News and Trends

Korean cuisine (Getty Images) Super-luxe fine dining, ever evolving smashed patties, Korean food, and spinoff brands - here’s what the next 12 months might have in store. 1 Chefs and farmers team up Whatever one’s stance on the row over Inheritance Relief Tax reform and Jeremy Clarkson, most would agree that farmers are having a tough time of it at the moment. A decline in British farming will hit higher-end restaurants that take a farm-to-table approach especially hard, cutting them off from the (usually) relatively affordable and often local produce that defines their approach. With farmers facing many of the same existential problems as the restaurant industry - not least high utilities prices, a lack of staff and razor-thin margins - it is perhaps unsurprising that farmers and chefs are working together more and more closely. For example, Mýse chef patron Josh Overington’s close relationship with his dairy farmer has given him access to  colostrum  - AKA first milk - that ...

IGD, Date : 16 October 2023 - Nichola Gallagher, Senior Analyst Tracking the performance of the eating out industry can be challenging due to the numerous factors that influence its operation. It's not easy to determine how these factors will eventually impact operator and supplier performance and overall profitability.  By analysing various data points, we have identified the market drivers that impact the performance of the eating out industry. We compare our findings to our earlier forecast published this year, thus providing valuable insights into the industry's 2023 performance in H1, with our view on how the rest of 2023 will shape up. To understand how we are tracking against our latest forecast we have broken down the analysis of the market into three key categories – Penetration, Frequency, and Spend.  The first two categories will ultimately affect volume of meals and drinks sold, whereas spend will affect transactional value.   Penetration Consumer confidence i...

What are the big trends in out-of-home eating, and where are the next opportunities for suppliers and operators? CGA by NIQ’s Karl Chessell and Andrew Hodgson shared top pointers from the Food Insights 23 report at the Casual Dining show last week. Here are just five of the growth opportunities they spotlighted. 1 Value   The cost of living crisis has brought value into sharp focus. Consumers now spend an average of £96.38 a month on eating and drinking out, down 87 pence from last year, so competition for share is tougher than ever. Value for money is their top factor in decision making by a long distance—but it’s crucial to remember that value doesn’t mean  cheap . It’s the quality-to-cost ratio that people watch closest, and quality remains a key driver.       2 Treats and travel   With money tight, consumers have prioritised treat occasions over everyday visits to restaurants, pubs and bars. Numbers going out to eat for treats have held up well in ...

  Staffing at a glance The staffing challenge in the hospitality sector has never been more acute, with the Coronavirus pandemic, Brexit and the increase in National Living Wage levels twinned with rising costs and falling consumer confidence impacting on a business’ ability to employ the personnel it requires.  A recent Business Confidence Survey from CGA by NIQ and Fourth found that 91% of hospitality leaders are concerned about staff shortages and 92% by increases in the National Living Wage. So serious is the problem that the Government is even considering creating hospitality ‘boot camps’ to help unemployed people to find work in the sector. With this in mind,  Restaurant  conducted its own survey of 150 restaurant businesses, large and small, to get a snapshot of the challenges the industry currently faces and understand the tactics businesses are taking to address these challenges. In the report below you can see the results of the survey as well as read about...

 rpbinews.co.uk,  14 April 2023 Gino D’Acampo is to open a new upmarket Italian restaurant and bar at the recently-refurbished Leeds Marriott Hotel in the city centre. The celebrity chef's latest project has welcomed an overall investment of £2m in the historic building at Trevelyan Square. Work is set to start on January 10 with the new venue expected to open in the spring, creating 52 jobs. The menu, designed personally by Gino and his esteemed team of chefs, will be fitting for its location, encompassing classic Italian dishes with a real focus on quality and ingredient provenance. He promises to raise the bar for Italian dining in the culinary city. The restaurant is Gino’s sixth opening in less than two years. It follows openings in Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, London, and Alderley Edge, and is part of his strategy to open further upmarket restaurants in major UK and affluent suburbs. He has also hinted he is soon to announce his first Intern...

Our latest menuwatching report is live, covering what's trending across Casual and Fine Casual restaurants. Casual restaurants quite often have fun-filled menus with quirky names. Offering both sit-down and take-away service, they offer more affordable and informal dining. Fine casual is very similar to casual dining, although the atmosphere tends to be slightly more formal and the menu more complex. Like all of hospitality the channel is facing challenges in terms of rising costs and staff shortages. However, the relative affordability compared to pricier restaurants is an opportunity for the channel in the future. Dining in restaurants has grown faster than both drive-thrus and take-outs month-on-month in November 2022 for both the casual channel and QSR (QSR 2023). As more diners and luncheonettes open, we're being transported back to the era of shakes, sundaes and burgers. With any time dining on the rise, counter-top service is perfect for brunch and small plate service. T...

17 MARCH 2023, specialityfoodmagazine The value of the food-to-go market increased by almost 32% in 2022, which spells good news for indies as the warmer weather approaches. Lumina Intelligence’s new  Food to Go Report 2023  has revealed that despite slow recovery in passenger volumes and high street footfall, food to go increased by +31.7% in 2022 to a value of £21.4 billion, just +0.9% ahead of its 2019 total. The key drivers of growth are high inflation and a recovery in footfall. The report predicts that food-to-go growth will outpace the total eating out market growth, and key channels such as grab-and-go, delis and coffee shops are well-placed to benefit from increased value scrutiny as shoppers opt for smaller luxuries. Even more encouragingly, the UK  food-to-go market  is forecasted to value £22.2 billion in 2023, with a growth rate of +4.1%. The market is set to reach its highest level of outlet growth since the pandemic, and players in the sandwich and bak...