Hotel & Catering Review - Issue 6 2018

ISSUE 6 2018

Irish Gold

The Social Side

A NEW OIL IN TOWN

SETTING UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA

#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIRE HOTEL TOILETRIES HOSPITALITY TECH

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

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25.09.2018 Now in their 30th year, the 2018 Gold Medal Awards are recognised as the leading independent awards programme for the Irish hospitality industry.

Judged by industry experts, the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards recognise and reward excellence in hospitality and catering operations across the island of Ireland. The 2018 awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner on the 25th of September 2018 at The Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny.

For more information visit: hotelandcateringreview.ie/awards or contact Jacinta O’Rourke, Event Manager Phone: 01 432 2201 | Email: jacinta.orourke@ashvillemediagroup.com

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Go to hotelandcatering review.ie for the online edition

ISSUE 6 2018

CONTENTS COVER STORY

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HOW IS IRISH HOSPITALITY COPING WITH THE CHALLENGES

POSED

BY BREXIT?

IN THIS ISSUE

If there’s a soft-ish Brexit and, if we employ the right strategies and policies then, yes, we think the future for Irish tourism can be very bright.”

Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Chief Executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, on life after Brexit.

REGULARS

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NEWS

27 INTERIOR

10 16 18 22 24 32

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HOSPITALITY

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We look at key first steps in setting up a social media presence.

A Family Affair Some advice around business succession.

Irish Gold We learn more about Collar of Gold’s innovative Irish rapeseed oil.

Green Food Anx Patel on making your restaurant business more eco-friendly.

Smell of Success Interesting and quirky hotel toiletries.

A Quick Chat With Noel McMeel

BOOK

DESIRE TECH SHELF ISSUE 6 2018 | HOTEL

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The Social Side

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Editorial & Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Art Director: Alan McArthur Design Assistant: James Moore Creative Director: Jane Matthews Photography: Ballymaloe House, Inchdoney Island, Trevor Hart, Tourism Ireland, The Orchard Centre, Hand-out, Collar of Gold, Miss Mels Photography, The Dunloe, Workman, Collins, Mercier Press, Bloomsbury, Nordic Choice, Evolve Controls, Wyndham Hotels, Pearl+, Rituals, Somerset Toiletry Company, The Handmade Soap Company, Anx Patel, Lough Erne Resort, Andrew Paton, Barry Murphy Photography Stock Photography iStock Infographics: www.flaticon.com Production: Nicole Ennis Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Published by: Ashville Media, Unit 55 Park West Road, Park West Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, D12 X9F9.

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 2018.

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.

Editor’s

VIEW W

elcome to Issue 6 of Hotel & Catering Review.

We’ve got plenty in-store for you in this edition, including a profile of the newly-refurbished Dunloe Hotel & Gardens, the latest technology for the hospitality sector, and a chat with Peter McCloskey, founder of Collar of Gold – a new cooking oil that’s finding favour with a growing cohort of Irish chefs.

Social media is an important tool for any business, providing a platform through which you can connect with specific audiences across the globe. But it’s not as simple as launching a Facebook page and posting every now and then – you need a clear and well thoughtthrough strategy. We sought the advice of BoomMedia’s Robert Tierney to learn more about the first steps in building a positive and rewarding social media presence.

The countdown to Brexit is well and truly on, with only months left until Britain leaves the EU at 11pm on March 29th 2019. In our cover story and two years on from the Brexit referendum, Hotel & Catering Review examines the main concerns for Ireland’s hospitality sector with regard to Brexit, the potential of market diversification beyond Europe and the US, and what hospitality businesses should be doing to prepare as the clock ticks down.

Elsewhere, we catch up with award-winning chef Noel McMeel from Lough Erne Resort, tackle the topic of succession planning for family-owned businesses, and pick out several interesting and unique hotel toiletries to help boost your bathroom experience. And, for those restaurateurs looking to operate a greener and more ethical food operation, guest contributor Anx Patel, food entrepreneur and founder of GoKart, offers his advice.

Conor Forrest @HC_Review

HOTEL

Email: conor.forrest@ ashvillemediagroup.com

Enjoy the read,

www.hotelandcateringreview.ie

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Editor: Conor Forrest

@

info@hotelandcateringreview.ie

www.facebook.com/hotelandcateringreview

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FOR LEASE ISSUE 6 2018

The Social Side

ON SETTING UP SOCIAL MEDIA

Irish Gold

IN TOWN A NEW OIL

#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIRE HOTEL TOILETRIES TECH HOSPITALITY

ES AHEAD THE CHALLENG OVERCOMING 27/06/2018

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ISSUE 6 2018

The Social Side

ON SETTING UP SOCIAL MEDIA

Irish Gold A NEW OIL

IN TOWN

#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIRE IES HOTEL TOILETR TECH HOSPITALITY

D LENGES AHEA NG THE CHAL OVERCOMI 27/06/2018

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Cafe | Bistro | Restaurant ISSUE 6 2018

Located just off Main Street, Granard this property forms part of what will be Granard's new visitor centre.

The Social Side

ON SETTING UP SOCIAL MEDIA

Irish Gold A NEW OIL

IN TOWN

#TRENDING INTERIOR DESIRE HOTEL TOILETRIES TECH HOSPITALITY

GES AHEAD THE CHALLEN OVERCOMING 27/06/2018

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Follow Us

@ashvilleteam /ashvillemedia

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Getting customers through the door is hard. Getting them to stay is easy.

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“It’s so important that we’re really serving a top class coffee.”

Bill Kelly Managing Director Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa Co. Wexford

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Call our expert team on 01 880 9300 or email info@javarepublic.com to arrange a time that suits you.

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NEWS Chef Vuyisile Mbangiwa and Chef Sinqobizitha Mguni, from Zimbabwe.

‘PIONEER’ MYRTLE ALLEN LAID TO REST Photo: Marc O’Sullivan

Myrtle Allen, founder of Ballymaloe House, passed away in June at the age of 94 following a short battle with pneumonia. With her husband Ivan, Myrtle opened her home as a restaurant and hotel in 1964, which quickly gained a reputation as a gourmet destination, and later established Ireland’s Blue Book with ten other Irish Country House Hotels. She was the first Irish woman to be awarded a Michelin star.

“This amazing lady started Ballymaloe House to show Ireland and the rest of the world how our own Irish fresh local ingredients were the way to go. In the old days we imported so much. Myrtle showed us all how to utilise fresh local ingredients available on our doorstep, and to be proud of our heritage by supporting our local artisan producers,” said Sallyanne Clarke from l’Ecrivain. “They have flourished with her encouragement.

The entire food industry owe so much to the ‘Mother of Irish Cooking’. She was a rebel in her day with passion and a mission.

She never stopped promoting our food and indeed our homegrown chefs and cooks too. We owe her a debt of gratitude. She will be very fondly remembered as a wonderful hard-working lady in every sense of the word, and sadly missed by us all.”

RESTAURANTS WELCOME REFUGEE CHEFS Restaurants and food businesses across Ireland welcomed refugee chefs into their kitchens in June as part of The Irish Refugee Food Festival and World Refugee Day on June 20th. The Festival was one of a series of events organised by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, showcasing the skills and sharing the culinary heritage of chefs and bakers with refugee status or applications currently under consideration.

Restaurants and food businesses included Eastern Seaboard in Drogheda, Kai in Galway, The Tannery in Dungarvan and Dublin’s Heron & Grey.

“Despite the difficult and tragic circumstances in which people flee, we should not forget that refugees bring skills and talents to their new homes,” said Enda O’Neill, Head of Office with UNHCR Ireland. “With the right to work being introduced for asylum seekers, the Refugee Food Festival aims to connect people with employers that are eager for their experience and know-how.”

TOURISM PROMOTION TARGETS SPANIARDS Tourism Ireland has partnered with Logitravel, one of Spain’s largest online travel agents, to raise awareness of Ireland’s potential as a fantastic holiday destination. Running until mid-July to benefit from late booking patterns among Spanish holidaymakers, the campaign is highlighting iconic attractions including the Cliffs of Moher, the Giant’s Causeway and the Rock of Cashel. According to Barbara Wood, Tourism Ireland’s Manager in Spain, it’s an important market for tourism, with a record 443,200 visitors from Spain to Ireland last year.

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Myrtle Allen

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Photo: Andrew Twort

Carte D’Or has launched a new range of desserts for the Irish foodservice industry.

The range includes five powder mix options, aimed at helping food businesses to expand their dessert menu without the additional workload – the mix can be whipped up in three to four steps. “The team has developed some fantastic and creative desserts, ranging from a simple stem ginger crème caramel to a set lemon cream, that will give any menu a delicious finale,” said Audrey Crone, Executive Chef at Unilever Food Solutions Ireland.

BIG MOVES FOR VICAR STREET VENUE Dublin music venue Vicar Street is in line for a redevelopment that will see the addition of a four-star 185-bedroom hotel. Planning permission has reportedly been granted for a project that will also include increased venue capacity and a makeover of the five bars.

Photo: Jack Hardy

CARTE D’OR EXPANDS RANGE

Adare Manor’s Dunraven Stateroom bedroom.

ADARE MANOR RECEIVES AWARDS NOD Adare Manor has been nominated in the Hotel of the Year category at the Virtuoso Best of the Best Awards 2018.

Virtuoso is an international network of the world’s top luxury travel agencies, with more than 17,500 advisors and a portfolio of almost 1,700 preferred partners.

Voting for the overall winner closed on June 12th, with the winner to be announced at the Virtuoso Travel week in Las Vegas on August 15th.

“We are delighted to be nominated in the Virtuoso ‘Best of the Best Awards’ this year for ‘Hotel of the Year’. It has been a very exciting few months since our reopening last November, and to now be nominated is a huge honour,” said Paul Heery, Adare Manor’s General Manager. “We have received huge support both locally and internationally over the past few months, and this nomination is a great testament to our worldclass team, offering a personalised service, ensuring guests enjoy every minute they spend at Adare Manor. The luxury surroundings and fine dining at the resort makes a visit to us a truly memorable home from home experience.”

GOURMET BOOST IN MAYO Nuala Ginnelly, Mulranny Tourism and Olivia Kelly from An Port Mór in Westport, at the Gourmet Greenway showcase dinner in Mulranny Park Hotel.

Photo: Frank Dolan

Mayo’s Gourmet Greenway food trail has been underway for some seven years now, but has received a boost in the form of a recent gala dinner hosted by the Mulranny Park Hotel with the aim of showcasing a variety of great local food. A busy calendar of events for 2018 is well underway, including jazz sessions at The Blue Bicycle Tea Rooms in Newport from May to October, a Taste of the Sea Weekend at Newport House from August 25th to 27th, and an experience of the very best of Mayo lamb at Westport’s An Port Mór between September 10th to 16th.

“The Gourmet Greenway was created as a food trail to showcase the wonderful artisan food in the vicinities of Mulranny, Newport, Westport and Achill,” the Mulranny Park Hotel notes. “With the Great Western Greenway as its backdrop, the Gourmet Greenway matches stunning scenery with delicious food.”

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Photo: Sean Byrne Photography

CONRAD DUBLIN ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP

DUNGARVAN HOTEL ANNOUNCES REFURBISHMENT DETAILS

Photo: Paul Rogers

Robbie Whelan, IUBH Campus Director, Dublin; Martin Mangan, Conrad Dublin; and Olivia Hausen, IUBH Partner Manager, Dublin.

Conrad Dublin has announced a new partnership with IUBH Dublin, offering Hospitality Masters graduate placements at the five-star hotel. The IUBH University of Applied Sciences, based in Germany, is opening two new Irish locations in October 2018 – Dublin and Killarney.

“As a company with a major reputation for hospitality studies in Germany with many partner hotels, it was vital that our first hotel partner in Dublin for our Hospitality Masters graduate placements was a well-established brand with a strong culture – I don’t think we could have imagined back in January, when we started IUBH Dublin, that the famous Dublin Conrad would be our first partner hotel,” said Robbie Whelan, Campus Director, IUBH. “We are delighted to work with The Conrad, and look forward to a very fruitful and long partnership with this iconic Dublin hotel.”

EASYHOTEL TO OPEN IN BELFAST

Pictured are owner/developer, David Crowe and director, Kevin Baird.

The island’s first budget easyHotel is set to open in Belfast this September. Some 60 jobs have been created during construction with a further 30 direct and indirect positions available once the hotel opens. The easyHotel model focuses on travellers looking for simple comfort, central locations and great value. easyHotel Belfast will feature 81 bedrooms, free WiFi, and a coffee shop on the ground floor.

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HOTEL

The Park Hotel, Dungarvan has unveiled details of its €400,000 refurbishment project, which began earlier this year and is mostly complete. Forty per cent of its bedrooms will be upgraded, alongside investment in the leisure centre and lobby. The overall investment is expected to bring the hotel up to four-star standard, and comes as part of a major €3 million investment in refurbishment works across the Flynn Hotel group’s four properties.

Matt Johnson; David Wood, Tourism Ireland; Ellie Fulcher, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (sponsor); and Sarah Jeffery.

IRELAND WINS GROUP TRAVEL AWARD Ireland has been voted as the ‘Best European Destination’ for groups at The Group Travel Awards in London for the second year running. Ireland beat off stiff competition from the likes of Italy, Germany, Paris and the Netherlands.

“Travellers nowadays have tremendous choice, which makes it more important than ever for us to ensure the island of Ireland stands out from other destinations – so this award is good news indeed, reminding group organisers around Britain that Ireland is the ideal choice,” said Tourism Ireland’s Head of Great Britain, Julie Wakley.

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Photos: Andres Poveda Photography

Photo: Sean Byrne Photography

Chefs Denise Murray, Vourneen Hennessy and Owen Lennon at the launch of the new culinary degree.

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THE ROOT OF COOKING A new culinary degree programme at IT Tallaght and Airfield Estate aims to bring chefs back to the root of cooking on the farm. The Honours Degree in Botanical Cuisine will allow chefs to grow their own produce and innovate in line with current food trends. The one-year part-time programme is aimed at chefs with extensive industry experience or those with previous culinary qualifications. Students on the course will learn more about topics including wild food, foraging and new methods of preservation, and will be given a hands-on learning environment in Airfield Estate. The programme will commence in September and applications are now open.

HYATT PLANS IRISH HOTEL FOR 2019 Hyatt Hotel Corporation has announced plans for its first Hyatt property in Ireland. Hyatt Centre The Liberties Dublin (right) is expected to open in May 2019 with 234 bedrooms, managed by Hodson Bay Group Management Ltd. Among its facilities will be a state-of-the-art gym and social spaces.

“We are excited to bring the first Hyatt Centric hotel to Ireland,” said John O’Sullivan, Chairman of Hodson Bay Group. “The Liberties has been inhabited more than 1,000 years and is the oldest part of Dublin, which is currently experiencing a complete regeneration as part of Dublin City Council’s plans to create a launch pad to explore the culture and heritage of the city. The Hyatt Centric brand is perfect for guests who want to immerse themselves in the heart of this vibrant city.”

n r Culi r ary u o Y artne P

GOURMET ZERO SUGAR NATURAL JELLY

LEFT: Jason Ballard, Regional Vice President Hyatt Hotels, EAME and Johnny O’Sullivan, Director with Hodson Bay Group.

INCHYDONEY SCOOPS SPA AWARD Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa has won Best Spa and Leisure Offering at the recent Travel Media Awards. Ruth McCarthy, Director of Sales & Marketing, spoke about her pride in the hotel and its award-winning team.

“Our team is so passionate about each guest that walks through our door, making Inchydoney a home away from home, enjoying the setting, good food and treatments the Island Spa provides,” she said. “We are thrilled that our hard work has been recognised by the judges and media who voted for us and we look forward to continuing to offer our guests the very best experience at Inchydoney Island Lodge Hotel & Spa.”

Features & Benefits * Delicious exquisite sweet tasting jellys without sugar for you to enjoy! * Available in Orange, Raspberry and Strawberry flavours * Suitable for vegetarians & vegan diets * Sugar Free no teeth enamel disintegration or dental cavities. * Diabetic Friendly * Gluten Free, G.M.O Free & Lactose Free * Fat Free half the calories of regular jellies * Allergen Free * Natural ingredients abstracted from plants only used * Stevia and Maltitol are natural sweeteners used in Gourmet jelly * No gelatine used * No artifical colours or preservatives used

SUPPLY - CHAIN ENQUIRIES: paul@oohnatural.eu

Ooh! Natural Food Company Lacken House, Lacken, County Wicklow, Ireland Tel: 353 83 1944177 Email: paul@oohnatural.eu

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Partner PROFILE

DEVELOPING

POTENTIAL

FÁILTE IRELAND HAS BEEN BUSY UNVEILING A RANGE OF NEW SUPPORTS AND INITIATIVES FOR IRISH TOURISM.

FÁILTE IRELAND

AWARDS PROJECT FUNDING

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Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin with Jenny DeSaulles, Fáilte Ireland (centre) and Anna O'Sullivan, Butler Gallery at Evan’s Almshouse in Kilkenny, among the first of 24 shortlisted projects. Photo: Pat Moore

áilte Ireland recently announced €2.5 million in funding for the first three visitor attractions through its Grants Scheme for Large Tourism Projects 2020. The VAULTS.LIVE® in Dublin, Kilkenny’s Butler Gallery and Sligo Pontoon Jetty are the first of 24 shortlisted projects to be awarded delivery grants under the scheme for implementation of their projects. The scheme provides investment to develop new, or boost existing, tourism experiences and attractions across Ireland.

Capital investment is a key driver for tourism growth and the creation of jobs in the sector. It is also vital in successfully and consistently delivering excellent visitor experiences, ensuring that Ireland’s tourism industry is strong and competitive into the future. Through its range of capital investment programmes, Fáilte Ireland works with visitor sites and attractions across every region to ensure the whole country has a strong tourism offering all year round.

In addition, the National Tourism Development Authority announced €2.4m in funding for visitor attractions in Ireland’s Ancient East through its Storytelling Interpretation Grants Scheme for projects in Cork, Kildare, Monaghan, Carlow, Waterford, Wicklow and Tipperary.

TOURISM BUSINESSES GET READY FOR NEW MARKETS A recent Fáilte Ireland conference, ‘Winning Business from Emerging Markets’, held in Croke Park saw over 150 tourism businesses hear industry experts outline the key to successfully win business from new emerging tourism markets including China, India and the Gulf States.

Delegates at the showcase event heard of the potential of these markets and were provided with insights and tips on how to capture market share.

The conference was held as part of Fáilte Ireland’s work to assist tourism businesses to diversify their market mix and reduce the risks currently posed by Brexit.

Pictured is Paul Kelly, Fáilte Ireland CEO (centre) with Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland CEO and Tracey Coughlan, Emerging Markets Business Development Manager at Fáilte Ireland. Photo Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography

HOTEL

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Partner PROFILE

LOCAL EXPERTS PROGRAMME TO

WELCOME VISITORS

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áilte Ireland has held a series of successful workshops recently in Limerick, Sligo and Letterkenny to introduce its KNOW Local Experts Programme initiative. The workshops have seen large numbers of people involved in the tourism sector and the local community attend to learn more about welcoming and engaging with visitors.

At the core of the Programme is a network of local people who come together to share local knowledge to help visitors make the most of their time. The Programme will also feature a number of annual events, social media initiatives, a visitor attractions pass and the future development of a tourism business network.

Those seeking more information on the Programme can email localexperts@failteireland.ie.

Pictured at the KNOW Limerick Local Experts Programme Initiative were Brid Duggan, Tommy Roche, Niamh Mannion (Fáilte Ireland) and Pat Reddan.

Photo: Pat Moore

SAVOUR THE GREENWAY

SERVING UP CHANGE FOR IRELAND’S FOOD NETWORKS Fáilte Ireland recently announced a new nine-month Step Change programme for Food Networks from Kerry, Sligo and Wexford to improve the impact of visitor experiences locally through food. The new programme, which kicked off at the Savoy Hotel in Limerick, will help the Food Networks (which promote food and tourism packages in their local areas) to play an enhanced role in tourism in their region. Networks will receive a food-focused visitor evaluation of their destination, participate in a number of structured development workshops, and connect with other food network leaders to share best practice and new insights around experience development.

The initiative will gradually be rolled out to other Food Networks throughout the country.

HOTEL

Plans to make the Waterford Greenway a top culinary destination with the potential to attract more overseas visitors and drive significant growth in the area have been unveiled. The new ‘Savour the Greenway’ programme seeks to maximise the appeal of the Waterford Greenway, a 46km offroad cycling and walking trail from Waterford city to the coastal town of Dungarvan. Fáilte Ireland will work alongside Waterford County Council and Food the Waterford Way to deliver training programmes for almost 50 enterprises along the Waterford Greenway.

Tina O'Dwyer (Greenway Programme), Bríd Kirby (LEO), Dermot Madigan (Mulranny Park Hotel), Eimhin Ni Chonchuir (Food the Waterford Way), Mary Houlihan and Deirdre Cole (Fáilte Ireland), Richie Walsh (LEO) and Ronan O'Farrell (O'Farrell Food Consultants) at the Food the Waterford Way industry expo. Photo: Karen Dempsey

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BUSINESS MATTERS

Hotel & Catering Review spoke to BoomMedia’s Rob Tierney to discover his top tips in setting up a social media presence for your business.

I Rob Tierney. Photo: Johnny Stewart

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n this day and age, people look at you strangely if you don’t maintain a presence on social media. After all, brands of all shapes and sizes across the globe target their specific audience via digital platforms – a useful method of connecting with potential customers than might otherwise be possible.

If you’ve decided to take the plunge, you need to be prepared. One of the first steps ns getting your profile right is ensuring that the information on the pages you’ve set up is correct, that photos and videos are good quality, and overall ensuring that new visitors have a positive experience immediately. “It’s just making sure

that, when you’re getting started, that all of the information is there that you need,” explains Rob Tierney from BoomMedia, a full-service social media agency.

So what are the best platforms?

According to Rob, and for sheer size alone, every business should be on Facebook, which he describes as a more sales-orientated outlet. Instagram works wonders for brand awareness and has grown over the last year or so, particularly among those aged between 24 and 40. Twitter is a good customer service avenue and allows you to join in a conversation using hashtags, particularly around events. Snapchat, he says, is tailored towards a younger audience, a reactive platform primarily

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BUSINESS MATTERS

TOP TIPS

Not replying to messages is used by 18-24 year olds and more a big one too. For example, you relevant to bars and nightclubs. might notice a little badge on Choosing the right social media Facebook pages that shows the provider and ensuring you’ve got a great profile is one thing, but all of your initial response rate to messages, with ‘Very Responsive’ the optimum goal. hard work can fall apart if you don’t If a business isn’t quick or up-to-date ensure there’s a consistent message on in responding to messages it can cost what are fast-moving platforms. “The them in terms of how quality of the content is people perceive their very important as well,” customer service.

Rob explains when “The last thing I’d we ask about growing say is relying solely and engaging a digital I THINK THE on organic reach,” audience. “If you’re says Rob. “The putting up bad content BIGGEST THING platforms over the people will zone out fairly IS OVERSELLING. last number of years quick from it.” have moved towards Rob also notes that DON’T getting people to making use of microOVERSELL pay for their ads targeting systems on and boosting posts.

Facebook, Instagram or ON SOCIAL It’s very important Twitter is important in MEDIA. SOCIAL that companies engaging the right people are... putting more and expanding your MEDIA IS A money into their reach, focusing on specific PLATFORM... budgets. Relying individuals or small groups on organic reach, of like-minded people.

[PEOPLE] DON’T you’re not going “So, let’s say if you’re a ACTUALLY GO to fully maximise wedding hotel, you can your engagement. target people who recently THERE TO BE A mixture between got engaged,” he adds. “If SOLD TO, THEY organic and paid is you can get the constant very important.” message, the right content GO THERE TO That all might and the correct targeting, sound rather that’s really the best way ENJOY THE overwhelming – not to engage. You’re onto a EXPERIENCE. only do you have winner there.” to establish a social media presence but PITFALLS ensure that consistent and quality That’s not to say that there aren’t any content is delivered to your audience challenges. When it comes to social on a regular basis, as well as identifying media you’ve got to effectively manage and catering to specific segments of your time, deal with customers who your audience. Thankfully, a number may highlight issues in a very public of tools have popped up over the arena, work on a budget or perhaps ensure your employees are onboard and years to make life a little easier. Take Canva, a free tool that helps you create understand your strategy. images and graphics for social media “I think the biggest thing is campaigns; Tweetdeck is another useful overselling. Don’t oversell on social option for managing Twitter accounts. media. Social media is a platform...

“Hootsuite is a great tool for [people] don’t actually go there to scheduling messages, scheduling be sold to, they go there to enjoy the posts and making sure basically that experience. If you’re overselling or everything is ready to go for the week bombarding your audience they’ll switch off very quickly from your posts,” ahead if you’re time poor,” Rob explains.

“Sprout Social is a great one for insights Rob advises. “Overposting, as well, and analytics. We use Sprout Social... is something to avoid. Quality over you can cover all Facebook, Instagram, quantity is very important. For instance checking your engagement levels, your on a Facebook page – if you have two or impressions – it’s a very useful tool for three quality posts that’s better than 20 that kind of analytics.” poor posts over the course of a week.”

GETTING STARTED: TOP TIPS FROM OUR SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT SARA PÉREZ MARTÍNEZ MORE IS LESS Usually businesses set up profiles on every single social media channel, ending up with a lot of platforms and not enough content or time for any of them. Generally, their audience mostly uses one or two, so a presence on other channels can be a waste of time.

Choose the platforms that make the most sense for your business.

DISCOVER YOUR AUDIENCE Investigate who your audience is, what time are they going to be online, how they like to interact with brands, where they like to spend their time and what kind of content they like to see on their screens. If you are a hotel whose demographic is young people aged between 25 to 35 they will like to see the pool, activities, parties, ways to enjoy the city or town and so on. If your audience is married couples between 40 and 50, you will have to change the content to fit their interests.

DEVELOP A CONTENT STRATEGY The ultimate goal of social media is to raise awareness for the brand and win sales, but there is a fine line between raising awareness and coming across as only interested in selling your product. You need a content strategy in place, where you go from promoting your business to offering your audience valuable content that they can use, such as the best places to eat around the hotel. You should track the results, see what content works best, the wording of that post, and post time. You should also be flexible in changing the strategy to make it more effective when required.

INTERACTION AND INTEREST IS KEY Answer messages, comments and even photos you are tagged in as a brand. This includes negative comments – be polite and never lose your patience as your response can follow the brand forever.

CHECK OUT THE LANDSCAPE If you are just starting out with social media, there are bigger and more successful brands that have already done everything you are planning to do. Review and take notes of what seems to be working for them or identify what hasn’t been done already. Social media is a crowded field and those who stand out get a bigger piece of the cake.

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COVER STORY

Beating

Brexıt With the date for Britain’s exit from the EU fast approaching, Hotel & Catering Review examines the current state of play in Ireland’s hospitality sector and assesses what those businesses should be doing to prepare beforehand.

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INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES NEED TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN AS COMPETITIVE AS POSSIBLE AND OFFER GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY.

lthough there is less than a year to go until the UK exits the EU, no definitive account of what Ireland’s relationship with our nearest neighbours will look like has emerged. The issue of a hard border, thought to have been solved late last year, seems to be up in the air once more, while even the possibility of air travel disruption between Ireland and the UK can’t yet be ruled out. Businesses operating within the hospitality and tourism sectors are understandably concerned despite a positive start to the year in terms of increased overseas arrivals and access capacity – after all, Great Britain is a vital market for Irish tourism, delivering 47 per cent of all overseas visitors and around 30 per cent of overseas tourism revenue. So, with mere months to go until Brexit becomes set in stone and the UK leaves the EU for good, is Irish hospitality and tourism ready for what’s to come?

“It’s a very mixed story,” says Martina Bromley, Head of Enterprise & Hospitality Development with Fáilte Ireland. Last year saw a drop of seven per cent in British tourists visiting Ireland, down to four per cent so far in 2018. “It would still be substantial from any market’s perspective and any business to be losing that market share. But the situation seems to have been buoyed a little by other markets doing much, much better... [businesses are] seeing an increase from European [visitors] and obviously from the US market and from other developing markets as well. That seems to have camouflaged in some ways the direct impact.”

In the two years since the UK voted to leave the EU, a number of measures or steps have been taken by the Irish Government, including developing contingency plans, lobbying for a soft border in Northern Ireland, and the recent €300 million Brexit Loan Scheme – 40 per cent of which was put aside for food and drinks businesses. Fáilte Ireland

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has been proactive in its approach to the issue through its comprehensive Get Brexit Ready programme launched last September, which has engaged with around 1,600 tourism businesses. The initiative focuses on areas such as retention of the Great Britain market (working around added value, value for money, new opportunities in the GB market and more), opportunities in new and emerging markets beyond those in Britain, Europe and the US in tandem with Tourism Ireland, and the capabilities of both businesses and people – increasing efficiencies, boosting sales capabilities and much more. Take its Service Excellence programme, which has been well-received by the industry and ensures that tourism businesses can deliver the best possible visitor experience.

Strategic management programmes have also been run in conjunction with the Irish Management Institute, with more than 20 different businesses completing a nine-month programme resulting in a full international sales development plan.

“Brexit has really made us look at what are those challenges, what are those issues and then, with our industry, working out a plan – a programme that really will make a difference,” Bromley explains. “I think the fact that we can be proactive and reactive to those challenges and issues has really been very well-received by the industry.”

But more can undoubtedly be done in the coming months. Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Chief Executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC), argues that the tourism sector hasn’t been given any focused Brexit attention by the Government, calling for a specific Brexit mitigation fund to be introduced in the upcoming Budget to allow the sector to diversify from the UK market. Irish Hotel Federation (IHF) Chief Executive Tim Fenn is of a similar opinion and believes that there are more steps to be taken by the State.

“While Government cannot influence the economic conditions affecting other countries, there is a wide policy range of measures within their control to ensure that the right business environment exists to withstand the negative impact of Brexit. These include retaining measures such as the 9 per cent VAT rate and zero travel tax, for example, which have been hugely significant in underpinning the recovery of the tourism sector,” he said in a statement to Hotel & Catering Review, echoing similar points from his counterpart in the ITIC. “More also needs to be done to help improve competitiveness by tackling the high costs that are stifling business in Ireland, such as insurance. We welcome the Government’s recognition of the impact of insurance costs on hotels and guesthouses and the wider business sector. The priority now is the swift implementation of the recommendations and conclusions of the Cost of Insurance Working Group (CIWG) on employer and public liability insurance costs.”

New product development is also critical, and the success of initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East have demonstrated how programmes with sufficient funding can spread tourist penetration to new parts of the country. “We must build on that success.

The recent launch of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands by Fáilte Ireland is very welcome as it will support areas of the country that are particularly exposed to the impact of Brexit,” Fenn added. “However, additional dedicated marketing funds are required to help Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to implement the mitigation measures they are working on with industry so we can continue with sustainable tourism growth.”

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ABOVE: Fáilte Ireland’s Martina Bromley at a China Ready networking event. Photo: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography

FOR MANY BUSINESSES, DIVERSIFYING INTO NEW MARKETS COULD PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THEIR SURVIVAL AND GROWTH IN A POST-BREXIT WORLD.

RESPONSIBILITY But there’s also an onus on private businesses to take their own steps to secure their future.

While there’s something of a tourism boom at the moment driven by markets outside of the UK, the industry and individual businesses need to ensure they remain as competitive as possible and offer good value for money.

“There’s a tourism boom at the moment and when demand exceeds supply there’s a temptation to push prices up,” says Eoghan O’Mara Walsh. “We do have to stay competitive to ensure that we don’t get out of kilter and be seen as expensive to the international visitor.”

For many businesses, diversifying into new markets could play a key role in their survival and growth in a post-Brexit world, while still recognising the major growth potential in those markets in mainland Europe and North America. It’s something that many industry stakeholders have considered in their Brexit response – the ITIC in its recent 2025 tourism strategy document identified the potential from new and emerging markets such as China (albeit noting that the main growth is likely to come from North America and mainland Europe), while Fáilte Ireland has urged businesses to target visitors from the likes of India, China and the Gulf region.

Take the Orchard Centre in Co Wicklow, a visitor centre operated by dairy farmer Joe Hayden, who also supplies milk to Baileys.

Hayden was among those in attendance at a recent Fáilte Ireland conference on winning business in new emerging markets, as part of the organisation’s Get Brexit Ready

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An Indian event at the Orchard Centre in June 2018. Left: Cattle grazing on the Wicklow farmland.

Eoghan O’Mara Walsh at the launch of ITIC’s ‘Tourism: An Industry Strategy for Growth to 2025’ on March 20th last.

Photo: Maxwells

programme. “The definite plan is to expand into new markets – new markets for us are primarily in Asia,” Hayden explains. “We’ve been very fortunate in that we have had experience in that market over the past eight years, particularly in India.”

A lot of Fáilte Ireland’s work at the moment revolves around this topic, getting the industry ready for those three markets in particular. It’s not as simple as deciding one day that you’re going to focus on increasing your visitors from China – there are cultural issues or practices to consider, often as simple as handing over a business card in two hands. “They have cultural nuances and various [other] elements that you need to be aware of,” Bromley explains. “[Chinese people] don’t like their feet to touch the ground, so having slippers is a very important element.”

Being aware of these cultural differences is key – as is examining your products and services. “I think the most important things to focus on are your products and services, your payment options – consider UnionPay cards, Alipay – and also your communication,” Dublin Airport’s Edel Redmond advised, speaking at the recent Fáilte Ireland conference. “Communication is key with the Chinese passengers and tourists to Ireland in particular. WeChat is essential for communicating, using QR codes in all of your products and services so they can easily and efficiently understand the product offering that you have.”

THE ROAD AHEAD O’Mara Walsh highlights a number of key steps that must be taken in the coming months and years if Irish hospitality and tourism is to survive and thrive, not just in the short-term but the medium and long-term also.

Those, he notes, include the maintenance of the Common Travel Area and a soft border with Northern Ireland, a regulatory environment that would prevent the UK from providing its tourism sector with an unfair advantage, and the continuation of an all-island marketing strategy. A resolution to the UK’s departure from the Single Aviation Market is also required, which could impact greatly not just on tourism but trade – when the UK leaves the Single Market it will also leave the Single Aviation Market. In theory, UK airlines will not have a license to fly into Ireland and vice versa for an Irish airline flying into the UK. It seems incredible that that could be allowed to unfold but it’s the reality on the ground (or

POSITIVE SPIN While there are plenty of negative aspects to Brexit, the move could also have a positive impact in acting as an added incentive for businesses to review their operations and strengthen their position in the years ahead.

Preparing for the worst-case scenario could help hospitality and tourism businesses to weather the storm of any future challenges beyond Brexit.

“That’s what we’ve been saying from the very start,” says Martina Bromley. “I think the opportunity is always there for businesses to become streamlined, to become more efficient in their operations.”

in the air) at present unless a new or amended aviation agreement is established before next March arrives.

Despite these challenges and in the presence of huge uncertainty, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Martina Bromley notes that there has been strong engagement with Fáilte Ireland’s range of Brexit supports in recent months, which bodes well for the survival and success of individual businesses during what will be a tumultuous time for many industries. For his part, O’Mara Walsh is cautiously optimistic about the road ahead, though he notes that the end result could depend on the nature of Brexit itself.

“Yes, in the short answer,” he replies when I ask whether he has a positive outlook on the sector’s ability to cope with the changes and challenges it faces, though it’s tempered with a warning. “If there’s a hard Brexit – which we hope there’s not going to be, but that is to a certain extent going to be determined by political manoeuvres in Brussels and London – it makes things difficult. But if there’s a soft-ish Brexit and, if we employ the right strategies and policies then, yes, we think the future for Irish tourism can be very bright. By 2025 we estimate that there can be about 80,000 more jobs throughout the country in Irish tourism and the sector as a whole can grow by about 65 per cent... but that’s predicated on the correct policies and the correct investment strategies, and there are a lot of enabling factors that are required to achieve that. So what we’re saying is that tourism’s future is bright, but it’s not going to happen unless there are proactive, pro-tourism initiatives both from government and the industry itself.”

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A Family Affair FINANCE

If the topic of family succession is on your mind, we’ve got some tips to help you consider the issue.

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assing ownership of a family business from one generation to the next might seem like a simple process to some, but there are plenty of challenges along this path. After all, these businesses often possess unique traits and working dynamics that don’t translate to those outside the family or business.

While a well-executed succession process could revitalise a company’s fortunes and provide new direction or inspiration, there’s also the potential to develop or create tensions between family members. It’s a necessary process for this business model yet, according to PwC’s Family Business Survey from 2016, 43 per cent of family businesses don’t have a succession plan in place, one-third survive into the second

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generation, and only 12 per cent of these firms survive to a third generation. While it can be a touchy subject, avoiding the topic could be catastrophic for the future of the business.

“Succession planning is even more important where there are some family members working in the business and some not. In many of these cases, issues like ownership and entitlement may not have even been discussed or considered, which means different people are making different assumptions about the future,” noted Simon Le Maistre, Partner in PwC’s Australian Family Business practice. “In these circumstances, we spend a lot of time sitting with family members, to work through a fair way forward. This can prevent conflict, and help the family become more unified for the future.”

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suited? Does your preferred successor possess the necessary skills to run a business, or do they even want to take over? Would the appointment of a non-family member at the helm cause a rift but ultimately prove positive for the future of the company? Or could the sale of the company to an outside party be the best option? These may be emotive questions, and assessing the skills of relatives with a critical eye can be difficult, but they need to be discussed in detail or it could prove fatal for the business down the line.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY Communication should be a key part of the process from beginning to end and clear, formal communication channels should be set up as early as possible – family business and council meetings should be held regularly. Parents should discuss their wishes with their children or other successors in detail, and all parties should be made aware of what they and/or other parties will be given or asked to take on. Communicating exactly what is involved with running and developing the business might also result in determining whether a potential candidate is up to the task.

OLD VS NEW Family firms must often embrace a certain challenge when handing over the reins of the business – the previous generation has a particular tradition or way of doing things, while the new generation perhaps wants to effect change and put their own stamp on the business. What’s important is that what has made the business successful to-date is clearly communicated while understanding that change (to varying degrees) is a natural and often necessary facet of business.

FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS The University College Dublin’s Centre for Family Business has suggested that following the 4-L Framework could help family businesses survive long-term. Outlined in a research paper by Mary Barrett from the University of Wollongong in Australia, this framework consists of four phases found within successful family firms.

These are: Learning business (through a third-level course, business experience etc.), Learning the family business (the next generation discovers the family firm’s values and reasons for success), Learn to lead (implementing business knowledge), and Learning to let go (the outgoing CEO develops an appropriate exit strategy). Following these steps isn’t always easy, as the emotional elements of family life and relationships could prove difficult to ignore and cause conflicts and contradictions.

START EARLY It’s not easy to consider taking a step back from a business to which you have perhaps given decades of your life. Still, it’s best to begin the process as soon as you can to iron out any potential issues – waiting until an event such as an illness or death can result in a more rushed, less cohesive and possibly conflicted affair. The longer you have to plan the succession process, the smoother it should be.

ADDRESS THE AWKWARD QUESTIONS It may be difficult, but you need to ask the hard questions when putting a succession plan in place. Is your child or planned successor the right person to manage the company, or would a management team be better

TRANSITION As we mentioned, simply leaving a family business is tough, so easing the transition by switching from the role of CEO to Chairperson could make matters easier. As chairperson you would steer clear of operational management and the day-to-day business activities while still having a say on the agenda of the business, but this role should be clearly defined.

SEEK HELP Seeking help and guidance from a qualified independent advisor is an important step, particular from a taxation and legal perspective, and they will be in a position to comment on the process without being affected by the family’s history or politics. A range of accountancy and consultancy firms offer this service or, if you’re a member of the Small Firms Association, you can access more detailed information on what can be a very complex and delicate subject.

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FOOD HEROES

Irish

Peter McCloskey, founder of Collar of Gold, chats to Conor Forrest about how his natural Irish vegetable oil is making waves among Irish chefs.

GOLD

FOR MANY PEOPLE, A FRIED EGG COMING OFF THE PAN WITH COLLAR OF GOLD IS A REVELATION...

THE FIRST TIME THEY’VE ACTUALLY TASTED THE EGG AND NOT THE OIL.

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F

or the most part, chefs have a choice of one of two edible oils – those that are chemically extracted and chemically refined (e.g. regular cooking oils), and those extracted using physical processes (coldpressed oils and their extra-virgin equivalents).

The latter contain all of the naturallyoccurring smells, taste and colour inherent in the oil and are usually pretty unstable for hot applications – for example, olive oil smokes around 190 degrees. The former see that smell, taste and colour removed during the refining process but can deteriorate under heat quite quickly and impart a taste of gone-off oil onto the food.

Collar of Gold, however, strikes a fine balance between the two. Produced in Drogheda, it’s a physically extracted rapeseed oil that lasts longer under heat and can also be used in cold applications; a natural vegetable oil that doesn’t imprint on the food. According to founder Peter McCloskey, it’s processed by cold-pressing, with water vapour used to remove the inherent strong taste.

“For many people, a fried egg coming off the pan with Collar of Gold is a revelation... the first time they’ve actually tasted the egg and not the oil,” he explains. “Collar of Gold is produced [without] using any intensive

chemical or heat processes... I have developed and protected a technology that uses only water vapour to remove all of the strong smell, taste and colour. As a result, it hasn’t been terminally damaged or chemically damaged. It retains its naturally-occurring lecithins and its fatty acid chains are unbroken. And what that means in plain English is that it makes the most extraordinary emulsifications, both hot and cold emulsifications.”

BUILDING A BUSINESS McCloskey’s background is in the food business – his family owns the Boyne Valley Group based in Drogheda. In search of something new, McCloskey began looking for a niche food product that could be made from ingredients produced in Ireland (the rapeseed is grown in Kildare and Wicklow).

“I wanted it to be something that would be entirely natural, that would fully play to Ireland’s high-quality food provenance,” he tells me. “I wanted it to be something that was very, very widely used. And I also wanted to do something that had a very high capital entry cost. I basically found that there are only two food staples not manufactured in Ireland, both of which we use in vast quantities. One is sugar and one is vegetable oil.”

Hitting on the idea of a light rapeseed oil, McCloskey spent over a year researching in

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preparation, travelling to academic institutions in Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany, and consulting various academic library repositories in Great Britain and mainland Europe. Then, over a period of time, he developed and improved the technology behind the product, registering and protecting it in 37 countries. Next up – the name. It had to be something that would encapsulate everything the product stands for, highlighting its purity, quality and homegrown status.

“I wanted something that could be instantly recognisable as an iconic Irish image. I thought about round towers and high crosses and things like that,” says McCloskey.

Most academics would agree that Ireland has among the finest collections of prehistoric

gold in the world. If you pay a visit to the National Museum in Dublin you’ll see a variety of lunulae (gold collars shaped like a crescent moon) and gorget (neck pieces ending in large circular plates). One of the most famous is the Gleninsheen Gorget, a gold collar discovered behind a rock fissure in the Burren in 1932. Dating back to between 700 and 800BC, it was bent in two before being seemingly hidden away for safekeeping, though it survived the millennia in one piece.

For McCloskey, inspiration had struck.

“We don’t know a lot about the people who made these. We know they are extraordinarily fine pieces of fine art... it’s not believed that there are goldsmiths on the planet who could replicate them to that quality,” he says. “They

Photo: Johnny Bambury

Photo: Miss Mels Photography

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The Next Step

were symbols of purity, royalty and the sun’s energy. And to me that seemed just the perfect device and connotations that I wanted the brand name to have.”

GROWTH Thus far, take-up has been strong, with Collar of Gold available across the country in a variety of cash and carries, food suppliers (such as La Rousse Foods and BD Foods) and independent retailers, as well as SuperValu stores nationwide since early 2018. Chefs are warming up to its potential, with the likes of Dublin’s Patrick Guilbaud, l’Ecrivian, and Chapter One, Eastern Seaboard in Drogheda and King Sitric in Howth adding Collar of Gold to their inventory (not to mention several in the UK), recognising its purity and thermal heat stability. Of course, they’re not simply taking the company’s word for it – a taste test is an important step.

“When I’m bringing sales representatives around, introducing the product to their chef customers, I say to them beforehand ‘Watch the chef ’s eyebrows when I give [them] a teaspoon of a taste halfway through the presentation,” says McCloskey. “Of course we all have immediate expectations when you take a teaspoon of cooking oil or vegetable oil into your mouth. You expect it to heavily coat your mouth, and you expect to maybe even spit to clear it out. Whereas every time with Collar of Gold, because of its purity and because of its ease of emulsification, it dissipates in the mouth.”

The product has gone through more stringent tests too. Michael McNamara, Lecturer in Culinary Arts with Dundalk Institute of Technology, devised a series of side-by-side tests to examine its effectiveness. The first saw plain potato wedges cooked in an extremely hot oven. Those cooked in regular cooking oil came out in uneven colours with an ‘unpleasant flavour typical of overused and cooked-out oil’. The batch cooked in Collar of Gold resulted in an even golden brown colour, with the smell and taste of caramelised potato starch.

Similarly positive results were reached in other uses – Collar of Gold came out on top when cooking pancakes in hot pans (superior taste noted), deep-frying doughnuts (10 batches without an oil change),

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Ireland imports a large amount of the vegetable oil used in the country, with the exception of a small amount of cold-pressed rapeseed oil, McCloskey explains. While Ireland currently doesn’t have an edible oil refinery, he notes that he will be commissioning one in Drogheda, an enormous capital investment in the business. “A very sophisticated plant with zero environmental footprint,” he says of those plans.

making mayonnaise at room temperature (no signs of cracking in the mixture), and in a variety of baked goods where it produced ‘perfect results that were similar to what would be expected from a good-quality butter’. Its longevity is important – whereas regular cooking oil typically breaks down after four hours when used at 170 degrees, Collar of Gold can last for up to 20 hours.

“It basically redefines the oil category,” McCloskey tells me. “I have a customer in London, for example, and he [runs] a posh fish and chip chain. He decided that he was going to use Collar of Gold with his potatoes, his chips. And his sales of chips have increased by 35 per cent.

People think he’s using and sourcing some super-magical potato and he won’t tell them the real reason. And the reason is that they’re now just tasting potato and caramelised potato starch rather than oil that is struggling to cope with the heat. It’s really a very good story.”

Peter McCloskey. Photo: F. McAllister

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Partner PROFILE

The SMART OPTION SMARTBOX ARE CREATING A NEW REVENUE STREAM FOR IRELAND’S HOTELS.

S

martbox Gift Experience is Europe’s leading experience gift marketing company.

They create and sell experience gifts as a marketing service for over 40,000 hotels, restaurants, spas and activity providers across Europe. A Smartbox gift experience box is purchased every five seconds online and in more than 12,000 retail and department stores across the continent, and they have sold more than 30 million

experiences over the last 10 years.

Over the next few months, they are aiming to partner with 2,000 experience providers across hotels, restaurants, spa and activity sectors in Ireland. They will roll out 24 premium-themed gift boxes for the Irish market.

Smartbox offers a low-cost marketing solution to acquire new customers. Their marketing service is 100 per cent success fee-based – there is no upfront fee, no annual fee, and you only

pay a fee when a new customer comes to your venue for the first time. After that, the customer is yours and you can then turn these customers into loyal ambassadors for your business.

Don’t just take our word for it, join the Irish partners who are already taking advantage!

HOTELS: • Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire • Gresham Riu Hotel, Dublin • Aberdeen Lodge Dublin

• Dublin Central Inn • Castle Hotel Dublin • Waterside House Hotel • Haddington Hotel • Slaney Manor RESTAURANTS: • La Maison • Mehek • Les Petit Pois • Bobo’s Burgers • The Purty Kitchen • Ramen • Le Bon Crubeen Restaurant • Le Petit Breton Restaurant

For more information, get in touch directly on 01 691 7198 or by email: partnercare@smartbox.com

JOIN THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE GIFT LEADER TO ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Smartbox Group, leader in Europe, present in 10 countries, with more than 40,000 partners, will be launching a range of premium themed gift boxes offering a selection of stay, gastronomy, wellness and adventure experiences across Ireland.

Contact us directly on 01-6917198 or partnercare@smartbox.com 2L_Smartbox_JM_Hotel&Catering.indd 1

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UTILITIES

GREEN Anx Patel, an experienced food entrepreneur and founder of ordering app GoKart, outlines five eco-friendly ideas to help make your restaurant greener.

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he restaurant business has never been an easy one, and with various issues such as staffing shortages and the cost of doing business, restaurateurs may have a real struggle ahead.

The vital ingredient for creating a sustainable and successful restaurant business is a strong business model that has considered every cost-cutting option and every way to appeal to and engage a customer base. World Environment Day ( June 5th) brought fresh attention to the importance of making modern businesses as green as they can be, and how an environmental consciousness can bring in customers and cut costs.

ADD SOME SEASONALITY TO YOUR SELECTIONS Worldwide importation and exportation of foodstuffs have all but been the death of seasonal food. While this is one of the factors that have made modern life overly comfortable, preventing people from having to go without their favourite tropical fruits and the like, this is not a good approach for a business with a conscience. The introduction of menus that take advantage of seasonal produce can be a great way to save money on imported goods – which simultaneously ensures better quality – and to prevent the pollution attached to long-haul transport. Not only this, but customers enjoy seeing a host of different offerings and it is a great way of introducing promotional festivals that make the most of the seasons and the foods they produce.

TRY THE DIY APPROACH Many assume that without an allotment and a retirement to enjoy, homegrown vegetables are not a viable option, but this simply isn’t true. Produce can be grown in boxes or pots and kept on rooftops, patios, conservatories or gardens. Not only is growing fruit and veg from scratch remarkably affordable and a good way to save money on deliveries, it is lots of fun and a brilliant selling point for an environmentally-friendly restaurant and their customers. While the summer can make the most of fruits, berries and cereals, basic ingredients such as onions, potatoes and herbs can be grown all year round. Customers will be eager to sample homegrown produce.

CHOOSE SUPPLIERS CLOSER TO HOME A well-functioning supply chain is integral to a restaurant with a long life and healthy income on its horizon. Any existing supply chain should be examined carefully and, if necessary, changes should be made. For example, are there any ingredients you could be sourcing from closer to home to save transport, or that you could be getting from a supplier who already sells you considerable amounts?

Technology is providing more ways to enhance the supply chain, such as ordering app GoKart, which provides a user-friendly platform through which

UTILITIES ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anx Patel (below) is the CEO of GoKart and a proven business visionary with 17 successful years of experience in retail, wholesale and technology.

He has a real passion for life and how we can use technology to improve the way we do business and manage our lives. GoKart is a fast-growth UK B2B business mobile trading platform that saves food businesses up to 20 per cent on their ingredients by combining their buying power in a simple to use ordering app. With the current struggles on the UK high street, Anx and his vision for GoKart is helping food businesses to prosper by controlling the cost of ingredients.

For more information, visit www.getgokart.com.

you can browse prices, place orders and schedule free delivery. By taking advantage of such solutions, restaurants can ensure that not only are they getting the best for their money, they’re thinking green while doing it.

OWN YOUR WASTE DISPOSAL Waste disposal services are at their most sophisticated, and governmental legislation is in place to ensure that all waste materials are disposed of in the most environmentally-conscious ways. Restaurants should be on board with these services to ensure that they are doing their part, but there are further steps that can be taken. Particularly if you are considering growing your own produce, an on-site composter is a cheap and easy way to make the most of your organic waste.

If you can complete the cycle and put your food waste back into the nourishment of your homegrown produce, this will really appeal to customers with a green agenda.

Elsewhere, make sure that all waste is properly separated and sent to the right methods of disposal.

Shop around for the best rates for recycling services to deal with your metal, paper and plastic waste to keep landfilled waste to a bare minimum.

MAKE SURE YOUR TEAM SUPPORTS YOUR GREEN ETHOS Any good business relies heavily on having a strong and supportive team that believes in and backs the values and objectives of the company. This is even more relevant when you have green credentials you are trying to maintain. Employees who do not share your passion for protecting the planet make a poor representation of you and your brand in your

IF YOU CAN COMPLETE THE CYCLE AND PUT YOUR FOOD WASTE BACK INTO THE NOURISHMENT OF YOUR HOMEGROWN PRODUCE, THIS WILL REALLY APPEAL TO CUSTOMERS WITH A GREEN AGENDA. absence, and their lack of interest may lead them to counteract the green practices you put in place.

For example, a staff member who doesn’t feel as strongly about proper waste disposal might just sneak mixed waste into a container without sorting it or checking where it is going. Not only does this violate the company’s values, but it will soon start to impact the bottom line. As they say, you are only as strong as your weakest link, so make sure that during the recruitment process you find people who you feel share your values and will make a good extension of yourself in the workplace.

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the of

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success

THE SOMERSET TOILETRY COMPANY Launched this summer, luxury toiletry provider The Somerset Toiletry Company is offering a new range of novelty shower gel products inspired by classic cocktails. Three different (and delicious) fragrances are available: Pina Colada, Cosmo and Mojito, available in 220ml bottles.

The company has been developing its line of products for almost two decades now, producing ownbranded toiletries and private label lines in over 50 countries across the globe.

Many hotels provide the same or similar toiletries – ordinary or cheap shampoos, lotions or bath gels. We pick out several interesting and quirky options to help boost your bathroom experience.

For more information see thesomersettoiletryco.co.uk.

PEARL+ Offering modern interpretations of Asia’s oldest skin treatments, the Pearl+ range of moisturising and detoxing hotel bars uses crushed natural pearl (alongside essential oils, white clay and activated charcoal) to restore lustre and smoothness to the skin. Founder Janet Jay was influenced by her Chinese grandmother, who shared the benefits of using crushed pearl in her own beauty regime. She creates small batches of handcrafted soaps in Portland, Oregon.

To discover more visit www.pearlplus.net.

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Photo: Trevor Hart

SUPPLY LINE

THE HANDMADE SOAP COMPANY The Handmade Soap Company’s Art Deco Collection is a nod to the roaring ‘20s, a blend of bergamot and musk initially inspired by an old Art Deco style bakery in Kells. The collection features a blend of natural ingredients and includes hand wash, hand lotion, hand cream, hand scrub, cuticle oil, candle and a diffuser. The company was launched in Meath in 2010, inspired by Australia’s vibrant handmade soap-making industry (where founder Donagh Quigley grew up), and all products are made in an upcycled linen mill in Slane.

For more, visit thehandmadesoapcompany.com.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS ESSENTIAL AMENITIES Based in Ohio, Essential Amenities supplies a wide range of products to the hospitality trade, including the fresh lime-infused Exotic Coral collection.

See www.essentialamenities.com.

OSME A variety of eco-friendly, skinfriendly and stylish toiletries, certified organic and made with natural ingredients, including a range for children and babies.

See www.gflamenities.com.

BURREN PERFUMERY

RITUALS The Happy Buddha Collection from Rituals is inspired by the ancient monk, infused with sweet orange (the Chinese symbol for good fortune and happiness) and cedar wood (skin soothing qualities) and designed to provide a burst of positivity and happiness. Who doesn’t want happy guests?

Photo: Mark Groen

See www.rituals.com for more information.

Perfumes and cosmetics made using natural and organic ingredients in the Burren by a small family company.

Unfortunately not currently available on a wholesale basis.

Visit burrenperfumery.com.

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Partner PROFILE

Craft Beer, Craft Character, Crafted Glass THE BEER BASIC SERIES IS THE PERFECT COMPANION FOR ANY BEER.

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ourmet beers, craft beers and new taste experiences have transcended from home brew to mainstream and now appear in trendy bars and upmarket gastronomy.

The customer demands not only a taste experience but the presentation too. Whether it’s pilsner, wheat beer or a rich dark beer, the Beer Basic series from German manufacturer Schott Zwiesel, with its elegant shapes, is the perfect companion.

Designed for lovers of advanced beer culture, the Beer Basic glass range offers the right shape for perfect drinking enjoyment. As a special highlight, they feature an effervescence point which until now has only been known in sparkling wine and champagne glasses. A tiny point in the bottom of the glass, barely visible to the naked eye, dissolves the carbon dioxide bound in the beer to enhance carbonation and foam. As a result, beer keeps its fresh draft

taste much longer and looks perfect in the glass.

No matter what the beer, there is a glass to get the best out of it and deliver that premium experience. The Beer Basic Craft Wheat features a ‘bulgy’ middle that tapers off towards the rim and which allows the aroma to unfold and gather in the narrower chimney. There is even a Craft Tasting glass that brings out both the fruity aromas of yeast and hearty malt aromas – the slightly flared rim of the glass facilitates

the flow of the beer to the tongue, greatly improving the flavour. Zwiesel Kristallglas has worked with experts to develop a concept that perfectly matches the variety and flavours in this new gourmet trend.

For a full explanation of craft beers, their characters and the optimum glass, see houseware.ie/crafted-for-character.

Advert 2 craft beer.pdf

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Interior DESIRE Dunloe Hotel & Gardens has reopened its doors following an 18-month renovation process.

In April, the five-star Dunloe Hotel & Gardens reopened following an 18-month renovation of its restaurant, bar, reception, lobby and lounge spaces. New life has been brought to the hotel as a result of this €18 million investment by the Liebherr family, with Swiss company Monoplan taking the lead on its design.

Public areas were redesigned and rebuilt to ensure optimum efficiency and accessibility, though the primary focus was to retain the hotel’s identity, combined with an interior design that echoes its tradition but lives up to the expectations of a five-star hotel.

The Grill Restaurant is characterised by natural light and fresh colours, with a double-height window providing diners with scenic views over the iconic Gap of Dunloe. In contrast, the lobby, library tower and bar employ darker, warmer tones to create a more introverted and inviting atmosphere. Full height windows also feature in the spa, home to a 25m pool, steam room, sauna and gym.

The interior design combines existing furniture and artwork with a new fit-out that is rich in texture and details, featuring bold wallpaper choices and more traditional tiles.

Returning guests will recognise the familiar stained glass flower windows in the stone towers, which were removed, cleaned and re-set in the stone, juxtaposed with protruding contemporary window reveals in dark aluminium. Bedrooms include balconies with furniture, decorated using strong colours such as blue woven carpets and red velvet chairs. The gardens have also undergone a transformation, featuring plants from around the world, as well as a newlydeveloped herb garden.

“The hotel has a rich history but in all its many years has never looked as good as it does now,” said Michael Brennan, MD of Killarney Hotels Ltd.

INTERIORS

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HOSPITALITY TECH

HOSPITALITY ESSENTIAL PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

Photos: ©Nordic Choice Hotels

TECH

WYNDHAM HOTELS

GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, an international chain based in the US, is engineering its hotel rooms around the concept of a good night’s sleep. The brand is working with wellness innovator Delos and designer Jeffrey Beers to outfit guest rooms that provide a haven of rest, relaxation and comfort.

The ‘Stay Well’ experience will include natural memory foam mattresses, an air purification system that reduces pollen, odours, allergens and other pollutants, and a dawn simulator – an alarm clock that simulates a sunrise and allows for a more natural waking process.

To learn more, check out wyndhamhotels.com.

NORDIC CHOICE

PROJECTION MAPPING A hotel in Stockholm, Sweden is demonstrating projection mapping technology that can provide a point of visual interest in hotel rooms without windows. Nordic Choice’s HOBO Hotel is working on the Embed project with design agency Barkas and researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology to project 3D video on otherwise sparse walls or ceilings.

Guests can use a smartphone app to select a scene for their room, such as a beautiful sunrise.

For more information visit www.nordicchoicehotels.com.

EVOLVE CONTROLS

VOICE ACTIVATION US-based wireless in-room control and management solutions provider Evolve Controls has announced the addition of voice controls on Amazon Alexa. The move comes as a result of a partnership with Volara, a provider of voice-based engagement software to the hospitality sector.

This new integration will allow hotel guests to adjust items like curtains, lights and climate controls simply by speaking.

“Partnering with Volara’s leading voice technology allows Evolve to create a more memorable experience for the guest, but also facilitates increasing operational efficiency and boosting the bottom line,” said Evolve CEO Kristin Miller.

For more, see evolvecontrols.com.

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Partner PROFILE

From Gunpowder to Sausage Tree SAUSAGE TREE PURE IRISH VODKA FROM THE SHED DISTILLERY OFFERS CONSUMERS AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY.

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ne of the latest additions to The Shed Distillery’s portfolio is Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka, a new super-premium vodka brand launched at the world’s top international trade fair for wine and spirits, Prowein in Düsseldorf,.

Sausage Tree is the second big brand from The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney, and follows on from the success of the now-iconic Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, launched just under two years ago. Rigney’s curious mind has been busy ever since – this time his quest to create nature’s purest tasting vodka led him to the wilds of Africa to discover the Kigelia africana or ‘Sausage tree’.

Known for its curative and purifying powers, just like the wild Irish nettle in the Drumshanbo woodlands, PJ brought the two together back in The Shed Distillery in Co Leitrim and slow-distilled them by hand with Irish grain.

And so, Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka was born.

Every bottle of Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka will be slowdistilled by hand, carefully hand-bottled, sealed and labelled at The Shed Distillery.

The bottle invites consumers on an unforgettable journey of discovery – the unique

HOTEL

deep red glass bears curious markings and the impactful label proclaims that ‘Nature has no place for the weak’.

Like with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, the super-premium vodka is distributed in Ireland by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits (which PJ co-owns with Managing Director John Dillon). The retail price reflects the superior quality of this super premium pure Irish vodka and the unique 43 per cent strength at between €44 and €49 in the Irish market.

The launch of Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka spells further good news for Ireland’s Northwest region with the announcement that, together with the opening of The Shed’s new visitor experience next year, an additional 22 jobs will be created at the Drumshanbo distillery.

With just two employees when the Shed first opened in December 2014, there are now 18 full-time employees, many of whom were previously long-term

unemployed, some for as long as eight years. The new jobs will bring the total number of employees at the Leitrim distillery to at least 40 in 2019.

Founded in 2014, The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney is the first distillery in Connacht for 101 years. The first brand from The Shed Distillery was Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin which was launched to market in April 2016. Slow-distilled by hand with oriental botanicals and gunpowder tea, the super-premium gin took the world by storm and is already

widely available in the United States, the UK, Russia, Israel, Australia, Benelux, France and across leading markets in Europe. The prestige of the brand was celebrated in Washington recently when it was chosen to feature at the Ambassador’s Patrick’s Day reception, served to 600 dignitaries and special guests including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

For more information regarding distribution, contact Dalcassian Wines & Spirits on +353 1 293 7977 or email info@dalcassianwines.com.

PJ Rigney with a bottle of Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka.

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BOOKSHELF

FEAST: FOOD OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD Author: Publisher: RRP: Available:

Anissa Helou Bloomsbury £45 (€51) Amazon

Chef and writer Anissa Helou returns with her ninth cookbook, featuring more than 500 pages of recipes from the Islamic world and spanning a period from Islam’s foundation in 610AD to the Mughal dynasty almost 1,000 years later. Learn how to create a variety of tasty dishes ranging from ground lamb meatballs cooked in pitted sour cherries, to date and cinnamon-filled cookies.

Book SHELF Literary suggestions this June.

SECRETS TO SUCCESS: INSPIRING STORIES FROM LEADING ENTREPRENEURS Author: Publisher: RRP: Available:

Sean Gallagher Mercier Press €14.99 Eason

Based on his articles in the Sunday Independent, Sean Gallagher’s new book is a collection of inspiring stories from a variety of successful Irish entrepreneurs.

Learn all about their backgrounds, how they developed great ideas, and times of both victory and defeat – a valuable read for any businessperson.

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RUM Author: Publisher: RRP: Available:

Dominic Roskrow Collins £6.99 (€8) Eason

This beautiful Little Book from Collins is a pocket-sized introduction to the world of rum, featuring a fascinating history of the product, how this tipple is produced, and a description of 110 of the world’s very best rums. A must for any drinks connoisseur.

TASTING THE PAST Authors: Publisher: RRP: Available:

Kevin Begos Workman $26.95 (€23) Amazon

Detailing a ten-year journey in search of the origins of wine, Kevin Begos has penned an engaging and detailed description of this ancient drink. Beginning with the Caucasus Mountains 8,000 years ago, he meets a variety of experts along the way, including a researcher studying the wines that Caesar and Cleopatra drank.

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Partner PROFILE

THE COMPLETE

Solution

HOIST GROUP PROVIDES A RANGE OF TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AIMED AT STRENGTHENING THE OPERATIONS OF IRISH HOTELS.

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he importance of technological innovation to the hotel sector cannot be understated. New solutions and ideas are driving efficiencies and enhancing guest experiences, improving everyday operations.

Take Hoist Group, one of Europe’s leading one-stop technology providers for hotels, including the widely-used HotSoft property management system. One of its most recent developments is ‘Follow the Guest’, a concept that enables the 21st century guest’s journey through a hotel and incorporates steps like advance check-in, mobile keys and a range of digital services for a bespoke experience. However, it’s not just about integrating the latest technology – it’s understanding the appropriate time to do so.

“What we’ve learned down through the years is the appropriate place in a product’s life cycle to introduce it to the client. We don’t like to introduce a technology too early unless there’s a really compelling reason, but equally we don’t want to be too late with the technology where we get left behind,” explains Anselm Molloy, Hoist Group Ireland Managing Director.

Until May 2017 Molloy headed software provider Paragon Systems, which was

then acquired by Hoist Group.

Molloy describes that move as a natural fit, having worked with Hoist Group for the best part of 20 years and developed a range of complementary products for the HotSoft platform, including integrated solutions for golf and spa businesses and rate management.

“Those products are now being distributed by Hoist Group across Europe,” he notes. “They’re providing us with a lot more products from the Hoist Group stable that we can deliver to our clients in Ireland. That would include RFID door locks which we can connect to HotSoft for full endto-end mobile check-in, highspeed internet access, and IPTV solutions.”

Part of the company’s success is due to its dedication to a positive work/life balance for its employees – one of the first things Hoist Group did following the acquisition was invite the Irish team to a team-building event in Sweden.

But its focus on the customer is also key. Molloy’s team offers personalised day-to-day operational support from their base in Kilkenny, and clearly that approach has worked, as more than 350 Irish hotels have entrusted their IT needs to Hoist Group, including Adare Manor, Druids Glen, Dublin’s Iveagh Garden Hotel and the Imperial

LEFT: Anselm Molloy, Hoist Group Ireland Managing Director.

BELOW: A mobile key is part of Hoist Group’s Follow the Guest concept.

Hotel in Cork city. “One of the key differentiating factors is the quality of our support, the care that we can deliver to the customer once they’ve become a customer,” he says.

Molloy also sits on Hoist’s product development group, which is in the process of finalising the company’s roadmap for 2018 and 2019.

There are plenty of innovations on the cards, ranging from increased integration with the Follow the Guest concept and products moving entirely to the cloud, to a greater focus on providing hoteliers with industrial-strength Wi-Fi solutions and a new partnership with CRM providers Revinate.

Those and other topics will be discussed at Hoist Group Ireland’s upcoming Inspiration Days this autumn.

“I think it’s important for us to get out, meet the customers in this type of environment and show them what we can do,” says Molloy. “It’s not a sales event, it’s an education event, to let the hotels know about current technology trends, what they might want to budget for over the next two or three years, and to allow them to put in place a strategy around what’s coming down the track.

Understanding the technology and how it can optimise their guests’ experiences is a key part of that.”

To discover more or register your interest in Hoist Group’s Inspiration Days, email marketing.ie@hoistgroup.com.

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A QUICK CHAT

“I think the three key things in any kitchen [are] organisation, communication and delegation.”

FALLING IN LOVE WITH FOOD

I think that it all has to do with being brought up on a farm, and a happy one at that. My earliest memory is... coming home from primary school and having to go and milk the cows with my mother. It was really all about the excitement of farm to fork and being selfsufficient.

NOEL MCMEEL INSPIRATION

People inspire me. People that can come up with amazing produce. The kitchen itself is powered very much by the heart and it’s very much powered with energy, passion, love, care, respect – all of those things.

“I pay homage to suppliers. And really, in some ways, I’m a facilitator for telling a great story about these great people that we have.”

“For all kitchens in Ireland, the number one priority should be hygiene. A clean kitchen will have clean food!

TEAM LOUGH ERNE

I think it’s like everything in life, you surround yourself with great people. I’m one of probably the most blessed chefs in Ireland [in] that I work with the most amazing chefs.

“If you’re happy in what you do, that will show in the food you serve your customer.”

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Photo: Barry Murphy Photography

Photo: Andrew Paton

Hotel & Catering Review caught up with Lough Erne Resort’s Executive Head Chef Noel McMeel, recently named Best Chef in Ulster.

MODERN IRISH FOOD

It’s about taking the best of local ingredients, cooking it as best as possible with great skill, and serving it very natural.

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