As two avid Spurs fans, it was only right that Nick and I joined Arena’s latest sell-out ‘Behind the Scenes’ event at Tottenham Hotspur’s world-class stadium – a day that combined thought provoking talks with an insider tour of how elite venues are redefining hospitality.
After a morning packed with data and discussion at the Lumina Intelligence Q3 Food Strategy Forum, the afternoon was all about discovery. We swapped charts for cutlery and were whisked around Covent Garden on a Food Study Tour – a curated journey through some of London’s most exciting and innovative food and drink concepts.
The recent Reformulating for Healthy Indulgence webinar from Confectionery News brought together experts from across the food and confectionery world to explore how brands can meet consumer demand for treats that deliver on both indulgence and wellbeing.
When you think of bootcamps, you’d be forgiven for thinking of a screaming sergeant major and a lot of mud, sweat and tears. But the bean team, have a different kind of bootcamp in mind – more seminars and talks from those leading in the world of social than burpees. On a sunny September morning, we headed up to Mayfair for a day with Brandwatch. From the world of disinformation, and LinkedIn trends, to a key trend of – the importance of narratives, whether they’re true or not.
Code to Cuisine – AI, Creativity and the Future of Food – UCFF Session
This year’s festival was not just about tasting new flavours and catching up with familiar faces. On the Trends & Debates stage, things got lively as industry leaders explored the role of AI in foodservice. The discussion offered a fascinating look at how technology is shaping menus, kitchens and the guest experience – with a certain amount of spirited debate along the way.
Dubbed ‘Glastonbury for Chefs’ UCFF has long been the go-to event for chefs looking for inspiration. The ‘Universal Cookery and Food Festival’ is a mouthful in itself, but offers far more than a mouthful when it comes to amazing food and drink, both from the brands in attendance and the stand-out catering (well when you are feeding chefs you have to be pretty impressive). No exhibition halls here, just a farm, great food and drink, demos, debates and of course fresh air and thankfully this year – sunshine! With its original format it is quite literally a breath of fresh air when it comes to foodservice events.
This year’s UCFF included a foraging tour which I eagerly signed up for on arrival. The tour was hosted by Colin Wheeler-James of Ground Up Cookery School and took us around Tewinbury Farm in Hertfordshire. With so much to take in, you’ll excuse me if I have missed anything (Colin, if you are reading this I’m afraid my note taking was comprehensive, but my writing a little illegible, so some points may have been supplemented by a light Google – please forgive me). And of course, please don’t take the below as gospel, as some wild foods can be dangerous. Always check and if in doubt, don’t eat it!
At Jellybean, we have a deep admiration for this channel – we know its highs, its challenges, and the vital role it plays in communities. Local shops aren’t just stores; they’re hubs where people connect, shop, and live their daily lives. By understanding retailers, shoppers, and their everyday missions, we help brands and retailers grow and succeed – together.
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.
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.
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.
When social media is driving flavour trends and the economic landscape is ever-changing, it can be tricky keeping up with what’s hot. The main question is, how can operators meet demand, bring something new to the table, and tempt customers through the door. With the help of Lumina Intelligence and an insightful snapshot led by Tim Price, we’ve summarised what’s leading out-of-home at the moment, and what to keep an eye on in the coming months.
As a leading integrated food and drink marketing agency, social media management is one of many services we offer our clients. From paid and organic social, to content creation, influencer collabs and strategy, we’re on hand to help your food and drink brand grow and maximise on the opportunities provided through social media platforms.
At a recent Alliance of Independent Agencies event, I heard a staggering statistic that there are now around 30,000 agencies in the UK, with 16,000 of those set up in the last 10 years! With so much competition and increased pressure on marketing budgets it’s never been more important to have a clear specialism as an agency. Thankfully, jellybean has always been all about food and drink, from our foodservice roots to our natural evolution into retail and consumer. For over 37 years we have been laser focused on food and drink be it foodservice, retail, convenience or consumer. Of course, the downside to being a sector specialist is that you can limit your potential growth into other areas and on occasion come up against client conflict. We believe the upside far outweighs these factors as we have created a clear vision for our business and team, attract other likeminded food-obsessed colleagues and build a depth of knowledge that can help clients’ brands and businesses grow.
