Convenience is critical for today’s consumers. Fast-paced diners want quick, easy payment and easy access to a meal, including takeaway and delivery services. The following are current ways in which restaurants are testing new technological advancements, improving old technologies or installing nontraditional concepts aimed at today’s on-the-go consumers.

From my perspective… Although these technologies are enticing, operators must consider the downside before applying them to their concept. Not only are these services expensive, but there are also many kinks to work out because they are so new. Operators must determine if these novel technologies will actually save time and money in both the short term and the long term.

Industry Insights By Darren Tristano, Senior Managing Director, U.K. Division

Speeding Up Service

300 South Riverside Plaza Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60606 p. 312-876-0004 f. 312-876-1158 technomic.com

Domino’s Pizza U.K. introduced the “DomiCopter,” a remote-controlled mini helicopter that delivers pizzas. During a test run outside of London, the DomiCopter carried two pepperoni pizzas for four miles in 10 minutes, significantly shorter than a standard delivery. The delivery drone was created by T + Biscuits, a creative agency hired by Domino’s to develop new delivery prototypes.

Starbucks U.K. also announced a partnership with Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance and Visa Europe to roll out its contactless payment programme involving NFC (near-field communication) point-of-sale terminals across 550 U.K. Starbucks stores. Contactless payment is expected to speed transaction times. Starbucks says two-thirds of its customers now pay by credit or debit rather than cash.

YO! Sushi is testing the iTray, an iPad-controlled mini helicopter equipped with a serving tray that delivers food to patrons’ tables. Employees at the YO! Sushi restaurant in London’s SoHo area load the iTray with food and control it with an iPad to deliver meals to tables up to 150 feet away, then bring it back after patrons remove their food. The iTray can travel up to 25 miles per hour, or six times faster than a typical server.

Helping U.K. Executives Stay Current on Foodservice Industry News

Starbucks U.K. plans to install Starbucks-branded vending machines in offices over the summer as part its Corner Café programme. Large offices will feature coffee bars where employees can purchase cappuccinos, espressos, chai tea lattes, hot chocolate and basic coffee. The company tested the programme in Switzerland six months ago. Starbucks is working with Swiss vending-machine company Selecta Group, which will convert some of its existing machines into Starbucks Corner Cafés and will also install new Starbucks machines.

IN THIS ISSUE: Foodservice Industry News

Noteworthy Independents

Pub Group Mug Shot

A Concept in a Year

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Foodservice Industry News

Expansion News

Giraffe plans to open 10 restaurants inside Tesco stores as well as five high-street locations within the next 12 months. Tesco acquired Giraffe in May. The first Tesco Giraffe site opened August 5 in the Tesco Extra store in Watford; it has a separate outside entrance marked with two 10-foot giraffes, as well as an entrance from inside the supermarket. The 3,424-square-foot restaurant features earthy décor with wood paneling and booth seating surrounded by potted plants. Seating will be available for 140 patrons, and an outdoor patio will provide seating for an additional 30 diners. (Big Hospitality 7/23/13)

Harvester Salad & Grill opened a location at the Moto service station near Donington Park in Leicestershire, marking its first site at such a venue. The chain plans to launch more units at Moto locations if the Donington Park restaurant does well. (Peach Report 5/30/13)

Jamie’s Italian debuted a new concept, Jamie’s Italian Trattoria, in July in London’s Richmond area. The concept will offer homestyle pizza and pasta, with meals typically priced £3 to £4 less than dishes at Jamie’s Italian. The chain hopes to eventually launch 50–60 Trattoria sites in market towns around the U.K. (The Independent Online 6/22/13)

KFC U.K. franchise owner Amsric Holdings is expanding in southwest England with the acquisition of KFC restaurants in Exeter, Torquay and Plymouth. The company secured a seven-figure funding package from HSBC Commercial Bank to support the expansion. Amsric Holdings recently opened new restaurants in St. Austell and Fleet. The company, founded by husband and wife team Ragin and Dina Patel, owns 24 KFC restaurants in Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth and London. (The Franchise Magazine, Franchiseek 7/1/13)

Loungers aims to reach 80 locations by April 2017. The casual-dining bar-and-grill chain originally planned to have 70 sites open by that time, but increased its goal after adding a number of restaurants to the pipeline. Loungers opened its 36th location, called the Expo Lounge, on July 18 in Didsbury, Manchester. (Propel.info 7/16/13)

Stonegate Pub Company Limited plans to nearly double the unit count of its casual-dining pub brand, The Slug and Lettuce. The company hired Colliers and Davis Coffer Lyons to acquire sites ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 square feet in more than 40 locations across the U.K. Targeted markets include Cambridge, Kent, Liverpool, Bristol, Glasgow and Cardiff. The Slug and Lettuce currently has 72 sites. (Publican’s Morning Advertiser 6/25/13)

Subway U.K. opened its first forecourt store in partnership with independent forecourt retailer Applegreen. The new store is located in Uckfield, East Sussex. Applegreen also launched its new brand design in the U.K. at the Uckfield Subway. (Franchiseek.com 5/17/13)

Subway U.K. opened its first unit within a Lidl supermarket in Norfolk, one of more than 300 nontraditional Subway locations operating around the U.K. The 800-square-foot butty shop is operated by Subway franchisee Raj Rao. Subway is looking to open more shops in nontraditional locations such as forecourt sites, convenience stores and colleges. The company plans to add 70 new shops with forecourt operator Euro Garages by 2016. (The Grocer, Franchiseek 6/26/13) Subway U.K. signed a franchise agreement with Sodexo to open restaurants at high-volume sites with a variety of food outlets, including universities, hospitals and military bases. Sodexo has already opened Subway franchises at Brunei University in London and Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. The company expects to open a third location this fall at the Defense School of Transport in East Yorkshire. Subway U.K.’s focus on nontraditional locations—including supermarkets and forecourt properties—is part of the chain’s overall expansion strategy for the next five years. (Franchiseek, Caterer and Hotelkeeper 7/22/13)

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YO! Sushi is aiming to grow to 200 sites in the U.K. and launch more units in the U.S within the next five to 10 years. The sushi chain, whose prototypes range from limited-service kiosks to full-service restaurants, currently operates 65 units in the U.K., as well as a location in Washington, DC. (Propel.info 5/21/13)

International Activity

Jamie’s Italian plans to increase its number of international locations from four to 20. Sites are under development in Canberra, Australia; Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; Dubai; Istanbul; and Singapore. The casual-dining Italian chain is also targeting Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, as well as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, for future sites. Jamie’s Italian operates a location in the United Arab Emirates, another in Ireland, two in Australia and more than 30 in the U.K. (Reuters 6/4/13)

Menu Development

Burger King U.K. introduced limited-time frappés this summer. The ice-blended frappé beverages are available in chocolate and caramel. Burger King is also offering smoothies at participating restaurants nationwide this summer, including Banana Strawberry and Tropical Mango flavours. (Facebook 5/20/13) Burger King U.K. is offering limited-time Frozen Lemonades during summer. The frozen beverages are available in Lemon and Strawberry Lemon flavours. (Facebook 7/9/13) Burger King U.K. is reintroducing its Angus Beef Collection, made from 100% British and Irish Aberdeen Angus beef. The flame-grilled Angus Collection includes the Angus Classic, Angus Smoked Bacon and Cheddar and Angus Three Pepper burgers, available at participating Burger King locations nationwide for a limited time. To celebrate the relaunch of the Angus burgers, Burger King released a TV ad thanking British and Irish farmers for helping to bring 100% British and Irish beef back to its restaurants. (Marketing Magazine 6/19/13; Facebook 6/18/13) Burger King U.K. rolled out BK Fusions, a limited-time dessert line for summer. Made from real dairy ice cream and blended candy, the desserts are available in Strawberry Cheesecake, Oreo and Kit Kat varieties. (Facebook 7/16/13) Byron introduced the Big B, a limited-time burger inspired by the burgers and flavours of Los Angeles. The Big B features two 3-ounce beef patties, two slices of cheese, onion, shredded iceberg lettuce, gherkin and house burger sauce on a potato bun. Byron employees went on a three-day research trip to Los Angeles, where they visited iconic burger spots including In-N-Out Burger. The Big B costs £9.50 and is available through August 26. (Company Website 7/8/13) Domino’s Pizza U.K. debuted a new line of speciality pizzas titled “American Legends.” The American-themed pizzas include the New York Deli, with ground beef, onions, ham, hot dogs and crispy onions, and the Carolina, featuring barbecue sauce, chicken breast strips, smoked bacon, onions, tomatoes and mustard mayonnaise. In addition to the new pizzas, Domino’s also introduced Spicy BBQ Wings and Chocolate Brownies. (BrandEating.com 5/19/13) Fuller’s Managed Pubs released its first branded lager and keg beer, Frontier, in hopes of attracting craft beer enthusiasts. The lager, which Fuller’s describes as a “new wave craft lager,” is made with all New World hops (Wilmette, Cascade and Liberty) and is lagered for five weeks. The 4.5% ABV lager will be sold as a premium beer at a variety of Fuller’s pubs, and the chain is also looking to sell it at venues outside of its portfolio that have a lager-heavy drink list. Fuller’s operates about 400 pubs in South England. (The Publican’s Morning Advertiser Online 5/23/13)

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KFC U.K. introduced the limited-time Streetwise All Stars Box for £2.99. The meal comes with a choice of BBQ or Flamin’ chicken wrap, one small order of fries and one small order of popcorn chicken. (Company Website 6/9/13; Fast Food Forum 6/9/13) KFC U.K. launched a new ice cream on July 22 in response to increased ice-cream demand during the July heat wave. Summer Fruit Meringue Kream Ball features summer fruit sauce, real dairy ice cream and meringue pieces. The chain reported a 345% increase in ice-cream turnover in July compared to the same period last year. (Eat Out 7/16/13) KFC U.K. rolled out a limited-time Nacho Burger. The burger features an Original Recipe chicken fillet, a slice of American cheese, crispy hash-brown patty, an oversized tortilla chip, salsa, lettuce and mayonnaise on a sesame-seed bun. The Nacho Burger, a variation on KFC’s line of Tower Burgers, is offered at participating restaurants nationwide. (Facebook 7/22/13) KFC U.K. unveiled the limited-time Kream Ball Indulgent Chocolate. The three-layer dessert features chunks of chocolate covered in vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. It is offered at participating restaurants nationwide. (Company Website 7/16/13) Little Chef debuted a summer menu featuring several new items. New starters include chicken nachos and tempura-battered king prawns. Also new is a selection of 100% British beef burgers in varieties such as Black and Blue with blue cheese and Smoked Applewood Cheddar Melt. Breakfast additions include French toast and new pancake selections, such as Apple and Raspberry, Toffee and Banana and Rocky Road. (Company Website 6/19/13) McDonald’s U.K. brought back the Big Tasty burger and the Bacon Chicken Onion butty for a limited time. The recurring LTO features a beef patty topped with lettuce, onions, tomato, Big Tasty sauce and three slices of Emmental cheese on a sesame-seed bun. The Bacon Chicken Sandwich, another recurring LTO, contains a Chicken Legend patty topped with bacon, fried onions, lettuce, seasoned mayonnaise and a slice of bacon-flavoured black-pepper cheese on a sesame-seed bun. (Facebook 6/6/13; Company Website 6/12/13) McDonald’s U.K. introduced a Summer Delights menu. Limited-time offerings include the Cheddar Deluxe butty featuring tomato chutney and the Mediterranean Chicken butty topped with peppers and a spicy tomato sauce. Also available are a chicken combo box consisting of 10 McNuggets and 24 McBites, Mozzarella Dippers with salsa dip and the Galaxy McFlurry made with chocolate or caramel sauce. (Facebook 7/23/13) McDonald’s U.K. is now offering Iced Fruit Smoothies and Iced Frappés. Iced Fruit Smoothies, available in strawberry-banana and mango-pineapple varieties, are made to order with a blend of puréed fruit, juice, lowfat yoghurt and ice. Iced Frappés are available in caramel and mocha flavours and come topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of sauce. The drinks were introduced nationally after a trial last summer at select Welsh locations and the Olympic Park site in London. McDonald’s is using its mobile smartphone app to advertise the new beverages; the app now features a game in which patrons can “break the ice” on their screen to win a digital voucher for a free smoothie. The app also features a restaurant locater as well as menus and nutrition information. (Marketing Week Magazine Online 6/12/13; Company Website 6/13/13) Pizza Hut U.K. introduced its limited-time BBQ Meatball Pizza. The pizza features barbecue sauce topped with meatballs, crispy bacon and spicy minced beef. The BBQ Meatball Pizza will be available at participating Pizza Hut restaurants nationwide. (Facebook 7/22/13)

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Starbucks U.K. added the limited-time Valencia Orange Starbucks Refresher to its summer menu. The drink features Valencia orange and clementine juices with green-coffee extract and notes of jasmine, cardamom and apricot; it’s topped off with an orange slice. (Facebook 7/10/13) Starbucks U.K. introduced its new summer Frappuccino flavour, Triple Caramel, on May 21. The beverage features coffee blended with caramel, milk and ice, topped with a layer of dark caramel sauce, whipped cream, caramel drizzle and crunchy sugar topping. (Facebook 5/14/13; Company Website 5/21/13) Starbucks U.K. introduced limited-time summer salads. The Feta Compli combines harissa-coated chicken breast, feta cheese, broccoli, beetroot, pomegranate seeds, quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, mixed salad leaves, edamame and French bean salad with an Italian-style dressing. Hail Caesar features chicken breast, bacon, tomatoes, Grana Padano and croutons on mixed salad leaves with Caesar dressing. Holy Guacamole has chipotle-marinated shredded roast chicken with mixed salad leaves, guacamole, fried salted broad beans, a lime wedge and a rice-and-three-bean salad with tomato, chilli and coriander. Moreish Meze features sweet-potato falafel, roasted vegetables, hummus topped with chimichurri and mixed seeds, bulgur wheat, chickpeas, parsley-and-mint tabbouleh, mixed salad leaves and tomato dressing. Thai and Mighty features sweet-chilli prawns, noodles, carrot, red pepper, radish, mooli, bok choy, pea shoots, a lime wedge and a chilli, soya and coriander dressing. (Company Website 6/4/13) Strada unveiled a new summer menu on July 2. Additions include Pizza Campagna topped with mushrooms, walnut pesto, baby onions, tarragon, chives and lemon juice; Meatball Focaccia, with pork and beef meatballs, buffalo mozzarella and sage mayonnaise; Roma Cavatappi with Gorgonzola, charred baby tomatoes, parsley, chives, lemony breadcrumbs and tomato sauce; and Limoncello Trifle, featuring Limoncello-soaked sponge cake, lemon curd, amaretto biscuits, whipped cream, blueberries and mint. (Propel.info, Company Website 6/26/13) Subway U.K. added the Beechwood Smoked Back Bacon butty to its breakfast menu. The sub features strips of naturally smoked bacon served with brown sauce or red sauce. The limited-time butty is available on a sub or flatbread at participating locations nationwide. (Company Website, Facebook 6/24/13) YO! Sushi debuted its first-ever line of burgers, called Yo! Burgers, featuring a range of proteins in a toasted rice bun. Options include teriyaki chicken, kimchi salmon, prawn katsu, tilapia katsu and tofu katsu. Priced at £8, each burger is served on a bento tray with a variety of new accompaniments such as pickled daikon slaw, nori crackers (in place of chips) and “misochup” (instead of red sauce). The Yo! Burger line is being advertised across TV, print, social media and in-restaurant platforms with a new marketing campaign called “Taste The Future.” (Caterer and Hotelkeeper Magazine Online 6/7/13)

Noteworthy

Bramwell Pub Company plans to convert 100 of its 181 pubs to its newly launched brand, Wild Lime Bar & Kitchen, within the next four years. The company said it is making the conversions to appeal to patrons who want a pub that offers both value and innovation. Wild Lime is a premium pub concept serving everything from coffee and breakfast butties to pizzas and craft beers, as well as an array of menu items containing less than 500 calories. (The Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News Group 6/15/13)

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Burger King appointed Starcom to manage its £40 million European media planning and buying account. Starcom, which currently handles Burger King’s U.S. account, replaced Initiative as the fast-food chain’s strategic and creative media partner in Europe. The agency will oversee media activity across most European markets, including the U.K., Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. (Campaign, The Drum 6/6/13) Fuller’s Inns, parent of Fuller’s Managed Pubs, acquired Cornish cider maker Cornish Orchards for £3.8 million, marking the pub group’s entry into the premium cider market. Cornish Orchards ciders are handcrafted from freshly pressed apples at a production facility in Duloe, Cornwall. The brand’s signature label is Cornish Gold. Fuller’s also operates the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, where it brews a range of beers for its pubs. (The Publican’s Morning Advertiser Online 6/7/13) Grand Union Bars received an investment from Luke Johnson, head of private equity firm Risk Capital Partners; Johnson made the investment on his own behalf, not for Risk Capital Partners. Johnson now holds a 50% stake in the company and is being appointed chairman. Grand Union plans to grow to at least 20 locations from its current total of seven sites. (Propel.info 6/9/13) Harvester Salad & Grill asked patrons to vote for one of three customer-created ice-cream sundaes to be added to the Harvester menu. Varieties include the Trifle Sundae with cake pieces, jelly bits, custard sauce, raspberry sauce, ice cream, cream and sprinkles; the Belgium Waffle Sundae with warm Belgium waffle pieces, chocolate sauce, cream and maple syrup; and the White Chocolate and Strawberry Sundae with vanilla ice cream, white-chocolate bits, strawberries and whipped cream. Participants voted on Harvester’s Facebook page through July 21. (Facebook 7/18/13) Jamie’s Italian hired Karmarama as its first advertising agency. The agency will be responsible for brand, digital and customer relationship management strategies for the chain. Its first ad campaign is set to debut this fall and will likely run across print, outdoor, radio and digital platforms. Karmarama beat out Antidote and CheethamBell JWT for the position. (CampaignLive.co.uk 5/22/13) Marston’s PLC sold a package of 27 pubs to property fund manager Legal & General Property in a sale and leaseback deal worth nearly £70 million. The sites, all of which were built by Marston’s within the last seven years, are being let to the pub group on long retail price index-linked leases. (The Publican’s Morning Advertiser Online 5/20/13) Nando’s appointed creative agency 101 to a global brand consultancy role. 101 will work with Nando’s on ensuring that its brand remains consistent as the fast-casual chicken chain expands into new markets. Nando’s currently operates in seven markets, including the U.K., the U.S. and South Africa, where it was founded. (CampaignLive.co.uk 6/12/13) Pizza Hut U.K. master franchisee Rutland Partners will refurbish up to 15 dine-in sites by the end of 2013 as part of the company’s £20 million investment in the business. Four restaurants within the group have been refurbished so far this year. Rutland Partners expects to roll out a new look and menu across a number of sites next year. London-based private equity firm Rutland Partners purchased Pizza Hut’s 320 dine-in units in the U.K. in 2012. (Big Hospitality 7/11/13) Spirit Pub Co. is updating several of its brands. It aims to eventually operate 50 premium pubs, 100 retail agreement pubs, 200 franchise pubs and 50 standalone leased pubs, and to sell extra pubs beyond those numbers. The pub company added more two-for-one offers at its Fayre & Square brand to incorporate more starters, desserts and meal trade-ups. It plans to add Wacky Warehouse play zones to every location. Spirit has also been testing a smaller 1,200-square-foot prototype for its Flaming Grill Pub Co. brand, whose restaurants are usually about 3,000 square feet, and plans to roll out a similar smaller prototype at three of its John Barras locations. Spirit also plans to add satellite or cable TV service in all Flaming Grill locations. (Propel.info 7/18/13)

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Starbucks U.K. is revamping its London shops to differentiate itself in the crowded coffee market. The redesign aims to make each store unique and more relevant to the location. A store in Mayfair retains the features of the original building, the St. John’s Wood store now has muted branding in dark colours, and the Westfield Stratford store uses prominent images of the brand’s siren logo to appeal to the shop’s upscale clientele. Starbucks currently trails Costa in the U.K.’s £5.7 billion coffee market. (Marketing Week 6/26/13) Subway U.K. is targeting kids and families in an effort to broaden its brand appeal. The company relaunched its Subway Kids’ Pak with healthier options, including Bear Pure Fruit Yoyos and an optional fruit-juice drink. The company also provided in-store training to improve staff’s interaction with children and further the family-friendliness of Subway’s environment. Additionally, Subway’s outdoor, cinema, TV and in-store marketing will feature characters from Disney-Pixar’s new film, “Monsters University.” Subway’s previous marketing efforts were geared toward the 16–35 age demographic. (Marketing Week 6/17/13) Walkabout parent iNTERTAIN Ltd. will be under new ownership. The company is to be held equally by Barclays Ventures and a consortium operated by Goldman Sachs and investment group TPG Opportunities Partners. iNTERTAIN’s current owners are banks West LB, RBS, Lloyds and Barclays. The changes are being made to allow iNTERTAIN to more actively seek expansion, particularly for its Walkabout brand. (The Publican’s Morning Advertiser Online 5/20/13)

Technology

Burger King U.K. franchisee Hybrid Dining implemented the NCR Pulse Real-Time smartphone app to help manage daily restaurant operations. The SaaS-based mobile app delivers real-time performance metrics and notifications to a user’s smartphone. NCR Pulse Real-Time, available for iOS and Android devices, is integrated with NCR restaurant point-of-sale platforms. NCR Corp. is a consumer transaction technology company based in Duluth, GA. Hybrid Dining operates a Burger King franchisee and the Little Chef brand in the U.K., including 83 restaurant outlets serving more than eight million customers each year. (Business Wire 6/20/13) Domino’s Pizza U.K. is using scannable outdoor ads equipped with near-field communication technology to make it easy for customers to download its mobile app. Customers who scan the ads on their smartphones will be led to a screen to download the Domino’s Pizza U.K. app. Iris Worldwide and Arena Media partnered to create the campaign. (Pizza News 7/2/13) Pret A Manger launched a new mobile site that will use GPS technology to direct cellphone users to the nearest Pret A Manger shop. The site will also provide users with the shop’s hours, contact information and the store manager’s name. Once patrons visit the store, they will be asked if they want to check in on Facebook or leave feedback for restaurant staff. The site’s welcome screen will change based on the time of day; for instance, those who use the site in the morning will be greeted with a “Good morning” banner. (Marketing Week 6/18/13) Young and Co.’s Brewery, PLC is rolling out free Wi-Fi service to all units, including Geronimo Inns locations. The pub company signed a five-year contract with the BT Group to add the service. (The Publican’s Morning Advertiser 7/15/13)

Source: Technomic’s Digital Resource Library, a searchable online database that includes vital segment and industry data on the Top 150 chains and leading multiconcept operators and pub groups in the U.K.

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Flatbread is a generic term for bread that is thin and flat, whether it’s leavened or not. The versatile bread can be utilised as a pizza dough (as in the examples below from Revolution Vodka Bars), or as a bread alternative for butties (as in the example from Subway U.K.). Because flatbread is often incorporated into ethnic dishes, operators can use it to showcase ethnic ingredients in a familiar pizza or butty format. In addition, flatbread is often made with whole wheat or whole grains, so it can be marketed toward health-conscious diners. Technomic’s MenuMonitor database shows that the overall incidence of flatbread ingredient mentions on the menus of chain restaurants, independent restaurants and pub chains in the U.K. increased about 23.6% in the last year.*

Interesting flatbreads introduced in recent months include:

Halloumi and Red Pepper Flatbread (Revolution Vodka Bars)

Tandoori Chicken Flatbread (Subway U.K.)

Garlic Mushroom and Mozzarella Flatbread (Pitcher & Piano)

Chicken Tostada Flatbread (The Slug and Lettuce)

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Dish Focus: Flatbread

Native to Brazil, passion fruit is an egg-shaped tropical fruit about three inches long. When ripe, it has a dimpled, deep purple-brown skin and a golden, jelly-like pulp surrounding edible black seeds. The fruit’s flavour is both sweet and tart, and the fragrance is tropical and perfumy. According to Technomic’s MenuMonitor database, the overall incidence of passion fruit flavour on the menus of chain restaurants, independent restaurants and pub chains in the U.K. increased about 4.5% in the last year.*

Ways in which passion fruit is appearing on menus include the following:

Salt Water Trout Ceviche—with mango, coriander cress, plantain crisp and passion-fruit vinaigrette (Gaucho Grill)

Scottish Scallops—ceviche, osetra caviar, fennel and passion fruit (Texture)

Jasmine Smoothie—passion fruit, banana, orange, natural yoghurt and jasmine (Busaba Eathai)

Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée—with iced coconut milk (Alba)

Flavour Focus: Passion Fruit

Revolution Vodka Bars’ King Prawn and Chorizo Flatbread

*Base: Apr–Jun 2013: 89 items on 24 restaurant menus; Apr–Jun 2012: 72 items on 28 restaurant menus

*Base: Apr–Jun 2013: 140 items on 91 restaurant menus; Apr–Jun 2012: 134 items on 97 restaurant menus

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Key

GOAT

333 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9QL

Opened in March, this three-story industrial-style restaurant serves New York-style Italian dishes like wood-fired pizzas, char-grilled steaks and salads on the first floor and cocktails in the second- and third-floor lounge dubbed DRINK. Serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Bufala Campana Pizza, Hanger Steak, Peanut Butter Cheesecake.

Field

41 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DB

Launched in January, this small, intimate restaurant serves international dishes featuring local Scottish produce to showcase the region’s gastronomic heritage. Serves lunch and dinner. Maple-Glazed Duck Breast, Grilled Sea Trout, Saffron Gnocchi.

Giacomo’s

42 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5BQ

This restaurant, opened in May, offers authentic Italian food in a rustic-modern Tuscan-inspired setting. Serves dinner. Margherita Pizza, Spicy Chicken & Bacon Tagliatelle.

Samudra

7 George Street, Nottingham, NG1 3BU

This new restaurant, decked out in traditional Indian décor, brings the taste of home-cooked Indian food to Nottingham. Serves dinner and weekend lunch. Kuttanandan Duck Masala, Kerala Lamb Curry, King Prawn Biryani.

Noteworthy Independents

Kid-Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Separate Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Good Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Splurge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Romantic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Signature dishes are in italics

The Meter: SMALL AND INTIMATE BIG AND RAUCOUS

£

£

£

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Sir John Fitzgerald Sir John Fitzgerald is a group of 14 individually branded pubs, mostly located near Newcastle-upon-Tyne in North East England. Largely located inline in urban and suburban locations, the pubs serve as neighbourhood gathering spots while still attracting tourists. In addition to its pubs, Sir John Fitzgerald has an urban bakery café and six country eateries serving local specialities along with a variety of alcohol beverage options. Sir John Fitzgerald founded his eponymous pub in 1926. Previously, he had been a spirit and wine merchant and the Lord Mayor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His descendants continue to operate the restaurant under the privately held company Sir John Fitzgerald Ltd.

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This section spotlights one pub group from Technomic’s Digital Resource Library. Three noteworthy concepts within the pub group are highlighted with examples to show how the company differentiates one from another.

The Bridge Hotel Castle Square, Newcastle, NE1 1RQ Overlooking the River Tyne, The Bridge Hotel is truly at the heart of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and serves as a gathering place for dock workers and businesspeople alike.

The pub is located near the iconic High Level Bridge and Castle Keep, and its Victorian décor helps define the venue as a quintessential English pub

A hearty menu feeds hungry patrons during their lunch hour or after work, and at least 10 cask ales, including a handful of local brews, quench almost any thirst

A private function room can serve meals and drinks to more than 100 guests

Pub Group Mug Shot

The Ridley Arms Stannington, Morpeth, NE61 6EL This country pub is recognised for its food menu, with high-quality, locally sourced dishes made by professional chefs.

A large outdoor eating area overlooks the scenic Northumberland countryside

An express butty menu is offered during weekday lunches

Quiz nights, supper clubs and community bake sales make the pub a central part of this country community

Café Royal 8 Nelson St, Newcastle, NE1 5AW Nestled in a historic building, this bistro café and contemporary bakery serves freshly prepared breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.

A large range of tarts, cakes and breakfast pastries is baked on-premise

The contemporary interior is balanced by the surrounding classical Georgian architecture, reflecting the concept’s menu focus of incorporating new flavours into traditional dishes

The café offers cooking classes for amateur and professional chefs

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Nando’s U.K. issued a statement on its website in response to an article from the Daily Mail that questioned the quality of its chicken. The chain said all of its chicken, along with 80% of all chicken in the U.K., meets the U.K.’s Red Tractor standard for chicken farming practices. Nando’s also said its chickens are barn-reared and traceable to individual farms, the majority of which provide natural sunlight. Nando’s said Red Tractor is the highest standard of chicken it can source, considering it sells over half a million chickens each week. According to the Daily Mail, Nando’s is a customer of Faccenda, a chicken-processing company whose chickens are bred for six weeks in hangar-like sheds without exposure to the outdoors.

Nando’s U.K. named 18 Feet & Rising as its advertising agency of record. The fast-casual chicken chain plans to use the agency to develop its above-the-line communications as it works on expanding the concept. Nando’s spends about £2 million a year on media ads.

Nando’s U.K. launched a new marketing campaign, “Find Yourself,” that matched consumers with one of the concept’s six peri peri sauces. The campaign featured a “Peri-ometer” on its website with tongue-in-cheek descriptions of each sauce. A Facebook app matched users with spice level based on their answers to a series of questions. Twitter users could tweet @nandos_official with the hashtag #findyourself to get a “peri prediction.” The campaign also incorporated turnover data to create a “spice map” of the U.K., showing which areas had greater demand for which spices.

A Concept in a Year Nando’s U.K.

Nando’s U.K. launched a new loyalty rewards card. Customers could receive a stamp on the card whenever they spent £6 or more. After three stamps, customers received a free quarter chicken on any visit; with six stamps, they received a free half chicken, and with 10 stamps customers could claim a free whole chicken. Vegetable alternatives were also available. Customers who had an old Nando’s loyalty card had to claim their rewards before June 30, 2012.

July 2013

April 2013

October 2012

July 2012

Source: Technomic’s Digital Resource Library

July/August 2013

© Technomic, Inc., 2013 12

U.K. Foodservice Digest is prepared bi-monthly by Technomic, Inc. to keep foodservice executives aware of changes and trends by summarising important articles and news from foodservice and consumer publications. Annual subscriptions are available at technomic.com. We welcome your comments. Please visit technomic.com for more information.

Darren Tristano, Senior Managing Director, U.K. Division

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