Breakfast Briefing - The latest hospitality news
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"Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right"Henry Ford Tweet of the Week
Jamie Ross @JamieRoss7, Scotland reporter for @BuzzFeedNews tweeted: “I'm getting quite bored of making the most important decision of my lifetime.” To view the full tweet, click here News of the Week
Is the boutique gin and whisky boom spooking big spirit brands?
More than 50 new distilleries opened in the UK last year, showing the “explosive creativity” of craft spirits, according to a study.The number of “boutique” distillers is pushing big brands off the shelf, as artisan drinks brands continue to take market share from the global giants, said accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.There was a 25% increase in new distilleries in England over the last year, from 28 to a record 35, with UK sales of gin breaking though the £1bn mark for the first time in 2016. In Scotland, 12 distilleries opened in 2015, and a further 18 in 2016.The boom in the sector is also being fuelled by a flurry of merger and acquisition activity, as the global giants attempt to get in on the artisan market. Read full article Story of the Week
Enjoy your meatballs without arguing over furniture
Fast Company reports that the massive success of Ikea’s food division has prompted the company to consider opening their own cafés in city centres around the world. 30% of Ikea Food’s customers come to the stores just to eat, and last year’s Ikea popup café was popular.‘The mere fact that we don’t need so many square feet to do a café or a restaurant makes it interesting by itself,’ said Michael La Cour, Ikea Food’s managing director.Read more eHotelier Hospitality News
Brexit: Hospitality industry warns of worker shortages: The Home Office is looking at plans for “Barista Visas” and new rules for migrants, after hospitality industry experts warned many business will close. Find out more Google package move ‘will boost innovation’: Google’s package product will search for combined flight and hotel deals and has been available to a proportion of users since the beginning of the year. Learn more New hotel brand Journal Hotels wrangles six historic properties: A chic new hotel brand is getting launched, and it’s set to attach itself to a half-dozen historic properties right off the bat. Find out more Global Hospitality News
Weetabix sold to US firm after breakfast cereal fails to catch on in China: China’s Bright Foods sells brand alongside Ready Brek and Alpen for $1.8bn to owners of Shredded Wheat after too few Chinese choose Weetabix for breakfast. Learn more Blueground enters Dubai’s hospitality market: Blueground, a hospitality company offering high quality accommodation to business executives and expats, has made its entry into Dubai’s hospitality industry. Find out moreBen & Jerry’s to offer ‘ice cream tacos’ at locations in six countries: Launching this week, the sweet treat will be available in the US, Canada, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Find out more Corners of the World
Australia to introduce stricter rules on working visas: Australia will introduce stricter visa requirements for skilled workers from overseas, the government said. Read more Bangkok to ban street food stalls in clean-up crusade: Street food stalls will be banned from all of Bangkok’s main roads under a clean-up crusade, prompting outcry and anguish in a food-obsessed capital famed for its spicy roadside cuisine. Learn more The strange boom in homeless tourism: From Prague to Los Angeles, tours led by homeless guides are showing visitors the dark heart of familiar cities – but does it help? Read more