FM World December 2016 taster edition

I N F O R M I N G FA C I L I T I E S M A N A G E M E N T P R O F E S S I O N A L S

fm-world.co.uk / December 2016

TA ST E R E D I T I O N

The people, companies and foods affecting the catering equation COOKS BOOKED Why contract catering is becoming more attractive to chefs

THOUGHT PROCESSED FM’s next generation on how to embrace thought diversity

STREET TRICK How street food vendors are changing the catering mix

F M WO R LD

DECEMBER 2016

CONTENTS COM M UNI TY

2 2 PE R SPE C TIV E S The four most interesting and insightful opinions on FM this month

24 T HINK TA NK Do open-plan offices foster productivity or create a cognitive dissonance?

27 A BIT A BOU T YOU Keith Glennister on winning the BIFM Lifetime Achievement Award’

ANA LYS IS

7 M O RE EQ UA L THAN OTHE RS ?

The government is to push to eliminate the UK’s gender pay gap 8 B REX I T M EAN S ‘FLE X IT ’ Emerging trends affecting take-up in the commercial property market

KNOW LE DGE

3 9 A F LE X IBLE F U TU R E The Orgatec conference in Cologne presented ‘New visions of work’ 40 C A R E E R D E V E LOPME N T Starting a new job can be daunting – prepare well for your first day

3 2 D E C E M BE R @ BIF M The people and projects currently informing BIFM activity 3 6 C A LL S TO AC T ION The events, surveys and discussions that deserve your attention

41 5G OPPORT U NIT Y The latest 5G technology is set to transform business processes

10 D ESI GN FOR LIFE ?

How construction clients and other partners perceive architects

42 HA Z A R D A HE A D Strict legislation governs the biohazard cleaning process

12 RI SKY BUS IN E S S UK charities are finding property ownership a financial burden

43 COF F E E BR E A K Setting up a coffee kiosk – what you need to know

13 NEWS MAK E RS The stories proving most popular with FM World’s online visitors this month

44 IT ’ S A GA S EU rules on F Gas in refrigeration, air con and fire protection systems

FM World’s in-depth analysis section 48 CHAIN REACTION The dynamics of the contract catering sector are shifting because of the rise in expectations driven by the high street multiples. Sara Bean asks what contractors are learning from the chains.

52 THE STRE E T GOE S ON THE ME N U Street food may increasingly be to staff tastes, but can contract caterers compete by introducing niche specialist cuisines or is working alongside street food vendors a better policy?

56 TOO FEW COOKS? The rise of the celebrity chef and the desire amongst consumers for ever finer food is placing pressure upon contract catering operations to do more to attract and retain staff.

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60 CATERING FOR PRODUCTIVITY Organisations’ desire to provide a healthy diet is linked to a broad d DE CEM B E R ’ S TO P I C approach to improve FOOD, productivity and, as GLORIOUS a bonus, can help cut FOOD workers’ risk of heart disease, stroke, W W W.cancer B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N and more.

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F RO NT D E S K A N A LY S I S

A

rchitects who follow up and conduct post-occupancy evaluations are better perceived by clients than those who do not, according to a survey by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

RIBA’s Working With Architects survey set out to highlight how construction clients and other partners perceive architects.

Responses were received from nearly 1,000 clients, who were generally pleased with their projects, rating architects’

B U IL D ING DE SIG N

He added: “Since this report tells us that after-service care adds to clients’ satisfaction ratings, surely it can be translated into value that deserves commensurate remuneration? We should discuss POE early, include a minimal service as part of the basic offer, and present the potential advantages of more thorough-going POE as bolt-on options. Done comprehensively and in collaboration with other professionals, word-of-mouth endorsement is sure to follow.”

Nigel Ostime, project delivery director at Hawkins Brown Architects and chair of the RIBA

ARCHITECTS OF OUR OWN DESTINY

Should the design industry move to a model in which post-occupancy evaluations are part of an architect’s fee?

client liaison group that contributed to the report, told FM World that a stronger feedback loop is important to help drive down costs and improve the quality of projects.

“When it gets discussed, the issue is that there isn’t any money, and the client doesn’t want to pay for it. But there’s a call to build it into the overall business plan of the project, that we allow for this in the same way that manufacturers do, consistently, so that we get customer and client feedback and build that into the next build.”

The RIBA Digital Plan of Works was relaunched in 2013 as a heavily revised version of the institute’s long-established framework for the structuring of construction projects. It included requirements for building information modelling and was designed so that projects factored in operational performance and client feedback, specifically included in a new stage, entitled ‘In Use’.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

WORDS: JAMIE HARRIS

design skills. But they were less impressed with architects’ process management skills.

Architects who followed up at the end of the project, particularly when not contracted to do so, were more highly rated than architects who did not complete this process.

Ben Derbyshire, RIBA’s president-elect and chair at HTA Design LLP, said the design industry needs to move to a model in which post-occupancy evaluations are built into the fee.

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S U P P LY S I D E

BUSINESS NEWS

Weeks to view A month of rethinks Week commencing 10 Oct

Often shareholders look forward to the completion of a strategic review of a business as it can lead to the sale of assets and the return of cash or the disposal of underperforming businesses.

But Interserve ended its strategic review of the RMDK equipment services business by deciding to retain ownership of it and trying to maximise value creation through restructuring in less attractive markets and trying to improve efficiencies elsewhere that will incur oneoff charges of £17 million, of which £5m will come in the current year.

Week commencing 17 Oct

A month after issuing a surprise profit warning, Mitie took a five-year, £60 million-plus deal with Manchester Airports Group to consolidate into one contract its existing FM services provided across three airports owned by the group. Mitie will provide additional services at Manchester alongside the range of soft and hard FM services it already supplies, while also starting a full range of soft FM services at Stansted and East Midlands airports.

Week commencing 24 Oct

Linen services specialist Berendsen reported a solid trading period from July to September during which revenues rose by 12.9 per cent compared with the previous year and underlying revenues grew by 2.4 per cent. The firm is addressing issues in its hospitality & healthcare businesses and some areas of workwear where it had to take on extra costs over the summer to maintain client service quality. Overall, management expects the full year to produce adjusted operating profit of around £160m, up from £153m last year.

Week commencing 31 Oct

G4S’s recovery is gathering pace.

A trading update from the security specialist for the first nine months of the year revealed new deals worth a total of £2 billion and annual revenues of £1bn. And internal efforts at improving productivity as well as organic growth saw revenues for the nine months to September rise by 5.7 per cent to £4.8bn.

Debt continues to fall while management has agreed with the trustees of its pension scheme to reduce payments that are aimed at closing its deficit.

Q&A

A GOLDEN EYE ON JUSTICE THE INTERVIEWEE: Deborah Rowland

THE TOPIC: Her new role as head of public sector affairs at Sodexo

What was your reason/s for taking this new role?

I wanted a new challenge to work with a key supplier who provides public sector services globally. I look forward to helping Sodexo build stronger relationships with its clients in the public sector.

What were the biggest challenges working in your public sector roles?

Due to the nature of the public sector there are constant changes in direction combined with short-term spending cycles that make setting long-term property goals challenging. FM budgets were continuously being reduced, which has significant impact on frontline operations.

What will be the real advantages of working for a FM firm like Sodexo?

It was important for me to find an organisation in which I could use my knowledge and skills from the public sector and the FM industry whilst expanding my experience beyond the UK. Sodexo’s values mirror those of the public sector in that they both want to deliver better services, more efficiently. Sodexo is a strong global brand and I am looking forward to helping the organisation to realise the potential growth of this sector in the UK and support its strategy to grow within the global public sector markets.

What changes do you hope to enact and what do you envision the larger impact being with Sodexo?

In the UK and Ireland Sodexo has a strong brand presence and is known for its ability and performance in the delivery of services in the public and private sector.

My ambition is to join up the successful

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segments of public sector delivery so that they have a cohesive message to government and other key stakeholders.

Another aspect … and one that I’m looking forward to is helping Sodexo develop its IFM offering to the global market.

Where is the FM sector headed and how is Sodexo adapting to trends?

The outsourcing of public sector services is growing and governments are looking for experts in their field to deliver services

“SODEXO’S VALUES MIRROR THOSE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN THAT THEY BOTH WANT TO DELIVER BETTER SERVICES, MORE EFFICIENTLY” efficiently and to support initiatives to reduce and combine their assets, including the centralisation of key services.

Sodexo has been adapting to the changing marketplace with a global approach to its market segments, enabling the sharing of best practice and resources… I will work with the global justice services team on developing its strategy in new markets.

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What part will you play in that team?

With my experience of working in the UK justice market, I will support the team as it develops its strategy to grow the justice business into other regions, such as Australia, where has first WW W. B ISodexo F M .O RG .Uwon K / F its M WJ OIN contract to manage a new prison.

V I E W P O I NT

Have your say

PERSPECTIVES

Visit fm-world.co.uk for longer versions of these comment columns Get in touch by email – editorial@fm-world.co.uk Topical, inspirational, angry or amusing – we consider all relevant comment

PERSPECTIVES 1

2

EDWARD FINCH is a former professor in FM at Salford University and previously editor of the academic journal Facilities

SADAF SAIED is head of dietetics at G4S Facilities Management

Lost in space

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building that is not ‘readable’ can never fulfil its potential.

Users need to be able to navigate for functional reasons, to discover different spaces, or safety reasons (to find emergency exits). Navigability becomes paramount if you are an infrequent or one-off user of a building.

Additional obstacles arise from physical, sensory and mental impairments users may have.

Making buildings more ‘readable’ requires the interior designer and facilities manager to get inside the heads of users with differing spatial skills.

Signage is the first port of call for those assisting the lost. But excessive signage can be an intrusive solution that reveals design shortcomings.

Sounds and changes in floor surface often provide a guide for blind and partially sighted people. Colour contrast and pathway lighting can also provide cues.

But how does a building designer get inside the mind of a disabled user? The temptation is to anticipate problems based on their own envisioning. This invariably leads to a poor design solution. Another approach

Healthy staff mean healthy business

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recent NHS report1 detailing our failing health makes sobering reading, highlighting our lacklustre attitude.

As a 2016 Office for National Statistics report2 shows, people are working for longer, so strategies must be applied with a broad demographic in mind to have lasting success for a healthy workforce.

The ‘nudge approach’ is the most effective method of initiating change among colleagues and a well-known idea in behavioural science.

Positive reinforcement is more likely to get us on board.

The nudge should encourage a habitual change, not a

is to rely on building standards. These are unlikely to provide a total solution.

One technique, ‘cognitive mapping’, provides just such a way to get ‘under the hood’ of users. Psychologist Edward Tolman introduced this idea in 1948. Cognitive

“COGNITIVE MAPPING PROVIDES JUST SUCH A WAY TO GET ‘UNDER THE HOOD” maps serve to construct and accumulate spatial knowledge, allowing the mind’s eye to make sense of and recall environments.

These approximations of the physical space reflect our individual learning experiences, becoming more comprehensive as we investigate particular surroundings. People in wheelchairs emphasise physical barriers in their maps, obstacles that are missing from the maps of those able to move freely.

FMs who want to know more about how a space is seen or used could incorporate the cognitive mapping’ into postoccupancy evaluation.

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“ONCE PEOPLE NOTICE OTHERS MAKING CHANGES … THIS IS LIKELY TO INSTILL CHANGE”

used in a health initiative. If an organisation has a social media platform campaigns can be launched on these.

Look at certain trending topics online, such as the ‘eat clean’ phenomenon to see how rapidly people begin to do something different if the example of others around them is strong enough. But data online for colleagues should be supported with evidence of nutritional value from reputable sources.

With health-oriented technology falling in price, businesses could consider an initiative that contributes in part, or as a bonus, for a ‘fitbit’ monitor or pedometer to help colleagues measure activity.

Businesses also need to consider the varying cultural and religious dietary requirements staff may have when selecting a caterer as this ensures the whole demographic is covered.

Anything that shows how serious employers are about improving well-being will help to bring positive change.

dramatic and permanent shift away from things people enjoy. But once people notice 1 others making changes to NHS report from The State of their routine this is likely to Food & Agriculture 2013 2 instill change – as the success ONS UK Labour Market: Sept of the national ‘Change4Life’ 2016 3 campaign3 proves.

Government Change4Life: Businesses should think W W W. B IThree-Year F M .O RG .USocial K / F MMarketing WJ O I N about how technology can be Strategy

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V I E W P O I NT T H I N K TA N K

@TMTInnovation #ThoughtDiversity

The theory is that working to ensure a mix of these thought ‘types’ can help organisations to avoid slipping into predictable and fixed ways of doing things; by embracing thought diversity, FMs can boost innovation in service delivery and job satisfaction within teams.

So while other elements of diversity are physical, thought diversity is about what’s in people’s minds; what specific talents does an individual demonstrate? The best facilities managers are already those who show the most empathy towards others in their team and those they serve, so it’s not necessarily surprising that it’s a couple of FMs who have embraced thought diversity.

S OUN DBI TE S

WHAT IS THOUGHT DIVERSITY TO YOU? SALMA KHAN,

Servest @ salmakhan141 “If businesses focus on raw talent and creativity rather than trying to fit people in categories, they are likely to be more successful.”

MARY O’CONNOR,

Assistant operations manager, London Bridge Quarter Estate Management @MaryNOConnor “It involves embracing the opinions and expertise of all in the team and creating something from it. Unique work styles and input should be positively reflected on, embraced and utilised.”

“EMBRACING THOUGHT DIVERSITY IS A WAY OF GUARANTEEING BOTH INNOVATION IN SERVICE DELIVERY AND JOB SATISFACTION WITHIN THE TEAM”

EMMA WILSON,

director, Project 507 @emmacorp “It’s about encouraging debate. It does not set out to limit ideas, nor negate experience and knowledge. It empowers, includes and respects variety.”

Tomorrow Meets Today

In November, Andrew Hulbert and Sajna Rahman ran their second annual ‘Tomorrow Meets Today’ event. Six established business leaders were invited to meet, mingle and make food with 30 upand-coming FMs at a restaurant in London.

Explains Hulbert: “This is about future FM leaders having access to some of the most exciting and diverse leaders in the UK. The idea is to provide a platform of opportunity for two very different groups of people to meet.

“We know it can be difficult for more junior people in the FM sector to meet the most senior (and more importantly the other way round) and this event is designed with that in mind.”

Beyond the actual networking, and given the very idea of thought diversity, participants were asked their own views on how they would define and apply it within FM. Here, we present a selection of their responses over these three pages. (With more appearing on our web site.)

JO THOMAS,

Assurity Consulting @JoannaBThomas “It’s an essential tool. The ability to adopt different perspectives and apply different approaches, for the challenges the facilities industry presents us with, are key to success.”

REBECCA HOUGHTON,

Servest @Rhoughton “It encourages the importance of having a team that operate in many different ways. It promotes individual work styles, creating a unique team, not a team of robots.”

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K N OW H OW

C AREER DE VELOPMENT

1

Prioritise tasks

When undertaking any type of role within FM there will be a lot of practical and operational steps to remember when you start. In FM, maybe more so than other sectors, you’re bound to hit the ground running when you start a new job. You’ll need to be able to quickly prioritise tasks and pinpoint what needs attention.

Understanding your team can help with this, as they’ll be able shed light on things like contract terms, client relationships and deadlines.

2

Prep for the handover

Understanding the handover period and requesting any supporting documentation is crucial to ensure that your first few weeks run smoothly. The handover may have been an afternoon with your predecessor and future team members, or it might be a series of documents ready for you on your first day. Make sure you know in good time what’s expected of you.

Ensure that you are clear about how many people you’re managing, if any, and who they are. Make sure they are clear on your role too. Also know who your own line manager is.

3

ASHLEIGH BROWN is an associate at Kentish and Co and BIFM deputy chair

4

place if you turn up in a suit, and your colleagues are in jeans and a T-shirt.

Do your homework before you start. Obviously, there will be some things you need to know and understand – such as the size of the business, the approximate turnover, clients and any official partnerships.

When it comes to systems and processes, however, you won’t be expected to know them all right away – so do ask for clarification where needed.

Likewise with any company policies.

Be open and available

In the world of FM, we’re working with a wide range of people every day, so interpersonal and communication skills are essential. You’ll know this already if you’ve got the job. Keep your finger on the button, as it were; the realms of workplace are constantly changing, so bring the knowledge you have and be prepared to learn as you go on.

It’s not in everyone’s nature to be outgoing and confident, especially in a

E MPLOY ME N T

STARTING A NEW JOB IN FM

Starting a new job can be daunting and exciting at the same time – it’s important that you prepare for your first day. Although it depends on what role you’ll be going into, Ashleigh Brown shares some tips on getting comfortable and up to speed quickly

Plan everything, from trains to ties

new environment among new people, but putting yourself out there just that little bit more can make a huge difference. If you are leading a new team take every opportunity to get to know each person as well as you can; this will pay dividends down the line. Both introverts and extroverts have their place in the workplace, yet if you can assert yourself in those crucial first few weeks and form relationships quickly it will benefit you in the long term.

5

Keep calm and carry on

6

Respect workplace diversity

Although it’s easier said than done, try not to become too emotional about things.

Be passionate about what you do, but work is work. Starting a new job can be stressful and it can take a while to get to grips with things, and by keeping calm you can avoid any major panics. If you’re ever in doubt, just ask. The tasks of someone working in FM can at times be high-risk, it could be dangerous to just assume something, so if you’re not 100 per cent sure about something just doublecheck before you proceed.

Joining a new office environment means that you will be mixing with many new people – people of different races, cultures, religions, creed and gender. Don’t assume you understand everyone’s humour before you know them all. Not everyone shares your sense of humour. In short, just be aware of your surroundings and the people you’re working with, and be prepared to adapt your behaviour accordingly.

But be true to yourself – you’ve W W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N been employed for a reason!

Plan your journey on your first day as if you need to be there early, and don’t be too desperate to leave bang on 5.30pm. Make sure you know what the dress code is for your department or company. Are you taking up a position in a large corporation? This might require erring on the side of smart. Equally, if your new position is at a start-up or smaller creative company, you might look a spot out of

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K N OW H OW

TECHNICAL EXPL AINER

T E C HNO LO GY

THE UK’S 5G OPPORTUNITY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The Autumn Statement made provision for the country’s fifth generation mobile data network infrastructure. Here, Keith Robson of the University of Surrey 5G innovation Centre outlines the latest IT development set to transform business processes 5G networks will start to be commercialised from 2020 onwards

Although there is broad international agreement on what 5G has to offer beyond what 4G networks already do, the technologies have not yet been standardised by the relevant international technical standards bodies and the first release of standards is not due until 2018, which means that although there will be trials and large-scale demonstrations, especially in the US and Asia, commercial systems offering services to the public and handsets (such as iPhones) that conform to the new standards will be available only from 2020. 3GPP standards are drafted by the membership, which includes every company involved in modern communications, and then adopted by governments and regulators throughout the world.

5G networks will provide capability beyond 4G

and technologies for modern telecommunications systems is so high that manufacturers need the largest possible markets to recover the cost.

3GPP and the mobile operators’ international trade association, GSMA, have agreed that the three main characteristics of 5G will be: Better mobile broadband – with a much higher area capacity, so that a much larger numbers of mobile devices can be supported in a given geographical area. The target is 1,000 times more capacity than 4G. This will be done by a combination of more radio spectrum, advanced transmission techniques and densification of cells.

Massive Machine-type communications – where high numbers of Internet of Things devices can be supported by

5G networks will not replace 4G networks

5G networks will complement 4G networks for at least 10 and maybe 20 years. But the integration of 4G and 5G networks will be much more sophisticated than previously, and in effect 4G networks (and Wi-fi too) will become part of the plethora of communication connection methods that 5G networks will offer.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

the 5G network, obviating the need to build specific IoT networks, which can be very hard to monetise and may be significantly under-loaded much of the time. The target is a million devices per square kilometre; 4G can only do less than half of this figure with the same radio bandwidth.

Very high reliability and ultra-low latency – where messages can be sent across the network extremely quickly and with a very high certainty of delivery. Low latency is essential for applications like virtual reality, augmented reality, tactile-feedback or haptic systems, gaming and high-frequency financial trading. This characteristic will be essential for some autonomous car, medical and robotic applications.

5G networks and IoT are two sides of the same coin

5G networks, built to deliver superfast mobile broadband and which are enable to repurpose some resources for narrowband and low data-rate IoT purposes when needed, offer the prospect of a very low marginal cost of connecting an IoT device. This is essential for smart city/smart homes/smart hospitals applications.

The UK economy and 5G

The economic impact of 5G will come from innovation in the way that business and public services are delivered.

For example, if older people with early-stage dementia can safely live in their own homes for longer, or be released more quickly from hospital after treatment, there will be large savings for the health and social care budget.

On 23 November, chancellor Philip Hammond pledged more than £1 billion for broadband and 5G in the Autumn Statement.

Hammond said: “My ambition is for the UK to be a world leader in 5G. That means a full-fibre network – a step-change in speed, security and reliability.”

The government is also set to tinyurl.com/FMW1216-Surrey5G offer business rates relief on new W W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N tinyurl.com/FMW1216-AutumnStatement fibre infrastructure.

5G networks will conform to global standards and will evolve substantially during their life

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The importance of global standards cannot be overemphasised because the cost of developing special chips

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ENABLING PRODUC TIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR PEOPLE AND BUSINESS

Fork goodness sake From nutrition’s role in productivity to the way companies recruit and retain, the catering function is increasingly important to workplace well-being

MARKET — FRESH? How are contract caterers innovating to keep competitive?

CHEF AS A POST Making a career in contract catering attractive to chefs

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FAC I LITATE

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

CO N T R AC T C AT ER I N G T R EN D S

The differences between the catering provision offered within the workplace and what is available on the high street are diminishing.

Data from NPD’s CREST® market research shows that workplace food service is declining (-2 per cent) year on year. What with the slow death of subsidies for employees using in-house restaurants, staff seeking alternatives to the in-house canteen from the high street and an increased demand among end-users for street food, contract caterers are facing some serious challenges.

So what can they do to compete?

Paul Hurren, managing director of Lusso (part of CH&Co Group), explains: “The trick is to take the best of both worlds – take the consistency and innovation from the high street and street food, but adapt this in the flexible way that workplace dining demands. You can’t be as rigid as a high street brand in the workplace as [neither] clients, nor customers, want it.”

A major differential between contract caterers and high street vendors is that the latter usually has one style of food and changes the menu infrequently.

By contrast, workplace caterers provide multiple offers that may be adapted on a daily basis to provide constant variety and avoid menu fatigue for those who patronise the facilities every day.

The challenge, of course, is in providing the appropriate level of variety to end users within the cost confines of a service that is often unsubsidised and where the costs are tight. Caterers agree that they have to work harder than ever, but say that is a positive thing as well, because the food they provide has to be what clients and end users really want to buy.

When it comes to cost, contractors have another advantage over the high street.

Paul Cowie, head of catering for OCS, says: “Although there are fewer subsidies, we have the benefit of working within the client’s premises, so we don’t have the costs the high street does in terms of rates, power etc, which reduces the overheads.

“PEOPLE ONLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT GOES WRONG – BUT THERE’S SO MUCH WE DO THAT REALLY PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES”

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“Because we can flex our offerings, unlike a fixed high street brand which only changes every three or six months, we can change the menu on a daily basis and utilise the best market value for the products we buy in. That allows us to be more competitive and make the food exciting enough for people to come in and eat different things every day if they like.”

Some forward-thinking organisations are bucking the subsidy reduction trend, particularly in tech, media or start-up environments, and offering significant subsidies to support a wider employee retention policy, often linked to the health and well-being agenda.

For the smaller contract caterers – squeezed between the larger contractors at one end and high street food W W W. B I F M .O RG .U K / F M WJ O I N vendors at the other – there is obviously less scope to

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December 2016

FAC I LITATE

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOG PHOT PHOTO PHO HOTOG HOTO HOT HO H O TOG OG GR RAPH RAP APHY APH A AP PHY PH P HY H Y (I (IN (INC. NC N C.. C C COVERS COVE COVER COVERS): OVER OVE VERS V ER RS S )):: R RI RIC RICHARD IIC C HARD GLEED

NUTRITION

TIVITY

You can barely walk down the high street without having your attentions assaulted by a marketing campaign for superfoods. Pret’s protein power lunches and superfood trail mix; EAT’s protein pots; and Itsu’s hip, humble and healthy salad.

Quinoa, wheatgrass, chia seeds, acai berries, green tea, blueberries and kale have taken over in the health food arena, leaving the humble sandwich and side salad in the cold.

But ask a dietitian and they will give you a very different take.

Superfood is not a term commonly used by dietitians, many of whom dispute that particular foods have the health benefits often claimed by advocates of particular ‘superfoods’.

Like most things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and it is more about our approach to food in the West than the foods themselves.

In the West, we want a quick fix. We have a can of energy drink or a strong coffee, which is the equivalent of pouring petrol into a car. In the East, the approach is more long-term, to treat food like the oil in the engine. It’s about nourishing the body.

Maca root, holy basil and liquorice.

This goes some way to explaining our obsession with superfoods. We want a quick health fix, rather than a more long-term approach to our own nutrition, and expect foods, super or otherwise, to do all the work.

The idea of foods having medicinal qualities is firmly rooted in science and has been practised successfully for thousands of years.

But 21st century marketing has rather taken over, with certain foods having a concerted PR campaign.

In reality many are overpriced and over-hyped. Sesame seeds, for example, can be just as nutritious as costly chia seeds. They are a good source of vitamin E, which has been linked to the improvement of cognitive decline as the brain ages. Walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, filberts, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, flax seed and unhydrogenated nut butters all qualify. Meanwhile, lentils are just

MIND THE CHEMICALS

Speaking recently at a BIFM London region event exploring trends in medicinal food, Stephen Minall, founder of food brand consultancy Moving Food, said that it can be surprisingly difficult to be sure about what you’re eating.

“It’s not always obvious,” he said citing the example of a standard potato that has between 15 and 28 chemicals in it including six known carcinogens and 12 hormone disruptors.

“Oranges are typically dyed with a carcinogenic dye that people will ingest if they eat the zest; lemons are waxed, often with petrochemical wax that is then ingested. Mineral left in a plastic water bottle in sunlight, will soon start to absorb carcinogens from the plastic bottle. There are tons of examples The Eastern perspective of us unwittingly eating carcinogens.

These different approaches mirror Consumers and caterers need to stand how we combat stress. In the West, up and demand change. The food producers aren’t going to do it.” people use chocolate, alcohol or However, said Minall, food products antidepressants as a cure, whereas can be good carriers for medicinal in the East, the focus is on a more products such as pain relief or holistic, preventative approach using contraceptive if we WW W. B I F M .O pills, RG .U K / deliberately F M WJ O I N used them as a carrier for medicines. herbs such as ginseng, Peruvian

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