Hotel & Catering - November 2014

HOTEL

& CATERING

REVIEW

News WESTBURY UNVEILS €2M INVESTMENT PROGRAMME Marketing TRIPADVISOR AND THE POWER OF CUSTOMER REVIEWS Feature THE REBIRTH OF THE HOTEL INDUSTRY Five Minutes With CONOR DEMPSEY, CHEF-OWNER OF AMUSE

NOVEMBER 2014

HOTELANDCATERINGREVIEW.IE

BRINGING FOOD AND PEOPLE TOGETHER

GATHER & GATHER LAUNCHES IN IRELAND I R E L A N D ’ S P R E M I E R M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E H O S P I TA L I T Y & C AT E R I N G I N D US T RY

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Jerry O’Sullivan - Business Manager Ireland, Hospitality & Food Retail T: 01 404 7161 M: 086 1001 444 E: jerry.osullivan@noel.ie

www.noel.ie

Dublin • Kildare • Waterford • Cork • Galway

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With the fantastic tourist year of 2014 and 2015 fast approaching our advanced bookings for staff is growing. So don’t get caught, be prepared and For further details of our Recruitment Services please contact:

Jerry O’Sullivan - Business Manager Ireland-Noel Group T: 01 404 7161 M: 086 1001 444 E: jerry.osullivan@noel.ie

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CONTENTS 2

EDITOR’S VIEW

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NEWS & VIEWS

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ON THE MOVE New Appointments, Promotions and Recruitment

18 KEY TO THE DOOR Openings, Closures, Refurbishments & Acquisitions

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COVER STORY

LESS CORPORATE, MORE CUTTING EDGE

Alan Russell, Director of Operations for Gather & Gather in Ireland, talks to Maev Martin about their plans to shake up the corporate catering sector.

23 MARKETING

Ciarán Cronin, Director at www.touchtoreview.com, a tablet-based customer review collection system for the hospitality, retail and banking sectors, looks at the influence that travel websites exert on your customers and potential customers.

24 BUSINESS MATTERS

Grayson Buckley, Tax Director with Crowe Horwath, outlines his experiences of the common errors made in accounting for VAT by the hotel industry.

28 HEALTH & SAFETY

Charlene Thornton, HSEQ Manager for Compass Group Ireland, provides some tips on how to develop and roll out a strategy to minimise the occurrence of slips, trips and falls in the catering workplace.

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FEATURE THE REBIRTH OF THE IRISH HOTEL INDUSTRY

A recent survey by Crowe Horwath reveals that hotels are now as busy as they were during the Celtic Tiger days. Donagh Davern of Cork Institute of Technology looks at how they can keep themselves on that upward curve.

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FOOD TOURISM DO YOU HAVE A BIG IDEA FOR A SMALL FOOD BUSINESS?

Ambitious individuals with an interest in building an international food or drink business in Ireland are being sought to participate in Food Works 2015, a business development and programme for food and drinks start ups run by Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc.

30 SUPPLY LINE

Essential Product Knowledge 34 FIVE MINUTES WITH

Conor Dempsey, ChefOwner of Amuse.

36 WINE

J&C Kenny’s World of Wine & Spirits This month J&C Kenny describes some of its wines from the Bordeaux region.

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

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EDITOR’S VIEW

Editor Maev Martin Email: maeve.martin@ ashvillemediagroup.com Telephone: 01 432 2271

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Lonely Planet has named Ireland as the fifth best country in the world to visit in 2015. The popular travel guidebook publisher unveiled the accolade in its prestigious Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015.

Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and other tourism and hospitality representative bodies will be hoping that our positioning will inspire travellers everywhere to put Ireland on their holiday wish-list for 2015. And our high ranking with Lonely Planet should provide those charged with promoting Ireland with a great hook to continue their efforts in marketing the island as a ‘must visit’ destination.

“Ireland is stunningly scenic,” the Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015 description reads. “Its traditions are firmly intact and the cosmopolitan, contemporary Irish are just as friendly and welcoming as their forebears were known to be”.

However, while comments such as this in international publications are extremely positive and welcome, there are those within our industry who believe that a smile and a céad míle fáilte isn’t enough to guarantee returning guests.

Georgina Campbell, author of Ireland’s leading independent hospitality guide, has stated that B&Bs, guesthouses and small cafés, pubs and restaurants, need to reinvent their offer and become far more relevant to a savvy, online and smart visitor.

Similarly, restaurants, cafés and those who are in the business of food need to rethink their business strategy. The recession has changed the landscape forever. New views require new thinking and new thinking will create new opportunity, but only if it is relevant to a discerning market.

In response to many requests from smaller food businesses, pubs, accommodation and owner-led properties, Georgina Campbell & Conor Kenny & Associates have developed a new three-day programme to help the sector. The programme focuses entirely on ‘the supreme hospitality experience, sales, marketing and powerful messages.’ “This short course has the great benefit of being immediately measurable, actionable and visible,” says Georgina.

I don’t believe that anyone would disagree with the assertion that great hospitality experiences, whether food, accommodation or pubs, are an integral part of our heritage and our future. However, what Georgina and many other industry practitioners are recognising is that today’s hospitality business has to change in order to compete. It also has to be clear about its message, sales pitch and offer. If that doesn’t happen, the business won’t last. If it does, the opportunities for expansion and growth are limitless as we emerge from recession.

The tourism statistics are impressive but Irish tourism can’t afford to be complacent. Now is the time for companies in every sector of our diverse industry to re-examine their operations, change their business approach and product offering, if necessary, and power ahead towards promising new horizons.

“ TODAY’S HOSPITALITY

BUSINESS HAS TO CHANGE IN ORDER TO COMPETE. IF THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN, THE BUSINESS WON’T LAST. IF IT DOES, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPANSION AND GROWTH ARE LIMITLESS AS WE EMERGE FROM RECESSION.” VISIT US ONLINE

www.hotelandcateringreview.ie

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info@hotelandcateringreview.ie FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

@HC_Review LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com /hotelandcateringreview EDITOR: Maev Martin EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION MANAGER: Mary Connaughton DESIGN: Alan McArthur LAYOUT: Jane Matthews/Colm McDermott ADVERTISING DESIGN: Colm McDermott COVER IMAGE: Ed Robinson/OneRedEye STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY: Thinkstock.com PRODUCTION: Nicole Ennis SALES DIRECTOR: Paul Clemenson MANAGING DIRECTOR: Diarmaid Lennon PUBLISHED BY: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7. Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 0332-4400 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2014. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Hotel & Catering Review. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize.

HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW

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NEWS & VIEWS

NEWS & VIEWS BUSINESS ACCOLADE FOR HERBERT PARK HOTEL THE HERBERT PARK HOTEL IN BALLSBRIDGE, DUBLIN, was named ‘Business Hotel of the Year’ at the Georgina Campbell Awards.

In her assessment of the Herbert Park Hotel, Georgina Campbell described it as “one of the most appealing of all Dublin hotels” and as being attractively located in an “urban plaza. The adjacent Herbert Park is a great amenity for business guests, as it offers an opportunity to enjoy quiet outdoor relaxation away from main roads a huge bonus in a city centre hotel.”

In the run-up to the awards announcement, the Herbert Park Hotel was visited anonymously by Georgina Campbell Guide inspectors and was subjected to a rigorous inspection of every aspect of its service to business guests.

The inspectors were highly impressed by the range and quality of business services at the hotel, including the hotel’s own dedicated connection via AirSpeed which

provides high-speed Internet access at all times and is offered free of charge to residents and conference delegates.

“Access to high-speed Wi-Fi is much appreciated by our business guests,” says Herbert Park Hotel General Manager Ewan Plenderleith. “Demand for round-theclock Internet and the ability to download large files are high among the priorities of business travellers and those organising or attending meetings and conferences.”

The hotel’s Sales and Marketing Manager Paula Barry says their research reveals that corporate guests appreciate the size and fittings of their executive guestrooms, and their elaborate breakfast menu, which can be enjoyed while looking out onto Herbert Park.

They also appreciate the extensive secure car parking, the food offering in both the restaurant and the bright and spacious lobby lounge, as well as the hotel’s proximity to the RDS and the

TOP US TRAVEL AGENTS TAKE IN WILD ATLANTIC WAY

Fáilte Ireland put together a number of tailor-made itineraries for visiting travel agents to fully experience the best of Irish culture, heritage and food. The group are pictured at Lissadell House, Sligo.

Ewan Plenderleith, General Manager, Herbert Park Hotel, Dublin receiving the ‘Business Hotel of the Year’ award from Georgina Campbell.

Aviva Stadium for sports events, concerts, conferences and exhibitions.

And for eco-aware corporate guests arriving by electric car, Herbert Park Hotel also offers two battery charging units in the car park.

TOURISM IRELAND SCOOPS FOUR PRESTIGIOUS ADVERTISING AWARDS Tourism Ireland scooped four awards at the prestigious CLIO Awards on October 1st in New York. The organisation won the awards for its global campaign to promote the Wild Atlantic Way, which has reached an estimated 40 million people around the world this year.

The CLIO Awards are considered the ‘Oscars’ of the advertising world. They honour ‘groundbreaking work and talent that pushes the boundaries of creativity.’ The gala ceremony, at Cipriani on Wall Street in New York, was hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, with honorary award recipients Jerry Seinfeld and Blondie also in attendance. Tourism Ireland picked up the following awards: a gold CLIO in the Music Digital Integrated category; a silver in the Music Innovative Media category; and two bronze CLIOs in the Music in Film and Music in Digital/Social categories.

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NEWS & VIEWS Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe, Ciara Hanley, Limerick Strand Hotel Director, Sales & Marketing, and CEO of Tourism Ireland Niall Gibbons.

LIMERICK STRAND ATTENDS KEY

NETWORKING EVENT

CIARA HANLEY, Director of Sales & Marketing – Leisure, at The Limerick Strand Hotel, recently travelled to London to take part in this year’s Flavours of Ireland. The B2B tourism workshop, organised by Tourism Ireland, saw 100 representatives of the top GB-based inbound tour operators come together to do business. Attended by representatives of operators such as China Holidays, Globus, Insight Vacations and JAC Travel Ltd, the event was an excellent opportunity for the participating tourism providers to highlight their product and encourage the tour operators to include Ireland - and Limerick - in their future holiday programmes.

Leah Morris and Brian McNamara at the centenary celebrations.

BEWLEY’S WINS DOUBLE GOLD AT IRISH FOOD AWARDS 2014 BEWLEY’S RECEIVED GOLD AWARDS FOR ITS COFFEE AND TEA AT THE 2014 NATIONAL IRISH FOOD AWARDS, Blás na hÉireann. Bewley’s Espresso Coffee Beans and Bewley’s Original Blend Tea received the gold award in their respective categories in recognition of their exceptional quality and taste.

In August, Bewley’s tea and coffee were awarded 12 Gold Stars by the Guild of Fine Foods at the 2014 Great Taste Awards.

“We’re delighted that Bewley’s tea and coffee has been recognised yet again for its exceptional quality and taste by Blás na hÉireann,” says Mark Saunders, Bewley’s Brand Director. “Our Original Blend tea is our Master Blenders choice of the finest quality teas from Kenya, Rwanda and Assam in India. It has a strong, well-rounded flavour. Bewley’s famous espresso coffee beans are roasted for longer and at a lower temperature to deliver a longer, fuller taste. It is an art that has taken us over 100 years to perfect.”

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GLENVIEW HOTEL

CELEBRATES CENTENARY IN STYLE

OVER 100 YEARS OF MEMORIES, including those of visiting Hollywood royalty, was celebrated in style at a black tie event in the The Glenview Hotel, Co Wicklow on October 18th. 120 invited guests attended the celebration hosted by the hotel’s owners Paddy and Colette Crean, General Manager Brian McNamara, and Sales and Marketing Manager Vivienne Nyhan.

Guests were greeted on arrival by the Flaming Rhythms dancers and enjoyed a champagne reception and canapés inspired by an original 1963 menu, as well as a six-course gala dinner created by Glenview’s award-winning Head Chef Sandeep Pandey. The Woodlands Restaurant in the hotel also received a double AA Rosette recently and Chef Pandey is celebrating over ten years at the hotel. Broadcaster Marty Whelan regaled guests with Glenview tales, while funny man Oliver Callan provided the laughs on the evening.

The Glenview Hotel is located in the Glen of the Downs and its close proximity to Ardmore Studios has meant that it has seen Hollywood royalty, including Katherine Hepburn, Ursula Andress, Kim Novak, George Peppard, James Mason, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, visit and stay. Former staff of the hotel were invited including Deputy Lord Mayor Larry O’Toole, who was a wine waiter there in the 1960s and served Elizabeth Taylor and Burton in the dining room!

A special book on the history of the hotel was also launched on the evening.

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NEWS & VIEWS

KELLY’S RESORT SEASPA

CELEBRATES 10TH BIRTHDAY

SEASPA AT KELLY’S RESORT drew some wellknown faces to its 10th birthday party celebrations on September 25th. Over 70 guests gathered to help celebrate 10 successful years with genial hosts Bill, Isabelle and Laura Kelly.

The team at SeaSpa hosted a special party, with their multi-award winning spa decorated in a blue and white marine theme. Invited guests were treated to pink champagne, Elder Flower homemade lemonade with autumn fruits, and canapés on arrival, before enjoying a special Woods Lamp Skin Analysis and the new Caci Facial treatment demonstrations. Guests were also treated to a complimentary nail file and paint.

The guests included Rosanna Davison, TV3’s Aisling O’Loughlin and partner Nick, TV3’s Deric Hartigan, Sue Harmsworth, CEO & Founder of Espa, Phyl Clarke, Beauty Editor – The Irish Times, Liam Dwyer, General Manager, South East Radio with his wife Vivienne, Tom Mooney, Editor, Echo Newspaper, Wexford, David Tucker, News Editor, People News Newspaper, Wexford and Mark Browne, General Manager, Monart Destination Spa. CEO and founder Sue Harmsworth also treated guests to the exclusive launch of Espa’s new product

‘Espa Optimal Skin ProCleanser’ to SeaSpa. Kelly’s Café Head Chef, Stephane Rochard and Executive Chef, Eugene Callaghan produced an array of canapés for the occasion which included Guinness bites with Blue Bell Falls cheese, tomato and parmesan muffins, gruyere cheese balls, prawn cocktail cone, lemon meringue spoon, and lemon and raspberry macaroons.

Each guests departed with a goody bag containing an Espa Gift Set filled with various Espa products, a discount voucher for SeaSpa, and macaroons specially made for the evening by their team of chefs.

Bill Kelly with former Miss World Rosanna Davison at the SeaSpa celebration.

YOUNG FILMAKERS FLY HIGH WITH AER LINGUS

Joan Burney Keating MBE (left), Chief Executive, Cinemagic, with Andrea Hunter, Aer Lingus Business Development Manager, NI, and young cinemagic star Erin Galway-Kendrick from Newtownards, who will play Noelle, to celebrate the new sponsorship.

It was lights, camera, action for Andrea Hunter, Business Development Manager at Aer Lingus and Joan Burney Keating, CEO of Cinemagic at George Best Belfast City Airport, as they announced the airline’s sponsorship of the premiere screenings for Cinemagic’s new Northern Ireland feature film, ‘A Christmas Star’. As associated sponsor, Aer Lingus will support Cinemagic with their extensive air travel requirements during the making of the film and with all their scheduled premieres, including flights from Belfast City Airport to London Heathrow and Gatwick and transatlantic flights from Dublin to New York and San Francisco. Earlier this year Cinemagic’s patron, Lord Julian Fellowes, announced the production of the Christmas feature film, the first of its kind made by Cinemagic Young Filmmakers. The film will give hundreds of young people across the island of Ireland, from all backgrounds, the opportunity to work with Oscar and BAFTA award winners. The project is supported by Aer Lingus, OFMDFM, Creative Skillset, Tourism Ireland, BBC NI, UTV, the Department for Social Development, George Best Belfast City Airport and Arts & Business Northern Ireland.

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NEWS & VIEWS

WESTBURY UNVEILS E2M

INVESTMENT PROGRAMME A €2M INVESTMENT PROGRAMME IS GETTING UNDERWAY AT THE WESTBURY HOTEL IN DUBLIN AS PART ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS. The programme includes the re-design of The Grafton Suite, triple-glazed windows for each of its 205 rooms and the arrival of a new restaurant - Balfes.

With Parisian and New York influences, Balfes is an all-day dining brasserie and uptown bar. Located on Balfe Street, where Grafton Street and the Creative Quarter meet, Balfes features a 20-seater outdoor terrace, a zinccovered bar and charcoal grill, and is open daily, serving healthy breakfasts, leisurely lunches and the best of Irish seafood and quality meat. All produce

INDEPENDENT IRISH COFFEE ROASTER JAVA REPUBLIC LAUNCHED A NEW BRAND IMAGE IN RECENT MONTHS. The bold, brash yellow is gone and has been replaced by a cool, clean, clear and crisp whiteness.

“However, not everything has changed - the quality of the products remains as high as ever and the continued insistence on paying a fair price for raw materials remains at the core of what Java Republic do,” says the company’s founder David McKernan. “It is 16 years since I first opened the doors and much has changed in that time but my commitment to quality

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Pictured at the hotel’s celebrations are, from left, Sandeep Shingh, Jo Coventry, Joseph Downing and Sally O’Neill, with Vincent O’Gorman, General Manager of The Westbury Hotel.

is sourced by Executive Chef, Cathal Dunne.

The Grafton Suite has just re-opened as a meeting, conference and events venue after an extensive enhancement to the space’s technological capabilities, style and design. The Westbury Hotel is the first hotel in Ireland to feature a 3m x 2m video wall providing the opportunity to display presentations and promotional videos in high definition, with audio technology provided by Bose.

The hotel kicked off its 30th anniversary festivities in glamorous style in October, with a month-long celebration featuring a series of specially created luxury experiences.

JAVA REPUBLIC RE-BRANDS WITH CRISP NEW IMAGE and my passion for the industry continues unabated. Java Republic’s mission is simple - to delight coffee and tea lovers everywhere.

We want the world to feel our passion for coffee and tea and we do this by being entirely focused on quality, fairness, and always doing the right thing when it comes to sourcing, blending, packing or transporting. Whether you’re a small café owner or the manager of a large chain, Java Republic are undoubtedly someone that you should be talking to.”

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NEWS & VIEWS

RAI MEMBERS

VISIT KEELINGS

THE RESTAURANTS ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND (RAI) HELD THEIR COUNCIL MEETING AT KEELINGS FARM at St. Margaret’s, Co Dublin recently. Keelings Farm Fresh Division supply a number of the RAI members’ restaurants with products, including fruit and vegetables, freshly squeezed juices, salads and dairy produce. Keelings Farm Fresh Managing Director, Colm Bury welcomed the RAI members, which also included RAI CEO Adrian Cummins and President Pádraic Óg Gallagher.

The site tour included a visit to Keelings Farm Fresh production and depot facilities, Keelings’ pepper glasshouse and Keelings’ apple orchards where harvesting of Keelings’ Irish apples and pears is currently underway. Keelings also used the opportunity to showcase their specially designed Farm Fresh fleet and new customer care vans.

“It was a great pleasure to give RAI members the opportunity to see the operational side of the Farm Fresh business,” says Colm Bury. “The fact that Keelings are not only suppliers but growers too means we provide a fully integrated service. Members, many of whom are customers, therefore have a genuine interest in learning more about what we do

(l-r): RAI CEO Adrian Cummins, RAI President Pádraic Óg Gallagher, and Colm Bury, Managing Director, Keelings Farm Fresh.

and about the processes we have in place to provide them with highquality produce.”

As well as RAI members, Keelings Farm Fresh also supplies hotels, institutional caterers, hospitals and nursing homes. The Farm Fresh expanding fleet guarantees that delivery schedules are met from facilities at Dublin, Cork, Wexford and Belfast. Keelings Farm Fresh range is available from Keelings, Pallas Foods and Crosgar.

KILLASHEE HOSTS 13TH SECURITY CONFERENCE KILLASHEE HOUSE HOTEL AND VILLA SPA WELCOMED BACK DELEGATES FROM OVER 17 COUNTRIES to its 13th hosting of the International Computer Security Symposium. The five-day event known as COSAC - is attended by leading IT experts from companies, academia and government agencies and takes place in Killashee’s conference and innovation centre. It kicks off a busy autumn conference season for Killashee under new ownership, following its acquisition by Brehon Capital Partners for €13m in August.

“For thirteen years, Killashee House Hotel and Villa Spa has been home to COSAC and it is difficult to imagine being able to create such a conducive atmosphere anywhere else in the world,” says David Lynas, COSAC Chairman. “We rely on the intimacy of the venue, the discretion of staff, and the excellent food and service to provide a forum for collaboration and discussion. We have some of the leading internet security experts in the world attending this event, and they return again and again to enjoy the successful formula that Killashee can provide.”

Dee Nix, General Manager of Killashee, says that the hotel is the ideal destination for bespoke conference and events “and under our new ownership we have exciting plans to invest and grow the business.”

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NEWS & VIEWS (l-r): Jerry O’Sullivan, Business Development Manager Ireland, Noel Recruitment, Paul Kelly, Console CEO and Founder, and Breda Miley, Director, Noel Recruitment.

E3,300 RAISED FOR CONSOLE AT GOLD MEDAL AWARDS

CONVERSION FOR MOUNT CHARLES AS RUGBY DEAL EXTENDED The Mount Charles Group has been awarded the contract to supply cleaning services to Ulster Rugby on all match days.

This marks an extension of the partnership, as Mount Charles has been operating the bars at Ravenhill since the beginning of the 2013/14 rugby season.

“We have been successfully working alongside the team at Ulster Rugby for the past year, managing six bars plus hospitality suites and lounges, serving around 22,000 drinks each night they have a game at

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HOTEL & CATERING REVIEW HELD ITS FIRST CHARITY FUNDRAISING event at the Gold Medal Awards this year and we were delighted with the outcome. In association with our charity sponsor, Noel Recruitment, we raised €3,300 on the night, with the full amount going directly to Console, the national charity for suicide prevention and our chosen charity this year.

In addition, we have been told by Paul Kelly, CEO and Founder of Console, that a number of companies donated prizes and cash directly to Console following our Gold Medal Awards fundraising initiative. With the €3,300 raised on the night, Console in Dublin will develop a new child psychotherapy service for children and adolescents who have been bereaved through suicide or are at risk of suicide. We would like to thank everyone for their generous donations and support.

If Hotel & Catering Review readers would like to send a personal or company donation to this worthy charity, please call (01) 6102638 or visit www.console.ie

home,” says Cathal Geoghegan, Managing Director of The Mount Charles Group. “We are very pleased to broaden our service delivery for Ulster Rugby, further highlighting the multi-service and high-quality nature of our business. Our clients are increasingly looking for tailored packages that meet specific business needs and the cleaning division in particular is playing an increasingly key role in the overall business. We recently appointed Jonathan McKinlay to the role of director of the cleaning division in a strategic move that will hopefully see us continue to grow this side of the business.”

Cathal Geoghegan

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NEWS & VIEWS

The ‘First Lady’ of Stand Up Paddle Fitness, Nikki Gregg from Ohio, was in Ireland filming with Dave O’Hara of SUPForAll (Sligo) along The Wild Atlantic Way.

WILD ATLANTIC MAKES WAVES IN US

THE NEW FÁILTE IRELAND INITIATIVE, THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY, will receive significant international exposure and be highlighted early next year as one of the world’s outdoor activity destinations in a US TV series Facing Waves. The show will be broadcast into eight million US homes but the episode featuring Ireland will ultimately be broadcast to over 50 million homes as it is syndicated to over 25 other countries. The Wild Atlantic Way was chosen as a top ‘stand-up paddling’ destination by the TV show Facing Waves which broadcasts on both Outside Television and NBC’s Universal Sports channels in the US. The ‘First Lady’ of Stand Up Paddle Fitness, Nikki Gregg from Ohio, filmed with Dave O’Hara of SUPForAll (Sligo) along The Wild Atlantic Way. Filming was concentrated on the Sligo area and included the famous Mullaghmore wave. Fáilte Ireland worked closely with the show producers to facilitate their shooting in the Sligo region and to ensure that The Wild Atlantic Way was showcased to best effect.

SPICE DEVILS SPICE BLENDS WITH ATTITUDE! TIKKA, KARI, FIERY CEYLON, LA PARISIENNE – DAUBE Dip in to Spice Devils divine blends, a Mauritian soul with an Irish spirit. The hauntingly yummylicious and fragrant spice mixes are handcrafted in Dublin by Shakeel, a passionate Mauritian home-cook and spice aficionado.

IRISH

HIGHLY COMMENDED

HAND-MADE IN IRELAND

by Spice Devils Cherrywood Avenue, Dublin 22, Ireland T +353 (0)85 2020114 hi@spicedevils.com www.spicedevils.com

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NEWS & VIEWS

TUBRIDY DISCOVERS IRELAND

ON AUTUMN ROADTRIP THE RYAN TUBRIDY SHOW ON 2FM JOINED WITH THE DISCOVER IRELAND promotional team during the week of October 13th to broadcast live from Howth as part of the Discover Ireland Autumn Campaign, organised by Fáilte Ireland. There was a strong turnout of locals together with pupils from Howth Primary School who entertained Ryan by challenging him to a quick sprint! Kickstarting in Howth, the promotional campaign rolled into Kilkenny on October 14th and broadcast from the Parade in the centre of town, while on October 15th it broadcast from Waterford at the Viking Triangle. It is hoped that the Discover Ireland promotional event will help promote Autumn as a great time to take a break in Ireland. “The promotion will remind people that, although the evenings are getting darker, there’s many bright spots to visit close to home,” says John Concannon, Director of Marketing with Fáilte Ireland.

“Whether it’s a much needed weekend break, invigorating sea air, a lively vibe at a concert, a scenic walk, a bustling farmers market or a lively festival, there is something to be discovered in Ireland this Autumn.” As well as broadcasting from each location, Ryan participated in a number of events to showcase the variety on offer, including off road 4X4 driving and off-road buggy racing at Carton House with Extreme.ie, a tree top adventure walk at Castlecomer Discovery Park in Kilkenny, clay pigeon shooting at Mount Juliet, and a Hawk Walk at Mayfield Birds of Prey, Portlaw, Co Waterford.

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FAR FLUNG MARKETS

HOLD POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH FÁILTE IRELAND RECENTLY HOSTED A CUSTOMMADE WORKSHOP for a group of 45 key travel agents from across the new and developing markets (including Russia, China, Brazil, India, the Middle East and South Africa) in the Grand Hotel in Malahide, Dublin. The group was pitched to by members of Ireland’s tourism industry from across the country and over 3,690 direct appointments between Irish tourism businesses and these top travel buyers took place during the event. “These new and developing markets are potentially important to Ireland’s tourism economy because they will be the fastest growing markets over the next ten years,” says Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Sales Martina Bromley. “Indeed, the Asia-Pacific region has the potential to be one of the fastest growing outbound regions, expanding by 6.5% on average over the next 15 years. Visitors from these markets stay twice as long as the average holidaymaker, have the highest spend per visit, have a higher propensity to travel throughout Ireland, and make significant economic contributions to numerous tourism sectors.” From markets such as India, China, South Africa and the Middle East, the number of visitor to Ireland has continued to grow year-on-year with two-thirds of visitors arriving during the summer months, June to September.

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NEWS & VIEWS

(l-r): Pascal Donohoe, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mary Bernard, Sales and Marketing Director, Justin McCarthy, General Manager of Cork’s Maryborough Hotel and Spa, and Brendin Nevin, CEO of AA Ireland.

IRELAND IS FIFTH BEST

COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO VISIT IRELAND HAS BEEN NAMED THE FIFTH BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD to visit in 2015 by Lonely Planet. The popular travel guidebook publisher has unveiled the accolade in its prestigious Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015.

“The inclusion of Ireland at number five in this new Lonely Planet book is really good news and will surely help to inspire travellers everywhere to put Ireland on their holiday wish-list for 2015,” says Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons. “It also gives Tourism Ireland another wonderful hook to continue to promote the island of Ireland around the world as a ‘must visit’ destination.”

Tourism Ireland will take every opportunity to maximise this latest accolade by spreading the word through a specially created page on its website, Ireland. com (www.ireland.com/en-gb/campaign/lonelyplanet-ireland), through its social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter, and at major travel fairs.

Describing Ireland, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015 says: “Ireland is stunningly scenic, its traditions firmly intact and the cosmopolitan, contemporary Irish are just as friendly and welcoming as their forebears were known to be”.

MARYBOROUGH HOTEL & SPA

IS AA HOTEL OF THE YEAR

CORK’S MARYBOROUGH HOTEL & SPA had two reasons to celebrate recently - the hotel has announced a significant €500,000 investment to further expand its wedding and private function facilities and it was named ‘AA Ireland Hotel of the Year 2014 to 2015’.

The investment announcement, which will see the Maryborough Hotel & Spa build an orangery in the hotel’s 300 year-old grounds to boost the hotel’s wedding and banqueting facilities, follows an extensive refurbishment of the bar and restaurant. The Maryborough Hotel & Spa currently employs 120 staff in Cork and the new orangery will create up to 20 new jobs.

“We have seen a significant pick-up in bookings in the last number of months and our wedding bookings for 2015 are up yearon-year,” says Dan O’Sullivan, Owner and Managing Director of the Maryborough Hotel & Spa. “The new orangery will be the first of its kind in Ireland and will be a totally unique venue for weddings, private parties and corporate functions. We pride ourselves on having an innovative and proactive culture among our team and it is this culture that has driven a number of our previous successful initiatives such as our outdoor wedding dome, children’s activities (a petting farm and crazy golf course), and corporate initiatives such as a dedicated team building and activity centre.”

Speaking about winning ‘AA Hotel of the Year’, Justin McCarthy, General Manager of the Maryborough Hotel & Spa said: “The culture of innovation which we have created was commented on by the AA’s Secret Hotel Inspectors as being one of the many factors which set the Maryborough Hotel & Spa apart from our peers in terms of delivering an outstanding hotel experience.”

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NEWS & VIEWS

INDUSTRY WELCOMES RETENTION OF

‘JOB FRIENDLY’ VAT RATE THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WELCOMED THE CONTINUATION OF THE REDUCED RATE OF NINE PER CENT VAT for the hospitality sector announced in Budget 2015.

The measure, originally introduced by the Government in 2011, has made a significant contribution to job creation in the tourism sector and to the perception overseas that Ireland is a destination which is good value for money.

“Our research has shown that since the VAT rate was originally cut to nine per cent, tourism has generated an extra 30,000 jobs,” said Fáilte Ireland’s CEO, Shaun Quinn. “With regard to employment growth in the economy, tourism has shown that, being a labour intensive industry, it can generate jobs like no other - if the

CHARTWELLS WINS €6.25M GRIFFITH COLLEGE CONTRACT Chartwells, the education arm of Compass Group Ireland, has been awarded a €6.25m five-year contract with Griffith College, which will see Compass Group provide the private college with a range of services, including catering, hospitality, retail and sales and marketing support. Compass Group Ireland will deliver services to 400 staff and up to 7,000 students across the College’s onsite catering facilities, student accommodation, and a 700-seater conference centre. The Chartwells’ team has been busy re-designing the café area and new food options, such as street food and a new coffee offering, are already proving popular with students and staff.

conditions are right. Today’s retention of the lower rate of VAT will ensure that those conditions remain job-friendly and will help to sustain the current levels of employment growth in the sector.”

Fáilte Ireland also welcomed the retention of a zero per cent rate for the Air Travel Tax and the changes to the Employment and Investment Incentive scheme which will apply to tourism accommodation providers.

“Thanks to a number of pro-tourism initiatives, the industry is on course to create a further 40,000 jobs by the end of the decade,” said Stephen McNally, President of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF). “The 9% VAT rate, in particular, is of enormous importance to the industry, helping to level the playing field for tourism businesses when competing with international destinations for visitors. This will continue to have benefits for the local economy, particularly in rural regions.” Mr McNally welcomed the Government’s commitment to capital investment next year in projects such as the Dubline Heritage Trail, the Kilkenny Medieval Mile and Killarney House. He also welcomed the commitment to progress work on the Wild Atlantic Way, the new South and East branding proposition, and the Grow Dublin Alliance.

According to recent research carried out by the IHF, the overwhelming majority (98%) of hotels and guesthouses say the 9% tourism VAT rate is having a positive impact on their business, enabling almost three quarters (73%) to hire additional new staff over the past 12 months alone. Tourism as a whole now supports 200,000 jobs - equivalent to one in every nine jobs in the country.

Total revenue generated across all tourism-related businesses annually stands at approximately €6bn and accounts for four per cent of GNP.

INNOVATIVE PROMOTIONS PARTNERSHIPS FOR TOURISM IRELAND

TOURISM IRELAND IN SYDNEY HAS TEAMED UP WITH PUBLISHERS SIMON AND SCHUSTER FOR A ‘NOVEL’ PROMOTION to boost travel from Australia to the island of Ireland.

The campaign has been timed to coincide with the release of Reluctantly Charmed, the debut novel of Dubliner Ellie O’Neill who is now based in Sydney.

Ellie’s book, which is set in Dublin and the West of Ireland, is being launched this month in Australia and New Zealand.

The Tourism Ireland promotion includes a special competition to win a trip for two to Ireland. A prominent sticker on the front cover of 40,000 books is highlighting the competition and holidays to Ireland in stores across Australia and New Zealand – including big chains like Kmart, Big W,

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Dymocks and Target, as well as in a wide range of independent bookstores. A fullpage ad inside each book is also reminding potential holidaymakers ‘down under’ about the island of Ireland. Online ads on the Yahoo7 network, for the book and the competition, will reach millions of people this month; and ads will also appear in Who magazine in October and in Good Reading magazine in November – reaching almost one million readers across Australia.

Meanwhile, Tourism Ireland’s latest campaign to promote the Wild Atlantic Way in Britain sees the organisation team up with Canon cameras and Secret Escapes, an exclusive members-only travel club.

Using photography of the Wild Atlantic Way supplied by Canon and promoting accommodation offers bookable through

Secret Escapes, the three-week online campaign is encouraging people in Britain to book their autumn break to Ireland.

The promotion involves email marketing to 50,000 customers of Secret Escapes, bringing Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way to the attention of the high-end, luxury-loving customers of the exclusive travel club. Online ads are also running on the Secret Escapes website, with links to blogs about Ireland and the Ireland offers section on the site. Canon is also highlighting the promotion through its social channels, including Facebook and Twitter. The campaign also features a competition element, with a chance to win a Canon camera and trip to Ireland to experience – and photograph – the Wild Atlantic Way!

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NEWS & VIEWS

The Chefs’ Academy graduates.

CREAM OF THE COMPASS CROP GRADUATES dishes in a mystery basket cook-off, which formed part of their THIS SEPTEMBER SAW COMPASS GROUP IRELAND’S FIRST GENERATION of culinary students graduate from its Chefs’ Academy. Selected from 50 applicants, 13 culinary creatives undertook a six-month course designed by Compass Group’s Executive Chef Mark Anderson and Unilever Food Solutions’ Business Development Chef Mark McCarthy to develop their cooking skills. The monthly training sessions and one-day workshops took place in Unilever Food Solutions’ test kitchen at City West, Dublin and covered a range of culinary topics, including preparing, cooking and finishing dishes using classic and new methods. At the final workshop a panel of three judges from Compass Group got the chance to sample all the graduates’

final assessments. All graduates received their certificates for completing the course and will return to complete their Certificate in Nutrition Cooking as the next stage of their development. After the success of the first course, Compass Group intends to continue working with Unilever to develop this programme. The 13 students who participated in the training are: James Smith, Executive Chef, Aviva Stadium; Myles Behan, UCD Science; David Anderson, KMPG; Rhys Ahern, Stryker, Cork; Patrick Collins, KPMG; Darren Quinn, Aviva, Hatch Street, Dublin; Zara Logan, JTI; Kate Walkowiak, Rathdown; Everest Njoku, Eircom; Garry McGowan, South Dublin County Council; Tony Kealy, Aviva, Dublin; Anthony Redmond, Vodafone; Selina Cranley, Bank of Ireland; Leonne McGee, IT Carlow; David Moran, Aviva.

BELFAST HARBOUR

SEEKS HOTEL OPERATORS PLANS TO DEVELOP A NEW HOTEL ON BELFAST’S WATERFRONT took a significant step forward last month with an invitation from Belfast Harbour to hotel operators to submit expressions of interest

by October 3rd. The hotel proposal, based in Belfast Harbour’s 20-acre, £250m City Quays development, was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) and described as “a 150 to 200 bedroom upscale hotel”. In July the City Quays’ master plan was granted planning permission, including outline approval, for a hotel of up 26,850 square metres. The OJEU notice marks the next step in the ongoing regeneration of a key waterfront, city-centre location.

“City Quays is an exciting opportunity

to progress the historic regeneration of Belfast’s waterfront, creating a rejuvenated area stretching from Clarendon Dock to Belfast’s Waterfront Hall,” says Graeme Johnston, Belfast Harbour’s Property Director. “City Quays 1, a Grade ‘A’ office development, is already under construction and planning for an adjacent office project, City Quays 2, has been submitted. To complement these developments, along with plans for residential and local retail space, we aim to build a new waterfront hotel. Demand for hotel space in Belfast is strong and improving, and if a suitable operator is identified, there is the potential for the new hotel to be open and ready for business by 2017.”

While an operator is required to manage the hotel on a day-to-day basis, it will be developed and owned by Belfast Harbour.

ASM Chartered Accountants’ annual Northern Ireland Hotel Industry survey found that demand for bedrooms had grown during the year, with an average bedroom occupancy rate of 74.8%, up from 73.2% in 2012. Total revenues were also up 9.8% year-on-year. Overnight visitors to Northern Ireland were up six per cent in 2013, spending £723m. This was driven by a wide variety of conferences and events such as the World Police & Fire Games. Government tourism targets aim to attract 4.5 million visitors annually by 2020. Belfast currently welcomes over 2.2 million overnight visitors a year.

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DOUBLETREE BY HILTON CELEBRATES

NEW ADDITION

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON RECENTLY CELEBRATED THE OPENING OF THE LATEST ADDITION TO ITS GROWING LONDON PORTFOLIO - the brand’s 10th hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton London – Islington.

The exclusive launch event saw VIP guests celebrate the new opening in style. Those in attendance were treated to bespoke cocktails

Pictured at the launch event are John Greenleaf – global head of DoubleTree

by Hilton and John Brennan, Chief Executive of Jurys Inn.

courtesy of mixologists at famous London cocktail bar Nightjar, and manicures by nail technicians WAH Nails, along with giveaways and live music.

DoubleTree by Hilton London – Islington joins Hilton Worldwide’s fastest growing full service brand after a multi-million pound refurbishment, and, alongside the recently opened DoubleTree

by Hilton London – Chelsea, operates under a franchise agreement with Jurys Inn. Guests in attendance included John Brennan, CEO of Jurys Inn, John Greenleaf, Global Head of DoubleTree by Hilton, Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice President, Development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide, Nick Smart, Vice President, Development, North & West Europe Hilton Worldwide, and Thomas Doyle, General Manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton London – Islington.

DoubleTree by Hilton London – Islington features 372 guestrooms, including 66 Deluxe rooms and 43 Executive rooms. The refurbished ground floor, created by leading international design studio designsquared, includes a contemporary lobby and lounge area incorporating local design features.

HILTON LAUNCHES

‘CANOPY’ BRAND HILTON WORLDWIDE ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF CANOPY BY HILTON ON OCTOBER 15TH. Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide, unveiled the Canopy by Hilton concept to nearly 1,900 owners and development representatives at Hilton Worldwide’s Global Partnership Conference in Orlando, Florida.

“Canopy is the energising new hotel in the neighbourhood offering simple, guest-directed service, thoughtful local choices, and comfortable spaces, so guests simply feel better going forward,” says John T.A. Vanderslice, Global Head, Luxury & Lifestyle Brands, Hilton Worldwide.

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“Each property is designed as a natural extension of its neighbourhood, with local design, food and drink, and delivers a fresh approach to hospitality and the guest experience. Canopy by Hilton will deliver more choice and control for guests than ever before, from a mobile straight-toroom arrival to surprising extras throughout each stay.”

Canopy by Hilton will develop through new-build and conversion projects in key urban neighbourhoods and secondary markets around the world with properties expected to begin opening in 2015. Canopy

by Hilton has 11 signed letters of intent to open in the following neighbourhoods in

the US: Canopy Portland | Pearl District; Canopy London | Neighborhood to be announced; Canopy Miami | Brickell; Canopy Washington, D.C. | Bethesda North; Canopy San Diego | Gaslamp Quarter; Canopy Nashville | Downtown; Canopy Savannah | Historic District; Canopy Indianapolis | City Centre; Canopy Charlotte | Uptown; Canopy Oklahoma City | Bricktown; Canopy Ithaca | The Commons.

Canopy has already attracted the interest of ownership groups, including The Buccini/Pollin Group, KeyStone Corporation, Anish Hotel Group, Baywood Hotels, North Point Hospitality Group, J Street Hospitality and Levine Properties.

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NEWS & VIEWS Justine Carey, Fáilte Ireland with Anne Lawlor, Irish National Stud.

VISITOR ATTRACTIONS

THE VISITOR ATTRACTIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAMME ARE AS FOLLOWS: Kilkenny

St Canice’s Cathedral & Round Tower Smithwicks Experience Kilkenny Rothe House & Gardens

Waterford

Waterford Treasures - The Bishop’s Palace Mount Congreve Estate

Wexford

JF Kennedy Trust Ltd Hook Lighthouse Irish National Heritage Park

Cork

Cobh Heritage Centre Camden Fort Meagher Spike Island, Cork CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory Lifetime lab Cork Butter Museum Titanic Experience Cobh Ltd Irish Heritage Trust [Fota House & Gardens]

Wicklow

Powerscourt Estate Russbourough House

Kildare

Irish National Stud Company Ltd.

Meath

Causey Farm Office of Public Works - Bru Na Boinne & Battle of the Boyne Tayto Park

Dublin

Office of Public Works - Rathfarnham Castle

TAKING CENTRE STAGE

MANAGERS OF VISITOR ATTRACTIONS FROM ACROSS THE EAST AND SOUTH REGIONS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO TAKE PART IN FÁILTE IRELAND’S first ‘Visitor Attraction - Management Development Programme’.

International tourism is undergoing a transformation in how it is developed, marketed and managed, driven by rapidly changing visitor expectations. Consumers are placing an increasing emphasis on ‘experiences’ and visitor attractions are central to this, giving the history and stories of the place.

“Visitor attractions are central to delivering the memorable experiences that our visitors are looking for,” said Fáilte Ireland’s Colm Breheny at the launch. “They allow visitors to immerse themselves in the surroundings, interact with people, and hear the history and stories of the place. Taking time to understand the components of and develop a business plan based on researched customer trends will ensure that Ireland’s visitor attractions will be on the ‘bucket list’ of tourists worldwide.”­ Over the next six months, local managers and owners will take part in six modules focusing on all areas of management.

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ON THE MOVE

NEW SALES DIRECTOR AT RADISSON BLU

ENGINEERING HEAD APPOINTED AT JURYS INN

WINE SPECIALIST REJOINS FINDLATER GROUP

NEW GLOBAL FMCG MANAGER

Mark Moynihan has been appointed Director of Sales for Institutes and Associations in Ireland at Radisson Blu Hotels Ireland. He took up his new position on September 8th. Mark is well known within Rezidor Ireland. He joined the company in 2008 as Sales Manager for the Park Inn Dublin and in 2009 he moved back to his native Cork when he joined the team in the Radisson Blu Hotel Little Island. In 2012 Mark left Little Island to take up the position of Director of Sales for the Park Inn Cork Airport and the Park Inn Shannon Airport, a position he still holds today. In his new role, Mark is charged with developing the Institutes and Associations market for the Irish hotels. He will be based in the Radisson Blu Royal in Dublin.

Sean McCormick has been appointed Head of Engineering by Jurys Inn. He will be responsible for providing direction on all engineering matters, including maintenance provisions and energy consumption. He will also assist in the project management of a number of extensions and refurbishments across the group, which consists of 31 city centre hotels. With over 25 years’ experience in engineering and project management, Sean was previously Building Services Manager at McAleer & Rushe Ltd in Cookstown. During this time, he worked on a number of Jurys Inn projects, such as the 14m extension of the group’s recently rebranded Islington property, and the maintenance of numerous hotels, including Belfast, Bradford and Liverpool.

Sean has an Honours BEng Degree in Building Services Engineering and is a member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

Findlater Wine & Spirit Group recently announced that Kevin Moore has joined the company as Wine Specialist covering the Midlands area. Kevin previously worked as Spirit Brand Ambassador with Findlater Wine & Spirit Group and made radical progress with the on-trade distribution during his time with the company, particularly with brands such as Tullamore D.E.W. Kevin completed the WSET Level 3 Advanced Certificate during his time with Findlater. He had always expressed an interest in becoming a Wine Specialist with the company and rejoined them as soon as the opportunity arose recently.

Karen McMenamy joins Smarts Communicate as an Account Manager, working across a range of global FMCG clients. Smarts Communicate is a specialist PR and marketing agency that operates internationally for a range of global brands from its base in Northern Ireland. Earlier this year, the agency was recognised at the CIPR awards in London and the PRII awards in Dublin, confirming its place as one of the UK and Ireland’s leading PR agencies. Prior to joining Smarts Communicate, Karen worked in a variety of commercial, customer marketing and consumer marketing roles with drinks giant Diageo on brands such as Budweiser, Guinness, Red Stripe and Captain Morgan. Karen has a first class Masters in Business Management from the University of Glasgow.

MARK MOYNIHAN

ON THE 16

SEAN MCCORMICK

KEVIN MOORE

KAREN MCMENAMY

MOVE New Appointments, Promotions and Recruitment

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COMMERCIAL PROFILE

DESTINATION Fáilte Ireland’s promotional activities for the 2014 autumn season came to an exciting end with the successful conclusion of the Adventure Travel World Summit and the last in their series of custom-made workshops to further grow the all-important US market.

IRELAND AUTUMN SALES BLITZ CLOSES

WITH FOCUS ON THE US MARKET

Chris Doyle, ATTA (Europe) and Tracey Coughlan, Fáilte Ireland, at the Climbing Wall, Killarney

IRELAND PROVES A HIT WITH

WORLD’S TOP ADVENTURE SPECIALISTS Killarney was the venue for the Adventure Travel World Summit 2014 (ATWS) in early October. More than 700 international delegates from the adventure tourism sector arrived into town for the week-long conference. The high profile event was hosted in Ireland for the first time ever and proved an effective opportunity to sell the country to the most influential players within one of tourism’s fastest growing sectors. Attendees included travel agents, bloggers and media, and represented a global ‘who’s who’ in the adventure travel industry. Shaun Quinn, CEO, Fáilte Ireland, reflected on what was a great coup for Ireland. “The hosting of this event was a huge mark of approval from the leaders of the global adventure trade and reflects the fact that Ireland

is now being increasingly recognised as a destination with the assets that can deliver unique adventure experiences and compelling offers to visitors who love the great outdoors,” he said. The timing of the Summit was particularly fortuitous as it followed hot on the heels of the launch of the Wild Atlantic Way, with many delegates sampling first hand Ireland’s newest and biggest attraction on pre-planned familiarisation trips and adventure days.

Initial analysis shows that the opening ceremony, which took place at Ross Castle and then the Muckross Park Hotel, has made a big social media footprint with 4.5 million impressions and 27.5 million views worldwide. A number of events were planned for the Day of Adventure, including kayaking on the Lakes of Killarney.

The last in Fáilte Ireland’s series of custom-made ‘Destination Ireland’ workshops focused on the US market, with 45 buyers from across North America checking into Dromoland Castle. The workshop provided an opportunity for members of Ireland’s tourism industry from across the country to pitch directly to influential American agents as they get ready to prepare their offerings for 2015. Almost 4,000 direct one-to-one appointments between Irish tourism businesses and the US travel buyers took place over the course of the day. Martina Bromley, Head of Sales with Fáilte Ireland, emphasised the importance of these events. “We in Fáilte Ireland are keeping our foot on the pedal in relation to our most important markets and, despite two good years of trading, are not complacent,” she said. “Having these key US buyers over here, and having the opportunity to show them directly what this country can offer, strengthens our hand for next year. The sales generated as a result will contribute to what we expect to be a further increase in visitor numbers from the US in 2015.”

Martina Bromley, Fáilte Ireland, Minister Michael Ring, Fiona Monaghan, Fáilte Ireland, and Christian Schmeller, Dromoland Castle.

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KEY TO THE DOOR

KEY TO THE

DOOR Openings, Closures, Refurbs and Acquisitions

DALATA ADDS THREE HOTELS TO EXPANDING PORTFOLIO The Dalata Hotel Group announced the addition of the Maldron Hotel Derry to its group portfolio on October 13th, rebranding the hotel from Tower Hotel Derry.

This was followed two days later by the announcement that the Group has agreed to acquire two further hotels - the Clayton Hotel, Galway and Whites Hotel, Wexford for E31.7m. Dalata Hotel Group will operate the 93-bedroom four-star Maldron Hotel Derry.

The hotel is undergoing a

£450,000 refurbishment of its bedrooms and public spaces, which is due for completion in 2015. “We are delighted to have this exciting opportunity to manage Maldron Hotel Derry, alongside our other Northern Irish property, Maldron Hotel Belfast,” says Stephen McNally, Deputy Chief Executive of the Dalata Hotel Group. “The Maldron Hotel Derry is unique in that it is the only hotel within the walled city of Derry so we look forward to working with General Manager, Mike Gatt and his team over the coming months.” Mike Gatt says that the Maldron brand

has provided a ‘fantastic hospitality experience’ for both domestic and international customers in Ireland and the UK since 2008. “The management team and the staff, which will remain the same, look forward to continuing to welcome our business travellers and leisure customers, both from our neighbouring counties and further afield over the coming months under our new name,” he says.

The Clayton Hotel and Whites Hotel, which were marketed by CBRE Hotels

QATAR INVESTOR TO BACK BID FOR ADARE MANOR A wealthy Qatari investor is believed to be lining up a bid for Adare Manor hotel and golf resort through Irish investment advisory firm Even Keel Partners. The hotel is being sold by owners Tom and Judy Kane for between E25m and E27m and the sale is being handled by CBRE. First-round bids were due on October 17th. Dublin firm Even Keel Partners was set up two years ago and has partners in Riga in Latvia and Doha in Qatar. Managing partner and co-founder Bruno Doutrelepoint is a former private banker with BNP Paribas and he has acted for a number of wealthy Qatari investors buying property across Europe. Even Keel is likely to be in competition with overseas hotel groups as well as Irish and other international investment funds. Adare Manor hotel and resort comes with 766 acres of parklands beside the Maigue River and it has planning permission for 133 new houses.

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as part of Ulster Bank’s Project Nadal, have been operated by Dalata since 2009 under management contract.

It is expected that these transactions will complete within one month. “We are delighted to have secured Whites Hotel, Wexford and the Clayton Hotel, Galway, two outstanding modern hotel properties with excellent conference facilities,” says Pat McCann, Chief Executive Officer of Dalata. “We look forward to continuing our work with the management and staff at both properties to realise the full potential of the hotels in the years ahead.

These acquisitions are part of our strategy to assemble a portfolio of high quality hotel

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KEY TO THE DOOR

assets in Ireland.” The Clayton Hotel, Ballybrit, Co Galway is a four star hotel with 195 rooms, as well as a bar/bistro, a restaurant, and conference facilities, including a ballroom and 10 meeting rooms. Whites Hotel, also a four star hotel, is located in Wexford town and contains 157 rooms, as well as a bar/ café, a restaurant, a spa and leisure facility, and conference facilities. Dalata Hotel Group currently operates 37 hotels in Ireland and the UK, with over 6,000 bedrooms and circa 3,600 employees, making it Ireland’s largest hotel operator. Apart from the Maldron Hotel Cardiff,

all of the hotels in the group’s portfolio are located in Ireland. In September 2008, Dalata Hotel Group launched its Maldron Hotels brand, which now comprises 14 three-star and fourstar hotels in key locations throughout Ireland. In March 2014, Dalata Hotel Group completed an IPO which raised E265m net of costs and saw the company’s shares listed on the ESM of the Irish Stock Exchange and the AIM of the London Stock Exchange. Those funds will be used to acquire further hotel assets in line with the group’s strategy to build a portfolio of three and four star hotels in Ireland and the UK.

(l-r): Stephen McNally, Deputy Chief Executive of Dalata Hotel Group, Sales and Marketing Manager, Catherine McGlinchey, Revenue Manager, Angela FitzPatrick, Reservations Manager, Amanda Doherty, Duty Manager, Rachael Burns, and Mike Gatt, General Manager of Maldron Hotel Derry.

45 HOTELS SOLD SO FAR THIS YEAR According to the latest analysis from property advisor CBRE, excluding hotel investment sales, 45 hotel property sales totalling almost E280m have been completed in the Irish market in the first nine months of 2014. This compares with a total of 33 hotel sales completed in the country in the entire year in 2013, demonstrating the extent to which the volume of hotel sales and demand for hotel properties has escalated during the year.

According to CBRE Research, an array of private investors and hotel operators have been active in the market over the first nine months of the year and, with the sale of several hotel properties and two hotel portfolios currently in negotiations and expected to close by year-end, a very busy Q4 is in prospect. This will undoubtedly be fuelled by the ending of the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) waiver which boosted transaction volumes in this sector over the last number of years. “This is a remarkable turnaround for the hotel sector when you consider that there are more hotel properties being traded in Ireland now than at the peak of the market in 2006,” says Lisa Keogh, a surveyor in the hotel and licensing team at CBRE. “There were only two hotels sold in the entire country in 2009 and only three the following year in 2010 so this marks a very significant turnaround.”

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COVER STORY

LESS CORPORATE, MORE CUTTING EDGE

Alan Russell is Director of Operations for Gather & Gather in Ireland, the latest big player to enter the Irish food service arena. He talks to Maev Martin about their plans to shake up the corporate catering sector.

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COVER STORY

G

ather & Gather, the catering arm of FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing company Mitie, formally launched in Ireland on September 24th.

“Having won the food service contract for Sky in Dublin in 2013 as part of an integrated facilities contract across the UK and Ireland, we saw a great opportunity to grow the Gather & Gather business in Ireland,” says Alan. “At that point we already had a E50m facilities management business in the Irish market and a number of clients

were actively asking us to look at their catering operations. We also have major contracts with Capita and Lloyds Banking Group in Northern Ireland so we just knew that the time was right this year to formally launch as an island of Ireland business.”

Alan Russell trained as a chef in Athlone in the late 1980s and worked in a variety of restaurants before starting his career in the contracting sector with Gardner Merchant, now Sodexo, as a commis chef.

“I came to work for Gather & Gather from Compass where I was Operations Director,” he says. “For the past 20 years I have worked with the two largest caterers in the world at senior operations level but, when I was approached by Gather & Gather,

I could see that their approach was totally different and that was really exciting. The Gather & Gather proposition is based upon putting the customer at the heart of everything we do. The team firmly believes that if its actions are in the best interests of the customer, the rest of the model becomes stronger and more sustainable. This really supports the principle that great food and drink can help drive workplace productivity, improve staff morale, and maximise competitive advantage through the delivery of ‘best in class’ workplace services. Today’s

modern employer embraces these principles but often doesn’t really understand how to bring them into the workplace. Gather & Gather has a proven ability to deliver this strategy, really getting under the skin of its clients’ culture and values to align their food service solutions.”

BIG CONTRACTS When Alan joined Gather & Gather in January the plan was to set up the business and take time to bed in the current portfolio. “However, further business opportunities have come our way quicker than expected!” he says. “We bid for a major contract in February which we won in June after the client told us that Gather & Gather clearly stood out as passionate, flexible

and innovative. We open in March 2015 and the new HQ office space will be cutting edge, reflecting some of the trends that are coming through on the high street.” Gather & Gather also recently secured a further significant contract with a global professional services firm in the centre of Dublin. “We’ve won E2m of additional business this year and our sales pipeline is very strong,” says Alan. “The market has been very receptive to our approach and clearly sees us as a real alternative to the current players. Our focus in 2014 will be on upfront investment

in our teams to support our rapidly growing success and on broadening our business portfolio in Ireland through strong organic growth.”

SHOPPING LOCAL Gather & Gather clearly sees strong supplier partnerships as crucial to the success of the operation. Key suppliers in Ireland include Bretzel Bakery, Ariosa Coffee, Robinson Meats, Odaois Foods, Keelings, and Pallas Foods. There is a clear focus, not just on quality, but also on sustainability, which creates a clear point of difference.

“Our UK and Ireland business has a supply chain model based on what we call the Eight Regions of Focus,” says Alan.

“This means that we have

regional suppliers for each area so we can very clearly define for our clients and customers exactly what ‘local’ means to them. This model was driven by a desire to ensure sustainability is a core value for our teams and we’re very proud to have been given a two star sustainability champion rating in our first audit from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, which included an ‘excellent score in the areas of Local and Seasonal’. I also meet Maureen Gahan in Bord Bia a couple of times a year to find out about the new food companies that are coming into the market.

We support Bord Bia through supporting SME suppliers - we help them through our listing process and to find an efficient route to market which can often be a challenge at that end of the market.”

UNIQUE APPROACH TO EMPLOYEE DINING Gather & Gather believes that its approach sets its apart from its competitors, but what does that really mean? “We urge people to come and experience it, to really understand,” says Alan. “At the core is our ability to be flexible because we are empowered to run our business in the way that we believe is right. Therefore, the things that the team are passionate about clearly show through - sustainability, health and wellness, coffee, innovation, authenticity of offer, and supporting and developing talent.

Our culture is also pretty unique too, driven by the entrepreneurial Mitie investment equity model.

We really see ourselves as a challenger brand with the ability to make food service less about the industry and profit margins and more about the consumer and high street trends. Simple initiatives, such as moving away from mainstream coffee suppliers to direct supply, single origin providers in order to deliver unrivalled brew bar concepts, as well as having our own street food vans in use across the business, give that authenticity

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COVER STORY

Alan Russell, Director of Operations for Gather & Gather in Ireland

to our approach. Combined with an on-trend brand identity, which is subtle yet clear, along with a very professional approach to presenting and marketing our food, it’s easy to see why we’ve trebled in size over the last two years.”

Technology also plays a large part, with Gather & Gather just about to launch a new app which Alan says will allow them to target their customers in real time and take marketing to a whole new level in the contracting market.

RESTAURANT COLLABORATION Gather & Gather is collaborating with acclaimed Dublin restaurant Brioche. The Chef/Proprietor Gavin McDonagh and Alan worked together in Sodexo for 15 years.

“We wanted to develop our chef and front of house teams to further differentiate our offering from our competitors,” says Alan.

“However, unlike our competitors, we didn’t want to have a celebrity chef and a celebrity price tag, but rather looked for someone that would be a good fit for our business and our food ethos so we approached Gavin and he loved the idea. As a result, we created an academy for chefs and front of house staff to

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be trained in Brioche. The academy offers one-day-a-week training over six weeks and Gavin also works with us on menu development and clients’ events.” Gavin says that Gather & Gather’s philosophy of “gathering ingredients, gathering people and bringing them together, and the uniqueness and quirkiness” of what they’re trying to do with food, appeals to him. “When it comes to their competitors, it’s all very much the same - very corporate, very shirt and tie, very figures-oriented, whereas with Gather & Gather there is a huge emphasis on the quality of the food so they have the same food philosophy that I have in my restaurant,” he says. “They work with the seasons - if it’s not in season it’s not on the plate. Other catering companies use prepped produce - it goes into vats and it’s cooked and served out.

I’ve been to some of Gather & Gather’s units and I’ve seen containers of raw baby carrots, raw asparagus or beautiful heads of salad and you just know that the nutritional value in them is going to be 100%.”

INVESTING IN FACILITIES & FOOD Gather & Gather provides a contemporary catering service, either as a standalone caterer

or as part of an integrated facilities management model. “Our existing clients clearly demonstrate how successful integrated facilities management contracts can be and the market is starting to realise the benefits of moving to an integrated service model,” says Alan. “However, facilities companies are not often seen as food service specialists and clients are nervous about their ability to deliver in this space. Gather & Gather is clearly seen as caterer in its own right and this gives it an edge in the market. While the Irish contract catering sector isn’t too far behind the UK in terms of the food quality, there is a sameness in terms of what’s on offer and how it is presented. It’s a great time for us to move into the Irish market and show some real points of difference through our unique approach. As the recession lifts, clients are prepared to invest in catering services in order to retain valued staff and that will drive up standards. It reputedly costs big technology companies between E17,000 and E20,000 every time they lose someone at senior management level, so why wouldn’t they use every conceivable means to create great places to work and invest in facilities and food in order to help retention rates?

We’re ideally placed to support this approach and as a result we’re expecting great things for the future of Gather & Gather in Ireland.”

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TRIPADVISOR

MARKETING

AND THE POWER OF CUSTOMER REVIEWS

Ciarán Cronin, Director at www.touchtoreview.com, a tablet-based customer review collection system for the hospitality, retail and banking sectors, looks at the influence that travel websites exert on your customers and potential customers.

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ripAdvisor remains the largest travel website in the world with 11% of the world’s monthly unique visitors. So, like it or loathe it, TripAdvisor influences where people stay, where they eat, and how much they spend. If you and your business haven’t considered and planned for this level of influence on your bottom line, then you could be missing a serious trick.

A research study of over 12,000 global travellers conducted by PhoCusWright, a leading travel, tourism and hospitality market research firm, on behalf of TripAdvisor reveals that more than half of global respondents do not want to make a booking commitment until they read reviews and find out what other travellers thought. According to the study, respondents turn to TripAdvisor on a regular basis.

A total of 29% visit the site several times a month, 12% say they check the site at least once a week, and 26% regularly use the site more than once a week. Overall, this means that 67% of respondents check TripAdvisor a few times a

month or more. More than 80% say the site’s reviews help them feel more confident in their travel decisions and help them to have a better trip. Of those polled, 93% of respondents feel that a hotel stay is very important to the overall trip experience.

However, TripAdvisor users aren’t just looking at accommodation options: ✱ 77% usually or always reference TripAdvisor reviews before selecting a hotel. ✱ 50% usually or always reference TripAdvisor reviews before selecting a restaurant. ✱ 44% usually or always reference TripAdvisor reviews before selecting an attraction.

HOW MANY REVIEWS ARE ENOUGH? In the same study, when researching places to stay on TripAdvisor, 80% of respondents read at least six to 12 reviews before making their decision, and they are most interested in recent reviews that will give them the freshest feedback.

When researching restaurants or

A RESEARCH STUDY OF OVER 12,000 GLOBAL TRAVELLERS REVEALS THAT MORE THAN HALF OF GLOBAL RESPONDENTS DO NOT WANT TO MAKE A BOOKING COMMITMENT UNTIL THEY READ REVIEWS AND FIND OUT WHAT OTHER TRAVELLERS THOUGHT.

local attractions on TripAdvisor, one in five (20%) travellers read over 11 reviews before making a decision.

NEGATIVE REVIEWS? There is always the worry that encouraging customers to leave reviews will lead to an increase in negative reviews. However, the survey found that the majority of respondents write reviews for positive reasons, with 74% of travellers stating that they ‘feel good about sharing useful information with other travellers’ and 70% of respondents stating that they ‘wanted to share a good experience with other travellers’.

Ultimately, this research shows us how powerful TripAdvisor is and how powerful and influential the customer review can be. If you feel that TripAdvisor is a phase, then the evidence speaks for itself. And it looks like it will continue to influence your customers and your potential customers in the months and years ahead. Plan for this now, embrace the power that it can hold for you, and put it to work effectively.

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BUSINESS MATTERS

VAT

ISSUES FOR THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

When the Revenue Commissioners conduct an audit of hotel operating companies, underpayment of VAT is often a large percentage of any final monetary settlement, says Grayson Buckley, Tax Director with Crowe Horwath. This article outlines his experiences of the common errors made in accounting for VAT by the hotel industry.

PROVIDING HOTEL ROOMS TO NON-IRISH CORPORATE CUSTOMERS A corporate customer based in the EU (not in Ireland) has booked a large number of rooms in your hotel. Your accounts department issues an invoice to the customer with VAT at nine per cent on the room rate.

The customer emails you and says that VAT should not be charged as they are based in the EU and are registered for VAT in the EU. Should Irish VAT be charged to an EU business customer? Generally, services provided to VAT registered businesses in other EU countries (business to business supplies) are normally subject to 0% Irish VAT. This is on the basis that the place of supply of the service is deemed to be supplied where

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the recipient is VAT registered.

However, services in relation to immovable property, such as hotel accommodation, are deemed to be supplied where the property is located. Therefore, provided your hotel is located in Ireland, the supplier will be subject to Irish VAT at nine per cent, irrespective of the customer being VAT registered in another EU member state.

VAT ON DEPOSITS Some hoteliers are unaware of when VAT is payable on hotel deposits - should it be when the deposit is received or when the service is provided? Where a deposit or payment on account or other payment is received by a hotel before the hotel has made or completed a supply of goods or services, a supply is

deemed to have taken place at the time of the receipt of the payment to the value of such payment. VAT is chargeable on that deposit or payment. Where a deposit is retained by a hotel in the event of cancellation of the whole transaction by the customer, the hotel may reduce his or her liability for the period in which the deposit is forfeit by an amount equal to the VAT amount accounted for on the deposit.

There are a number of conditions that need to exist in order for this to apply: the supply does not take place because the customer has cancelled it, the cancellation is recorded as such in the books and records of the supplier, the deposit is not refunded to the customer, and no other consideration, benefit

“HOTELIERS CHARGING THE WRONG VAT RATE CAN ACCUMULATE LARGE VAT LIABILITIES OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.�

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and beauty treatments are subject to VAT at 23%. Receipts from the sale of newspapers, gym memberships and golf green fees are all subject to VAT at nine per cent.

VAT ON SERVICE CHARGES The Revenue Commissioners previously provided a concession to the hotel industry whereby if service charges were included on a bill and all of the service charge was distributed to staff such service charges were exempt from VAT. A number of years ago, Revenue withdrew this concession and therefore any service charges included on a customer’s bill are liable to VAT at nine per cent.

Tips made by customers and not included on a bill are exempt from VAT.

or supply is provided to the customer by any person in lieu of that amount.

Where a hotel retains a deposit in the event of cancellation of the whole transaction by the customer, the hotel may reduce its liability by an amount equal to the amount accounted for on the deposit. In these circumstances the hotel is required to issue to the customer a document which is to be treated as a credit note. Where the customer is a VAT registered person and was entitled to a credit for the VAT charged on the deposit, then he or she is required to adjust his or her VAT liability by the amount on the document.

VAT ON VOUCHERS Again, some hoteliers are uncertain about when VAT is

payable on vouchers – is it at the time of the sale of the voucher or when the service is actually provided to the customer? The basic rule in relation to vouchers is that a supply is not considered to have taken place for VAT purposes at the time the voucher is purchased but rather VAT arises at the time the voucher is redeemed. Therefore, any VAT liability does not arise until the service (i.e. food/meal) is provided by the hotel.

VAT ON FOOD, DRINK & ANCILLARY SERVICES Hoteliers charging the wrong VAT rate can accumulate large VAT liabilities over a short period of time. There are currently five VAT rates in Ireland - 23%, 13.5%, 9%, 0% and Exempt. In Revenue Audits,

the Revenue concentrate on reviewing sales with a VAT rate of less than 23% to ascertain whether these should have been charged at a higher rate. All food provided as part of a hotel meal is liable to VAT at nine per cent.

Alcohol, bottled waters, soft drinks and vegetable juices are liable to VAT at 23%, while fruit juices are liable to VAT at nine per cent. Where a hotel organises a dinner dance (to include a meal) any receipts are liable to VAT at 23%. However, if there are separate charges for entry and the meal and the payment for the meal is not a pre-condition for entry into the dance, the meal is liable to VAT at nine per cent and the admission charge is liable to VAT at 23%. Receipts from customers in relation to telephone calls, movie rentals

CONCLUSION As outlined above, if a hotel charges the incorrect VAT rate on the supply of its services a substantial liability may arise during a Revenue Audit. In addition, Revenue will seek interest and penalties on such underpayments. Therefore, VAT rates used by hoteliers should be reviewed regularly.

Grayson is an experienced Chartered Accountant and AITI Chartered Tax Adviser and a Tax Director with Crowe Horwath.

He provides tax planning and consultancy services to a wide range of individuals and corporate clients operating in Ireland and internationally. Grayson has extensive experience of providing advice on VAT and successfully negotiating settlements with Revenue as part of managing all aspects of revenue audits.

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FEATURE

THE

REBIRTH

OF THE IRISH HOTEL INDUSTRY A recent survey by Crowe Horwath reveals that hotels are now as busy as they were during the Celtic Tiger days.

Donagh Davern of Cork Institute of Technology looks at how they can keep themselves on that upward curve.

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A

sustainable debt level is the key to the future of Irish hotels and this was emphasised as far back as 2009 in the Bacon Report on ‘Over-Capacity in the Irish Hotel Industry’, which was produced on behalf of the Irish Hotels Federation. Peter Bacon then warned that “based on current capacity, it is estimated that between 12,300 and 15,300 hotel rooms need to be removed, if an appropriate balance is to be achieved that would allow the sector to recover to a stage where it can provide adequate returns and regain overall solvency.”

Luckily, we haven’t seen anything like this amount of hotel room closures. However, what we have seen is both foreign and domestic investors snapping up properties at enormous discounts on their original cost, allowing them to operate them sustainably or, in some cases, flip them at a profit. Take the case of Brehon Capital, now a key player in the Irish hotel industry, with hotels such as The Marker, The Powerscourt Hotel, Mount Wolseley and Mount Juliet all under their control. They recently reached an agreement regarding

the purchase of Ireland’s largest hotel - the 789-bedroom Citywest - as a going concern for e29m. Happily, Brehon Capital have said that they plan to invest in all of the hotels, mitigating any worries that the industry would have had in previous years about a decline in the standard of bedroom stock, which would damage our international reputation as a tourist destination. For example, following the recent acquisition of Killashee House Hotel in Naas for e13m, a hotel which hosted 160 weddings in 2013, Michael McElligott of Brehon Capital said that they “plan to invest in a growing business that is trading very strongly.”

Brehon Capital purchased the unfinished Marker Hotel and the adjoining apartments back in 2011 when Kevin McGillycuddy of Brehon Capital Partners said that there was “little appetite to invest in Irish residential property” and he went on to say that “…we have brought it to life and woven it into the fabric of the Docklands community.”

They paid a reputed e30m for the development and went on to put in a further estimated

e18m to finish off the luxury hotel and what has become the Marker Residences - 84 twobedroom apartments along with six fully let commercial units and over 100 car park spaces.

The apartments were soon 100% occupied and commanded rents ranging from e1,900 to e2,400 per unit per month, generating gross rental income of approximately e2.1m. There was some surprise in property circles when, in April 2014, Savills sought e40m for the apartments but, as it happened, Brehon Capital had made the right move and went on to sell the apartments to the Irish Residential Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (Ires Reit) for a cool e50.1m, effectively giving them the five star Marker Hotel, which they retained - for free!

Another surprise was when the industry recently discovered the price that US billionaire Donald Trump paid for the exclusive Doonbeg Resort, now rebranded the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland. The initial cost paid for the five star lodge, seven unsold suites and the Greg Norman-designed links

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FEATURE

course was reputed to be e15m a sizeable discount on the e28m that it cost to develop the resort in 2002. However, recent filings in the Companies Office by the Receivers to the resort, David Hughes and Luke Charleton of EY, show that Mr Trump actually paid just over e8.7m - a bargain for such a prized asset.

Donald Trump has said that he plans to invest heavily in the resort and it seems that one of his first investments may be to build a ballroom to cater for the resort’s growing and important wedding market - a market which is currently accommodated in a marquee adjacent to the hotel.

So where do we go from here? It is inevitable that some investors will capitalise on their acquired assets and sell them

on but what about investors such as Brehon Capital? Will they rebrand their hotels as a group, take on an international brand, appoint an indigenous hotel management company, or continue to operate them as independent units? They will more than likely consider these options very carefully, looking at the costs and the benefits involved in order to make a decision that best suits their portfolio. They have already appointed Interstate Hotels to run The Marker and The Powerscourt Hotel, and in the case of the latter, parted ways with the costly Ritz Carlton and Gordon Ramsay branding to become a member of the Marriott Autograph Collection instead.

Back in 2005, I remember

sitting in a meeting across from lenders to a e100m resort where the lenders were insisting that putting an international brand name over the door was the way forward. They cited examples such as Mount Juliet (a Conrad at the time), Mount Wolseley (a Hilton at the time), Druids Glen (a Marriott at the time) and Fota Resort (a Sheraton at the time) as reasons why we should follow this trend of adopting an international brand. I resisted at the time and since then we have seen all of these resorts remove the brand and re-commence operating as an independent hotel. It simply didn’t make sense for these properties, given their locations, along with the high costs involved, to have an international brand name.

Investors such as Brehon Capital

“SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? IT IS INEVITABLE THAT SOME INVESTORS WILL CAPITALISE ON THEIR ACQUIRED ASSETS AND SELL THEM ON BUT WHAT ABOUT INVESTORS SUCH AS BREHON CAPITAL? WILL THEY REBRAND THEIR HOTELS AS A GROUP, TAKE ON AN INTERNATIONAL BRAND, APPOINT AN INDIGENOUS HOTEL MANAGEMENT COMPANY, OR CONTINUE TO OPERATE THEM AS INDEPENDENT UNITS?“ will make up their own minds and we have already seen from the Marker Residences deal that they are astute business people with a commercially focused mind. However, maybe they can also learn from some of the mistakes that the Irish hotel industry has made in the past to ensure our future success as a strong and thriving industry that is integral to Ireland’s recovering economy.

Donagh Davern FIHI is a lecturer specialising in the area of Hospitality Management at Cork Institute of Technology.

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HEALTH & SAFETY

MINIMISING SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS Charlene Thornton, HSEQ Manager for Compass Group Ireland, provides some tips on how to develop and roll out a strategy to minimise the occurrence of slips, trips and falls in the catering workplace.

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lips, Trips and Falls (STF) account for the second highest amount of workplace injuries and over 17% of all injuries reported in Ireland in 2013. In 2013 alone, there were more than 1,200 slips, trips and falls reported to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). These tend to result in a combination of minor and serious injuries to employees and customers. A quarter of those incidents led to the injured person missing over a month from work. The health and safety of colleagues and customers should always be a number one priority for those in the catering industry. As a successful business, Compass Group Ireland always put safety first in everything we do. It is vital that companies

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are committed to reducing all accidents and to taking action to tackle slips, trips and falls in the workplace.

The following are guidelines on how to encourage a safer environment for employees and customers: RISK ASSESSMENTS & ONGOING WORK PLACE AUDITS On commencing work at a premises, a new unit assessment should be completed which would review the fabric of the premises to ensure it is maintained in good repair and condition and that the floor coverings are non-slip. Any items should be highlighted to the landlord or client before a workplace/unit is signed over. Ensure floor finishes and

pedestrian surfaces are factored into any building or renovation works at your business to ensure the correct finish/surface is achieved to reduce the risk of STF. A detailed floor risk assessment should then be completed at your workplace which must be repeated regularly or sooner if there are any significant changes to the workplace layout, equipment or safety arrangements. The findings of the Floor Safety Risk Assessment should be communicated to all employees.

SAFETY FOOTWEAR POLICY & SAFETY SHOE SELECTION The provision of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is

generally considered as the ‘last resort’ to protect against risks to health and safety after other controls have been considered first. The introduction of a company safety footwear policy greatly reduces the risk of slips and falls in the form of anti-slip shoes or over shoes. Anti-slip and safety shoes must be carefully selected to ensure that the right footwear is suitable for each task.

At Compass Group UK and Ireland our safety footwear range was selected by our HSE and commercial teams in conjunction with anti-slip shoe specialist, Shoes for Crews. Each employee must be consulted on footwear to ensure that all staff buy into the policy. The range of anti-slip shoes you select should have a

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guides to managing a STF workplace; DVD training films; discussion cards. These programmes, along with the introduction of the safety shoe policy, have proven to be successful in reducing the number of STF incidents in businesses all over the world.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS Good housekeeping is vital in reducing STF incidents and this is even more important during busy periods, both in public and back of house areas. It is essential to have a clean as you go policy in workplaces and public access areas to ensure floors and access routes are maintained in a clean condition and are free from obstruction at all times. Spill risk should be identified during your floor safety risk assessment and preventative measures should be put in place. Spills need to be dealt with immediately, with warning signs used when cleaning is in progress, along with other protective measures to prevent access and highlight the slip hazards to both colleagues and customers. To aid the cleaning process, spill kits are invaluable to ensure any spillages are cleaned quickly and well defined tread pattern with flexible soles providing a good grip. Employees must then carry out regular checks on their safety footwear to ensure that they are maintained in good condition and fit for purpose. Any PPE requirements identified through risk assessments should be issued free of charge to employees.

SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS (STF) CAMPAIGN & EMPLOYEE TRAINING In order to maintain awareness among colleagues of an organisation’s safety structures, a STF programme should be developed. To encourage employee engagement the following tools are helpful: awareness posters; best practice

efficiently. Warning signage should be promptly removed from the area when they no longer apply to ensure that they are heeded when required.

Many organisations carry out floor safety checks throughout daily service, in particular in work areas where the public have access. The key points to managing spillages are: prevent spills from occurring; contain spills using spill kits; cordon spills using warning signage/ barriers; remove spills promptly.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS STF incidents increase significantly during severe weather and, in particular, with ice and snow conditions. As an employer you must provide a safe place of work with safe access and exit. Complete a dynamic risk assessment and review ice and snow when it occurs to ensure that you have sufficient control measures in place to deal with these conditions.

Leading food and support services company Compass Group Ireland employs over 4,000 people on the island of Ireland and operates over 250 units, serving more than 100,000 meals a day.

THE FOLLOWING SHOULD ACT AS A CHECKLIST FOR EMPLOYERS IN TERMS OF GOOD PRACTICE: ✱ Keep floors clean and dry ✱ Clear up any spillages immediately ✱ Ensure floor cleaning is undertaken as outlined in training, using correct cleaning equipment and chemicals ✱ Ensure all employees are aware of the floor cleaning procedure at times when there will be little or no traffic ✱ Ensure area is cordoned off and dry paths are left through the areas to be cleaned ✱ Dispose of waste materials in the appropriate area in a timely manner

✱ ✱ ✱ ✱

✱ ✱ ✱ ✱

Remove any obstacles Avoid trailing cables Store goods safely Make sure the floor is maintained in a good condition and that any steps, ramps or a change in level is highlighted Ensure the work area is well lit Ensure non slip footwear is worn at all times Ensure any leakages or excess water is reported to the manager/supervisor Ensure walkways and external steps are cleared when experiencing severe weather conditions

With all of these measures, combined with a strong safety culture, you will reduce slips, trips and falls in your business and encourage a safer environment for staff and customers.

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SUPPLY LINE

SUPPLY LINE ESSENTIAL PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE HENSONS

GOURMET BURGER RANGE

HAYWOOD DRINKS & SNACKS

READY TO SERVE COCKTAILS

Shatler’s range of pre-mixed cocktails from Haywood Drinks & Snacks includes 15 different drinks for the bar trade. To serve a Shatler’s cocktail, all a bartender needs to do is open the pack and pour the contents over ice. These drinks come in many fresh, fruity flavours that take only six seconds to make from the time of the order. For traditional country pubs with less resources or knowledge of mixology, these beverages are a must have during the busy summer season. Some country pubs have been experiencing an increase in the numbers of female customers, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. UK statistics show that 80% of women would prefer a cocktail to other alcoholic alternatives if they were available and the statistics are likely to be similar for the Irish market. These canned beverages come in 11 alcoholic flavours, including Sex on the Beach, Tequila Sunrise and Mojito. There are also four non-alcoholic beverages in the range, including Virgin Colada and San Francisco. To get more information on supportive points of sale and branded glassware, go to www.haywood-drinks.co.uk or call 00 44 1889 270 663.

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Wholesaler and expert catering butcher Hensons launched a spicy gourmet lamb kofta burger on August 27th to celebrate the UK’s National Burger Day. “Our gourmet burger range is incredibly successful so for the lamb kofta burger we have used the same winning formula – knowledge of what the premium casual dining market is looking for combined with high quality meat, in this case fresh Welsh lamb marbled with the right amount of fat, selected and minced in-house with carefully blended ingredients,” says Hensons Managing Director Andrew Brook. “Our expert catering butchers turn this into gluten-free patties using burgerforming machines imported from America. This recipe creates easy-to-handle burgers with enough air trapped inside to allow juices to freely circulate, ensuring burgers cook quickly, evenly and deliciously.” Hensons made over a million gourmet burgers for the premium casual dining sector last year. Its gourmet burger range comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, including square and artisan.

For more details visit www. henson.co.uk.

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PANTHEON

EASY-DRAIN, PLUG-IN FRYERS

Pantheon has added two new fryers to its plug-in range - a single eight litre and a twin 16 litre model - that feature front-sited drainage taps to allow for the easy collection of old cooking oil.

The required temperature is set manually on these stainless steel fryers and an indicator light alerts the operator when temperature is reached. The twin model has independent controls allowing different types of foods to be cooked simultaneously or enabling just a single well to be heated during quieter times. Pantheon’s electric fryers are very energy efficient because the heating elements are immersed in the oil itself so contact is direct. They heat up rapidly and quickly return to temperature, even when used for frozen foods. Other features include a safety cut out thermostat, pull out handles for lifting and emptying the tank, and rubber feet for added safety. They are supplied with dishwasher safe baskets with foldable handles. Pantheon’s 12 months parts and labour warranty applies. For further information, visit www. pantheonce.co.uk or email info@pantheonce.co.uk

TENDERONE

NEW 32 LINE DRINKS DISPENSER

TenderOne’s new 32 line drinks dispenser can measure the ingredients needed for up to 200 different cocktail recipes in less than five seconds.

Unlike most cocktail-making machines, this drinks dispenser has a variety of ingredients which are not pre-mixed.

The touch screen computer also provides pictures and finishing instructions. The drinks dispenser’s Bag-in-Box packaging system allows spirits, liquors, syrups and juices to have a longer shelf life.

TenderOne offers 24 line and 32 line machines which can be set up inside a bar or operated on a stand-alone basis. The dispenser is an efficient way for any pub to get into cocktail making since it eliminates overpouring, with minimal waste. For the customer, they are getting quality cocktails but ones that are produced more quickly and easily than those delivered through traditional mixology.

For more information on costs and installation go to www.tenderone.co.uk or call 00 44 1753 290353.

NETWRX

ENHANCING WIFI SPEED & RELIABILITY

Reliable and speedy WiFi is now becoming a vital part of many businesses’ operations.

With more people using social media and relying on electronic devices, the existence of WiFi can often be a deciding factor for many people when they are making a decision about the hotel that they will stay in. According to Netwrx, their WiFienhancing product ensures that guests and staff have access to WiFi coverage in every room at a fast speed. The installation process is easy since this product is a front panel unit which can be fitted to in-room telephone sockets using existing telephone cabling. Netwrx says that this is a more cost effective alternative to the installation of a typical WiFi system. The panel supports 2.4 and 5 Ghz band to match most electronic devices. Netwrx also has a secure networking system that will give full access to cash registers, credit card terminals, e-mail and printers. For more information on this product visit: www.netwrx.co.uk.

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FOOD TOURISM

DO YOU HAVE

A BIG IDEA FOR A SMALL FOOD BUSINESS?

Ambitious individuals with an interest in building an international food or drink business in Ireland are being sought to participate in Food Works 2015, a business development and training programme for food and drinks start ups jointly run by Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc.

Quincey Fennelly and Simon Lynch, Wicklow Wolf.

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Brian and Rachel Nolan, Nobó.

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ood Works 2015 was officially launched in September at the new Wicklow Wolf Brewery in Bray, Co Wicklow. Wicklow Wolf Irish Craft Beers was co-founded

by Simon Lynch and Quincey Fennelly in 2013. The company participated in Food Works 2014 and has just opened the 3,700 square foot brewery. The new brewery, located in an old bakery on the banks of the Dargle River in Bray, Co Wicklow, is supplied by a 10 acre hop farm based at Roundwood in Co Wicklow.

The product range currently includes an American Amber, an India Pale ale, and a Kentucky common brown ale, which are stocked in a number of outlets in Dublin and Wicklow. They are in the process of expanding their distribution outlets in Ireland and are focusing on the UK as a key export market. The company plans to create 16 new jobs over the next few years.

“Once we made the decision to produce beer on a commercial level, we decided to look for help from wherever we could get it,”

says Quincey Fennelly, CoFounder of Wicklow Wolf. “The Food Works programme was recommended to us and we were delighted to be accepted to take part. It was very challenging and brought us outside our comfort zone on many occasions but it really helped us to become more disciplined about planning our business for the future, for both the domestic and the export market. I would recommend it to anyone who has a good business idea and who has the ambition to develop it into a strong food business capable of exporting around the world.”

A total of 43 start-ups, from dairy, snacks, meat, seafood and beverages, have participated in the Food Works programme over the past two years, following a competitive process attracting in excess of 150 applications.

“The Food Works programme has been invaluable in helping our business to reach its full potential,” says Rachel Nolan, Co-Founder of Nobó and a participant in Food Works 2013. “After launching into

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FOOD TOURISM INVEST NI & BORD BIA IN CROSS BORDER FIRST

(l-r): Maureen Gahan from Bord Bia, Cathal and Louise O’Donohue, The Penny Loaf Co, and Courtney Radcliffe, Brakes’ Marketing Manager.

Rachel Nolan, Nobó.

eight months ago, our first product, ‘Frozen Goodness’, is now available in over 100 stores around the country. This will be increasing significantly over the next number of weeks as the product is rolled out to SuperValu stores nationwide.

We were delighted to recently receive two Great Taste Awards in the UK and to be included in the Great Taste ‘Top 50 Foods’ in the UK and Ireland out of 10,000 products entered and tasted. We are also excited at the possibility of seeing ‘Frozen Goodness’ on freezer shelves in other countries before the end of 2015.”

Nobó is a dairy-free food company set up by husband and wife, Rachel Flynn and Brian Nolan. Following participation in Food Works 2013, they launched Frozen Goodness, the world’s first gluten and dairy free ice cream alternative made from avocado, coconut milk, and sweetened with pure honey. They are currently exploring expansion plans for outside Ireland, and have already had significant

interest from export markets.

They also launched two new flavours in October, along with a smaller single serve 100ml unit size.

FOOD WORKS 2015 Applications are now open for candidates interested in being part of the 2015 Food Works programme. Ideal applicants are ambitious food or drink entrepreneurs, or companies trading for less than four years that wish to target export markets and scale their business.

It is envisaged that the company will have an innovative product, either already developed or in development. The Food Works programme aims to help these young companies to realise their full potential and become major international businesses in markets across the globe while creating new jobs at home.

Successful companies will be introduced to suitable investors to help them to fund a scalable business during the programme.

For more information on Food Works 2015, visit www. foodworksireland.ie.

Over 30 Irish food and drink companies recently took part in a first ever crossborder initiative between Invest Northern Ireland and Bord Bia. Hosted

by Brakes, the Brakes Innovation Day provided a unique opportunity for the companies to showcase their products to a panel of Brakes buyers from across the hospitality and catering industries. The panel judged products from each supplier, scoring them on their innovation, taste and quality.

The winners on the day were the Penny Loaf Co from Tullamore in Co Offaly who will receive a listing for their yeast-free mini soda breads with Brakes UK and Brakes Ireland. Runners up, M&D Bakery’s Waterford Blaa range and Loughanes’ Stout and Leek sausages will be listed with Brakes Ireland.

Speaking to attendees at the event, hosted in Dublin’s Griffith Colllege, Maureen Gahan from Bord Bia discussed the

importance of supporting the Irish food and drink industry and the positive impact this has on the economy. Ian Wilkinson from Invest Northern Ireland added that Ireland’s food export industry continues to experience good growth and stressed the importance of commercial innovation to create export opportunities for local producers.

Committed to working with local suppliers, Brakes UK and Brakes Ireland currently list over 140 Irish suppliers with more than £80m of Irish products being exported to the UK market through Brakes UK every year. “Food provenance and innovation is of huge importance to us and we are committed to supporting local suppliers,” says Ken McMeiken, CEO of the Brakes Group.

“The Innovation Day was designed to provide a platform for our customers to meet with Irish suppliers in person and become more involved in the product selection process.”

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10/11/2014 16:57

FIVE MINUTES WITH

to source unique ingredients.

We have a lot of things on the menu that no one else is using.

For example, at the moment we have mangosteen in our desserts, which is like a cross between a lychee and a mango, and it’s unique to Asia. We get rishiri kombu seaweed from Japan, which is the basis for the seaweed stock dashi that is used in Japanese cuisine. I don’t think anywhere else uses that either.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CAREER TO DATE. I started at the age of 16 and worked in The Commons Restaurant with Sébastien Masi.

I went to London and worked with Marco Pierre White in the three-Michelin Star Oak Room for two years before moving to France where I worked in the three-star La Côte Saint Jacques in Burgundy, followed by a twoyear stint in the two-star Le Jules Verne in Paris. I came back to Dublin and was head chef in La Mere Zou for two years and head chef in Dax for seven years. I left Dax last April to open Amuse.

CONOR DEMPSEY

Conor Dempsey, Chef-Owner of Amuse, Dublin’s first Franco-Asian fine dining restaurant, talks to Hotel & Catering Review about the inspiration for his new venture, his passion for Asian flavours, and the difficulty of sourcing organic produce in Ireland.

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WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR AMUSE COME FROM? I worked alongside Japanese chefs in France and picked up some tips, and I’ve travelled around Asia where I got lots of ideas. The introduction of Asian flavours to French cuisine started a number of years ago in France but no one was doing it in Ireland.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE AMUSE’S PHILOSOPHY? It’s French-based. I think people are getting the wrong end of the stick when they hear Franco-Asian. It’s French cuisine using Asian flavours - Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai. We draw on different ingredients and flavours from all over Asia and we try

HOW DO YOU SOURCE THESE UNIQUE INGREDIENTS IN IRELAND? It’s very difficult. Even to get good fish is hard. Sourcing fish is a major concern. One of the most idiotic things is that it’s illegal to hand dive scallops but they allow trawlers to dredge the seabed, thus destroying everything on the seabed. They take all the small scallops as well as the large scallops and we’re decimating our population. People think Ireland is a food island but the quality of ingredients overall, compared to other countries, is lacking. I try to use as many organic vegetables as possible but, because very few use organic vegetables, the demand isn’t there and it costs a lot. There is a huge cost involved in going completely organic so 50% of our veg is organic. My long-term goal would be to have all my veg grown organically to order. It mightn’t happen next year or the year after. It’s more of a long-term goal.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE DISH ON THE AMUSE MENU? The Atlantic Hake with Vietnamese Consommé. It’s a shellfish-based consommé and we use whole prawns. Instead of making a classic consommé clarified with egg-whites, we freeze it and filter it as it defrosts so it catches all the impurities.

We get a very intense broth and we flavour it with salt, lime, lemongrass and Vietnamese flavours.

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10/11/2014 16:56

Straw ber ry Yogurt Tart

Serves 8 Ingredients

• 12 Digestive biscuits, crushed • 30g Unsalted butter, melted • 2tbsp sugar, plus extra for strawber ries • 12 Keelings Strawberries, sliced

Pictured is Igor, one of our expert growers, who has been working with Keelings for 7 years.

• 100g Mascarpone cheese, at room temperat ure • 129g non-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperat ure • 25g icing sugar

STRAWBERRIES

Method

The late crop is harvested from their state of the art glasshouses on their farms in North County Dublin.

Combine the crushed biscuits, melted butter and two tablespoons of butter until the crumbs are moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 20cm loose-based tin. Freeze for one hour.

It may be getting cooler however Keelings in North County Dublin are still harvesting Irish strawberries.

Grown on the Keeling’s Farms in North County Dublin, Keeling’s grow and supply 50% of all the strawberries for the Irish market.

Sprinkle the strawber ries with a small bit of extra sugar. Stir and leave to macerate for at least 15 minutes.

HEALTH BENEFITS Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamins C and K, as well as providing a good dose of fibre, folic acid, manganese and potassium.

Their high Iron content makes them therapeutic for anaemia and fatigue. Five Strawberries (or half a serving) contain more antioxidant power than three apples or four bananas and provide more vitamin C than an entire orange.

Stir together the mascarpone, yogurt and icing sugar.

Layer half the mascarpone mixture into the crust and then top with half of the strawber ries. Add the remaining mascarpone mixture, and layer the rest of the strawber ries on top.

A 100g serving of strawberries contains: 32 calories

0.3g fat

7.7 carbs

Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving.

2g fibre

When only the freshest will do...

To order please contact: Dublin: +353 (0)1 895 5301 • Cork: +353 (0)21 496 8088 Wexford +353 (0)53 914 7447 • Belfast +44 28 9032 4236 • www.keelings.com 230795_1C_Keelings_H&C.indd 1

12/11/2014 12:03

COMMERCIAL PROFILE

J&C KENNY’S WORLD

OF WINES & SPIRITS Bordeaux needs little introduction to anyone with an interest in wine. This month J&C Kenny describes some of the wines from this region that it is promoting in the Irish market.

O

ne of the world’s most prolific wine regions, Bordeaux also manages to rank among the most famous and prestigious.

However, the secrets of Bordeaux’s wine success rests in its diversity and quality.

Vignoble Jean Francois Carrille is located in the heart of St. Emilion. This small, family run vineyard produces Bordeaux Reds of unrivalled quality. With a wine to suit all price ranges, these classic Bordeaux wines pack a serious punch.

Chateau Guillo Bordeaux Superieur epitomises all the best that Bordeaux has to offer. It is powerful and full bodied, an instant classic that will draw you back time and time again. Chateau Caillou les v Lussac Saint Emilion is fruit driven yet offers a perfect balance between fruit, tannins and acidity. This Lussac St. Emilion looks and feels every bit like a St. Emilion Grand Cru. Elegant and smooth, it is a true gem.

The two signature labels of this vineyard are Chateau Cardinal Villemaurine Grand Cru 2006 and Clos Villemaurine Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2005. These award-winning wines are

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the jewels in the crown for the Carrille family. Complex, elegant and fruit driven, they are a must try for all Bordeaux lovers.

For a more modern take on classic Bordeaux, look no further than Famille Excellor. This wine comes from a cooperative of 15 wineries who all have the same ethos when it comes to their wine - solidarity, authenticity and cooperation.

Located in Entre-Deux-Mers, the wines produced reflect the ethos of the growers. The wine growers inherited their experience from past generations and came together to create wines of superior quality, using the most contemporary equipment and oenological techniques.

The Famille Excellor Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Merlot bring freshness, body and fruit to entry level Bordeaux.

Classic and elegant, they are a fantastic introduction for those who have yet to experience the magic of Bordeaux.

Chateau Benage Fontaine Bordeaux Superieur 2011, a Bronze medal winner in the prestigious Concours de Bordeaux 2013, offers a modern twist on a French classic. Fruit driven with smooth tannins, it is the perfect accompaniment to cold

winter evenings and an open fire. Vignes Et Passion D’Excellor is quirky and unique - the hints of cassis and vanilla make for a distinctive wine that will remain in your mind long after the bottle has gone.

No matter what the style, price or appellation, J&C Kenny has a Bordeaux to match your desires.

J&C Kenny is a family run company located in the west of Ireland. Founded in 1979 by John & Carmel Kenny, we provide a nationwide service, offering customers quality products at competitive prices. Focusing on exclusive and quality agencies, we strive to bring the best the world has to offer straight to your door.

For further information, please contact aoife@jckenny.ie, or: J&C Kenny, Unit 9, Oranmore Business Park, Oranmore, Co Galway.

Tel: 091 794308 | Fax: 091 794737 Website: www.jckenny.ie

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12/11/2014 14:12

Show your business off to 10,000 customers CATEX 2015 promises to be bigger and better than ever as we celebrate 50 years of serving up Ireland’s biggest foodservice show. At the 2013 show 75% of visitors placed a trade order. Don’t miss out!

Book your stand now!

RDS, Dublin, 17 - 19 Feb 2015 catexexhibition.com

An IFSA Event

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12/11/2014 12:11

A Tea Like No Other

At Java Republic, we believe in using only the finest ingredients, respecting them and handling them carefully. Our 100% biodegradable, 100% organic range of teas is made up of 3 Pure Green Teas, 7 Green Tea Plus, 5 Herbal Infusions & 3 Black Teas. Our tea comes in innovative hand-stitched tea pillows that allows water to circulate more freely. The result is the best-tasting tea you’ve ever tasted. For more information on the range please visit us at www.javarepublic.com.

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Available at leading retailers nationwide

03/11/2014 10:45