News and Trends

Namnews, 21st March 2023 JJ Foodservice has been awarded contracts to supply Barnsley, Bolton, and Bradford Council schools in deals totalling more than £3.5m. The wholesaler is already working with Kirklees and Leeds Councils, bringing the total number of schools it services in North England to more than 650. “Our fuel-efficient fleet and digitalised ordering process will help to offer schools nutritious options while helping to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Chief Sales Officer Baris Kacar. JJ supplies schools with fresh, frozen, chilled and ambient goods, including packaging products. It is also working with an increasing number of local suppliers. Following its triple win, JJ stated that it is targeting more public sector contracts and has commenced a new recruitment push for dedicated public sector, education catering and prison catering sales roles. “Prisons, hospitals and other public sector institutions all need access to high quality, affordable and reliable food supplie...

Kimchi, a Korean dish of salted, fermented vegetables, was invented more than 3,000 years ago. Today, the kimchi market is booming. GettyImages/4kodiak The global fermented food and beverage market is bubbling. According to Meticulous Research, the market – which includes fermented vegetable products – is expected to reach more than $1000bn by 2030. One of the reasons demand for foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles is growing links to increased awareness around gut health and the microbiome, according to Nick Vadasz, founder of Vadasz Pickles and Ferments - part of The Compleat Food Group. Kimchi ‘in the consciousness’ of consumers ​ “There has been a lot of talk around gut health in recent years, and in fact, people think it’s a new trend,”  ​Vadasz told FoodNavigator. But that’s far from the truth. Humans have been controlling the fermentation of food and beverages for thousands of years. Kimchi, for example, a Korean dish of salted, fermented vegetables, was invented mor...

from Caroline McMorrow 1️⃣ Plant based & climate friendly alternatives without the junk (No fillers, vegetable oils, gums, sugar alcohols, artificial preservatives, etc.).  Products that are actually both better for you and better for the planet  & have the evidence to back that up 2️⃣ Products that cater to specific/niche dietary needs (Aka, going beyond vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free) For example: → Diabetic friendly/low glycemic → Anti-inflammatory → Low FODMAP → Autoimmune protocol → Allergen friendly/free 3️⃣ Products that redefine the vegetable as an indulgence (Aka, make vegetables taste delicious and well…not like a vegetable) It’s clear we need to get more people “snacking” on veggies, but the barrier for most is taste. 4️⃣ “Internal beauty” food The concept of what you eat playing a direct role in the health & vibrance of your skin has taken off in the past few years.  And for good reason too… Your skin is your largest organ and made from the food...

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...

 rpbi-openings.co.uk,  14 March 2023 Whitbread, the UK’s largest hospitality business, added eleven new and extended hotels to its national network during its 2022/23 financial year which closed on 2 March 2023.  Together, the Group added more than 1,500 new Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn bedrooms to its growing network of affordable hotels across the UK and Ireland in the year. The opening of the hub by Premier Inn Clerkenwell hotel (pictured) in central London closed Whitbread’s financial year in style, bringing 180 ‘compact’ hub by Premier Inn bedrooms into the heart of one of London’s most creative districts. Other significant new hotel openings during the financial year included:   The tallest Premier Inn in the UK at Canary Wharf (Westferry) in London which stands at 28-storeys and offers 400 guest bedrooms;   The first Premier Inn to open in the Lake District National Park at Keswick, Cumbria;   A 393-bedroom Premier Inn at Paddington Basin in Ce...

 rpbi-openings.co.uk,  15 March 2023 This Spring, Hertfordshire hotel and spa, The Grove will launch a host of new restaurant spaces and dining concepts as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations .  Madhu’s at The Grove Following a complete redesign, Madhu's, the authentic Indian dining experience in the heart of The Grove’s mansion, has unveiled a new menu and makeover. Inspired by Lodhi Gardens in New Delhi, Clique Design Studio has weaved The Grove’s fabric of royal heritage, large enclosures and nature into the new design of the restaurant.  The Stables In partnership with StudioJill, The Stables Bar, Terrace and Courtyard have been redesigned to make the most of the outdoor space and enhance the dining experience. The Stables Bar has been extended, creating a private area for small groups when required, also allowing for 32 additional seats. The outdoor areas feature chic new furnishings, including high and low-level seating, parasols and manicured garden fe...

  rpbi-openings.co.uk,  13 March 2023 Emerald Hospitality Group – parent company of the three London hotspots, El Norte, Zuaya and Como Garden - is set to launch Riviera, a Southern French restaurant, in Mayfair on April 21st 2023.   Taking over the famous Sake no Hana site on St James’s Street, the group’s fourth restaurant brand is set to be one of the most notable high-end restaurant openings of 2023, following an extensive refurbishment.   On the first floor, diners will find the main restaurant which serves an impressive 120 covers alongside an open plan kitchen, where the attention to detail is impeccable.   The ground floor will be home to Riviera’s bar and lounge, opening on May 11th 2023, with a capacity of 60 covers.  An additional 54-cover outdoor terrace and additional al fresco lounge area will launch in June.  The refurbishment has taken over 16 months to complete and has been carried out by esteemed interior designer Lazaro Rosa Vio...