Pete Champain

At High Leigh Conference Centre, receiving the Herts Responsible Food Award has affirmed our commitment to health and sustainability. But more importantly, it has ignited our drive to innovate, break new ground, and lead by example. I challenge every business to consider how they, too, can make a positive impact. Together, we have the opportunity to make Hertfordshire a model for responsible, sustainable food practices that inspire other regions to follow suit. If you're a local food business looking to boost your eco-friendly credentials or simply want to learn more about sustainable practices, the Herts Responsible Food Award is an ideal opportunity. Participating in this program not only highlights your commitment to healthier, more sustainable food practices but also aligns you with the growing consumer demand for responsible choices. To every food business in Hertfordshire: I strongly encourage you to apply for the Herts Responsible Food Award. The process is simple, but the impact is profound. Together, let's build a healthier, more sustainable future for Hertfordshire. Ambition Broxbourne Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce Hertfordshire County Council Hertfordshire Futures

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I have attended lots of hospitality industry events in recent months (Arena the hospitality networking association, Simon Stenning, Chris Sheppardson, Entrepreneur's Partnership, Caterforce Ltd conference) and there is a consistent message of needing to work hard in 2025 to find growth opportunities. But what if many of the growth opportunities are sat right in front of our eyes (or counters, tables, bars)? I dine out a lot and for months I've sat 'in premise' thinking 'if a member of staff was to ask me if I wanted another glass of wine, or something to go with my coffee, or have a mini starter of olives/bread & oil to nibble on while reading the menus' I'd probably have said 'yes'. This got me and Mark Bentley talking last week - am I expecting too much, or do others feel the same as me? So we at TWC Group polled the nation last week and spoke to 752 UK adult consumers (natrep) to find out whether they experience the same when dining out - ie they end up spending less than they were going to, willing to or intending to, not because the outlet was cheaper than expected, but because the service was too slow or for other operational reasons. The answer? Almost 35% of consumers who dine out (which is 87% of the UK population, by the way) say they have spent less than intended on some of their recent meals out. This post is not aimed to be critical - it is aimed to trigger debate about 'customer spend optimisation per visit' (CSOV). We should recognise and applaud those outlets which really succeed in delivering the highest CSOV - those operators which enable customers to spend what they were going to spend (and some). The photo is of a TWC Christmas lunch last week at The Humble Grape (Fleet St). The team working that day were terrific - always enquiring whether we needed or wanted anything else. Talking to my good friend (and ex colleague) Blake Chapman on Monday, he highlighted a local pub to him which appears to have someone working there whose primary role is to walk around each table and ask guests if they'd like another drink/snack/coffee etc. Hope this post provides food for thought.....we will be launching a full research insights programme for 2025 in January. Contact us for more information as we attempt to report 'the what and the why' (what happened and why it happened). #research #insight #wholesale #foodservice Tanya Pepin Richard Barr Sarah Coleman Jayne Webb Kelly Pye Elaine Baker Olly Brown PS Andy Dixon and I met yesterday to scope out a review of the foodservice sector 2024/25 (we'll share it with you in the New Year).

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Could sustainability in the workplace be hospitality's hidden advantage? Staff shortages are a pressing challenge, but our latest report with CGA by NIQ, Sustainability Matters: Why your teams take it seriously, reveals a powerful solution: sustainability. ♻️ 76% of staff (and 88% of managers) are more likely to stay with an employer making a positive environmental impact. ♻️ Nearly 1 in 5 workers have already resigned over a lack of sustainability initiatives. ♻️ 47% want training to help drive meaningful change. From reducing food waste to improving recycling and packaging, aligning your practices with employee values can boost retention, save costs, and drive revenue. ⬇️ Discover more insights in our feature with UKHospitality in the comments below. #sustainability #hospitalityinsights #sustainablehospitality

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Electric Group – the live music sector remains buoyant, in talk on two new sites: Dominic Madden, co-founder of the Electric Group, which operates some of the UK’s leading music venues, has told Propel that the country’s live music sector remains buoyant and that younger consumers have moved on from the “old-fashioned nightclub model”. The company currently operates Electric Brixton, Bristol’s SWX venue and NX in Newcastle, while also owning the freehold of The Leadmill in Sheffield. Madden told Propel: “The live sector is very buoyant. We’ve taken some of the best bits of what would have been historically the late-night model and fused it together with an event focused/live music model. There’s a huge demand for a curated approach to music programming because the old-fashioned approach, in a world where students and young people have gotten very sophisticated in terms of their approach – they know what they want – is not working. They go to festivals, they go to Ibiza, but their discretionary and disposable spend is decreasing as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, which means that going to an old-fashioned nightclub session on a Monday night because it’s cheap is no longer a priority for them. The old-fashioned nightclub model has moved on, students are going out less. That means those buildings are dependent on an economic model based on a 600-capacity Friday, a 1,000-capacity Saturday, and hope for the best for the rest of the week. Obviously, the fixed costs of running these buildings, the rising tide of costs have increased.” Madden is looking at two other prospective sites at the moment – one in London and one in a major regional city. He said: “Our sweet spot from a capacity perspective is 1,200-plus. So, in lots of cities, there are small spaces in pubs and rooms above pubs but there’s no medium capacity because the Academy-type venues do 2,000 capacity plus, but that sort of 1,200 capacity space is great in the market as there is significant demand for acts touring at that mid-level. We get quite a lot of that, and that’s really, really good for us.”

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A scary time for so many in our industry right now, with so many licensees looking for help, guidance & support as they are balancing on a knife edge. The new government has a clear opportunity to show how their time in power is going to be and depending on how the announcements will go, will be how the next 5 years in our industry is. Be Interesting to see if they choose mass closures, poor investment opportunities and lack of faith over helping us flourish again.

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As the majority of our members struggle to trade profitably due to exceptional costs of doing business the Government chose to increase the already unfair level of taxes pubs face. Our recent member survey laid out the consequences of this decision with 80% of pubs expecting to be unprofitable due to additional taxes, 75% will cut staff hours, 40% will reduce opening hours and 1 in 3 will make staff redundant. Our members pubs are vital small businesses at the heart of every community providing accessible local skilled jobs and are foundational in local economies. They do not need handouts, they need a fair trading environment recognising they need to operate from physical buildings and need to employ large teams, with many part time workers meeting their needs for flexible employment. We urge Government to re-think and reverse the additional employer taxes and increase in business rates. BII #MyPub #HeartoftheCommunity 10 Downing Street Department for Business and Trade Keir Starmer Rt Hon Rachel Reeves Jonathan Reynolds MP Gareth Thomas MP

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In busy foodservice environments, safety should always be the most important part of your operations. One of the most critical aspects of commercial kitchen safety is gas safety, especially when large volumes of gas equipment are being used such as combi ovens & cooking ranges Gas safety is a regulatory requirement and commercial kitchens should be checked once a year to ensure they meet the gas safety requirements. A gas safety certificate should be issued annually by a registered Gas Safe Engineer who is qualified to carry out work on commercial catering equipment. Regular maintenance and routine service checks can ensure that commercial kitchens stay gas safe and complaint with regulations: Schedule regular inspections and maintenance of all gas-powered equipment. This proactive approach helps to identify and rectify potential issues early, reducing the risk of gas leaks and equipment malfunctions. Regularly Cleaning and Ventilation - Proper ventilation is crucial in commercial kitchens to prevent the build-up of gas or fumes. Ensure that all ventilation systems are well cleaned, functioning correctly and are not obstructed at all times. Carbon Monoxide Detectors – Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed in several places throughout the kitchen. These detectors provide early warning signs of gas leaks. Installing a commercial carbon monoxide detector will have better detection capabilities in a busy foodservice environment. For a written quotation to carry out a CP42 Gas Safety Check & Certification of kitchen installations & appliances. Contact us : www.jmgservice.co.uk

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"𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗧𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗮𝘀, 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗳 & 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗳é 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼, 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: '𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲… …but the true advantage lies in our regular planning meetings with ViewPoint Partners, where we transform those insights into actionable strategies that drive real improvements at Café Deco.” The V-Cohort* analysis is a distinctive EPOS sales-driven market report, offering businesses a clear understanding of their market position and areas for improvement. Expanding your market perspective is essential for making the best planning decisions. When used effectively, the V-Cohort* tool has consistently helped our clients thrive and grow." #𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 #𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 #𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 #𝗖𝗮𝗳é𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼 #𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 *𝘝-𝘊𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘗𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥

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Parogon Group secures third site for Willow concept: Parogon Group, the award-winning premium gastropub operator led by Richard Colclough, has secured a third site for its Mediterranean all-day dining concept, Willow, in Sutton Coldfield, Propel has learned. Parogon, which opened its second Willow site in September, at Telford Southwater, has secured the former Prezzo site in Mere Green Road, Mere Green, with an opening planned for 20 February next year. Propel understands that Parogon has a fourth Willow in legals, which it expects to be signed up shortly after the new year. Although Willow was not the first of the group’s concepts to expand to a second site – it has Orange Tree locations in Congleton and Newcastle-under-Lyne – it is the one that Parogon has earmarked for further expansion. Last summer, the business said it is aiming to grow the concept to ten sites over the next three years, with a third planned to open before the end of the year. In August, the business said Willow, which first launched at the Trentham shopping village in Staffordshire three years ago, is generating average weekly sales of £60,000. The group operates 11 sites in total over nine concepts.  

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Want some expert advice following the Budget announcement? With a significant increase in NI contribution for employers and sky-rocketing wage increases, yesterday’s announcement included several shocks for the hospitality industry. Operators will no doubt be considering how these costs will impact their day-to-day operations and long-term growth plans. We asked three industry experts for the advice they would give to anyone in this position: 🥤 “Remember, treat your team well. Happy staff stay longer, reduce hiring and training costs, and build a better customer experience.” - Paul Tanner, Managing Director at CUPP 🍞 ”In response to rising labour costs, hospitality businesses can leverage technology for efficient scheduling, refine product ranges, and enhance staff productivity through cross-training.” - Karl Spinks, COO at Wenzel's the Bakers Ltd. 🚀 ”Getting guests to self-serve more would be my number one tip.With leaner teams, emphasise memorable, high-quality service and food, focusing on key touchpoints that elevate the guest experience without requiring more staff.” - Mark McCulloch, Chief Executive of Supersonic Inc. Ltd. Check out the full advice from these industry experts in our blog here: https://hubs.la/Q02WqCzN0

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An excellent panel debate last night at the annual Arena the hospitality networking association #savoy lecture - expertly chaired by Simon Stenning - involving Pano Christou (CEO of Pret) Kate Nicholls OBE (CEO of UK Hospitality), James Brown (CEO of Brew Dog) and Dame Karen Jones (more NED’s and chairs than I can shake a stick at). I’m sure a summary is on the way but one key statement stood out: ‘If people don’t learn to use data effectively, they aren’t going to get very far in hospitality’: Dame Karen Jones. TWC Group was honoured to sponsor and host the round-table discussion ahead of the lecture last night. (Again - summary to follow). But the general consensus from the senior executives who attended the debate scored the foodservice wholesale sector only about 3/10 for data utilisation in the sector. Without wanting to be too dramatic, the group concluded the sector must become (more) data led, quickly - with some dire consequences if not heeded. Hint - just look at how the retail multiples not only use their vast war chests of data to pinpoint new opportunities, but how they give almost any supplier access to their data to empower the supplier to increase their brand sales/brands' category sales. Greater collaboration is one of the most common desires I hear at industry conferences. Maybe let's start with data collaboration? Our sincere thanks to Lorraine Wood Steve Norris and everyone involved in making last night (and yesterday afternoon) such a tremendous success.

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Q Catering partners with fresh produce specialist RJ Kingsland & Son in a move which will support both businesses' ambitious plans for future growth. Read more here (link in comments) >> Q CATERING

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How confident are you that every member of your F&B team is following food safety checks each and every day? Logit.co.uk's food safety module ensures checks are done in full and on time, protecting your brand and reinforcing best practices. #FoodSafety #Logit #BrandProtection triSaaS

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In 2024, the market size of the takeaway and fast-food restaurant industry in the UK is £22.4 billion, with 78% of UK restaurant operators expecting their restaurant sales to grow year over year This is why it is an excellent time to invest in your restaurant's takeaway food or drink capabilities and join the 40% of restaurateurs in the UK that feel "very likely" to expand their business this year Discover our new food and drink packaging range here https://lnkd.in/euN-DA_7

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