Food

The Morning Advertiser Lock In Podcast episode 48

The Lock In Podcast

The World Cup vs Christmas

By Ed Bedington

The World Cup is usually a bumper time for pubs, but with it clashing with Christmas, how are operators going to manage the two? With their usual expertise and competence, the podcast team investigate...

Enormous cliff edge: food inflation made biggest upward contribution to rising inflation in September (Credit: Getty/	fcafotodigital)

Inflation leaving sector on 'cliff edge'

By Rebecca Weller

Soaring food inflation has left many hospitality businesses facing a “cliffs-edge” as food costs push inflation up 10.1% in the 12 months to September 2022.

Big wins: Over-66s can bag free food at Greene King pubs this World Cup (Getty/ Dean Mitchell)

Greene King offers free food to over-66s

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Greene King is launching a competition which will allow some people aged 66 and over to bag free food and drink during the 2022 World Cup.

Strike action: Disputes over pay could cause Christmas chaos for drink firms (Getty/ Luis Alvarez)

BrewDog packaging firm faces strike action

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Some of Britain’s best-known drink brands, including BrewDog, Pepsico and Diageo, face Christmas logistics problems as DS Smith workers vote over industrial action.

Beer and food pairing with Ed Hughes of Sharp's

the cask project

How to match complex cask flavours with your food

By Ed Hughes, beer sommelier, Sharp’s Brewery

Sweet, bitter, sour, spicy and fruity: beer arguably has a more complex range of flavours than wine, and beer and food matching is a growing concept in modern cuisine.

Adaptation advantage: the versatility of pizza means the dish can be easily innovated (image: Getty/	Maren Caruso)

2023 food and drink trends revealed

By Nikkie Thatcher

A nod to the past, ongoing consideration of sustainability and overseas inspiration are just three of the food and drinks trends operators should consider, research has found.

Big Hospitality Expo and Low2NoBev show success

Sector comes together for epic three-day event

By The Morning Advertiser

Hospitality leaders came together for a three-day event focused on restaurateurs and chefs, casual dining operators and pubs and bars, and also the low to no-alcohol scene at Olympia, London.

Rising inflation: Climbing fruit and veg costs put pressure on operators (Getty/ Thomas Barwick)

Fruit & veg prices soar by 35%

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

September seasonal fruit and vegetable prices have climbed by 35% versus the like-for-like period in 2019, adding to the “dangerous cocktail” of soaring costs threatening the sector.

Reservations kept: more consumers appear to be honouring their bookings at hospitality venues (image: Getty/AlxeyPnferov)

Cost of no-shows slashed by £5bn

By Nikkie Thatcher

The likelihood of no-show diners has almost halved from 11% to 6%, reducing the cost of customers who make reservations and don’t turn up by £5bn a year in revenue, research has found.

 Low price: the menu is available throughout the week days for four hours a day

NWTC unveils lunch under £10

By Nikkie Thatcher

New World Trading Company (NWTC) has launched a low-cost lunch menu in response to the cost-of-living crisis.

Sporting chance: (clockwise from top left) the Admiral Nelson, Anlaby Park, the Denbigh Castle, the Railway, The Gardeners Arms and Famous Three Kings

GBPA 2022

Meet the GBPA finalists for Best Pub to Watch Sport sponsored by Sky

By Gary Lloyd

Many pubs make screening sport one of their main revenue streams and with the football World Cup approaching, there's no excuse for any site not to cash in on the tournament or any other sport that is currently taking place. Here are the finalists...

Horrific timing: calorie labelling added extra pressure to the sector (Pictured left to right: Alice Bower, Matt Presinger and Paul Dickinson at MA Leaders event on Thursday 15 September)

Calorie labelling 'horrific timing'

By Rebecca Weller

Calorie labelling had “horrific timing” and added pressure to the sector at a time it was already facing multiple burden’s, according to industry leaders.

Company news: the deal is the latest in a series of acquisitions for McCain Foods (image: Getty/10'000 Hours)

McCain Foods acquires Scelta Products

By The Morning Advertiser

Manufacturing business McCain Foods has bought Netherlands-based frozen foods producers Scelta Products for an undisclosed sum.

Equality needed: 'it doesn't make sense for the hospitality industry to subsidise supermarkets,' JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin says (image: Getty/Image Source)

JDW slashes prices to highlight VAT cut benefit

By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub behemoth JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is cutting prices on its food and drink for one day to spotlight the benefit a permanent VAT decrease would have on the hospitality sector.

Time for change: chefs need improved technology and training to encourage creativity

Chefs need improved technology and training

By Rebecca Weller

Two fifths of catering staff believe a lack of training, technology and resources has caused low morale amongst their teams, a survey of contract catering firms across the UK has revealed.

Potential to grow: more than a quarter of consumers placed fish and chips in their top three dishes when eating out (Credit: Getty/Stela Vulpe)

Fish and chips nation's favourite pub meal

By Rebecca Weller

Fish and chips has been crowned Britain’s favourite pub and bar meal with more than a quarter of consumers listing it as one of their top three dishes when eating out, new data from CGA by Nielsen IQ has revealed.

Right time: Leeds pub forced to close kitchen amid soaring energy costs (Credit:Getty/Lebazele)

Pub forced to close kitchen due to energy costs

By Rebecca Weller

A Leeds-based pub has been forced into "tough decision" to make chef redundant and close its kitchen in an effort to “save the rest of the pub” due to rocketing energy costs.

Ongoing shift in buying habits: delivery and takeaway sales double pre-covid levels but down year-on-year (Credit: Getty/Dimensions)

Delivery and takeaway sales double pre-covid levels

By Rebecca Weller

Restaurant and pub groups’ delivery and takeaway sales have doubled compared with pre-covid levels but drop year-on-year, the latest CGA Hospitality at Home Tracker has revealed.

Mounting cost pressures: food inflation hit its highest level in 14 years during August (Credit: Getty/carlosgaw)

Food inflation hits 9.3%

By Rebecca Weller

Food inflation soared to its highest level in 14 years during August as pubs continue to “feel the squeeze from every angle”.

Desperate times: Operators share how they are saving energy as electricity bills skyrocket (Getty/ Klaus Vedfelt)

How can pubs save energy?

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Training staff, switching off equipment and turning down fridge temperatures are just a few ways operators are slashing energy use as electricity bills soar.

Plant-based goodness: How to elevate your veggie and vegan dishes (Getty/ Yagi Studio)

How to make your plant-based menu stand out

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Award-winning chefs have shared their top tips for creating a vegetarian and vegan menu, after research revealed almost half of UK adults were considering cutting down their intake of animal products.

New appointment: Simon Bonwick (pictured) has been confirmed to be taking over the kitchen at the Princess of Shoreditch from the end of August

Simon Bonwick to join Princess of Shoreditch

By Rebecca Weller

Michelin-starred chef Simon Bonwick has been confirmed to be joining Noble Inns site the Princess of Shoreditch in East London as head chef at the end of August.

Tax equality: JDW chair Tim Martin said if pubs were to survive and thrive in the future, the sector needs to be treated fairly

JDW boss reiterates calls for tax equality

By Nikkie Thatcher

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) chairman Tim Martin has repeated his calls for pubs to have tax equality with supermarkets in order to “survive and thrive in the future”.

Rising costs: business leaders are also planning to increase menu prices by a further 6% over the next 12 months, according to the CGA and Fourth survey (image: Getty/NatashaPhoto)

Firms push up menu prices by 9%

By Nikkie Thatcher

Business leaders have increased prices by 9% on average over the past 12 months with plans to hike them by a further 6% in the next year, research has found.

North-east bound: The Botanist menu includes hanging kebabs, recycled banana and ginger cocktails and vegan choices

North-east opening for The Botanist

By Gary Lloyd

Multiple operator New World Trading Company (NWTC) is set to launch a new site for its brand The Botanist in Sunderland.

Operator comment: Brendan Padfield of the Unruly Pig outlines his thoughts on the current landscape facing the sector

Opinion

'Things can only get better'

By Brendan Padfield, owner, the Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk

I am old enough to remember when Tony Blair first got elected and particularly the Labour Party’s then electoral anthem “things can only get better “.