We live in a digital era where we are all critics. Social media and the Internet, in general, drive our ability to offload our opinions on every element in our lives. Food is a major part of this because our exposure to food globally has dramatically changed. We can view the latest trends from around the world while sitting on our couches. All businesses, but especially F&B operators, need to adapt to this new normal and recognise that their presence cannot just be confined to within their four walls.

Use social media but use it tastefully. The key to remember is that the online personality of your business has to match both the in-store experience and the profile of your customers. Use digital communications to draw customers in and then deliver the best. Represent who you are and what you have to deliver. Above all, be genuine and be real.

Determining a hospitality strategy that maximises food and hospitality revenue is the goal that many of our clients wish to resolve when they partner with Future Food. However, in order to do that we must first understand the size of the project’s food and hospitality revenue potential and then the important part – aligning that available spending with the need states and aspirations of their target market(s) in order to maximise the potential for the project.

The sustainability of any restaurant or F&B business is always dependant on meeting the needs of the intended target market and remaining relevant to those customer segments with authentic food and a range of promotions, offers and experiences that encourage repeat patronage. Although COVID-19 virus is extreme business interruption and thankfully not an everyday event, it does demonstrate how an external event can devastate a business or sector of hospitality reliant on a narrow target market focus. The everyday trading lesson is for restauranteurs and F&B operators to boost the sustainability of the business with active, customised and well communicated promotions, offers and experiences, expanding the target market base to create a more sustainable revenue base.

When Future Food partners with our Clients on redevelopment projects, one of the first stages that we frequently perform is the evaluation of a proposed scheme and how F&B should be incorporated into it. Most frequently this is driven by the architectural scheme and the locating of F&B into the scheme, frequently with non-food priorities and considerations as the backdrop for the decision-making process.

However, F&B has its own set of “built in” priorities and as such adopting a scheme-driven approach frequently demonstrates a recurring set of issues.

We, at Future Food, are employed to deliver best practice food and beverage service standards and to ensure that all businesses we work with are striving to push the bar higher.

However, we also understand the challenges that small businesses are facing in the current landscape and we take a lot of this into consideration when setting realistic expectations and goals for our clients. Our aim with this blog post is to provide an insider’s view of the realities of ‘living the hospitality dream’.

Have you ever looked at a menu, or a wine list, and wondered who in their right mind would order that? Who orders the $300 steak? How many bottles of $750 champagne do they sell? You must have to be on an expense account to order that.

Future Food working in partnership with Westfield delivers New Zealand’s newest dining and socialising destination.... The Rooftop on Broadway - Auckland

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Future Food Working in partnership with Westfield delivers New Zealand’s newest smart casual dining destination.... The Eatery - Auckland

From your children’s tuck-shop to the executive offices of Australia’s top corporate companies, from the footy ground (finals fever! whichever code you support) to the most remote places in Australia there is only one thing in common – the commercial caterer.

Do we have too many F&B outlets in our communities, our shopping centres, our lives?

Let’s put the answer right up front: No.

Food may be on every street corner, but that does not mean it is successful. The essence of the Hospitality industry is that it is not about the volume of food around, but the quality and consistency to drive sales and bring customers back time and time again.

Now before you think we are taking a shot at our American friends, I assure you we are not. We talk a lot about Hospitality here at Future Food, so it is interesting to note that what we think it means is not a universal definition.