CATERING
Noel Mahony, co-CEO of BaxterStorey, has found that this exposure has changed the expectations of customers. Mahony commented: “These novel alternatives are changing what we eat and our overall relationship with food. In fact, according to the report, over 20% of the population are now described as ‘food pleasure seekers’ – people who actively seek new tastes, flavours and dining experiences – which has led to the introduction of more choice from retailers and hospitality businesses.”
This new concept dining revolution also extends to customisation. Customers are increasingly looking for ways they can personalise their meals and influence what they are eating to match their exacting tastes and need for new food experiences. At BaxterStorey, this has been reflected in the popularity of handheld hot snacks such as burritos and gourmet hot dogs, which can be personalised with an array of sauces, fillings and garnishes.
Mahony continued: “The popularity of Mexican food is one example of how customers’ behaviour is changing; in many of our restaurants we have introduced a hybrid of simple street food using three bases – tacos, tortillas and nachos – which can be topped with proteins, such as British beef and chicken, alongside salads and salsas.
“Seeing how a meal is brought together also appeals to food pleasure seekers’ sense of ‘ownership’. People have a much closer relationship with food due to the popularity of cooking programmes over the last decade, and being ‘involved’ with the process helps to give them more satisfaction.”
TECHNOLOGY APP-
RECIATION Despite the UK’s ageing demographic, younger consumers continue to set industry trends, with 18-24 year olds eating out on average 28.4 times per month compared to the national average of 15.1. As such, and perhaps
www.tomorrowsfm.com
unsurprisingly, the use of food-based apps has increased dramatically as young people’s affiliation with new technologies expands into the catering market. 15% of consumers have used a food service related app in the past year, with approximately 65% of app users taking advantage of promotional apps, 52% booking apps, 29% ordering apps and 24% payment apps.
“24-YEAR-OLDS EAT
OUT ON AVERAGE 28.4 TIMES PER MONTH”
Apps are already dominating food ordering for many high street names, and it’s time for foodservice caterers to embrace the new trend, says Noel Mahony: “This is particularly important given the decline of the lunch hour as online food ordering can offer speed for the consumer. In this modern era, the average worker allows just 20 minutes to sit down and enjoy lunch, and being able to advance-order meals can greatly appeal to workers who need to balance their break with additional lunchbreak errands.”
FROM FARM TO CUP Although the length and take-up of
lunch breaks is declining, the working day is expanding. With many UK workers opting out of the working time directive, a surplus of 48 hours in the office each week is now the norm. Coffee has become an office staple and BaxterStorey’s report states that consumer appreciation of coffee will continue to increase and become a key growth area in the workplace.
Tim Sturk, Head of Coffee and Training at BaxterStorey, said: “As a nation, we are the second largest consumer of tea on the planet, with the UK’s favourite drink outselling coffee by more than 2:1. However, coffee’s sophisticated image has seen the beverage rise up the ranks to become a permanent fixture of many Briton’s daily lives, which makes it essential to workplace
catering. As such, the coffee shop/café sector is expected to grow by 8.5% by the end of 2015 with further growth expected over the next three years.
“Certainly for BaxterStorey, hot beverages have become integral to our business model and by continuing to bring the independent coffee scene, culture and ideas to restaurants, we are ensuring we retain and gain customers from the high street.
“A key new trend for the coffee sector is expected to be individually brewed coffees – carrying on the personalised and bespoke concepts taking hold in the industry. Likewise, another emerging trend coming over from the US is cold brew coffee, which involves steeping coffee grounds in water for an extended period or using a cold water drip system. This unique drink plays to the desires of our audience of food pleasure seekers, offering them something new to stimulate their senses and keep them interested.”
SUMMARY BaxterStorey’s report and its
findings represent an opportunity for the sector and provide a real framework for businesses to better understand the expectations of their employees. Progressive businesses will not only understand the real engagement value that can be achieved through providing employees with tailored food and beverage solutions but also appreciate the commercial advantages achieved through considered and insightful foodservice outlets within their buildings.
Noel Mahony explains: “The nature of our competitive market means we are continually on the look-out for the ‘next big thing’ to excite our diners and can be quickly and effectively introduced across our restaurants.
“As such, reacting to new trends is essential and it now falls to us as providers to ensure we shape our dining establishments accordingly.”
www.baxterstorey.co.uk TOMORROW’S FM | 31
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