Welcome to the October Edition of Bord Bia's Ireland Market Foodservice Newsletter.
Delighted to confirm that a number of speakers and panel members for our end of year foodservice seminar have been announced. A reminder that the theme for this year’s seminar is Digital Transformation and we will be joined by the likes of Manna Drone Delivery and THINKHOUSE a digital-first agency, powered by youth culture. Details of the full speaker line up will follow shortly. For now, to book your place, please visit our website here.
Monthly Spotlight: ‘Mini-Size Me’.
In a previous Monthly Spotlight, I highlighted the growth in “snackification” as many of the larger QSR operators grapple with the challenge of providing options at affordable price points for consumers that have less money in their pockets. A recent article on the same theme confirms that for the first time since 1980, American restaurant portion sizes are shrinking. As inflation continues to make itself felt, people and businesses are looking for ways to decrease costs, and a decrease in portion sizes is one way they're doing it. Gen Yers and Zers, in particular, are turning away from traditional meal formats and towards a variety of smaller snack-like components, and they want restaurants to diversify their size offerings.
General Industry News
Minister defends ‘fighting’ for hospitality VAT reduction in Budget 2025
The Irish Times – 02.10.2024
Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has denied the hospitality sector was ignored in the budget following his failure to secure a reduction in the VAT rate. Hospitality businesses and their representative groups have expressed profound disappointment that the 13.5 per cent rate of VAT was not returned to the temporary Covid-era 9 per cent level in Budget 2025 after a highly publicised campaign to pressure the Government into adopting the policy.
Irish services sector output rate hits six-month high – AIB
Business Post – 26.09.2024
The rate of expansion in the Irish services sector increased at the strongest rate in six months, as cost pressures eased. The AIB Irish Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) edged up to 55.7 in September to 53.8 in August, representing a strong overall increase. The pace of expansion was the second-fastest in the past 14 months. Service providers continued to expand workforces in September.
Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) & Pub Sector
Popeyes Opens First Restaurant in Northern Ireland
Hospitality Ireland – 23.09.2024
Northern Ireland’s first Popeyes restaurant officially opened its doors at Lesley Forestside Shopping Centre last week, with some fans eagerly queuing from 1.30am to be the first to try the brand’s world-famous Louisiana fried chicken. The Belfast restaurant has created 90 local jobs. Founded in New Orleans in 1972, Popeyes has become one of the world’s largest quick-service chicken restaurants.
Domino's opens new €16m supply chain centre in Naas
Hospitality Ireland – 24.09.2024
Pizza company Domino's is opening a new supply chain centre in Naas in Co Kildare after a €16m investment and over two years of construction. The new facility uses state-of-the-art equipment to produce, store, and ship fresh dough and ingredients to Domino's stores across the country. The pizza company says the new facility will increase capacity in Ireland by around 40% and comes as Domino's is looking to fill 500 positions in its stores ahead of Christmas, including jobs for delivery drivers, in-store workers and pizza makers.
Hotel & Restaurant Sector
Using AI To Monitor and Minimise Food Waste in Hotel Kitchens
Hospitality Ireland – 08.10.2024
Marriott Hotels in the UK, Ireland and Nordics has announced the implementation of a food waste reduction initiative across 53 managed hotels, which will see Winnow AI technology being used to monitor and minimise food waste in hotel kitchens. With the support of The PLEDGE, a global food waste certification, Marriott has become the first hotel group to deploy AI food waste technology on this scale in the UK by integrating the Winnow AI platform in all 53 hotel food outlets. Marriott’s F&B teams now have access to real-time data on food consumption and waste, enabling responsible decisions around ordering, menu planning, and portion sizes.
Press Up closes Wagamama restaurants with immediate effect
Business Post – 25.09.2024
Last week, receivers were appointed to a dozen restaurants that are part of the Press Up Group, including Portalon Limited, which operates Wagamama’s South King Street, Dundrum and Blanchardstown venues. Shane McCarthy and Cormac O’Connor from KPMG, who were appointed receivers of Portalon Limited, entered discussions with Wagamama UK over the continued operation of the franchise in Ireland. An agreement could not be reached with Wagamama UK and the decision has been made to close the Wagamama outlets in Dundrum, Blanchardstown and on South King Street with immediate effect.
Casual Dining / Contract Catering Sector
High Steaks – Sysco wins Gold at Irish Quality Food & Drinks Awards
Hotel & Restaurant Times – 30.09.2024
Sysco, Ireland’s foodservice specialist, has won three Top Awards, including the Foodserivce Product of the year, at the annual Quality Food and Drink Awards. Speaking on the company’s success, Marian Cahill, Merchandise Director, Sysco Ireland, commented: “We are delighted to have won three gold awards at the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards. For the past 35 years we have been working in partnership with ABP and together we are committed to producing the highest quality, sustainable and perfectly aged steaks that not only meet but exceed our customers’ expectations”.
Boojum opens in Nottingham
Propel – 24.09.2024
Mexican fast-casual brand Boojum, which was acquired by the Azzurri Group last summer, has opened in Nottingham for its second UK mainland site. Boojum has opened a 2,377 square-foot, 42-cover restaurant in the city’s Lower Parliament Street – joining the Leeds site it opened earlier this year, plus 16 more across Ireland and Northern Ireland.