ART’s Director Gareth Jordan penned a comment for Retail Destination magazine on Food and Beverage trends and how landlords and retail teams are utilising data to tailor their food service strategy.
The gravity from social media Food trends is pulling us toward the joys of eating rather than consuming styled Instagram tablescapes. Data suggests mocktails are on the rise as well as climate conscious foods, but what has your retail destination delivered?
We will continue to see TikTok and social media crazes shape what is being consumed. However, landlords and retail teams are quite rightly applying intelligence from a plethora of data insights to help distinguish their offering and tailor food service strategy; playing to the strengths of their location and environment.
Growth in the diversity and quality of F&B in retail destinations has been a broadly positive component in helping to achieve the experience that consumers demand. From shopping centres that service the needs of a local community to placemaking that produces true dining destinations, and everything in between. It is essential therefore to understand your consumer community as well as your hospitality reach. This guides the unique footprint for your restaurant space.
Even working across a portfolio of locations, F&B analytics need to be adaptable and flexible, because food concepts usually thrive on originality. This also means being prepared for a closer working relationship with independents that are not necessarily ready or right to scale.
The sector has also been affected by staff shortages, and hiring quality staff continues to be challenging. Use of technology can help to alleviate these pressures as we are seeing with fast-food, but innovation should also orchestrate regular learning for staff to increase skills and develop human connections for a deeper level of service.