Industry news

Vaccine boosts confidence

As news hit that a vaccine has been developed for Covid-19, confidence levels in the hospitality sector increased. Lumina Intelligence’s weekly Hospitality Leaders Poll showed 70% of respondents from 172 restaurant, pub and food-to-go operators said they were confident it would mean an end to lockdowns and a brighter future for their business.

Visit: www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-foodbusinesses to keep up to date with Covid-19 guidelines for your business

Wellbeing’s a winner for 2021

Demand for food with added health benefits will continue to soar during 2021. Look to emphasise the goodness in your dishes by referencing vitamin levels or superfoods, such as kale, avocado, quinoa and rhubarb. Don’t forget your drinks offer too. Kombucha, a fermented, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea, packs a probiotic punch.

Shout about it

Whether you can throw your doors open or are delivering dishes, social media is your secret weapon when it comes to sales – and it’s free!

Here’s our top tips.

» Use social media to communicate your festive plans, such as opening times, themed dates, premium offers or special menus for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year.

» Post regularly in the lead-up to key dates to create anticipation and excitement.

» Use key hashtags related to an awareness day or event you’re supporting to join conversations on social media and promote your outlet.

» Share reviews from customers on your social media channels to increase awareness.

» Run a competition for those who like and share your posts to widen engagement.

» Take great photos – make your followers’ mouths water!

Premier Foods offers some advice for an uncertain Christmas

Mark Rigby, Executive Chef at Premier Foods, gives his top tips for a Christmas like no other to attract those customers

Mark Rigby, Executive Chef, Premier Foods

» Shift your focus from corporate and large group events to families.

» Offer a traditional Christmas meal with an array of exciting side dishes to increase sales.

» Have a range of vegetarian and vegan options on your menu, such as butternut squash and Stilton wellington or for vegans, jerk black bean and potato curry.

» Make stocks and gravies in advance and freeze them. Save time by using Bisto as a base for gravy, adding meat juices, seasoning, wines and spirits and vegetable water for the best flavour.

» Use leftovers to create a range of popular dishes and add them to your specials board the day after.

» Offer hot and cold fruit and chocolate desserts and add a festive twist to the classics, such as a clementine sauce.

Wholesalers ask customers to ‘help us help you’ this winter

Wholesalers have been among the unsung heroes of 2020, working around the clock to support customers. Here’s our guide to working well together

“Our foodservice customers have been hit really hard this year and our hearts have gone out to them. Sadly, the wholesale sector has felt the impact too.”

Tom Mathew, a director of family-run Dunsters Farm, a Bury-based wholesaler serving the north of England, knows only too well the challenges being faced by the wholesale sector.

“While many sectors received support from the government in grants, rates relief and other support, the wholesale sector has been forgotten. As our customers’ businesses closed overnight, wholesalers saw thousands of pounds worth of stock potentially going to waste. Without the income from the commercial sector – cafes, bars, restaurants, coffee shops – the vital supply chain we provide for schools, hospitals and care homes is at risk.”

EXTRA MILE

Throughout the pandemic, wholesalers worked tirelessly to support customers with deliveries, adapting opening hours and products to suit.

“We pride ourselves on going the extra mile for our customers,” said Tom. “One of our customers messaged one weekend to let us know that his school kitchen had to close because of a positive Covid case, but he still had to provide a significant number of free school meals. We knew how critical this was, so our team worked through the night, collecting fresh fruit and pre-packaged sandwiches and snacks to deliver in time for the customer.”

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR WHOLESALER NOW

1 Communicate with us

When you know how you plan to operate as lockdown measures ease, talk to us. If you can share your plans, we will do our best to ensure we have the products you want, when you want them.

2 Be flexible

When you’re adapting your business to survive in unpredictable circumstances, such as offering takeaway options, remember that others may be doing exactly the same. We will always try our best to get you the stock you need, but bear with us.

3 Talk to us early

The more notice you can give us, the better!

Hospitality operators innovate to stay ‘open for business’

Creativity and innovation have seen foodservice ride out the first lockdown and stands us in good stead for the second, says Sarah Coleman, Insight & Communications Director at Lumina Intelligence

The original lockdown in March came as a shock to us all – consumers and foodservice operators alike – as we were forced to adapt to restrictions that were unprecedented in our lifetimes.

Many operators had no other choice but to shut up shop, without delivery or takeaway capabilities and/or without experience of running a kitchen under social-distancing conditions.

NEW ROUTES

Over the weeks that followed we saw the industry open back up to some extent, even before 4 July, as operators innovated and found new routes to market and new ways of doing things, including meal boxes, online cookery classes, pubs offering delivery, coffee shop subscription models and the adoption of click and collect models.

LIFELINE

Back in March, Lumina Intelligence’s Operator Data Index revealed that 55% of branded operators completely closed their operations at the start of the lockdown, including national players such as McDonald’s, KFC and Pret A Manger.

Conversely, in lockdown 2.0, we have found that just 15% of branded operators completely closed their doors. Regulations allowing dine-in businesses to provide a takeaway service without having to go through a planning application have been reintroduced for the second lockdown and there is the suggestion that this could become a permanent change, giving operators a valuable lifeline.

BRIGHTER FUTURE

Although the challenges continue for the hospitality industry, it is clear that its resilience, passion and creativity stand proud. The recent news of vaccine developments will, hopefully, provide a valuable light at the end of the tunnel to our industry.

Did you know?

LOCKDOWN 1: 55% OF BRANDED OPERATORS CLOSED THEIR DOORS

LOCKDOWN 2: 15% OF BRANDED OPERATORS CLOSED THEIR DOORS