Kicking things off, Reuben Pullan, Senior Insight Consultant at CGA by NIQ, took to the floor for ‘Building Back for a Sustainable Future’ – a state of the nation overview and a deep dive into how sustainability is impacting the foodservice and hospitality worlds.

Little surprise that there was no sugarcoating the impact that COVID-19, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis has had on the sector as a whole, but a positive angle started things off with insight showing how losses had begun to slow and some food-focused sectors had even seen some initial growth in the last quarter.

It was a common theme throughout – challenges are undoubtedly still peppering the industry, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Wage costs, for example, are still having a huge impact, but on the upside, staff shortages are decreasing, having almost halved since August 2023. Food Price Inflation may still be up year-on-year, but it had also experienced two consecutive months of record decline.

Perhaps most promisingly, there’s a clear desire to still spend, especially among those more resilient multi-site operators, with over half saying they plan to increase investment over the next year. Despite the evident challenges, there is real appetite to invest and do so in a more sustainable way, to help future-proof multiple aspects of operators’ businesses.

With an overview of the market captured, it was time to look at things through a sustainability lens. From the off, it was clear that sustainability ranked highly among operator worries, with 68% saying it was a tangible concern as they looked to the future. And whilst progress has undoubtedly already been made – with more seasonal, ethically-sourced, and vegan options on menus, a third of operators admitted to feeling behind the curve when it comes to sustainability.

On the consumer side, it was revealing to hear that 68% of us are trying to lead an environmentally friendly lifestyle. That said, looking at drivers of venue choice, convenience, choice of food and value for money were all ahead of sustainability begging the question; how do those two nuggets of insight align? In short, sustainability is not a driver but an expectation in out-of-home visits and making it integral to your whole offering is key for a committed customer base.

Finally, it was time to look at how consumer and operator priorities around sustainability harmonise (or not). Sure enough, consumer desires – which tended to prioritise locally sourced products and waste reduction initiatives – were not as high on the agenda for businesses for whom energy efficient practices were top of the list (perhaps due to the resulting cost-savings). A key insight for businesses to remember as they implement and shout about their sustainability plans.

Ultimately, insight showed that the future political climate may mandate a more sustainable approach – the time to act is now.

Following aa chance to network along with a fantastic three-course lunch, and a thorough grounding in the state of the nation, it was the panel’s turn to discuss their own personal and corporate journeys with sustainability.

Jon Levy, MD, Levy UK & Ireland, opened the session with some hard-hitting facts around climate change, his personal desire to take action and the resulting partnership with Notpla that he has spearheaded in his efforts to put sustainability at the top of Levy’s agenda. Then followed a panel discussion, hosted by Mark Chapman, Zero Carbon Forum along with some of the industry’s most respected and influential leaders: Jon Dale, Strategic Corporate Affairs and ESG Lead, Punch Pubs & Co; Jon Davies, MD, Levy UK & Ireland; Mike Hanson, Director of Sustainable Business, WSH, Mark Jankovich, CEO, Delphis Eco and Julie Owst, Head of Sustainability, Bidfood.

Re-education quickly became a key recurring theme: re-educating lower-skilled chefs on produce; re-educating the public around expectations of food in hospitality; re-educating operators on the full supply chain and what sustainable options look like within that. A real desire to share knowledge came to the fore with all panellists agreeing that gatekeeping would help nobody, and that collective action is one of the most powerful tools we have on the road to a more sustainable future.

The importance of taking everyone with you in a shift in your business’ sustainability mindset was also discussed at length. Explaining the ‘why?’ to your customers, to your clients, the supply chain, your internal staff members was crucial for all members of the panel, re-emphasising the power of education and the need for collective action.

However, the seismic change that these industry heavyweights have all begun to see is the change in investor appetite – a step viewed as supremely positive to start to enact change. With consumers now demanding sustainability wherever they go, CEOs have had to sit up and take note. Record numbers attended COP21 making the ‘buy in’ for sustainable initiatives a real priority at executive level. With more capital made available, all panellists felt positive about the future and the changes that could be made. What’s more, with the general election fast approaching and sustainability a crucial talking point as we look to future governments, sustainability has never been higher on the agenda.

For a look at how jellybean is approaching sustainability, visit: https://www.jellybeancreative.co.uk/environmental-social-governance-policy/

To attend future arena events, visit: https://arena.org.uk/events

The post Arena: Creating a Sustainable Future in Foodservice & Hospitality appeared first on Jellybean Creative Solutions.

The traditional sales funnel marketing model is giving way to more sophisticated marketing approaches that prioritise integrated customer journeys and long-term relationships over one-time transactions. We’ve entered the age of the “Infinity Loop.” As a leading food and drink marketing agency we always ensure we are on top of trends be they food and drink or marketing theory.

So, whether this model is completely new to you or you’re simply trying to get your head around it and understand what it all means for your brand or business, then these top ten insights into this potentially game changing marketing model are a must read.

1. Continuous Engagement: Unlike the linear sales funnel, the Infinity Loop emphasises ongoing engagement with customers beyond the sales transaction. It fosters loyalty and advocacy, transforming customers into long-term brand enthusiasts and advocates.
2. Customer-Centric Approach: Placing the customer at the heart of the marketing journey is fundamental to the Infinity Loop. By prioritising their experiences and needs, brands build deeper connections and cultivate enduring loyalty, helping to build your community and brand equity.
3. Feedback Integration: The Infinity Loop thrives on feedback loops, valuing customer input for continuous improvement. Brands actively collect and utilise feedback to refine products, services, and overall experiences, fostering a culture of perpetual enhancement.
4. Omni-Channel Presence: Acknowledging the multifaceted nature of customer interactions, the Infinity Loop underscores the importance of seamless integration across all touchpoints, digital or physical. Consistency across channels is paramount for a cohesive brand experience.
5. Personalisation and Customisation: Tailoring experiences to individual preferences is a key part of the Infinity Loop’s success. By leveraging data and technology, brands deliver personalised offerings and communications, enhancing relevance and engagement.
6. Lifetime Value Optimisation: Instead of fixating solely on initial transactions, the Infinity Loop focuses on maximising the long-term value of each customer. Nurturing ongoing relationships, encouraging repeat business, and fostering advocacy are central to this approach.
7. Content as a Driver: Content marketing is pivotal to the Infinity Loop strategy. Brands create and share compelling content that educates, entertains, and engages customers at every stage of their journey, from awareness to post-purchase support.
8. Community Building: Cultivating a sense of community around the brand is essential within the Infinity Loop framework. Brands establish platforms—both online and offline—where customers can connect, share experiences, and deepen their engagement.
9. Agility and Adaptability: Embracing change is inherent to the Infinity Loop mindset. Brands must remain agile and adaptable, responding promptly to shifts in target audience behaviour, market dynamics, and technological advancements.
10. Measurement and Analytics: Beyond traditional metrics, the Infinity Loop encompasses a broader spectrum of key performance indicators. Tracking metrics related to engagement, satisfaction, advocacy, and lifetime value provides valuable insights for continual optimisation.

In essence, the Infinity Loop embodies a big shift towards a holistic, customer-centric approach to marketing. It’s about more than just transactions—it’s about nurturing lasting relationships, providing ongoing value, and turning customers into devoted brand advocates. The Infinity Loop represents an integrated journey where every interaction serves as an opportunity to deepen connections, add value, and cultivate a community of loyal enthusiasts.

If further proof were needed of the Infinity Loop’s effectiveness, consider that Afke Van de Klashorst, Vice President of Digital, Media & eCommerce at Unilever, recently attributed the model with achieving a 50% CAGR in Unilever’s Nutrition business and enhancing conversion rates by 9% from its marketing activations. This compelling evidence makes a strong case for taking the Infinity Loop seriously and incorporating it into your marketing strategy.

But where do you start? Well, as specialists in integrated marketing for the food and drink industry across foodservice, retail, convenience and consumer, we’ve long championed and applied the principles of integrated customer journeys through our campaigns, whether we’re targeting, chefs, buyers or consumers. So, this isn’t new to us beans. As an agency with integration at its heart, we embrace and encourage the broader adoption and understanding of this Infinity Loop model by brands and businesses of all size and we’re here to help and support you on the journey.

Are you inspired by what you’ve read? Are you eager to hone your marketing strategy and apply the Infinity Loop principles? Then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today here.

The post To Infinity Loop Marketing and Beyond the Sales Funnel appeared first on Jellybean Creative Solutions.

People Are Getting Back Out There!

Despite the turmoil of the last few years, navigating the tough external influences that have been thrown our way, such as Covid lockdowns, wars, rail strikes and cost of living issues, we are finally seeing that consumers are getting back to eating out. This, despite the fact that the majority of these external factors show no signs of going away, with the next year or two bringing many international, economic, social, and political pressures into the fold.

Data has shown that whilst eating-out sales are slowly recovering, they are still down on pre-Covid levels, with full recovery not expected until 2025. However, people are continuing to eat out more often (48%) versus Q1 2023 (38%) across an array of occasions, with an increase also seen in eating out for special occasions (75% in Q1 24 vs 68% Q1 23). This upward trend is not the case for takeaways or meal-kits, which continue to see a decline post-Covid. Hot food deliveries from restaurants have decreased from 81% in Q1 2021 to 57% in Q1 2024, and meal kits are in decline from 43% to 16% across the same period, indicating that these alternatives are not a long-term threat to eating out, as there is no substitute for it! The type of visit is also interesting to look at, as this shows that whilst fine dining visits have stagnated, there are increasing visits to less costly ways of treat yourself, such as coffee shops and food halls, as consumers look for convenient and cost-effective solutions whilst seeking a high-quality treat.

Divergent Diets as Consumers Move Off the Fence

We are seeing a dramatic shift in consumers’ meat-eating habits when eating out, with a +15% increase in eating mainly meat-based dishes – likely due to the fact that eating meat whilst out of home is associated with treat occasions. Similarly, we are seeing a decline in the appeal of having plant-based dishes on menus, often due to the processed and unnatural connotations of some plant-based meat alternatives. In fact, a number of plant-based-only venues have been seen to diversify into offering animal-derived dishes to broaden their appeal. Where we are seeing plant-based winning, it is often where the focus is on the vegetable, rather than ‘fake meats’.

Although we have seen the term ‘nose to tail’ rise in the industry alongside the trend of consumers wanting natural, unprocessed meats, we are finding that this is not widely understood by consumers, with the term being alienating and many being squeamish about it. Despite this, the vegetable equivalent of root-to-stem appeals when it comes to reducing food waste.

Better Processing is Key

Whilst Ultra Processed Foods (UPF) is still considered an industry term rather than a consumer phrase, consumer knowledge of processed foods is growing, with many people tending to believe all UPFs are unhealthy. However, there is still a way to go with consumer education, with consumers wanting more responsibility from governments and food manufacturers, such as traffic light systems on packs to help identification.

Research has found that consumers negatively associate UPFs with certain channels, the worst affected being Fast Food (89%), Service Stations (74%) and Transport (74%), and even Café Chains (38%) and Pubs (32%). There could be opportunities for brands operating in these sectors to educate consumers, as they may not be ultra-processed, despite consumers assuming this.

Seasonal = Local & Natural

Consumers’ perception of seasonal food is adapting, with many now considering it to mean local and natural. ‘Seasonal Ingredients’ have grown as a consumer priority when eating from 38% in 2020 to 58% in 2024. One theory discussed is that the various food shortages of the past few years due to Covid, global conflicts and supply chain issues have bought seasonality front of mind with consumers. In particular, UK consumers are eating more British food seasonally, with Jersey Royals, strawberries and asparagus all being associated with seasonal cues.

Asian Cuisine is in The Spotlight

Although the top three cuisines eaten in the UK are British, Italian and ‘Modern British’ due to their high levels of familiarity, there are opportunities to differentiate with new propositions and innovations. As despite the ever-presence of these cuisines, there is an opportunity to take something that is familiar and give it a twist – such as taking British Cuisine and applying a fire-cooking twist.

Out Of Home, where consumers are broadening their palates, Gen Z in particular is becoming more adventurous. The cuisines of interest are Thai, Modern Korean and Malaysian. It is also worth noting that Gen Z’s food consumption will be interesting to watch as they start to become parents themselves, as their children are expected to have even broader palates.

There are some additional cuisines which, despite being lesser known are seeing appeal with consumers becoming more adventurous with – Burmese, Filipino and Central Asian in particular.  For Filipino cuisine, consumers are showing an interest to try, but they aren’t sure what dishes this cuisine includes, as they on a basic level they don’t know what the cuisine is. In general, it tends to be eaten more by those living in Urban areas. Burmese food is similar, with consumers unsure what the cuisine is, but due to it neighbouring Thailand, consumers are showing interest if it is similar to Thai food. Thai food itself is in the spotlight, as although more foodies consider Thai cuisine to be everywhere, there are still a lot of people who have not sampled it. However, last quarter saw a lot of people experimenting with Thai food for the first time. In addition, we are seeing a new wave of regional Thai foods sweep the nation to re-ignite the love for this cuisine, with some restaurants adding a twist of fire-cooking or using seasonal British ingredients.

Thanks to the teams at The Food People and Good Sense Research for providing this truly insightful webinar.

Make sure to follow jellybean on Instagram, or sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss our round-ups of industry insights.

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Each year sees new trends in the wedding industry – child-free celebrations, unplugged ceremonies, live painting and even holiday hen dos.

But, as a perpetually hungry individual, there’s one thing on my mind when it comes to weddings – the food. So, what better pastime than to explore the biggest food and drink trends inspiring brides and grooms to be, so, join me as I delve into what wedding planners are committing to this year.

Family-Style Dining

Sweetheart tables are out. Group Dining is in.

Vogue reports that couples are now looking for “non-wedding weddings”. Gone are the elaborate 5-course menus in favour of more casual, informal dining experiences. Grazing tables are in, as well as dessert tables and sharing platters.

Now, cost may be a key factor in this trend, but overall, couples are looking to celebrate their heritage, and most importantly, their own personal tastes with their wedding menus.

Indeed, TikTok users may have even seen the picky-eating couples with a plate of chicken nuggets and chips for their wedding breakfast while their guests dine on something a little fancier.

Meadow Cakes

I know what you’re thinking, “Florals in Spring. Groundbreaking.” But this trend is all about sustainability. Looking to have natural and eco-friendly decorations? Why not re-use the flowers from your ceremony as a cake decoration?

Food To Go

Whilst we’re on the subject of cake – say goodbye to cake cutting ceremonies. With the more informal wedding style, comes a more informal cake set-up. Guests can help themselves to pre-sliced cake or even a food-to-go box at the end of the night.

With many wedding breakfasts including a dessert option, takeaway boxes certainly seem an effective to reduce food waste!

Late-Night Surprises

As couples look to extend their celebrations into the early hours, it’s becoming more common for guests to be treated to ‘Dinner 2.0’. Nothing is off the table, as pizza bars, ice-cream stands and even sushi platters can make an appearance – not only feeding the hungry, but also helping to soak up copious amounts of alcohol.

Wedding Weekends

We see it all the time on socials, what seems to be the never-ending wedding celebrations of the newly married, and for good reason.

The wedding weekend encourages a three-day celebration. Here we see new types of dining – brunches, sunset canapes and late-night catering for the guests still up to party. It’s a further opportunity to mingle, and if you’re on a destination wedding – try the local food.

Dining Out

In good news for the hospitality industry, restaurants are no longer in the ‘rehearsal dinner only’ category.

In line with the trend of more informal weddings, and indeed, smaller weddings with only the nearest and dearest invited, restaurants are becoming a go-to option for wedding breakfasts.

We’ve already seen this on socials, as Made in Chelsea it-couple Sophie and Jamie wed at the Chelsea Registry Office before heading off to celebrate at Stanleys. Not quite an informal wedding example, but not the big country manor many may have predicted.

Drinks & The Sober Curious

The Guardian are reporting that up to 28% of young adults in the UK now don’t drink. With the rise of the sober, and the sober curious, non-alcoholic drinks offerings are on the rise. These are fancier than just fizzy drinks and juice. With the Low/No market predicted to rise each year, there are new brands emerging specialising in non-alcoholic spirits, perfect for a high-quality mocktail.

For those who don’t fall into the sober curious category, there are three distinct trends emerging in drinks:

1. We Tied the Knot, Have A Shot! Tequila, Fireball, or even artisan gins aren’t immune to being the new wedding favour.
2. Champagne towers – no commentary needed.
3. His and Hers cocktails chosen to reflect the bride and groom.

A certain jellybean MD and her Creative & Digital Managing Partner husband were rumoured to have an evening whisky toast at their wedding – rather apt as their dog (our office dog) is called whisky and they are both fans of the Scottish tipple.

Interactive culinary experiences

Not quite as mainstream as others, but interactive culinary experiences are on the rise. Whilst the most common at this time may be roasting marshmallows over a campfire, in the next few years we could see something a little bigger.

With trend reports highlighting the rise in competitive socialising (OOH dining experiences complete with an activity – Darts/ Shuffle Boards/ Axe Throwing) this could soon enter into wedding plans, taking over from the usual hog roasts, woodfired pizza and fish & chip vans.

Let us know your favourite wedding trend for 2024, or if you’ve been privy to any of the above and have a tale or two to share! Head to our socials – @jellybeanagency

The post The Food & Drink Wedding Trends of 2024. appeared first on Jellybean Creative Solutions.

Footfall is pre-Covid – it’s the margins that are being squeezed

The evening kicked off with Kate’s keynote speech, which she delivered to her credit with two broken toes! The overall tone was positive, with the hope that we may be moving into a period of more predictability for the industry. Turning trade into profit is still a real challenge with the cost of doing business high and trading data flat, but there are glimmers of hope, as global travel and leisure bounces back driven by meetings, events, music and entertainment. In addition, we are seeing consumer confidence move in the right direction, 92% of people now eat out monthly and those who do are higher spenders. 69% of people say that eating out is the treat they look forward to most and encouragingly 42% prioritise eating out over any other activity, with Kate predicting pent-up demand heading our way. The hope is that we are over the worst of things with inflation down, National Living Wage up (a mixed blessing for operators) and therefore consumers should start to feel in a better place soon.

Looking to the future Kate and her team at UK Hospitality have been busy lobbying Labour to ensure hospitality gets the support it needs should they come into power later this year. UK Hospitality is keen to secure support on business rates post 2025, labour supply-side reform to get more people into hospitality and of course tax support including reduced VAT for hospitality businesses. The good news is that she has got two out of three onto their current manifesto and aims to push for action in the new government’s first 100 days. So, with the Year of The Dragon upon us we hope to have a bit of strength, luck and good fortune on the side of hospitality.

Following the keynote Kate was joined by Pano Christou, CEO, Pret A Manger, Dame Karen Jones DBE, James Brown, CEO, BrewDog Bars and Simon Stenning, Founder, Future Foodservice who facilitated the panel discussion. The passion for the industry across these hospitality heavyweights was obvious and Simon touched on how each had started out in hospitality (from McDonald’s – Pano, to Betty’s Tea Rooms – Dame Karen and even potato peeling – James). With her vast experience and non-exec roles across a wide range of hospitality businesses including Hawksmoor and Whitbread, Dame Karen stressed the importance of the one-sentence test when it comes to describing a concept (something we wholeheartedly agree with). All were optimistic about the industry which has shown unparalleled resilience over the past four years and the unmatched opportunity hospitality offers for fast progression from entry-level, which no other industry can offer.

They also touched on the challenges posed by post Covid changes to working habits, which have impacted city centre sites with a drop in footfall and focused mid-week business (Thursday is not the new Friday), whilst conversely offering more opportunities outside of city centres to service remote workers, as well as catering for the growing trend of early evening diners.

The panel touched upon the importance of brand storytelling for businesses to earn the interest of consumers, as well as attract young people to hospitality. Along with the ongoing challenge of staffing with an 8% vacancy rate, which could be improved if companies signed up to the UK Hospitality Charter on practices such as rotas, tipping and pensions making hospitality businesses more attractive employers. Crucial to future success will be the Government’s willingness to provide a much-needed injection to help hospitality businesses which are the linchpin of society, ‘bringing light and life to the heart of our economy and community’. Something that Kate is hopeful for, as currently she has 300 cross-party supporters of hospitality in parliament who she will be working hard to lobby for the good of the industry.

Supplier Support

Given all this Simon posed the question – what can suppliers do to help? The panel agreed that a need to build true partnerships was vital with the focus on long term strategic growth and goals. Doing good by the planet and more sustainable offerings are also important but suppliers need to work hard to make it as cost effective as possible given the challenges faced.

There was also a call for more support to the 66% of SME suppliers that make up the industry, and for those large restaurant operators using them to be mindful of their challenges too, including cash flow when it comes to long payment terms and the sharing of insight to help them grow. A recommendation that large suppliers could also do in turn with small operators.

The panel discussion was followed by a delicious dinner from the team at The Savoy which gave everyone the chance to network and discuss the key take outs from the session, as collections were made for the prize raffle in aid of industry charities Springboard and Hospitality Action. Then before we knew it, it was time to head out into the night after another great event from Arena. To attend future events, visit https://arena.org.uk/

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This Earth Month (April), we’re proud to celebrate two years of working with Ecologi! For those who don’t know, Ecologi is a platform for likeminded businesses and individuals who want to reduce emissions and help address climate change. Here at jellybean, when we reach an important milestone, we put money towards planting new trees and buying carbon offsets!

For example, whenever a bean gets promoted, we plant trees! Liv, one of our very talented Account Managers was recently promoted and as a result we’re helping reforestation efforts in Ethiopia!

Over the last two years, we’ve made some great waves that we’re proud to shout about!

🌿 We’ve planted over 10,700 trees

🌿 We’ve avoided over 504 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide

🌿 We’ve supported over 25 projects around the world helping locals take environmental action in their local areas.

To put that into perspective, the amount of carbon dioxide we’ve avoided is the equivalent of 376 long-haul flights from London to San Francisco (a distance of 18,619km) or a huge 1,214,896 miles driven in a car.

Whilst all these numbers are great – we like to know exactly how our efforts are helping those around the world.

Below are three of the most recent projects we’ve helped support:

🌿 Eden Reforestation Project, we are helping to fund efforts in Changalane, Mozambique to plant over two million trees. The project hires local people to grow, plant and guard to maturity the trees in order to help to restore the eco-system which has been heavily destroyed by fire. This project will also help bring many families out of poverty as the jobs provide long-term financial stability.

🌿 Uganda, Ecologi is working with Trees for the Future, which is educating local farmers about conservation and helping them to diversify what they’re growing, leading to more a fruitful harvest. The project is helping to create 400 Forest Gardens, each a hectare in size, and will not only help farmers sustain their families, thereby bringing in vital income, but rebuild the eco-system. Overall, an estimated 1.6 million trees are predicted to be planted over the four years that this project will run.

🌿 In Senegal, Ecologi has partnered with Hommes et Terre, who develop long-term strategies to protect land management. Their win-win business model encourages farmers and locals to have a sense of pride in their area and encourages a partnership with local government to abide by land registry laws preventing outside parties from exploiting the land. The goal is to plant over 360,000 trees in the Tambacounda region which work in harmony with the weather and rainy seasons that Senegal experience.

If you’re interested to learn more about the projects that we help to fund, please visit our dashboard on Ecologi here.

And, if you’re proud of the action you’re taking against climate change, let us know by tagging us on socials @jellybeanagency

Happy Earth Month everyone!

The post Ecologi and Earth Month appeared first on Jellybean Creative Solutions.

The day was jam-packed (see what I did there?) with incredible content including advice from the people behind the brands who have ‘been there and done that’ in foodservice, including brands such as Dalston Soda, Seedlip, Leon, Tony’s Chocolonely, Bio & Me, fitbakes, Beyond Meat, Holy Moly, and many more. Below are my top take outs from the day for any budding food and drink start-ups looking to make it in foodservice:

getting started as a food & drink brand

• Make sure your product has a unique selling point and you are clear about who you are targeting as far as operators (hotels, restaurants, cafes, workplace catering, schools, pubs etc.) and the type of consumers you believe will buy your product when out of home and ideally back this up with solid insight.
• Work with an expert to ensure your product meets food standards, regulatory compliance (BRC / SALSA), has a suitable shelf life to make it through the supply chain and likely rate of sale and the right packaging format for foodservice, be it front or back of house. Companies such as Campden BRI (sponsors) or friends of jellybean FIS are worth talking to. There are even grants to help start-ups that Campden BRI can help you with.
• Make sure you trademark your brand from the start, here sponsor Trademark Bros can help, you’ll be glad you did.
• Know your market and your competitive set, crucially you need to show why you are better. Understand your target sectors, speak to operators to find out their challenges and drivers and ensure your product aligns with any specific restrictions they may have on things like HSFF, CQUIN compliance, allergens, school food guidelines etc.
• Choose the right funding route or partner. Joelson (event sponsor) can help advise you with this, or you may be able to raise funds through an angel investor, get a business loan with a strong business plan, or crowd fund while at the same time creating brand ambassadors who are keen for you to succeed.
• Don’t overlook the public sector and government contracts, it may not be as sexy, but it can offer some great opportunities for brands that meet their specific needs. Sectors like the military, care, healthcare, education and even prisons all buy food and drink in vast quantities. To find out more about the public sector visit https://www.publicsectorcatering.co.uk/
• Get out of the factory and visit the kind of operators you are targeting, embed yourself in the industry and really get to understand operator challenges. Do your homework, know the market, your wholesaler, your operator customer/end user and consumer, what trends your product aligns to and which ones you can help operators and wholesalers leverage. Have a clear point of difference and a brand story that answers the ‘so what?’
• Identify a challenge operators face and show how your product addresses this. It might be deskilled kitchens or bars, the need for quick service, the desire to minimise energy costs, or to show their sustainable credentials – whatever it is just make sure you come with a solution (not a product that answers a question nobody has ever asked!).
• Use LinkedIn to reach buyers with your tailored elevator pitch informed by doing your homework on them, if it’s something they are interested in they’ll get in touch.
• Get your name out there via PR, that might be applying to Dragon’s Den, it might be creating a stunt that gets you noticed. And whenever possible drive user generated content – if you’re sampling at a food market or event get people to share on social to leverage their reach and amplify your brand’s exposure. If you can get your product into the hands of influencers even better! (Here you might want to work with a specialist agency like jellybean)
• Foodservice offers a great opportunity for brand exposure so aim to get your brand on menu, or if not on menu, then on their website or socials to drive exposure. But don’t be led to believe that foodservice is a marketing exercise / loss leader, make sure it makes commercial sense.

working with foodservice wholesalers

• Approaching smaller regional wholesalers is often a wise step rather than going to the big boys (Bidfood, Brakes, Booker) who will require large volume sales/minimum order drops and likely national account listings. Although things are opening up with the likes of Bidfood’s Open Doors initiative driven by Andrew Allen which is worth looking into.
• Wholesalers want to see interest from operators before they list, they want to know they are not taking a risk and demand is there already, so go into meetings with wholesalers being able to say who has already shown interest in stocking your brand.
• You’ll get lots of offers to do white label/own label, but unless you have a factory to fill and need the volume always prioritise building your brand not others.
• Getting a big operator to list your product and pull it through their wholesaler can open up a much bigger foodservice opportunity, as you can go from being a nominated line to a free trade listing once you are in depot.
• Never forget to price your product to allow for the value chain. At every stage you need to allow for margin i.e., for you (30%+), for the wholesaler and for the operator when they finally sell to the consumer (circa 23-28% margin) for route to market (wholesalers) and then for the operator (65-70% operator margin selling out to consumer, with 80% margin for on-trade drinks). Also make sure you factor in any listing fees, marketing support fees, promotions, retros, and rebates, as these will be asked for and can trip you up when it comes to your pricing strategy.
• Leverage your social value, as this is becoming more and more important to wholesalers and operators, it is part of the procurement scoring and can make all the difference for small businesses. If you are female-led, sustainable, have a diverse workforce, whatever it may be, use your story to help your brand stand out and get listed.
• In the first year of your listing get involved in trade shows and market days, invest time to understand who to target, attend supplier days, collaborate with the wholesalers’ business development team & sales team (with depot visits & RaRa days) and if relevant their development chef team.

Finally, when you’re up and running and ready to take your brand to the next level we recommend you work with a specialist agency to help super charge your marketing across foodservice, consumer, retail and convenience. Someone rather like us! And if you fancy some further reading on the topic of foodservice marketing you can read our Essential Guide to Foodservice Marketing here.

To find out more about how jellybean can help you get in contact here

The post Launching into Foodservice appeared first on Jellybean Creative Solutions.

The drinks reception saw over 500 nominee caterers and industry faces gather to catch-up and see who would be walking away with these coveted awards. As ever the night was a lavish affair hosted by Dewberry Redpoint with Andrew Archer at the helm. He kicked the evening off in style and then handed over to Colin Murray, radio and TV celebrity, who treated us to a live game of Countdown (as the new host) which unearthed some hidden talents in the crowd.

After a fabulous meal from the team at the Hilton London Metropole devised by the aforementioned leading public sector chefs, it was time for the main event – the awards themselves. Amongst the other worthy winners was the Lifetime Achievement Award, which deservedly went to Neil Porter (read more here). Huge congratulations go to all the nominees and winners, as well of course to the sponsors and team at Dewberry Redpoint who managed to deliver another great event. To see the full list of winners visit the Public Sector Catering website here

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Playing host to 1,500 suppliers and welcoming over 27,000 people through the doors across 3 days (25^th – 27^th March), including Prue Leith, Michel Roux Jr, Cyrus Todiwala, Cherish Finden and Lisa Goodwin-Allen, it’s a key event in the foodservice calendar.

With suppliers showcasing their ranges, including dessert innovations, breakfast solutions, on-the-go offerings and inventive libations, there was something for everyone. The show saw a wide range of international cuisines showcased with businesses from Turkey to Japan, Korea to Jeruselum, all highlighting how they can help operators elevate their menu. And while we tried our best to sample each of the glorious products on offer, we learnt our eyes were far bigger than our stomachs.

Amongst the excitement, were the World Food Innovation Awards which saw our client Aviko place as a finalist in the Best Chilled/Frozen Product category with the recent relaunch of their Hash Brown Bites (think American Tater Tots but better). Visitors also had the opportunity to taste the much-missed product at their stand, along with tray after tray of Loaded Fries, new Grip & Dips and new Camembert Bites – making quite the impression after a 10-year HRC hiatus.

We were also keen to witness the skills of budding chefs and seasoned professionals through the International Salon Culinaire. Across Monday-Wednesday, the stage was a-buzz with a vast variety of competitions, ranging from Knife Skills and Plaice Filleting, to the more niche Avocado Starters and Roll Shaping. Of course, we had a front row seat for the cocktail making which saw students from Brockenhurst College and Eastleigh College take gold – sadly samples weren’t handed out upon completion.

But that’s not all, we were delighted to visit the FPA Manufacturer of the Year – Wrapmaster (our favourite supplier of food wrap – and longstanding jellybean client!). On-stand they were showcasing their multi award-winning ultimate chef wrap system which makes reducing waste and saving money a breeze for chefs around the world. The kitchen essential was loaded with their all-new Wrapmaster^® Compostable Cling Film and Wrapmaster^® PE Recyclable Cling Film to try out too.

If you want to join us on our HRC venture, head over to @jellybeanagency on Instagram to live a day in our life!

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We’ve collated some of our favourite April Fool’s pranks we saw this year – and honestly, some aren’t too bad!

Innocent Smoothies – Adult Grape Juice

Innocent is well-known for their jokey content and hilarious brand engagement, and April Fool’s is no different!

This year, it launched Adult Grape Juice – over 18s only.  Maybe not one for the packed lunch, but delicious nonetheless, we’re sure.

Leon – Aioli Toothpaste

There’s nothing worse than garlicky breath, but for LEON, apparently, there’s nothing better, as 2024 saw the launch of Aioli Brite Toothpaste.

Turns out, you might not need to get to the main course before you give your date the ick!

The Gin Kitchen – AI Gin

Looking for the perfect gift for your loved one? Why not buy them a gin, tailored specifically to their DNA? The Gin Kitchen have developed an algorithm, named DAVE, to use AI and develop the finest gin on the planet.

Sounds good to us!

 Cadbury – Straighty Waighty

Move over Curly Wurly, there’s a new sleek chocolate bar in town.

Heinz- Ketchup Toning Shampoo

Mayonnaise can make a brilliant hair mask, and Heinz continued the trend of condiment haircare this year, with a toning shampoo, perfect for hydrating and repairing hair.

 McDonald’s – Left-Handed Nugget

 First, we had left-handed scissors, then we had left-handed golf clubs and now… a nugget!

Ergonomic and perfect for dipping, this new nugget will go with any sauce – why not give it a go with a jellybean fave, Frank’s Hot Sauce!

Ant & Dec – New Business Owners

The food and drink industry is no stranger to a pop-up, and there’s a celeb-run opening coming soon from TV’s very own Ant & Dec. Following the success of Taste Mates, the duo is also releasing their very own cookbook!

 Napolina – Snapped

One to anger any Italian!

If you’ve ever found that your Spaghetti is too long for your saucepan, Napolina has the solution – Spaghetti Snapped!

We don’t understand the annoyance, because really, it’s still spaghetti, just shorter.

Special Mentions

Terry’s Chocolate Orange, Sainsbury’s and even Kabuto weren’t immune to the fun this year!

And an honorary shoutout to We Are T/ALA and founder Grace Beverley. The active wear brand goes above and beyond, and this year was no different. The brand called on consumers to get their Christmas shopping done early with their TALALALALALALA range of festive fits! As funny as the posts themselves are, I very much enjoy the confused DMs Grace shares on her stories featuring those who don’t quite know her sense of humour.

And last but far from least, did you catch jellybean’s prank in your inbox? If not, you can view it here.

Let us know what you thought by reaching out to @jellybeanagency.

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