Page 37 - RLI May 2019

Described as “the most beautiful Starbucks in the world”, it globalisation is influencing flavours with the increase of foreign
SPECIAL FEATURE: WORLD FOOD & BEVERAGE showcases the art of coffee roasting, brewing and mixology cuisines in every part of the world and the emergence of
with an interior design paying homage to old-school Italian fusion kitchens, while restaurants are turning towards locally
sourced produce – a concept called locavorism – to enhance
espresso culture. When McDonald’s was opening a new
FOOD IS ALL location in Sydney Airport, it set out to create a unique the sense of place and be kind to the environment. For
and memorable customer experience – and the restaurant
example, American fast casual chain Dig Inn promotes the
local economy through partnerships with local farmers and
ended up including stand-out features such as a see-through
sky kitchen and a vertical conveyor belt for delivering food
NGOs, while opting to pay employees above minimum wage.
AROUND US orders between floors. conscious, the wellbeing trend is becoming increasingly
Finally, as customers are becoming more and more health-
Another trend is retailers catering to an increasingly
prevalent. Food retailers taking this into account include
conscious consumer, making awareness part of its DNA.
Notable examples include Pret a Manger’s venture into the
world of vegetarianism with its Veggie Pret, which initially French concept Mon Salad Bar, which offers salad as both
main course and dessert, and The Cure, located in Paris,
Ahead of the MAPIC FOOD event in Milan, Francesco started as a pop-up concept but quickly became permanent which lets customers choose their menu based on physical
due to its resounding success. Another casual dining operator
and mental mood.
These trends and many more will be discussed at the
Pupillo, Deputy Director MAPIC Markets at Reed MIDEM that has taken advantage of the trend is Leon. Its “naturally second edition of MAPIC Food, held in Milan on 8-9 May
fast food” is proving successful as the chain has reported
takes a look at some of the key trends that are currently exponential growth over the last few years – with vegan sales and taking place during the renowned Milano Food Week’s
in particular growing 21 per cent between 2017 and 2018. 10-year anniversary. The unique deal-making marketplace
making their way across the food & beverage sector. Territoriality is another trend, which sees a double movement will welcome 2,000 participants from 50 countries including
spotlighting local supply alongside international influences: 200 buyers and 500 international food service retailers.
ood can now be found in shopping centres, in
department stores and on the high street – even
inside shops (for instance, H&M opened café It’s
FPleat in its Westfield London store in December
last year, and the H&M group’s newcomer ARKET, with
locations in London’s Covent Garden and on Regent Street,
also features an in-store café – while Japanese customers can
now, finally, have breakfast at Tiffany’s following this month’s
launch of Tiffany Cafe in Tokyo).
As pressure from online commerce is taking its toll on
physical retail, retailers and landlords alike are looking for
ways to get the modern consumer into their shops and
centres, drastically transforming the positioning of shopping
malls into leisure destinations. As a result, food is now
considered a key component in reinforcing the attractiveness
of retail destinations – offering customers the much-coveted
experience that is said to be the saviour of physical retail.
Not only does food help to increase footfall and dwell time
– research shows that 40 per cent of customers choose
a shopping centre based on dining options and that dining
customers have a 35 per cent longer dwell time – it also has
positive effects on the other retail elements, as a customer’s
retail spend increases by 15 per cent when they dine. If a
centre has a good foodservice offering in place, its overall
transactions will on average increase by 25 per cent.
What makes food such a good place-maker, is that,
in our increasingly digital society, it offers consumers an
opportunity to come together – something that simply
cannot be replicated through technology – and a reason
to continue visiting physical places. This concept of food as
“the social glue of the digital era” is the theme of this year’s
MAPIC Food – taking place in Milan 8-9 May – which will
see industry experts discuss new food formats, how to get STARBUCKS RESERVE ROASTERY
the right F&B mix in retail outlets, what drives landlords Milan, Italy
and owners in their F&B choices and what food and retail
destinations will look like in the future. A highlight of the McDONALDS TIFFANY CAFE
event will be Danish chef Claus Meyer, Co-Founder of two- Sydney International Airport, Australia Tokyo, Japan
star Michelin restaurant Noma and instigator of the New
Nordic Cuisine movement, delivering a keynote speech on
innovative and emotional experiences. Because while both
consumers’ and landlords’ appetite for F&B grows, the need
for innovative and fresh concepts has never been larger.
With an abundant offering at hand, consumers are now
expecting more than just great food – pushing restaurateurs
to maximise the client experience to make it more attractive.
One retailer offering an augmented experience is Starbucks,
which last year opened Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan.
H&M ITS PLEAT
Westfield London, UK
36 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2019