The Future of Food is Exciting: Trends for 2020

The Future of Food is Exciting: Trends for 2020 Trends are no longer limited to the cuisines on offer or the style of service. The ‘whole experience’ is what matters. Future Food is the global leader in food, restaurant and hospitality consulting having partnered with hundreds of clients over six different continents. The Retail People Magazine spoke with Francis Loughran, Managing Director of Future Food, who shares his insights on the exciting food trends in 2020.

FOOD • Alternative eating is becoming mainstream. The evolution, financial viability and marketability of plant-based menu options. This space is receiving an enormous focus and financial commitment in the field of continuous product development and innovation. • The welcoming of the Meat-Free terminology will be used to entice customers; rather than words like Vegetarian and / or Vegan. • Influencing the vegan pallet – extending plant-based meat replacement flavours and textures beyond “facon” to entice and further encourage the flexitarian movement away from meat. Menu shapers will become seriously experimental with the flexitarian crowd in 2020.

RE-IMAGINING FOOD & BEVERAGE

THE CUSTOMER • Customer Insight will grow in importance as operators will need to have open and reliable channels by which twoway communications with customers can be facilitated. • Menu prices do not have to fall, but the perceived value has to rise: Just because your pricing is in line with others around you doesn’t mean that your Biryani is worth it – because it’s not the price point that matters, but what’s on the plate.

Starbucks Shanghai

• Design-Food-People - This trio of terms will merge to deliver living-spaces that embrace human feelings. The integration of these elements will shape the design briefs of 2020 and beyond. The design will focus heavily on people’s desire to slow-down, to be immersed in space and to feel welcome because holistic food and beverage is more than healthy eating; it’s aligned to feelings of experience and mindfulness through design, food, technologies, marketing, socialization and interconnectedness. • Brands will develop their concepts, offer and positioning for greater reach. The Starbucks Reserve is an example of this emerging trend in flagship food stores. • The drive to reinvent food is continuing with the development; robots that make pizza, food stores without cashiers.

Motta, Crumpets and Southern Ocean

THE ENVIRONMENT • Service-Sustainable-Sales - Accountability of food and hospitality venue design will remain critical in delivering components that continue to drive sales. Beautiful spaces must deliver joy in every aspect. The quality of food, beverage & service must evolve together with an environmentallysustainable perspective - from responsibly sourced materials, compostable packaging, “smart” designed equipment and paperless menus. The future of eating out is greener. • More environmentally-focused rewards such as trees planted to help reduce the carbon footprint of the business you are purchasing coffee from, rather than receiving every 10th coffee free. • Sustainable food retailing beyond packaging; SMART food establishments, C02 optimized refrigeration and environmental initiatives in construction to reduce the carbon footprint. Large scale food storage technologies extending further into smaller operational setups (cafés & restaurants) in 2020.

Food for Thought

The largest and longest running food & beverage show in the world will be celebrating their Silver Anniversary. The trade show will run from 16-20 February 2020 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The theme for this year is Rethinking Food. Gulfood’s main focus is to drive the food & beverage industry into the next 25 years. The show will demonstrate and answer a critical question: Why do we need to rethink food? For more information, visit: www.gulfood.com.

The annual city-wide culinary event, Dubai Food Festival (DFF), will return for its seventh edition on February 26, 2020. It will be held for 18 days across the city. According to the organizers, the event will celebrate the gastronomical diversity of the city, and will give residents, visitors, families and foodies insight into the latest tastes and trends from the global food scene. Regular DFF-related events will also return, including Dubai Restaurant Week, Beach Canteen, Hidden Gems and experiences featuring masterclasses, chef tables, appearances by celebrity chefs and promotions at malls, restaurants and hypermarkets. For a full update of activities, go to www.dubaifoodfestival.com.

Hutong is a contemporary Northern Chinese cuisine that offers amazing dim sum and creative cocktails, all served in a styling setting with a beautiful outdoor terrace. The menu will feature signature dishes from Hong Kong and London, including the Red Lantern; crispy softshelled crab with dried chilli, and the halibut Red Star Noodles, as well as new dishes created exclusively for Dubai. Located at the ground floor of Legatum Plaza, Gate Building 6, DIFC. www.hutong-dubai.com

La Mezcaleria is located at The Oberoi Hotel in Business Bay, Dubai and offers Latino Oriental beats, flamboyant Mezcal beverages and Mexicaninspired cuisine. It promises an innovative gastronomical journey and diverse selection of mezcals along with an extensive shisha menu, live music and entertainment on select nights. The atmosphere is playful yet rustic. The menu includes a variety of appetizers including the special P&B Guacamole which contains fresh peach, crispy bacon and a hint of jalapeno, or try the Mez-callop – a scallop ceviche with a hint of ginger. The Lobster Gobernador, or the Pastel Azteca, a Lasagne with some sweet Latin-American surprises are more for those with a bigger appetite. For the meat lovers, the Parrillada a 740g wagyu rib-eye with guacamole and tortillas to roll. Finish your meal with the Crepe-Adilla or a plate of classic Churros. www.lamezcaleriadxb.com.

Shanghai Me which recently opened in DIFC, was designed to transport you to the 1930’s, the city’s golden era. A prosperous and indulgent place, filled with glamour, personality, culture and great cuisine. The cuisine was inspired by the culinary traditions of East Asia, paying tribute to the region’s rich heritage, Shanghai Me serves recipes that have been preserved for generation. Their menu includes a selection of exquisite dishes including Cantonese roast duck, Szechuan style prawns, alongside signature dim sum, bao buns, sushi and sashimi. Due to its prominent location in DIFC, the restaurant has also curated a special lunch menu, providing a great business lunch. www.shanghaime-restaurant.com

Ce La Vi Dubai Is now officially open located atop the new Address Sky View, marks the sixth opening of the brand, with venues spread across the world including; Singapore, Colombo, Taipei, Shanghai and Tokyo. Drawing inspiration from Southeast Asia, CÉ LA VI celebrates the popular French saying that translated to “This is Life”. The Asian inspired menu, includes Prat-Au-Coum Oysters, A5 Wagyu striploin nigiri, crab cake with Osetra caviar, pea ravioli with seaweed and cacio pepe sauce, and a long experimental list of eclectic beverages. The restaurant is located at 220 meters above sea level, making it one of the city’s highest rooftops offering an Asian restaurant, sky bar, club lounge, and pool deck. www.celavi.com/en/dubai/restaurant

Frico Store Dutch cheesemaker, Frico, has opened its first ever store at Dubai’s Global Village located at the European Pavillion and it will ensure to entice the cheese lovers from across the emirate. It offers an exclusive variety of a dozen cheese types, from the soft and creamy gouda to the mild and mellow edam and the bold old dutch master. The Frico store’s official launch was inaugurated by the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Hans Sandee, and the Agricultural Counsellor for the GCC, Mr. Erik Smidt. Source: HotelNewsMe (https://bit.ly/38M4sKJ)

Soul Street This vibrant, bustling restaurant is perched on the fifth floor of the Five Hotels and Resorts. This is a new restaurant for all the street food lovers and culinary explorers. The menu is brimming with street food classics from across the globe. A large tabloid-style menu is handed over to diners, split into sections for salads and cold small bites, hot small plates and big bites, under various countries and regions. Source: Jumeirah Village Five Hotels and Resorts (https://bit.ly/2uDuFvV)

Fishmarket InterContinental Abu Dhabi’s flagship, has opened after a complete upgrade to continue the success story that started in 1989. The Fishmarket is one of the capital’s most exciting gastronomic experiences. The Fresh new look and feel retains the essence and traditions it is famous for; the freshest fish cooked to your preference. www.icad.ae

Fouquet’s Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island is now set to become a dining destination too. The Parisian brasserie Fouquet’s is due to open its first location in the UAE at the museum next year, just as the original Parisian eatery celebrates 120 years in business. The Louvre has partnered with Bariere Group and recruited French Chef, Pierre Gagnaire, to design the menu. www.fouquetsabudhabi.com

Butcher & Still’s Food Truck is all set to deliver the spirit of the 1920s Chicago Steakhouse at Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi to the UAE. The concept brings an innovative chef-driven concept to the country’s luxury restaurant and bar space. The shell of the new Butcher & Still Food Truck is a nostalgia-invoking Airstream trailer. This design is enhanced by cues taken from the restaurant’s most recognizable details including a rich leather chef’s table, as well as the infamous AK-47 bullet print skirting the perimeter of the truck. However, a stand out detail is the reinterpretation of the outlet’s signature show kitchen, which breaks down the barrier between chefs and guests, allowing them to connect.

Hutong

La Mezcaleria

Shanghai Me

Frico store

Soul Street

Ce La Vi Dubai

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Burj Nahar Mall is situated in one of the most visible and accessible intersections in Deira and is part of a mixed-use development by Al Majid Property Co. member of Juma Al Majid Group. The development has 246,000 sqft of leasable space spread across three floors complimented with 200 residential apartments. Burj Nahar Mall is poised to become a mass market, outlet driven, brand oriented destination community centre set to attract customers from within Dubai and beyond. Opening Q1 2020.

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P.16: Purpose of Brands Beyond 2020 P.46: Marketing Strategies for Retailers P.51: Future of Food is Exciting

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THE FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT

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Maimunah Shebani Managing Director of The Retail Agency Addressing the Employment Gap in Oman through Retail Training

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FIRST AND FINEST CAMEL MILK CHOCOLATE.

One-on-One with... Amit Dhamani is the Managing Director of Dhamani Jewels Group. He started his career by setting up an office for the Group in Bangkok in 1989. During these 30 years, the Dhamani Group has evolved from gem and diamond wholesale business to having notable fine jewelry brands as Dhamani 1969, Dhamani Jewels, Dusoul and Laviere with Dubai as Headquarters.

Amit is a Harvard Business School Alumni and one of the Board of Directors at the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) and The Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group and in the Board of Governors of GIA (Gemological Institute of America). Here, the Retail People Magazine has a quick chat with Amit and shares his story, thoughts and experience being in the business for decades.

Full Name: Amit Dhamani Short Name: Amit Nationality: Indian Job Title: Group Managing Director Company: Dhamani Jewels School: Harvard Business School Birthday: 16 th October Hobbies: Traveling Education: Bachelor of Commerce Place of Birth: Jaipur

Life is a journey Life’s Quote:

Can you share a brief story about how Dhamani Jewel Group started? Dhamani Jewels was started by my father as a loose gemstone dealer in 1969 in Jaipur, India. By 2000s, it was headquartered in Dubai and expanded into diamonds and retail. The family business is now in its second generation of leadership and aimed to become a top global jewelry brand. Currently, the group is actively managed by me as Group Managing Director alongside my brothers Rohit as CEO of Dusoul and Manish as CEO Dhamani 1969. The family-owned Dhamani Jewels Group (DJG) has operations across the UAE, Thailand, Lebanon, Switzerland and India. Last year, DJG added a new brand to its portfolio, Dusoul, which encompasses the modern, aspirational millennials.

How and when did you felt the interest and passion in this business? Being the second generation, I was naturally inclined from an early age. I started learning and admiring gemstones in my early teens. Seeing my father traveling around the world for business intrigued me to follow the passion for fine jewels.

What is the most memorable time or experience in running your family business? What lesson have you learned from this experience? The most memorable time and

experience I had was during my executive education programme at Harvard. It was a session on how to transform a family run business to be more brand-centric and to continue for many generations. I made sure that the business continuity was there irrespective of the current generation and I was strongly supported by my brothers who helped make it happen on an ongoing basis by putting proper processes and systems at every step.

In the Retail Congress MENA Shopping Centres & Retailer Awards, Dusoul received the Design & Development – Retail Store Design Award category. Following this success, are there new brands that you will introduce in 2020? DUSOUL is a deeply thought and studied brand introduced by Dhamani to cater to affordable luxury and millennial segments addressing the market developments including Expo 2020 and beyond. We will be focusing on Dhamani 1969 in the ultraluxury segment and Dusoul in the affordable luxury segment for years to come.

Can you share a secret on how to keep on top despite the new brands that coming up in the retail sector? Focus is the key according to my learning and experience. Giving the customer clarity on the brand ethos and brand delivery makes us relevant in the era of regular new brands coming in the retail sector.

Being a member of the MECS+R for the past seven (7) years, how does it benefit you? MECS+R is one of the most amazing platforms for the retail industry. Through various events, networking and activations, we have connected with the retail industry at large. I certainly recommend others to join and avail of the unique benefits it offers.

What is something most people don’t know about you? I am an avid traveller and I am on my journey to complete my travel to 100 countries in the next 5 years.

What’s your passion in life and what inspires you? My passion is creating moments to celebrate for everyone around me - family, team, peers and clients. The vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inspires me all the time.

How do you grow revenue?

Centralise your property data to minimise risk and deliver key performance metrics, while using mobile technology to

revolutionise interaction with prospects and tenants.