Removing catering distractions to deliver the best customer experience

Food prices are highly unstable in the current climate and it’s yet another distraction the industry faces as 2019 starts to gear up. However, any instability shouldn’t be used as an excuse for not focusing on both the all-important team and the consumer.

The concentration must be towards the commercial customer but its essential that the culture of any business is kept ticking along at the level where great experiences can be delivered. Mark Smalley in charge of apetito’s drive into new markets and explains why their business model has been shaped to remove any distractions.

Food price instability, business rates, the deal outcome for Brexit and much more are all distractions at the top level which are and will make impact on businesses. However at the operational level there are also many distractions which run deep and have existed for some time. Just take the attitude when it comes to employee dining. Many chefs and F&B operators logically focus on the paying customer, but they shouldn’t forget the employee.

Mark Smalley

“Food price instability, business rates, the deal outcome for Brexit and much more are all distractions at the top level which are and will make impact on businesses. However at the operational level there are also many distractions which run deep and have existed for some time. Just take the attitude when it comes to employee dining. Many chefs and F&B operators logically focus on the paying customer, but they shouldn’t forget the employee.

This attitude can change, especially with solutions like ours, because its possible to removing the distractions and the worry from the staff dining side. Not that we only focus on the teams, our model and offer can support both the paying customer and the employee, but one of the main headaches does come from the internal side.No matter what the outcome of Brexit, businesses still needs to function and although its not in our hands, we must all be prepared. Whether it’s a sports stadium, a seaside holiday park or a blue-collar factory, all businesses must be open to innovation which could actually save them money and have a positive commercial impact. It makes a difference to the consumer and the employee.In times of uncertainty its about having quality, creativity and exceeding expectations. Kitchens do require systems which does require less skills, protects the profit margin and improves efficiency.

It has been argued that the foodservice sector alone will require another 11,000 chefs over the next few years. Whether you agree with that number can be debated, but at the core is the message that more chefs will be needed. A tough ask with rising costs and a challenging time for business. At the same time the consumer is demanding more from their caterer – just look at the recent drive into vegan food trends which is only set to grow. Varity and different dietary requirements are becoming so important and the food offer must be right.

We believe that our 60 years of history we can prepared to tackle any challenges that are faced by the hospitality sector today. We don’t want to be singing our own praises but instead working with caterers to provide offers which make a real difference. Consistent food quality and margin control through staffing levels and portion control – it doesn’t have to be complicated, just a way to avoid the distractions.