A Homely Feeling for Urban Nomads

The new generation of ‘Urban Nomads’ – or should they be called Business Travellers 3.0? – follow the call of their profession from city to city and from country to country. A target group that presents a new challenge to hotels and their ‘public spaces’, which need make guests feel at home at the same time as being infused with local spirit, not to mention being stylish and, if at all possible, located where it’s all at. This demand is served not only by boutique hotels and innovative budget formats, most of them distinguished by integrative lobby concepts: eating, drinking, working, playing and chilling … all designed to be cool and reflect regional characteristics. Established hotel chains are also following this trend. MW

Places to Unwind

Outdoor eating places are more popular among city dwellers than ever before. Barely have the first signs of spring arrived before guests begin filling the terraces – the most coveted places have an idyllic country atmosphere but are only a stone’s throw from the city, if not downtown itself – and that’s possible anywhere a river flows through the city centre. In many cases, municipalities and project developers are turning their attention to urban river banks and transforming them from neglected commercial or industrial spaces into areas where people can relax and feel at home, especially when foodservice outlets are close at hand (Part 2). MW

Tasty & Trustworthy

Artisanal ice-cream makers emphatically insist that their product does not just taste better than mass-produced ice cream. Freshly made - often on a daily basis - from all natural ingredients and without any artificial additives, it is even claimed to be healthier. Today's consumers increasingly appreciate the inherent premium quality promise and feel particularly comfortable with local sourcing, organic quality and seasonality. A matter of trust! However, the cold season presents a challenge that has to be overcome. Part II of our brief overview of Europe's artisan ice-cream concepts. MW

Fun Is the Name of the Game!

When the family wants to eat out, it's generally the kids who decide where they are going. And that's a convincing reason why restaurants should try to curry favour with this young target group. The pioneers were the QSR matadors with Junior Bags, etc. Now, other players, including fine-dining concepts, are following along the same lines. The million-dollar question when it comes to children's menus is whether to bank on old, straight-forward favourites or to carefully introduce young guests to more sophisticated dishes with a higher nutritional value. Whatever the route taken, the chance to participate and have fun is crucial for the little guests (and their parents). MW

Let Us Infotain You!

Maintaining good relations with their client base - that is the most important task of customer magazines in the foodservice industry. Cultivating the company's image while entertaining its clientele with a mixture of promotion, information and emotion: a brand experience that goes far beyond the visit to the restaurant itself. The advantage of the printed magazine over the online alternatives, which have become the preferred option for not a few foodservice brands these days, is that they can reach all the regulars when they come into the restaurant - also those who do not have access to the internet. Yet, increasingly, a twin-track approach is the order of the day: more and more customer magazines are now also available online. MW

Out Is In

From the far north to the shores of the Mediterranean: hardly has the snow thawed or the winter rains passed before Europe's guests between Stockholm and Sevilla move their chairs outside. Outdoor foodservice is booming - in classic beer gardens no less than at trendy beach bars in the city centre. And, between tradition and the avant-garde, the terrace biotope is blooming: on patios, at tree height, embedded in gardens or close to the water. MW

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.

Meat-free and Healthy

Everywhere you look, sales of vegetarian meals are rocketing and not just since the BSE and foot-and-mouth crisis either. Vegetarianism has become nothing short of a mega trend amongst young female customers, who are deciding in droves to live on a meat-free diet. We analyse the concepts behind vegetarian restaurants and their evolution as well as the current status of vegetarian meals in 'normal' restaurants.

Marketplace = Sales Area = Kitchen = Storage

It's all about market restaurants, a European invention to satisfy consumer demands for freshness and speed. The formula was one of the major foodservice innovations of the Eighties. Two famous US entrepreneurs, Rich Melman (Chicago) and Phil Romano (Dallas), are even said to have got their inspiration here for their own ideas - Foodlife and Eatzi's. Below we provide a survey of the major national players across Europe, together with their brands.

[29212 Zeichen]

Sales Mix - Marché, Rosenberger

€ 5,75