Food, Drink & Franchise Magazine — October 2018

www.fdfworld.com OCTOBER 2018

FROM RAVES TO OCADO HOW GUSTO ORGANIC DRINKS IS ENERGISING THE FAIRTRADE MARKET

Is nutritious food the key to workplace productivity?

ACCRA BREWERY Delivering sustainable growth to Ghana

HHH Top 10

brewing companies in the United States

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WELCOME

H

ello and welcome to the October issue of Food, Drink & Franchise World magazine.

Natural, organic, and Fairtrade: this is the three-word mantra behind Gusto Organic Drinks. For our cover story this month, we speak with CEO William Fugard regarding sourcing ingredients, the sugar tax, and the importance of the Fairtrade movement.

Accra Breweries – a subsidiary of beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev – is also one of our cover stars this month. Wil Fameni, Head of Procurement & Sustainability tells us how the brewer is delivering sustainable empowerment to Ghana with world-class procurement.

& West Africa and we investigate how the renowned brand is leveraging technology to truly transform the guest experience.

Plus, we’ll also be investigating the top ten brewing companies in the US, based on who produced the greatest volume of beer last year.

On top of this, you’ll also find exclusive insights from industry giants like Aramark, and more.

We hope you enjoy this month’s jam-packed issue and, as ever, if you have any feedback, you can find us across social media @FDFWorld.

Enjoy the issue!

Laura Mullan. laura.mullan@bizclikmedia.com

On our cover this month, we also take a look at Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, Kempinski Lebanon

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CONTENTS

10

24

Is nutritious food the key to productivity?

FROM RAVES TO OCADO HOW GUSTO ORGANIC DRINKS IS ENERGISING THE MARKET WITH ORGANIC, FAIR TRADE DRINKS

06

54

58

EVENTS

ACCRA BREWERY

Delivering sustainable growth to Ghana OCTOBER 2018

38

Top 10 brewing companies in the United States 07

70 CAPITA TRAVEL AND EVENTS

92 Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City: Engaging guests through technology

A data-driven redefinition of the travel management market w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

Covering every angle in the digital age The Business Chief platforms offer insight on the trends influencing C and V-level executives, telling the stories that matter Click to read

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LEADERSHIP

10

Is nutritious food the key to productivity?

OCTOBER 2018

11

The UK has been hampered by stagnant productivity rates for years, but could the solution lie on our plates? We speak with Aramark’s Carolyn Hails to find out more WRITTEN BY

L AUR A MULL AN

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LEADERSHIP

F

ood is a powerful thing: it fuels people, helps people forge connections, but could it also influence the success of today’s workplaces?

Research conducted by scientists at Brigham

Young University has revealed that employees with unhealthy diets are 66% more likely to report a productivity loss than healthy eaters.

When we think about factors that contribute to workplace performance, many companies rarely consider the food they eat, but could be the key to unlocking operational efficiency? Likewise, could the right food offering help boost compa12

nies bottom-lines, by increasing customer dwell time and average sale values?

US-based Aramark has carved out its own path in this field, providing services for industries such as education, healthcare, business and industry, sports, leisure, and corrections. By of- fering innovative food, facilities, and uniform services, Marketing Director of Northern Europe, Carolyn Hails, says that the company has set itself a simple challenge: to enrich and nourish businesses across the globe.

“We really believe that a happy and healthy team inspires creativity and productivity in the workplace,” observes Hails. “It creates a culture that attracts and retains the best talent possible and if a business has the best team then it will be the best at what it does. For us, if we put our OCTOBER 2018

13

“ We really believe that a happy and healthy team inspires creativity and productivity in the workplace” — Carolyn Hails Marketing Director of Aramark Northern Europe

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LEADERSHIP

clients and customers at the heart of everything we do then it’s a success.

Every business has its own unique culture, strategy and people. By tapping into this, Hails argues that the food and service industry can add value to businesses. “The more we understand a business’ strategy and culture, then the more we understand their customers, their work14

“ We talk about the needs and expectations of customers all of the time, and if you think about what people are looking for now, it’s handcrafted, nutritional, delicious food”

place and what their expectations are,” explains Hails. “We make sure that we personalise

— Carolyn Hails Marketing Director of Aramark Northern Europe

each of their workplaces — their environment, their experience, their food offer — perfectly for that particular business and sector.”

“I think food in the workplace is changing radically,” she adds. “We talk about the needs and expectations of customers all of the time, and if you think about what people are looking for now, it’s hand-crafted, nutritional, delicious food. Therefore, for each and every company that Aramark works with it creates a bespoke offering, one which is completely perfect for their business from both a marketing and culinary perspective.”

OCTOBER 2018

Insight, innovation and impact: this is the three-word mantra that Aramark lives by according to Hails and it’s one which reflects how the firm is keen to leverage consumer trends and industry insights. “It’s all about customer-centricity that is driven by rich data and insight,” she says.

Aramark’s footprint extends across 19 countries across the globe, but this thread of insight is present throughout its operations. Hails explains that Aramark’s strategy is a simple one that focuses on quality, health, convenience, personalisation and which is tailored to the specific company in mind.

“We serve hundreds of thousands of people every day, across many sectors, and we have leveraged this global experience and knowledge to be the best we can,” notes Hails. “We do this by offering high-quality products, many of which are convenient for today’s on-the-go consumer. Everything is personalised and made the consumer’s way and we also look at people’s well-being and holistic environment. I think the reason we’ve been so successful is that we enrich our clients and our customers, but we are also now a trusted partner, through leadership and our passion for food and people.”

Named as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune, Aramark w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

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LEADERSHIP

has positioned itself as a leading player

has a fantastic reputation for produc-

in the food and services space — and

ing delicious, nutritious food, but he’s

it’s still growing today. With its latest

also got family, he’s fun, and he wants

celebrity alliance, the US-based firm is

to make a difference. I think what was

hoping to ramp up its expansion efforts

important was that we really under-

in Europe with a unique social-dining

stood each other’s business and

offering.

potential. It was clear, right from the

Jamie Oliver is a renowned British television chef, well-known for his

much aligned. We both had the same

appetite for nutritious food. Partnering

passion for nutritional, delicious food

with Aramark for an exclusive 10-year

but we also want to help today’s

alliance, the celebrity personality will

society, influence change, and really

take his high street brands like Jamie’s

make a difference.”

Italian and Jamie’s Deli to new loca-

Nutrition and healthy offering are a

tions such as schools, hospitals and

key part of Aramark’s DNA. To promote

workplaces.

this, the company has developed

In Hails’ eyes, the partnership is a

specialised skills to promote this vision.

perfect fit. “We wanted to have a

“In my team alone, we have two

partner that was perfect for today’s

dieticians and a well-being and fitness

culinary consumer,” she says. “Jamie,

specialist dedicated to this area,” says

being an internationally known chef,

Hails. “They help to oversee the

Photo © Scandic Hotels

16

beginning that our values were very

OCTOBER 2018

1959 Year founded 19

Countries around the world where Aramark is present

270k

Approximate number of employees 17

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LEADERSHIP

development of our training programmes and menus and they also make sure the nutritional requirements are exactly what they should be, especially for our ‘Healthy for Life’ programme whereby 25% of the menus we create have reduced fat, reduced salt and 500 calories,” she continues. “We also look very carefully how we educate our customers on health and wellbeing through communications, blogs, and news. Everything we do is about healthy, delicious food, and being very transparent about ingredients and nutrition.”

With over 30 years’ experience in the 18

sector, Hails has proven she has an innate understanding of the food and services industry and where it is heading. At Aramark, it seems she’s not alone. Hiring people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, Aramark has developed distinctive strengths and expertise.

This effort hasn’t gone unnoticed by the international community either, with Aramark being rated number one among Diversified Outsourcing Companies, as well as an employer of choice by the Human Rights Campaign and DiversityInc. Yet, Hails is keen to point out that a diverse workforce shouldn’t be something to promote, it should be second-nature for businesses today.

“We are a people-focused business and so OCTOBER 2018

C OMPA N Y FA C T S

• Aramark is recognised

by Fortune magazine as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies.

• Aramark is rated number one among Diversified Outsourcing Companies.

• Aramark was rated an employer of choice by the Human Rights Campaign and DiversityInc. 19 I think diversity inclusion is essential if you want to be successful,” she says. “At Aramark, we want to be sure to hire people from different backgrounds, experiences, and orientations. We want to have a diverse workforce so that it enriches not just our company, but so it nourishes our thinking and what we’re going to do tomorrow. We’re very aware that having a range of people with different knowledge, experiences and ideas is what makes us strong.

“We’ve got a programme called ‘Working Together, Hand in Hand’ which hopes to foster this naturally because I think diversity in the workplace shouldn’t be something w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

LEADERSHIP

“ We are a peoplefocused business and so I think diversity inclusion is essential if you want to be successful” — Carolyn Hails Marketing Director of Aramark Northern Europe 20

that’s forced. It should be something very natural. We speak about doing this ‘hand-in-hand’ because everybody in the business has a part to play to promote Aramark as an inclusive, welcoming place to work. For me, it’s about behaviour; it’s about creating the right culture.”

Embarking on its latest partnership with Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group OCTOBER 2018

21

and with further expansions on the

agenda, especially our clients and

horizon, Hails is excited to see where

customers. It gives us the opportunity

the company will head next.

to thrive and really show them what we

“Our mission is about enriching and

can do. That’s really exciting for us.”

nourishing people,” she says. “That’s aimed at everybody: it’s not just for our customers, it’s for our teams, it’s for our suppliers, it’s for our clients. For me, I’m truly excited that delicious nutritious food is now really on everyone’s w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

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FA I R T R A D E

24

FROM RAVES TO OCADO

HOW GUSTO ORGANIC DRINKS IS ENERGISING THE MARKET WITH ORGANIC, FAIRTRADE DRINKS Natural, organic, and fair trade: this is the three-word mantra behind Gusto Organic Drinks. We talk to CEO William Fugard and discuss sourcing ingredients, the sugar tax, and the importance of the Fairtrade movement… WRITTEN BY

OCTOBER 2018

L AUR A MULL AN

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FA I R T R A D E

T

he origins of Gusto Organic Drinks can be traced back to a party. In the summer of 1987, Craig Sams – the entrepreneur

behind Whole Earth and Green & Blacks

– was preparing for a big celebration at the Groucho Club in London. He wanted to concoct something for his alcohol-free drinkers and so he mixed together a natural energy drink with ingredients like guarana, cola nut and ginseng, flavours that were reasonably uncommon in the UK at the time. Needless to say, it was an instant hit.

Spotting the drink’s potential, Craig’s 26

children Rima and Karim encouraged him to bottle the drink for the masses and later took over the firm, naming it Gusto Organic Drinks.

Looking back, it seems the UK-based firm has been on an upward trajectory ever since.

In the late eighties, the energy drink was a roaring success amongst clubbers in the rave scene, offering a natural and energising way for party goers to keep dancing throughout the night.

Fast-forward to today and Gusto Organic is now a rapidly growing brand, with products found in Ocado shopping bags, the Tate Modern museum, and more. CEO William Fugard describes how consumers are savvier than ever before and are searching for products that do away with synthetics in OCTOBER 2018

27 favour of organic, Fairtrade ingredients. This has allowed Gusto the space to make its mark as one of the first natural energy drinks in the market.

“The consumer movement away from alcohol and towards craft beverages has been explosive,” he says. “We’ve seen how craft beer and gin have dominated the shelves of supermarkets, and I think now we’re seeing a similar approach to fizzy beverages.

They’re no longer viewed through a lens as a children’s drink, they’re increasingly entering the premium adult market.

“At Gusto, we’re seeing a growing demand for drinks that have complex flavours and w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

FA I R T R A D E

“ WE CREATE DRINKS THAT APPEAL TO AN ADULT PALATE; THEY HAVE COMPLEXITY, THEY CHAMPION INGREDIENTS AND REALLY FOCUS ON PROVENANCE” William Fugard, Chief Executive Officer, Gusto 28

a well-being perspective,” he adds.

“I think it’s a hugely exciting time to be in the market and we haven’t even scratched the surface in terms of all the drinks we want to bring out.”

Gusto’s portfolio has diversified rapidly since that first energy drink – now offering unique flavours like Lemon Energy, Sicilian Blood Orange, Real Cola, among others.

Getting the right flavour is perhaps the most important step for food and drink businesses. Fugard OCTOBER 2018

contests that the secret to this challenge is creating flavours that the team themselves want to drink, using only the best ingredients to offer a taste of the provenance.

“We create drinks that appeal to an adult palate; they have complexity, they champion ingredients and really focus on provenance ,” he notes. “We have diversified our portfolio and now produce both energy drinks and soft drinks with a similar Gusto perspective.”For instance, worried about the excessive use of refined sugar and additives in colas the firm set about creating its own organic, natural alternative – Gusto Real Cola.

“It was a real lesson in the importance of getting the look right, getting the flavour right and being able to sell it correctly,” he continues. “I think we hit the mark as we’ve created drinks that have been immediate successes and which have even unseated big brand names from the like of the Tate Modern and Tate Britain museum.” w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

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FA I R T R A D E

When sourcing its vanilla from Madagascar or even its blood oranges from the slopes of Mount Etna, Gusto’s commitment to organic produce has been unwavering. This has also become a pressing priority for consumers too who are increasingly backing the organic market with their wallets. In the UK alone, sales of organic food and drink rose by 6% last year to a record £2.2bn (US$2.8bn).

Yet, as Fugard highlights, this is not just a financial advantageous proposition, it also a key part of the company’s ethos.

“There are no two ways about it, organic 30

is part of our DNA,” Fugard says. Today, the firm is heavily overseen by bodies like the Soil Association to uphold this organic certification and it also doesn’t use unnatural flavours or ingredients like phosphoric acid. This gives consumers a strict level of confidence that they know exactly what they’re drinking.

“To put it simply, the organic certification mark is the most credible sign you can get that ensures a customer is going to get a product that has been treated with as few pesticides and fertilisers as possible,” comments Fugard. “It ensures the ingredients come from land that is farmed with proper land stewardship.”

“I think consumers are getting more OCTOBER 2018

“ THERE ARE NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT, ORGANIC IS PART OF OUR DNA” — William Fugard, Chief Executive Officer, Gusto

sophisticated,” he adds. “They’re much more aware of issues around wellness and they understand the labels on the foods they buy.

Today organics are intertwined with people’s perceptions of not just their wellbeing but also their perceptions of land stewardship and to a certain extent to their ethics. That’s really been a game changer for us. This demand for organics has been driven by the consumer.”

On top of this, Gusto has also positioned itself as a Fairtrade company, with oversight from the British Retail Consortium, the Soil Association as well as the Fairtrade Foundation, Gusto Organic. This may involve extra care, but for Gusto Organic, it’s not questioned: Fairtrade is now hardwired into the company culture. Whilst he is proud of this certification, Fugard is keen to point out that this shouldn’t be an anomaly in the sector, it should be the norm.

“There are so many brands in the market who often practice virtual signaling, whereby they make a big deal about their ethical footprint.” reflects Fugard. “It sits a little uncomfortably with me because I think in reality we should all be looking through a Fairtrade lens.” Although it may prove challenging, this oversight ensures that when Gusto Organics sweetens its products, for instance, it uses w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

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FA I R T R A D E

Fairtrade agave which supports a cooperative in Jalisco, Mexico. The cooperative pays two and a half times the average local wage to its farmers and it’s committed to issues like indigenous rights and gender equality.

“I think Fairtrade is an important issue,” he adds. “It’s a logical thing to do and it should be seen to be a normal progression for a business, rather than an exceptional activity.”

Changing consumer habits have sent waves throughout the UK drinks’ sector, but none have delivered quite the same impact as the British government’s Soft Drinks 32

Industry Levy which came into effect in April. The levy charges manufacturers for their sugar use in the hope that they’ll reformulate their products. With the organic sector unable to use artificial sweeteners, Fugard contends that the policy may have been a hasty one.

“As an organic business, we have few ingredients in our toolbox that we can use to reformulate our drinks,” Fugard observes.

“I think the sugar tax has been a very blunt tool. It’s an effective way of the government raising revenue, but I would argue that a minimum pricing model would have been better as it wouldn’t have encouraged drinks OCTOBER 2018

£2.2bn In the UK alone, sales of organic food and drink rose by 6% last year to a record £2.2bn (US$2.8bn)

10 Gusto Organic Drinks is available in 10 countries from Holland to Japan

200 Gusto Organic Drinks is available in over 200 UK stockists brands to rush in the direction of artificial sweeteners. It also would have removed cheaper, sugary drinks from the shelves.”

Nonetheless, Gusto Organic has tackled this challenge head-on. The firm has grown rapidly since it concocted its first energy drink in the eighties. These days, you’ll find the brand in 10 different countries, from Holland to Japan, as well as in over 200 UK stockists worldwide. In the last year, the firm has also doubled its production capacity and, looking forward, Fugard hints at some exciting new flavours in the pipeline. w w w.fdf wo r ld . com

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FA I R T R A D E

“ FAIRTRADE IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. IT’S A LOGICAL THING TO DO AND IT SHOULD BE SEEN TO BE A NORMAL PROGRESSION FOR A BUSINESS, RATHER THAN AN EXCEPTIONAL ACTIVITY” — William Fugard, Chief Executive Officer

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OCTOBER 2018

35

“We’ve got a lot of stuff bubbling away at the moment,” alludes Fugard. “We have a natural sports nutrition project in the pipeline as well as an upcoming project around gut health.

We’ve also been looking at whether we could grow some of our own ingredients and are working with some more British flavours. I think we have an enormous part to play within this country, so watch this space.”

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HHHHHH

OCTOBER 2018

Top 10

brewing companies in the United States

HHHHHHHHHH The thirst for beers seems unquenchable, with the global beer market forecast to reach a value of $750bn by 2022, according to Zion Market Research. At FDF World, we explore the top brewing companies in the US according to the Brewing Association, ranked by volume of beer produced in 2017 WRITTEN BY

LAURA MULLAN

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T O P 10

40

10 HHH

Sierra Nevada Describing itself as one of “America’s longest-running craft startups,” Sierra Nevada Brewing company is now one of the top overall brewing companies in the US, according to data from the Brewing Association.

The firm was founded by homebrewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi in 1979. Headquartered in Chico, California, the firm produces several craft beers including its flagship, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Additionally, the US brewer has also embarked on several initiatives to reduce its environmental impact. In 2016, its Mills River brewery made history when it became the first production brewery in the US to receive LEED Platinum certification and in 2013 its Chico brewery was certified as a zero-waste facility.

www.sierranevada.com OCTOBER 2018

41

09 HHH

Boston Brewing Company Founded by Jim Koch in 1984, the Boston Beer Company stands as one of the top brewing companies in the US. The company brews more than 60 styles of Samuel Adams beer and it also produces iced teas under its Twisted Tea brand and ciders under its Angry Orchard brand. In February 2018, the brewer announced that it had chosen Dave Brunswick to succeed Martin Roper as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Boston Brewing Company sold around 3.8mn barrels of its products in the 2017 fiscal year.

www.bostonbeer.com

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08 HHH Diageo

Diageo may be the world’s largest producer of spirits but it is also one of the largest brewing companies in America. The firm produces a range of leading beer brands including Guinness, Harp Larger, and Smithwick’s. The firm employs approximately 32,000 people across its global business and makes 45% of its profits in the US. Founded in 1997, the firm’s 150 brands are now sold in more than 180 countries.

This year, Diageo unveiled a new $90mn Guinness brewery outside of Baltimore, Maryland, representing the first Guinness brewing operation on US soil in more than 60 years.

www.diageo.com OCTOBER 2018

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07 HHH

North America Breweries Headquartered in Rochester, New York, North American Breweries has also been named as one of the leading brewers in the US. The company’s portfolio includes the Genesee Brewery, Magic Hat Brewing Company, Pyramid Brewing Company, Portland Brewing Company and Seagram’s Escape. On top of this, the firm also owns exclusive rights to import and market the Labatt family of brands and the Imperial brand of beer in the US.

wwww.nabreweries.com

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06 HHH

D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. Founded in 1829, D. G. Yuengling & Son is the oldest operating brewing company in the US. The family-owned company is also the largest independent craft brewer in the country, producing more than 2mn barrels of beer annually, according to Business Insider. Yuengling has breweries in Pottsville and Port Carbon in Pennsylvania and a brewery in Tampa Florida.

www.yuengling.com

OCTOBER 2018

45

05 HHH

Pabst Brewing Company With over 30 beers in its portfolio, Brewing Association has also named Pabst Brewing Company as one of the top brewing companies in the US according to the volume of beer the firm produced last year.

The brewing company was established in 1844 and sells beer brands including Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Style, Lone Star, Old Milwaukee, Schiltz, and Colt 45. In September, Simon Thorpe stepped down as CEO of the brewer.

www.pabstbrewingco.com

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04 HHH Heineken

With its US headquarters located in White Plains, New York, Heineken is one of the leading brewing firms in the US today. Championing a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and speciality beers and ciders, Heineken USA touts itself as the “leading importer of upscale beers in the US�. In 1933, the brewer was the first imported beer to re-enter the US market after Prohibition. In June, Heineken USA announced that it had appointed Maggie Timoney as its new CEO.

www.theheinekencompany.com

OU J C LY TOB 2E 0R 1 82 0 1 8

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03 HHH

Constellation Brands The Brewing Association has named Constellation Brands as the third largest brewing company in the US, ranked by volume of beer produced last year. A Fortune 500 company, the brewer boasts brands including Corona Extra, Modelo Especial, and Pacifico.

Constellation Brands reported that net sales of its beer brands increased 10.1% to about $4.7bn in its fiscal-year 2018 earnings, according to Brewbound.

www.cbrands.com

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02 HHH

MillerCoors Today, MillerCoors in the second largest brewing company in the US, 48

according to Brewing Association data.

It’s parent group, Molson Coors, acquired full ownership of MillerCoors for $12bn in 2016 and now acts as the firm’s US business unit. Headed up by Chief Executive Officer Gavin Hattersley, Miller Coors’ portfolio includes beers such as Coors Light, Miller High Life and Blue Moon.

www.millercoors.com

OCTOBER 2018

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T O P 10

01 HHH

Anheuser-Busch In Bev Topping the leaderboard, the Brewing Association has revealed that Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) produced the most volume of beer in the US last year. The Belgian brewer 50

says it controls 46% of the entire industry’s US sales and it is also hailed as the largest brewer in the world.

Today, AB InBev has over 500 beer brands including global brands Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois; multi-country brands like Leffe and Beck’s; and local brands like Antarctica and Skol. Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has committed to a series of 2025 Sustainability Goals in smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular packaging and climate action.

www.anheuser-busch.com

OCTOBER 2018

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EVENTS & A S S O C I AT I O N S

The biggest industry events and conferences WRITTEN BY LAURA MULLAN from around the world

01 NOVEMBER 2018

Food Brexit Conference 2018

[ QUEEN ELIZABETH II CENTRE, LONDON ] Food Brexit 2018 is the second in 54

a series of three events, providing the

12—16 NOVEMBER 2018

Food Safety Consortium [ SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS, USA ]

food & beverage industry with a platform

The Food Safety Consortium focuses

to share strategy, insight and knowledge.

on food safety education and network-

The agenda is designed around the key

ing for FSQA (Food Safety Quality

issues that are critical to the indus-

Assurance) professionals. This show

try, including updates on negotiations

brings together all the best information

and forecasts; building new European

on best practices and new technology

and international partnerships; miti-

solutions in the food industry. It fea-

gating and managing risks (business

tures multiple educational tracks, ‘Ask

resilience and the potential for a ‘Black

the Expert’ discussions, workshops,

Swan’ scenario); threats to food safety

training programmes and more.

and security; and the global impact of

www.foodsafetyconsortium.org

Brexit. It will also feature ‘voices of the regions’ from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

www.newfoodmagazine.com

OCTOBER 2018

55

28 FEB—02 MARCH 2019

20—21 MARCH 2019

[ LONDON, UK ]

[ MUNICH, GERMANY ]

The 22nd Euro-Global Summit on Food

Supported by the Bavarian government,

and Beverages allows attendees to

the Global Good Summit 2019 is set to

meet inspiring speakers and experts at

take place in Munich, on 20-21 March.

its 3,000-plus global events with over

With talks from renowned scientists,

600 conferences, 1,200 symposiums

CEO and politicians, the German summit

and 1,200 workshops on medical,

will ask the big questions about how

pharma, engineering, science, technol-

cultured meat, food sustainability and

ogy and business.

the rise of ‘urban farmers’ will impact

europe.foodtechconferences.org

the food industry.

22nd Euro-Global Summit Global Food on Food and Beverages Summit 2019

www.globalfoodsummit.com

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EVENTS & A S S O C I AT I O N S

26—28 MARCH 2019

ProFood Tech

[ MCCORMICK PLACE, CHICAGO ] Promising to bring together suppliers and end users from a wider range of food and beverage sectors than any show in North America, ProFood Tech 2017 has been an immediate hit. The biennial event is returning in 2019 to

56

present an unbeatable showcase of

20—22 MARCH 2019

innovation and crossover solutions for all

Hunter Hotel Investment Conference

food and beverage industries. Covering

[ ATLANTA MARRIOTT MARQUIS ]

and beverage sector, ProFood Tech

This year marks the 31st annual Hunter

brings together 450 processing and

Hotel Investment Conference.

equipment supplier exhibitors and 7,000

Designed to be relevant and educa-

visitors. Show attendees will explore

tional for both hotel owners and

industry innovations, see full-scale

investors, the conference will offer

machinery in action, and gain valuable

advice on hotel financing and raising

insight into trends, best practices, and

equity, networking opportunities, as

safety and regulatory concerns. The

well as talks featuring industry experts..

show covers 150,000 sq ft and includes

www.hunterconference.com

expert-led educational sessions.

a wide range of topics across the food

www.profoodtech.com

OCTOBER 2018

57

18—21 MAY 2019

National Restaurant Association Hotel-Motel Show 2019 [ CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA ] The National Restaurant Association –

offers opportunities to hear from and

a body that represents the restaurant

network with industry leaders. Last

industry business in the US – is set to

year’s event made history for the fourth

host its 100th National Restaurant

year in a row because, at more than

Association Hotel-Motel Show. The

715,000 sq ft and with over 65,000

annual event aims to showcase the lat-

people in attendance, it was the largest

est innovations in the foodservice

show in the association’s history.

industry, including new equipment and

show.restaurant.org

technologies. As well as this, it also

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58

OCTOBER 2018

AFRICA

ACCR A BREWERY LTD:

Delivering sustainable growth to Ghana WRIT TEN BY

DA LE BENTON PRODUCED BY

S TUART IRVING

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59

ACCRA BREWERY

Accra Brewery Limited has a vision to deliver sustainable empowerment to Ghana in line with the world’s biggest brewer AB InBev 60

A

s a company that is proudly

model and vision that aligns perfectly

part of the Anheuser-Busch

with that of its parent company.

InBev (AB InBev) family, the

The company has its own sustainably

world’s largest brewer, there is a

goals that are aligned and complement

responsibility to deliver the company’s

those of AB InBev and the 2025

ambitious 2025 global sustainability

Sustainability Goals.

goals of creating a better world right down to a local level.

Key to achieving these goals is Accra Brewery’s procurement function, which

Accra Brewery Limited (ABL), the

is spearheaded by Wil Fameni, Head of

oldest brewery in Ghana, is dedicated

Procurement & Sustainability. As a result

to celebrating national pride and

of his experience from working at

bringing people together for a better

AB InBev Global Headquarters in Leuven,

world through West Africa: a business

Belgium as the Global Category Manager,

OCTOBER 2018

AFRICA

61

Mr Fameni has a key understanding

Mr Fameni would then liaise directly

of implementing global strategies at

with each zones’ managers to oversee

a local level.

the launch and implementation of these

Mr Fameni mentioned that during his

operating models.

work experience in Leuven, he played

In his current role, he is now at the

a key role in establishing the global

other end of the spectrum and is directly

strategy in the real estate and fleet

involved the implementation process.

categories of the company. “I was

He feels that his experience globally

personally involved in understanding

has provided him with the ideal insight

how to create and implement those

into understanding the various tasks.

strategies in terms of rationalisation of

“I understand how the company works

brand and operating models with regards

and how and where it wants to go

to procurement and sustainability.”

globally,” he says. “I can really leverage w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

CUTTING EDGE AND COST EFFECTIVE PRODUCTS As part of Tropical General Investment Group of Companies, Centre Point Limited import and distribute chemicals and other materials for a wide range of industries.

Our vision is to become the market leader in specialty chemicals, through manufacturing and partnership with global leaders. We provide wide range of cutting edge and cost effective products and services, and unique expertise to enhance brands and actualize the goals of our customers through the application of cutting-edge technology and closing systems to enhance savings on water, energy and processing time with key focus on protecting the environment.

We also continue to expand our product lines to meet emerging market needs.

Our Partners: Ecolab, Nalco, Henkel, European Flavours & Fragranaces

Address: Centre Point Limited, House No EA 77/2 House Before Oak City International College, Adenta SDA Junction, Off JJ Rawlings Highway Adenta, Accra, Ghana

Tel: +233302501650 / +233302501652 +233302501653 P. O. Box MB12, Ministries, Accra Email: centrepoint14@yahoo.com

AFRICA

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘ABL INDUCTION VIDEO’ 63 my understanding of the decision-

This research is crucial in order for

making here in Ghana to ensure that

ABL to deliver on its promise to empower

we are capable of embracing these

farmers who will positively impact

global strategies and balance them

Ghana’s agricultural development. With

with the inner dynamics of Ghana and

an expected completion date of the

West Africa.”

study in late 2018, Fameni will be able

Mr Fameni is currently handling an

to explore avenues in which Accra

Agricultural Study Request For Propos-

Brewery Limited can improve market

al to review the maize, cassava and

inefficiencies and close these gaps.

sorghum supply chains in Ghana. This

“I know there is some work to be done,

is to better understand the entry points

particularly in the area of educating

for an agriculture development program,

farmers on how to improve their yield.

and the challenges and opportunities

What I have observed is that the farmers

that should be addressed to optimise

have limited knowledge in the type of

these value chains.

seeds which are used for farming, the w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

ACCRA BREWERY

1931

Year founded

500+

Approximate number of employees

AFRICA

“In showing that we are making life better for people and empowering Ghanaians it tells our customers that we are invested in the country, we are one of them” — Wil Fameni Head of Procurement & Sustainability, Accra Brewery 65 type of equipment needed to increase

a better world for Ghanaians.

yield using various channels of farming

“Accra Brewery Limited is in exist-

to improve their yield. If we can improve

ence and a recognized company of

the yield, then we can gain a better

national pride which creates extraordi-

understanding of their abilities and

nary moments by brewing and sharing

a better understanding of cost.”

only the finest beverages. In addition,

As the oldest brewery in Ghana operating under the global umbrella of one of the largest multi-national

our goal is to give back in a meaningful and sustainable way.”

This relationship and active pres-

companies in the world, Accra Brewery

ence within the Ghanaian community

Limited is heavily engrained in the

(visits to farmers and plantations in

Ghanaian culture. Mr Fameni states

Kintampo and Sunyani regions) is what

that the company’s sustainability goals

Fameni considers to be a significant

clearly depict a company focused on

success during his experience with

investing in the country and creating

Accra Brewery. w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

ACCRA BREWERY

66

“So, when I go out and meet our existing and potential future suppliers I take great strides to understand their business, where they are heading and what they are doing that aligns with and adds value to our own growth journey and sustainability goals” — Wil Fameni Head of Procurement & Sustainability, Accra Brewery

OCTOBER 2018

AFRICA

Fameni’s key question is: “How does the company continuously assess that it is delivering on its promises”?

In order to answer this question, Mr Fameni will use the market study he is conducting.

As a business, he recognises that there will be Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on cost savings and profit margins. However, one of the simplest ways of measuring success is determining where Accra is sourcing its raw materials.

“In my opinion, the first and easiest way to measure is to look at the percentage in which we are buying directly from farmers, aggregators, and industrial millers and processors versus imports.” “Of course, that’s not the only way we can measure, but it’s a core component of our goal of starting small and setting bigger targets and challenges.”

In procurement, a company is only as good as its supplier network and so it is very important that a business invests in and develops not only a strong and robust network, but a network made up of the “right” partners and suppliers.

Identifying the right partner is a challenge that Mr Fameni recognises and much like the company’s approach to the customers and to the market, he goes above and beyond to understand what makes a supplier react positively or negatively. w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

67

ACCRA BREWERY

68

“The right partner to me is a partner

it does so with ambitions beyond

that understands our vision,” he says.

Ghana. Mr Fameni will look to establish

“So, when I go out and meet our

a best practice agenda in which he can

existing and potential future suppliers,

then replicate the successes and

I take great strides to understand their

achievements from Ghana into other

business, where they are heading and

African countries.

what they are doing to align to and add

Currently the company’s immediate

value to our own growth, and sustain-

near-term goal is to increase the use of

ability goals.”

renewable electricity by implementing

As the company looks to the future,

solar panels at its brewery. This will

OCTOBER 2018

AFRICA

2 0 2 5 S US TA IN A BIL I T Y G O A L S

• Smart Agriculture: 100% of our direct farmers will be skilled, connected and financially-empowered.

• Climate Action: 100% of our purchased electricity will be from renewable sources; and a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions across our value chain (science-based).

• Entrepreneurship: Retailer Development Programme (RDP), aimed at equipping small retailers with relevant business skills to enable them increase their sales and revenues.

result in 20% of the company’s

the farmers and everyone in between

electricity usage sourced purely by

in terms of how we can deliver growth

solar energy. This will be a first step

through sustainable initiatives.”

towards our target of 100% by 2025.

Ultimately, this is a learning curve for Accra Brewery and for Ghana.

“We are trying to push new boundaries and discover how we can do more,”

“This is a continuously evolving journey, but the ultimate goal is to create long-term value for our business, partners and communities in Ghana.

That’s the vision.”

says Mr Fameni. “We are lear-ning as much as we can from the retailers, to w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

69

Travel and Events

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OCTOBER 2018

EUROPE

A data-driven redefinition of the travel management market By being experts in how and why customers arrange meetings, Capita Travel and Events has differentiated itself from the traditional travel management company and is changing behaviours in how people plan and book travel WRITTEN BY

TOM WADLOW PRODUCED BY

BROGAN BAGGOTT

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C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

B

usinesses around the world are forecast to spend $1.6trn on travel in 2020*. As companies diversify

and globalise, the need for joined up communication on national, regional and global levels intensifies, and the business travel market is growing steadily as a result.

However, as the business travel market continues to grow, so does the need for organisations to analyse how and why they travel, and therefore spend that money smartly.

Tremendous leaps in the ability to gather and analyse behavioural data opens up the possibility for organisations to fundamentally 72

alter the way they arrange meetings and associated travel and accommodation.

Enter Capita Travel and Events. Managing more than 2.5mn hotel bookings and over 62,000 meetings on behalf of customers every year, the UK firm has helped customers adopt smarter ways of booking and planning travel, to the tune of an average saving of 32% when it comes to air travel alone.

Owing to technological and behavioural expertise acquired over recent years and a 24/7/365 dedicated personal service delivered by more than 700 experts, Capita Travel and Events’ customer satisfaction rating of 98.7% is a near perfect endorsement of its work to this day. *https://www.statista.com/statistics/612244/global-business-travel-spending OCTOBER 2018

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ACQUIRING EXPERTISE – THE JOURNEY TO DATE It was in 2005 that Capita entered the business travel market, observing how spend was generally being consolidated into centralised procurement functions within mid-large UK organisations. With far greater scrutiny being placed on travel management, Capita seized the opportunity to grow its existing expertise and present a different offering to the traditional market players.

A key observation made at the time was in the pattern of spending on travel – typically organisations were spending 50% on hotels and accommodation with the remainder split evenly between air and rail.

Given the strong emphasis placed on air travel by traditional travel management companies (TMCs), the ability to find value across that remaining spend became a key focus.

The knowledge growth started with the acquisition of Lonsdale

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C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

Travel in 2006, a company which served leading UK names such as the Royal Mail Group, Imperial Tobacco and Legal and General.

Two further acquisitions came in 2010, with rail booking technology specialist Harry Weeks Travel and UK number one Hotel Booking Agency (HBA), BSI. James Parkhouse, Capita Travel and Events CEO, explains the importance of the BSI acquisition in growing the company’s footprint: “Acquiring 74

BSI in 2010 launched us into a much larger organisation, where we significantly increased management spend of specialist accommodation services.

“We had around £330mn in the personal travel budget, but more important was our ability to attract a big domestic footprint; accommodation programmes, UK rail, domestic air and large meeting and venues spend.”

The expertise acquired with BSI and Harry Weeks Travel created a combined entity able to break new ground in the business travel market, backed OCTOBER 2018

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E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E

James Parkhouse, Chief Executive Officer James’ focus is on bringing together the different teams within the business to meet customer, partner and business objectives. His role is to align the businesses’ strategy, people, structure, systems and culture to achieve a shared vision.

James initiated Capita’s entry into business travel through the acquisition of Lonsdale Travel in 2005, and has led the business as CEO since 2008. He has overseen the strategy of creating a new type of intermediary organisation that combines industry specialists in business travel, accommodation, venue find, meetings and event management. The acquisition and integration of sector leading specialist businesses has created a unique proposition for UK-based organisations.

During his tenure, James has overseen five-fold growth and today the business is one of the UK’s leading providers of these specialist services.

Prior to creating Capita Travel and Events, James ran Capita plc’s offshore service operations in India, and previously held IT and management consulting roles at Sema Consulting (now part of French company ATOS).

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E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E

Gail Bamforth, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer Gail’s role is to ensure strong governance around Capita Travel and Events ways of working and to provide the financial insight for the business to make decisions with knowledge and clarity.

She has over 20 years’ experience in finance and commercial management across a variety of sectors. During that time Gail has developed a firm belief in the power of connecting finance with all areas of the business, providing comprehensive insight of our commercial performance, in order to support the delivery of the company strategy.

The benefits of working in this collaborative manner with internal and external customers, ensures Capita Travel and Events delivers against its own financial targets whilst enabling customers to achieve theirs.

OCTOBER 2018

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“ WE’VE EMPLOYED A HEAD OF BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE TO WORK WITH US TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE SAME IMPACT WITH THE MESSAGE WE DELIVER TO AN AMATEUR TRAVELLER AND THAT OF A NOVICE TRAVELLER. THAT’S IMPORTANT TO US AND HOW WE COMMUNICATE TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR TRAVELLERS” — Gail Bamforth, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Capita Travel and Events

77 by the financial stability of the Capita

significant travel spend across UK

parent firm. This position was strength-

organisations. Indeed, around 60-70%

ened two years later with the purchase

of all business travel relates to a

of then BSI rival Expotel, bringing on

meeting of some kind and this drove

board its highly sought-after event

Capita Travel and Event’s focus on

management firm, Venues Event

putting Meetings at the heart of travel.

Management – strengthening their event

Gail Bamforth, Chief Financial Officer

management capabilities and expertise.

and Chief Operating Officer, comments:

In 2017 this capability was extended

“NYS was important for us to solidify

further through the acquisition of NYS

and grow our space in the market. It has

Corporate, a York-based travel, meet-

enabled us to provide a much richer

ings and events firm with its proprietary

experience and information within

meetings technology, MeetingsPro.

meetings management to customers

A vital addition given the observation that meetings are a direct result of

and partners, and to show equalisation in their meeting space.” w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

This was absorbed into what 78

UK corporates who were spending

is now Capita Travel and Events, a

between £5mn and £20mn per annum

single company renamed in 2014 that

had limited choice for the kind of

united all of this acquired expertise

spending they had.

into one powerful offering.

Next on the agenda was scale, and

“Corporates had to go to a global player or a smaller domestic TMC,

earlier this year Capita Travel and

who were often too small to cope with

Events partnered with GlobalStar in

the scale of spending and procure-

order to cater for customers with

ment compliance activity.”

multi-regional footprints. GlobalStar’s $14bn spending power combined with

THE HOW AND WHY

a multi-regional standardised technol-

Leveraging data to understand how

ogy platform not only offers customers

and why employees travel is what truly

access to financial benefits, but also a

differentiates Capita Travel and Events

unified view of travel spend across

from traditional market players and is

multiple territories.

helping organisations avoid unneces-

Parkhouse adds: “The UK market had a genuine gap of provision. Larger OCTOBER 2018

sary travel. Beyond this, their ability to capture and analyse multiple data

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E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E

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Trevor Elswood, Chief Commercial Officer Driven by the ‘why should customers choose us?’ principle, Trevor works alongside Capita Travel and Events’ leadership team to ensure the company remains unique, compelling and innovative.

Trevor has over 25 years’ of experience in the sector. In 2000, he joined hotel and meetings specialist, BSI, managing customer and supplier relationships before being appointed managing director. When Capita acquired BSI, Trevor helped integrate the industry’s leading specialists into a single, expert travel and events brand, Capita Travel and Events.

Joining the GTMC (Guild of Travel Management Companies) Executive Board in 2017, and the ITM (Institute of Travel and Meetings) board in 2011, his aim is to bring his passion for the industry, broad experience, knowledge and pragmatism, to fellow association members.

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C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

sources from across an organisation

business? Where are people meeting

enables something really powerful,

and how are they meeting? Is the

actionable insight into the how and why.

meeting itself adding value?

Parkhouse continues: “Trevor Elswood,

“Our vison is not to become

our Chief Commercial Officer, and

a company who just book travel and

I attend many business reviews where

meetings for customers, but to be

businesses are spending millions per

a trusted advisor on how to effectively

annum. And we often challenge this

manage travel, meetings and events

spend - How do they know they are

spend in an organisation. We want to

spending wisely? Are they helping

be a real enabler for customers to grow

people make smarter decisions?

and develop their business and it is our

Should people be traveling at all? If so,

vision to go beyond traditional travel

are they travelling safely? Will it add

and meetings management.�

value to the bottom line of their 80

OCTOBER 2018

Data has therefore become the key

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currency for Capita Travel and Events.

safety obligations, yet at the same time,

Whether it’s using analysis to nudge

the traveller is wanting a more consum-

customers to alter their behaviours or

erisation look and feel for their experi-

harnessing the power of gamification

ence along with wellbeing, safety and

to create scenarios of reward and

security still a focus.”

recognition, decisions on travel and meetings are being made with smarter

BEYOND THE BOTTOM LINE

foundations.

Employee wellbeing, safety and

This paradigm shift is summed up by

security is an increasing factor in

Elswood, who comments: “Recognis-

organisations’ decisions on meeting

ing the total cost and impact of travel

and travel arrangements.

and meetings for an organisation led

By helping organisations optimise

us to a new place. Organisations want

the frequency and location of meetings

control of both cost, governance and

and providing round the clock support, 81

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C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

82 E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E

Neal Poole, Director of Marketing Neal’s experience and expertise of leading and delivering brand and marketing strategies spans 14 years. This experience has seen him work for some of the world’s most recognisable brands across a diverse range of industries, from telco to automotive, and for the past nine years, corporate travel, meetings and events. He led the branding and collaborative marketing strategies during Capita’s break into travel meetings and events when three specialist businesses came together to create Capita Travel and Events. Forming part of the Senior Leadership team, his continued focus is on building greater brand equity for the combined businesses and support business growth through strategic led marketing.

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“FROM OUR PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND PROPOSITIONS, INCLUDING A TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION SUITE, THE ENGINE ROOM IS THE HUB OF OUR BUSINESS, DESIGNED TO EDUCATE, TRAIN AND DEVELOP OUR PEOPLE, CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS” — Neal Poole, Director of Marketing, Capita Travel and Events 83

Some of the team at their Swindon office Capita Travel and Events is removing

important partnership with Maiden

pain points related to travelling for work.

Voyage, a component of Capita Travel

This duty of care is another key differ-

and Events’ Lone traveller service,

entiator, again facilitated by smarter

designed to ensure health, safety and

processes and systems which are help-

security requirements are met by travel

ing shape both the demand and supply of

and accommodation suppliers.

business travel services. Such services

Maiden Voyage specialises in deliver-

are provided constantly by dedicated

ing a thorough hotel inspection service,

teams out of six service centres across

ensuring female and lone travellers can

the UK, open all day every day.

arrive in the knowledge that their hotel

To support this approach, Capita Travel and Events established an

will be comfortable and safe for them during their stay. w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

PA R T N E R S H I P S

Built on partnerships

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GlobalStar is a worldwide travel management company network.

Like Capita Travel and Events, each GlobalStar partner is an expert in its market, deploying the best technology and management to deliver uncompromised local solutions within a global framework.

For companies buying on an International multi-regional basis, Capita’s strategy provides UK market expertise and booking services alongside a single global contract, multi-region consolidated data, global account management expertise, access to incredible discounted air fare types through cutting edge solutions, and local emergency support.

Trevor Elswood, Chief Commercial Officer, Capita Travel and Events, said: “Our customers are impressed with the specialist way in which we manage their travel and meetings programmes. And as many of those companies globalise with overseas office locations, they want in-market specialists in key International regions, without compromising on

OCTOBER 2018

the value of using our expertise for the significant UK market.”

Maiden Voyage sets the standard for female friendly hotels based on a strict set of criteria looking at both safety and comfort. With employers becoming increasingly aware of their duty of care obligations, an informed choice takes away some of the guess-work when selecting hotels and of course, hotels deemed female friendly are also just as suited to male travellers.

Carolyn Pearson, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Maiden Voyage said: "We are delighted to be working with hotel experts, Capita Travel and Events, on this initiative and we know that the female business traveller community will thank us for helping them to identify hotels that meet their specific needs. With 51 per cent of female business travellers having reported feeling vulnerable when staying in a hotel we know that there is a genuine need for a trusted standard.

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Capita Travel and Events also specialises in what it calls disruptive services, where it "Our strict inspection process is based on hard criteria unlike other initiatives we have seen and is far from subjective. We look at physical security elements, walk the area to assess the hotel location and we expect our hotel partners to adhere to certain security measures such as not announcing room numbers out loud. With a number of high profile cases of sexual harassment and assaults in hotels we expect this partnership to drive change across the industry and we are already seeing hotels such as the Leopold in Sheffield and Hotel du Vin in Birmingham making adjustments such as adding a second door lock to the hotel bedrooms."

seeks to offer its expertise, advice and dedicated support to travellers in time of need, any time of day or night, be it extreme travel disruption or even terror incidents.

“It is a little bit out of the norm for what is seen at a TMC, but not for us, we’re different,” adds Parkhouse. “We see a problem that needs to be solved and have the products and services that can solve it. Our customerfacing teams have to become far more adept and aware of their needs and how we can meet those needs.”

These needs may differ depending on who the individual traveller is, and Capita Travel and Events has not left this stone unturned either.

Bamforth explains: “We’ve employed a Head of Behavioural Science to work with us to make sure we have the same impact with the message we deliver to an amateur traveller and that of w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

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C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

a novice traveller. That’s important to us and how we communicate to our customers and their travellers.”

PEOPLE POWER This highlights the importance of people, as well as technology, in delivering services that are not only efficient, but humanised and personal.

Central to communicating Capita Travel and Events’ cultural message to both employees and partner companies is The Engine Room, an engagement hub located in its Derby based head office, designed to 86

educate people, partners and customers on the latest innovation, products and services.

Neal Poole, Director of Marketing, adds: “The Engine Room demonstrates everything that we do, how we do it and the value we create for our customers all in one place.

From our products, services and propositions, including a full technology demonstration suite, the Engine Room really is the hub of our business designed to educate, train and develop our people, customers and partners.”

This is very much the domain of Chief People Officer Laura French, who explains how Capita Travel and Events nurtures employees from the outset.

“We use a blend of forums such as OCTOBER 2018

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“WE HAVE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES CAN DEVELOP BOTH THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS, HAVE PURPOSE IN WHAT THEY DO AND ENJOY WORKING WITH LIKE-MINDED PROFESSIONALS” — Laura French, Chief People Officer, Capita Travel and Events

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Laura French, Chief People Officer Laura is responsible for developing Capita Travel and Events’ organisational strategy to meet the challenges of growth and business competitiveness. As part of the senior leadership team, Laura drives the wider change priorities that deliver a successful business model. Accountable for improving leadership capability, she connects the organisation and its people to the purpose of the business implementing organisational structures that support the brand’s vision.

Commercially astute and strategically driven, Laura has over ten years’ experience in people transformation, and is passionate about its impact on enriching organisational strategy, design, and the success of brands. She is an inclusive, confident and an inspirational leader who is able to capture buy-in across businesses.

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C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

workshops, posts, quarterly surveys and questionnaires to identify key issues and indicate any priorities for improvement, as well as highlight areas of success and good practice,” she says. “The best ideas continue to come from our employees, who support us in implementing positive changes to our culture and working environment.

“For all new employees joining our teams we have a six-month onboarding period to help them settle in and learn everything they need. This is 88

supported every step of the way by their manager, who has a six-month supporting plan too.”

Capita Travel and Events has also implemented performance management and development tool, Full Circle, enabling the documentation of performance objectives. This allows

like-minded professionals. We make

managers and employees to identify

things fun whilst taking what we do

learning needs and skills gaps to

seriously, yet always maintaining our

further personal development, in align-

friendly approach.”

ment with company standards.

French adds: “We have created an

LOOKING AHEAD

environment where our employees

Investment in people has been the

can develop both their professional

cornerstone of Capita Travel and

and personal skills, have purpose in

Events’ success to date, highlighted

what they do and enjoy working with

by the fact that in April it became one

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89

Engine room artistic impressions, expected to be completed by the end of September of four companies to be awarded

only three organisations able to

a position on the Crown Commercial

provide a total travel solution.

Service’s (CCS) RM6016 Commercial

It is differentiation like this that will

Agreement under Solution 4 (Travel and

continue to define success for the

Venue solutions).

company in the coming years, and

This involves providing the central

investment in people via the likes of the

government and wider public sector

Engine Room will remain a key area of

organisations with access to fully

focus as it seeks to remain agile in an

managed travel and venue services,

ever complex and evolving industry.

and Capita Travel and Events is one of

Selecting appropriate partners and w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

C A P I TA T R AV E L A N D E V E N T S

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘MEETINGS AT THE HEART OF TRAVEL’ 90

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their respective technological exper-

the way in which customers arrange

tise is another vital component of these

travel, meetings and events, Capita

future plans, the importance of which is

Travel and Events has differentiated

outlined by Bamforth: “Technology is

itself from what was and still is a

moving rapidly, so we have to be on the

crowded TMC market. Through careful

lookout for new partners to make sure

acquisition of specialist organisations

we are continuing to lead the market.”

and by building on the knowledge

This is reflected by Parkhouse, who

and nurturing of its own people, and

concludes: “There are always new

investment in strategic partnerships

challenges, changes, emerging products,

and technology, the company has itself

and new services and that can often take

travelled a long way over the past 15

the industry into different directions.

years to change the face of travel,

One thing we don’t do, is stand still.”

meetings and events going beyond

By being able to inform and influence

that of traditional travel management.

Travel and Events w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

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Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City: Engaging guests through technology WRIT TEN BY

CATHERINE S TURM AN PRODUCED BY

CR AIG DANIEL S

OCTOBER 2018

MIDDLE EAST

93

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KEMPINSKI HOTEL GOLD COAST CITY

Khaled Koro, IT Manager for Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, discusses how technology will support the group to deliver exceptional customer experiences

A 94

strengthening worldwide

a visit to Kempinski Summerland

economy has led to a significant

Hotel & Resort, Beirut reflects the

boom in global tourism.

culture of the destination” explains

The hotel business is thriving, where

Khaled Koro, IT Manager for Kempin-

smaller enterprises are competing

ski Hotel Gold Coast City.

against large corporations in develop-

Joining the Group in 2016 to support

ing new products and services to

the opening of Kempinski’s first

entice travellers.

European luxury hotel and Resort in

Situated within the hospitality

Lebanon, Koro believes that technol-

industry for over a century, Europe’s

ogy has been a significant driver

oldest luxury hotel group, Kempinski

across the group’s operations. Working

Hotels, provides guests with unforget-

alongside designers and contractors,

table experiences, inspired by exqui-

Kempinski has overhauled its digital

site European flair. Believing that life

infrastructure and outdated network

should be lived in style, its growing

to radically enhance its performance.

collection of distinguished properties provide a five-star, European luxury

Implementing new digital tools

service, wherever the destination may be.

Implementing high standards across

“If you visit Kempinski Hotel Gold

its entire portfolio, Kempinski Hotel

Coast City, Accra you’ll immediately

Gold Coast City has adopted new digi-

observe the European cultural fusion

tal tools to support staff and engage

engaged with technology. Likewise,

with customers.

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MIDDLE EAST

“ Technology is going to further reshape the way we do business. All the big enterprises worldwide are focusing on the Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality (VR)” — Khaled Koro IT Manager for Kempinski Hotels

95

From migrating its fibre connection and increasing its bandwidth capabilities, the group has worked alongside esteemed technology leaders to install wireless and mobile technologies, network switching capabilities, point-of-sales systems for restaurants and more. Hence improving efficiency and reliability.

For guests, Internet Protocol w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

KEMPINSKI HOTEL GOLD COAST CITY

MANAGED PRINT SERVICES

Hardware

Supplies

Services

MANAGED DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS

Solutions Document Management

Capture

Webforms

Multi-year contract

www.waspltd.africa sales@waspghana.com

Process Automation

Reporting & Compliance

MIDDLE EAST

“ From video and audio conferencing to banquet conferencing, we are implementing a new digital solution to promote our events” — Khaled Koro IT Manager for Kempinski Hotels

Television (IPTV), is installed

“These applications will instantly

in all rooms where they can gain

communicate the rooms’ status

full access to view bills and other

update, additional requests and

interactive services.

more. Nowadays, Kempinski

“We also use technology to

Hotel Gold Coast City has

enhance check-in and check-

invested in migrating into mobile

out experiences for guests

technology. So, from having

and suitable applications for

every room attendant having

housekeeping, engineering

a smartphone, this particular

and other operational depart-

application has enhanced the

ments,” he adds.

employees’ productivity.”

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KEMPINSKI HOTEL GOLD COAST CITY

Disrupting present business models Fully enhancing its network and guests’ services, Koro is continuing to seek new ways to further utilise data and analytics to transform ways of working and guarantee further business growth.

“Whether it’s a hotel property, museum, or tourist destination, guests are able to take a look without even leaving their living room due to upcoming 98

inventions in the next 10 years.

The goal is to offer a preview of what guests will experience, or offer the next big thing.”

“Technology is going to further reshape the way we do business. All the big enterprises worldwide are focusing on the Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality (VR),” explains Koro.

Recreating success Following the successful opening of its first hotel in Lebanon, Koro is expected to deliver the same success by moving to Accra, Ghana, and OCTOBER 2018

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99 E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E

Khaled Koro Khaled joined the Kempinski Summerland Hotel & Resort, Beirut, in 2016 as an IT Assistant Manager overseeing and managing the pre-opening phase of the Hotel. Which he played a main role in creating the successful story of Kempinski Lebanon.Khaled joined Kempinski from the CampbellGray Hotels in Downtown Beirut, where he worked as an IT Administrator from 2014 to 2016 managing the IT operations of the 103 boutique key Hotel and leisure facilities. Khaled studied Information & Communication Technology at the American University of Science & Technology in Beirut. A Lebanese national, Khaled speaks basic German and Turkish, fluent in English and his mother tongue Arabic.

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KEMPINSKI HOTEL GOLD COAST CITY

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘KEMPINSKI HOTELS — AN ICONIC RESORT IN BEIRUT’ 100

OCTOBER 2018

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implement policies, standards and keep the technology up-todate with the latest software and hardware releases.

However, with limited technology providers available, challenges will be clear from the outset.

By partnering with authorised dealers and suppliers, Kempinski Gold Coast City has worked tirelessly to upgrade systems and servers and implement customer-focused tools and services. Eradicating the use of traditional newspapers, mobile applications and iPads are provided which enables e-newspapers to be accessed.

Guests can also stream media over TV, mobile and tablets.

For corporate guests, the hotel in Accra has successfully delivered exceptional banquet events by providing advanced technology and support. “From video and audio conferencing to banquet conferencing, we are implementing a new digital solution to promote our events at the hotel premises,� says Koro. w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

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KEMPINSKI HOTEL GOLD COAST CITY

“Unlike the old days, the hotel lobby is equipped with a stateof-the-art digital screen guiding guests to the hotel events and their location.

“Future will utilise the VR technology in running more efficient “virtual” meetings whereby the individual won’t feel distant or remote from the other participants and would feel as all in one venue.

“Technology is going to further reshape the way we do 102

business. All the big enterprises worldwide are focusing on the Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality (VR),” explains Koro.

There will be truly no end to the value technology can add to travel and tourism, but we need to be careful it doesn’t become so good that guests prefer technology over the real thing.”

By embracing technology, eliminating all paper-led processes and reaching business maturity, Kempinski Gold Coast City is no stranger to change and will continue to train its staff members on all technology OCTOBER 2018

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“ There will be truly no end to the value technology can add to travel and tourism” — Khaled Koro IT Manager for Kempinski Hotels

103

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KEMPINSKI HOTEL GOLD COAST CITY

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OCTOBER 2018

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C OMPA N Y FA C T S

• Khaled joined Kempinski Hotels in 2016 to support the opening of its first European luxury hotel and resort in Lebanon • Following the successful opening of its first hotel in Lebanon; Koro is expected to deliver the same success by moving to Accra, Ghana, and implement policies, standards and keep the technology up-to-date with the latest software and hardware releases.

• Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel provides guests with unforgettable experiences, inspired by exquisite European flair 105

which it believes to be essential to business growth, catering for luxury and offer memorable experiences for our guests.

“We are always up-to-date with technology; we invest in our employees for them to serve our guests at their best.” notes Koro.

“There are few hotels that can match us.

Our service, believe me, is more exquisite, and more guest-oriented — technology is set to take us to the next level.” w w w. f d f w o r l d . c o m

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