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All posts by Jennifer Welsh
New Year — New you. As the world prepares to ring in 2023, the food community predicts that the upcoming year will be loaded with more sustainable, healthier, and more wholesome foods. That’s good news for those who crafted New Year’s resolutions related to eating healthier, and reducing their carbon footprints.
I stepped into my neighborhood Dunkin Donuts a few weeks ago. Seemingly overnight, the store had undergone an autumn transformation. Employees had overlain the windows with tantalizing photos of fall foods and pumpkin spiced lattes, apple themed donuts, and slogans like “Trick Out Your Treats.” The counters were lined with fall decor, including orange crepe paper and plastic leaves, and a well-placed sign informed me of the seasonal “Donut Decorating Workshop” for kids next week.
In the summer of 2019, the average cost of a nationwide flight in the United States was about $345. In the summer of 2020, the average cost of a domestic ticket dropped to $245. By the summer of 2022, it had shot all the way back up to $ 330.
These price fluctuations reveal the rapid fire changes that the coronavirus pandemic ushered in.
Now, thankfully, the country is opening back up. But opening up doesn’t mean going back to “normal” — normal being the pre-COVID state of affairs. In fact, quite the opposite.
Drinks are often the items with the highest profit margin in any food business, and when it comes to alcoholic drinks, the profits are even higher. As the pandemic taught us, alcohol sales rose significantly over the past two years, as did the numerous methods of getting liquor out to the masses. Whether it was with online deliveries, curbside pick up or QR code pick up, people the world over made it clear that they needed or wanted alcoholic drinks to help get them through the crisis.
With high profit margins, and almost guaranteed success, bars are making a quick comeback post-covid as people flock to socialize with friends once again. To help ensure the success of your bar, make sure that it is well-equipped with essential bar tools and equipment that can be used to create a diverse array of drinks to satisfy everyone from classic beer and whiskey lovers, to craft cocktail connoisseurs.
The phrase “the sweet smell of success” has never come to life more than in today’s restaurant ‘biz. Increasingly, in what has been coined “olfactory dining,” aromas are being used by foodservice providers to not only whet appetites and entice diners their way, but to generate an orchestrated profit.
If you work in foodservice and are thinking of opening a Bed and Breakfast (B&B), you are using your noodle wisely! Not only are B&B’s almost always privately owned, giving you plenty of freedom to showcase your wares in any way you fancy, but these special hospitality venues are climbing the popularity charts the world over. No longer viewed as merely cost-effective alternatives to hotel rooms, many B&Bs have taken on first-class status with a reputation for being both personal and posh. As a result, growing numbers of consumers are selecting B&Bs as their number one lodgings selection.
If you work in foodservice and are looking for a way to gain an edge over the competition, think creative and even tech-integrated food containers-to-go. The impact of the pandemic has changed the face of the restaurant industry, giving takeout and delivery services a top spot in the realm of operations in a trend that is here to stay. At the same time, eco-friendly packaging, safe food handling, and takeout aesthetics have become all-important to the palates of consumers.
Attention Restaurant Owners, Chefs, and Food Lovers Everywhere: There is a new taste in town and its name is umami. Officially deemed by scientists a core fifth taste in 2002, it is sister to the more familiar sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors. Not only is umami universally appealing, but it is all the rage in restaurant recipes for the New Year.
If you are looking for expert advice on how to stay fit and healthy during the winter months, you are not alone! Exercising during the winter often presents a challenge, with inclement weather conditions ruling out outdoor sports and even driving to the gym can be ruled out depending on the weather and your mood. With these distractions, what you have is a recipe for disaster: giving up on fitness altogether.
Good News for Restaurant Owners: After being jarringly disrupted and almost devastated by the coronavirus, the restaurant industry is gearing up for a comeback. Corona exit strategies for restaurants are being formulated even while mandatory shutdowns and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic continue. Given that different parts of the country are at varying stages of corona, each states timetable for opening up will differ. Nevertheless, expect a gradual, phased exit scenario that allows customers to begin visiting your business again and eventually, dine in. Continue reading on reopening your business post COVID-19 →