no surprises there) as to what constitutes a sandwich, it is fair to say the contestants were keen to push the traditional boundaries in their quest to develop the most innovative, and of course delicious, sandwich. From venison to sushi, scotch eggs to sage, not to mention a ‘French Dip’, Chipotle & Mexican flavours and Indian street food, it was all there to see and taste. The only observation that could be made was the absence of much in the way of vegetarian or vegan options (indeed Eating Better found in recent research that only 4% of 500 sandwiches were plant based) also free-from options to cater for the growing demand from consumers seemed thin on the ground, which has to be front of mind for caterers in light of the allergen legislation. That said the day was a triumph and you never know perhaps they’ll add additional categories next year to cover off these areas.
You can see the finalist recipes here, but be warned they will make you hungry! It was a tough job that respected chef Theo Randall and his fellow judges had on their hands to decide on the winner for each of the six rounds and of course the overall winner of Sandwich Designer of the Year. However, they managed it and the winner was announced at the Sammies Awards ceremony in the evening. Congratulations go to Nathan Baker from On a Roll who won British Sandwich Designer of the Year with his pulled cooked venison sandwich. Personally I had a soft spot for the chicken and tarragon brioche, but I have to say the venison was delicious as well.
Well done to the British Sandwich Association on a great week and a great event! To find out more about the BSA visit their website here.
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice pr 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.
Caffe Culture 2016
With around 1.7bn cups of coffee sold each year in the UK, across more than 18,000 outlets, the coffee shop market is a substantial one which shows no sign of slowing. Indeed, predictions see it reaching 21,000 outlets by 2020, so it’s little wonder that this foodservice industry sector has its very own show – Caffè Culture – held over two days at Kensington Olympia 10-11th May. The show is targeted at groups like Costa and Nero, as well as the growing number of independent coffee shops, and indeed all those involved in the coffee market, which extends of course to the world of contract catering with operators like Compass, Sodexo, Bartlett Mitchell, etc. With 1 in 5 people in the UK visiting coffee shops in the UK, its big business for this boutique show. As your leading foodservice marketing agency, you’d expect us to be in attendance and report back, right? Too right. Here goes.
Recent research carried out by the Caffè Culture Show with over 1,600 consumers and 100 café owners found that over two thirds of café businesses saw an increase in turnover of over 10% YOY, with 51% seeing an increase in coffee sales, 42% seeing an increase in lunch sales and 26% seeing an increase in breakfast sales. A staggering 33% saw an increase in turnover of over £150,000. However, it seems the biggest challenge they face is driving healthy profits with 52% of established businesses naming this as a key issue and 41% of start-ups. Staffing is also a hot topic with 37% of established businesses identifying this as a key challenge, along with 41% of start-ups. Interestingly with so much focus on the on-the-go market Caffé Culture’s research showed that 60% of consumers choose to drink-in with only 40% opting to take-out.
As to what is driving customers through the door, well, great coffee is unsurprisingly the main driver with 81%, followed by a convenient location 45% and friendly and professional staff 30%, so get all these three right and you’ll be on to a winner. In general, 51% of consumers would like to see more independent coffee shops with 63% preferring to use an independent. They also want to see better quality coffee (42%) and more differentiation between coffee shops (35%).
In light of this insight the show’s aim is to blend business and coffee in order to help big and small operators alike find new ideas and suppliers to build a profitable business. By its very nature there is a fair amount of coffee about (as you would expect), however, with coffee shops looking to differentiate their offer and cater to the growing demand for all day dining there was far more than just coffee on offer. Incremental sales of snacks, breakfast and lunch are a big revenue driver for coffee shops, as is offering a wide and varied beverage menu with added theatre, so it was little surprise to see the likes of Twinings there wowing the gathered visitors with their masterclass on the theatre of tea (it’s not all about coffee!). Whilst new and niche soft drinks looked to catch the eye of passing buyers with Birch Water, Aloe Water, the exhibitor award winning Peanut ‘Hottie’ (a delicious peanut version of hot chocolate – is the best way I can describe it), flavoured syrups, funky furniture, innovative packaging, crazy flavours of crisps and popcorn, shiny equipment, tempting cakes and melt-in-the-mouth biscuits, were all there to be viewed and sampled. And as the leading foodservice agency, frankly it would have been rude not to try it all (all in the name of market research you understand).
With a background accompaniment from the obligatory hipster duo on guitar and box drum, the show was small but perfectly formed to appeal to the coffee shop market. The packed line-up at the business theatre and masterclass stage, not to mention the cupping zone, independent coffee roasters village and artisan food market meant there was something for everyone. So if you didn’t make it along this year and the coffee shop market is ‘your bag’ make sure you have the dates in your diary for 2017.
To find out more about the show click here.
Sources: Market stats from Allegra Strategies & insight from Cafeconomy 2016 Results
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing 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.
Cost Sector Catering Awards 2016
The Cost Sector Catering Awards at the Hilton London Metropole took place last week, celebrating the fantastic work and achievements of many an unsung hero in the catering industry over the last year. The evening began with an inspiring speech from Springboard UK’s Anne Pierce, followed by a fantastic short video showcasing the charity’s incredible work in the hospitality and leisure industry. As your leading foodservice marketing agency, we were in attendance to bring you the highlights of a glittering night.
The awards were hosted by comedienne Kerry Godliman so the evening got off to a very entertaining start. Eighteen awards were given out on the night to very worthy winners including Petty Officer Logistician Daryl Hall, Royal Navy for the Armed Forces Award and Owen Sidaway, National Offender Management Services for the Public Sector Award.
In addition, two very special Lifetime Achievement Awards were given out on the night. The Contract Caterer Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Hobart Cooking Solutions went to Sean Valentine from Bartlett Mitchell, and the Public Sector Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Hobart UK Warewashing was awarded to Ministry of Defence’s head of food, Nigel Shepherd. Congratulations to all the winners.
Our friends at The Craft Guild of Chefs were deservingly recognised too, with an Industry Contribution Award, and Myles Bremner, director of the School Food Plan, receiving an award for Special Contribution to the industry.
Over 700 guests from all corners of the catering industry enjoyed a delicious gluten-free three course menu, and a little wine was had too! To top it all, the generosity of the guests on the night resulted in over £6,000 being raised for Springboard UK – a great night all round!
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing 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.
The Big Event 2016
Hotelympia is always a busy time for us at Jellybean, whether it’s preparing clients to exhibit at the show, or running the PR, show press office and social media for Fresh Montgomery, you can guarantee there will be a buzz in the office (and possibly the odd nervous breakdown). But as the leading foodservice agency we try to take it all in our stride and somehow make time for the social side of the show as well, especially The Big Event!
This gala dinner – in aid of Springboard and its good work helping the young and underprivileged into careers in hospitality and promoting the sector as an attractive career choice – is one of the highlights of the Hotelympia calendar. Attracting exhibitors and visitors alike, this year the ‘do’ was themed around the date of the event –1st of March…St. David’s Day. From the cheer of ‘Oggy Oggy Oggy’ to kick off the evening to the dulcet tones of the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir, followed by the hip thrusts of Tom Jones (AKA Ian Anthony) and the belting high notes from Shirley Bassey (AKA Paula Randell) the entertainment came straight from the valleys! The food, thankfully ( no offence to the Welsh) was not traditional Welsh fare, but instead a sophisticated menu featuring what else but Welsh Lamb. All prepared by the team at Compass under Nick Vardis, the meal was a triumph (and even included a little help from our client Vegetarian Express). But as with all of these events it’s the company that makes it and we were lucky enough to host a table (which was kindly given to us by Springboard for creating their new Team Velo Challenge Website) and were joined by some of our lovely clients exhibiting or speaking at the show including: Hobart, Essential Cuisine, Ferrero and People 1st.
As the champagne flowed along with the conversation, the night seemed to speed past in a blur of good food, good company and quite a few bids on the charity auction, not to mention a hotly contested ‘Shirley or Tom’ (a new take on heads or tails) and some impressive ‘Dad dancing’ to the RPJ Band. Possibly the most poignant part of the evening however was hearing from two Springboard beneficiaries. With a difficult background Rocky has made-good and now works for Bartlett Mitchell, and having come through the Future Chef programme Ruth is now working at the Ritz no less! Inspiring stories which really demonstrated how Springboard makes a difference to people’s lives. After a fabulous evening all too soon it was time to do a Cinderella and depart for our carriages.
I suspect if you happen to be walking around the show on Wednesday you’ll see a few sore heads but be gentle, it was all in a good cause! To find our more about the great work Springboard do and how you can get involved visit http://springboard.uk.net/
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice pr agency. We help top brands with foodservice web design, pr, food service marketing, foodservice digital marketing 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 Hotelympia 10k Run for Springboard
When I was asked to run the Hotelympia 10k for Springboard I originally declined but I’m so glad the guys managed to convince me!
Although I’m a very sporty person and used to play football twice a week, I just couldn’t imagine myself running that sort of distance – it seemed too daunting. As I thought about it though, I decided that it would be something to help focus my training, and a great aim for a great cause. I loved the fact that we were running as a group – the Runner Beans – and this was what pushed me into committing to the run.
So that’s when the training began! I say training, Nick and I basically ran two 10k to Box Hill and back (great run, although pretty hilly), but I think that actually really help prepare me for the run. The first time absolutely killed me – I couldn’t walk the next day and maybe in hindsight I should have started out with a 5k and worked my way up but I don’t like to do things by halves.
The second training session seemed so much easier, maybe because there it was still light outside and I could see where I was running, or maybe my legs just got used to it, but we seemed to fly round. I think it’s definitely as much a mental challenge as it is physical and knowing what to expect and how your body will feel actually gets you through.
So then the big day arrived, Sunday 28th February. Up at 7.30am, banana in hand, we headed to the ExCel in London. It was a very bitter day with a chilly wind, so we had to wrap up warm. As we were picking up our race numbers (and our free running t-shirts – thanks guys!) we were checking out the other runners, some of which looked pretty pro to me, like they do this on a weekly basis. I’m normally a very competitive person but looking at the calibre around me I didn’t think I could come any where near the front of the pack. “But it’s the taking part that counts” I chanted to myself.
11am was nearing and we were all huddled up outside, eager to get going as it was freezing outside by the Docklands. As it hit 11 we began, walking at first as there were too many people to start running straight away, but once past the official start line we were off! We started out at quite a fast pace, with all of us following fellow Jellybean Nick. You couldn’t ask for a nicer route, running around the Docklands and ExCel – lovely and flat!
The first two laps were the easiest; I was just trying to keep a steady pace and used people around me as markers. It was really nice to see everyone around the track cheering us all on, it really kept me going and push through the pain so thank you to everyone that was there standing in the cold for us! The third and fourth lap is where the pain really started to kick in. You could see the front runners starting to lap you which just seemed insane. I lost Nick as he pushed on, with Clare and Laura also pushing past me but I was determined to keep a good pace until the last kilometre. As soon as I got to that point I sprinted like I was chasing down a through ball on the football pitch. I wasn’t going to give it up, I wanted to make sure I pushed myself as much as I could.
When you’re running that distance you think to yourself why did I agree to this, but I’m so happy we all ended up doing the race together. It’s such a big sense of achievement and I would definitely do another one in the future to beat my time (which was 53 mins and 35 secs)! The medal will definitely hang with pride in my house.
It was a pleasure to run for such a great cause and if you would like to find out more, visit them at www.springboard.uk.net. Not only that it was a great start to Hotelympia 2016, you can go visit the show at the ExCel now or online at www.hotelympia.com.
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice pr agency. We help top brands with foodservice web design, pr, food service marketing, foodservice digital marketing and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.
Introducing Boyds Grill & Wine Bar
It has to be said that as the leading foodservice agency we don’t do badly for eating out. Our social calendar is often peppered with nights out on Park Lane and alike, so it takes something that bit special to make an impression. This Wednesday saw such an event, as Boyds Brasserie relaunched as Boyds Grill & Wine Bar with a spectacular launch party at their central London location on Northumberland Avenue.
The new restaurant concept puts local artisanal ingredients at the heart of everything they do – there’s cheese from Brockley, Wagyu beef from Sussex, gin from Peckham and even beer from Norwood!
Having designed and built their shiny new website in time for the relaunch we were lucky enough to be invited for a fantastic meal as part of their soft launch the week prior, so we were expecting the grandeur and the impeccable service, not to mention the fabulous food and wine. However, the glittering launch night surpassed even our high expectations, as we were treated like royalty from start to finish and had a truly fabulous evening.
Some of the highlights included…
· Our Digital Director Andy achieving an ambition of a lifetime with a cocktail (including his tipple Bourbon) named after him – try it – you won’t be disappointed! Ask for ‘The Andy’ at the bar.
· Meeting some of the amazing suppliers of British and locally sourced produce which features on Boyds’ menu, as well as nibbling the odd sample – well it would be rude not to.
· Trying ‘Dragon’s Breath’ – a palette cleanser like no other you will have tried (think Puff the Magic Dragon but tastier and more refreshing).
· Sampling the most amazing ice creams from Head Chef Nate who talked us through each one in turn. Would you believe sweetcorn, Parmesan and bacon were amongst those we encountered, not to mention pea and mint. Heston eat your heart out!
With an impressive turn out for the evening, including the great and the good of the restaurant industry, we were in fabulous company and it was sad to see the evening come to a close. But we were seen off in style with a delicious goodie bag full of treats so we could continue the Boyds experience in not so sunny Surrey, which softened the blow somewhat.
Congratulations of course must go to Charles Boyd and his team on a wonderful launch and what is sure to be a hugely successful venture. My advice? Book now while you still can.
Food on the Go Conference 2016 – Top Ten Take-outs
With a jam-packed agenda for the day it’s quite a challenge to cram all the key take-outs from M&C Allegra’s Food on the Go conference into one blog, but as the leading foodservice agency we’ll do our best!
1) Currently the on the go market is possibly the most innovative, dynamic and competitive sector of the out of home market. Growing an impressive 5.4%, it’s outstripping the rest of the market by some way, as food bought to eat off premise (the definition of on the go) accounts for 1 in 4 of every pound spent out of home! With lunch hours now around 27 minutes (dropping from 36 minutes in 2000) the pressure is on for operators to deliver great food, fast!
2) Highly fragmented, the top ten players account for only 33% of the market with large retailers dominating at the top due to their proliferation of sites. C-stores are gaining share but suffer from a lack of innovation and often limited offer due to the independent family run nature of the business.
3) Street food is still on the increase and millennials are driving the market with their demand for high quality, good value food on the go. As for the recipe for success? Well, according to M&C Allegra it’s simple – fresher, faster & hotter!
4) What does the on the go consumer look like (versus the general outing out consumer)? Research findings from M&C Allegra indicates the following: 53% Male (vs. 49% of total Eating Out participants), 66% Under 50 (vs. 51%), 17% London (vs. 13%), 67% Full-time workers (vs. 56%), 36% Earn £40k+ (vs. 31%). What consumers want when it comes to food on the go is pretty simple – fast service, close to work, product freshness and healthier options. Queuing, unsurprisingly, is the biggest frustration, joined by lack of choice and over pricing. Whilst promotions definitely drive sales with 65% of consumers using promotions and 1 in 6 consumers stating they would choose to go elsewhere if a promotion was removed. As for what people are buying on the go, sandwiches and cola are key purchases, as is bottled water, but the popularity of sandwiches is in decline as the rise of other bread carriers and salad options increases.
5) The rising trends in on the go food include: Pan-Asian, gluten-free, vegetarian, healthier, hot product, Americana, premiumisation and hotter sauces. And if you’re looking to be inspired by some new and different food to go concepts it’s worth visiting: Wolf Street Italian, The Bowler, Hai Street Kitchen, HOP (exciting Vietnamese concept), ŰGOT (too cool for school, clean eating concept set up by an unfeasibly precocious (in a good way!) gluten avoider instead of a frozen yogurt bar), Friska (with a real vision to ‘refine expectations within our industry from the inside out’), Coco di Mama (owned by Azzuri who also own ZiZi and Ask), Crussh Juice Bars (so much more than just food!), Hackney Eat 17 (a Spar convenience store!) and Vital Ingredient (defining healthy on the go).
6) Transport hubs are of course a key focus of food on the go and Tom Dobson from Network Rail is responsible for the 18 largest stations in the UK and their F&B offering. In 2020 he predicts 1 billion people will visit these stations and this will generate 1 billion in F&B revenue – impressive stuff. In 2015 alone they experienced 900 million visits to these top 18 stations, an increase of 7%, with like for like sales growing at 6% last year, so food to go concepts looking for a sure bet could do worse than consider key stations for their next opening it would seem.
7) McDonald’s is the goliath in the food to go market and also boasts some impressive stats….90% of people visit McDonald’s, they have seen 39 consecutive quarters of sales growth, from their research with 5,000 consumers they know that 17-24 year olds want more spice on the menu and don’t feel that McDonald’s is contemporary enough. This is something the company is addressing with its roll-out of new concept stores, which include: a signature range of more thicker, more premium burgers, customisation, a new look including a new style uniform and convenient touch screen ordering points. Keep an eye out for these new and improved stores coming soon! The bad news, unlike the US they won’t be doing all day breakfast (sad times).
8) The challenges and opportunities common to operators big and small consist of – the crazy London property market with exorbitant rents and unreasonable contracts, minimising queue times, getting and keeping good people, competition, standing out in the market, creating an emotional engagement to their brand which keeps customers loyal and delivering consistently high quality food to a highly discerning and increasingly impatient customer base. Whilst opportunities include: focusing on what they do well rather than becoming a jack of all trades, the use of technology around payment and pre-ordering both in store and pre-store visit, social media engagement and use as a real time customer relations and service tool, expansion into other locations and even countries, partnering up with other operators (e.g. Starbucks and Pod / Costa and Chop’d), understanding consumer behaviour around food on the go, the rise of Pan Asian, Middle Eastern and free from.
9) In at nine and more of an observation than a take-out, it would seem that the majority of food on the go start-ups are run by ex-bankers who obsess about their lunch for years from the confines of the city before taking the plunge and leaving the trading floors, boardrooms and city bonuses behind to make lunchtimes more enjoyable for the rest of us!
10) Finally and possibly the key take-out for the day – if you stack two keep cups from Friska they are the same height as a groundhog! Good to know.
Thankfully having been to the 2015 Food on the Go conference, I can say without a doubt that this year’s was far from a groundhog day (see what I did there!) as it brought together all players in the food to go market from the big boys like McDonald’s, Starbucks, Leon, Wild Bean Café and Pret to new innovative start-ups like Friska, Hop and ŰGOT offering up the latest market data and insights to keep everything aptly fresh. Well done to the team at M&C Allegra on another great event. To find out more about M&C Allegra visit http://www.mcallegra-fs.com/
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing agency. We help top brands with foodservice web design, 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.
Hotelympia Hype
It was only in September that as a very nervous bean in my first week of work, I got the chance to go along to the filming of the Hotelympia launch video to (try) to help in any way possible. Little did I know that by the end of the day I would have ‘helped’ by featuring in it myself!
Fast-forward four months, and not only have I seen my acting skills come to life, but I have also been able to experience how such a renowned and large-scale exhibition like Hotelympia, comes together. It is now just over a month until the ExCeL opens its doors to some of the largest and well-respected names in the world of hospitality as well as almost 1,000 exhibitors. As a first time visitor, I cannot wait to experience all that it has to offer and, not wanting to miss any of its highlights, here are my top five ‘not to be missed’:
- The Staff Canteen Live
Featuring an incredible line-up of chefs, including Clare Smyth and Tom Kerridge, Staff Canteen Live is an opportunity for visitors to experience cooking with some of the best in the business. Interactive cooking displays galore, this is the place to be for a glimpse of the pros at work. - Walk-In Immersive Experience
Designed by digital developers Soluis, a ‘virtual’ visit to some of the newest openings in the capital is in store for everyone who goes along to the walk-in immersive experience. Explore some of the most exciting design projects in London (and marvel at the technology that allows you to while you’re at it). - Salon Display
As a (very) amateur baker, I am particularly excited to see some of the sugarcraft creations that come out of Salon Display. Anyone wanting to be wowed or maybe even looking for inspiration should head to the display by the Auditorium entrance, which showcases some of the amazing skills within the industry. The expo also includes works hand-crafted out of chocolate, pastillage and fat. - Innovation Awards
Revealing the best in Design, Technology and Equipment, head to this year’s Innovation Awards if you’re looking for the very best in modern products. Solutions and suggestions set to revolutionise the way the industry works have been entered – prepare to be amazed by temperature changing plates, a chef specific job search app and more. - The Stage
Over the course of the exhibition, a whole host of high-profile speakers will take to The Stage to give advice and share experiences of the hospitality industry. Want to hear the latest recommendations about crowdfunding? Need some advice to improve service? Whatever your question, someone on The Stage will have the answer.
These are just the tip of the iceberg, and, once I’ve made a beeline for the above, my biggest problem will be where to turn next! Don’t miss out on the best opportunity for everything you need in the hospitality industry. Register now to visit and see you there!
https://www.livebuzzreg.co.uk/2016/hot16/
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and food service design agency. We help top brands with foodservice 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.
Pub Aid World Record Attempt
Free-house establishments are always looking for new ways to entice customers in and The Unicorn pub in my village of Cublington, Bucks, is no exception.
Despite being an award winning establishment with an AA two rosette restaurant, the peaks and troughs in demand mean extra ways are always sought to drum up extra custom. That’s where I come in. Being on the board and as a foodservice marketing expert, I always look for new and different ways to help promote fun themed evenings that appeal to customers. In the past we’ve promoted and I’ve taken part in ‘Come Dine With Us” chef challenges, Call my Bluff wine tastings all served with amazing food and this leap year I have suggested a Leap Year Lunch – with a special fun set menu. Yes you’ve guessed it – frog’s legs to start and kangaroo burgers on the menu. Sure to be another fun event.
Of course there are all the usual themed days. This month there was Burn’s Night, coming soon is Valentine’s Day, St Patricks Day and Mother’s Day on the horizon as well as the annual Six Nations Rugby – Pie and a Pint for £10 is always a magnet for thirsty fans.
So, early next month, on a quiet Sunday night, the Unicorn is joining in with Pub Aid to take part in a unique world record quiz attempt. So far over 1340 pubs have signed up to take part and at 7.30pm on Sunday 7 February 2016, thousands of quizzers will simultaneously answer the first in a series of questions in the World’s Biggest Quiz. I have my team of six organised and will enjoy a special quizzers meal before applying my mind to answering questions and raising money for the pub’s nominated charity, the Florence Nightingale Hospice, in memory of a departed colleague.
Organised by Pubaid, supported by JustGiving, the aim of the evening is to raise money for local causes and charities. Over 550 have already been nominated. The quiz also qualifies as an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the largest multi-venue quiz.
http://worldsbiggestquiz.pubaid.com/
http://www.theunicornpub.co.uk
Jellybean Creative is a leading foodservice marketing and food service design agency. We help top brands with foodservice 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.