Guest blog: How the influence of the next generation is transforming food and drink at events

0
2772

by Louisa Watson, director of marketing, Wyboston Lakes Resort

The hospitality and event sector has to transform its thinking about food and beverage (F&B) to adapt to the way the latest generation fit eating and drinking into their lives.

For baby boomers and before, the time and place for eating was fixed into the defined framework of the traditional working day. For the new generation, it is flexibly integrated into their day-to-day lives.

Just as they want and expect access to high-speed internet and to work, play or relax whenever they want 24/7, they also expect fast, easy access to an extensive choice of fresh food and drink whenever they want. They want to ‘grab and go’ any time that suits them. Street/festival-style food works well for them.

Recently, we commissioned in depth research among millennial meetings planners. Striking among its findings was that they expect venues to demonstrate excellence across three pillars: food, technology and sustainability.

The challenge for venues is to cater for both this new generation and those whose tastes and needs have not changed so much.

The solution for hotels and conference venues is to refine and update the lunch and dinner menus of traditional restaurants and coffee shops and supplement it with additional options.

For example, a food market providing a variety of international street food dishes can be added to the lunch options. These can include, Tex-Mex, oriental, carved ham, burgers, an ice cream machine and other desserts.

Changing dietary requirements, especially of younger people, are having a significant influence on menus and restaurant preparation. 20 years ago there would be 10 vegetarians among 100 diners; today the vegetarians are now vegans and there are vegetarians as well. There are also more people with allergies to gluten, wheat, dairy and nuts.

Restaurant and function menus not only have to allow for all of these, the quality and creativity must be consistent, with delicious homemade foods given the same care and attention given to other guests.

Creativity, theatre, fun and variety with our food offerings are more important now than ever and our budding generation will continue to explore and enjoy. 

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com