food marketing

Driving Restaurants into the Future

John Zebell Leave a comment

The key factors driving restaurants down the road were shared by Technomic at its legendary “Restaurant Trends & Directions” conference and through Winsight’s RESTAURANT BUSINESS magazine this week.

Here’s the article:

http://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/…/what-will-drive-r…

Great insights from the authority in all things foodservice, for sure. However, in my humble opinion, the list felt short for this complex world of ours and I began to wonder if there are a few other macro drivers that were overlooked in the article. And I think there are.

My list of other meaningful includes these factors:

– Government influence into everything from cost of labor to menu labeling to food safety/tracking requirements

– Social media impact on marketing, brand image and reputation management

– Demographic shifts as boomers age and millennials of various ethinic/cultural backgrounds and tastes gain economic power

– Technological changes that will affect customer experiences and operations, including people-less ordering systems or universal wifi or more automated prep

– The general “foodie culture” bloom, with rising expectations on quality, the cult of culinary personality that needs to be nurtured and the growing abundance of culinary talent in the market

– Continued consolidation into multi-unit chains that require a different sort of financial and managerial skill to organize and operate

– Emergence of entrepreneurial food and beverage manufacturers who are ready, willing and able to partner with ever smaller restaurant groups to bring custom, differentiated products

Everyone will have a different list of drivers for the future of the restaurants, so it’s no surprise I have mine. These, including Technomic’s outstanding insights, are worthy of due consideration and provide fodder for a SWOT analysis of most any restaurant.

But are there more? Are there any others that are missing? And what sort of future restaurant do these foretell?

My Passion Shows

John Zebell Leave a comment

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Never underestimate the power of a trade show or networking event.  At least, I never will again after this year’s National Restaurant Association show in Chicago over the weekend.

To say the least, it was fantastic beyond expectations.

That’s probably because I had never treated the industry’s premier show quite the same way, and hence, didn’t truly know what to expect.

You see, working for the marketing agency through the years, I would approach this mammoth event in several ways.  As part of a client team, I’d check out  the competitors or look for trends or innovations I could possible connect to a growth strategy.  Or, as an agency executive, I’d be sniffing out new business possibilities.

With the clients, I’d be in for a “bond-a-thon” — treating them to the best clubs and fine dining restaurants of Chicago or arranging huge meal occasions (paid by media sponsors) for the client crews in town.  We’d look for adventure, and we’d somehow find it. The fun and hard work meshed well, I must say.

This time I had a different approach.  I made it my calling simply to reconnect with those who’s business and careers had been my life’s passion.  I just wanted to see them again, share a tale and press flesh, as friends do, because at some point they had been more than clients to me — they had been meaningful parts of my life.

The results were fantastic.

Turns out the network was bigger than I ever expected.  It’s a rather long list of people with an equally long list of associations.

Turns out the personal ties were deeper than I ever expected.  People remembered and relished things with me I had long forgotten.

And it turns out the opportunities just fell naturally out of things.  Most every person asked “what can I do for you?” without any need to.  Having been an account guy 4ever and a career builder by trade, it was a refreshing “what goes around comes around moment” for me.

There are lessons for us all in this.

For the young account service person, make a meaningful difference in the lives of your clients.  Approach each day with a passion for their interests and their success — and you’ll have an impact they will never forget.

Create memories with your clients wherever possible.  Obviously, that can include resume stuffers, such as “we launched a $50 million brand together.” But it should also include adventures and experiences that bond you uniquely forever, like catching a ride in a charter bus back from Vegas when the Bakery Show shut down because of the 9/11 attacks.

For executives everywhere, tend your network on a personal level.  Take the time to show your personal stories and your authentic appreciation of those business.  No doubt, if business is your life, then your business associates ultimately are your best friends.

Approach networking events and trade shows as THE places to reconnect.  Make THAT your priority for a show.  You’ll find it as rewarding personally as you will professionally.

By All Definitions, “Free” a Powerful Word in Food Marketing

John Zebell Leave a comment
The most powerful four-letter word in Marketing is “free.” 

Over the years, though, I’ve struggled with one definition, because I’ve never been one for buying products that are “free” of something.

I guess I feel I’m buying something for something, not the absence of something and in some ways it always seemed to cheapen a product subconsciously.  And, after all, it’s just a feature of the product, not a benefit.  So I don’t gravitate toward to the (blank)-free products of the world.

But evidently the food consumer does, as shown at the International Food Technologist (IFT) convention in Chicago.  There was “free” stuff everywhere — and I’m not talking about the abundant sampling that took place.

Lots of products there help food manufacturers make claims of “free” this and “free” that in their processed foods. And it’s important, because the so-called “free from” trend is in full bloom.

Here’s a list of “blank free” claims products at IFT 16 can help food makers make.

  • Allergen-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Peanut-free
  • Tree-nut-free
  • Lactose-free
  • Sodium-free
  • Gelatine-free
  • RBST-free (bovine growth hormone)
  • Trans-fat-free
  • PHO-free (partially hydrogenated oil)
  • Preservative-free
  • Sulphite-free

(And that list doesn’t even touch on the “non” phenom, most notably, the non-GMO movement.)

Driving this is the uber food trend for more healthful food options.  That’s the same uber force that’s behind trends for clean labels, fresh ingredients, organics, anti-oxidants, super-fruits, fortification, probiotics, plant-based foods, nutritional yeast and omega-3.  Why else would someone take something out of a food — making if “free from” — if it wasn’t better without it?

The gluten-free movement, in particular, was well represented at IFT 16 and it seems to be fast-becoming mainstream.  For example, the number of global breakfast cereal launches since 2011 with a “gluten free” claim have jumped 557%, according to Innova Market Insights’ 2016 report.  A few years ago, “gluten free” products were only found in health food stores.  Now, you’ll find practically whole aisles in supermarkets dedicated to “gluten free” products.

“Allergy free” products in general are poised for further growth.  According to Datamonitor, around 20% of people say they avoid certain foods due to allergy or intolerance “most” or “all” of the time.   Hence, it’s no surprise that the number of global dairy products launches with a “lactose free” claim increased 35% from 2014 to 2015, per Innova Market Insights.

Consumers are on the look-out for “free from” food products, but we can’t forget the government is, too.  And, that’s why it takes a lawyer as well as a food scientists to make your “free from” claim.

The Federal Drug Administration definition includes the obvious: “Zero,” “no” or “without.” Those cover most of the “free from” business, because if you claim it doesn’t contain lactose, it better not include lactose.  But for some claims, like “fat free” or “sugar free” the definition also includes such things as  “Trivial Source of,” “Negligible Source of” or “Dietary Insignificant Source of” a nutrient.  Those require a look at the serving size and expert review.

For me, I’ve come to grips with the value of a “free from” claim.  It’s not something that motivates me at this stage of my life, but I’m sure as my dietary needs change, my attention to the exact content of my food will increase.  I’d prefer a feature have a positive benefit that’s unique and meaningful, but that’s sometimes confusion and often unnecessary when the consumer is looking to strictly avoid a particularly ingredient.

That’s why “free” is still a powerful four-letter word in the world of food marketing.