SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media as a help, not a hindrance
Influencer marketing remains an important tool for spreading word of mouth and generating buzz, but opening yourself up to social media channels can backfire
I
n September, when Chinese entrepreneur and influencer Luo Yonghao visited the popular
restaurant Xibei, he emerged from the experience describing the meal as “disgusting” and accused Xibei of serving pre-made food at premium prices. He didn’t just tell his friends
– crucially, he shared these views with his 1.4 million followers on leading Chinese social media network Weibo. He also demanded that the government make it a requirement for operators to disclose if they are serving pre-made food. Te 400-store strong chain denied
serving pre-prepared meals and, in response, decided to open its kitchens so customers could see for themselves how dishes were prepared. Te move backfired as the public saw chefs cooking with pre-packed and pre- marinated fish with a long shelf life and using frozen broccoli for kids’ meals. Te whole episode resulted
in significant brand damage and ultimately led to Xibei pledging a move away from central production kitchens
to on-site preparation where possible. At the heart of the debate seems to
be a conflicting definition of pre-made food, but the incident underlined the importance of transparency – and the risks of opening up your operation to social media scrutiny.
FOR GOOD AND BAD Te story resonates because social media can be decisive for the survival of a foodservice brand. Instagram, TikTok and similar platforms are demonstrably changing the eating habits of Gen Z; a single trending post, reel or story can spark a frenzy and fast-food chains see the power in launching limited-time menus to create trends. According to Euromonitor
International, about 48% of Gen Z and 51% of Millennials now use social media to find restaurant suggestions, recipes, and product information. Te communication around these
stories is crucial, says Bruno Magro FCSI, managing director of Tink Food Concepts in Shanghai. “Social media can be for the good or for the bad. So many restaurants
Ben Gregoire FCSI, Gil D’Harcour FCSI, Bruno Magro FCSI
use it to attract customers, even paying for reviews,” says Magro, adding that in China there used to be stories of restaurants paying people to line up outside “to make it look trendy. Apparently social media, even for food and beverage, is one of the most well paid jobs now in China,” he says, acknowledging the ephemeral nature of social media. “A restaurant’s reputation takes time to build, and today it can go up and down very quickly. It spreads very fast with the help of social media, but that is why I also feel it is hard to keep concepts trending. People go to try, maybe go once again and that’s it. It’s very hard to keep things on,” he says. It’s a world consultant Gil
D’Harcour FCSI, of Resto Bazaar, knows well. He operates in Indonesia, one of the world’s top four countries in terms of the number of social-media users. “Every new restaurant will have
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