Key learnings from the Arena Round Table review

Food for thought: Learnings from the Arena Round Table Review

Premier Foods was proud to partner with Arena for its first round table of the year. The event saw leaders from all areas of foodservice gathered to discuss how the industry can work together to overcome some of the key challenges currently facing the sector.

Here is a look at some of the topics covered, the trend observations and the advice given:

Optimism despite challenging economic times

The cost of living was naturally high on the agenda for discussion, its impact on consumer spending is undeniable but many around the table felt that there were creative ways to respond to this. One concept discussed was for operators to really look at the value they offer consumers, not just the price point but the perception of value for money. Consumers will spend when it matters to them, but they want to feel they are getting good value.

Adapting to offer more QSR, grab and go type options was working well for some establishments in the current climate. There was agreement that consumers were still going out to eat but many didn’t necessarily want a full meal. A trend some operators had observed was consumers wanting the flexibility of ordering smaller options, almost a tapas style approach or just going out for a small treat like a dessert. This meant that for some outlets, giving consumers value and choice with a lower price point on a range of smaller options, was proving to be a successful strategy.

Contract caterers adapting and innovating

Contract caterers were working hard to offer value too with ideas including loyalty schemes and meals to take home being just two of the concepts discussed. Elsewhere in the corporate space, some caterers were  seeing people spending more now that they were only coming into the office a few days a week. There appeared to be a trend towards people wanting to make the most of being out of the house and spend time seeing their colleagues. In some cases, consumers were actually spending what they might have spent over five days in the two or three that they now come into work. Others in the sector had observed how consumers often saw lunch in the office as an opportunity to enjoy a hearty, healthy, well-prepared meal – something they may not have at home.

In the healthcare space the focus was on innovation, not necessarily offering the lowest cost. It was all about speed of service, not having queues and cutting down travel for NHS and healthcare staff – so they don’t need to leave their wards and surgeries.

Recruitment and retention – how can the industry up its game?

With research suggesting one fifth of the workforce in the UK plans to look for a new job this year, conversations naturally turned to the topic of attracting and retaining talent across the foodservice industry. There was acknowledgement around the room that the industry had challenges here but a number of practical solutions and strategies were put forward to help tackle these.

There was agreement on the need to focus on the industry’s success stories, build career pathways and apprenticeships. Showcasing foodservice and hospitality as a career, not just a job, was one approach put forward. It was stressed by more than one person around the table that the industry must come together to get the message out that this is a sector that you can come into and have a rewarding career.

Discussions also focused on the bigger picture and having purpose not just a pay cheque. Looking at the total benefits package offered to employees was raised, including opportunities for education and useful discounts for employees too.

Surveying colleagues to ask what they want and get feedback was also proving valuable for staff retention too. Through this many operators were now offering more family friendly benefits to their teams, which was in turn helping to address some of the stability and security issues within the industry.

There was acceptance all around that the industry was at a crossroads and needed to step up in many ways when it comes to recruitment and retention. However, it was clear from the conversation that strong steps in the right direction were very much in progress.

Passion, positivity and looking to the future

The session closed with participants sharing what they were looking forward to. It was a varied discussion but the passion and the positivity for the future of the foodservice sector was one thing everyone had in common.
There was excitement around the possibility of growth and green shoots in the future. A feeling that the industry had come back stronger since covid and there were now new expectations, creating new opportunities. For some around the table, the pandemic had brought about greater collaboration and communication with both clients and suppliers and that was acknowledged as a positive step.

There was genuine passion expressed by some about future opportunities to give back, support the community and provide chances and help for those in need. Optimism surrounding putting sustainability on the agenda was another area of positivity.

Innovation and technology were also praised with people excited about how this could help the next generation get into healthy living. Continuous learning from others in the sector was cited as important too, alongside a fresh approach to attracting new people to the industry.

Everyone around the table concluded that there were many reasons to look forward to the future. This industry is a resilient one and there is a lot of appetite for change and growth.