Event Review

Over 230 guests gathered at the stunning Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park for a day of informative 
discussions and fabulous networking, at the highly anticipated Arena Christmas Event.  The 
annual event sold out in record time and the hotel ballroom was filled with old and new 
members and industry guests looking to catch-up with peers, make introductions and develop 
relationships. 

The event began with networking and coffee courtesy of Nescafe, a selection of viennoiserie 
supplied by Délifrance and a range of Bonne Maman jams, spreads and orange juice courtesy of 
Andros.    This was followed by a fascinating talk from industry analyst – Simon Stenning – on the 
future of foodservice.  

He spoke about new segments in the market, the polarisation between social refuelling and 
premiumised experiential dining, plus the unfortunate casualties of the squeezed middle.  
Sector data, automation, new players, land-grabbing, generational spending power and the 
rapid growth of the ‘pleasure principle’ all featured within Simon’s talk.  

Key takeaways: 

* Fast-food is not growing by much, but it’s expected that every sizeable town will soon 
have a market hall
* Americanisation continues to take prevalence in fast food, with new players coming 
from the US, such as Dave’s Hot Chicken 
* In the restaurant sector smaller chains and neighbourhood groups such as Rosa’s Thai, 
Rudy’s, and Megan’s are growing 
* The declining pub market is moving towards the restaurant model; Mitchells & Butlers 
for example has converted five sites to a new Mediterranean offer ‘Ego’, doubling sales 
* The leisure industry is booming with competitive socialising.  Key themes in the sector 
are friction-free and the pleasure principle
* The baby boomers, as known as the SKI generation (spending kids’ inheritance), are key 
spending drivers in the sector, creating demand for new segments. Greene King has just 
launched its Everly collection to meet this demand
* Alcohol consumption is continuing to decrease.  Over 40% of females and 35% of males 
aged 16-24 haven’t had an alcoholic drink in the last year
* The way we are living is changing; there’s a return to offices and we’re living in cities 
more.  Kitchens are getting smaller and delivery orders are increasing; we’re no longer 
doing big weekly food shops  
* We no longer eat three meals a day; it’s 2.5 meals a day, the rest is snacking.  As a 
consequence, food-for-now is growing

The overarching question for all guests to consider was: what are consumers prepared to pay 
for?  Operators need to be creative and innovative to get consumers to spend money. 

Guests then enjoyed a drinks reception, courtesy of Unity Wines and Britvic Soft Drinks and 
canapés served on Délifrance focaccia and more networking before taking their seats in the 
ballroom for an exceptional three course lunch with wines expertly matched by Unity Wines.  
The starter was accompanied by Heritage mini-bread rolls from Délifrance and butter portions 
from Lakeland Dairies and the mouth-watering Dessert of Caramelised Pineapple Cheesecake 
featured fruits and purees from Andros Chef. 

Next up was a panel discussion chaired by industry veteran and co-founder of Peach 20/20 -  
Peter Martin.  Thanks to 40 years in the business, Peter has seen the ups and downs and knows 
that the industry always pulls through.  He discussed with the panel where and how it will 
evolve. 

The panel

- John Nugent, CEO & Founder of Green Fortune 
- Coral Rose, MD of Fairway Foodservice 
- Angus Brydon, MD of BM Caterers 
- Robin Rowland, Investor and Chair of Rosa’s Thai, Pho, Mowgli & Thunderbird

Panellists echoed Simon’s points that the way we live is changing and were cautiously 
optimistic about the future. The return to the office, where to invest, maintaining an engaged workforce, regional and 
responsible sourcing, pricing, margins, the ageing population were all discussed, followed by a 
series of questions from the audience. 

Key takeaways:

* Events are becoming increasingly popular, generating a welcome level of predictability 
for operators.  Interestingly, 70% of meals at Mowgli are pre-ordered 
* Investing in the right sites in the right locations has never been so important; growth can 
be driven by investment in existing sites 
* Sourcing can no longer be driven solely on price and scale; it’s about doing the right 
thing in the right geographical area
* Contract caterers need to stay ahead of the game; B&I sites are used as incentives and 
rewards for clients attracting workers back to the office.  Chefs need to be given their 
own environment for creativity 
* Clear career pathways are needed to grow and retain top talent.  Hospitality is no longer 
a low-paid industry; aspiring managers must have clear defined pathways to train talent 
and maintain productivity 
* ESG is increasingly important for contract caterer clients.  Having the right 
accreditations determines a place on the tender list 
* Innovation and consistency sit at the forefront.  Businesses need to sell the dream, and 
and the dream needs to run through everything 

The panel debate was followed by a thank you address from Chairman Steve Norris and a 
charity raffle which raised £3,180 for Hospitality Action and Springboard. 

Huge thanks go to all of our headline partners, sponsors and supporters.  Arena is a not-for-
profit, so it’s their continued support that make these events possible.