June 2019 Irish Foodservice Newsletter

 A date has been set for our 2019 Irish Foodservice Seminar!  This year’s event is taking place on Wednesday, 13^th November.  We’ll bring you additional details confirming venue, speaker line up and agenda over the coming months.  In the interim, please feel free to contact us with any queries.

General Industry News

EY increases forecast for Irish economic growth

Irish Times – 17.06.2019

One of the “big four” professional services firms has increased its growth forecast for the State’s economy in light of strong corporate tax receipts and the increase in new jobs.  EY revised its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the State slightly upwards to 4.1 per cent in 2019 on the back of positive data in the first three months of the year. EY forecasts growth in job-creation to slow from 2.8 per cent this year to 1.8 per cent in 2020 and 1.6 per cent in 2021.

Irish economy caught between overheating and Brexit slowdown, Chief Economist warns

Irish Times – 14.06.2019

The Irish economy is on a knife-edge, poised between “overheating” and a major Brexit-related downturn, the State’s Chief Economist has warned.  John McCarthy described the situation as “extraordinarily complex” and uncertain, saying it made forming budgetary policy extremely difficult.  He said overheating could transform rapidly into “underheating” as a result of a cyclical downturn internationally, made worse by Brexit and trade tensions between the US and China.

Shannon Expects Passenger Number drop due to suspension of Norwegian Flights

Hospitality Ireland – 13.06.2019

Following the news that Norwegian Air has suspended flights to and from Cork and Shannon Airports for the rest of 2019, a spokesperson for Shannon Group has said, "Shannon Airport is disappointed for its passengers with the news that as a result of the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft, Norwegian will be unable to operate a Shannon service for the reminder of the year”.

Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Sector

Camile Thai becomes first in Europe to launch compostable takeaway food packaging

www.evoke.ie  – 16.05.2019

Healthy food delivery chain Camile Thai have become the first restaurant chain in Europe to launch 100% compostable packaging for their takeaway food.  The company’s move will not only greatly reduce the amount of waste generated by single-use packaging, but will also help reduce the impact on the environment.  With Camile’s newest innovation, diners will now be able to throw their biodegradable packaging straight into the compost bin without washing.  While the chain are investing 25% more on their packaging costs in order to reduce the amount of plastics used, they have ensured this comes at no extra cost to the customer.

Pub Sector

LVA promoting food with TheTaste.ie

www.drinksindustryireland.ie – 01.05.2019

The Licensed Vintners Association has launched a new partnership with TheTaste.ie, the food-focused website and magazine.  The promotion aims to highlight the quality of food available in Dublin pubs and the campaign sees a recipe from a different LVA member pub featured each week.

This partnership will run over the course of the next six months with the recipes shared on TheTaste.ie website, its daily e-zine as well as the LVA’s and TheTaste.ie’s social media channels.  A special hashtag has also been developed for the campaign – #DubPubDishes.

Hotel & Restaurant Sector

Hoteliers call for urgent action on ‘unsustainable’ insurance costs

www.rte.ie  – 10.06.2019

62% of hoteliers have seen further increases in their insurance costs over the last 12 months, according to the Irish Hotels Federation.  The Irish Hotels Federation said its research shows that about 90% of hotels and guesthouses say they are concerned about the impact of insurance costs on their business. IHF President Michael Lennon said the increases are unsustainable. "Exorbitant insurance costs are curtailing the ability of hotels and guesthouses to re-invest in their businesses with knock-on effects for the tourism industry," Mr Lennon said. 

Chef supply crisis: ‘I’m certain there are no chefs left in country’

Irish Times – 17.06.2019

Liam Edwards normally works front of house at his seafood restaurant in Kinsale, Co Cork.  But for the past three months he has been full-time in the kitchen, helping out his short-staffed team of chefs.  With fewer foreign staff to choose from, close to full employment in the wider economy and and high living costs, Edwards say the shortages have now reached crisis point.  In 2015, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs reported that the hospitality sector was facing a deficit of about 5,000 chef trainees annually.  Three years on, the restaurant sector estimates that this deficit has climbed to about 7,500 a year.

Irish restaurants urged to take the Gluten Free Eating Out Pledge

www.avondhuepress.ie  – 23.05.2019

The nation’s restaurateurs are being called upon to take the Gluten Free Eating Out Pledge to provide more menu options for Ireland’s estimated 48,500 coeliac sufferers.  The Coeliac Society of Ireland is launching a new system, so that restaurants and cafes can reassure people with coeliac disease, their families and friends that they are able to eat there in confidence that they won’t become unwell.  Under the Gluten Free Eating Out Pledge, participating restaurants must: Meet all conditions specified in the Gluten Free Standard (or Kitchen Safety Checklist); Have members of staff who have completed the online catering training provided as part of the procedure; Must annotate all menus with the GF symbol as appropriate, or have a separate GF menu.

Casual Dining Sector

Cashless coffee shop in Dublin may be first of its kind in Ireland

Irish Examiner– 08.04.2019

A new Dublin coffee shop may be the first in Ireland where customers cannot pay with cash.  Bear Market Coffee, on George Street, is completely cash-free, which owners Ruth and Stephen Deasy say means staff can concentrate on providing better customer service. Bear Market partnered with Magnet Networks, a telecommunications and data connectivity provider, to include a pre-order app and WiFi. Ruth said the idea came after a visit to a cashless store in New York, and added: “We thought it was a lot more relaxed and a quicker process to get to the till and get your coffee, and the customer service element was more streamlined.  When we started looking at our figures, we found that around 80% of our sales were on card.”

Contract Catering Sector

British Caterer Compass to Buy Nordic Rival Fazer Food for €475m

Hospitality Ireland – 04.06.2019

British catering group Compass has agreed to buy Nordic rival Fazer Food Services for approximately €475 million, the two companies have announced. In the past year, Compass, which provides meals for office workers, armed forces and school children in more than 50 countries, has been cutting costs and focussing on its food business, while reducing non-core operations. Finland-based Fazer Food Services employs 7,000 employees at more than 1,000 sites in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Estonia. Compass will pay €420 million in cash, with the rest of the acquisition payment payable within seven years, dependent on closing balance sheet adjustments and the operation of an earn-out.