DLSM Insights: Diversifying

In our latest insight piece, we are looking at how F&B businesses are diversifying and evolving their proposition within these challenging times. Brands are devising future proofing strategies and exploring new innovations, borne out of a passion for providing great food and exceptional guest service ensuring prominence and relevance within their sector.

We will be identifying the key ideas and takeaways that embrace the ‘new normal’ and turn disruption into a positive change of new opportunities.

The Coronavirus outbreak has created a positive need for connection and collaboration, with many businesses partnering to create exciting new offerings within the market. Forging a creative and collaborative approach with competitors and companies with a similar ethos allows brands to share knowledge, skill sets and even customer base enabling them to reaching new or a larger audience base.

Deliveroo x Sainsburys – Online food delivery service Deliveroo have expanded their business into grocery delivery with a recent new partnership with Sainsbury’s that brings freshly baked sourdough pizzas from the supermarket counter straight to customers’ homes.

Paradise Carriage x Whatley Manor – Cotswold hotel Whatley Manor have teamed up with the Paradise Carriage destination food truck to offer a smart take on their Grey’s Brasserie restaurant with refined dishes curated by executive chef Niall Keating.

80% of businesses intend to continue their new delivery format after lockdown

With restaurants and bars having to shut their doors and look at offering a reduced menu / delivery service it has been vital for brands to rethink their offer – focussing on how to service customers at home. Redesigning/reinventing menus to reflect delivery demand and devising distinctive brand experiences within the home have allowed businesses to pivot their current models and create natural brand extension that engage with consumers.

Côte at Home – Côte have launched a new delivery service that offers customers high quality butchery, fromage and wine products as well as a curated bistro meal selection that is ready to go straight in the oven. The new initiative has proved so popular that the brand is now creating a warehouse for long term distribution of their ‘at home’ service.

Pizza in the Post – Pizza Pilgrims have designed their own ‘Frying Pan Pizza Kits’ that can be sent to customers through the post with all the essentials to create two delicious margherita style pizzas in true ‘Pizza Pilgrims’ style with easy to follow step-by-step instructions. The first 50 of the kits sold out in the first 20 seconds of launching online and the brand are now looking to open up a second of their 13 restaurants to produce the kits, enabling them to meet with the growing demand.

It is never been more important for brands to stay relevant in this turbulent time and focus on building an emotional and personal connection to consumers while physical outlets are closed. Taking a creative approach that authentically shares and taps into new desires and interests whilst allowing guests to still be a part of the brand experience.

‘Wok from Home’ –Wagamama’s have created a pan-Asian cookery series dubbed ‘Waga Wednesdays’ which demonstrates how to create some of the brands most iconic dishes – tapping into the growing interest in exploring new cooking techniques and allowing people to feel like they are not missing out on their regular katsu curry fix.

The Next Pret Sandwich – Pret A Manger recently launched a social competition encouraging their audience to share creative ideas for the next Pret sandwich. The winning recipe would then be bought into stores once they reopened.

Outdoor dining destinations are set to become more prevalent with many brands already looking at how they can extend their existing restaurants and create an outdoor environment that simulates their internal offer.  The al-fresco dining experience should reinforce the brand story and create a natural extension that exudes fun, excitement and atmosphere without being solely shaped around spatial distancing measures. Streetscapes will be reshaped and reimagined allowing hospitality operators to safely open their doors in the future.

Grand Outdoor Summer Café  – The Piano Works and key UK hospitality operators have come to together to create a fundraising initiative to transform public spaces and squares outside of their venues to serve food and drink. The intention is to create an all-encompassing experience of pubs, street food, live music venues and high-end dining sprawled across a city.

Soho Street Festival Campaign – Soho Estates have launched a new campaign that aims to pedestrianise Soho for the summer, helping  businesses to survive by allowing them to spread outdoors and continue to operate within social distancing measures.