Message Full of Passion

Italian cuisine is a great favourite all around the world: it has found friends of all ages and in every income group, thus making it suitable for a mass market. Pizza in particular has become one of the world’s bestsellers on every level from snack foods to fine dining. Most of the fast-casual and casual-dining concepts with an Italian emphasis are multipliable as well as exportable. And they are also asserting themselves successfully against increasing competition from other ethnic cuisines. The reasons for this are their ability to adapt to regional preferences and their unshakeable image as a healthy alternative to traditional fast food. In a nutshell, Italian food carries a message full of passion and a love of life. Part 2 of our pan-European survey.

Message Full of Passion

Italian cuisine is a great favourite all around the world: it has found friends of all ages and in every income group, thus making it suitable for a mass market. Pizza in particular has become one of the world’s bestsellers on every level from snack foods to fine dining. Most of the fast-casual and casual-dining concepts with an Italian emphasis are multipliable as well as exportable. And they are also asserting themselves successfully against increasing competition from other ethnic cuisines. The reasons for this are their ability to adapt to regional preferences and their unshakeable image as a healthy alternative to traditional fast food. In a nutshell, Italian food carries a message full of passion and a love of life. Part 2 of our pan-European survey.

Turning F&B into an Event

Generally speaking, everything revolves around fine dining and drinking when people get together to celebrate. Hence, it's no great intellectual leap to the idea of getting together to enjoy exclusive culinary delights in the company of like-minded people. The spectrum covered by such festivals ranges from elite gourmet dinners to mass picnics. In many cases, a multifarious programme attracts gourmets to scenic regions with their own culinary traditions, on which the festivals then focus. And, no less frequently, celebrity chefs, whose creations are normally reserved for their affluent guests, are only too pleased to demonstrate their skills - an ideal opportunity for lovers of the culinary arts to watch them at work, to learn and to enjoy. A pan-European survey.

[55904 Zeichen]

Chefs' Ratings - Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival 2008/2009

NL/Belgium: other Festivals

€ 5,75

Inspiring International Insights

In London this January, Leaders Club International awarded Palms for the second time for young, highly innovative foodservice concepts in Europe. Here we take a look at the nominees: twelve extremely energetic formulas from eight countries - each one exporting its very own values and ideals. www.leadersclub.de/eu

Nostalgic Idylls and Modern Glitter Worlds

Christmas Markets - in some cases their beginnings go back to the 15th century. Germany is regarded as the cradle of the Christmas Market idea. But, all over Europe, Christmas Markets are the public attraction, for both locals and tourists equally. Along with the historical and traditional markets at central locations in Europe's towns and cities, for some years now a further, new market genre has been providing incentives to bring more people to the retail sector during Advent: modern interpretations of the Christmas spectacle at new locations, such as shopping malls, leisure parks, or even mountain tops. The traditional and the modern are combined: snack stands are an indispensable sales earner. After all, just under 60% of visitors surveyed say that something good to eat is their most important motive. Our survey presents 26 striking scenes in 11 countries.

[26912 Zeichen]

Why Visitors Come

Visitors' Origins

€ 5,75

Fresh Ideas

Young, creative concepts from all over Europe: our virtual study tour reveals a number of key trends. Apart from strong dynamics in the fast-casual field, there is a striking large number of concepts focusing on healthier menus and healthier ingredients in terms of organic products or fair-trade sourcing. Combined, multi-use options include a mix of foodservice and retail outlets/gyms. From Scandinavia to Italy, wine and wine bars are very much en vogue - including new self-service solutions.

Fast, Light and Exotic

Until the mid-1990ies, only few Europeans knew about Japanese fast food and only few restaurateurs would have thought about offering their guests small portions of food on conveyor belts. Accompanied by the rise of the New Economy the lifestylish experience of eating raw fish and rice dishes in an uncomplicated and laid-back environment has become quite fashionable among big city office workers. But since the collapse of many start-up companies and fast-rising IT-stars also many ambitious plans for sushi-bar chains have been cut down to rather modest dimensions. Nevertheless, in most European metropoles sushi has established itself as a still somewhat exotic as well as light and healthy alternative to common fast-food treats. Part 1 of our pan-European survey.

[37943 Zeichen]

D: Top 3

€ 5,75

I Am what I Eat

'Good-for-me' still is a very important argument in the consumer's decision-making matrix. And wellness is still the catchword. The rising star on the menus is feel-good food: low in fat, rich in vitamins and proteins, with a strong flavour profile, great taste and good looking. Although organic products still are a niche, demand is growing as guests became more critical about the origins of the food they consume. Their search for honesty and trust is immense. Freshness stays one of the most powerful sales words, linking confidence with enjoyment and radiating energy, emotion and experience: on offer is lifestyle, not (only) food. Mediterranean and Asian cuisine continue to dominate the ethnic cooking scene, followed at a considerable distance by North African, Indian and Lebanese flavours and dishes, which sell with imagination. Emotions, fantasy and eatertainment are gaining importance as selling arguments. Authenticity is a must. The dishes of tomorrow will be smaller, lighter, fresher and more varied: nomad eating - eat any time, any where, any meal - will increase. And: the customers of the future will be much more critical and health conscious. Individualism and the wish for flexibility will become much stronger: I am what I eat. 12 statements from 9 countries.

[26579 Zeichen]

Future Development

Bread Culture

Germany: Rising Food Stars 2003

€ 5,75

Rating:

Future-compatible

How to create foodservice concepts today that will still capture the spirit of the times tomorrow and satisfy future consumer needs and tastes? This is a key question at innumerable symposiums, congresses and market-research projects. One approach is to collect basic facts, study the parameters and evaluate trends. The other, to add intuition and inspiration. The best source of innovative impartiality: travelling, keeping your eyes open and learning. Hence our 'virtual' sightseeing tour of Europe to discover future-oriented ideas for concepts of supra-regional interest. Although the selection is subjective, the perspective is always professional. Country-by-country, we present 25 concepts - some individual, some already multiplied. The spectrum ranges from restaurants for kids to wine bars; from fast-food to a new interpretation of fine dining.