Why do tourists visit Liverpool? Is it the football, or the music, or the architecture? For many out-of-towners the reason is to eat and drink - and that’s the experience they expect to spend more on in coming months.

Technology is helping hospitality to improve staffing related challenges, such as retention and churn, but more investment is needed to maximise efficiencies.

Peter Martin has joined the Zero Carbon Forum Advisory Board to support its mission of decarbonising the hospitality and brewing sector at pace. 

Britain’s managed pub, bar and restaurant groups overcame poor summer weather to record collective like-for-like sales up 5.3% in August against the same month last year, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows.

Peach 20/20 is delighted to announce the shortlists for this year’s Hero & Icon Awards, the prestigious annual celebration of the very best brands, businesses and leaders in the eating and drinking-out market.

The ‘Balance The Board: Accelerating Change Conference’ returns for a second year on 5 October 2023 in London. 

 

As CEO of Welcome Break, Rod McKie led the way in transforming Britain’s lacklustre motorway services, bringing in big-name premium brands like Starbucks and Waitrose for the travelling public to experience - not to mention cutting a deal with Tesla for electric charging points.

No-one could ever accuse Incipio CEO and co-founder Ed Devenport of taking a cookie-approach to growing a business. His company is much more eclectic, operating everything from all-weather pub gardens, to rooftop bars, to ‘unpretentious’ clubs with late-night dancing to polished casual restaurants.  

Launching a bar business is not for the faint hearted at the best of times – let alone in the teeth of global pandemic. Funding that business through an IPO when the markets are less than enthusiastic about our sector looks even more daunting.
 

Jack Gibbons is one of the most creative, charismatic and successful bar and restaurant entrepreneurs in the United States - and the good news is he’ll be in the UK this November as headline speaker at this year’s Peach 20/20 conference.

The latest Food Insights Report from CGA by NIQ reveals a growing demand from consumers for information about food consumed out of home.

Launching a restaurant chain to test your tech concept is a pretty radical move. But in the case of Nick Popovici it was inspired. In our latest Top Table podcast Peter Martin talks to Nick Popovici, tech entrepreneur, former restauranter and co founder of Vita Mojo – the pioneering digital ordering management platform that started life as a restaurant. No, really.

Join us in Liverpool with Peter Martin on Thursday 14th September

The growing trend of ‘Greenhushing’ – failing to share progress on environmental initiatives – could stunt progress on sustainability in the hospitality sector, warns Stephen Nolan, CEO of Nutritics, the market leader in food service technology. 

Technology and data are revolutionising operations in food and drink, and no-one knows more about the connected world than tech giant Google - which also happens to be one of the world’s biggest corporate caterers. James Shaw, its global design lead for kitchens and technology, gave the 2023 ceda Conference his expert thoughts on how harnessing digital solutions will make kitchens more efficient and sustainable. Here are six of the top takeaways.

‘Balance The Board: Accelerating Change Conference’ is back for a second year and promises to deliver another insight packed afternoon with a raft of inspirational speakers.   

Inflation as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index rose again to 22.6% year-on-year in June—close to the record high of 22.9% in December 2022. This is in sharp contrast to supermarkets, where prices increased by just 0.4% during June, month-on-month inflation in the Index was more than five times higher at 2.2%.

The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and increased automation in the hospitality sector was a major talking point and theme at our Peach @ The Beach conference in Brighton in June.

Ajith Jayawickrema has seen it all in this industry. Co-founder of two iconic casual dining brands and a non-exec and investor at others, he’s now more than 30 years into his hospitality career—and at the 2023 ceda Conference he told Peach 20/20’s Peter Martin what he’s learned. Here are the top takeaways.

Employee retention is a significant and persistent challenge, affecting operators in every corner of the globe. Speaking during Peach’s Atlantic Club tour to Austin, TX, Harri founder & CEO Luke Fryer highlighted the vital importance of the new hire experience - and how it sets the tone for the employee journey.  

Britain’s managed restaurant, pub and bar groups overcame widespread challenges to record a ninth successive month of year-on-year sales growth in June 2023, the new Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows.

Adversity has made many hospitality businesses ‘fitter than ever’,  as Peach 20/20’s Peter Martin discovered in an on-stage conversation with three leading entrepreneurs during the recent Ceda Conference. The discussion ranged from costs and retention to tech and sustainability to future growth. Here’s what the bosses had to say.

Peter Martin talks to Mike Hanson, Director of Sustainable Business WSH and Claire Chalmers, Director of Sales at Nutritics about the hospitality industry’s commitment to sustainability. And, crucially how its sustainability efforts are seen by customers and teams working within hospitality.

How well do we use data in hospitality? A session at Peach 20/20’s Peach @ The Beach gave the answer - and it’s not what many people want to hear.

London might be Britain’s capital of hospitality, but some of the most dynamic concepts and exciting growth opportunities lie further afield. A stroll around Peach @ The Beach’s location in Brighton soon proved that, and four top operators joined a panel session to discuss the state of play and secrets of success away from the capital.

The latest GO Technology report from Zonal and CGA by NIQ, reveals that many consumers (55%) think that striking a balance between human interaction and technology provides the best experience in venues.

Thursday 14 September 2023 | 2.00pm until late

A lot’s been said lately about the impact of AI on business and jobs—much of it apocalyptic. But what does it mean for hospitality in practice? A special session at Peach 20/20’s Peach @ The Beach unwrapped both the benefits and risks.

Sessions founder and CEO Dan Warne is one of hospitality’s most thoughtful and innovative leaders, and at Peach 20/20’s Peach @ The Beach he shared views on disruption, data and the human experience. Here are seven of his top insights.

My honest belief is that hospitality is making real progress on sustainability. And with good reason.

Peter Martin kicked off Peach 20/20’s Peach @ The Beach event with his view on the state of play in hospitality. Here are six of his key insights into a sector that’s offering opportunity, challenge and change.

On a sunny Midsummer’s Day in Brighton, Peach @ The Beach brought together top leaders to talk through hospitality’s big opportunities and challenges. Here are some of the top insights.

Peach 20/20’s co-founder and leading commentator in the hospitality sector, Peter Martin joins NFU President Minette Batters on the latest episode of NFUTalk to discuss the relationship between farming, sourcing and the hospitality sectors, and how everyone can work together.

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved an eighth consecutive month of year-on-year sales growth in May 2023, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows.

Today marks the release of the third Inside Hospitality Report. The report is the only report of its kind within the UK hospitality sector to explore Equity, Diversity and Inclusion through a race lens. It’s an important read for hospitality leaders.

Year-on-year inflation in foodservice prices rose to 21.4% in April 2023, according to the new edition of the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index.

New research from CGA by NIQ reveals consumer demand for Britain’s pubs, bars and restaurants has stayed robust during months of rising household bills.

Optimism among leaders of Britain’s top hospitality groups has risen since the start of 2023, according to the latest Business Confidence Survey from CGA by NIQ and Fourth.

The inaugural PubTrack survey reveals that Brunning & Price is currently the top pub operator based on a combination of revisit, recommend and satisfaction scores. It is followed by McMullen & Sons, Brakspear, Daniel Thwaites and Everards in the top five.

Group reservations for pubs, bars and restaurants are growing fast as the post-COVID trend for planning nights out continues—and it’s opening up some big opportunities for venues that can host them.

Every day is a school day when you’re on tour with the Atlantic Club - as we found when we landed in Austin, Texas, a few weeks back with a group of 40 or so senior executives from both the UK and US.

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved like-for-like and year-on-year sales growth of 6.9% in April 2023, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows.

Ever since royal party animal George IV fell in love with Brighton back in the 18th Century, the city has been a magnet for visitors in search of fun, frolics and fresh sea air. One of the most vibrant bar and restaurant cities in the UK, Brighton consistently outperforms the market – making it the perfect place to host our summer meet up for top operators looking to stay ahead of the curve.

The rise of tequila and a growing taste for no-and-low alcohol alternatives were just two of the developing trends in the US drinks scene picked out on the Atlantic Club’s tour of Austin, Texas

A new initiative to explore ways for agriculture and hospitality to work more closely together was launched this week with the inaugural Food, Farming & Hospitality round table chaired by the National Farmers Union president Minette Batters.

With 61% of British consumers being influenced by others about whether and where to go out when visiting pubs, bars and restaurants, identifying who these influential guests are will be key for operators looking to increase footfall, drive revenue and boost exposure to new groups of guests this year, as rising costs continue to squeeze consumer spending.

Food software (SaaS) company, Nutritics, has launched a brand new sustainability consultancy arm, Knowledge Labs from Nutritics.

Register to join us 21st June 2023 at Brighton i360 for unrivalled, board-level insight. Our summer meet up brings together experts and innovators who are leading the pack, to give you the inside track on how to leverage tech and data to grow your brand and your ‘profitable dollars’. 

Our summer meet up shines a light on how you can grow your brand by leveraging tech, data and a laser focus on your ‘profitable dollars’. 

The cost of living crisis is changing businesses and changing consumer priorities. As a result, tapping into the right trends has never been more important for food and beverage brands.

AI is all over the news headlines – for good and bad reasons. But what does it mean for hospitality?

Hospitality may have suffered a net decline of 4,593 licensed premises in the year to March, but behind the headlines lies a more nuanced picture, writes Peter Martin.

March like-for-like sales across managed pub, bar and restaurant groups were up 1.4% on March last year, according to the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker - and if you strip out the negative numbers from bars (the late night market is having it‘s own particular challenges), the core restaurant and pub cohort is up 2.4%. 

Year-on-year food inflation fell slightly to 20.6% in February 2023, the new CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index reveals.

The cost-of-living crisis and supply chain disruptions are driving innovative ingredient replacements. The move to affordable, accessible and local ingredients is one growing trend – expedited by current conditions, according to a new report from WGSN.

In 2023 hospitality leaders will need to dig deep and reinvent their business models. Yes. Again. 

But fear not. Help is at hand. Our summer meet up Peach @ The Beach – will shine a light on how you can grow your brand by leveraging tech, data and a laser focus on your ‘profitable dollars’.  

Consumers increasingly view the brands and products they engage with as a reflection of their identity. Food brands have an opportunity to connect with consumers eager to support makers that align with their values.

Nando’s has always prided itself on its powers of re-invention - over the years keeping itself relevant for every new generation of consumers going out to eat.

We get it. You have never been busier. Running a hospitality business has never been more challenging. Now is not the time to hop on a plane for a 3 day Atlantic Club trip to Texas. OR is it?

More than half (64%) of global consumers now prefer snacking as a regular eating behaviour over traditional mealtime - a number that’s climbed 5% since 2019, according to WGSN’s Food & Drink trend report.

Expansion is firmly on the agenda for ambitious UK bar and restaurant brands, despite the costs crisis facing businesses and consumers alike. As Peach 20/20 co-founder Peter Martin found when he met up with leaders in Glasgow, that growth is now as much about securing international destinations as the right locations in Britain.

February sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups were 3.9% ahead of last year on a like-for-like basis, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

Labour shortages at Britain’s top managed hospitality groups may be starting to ease, the 2023 Business Leaders’ Survey from CGA by NIQ and Fourth shows—but rising wage bills are piling more pressure on some fragile businesses.

The latest GO Technology report from hospitality tech provider Zonal and CGA by NielsenIQ, reveals that the majority of consumers (81%) are planning to stay in a UK hotel in 2023, as cost-of-living pressures deter them from taking trips abroad.

The challenge for hospitality is not so much the cost-of-living crisis, but the cost of doing business crisis, says Peter Martin.

Foodservice price inflation fell slightly to 22.0% in January, the new edition of the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) reveals. While only a small change from the Index’s record high of 22.9% in December, it marks the first drop in inflation since September 2021.

How do you benchmark customer loyalty – and the effectiveness of your marketing? A new report from Peach 20/20 partner Wireless Social is designed to help restaurant, pub and bar operators do both, simply and swiftly.

Registration is now open for Hospitality Kicks, the charity football tournament for hospitality brands. The event takes place in Manchester on Tuesday 27th June 2023, with the goal of raising £50,000 for three industry charities. The final amount raised will be distributed evenly between Only A Pavement Away, The Tim Bacon Foundation and the Licensed Trade Charity.

Britain’s leading managed pub, bar and restaurant groups achieved like-for-like sales growth of 10.9% in January 2023, the new edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

Leaders of Britain’s top managed hospitality groups remain cautiously optimistic about the future despite spiralling costs, the 2023 Business Leaders’ Survey from CGA by NielsenIQ and Fourth reveals.

That’s why they are still going out to eat and drink - and booking foreign getaways too.

The 2023 Inside Hospitality Survey has launched for a third year. Findings aim to build upon past years findings, examining the current state of affairs regarding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the hospitality sector.

Pubs, restaurants and bars in Britain’s top cities enjoyed a positive end to 2022 as consumers returned for the first ‘normal’ Christmas for three years, the new ‘Top Cities’ report from Peach 20/20 partners CGA by NielsenIQ and Wireless Social reveals.

What makes Austin one of the most vibrant eating and drinking out destinations in the US? Let’s look at the data.

The CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) ended 2022 at record highs, with the Food basket 24% higher than December 2021.

The Atlantic Club intends to find out..

The live music. The sunshine. The great outdoors. The barbecue. The breakfast tacos. The craft breweries. The eclectic mix of cultures, food, drink and art. With affordable housing and a vibrant (tech-driven) economy, “ATX” boasts a growing young professional demographic and a regular slot in the ‘best places to live in the US’ charts. 

The British public threw off their cost-of-living worries in December and went out to eat and drink - with spending in pubs and restaurants well up on the last festive season and just above pre-pandemic levels.

 

Some bosses of managed pub and restaurant groups are already privately talking of a bumper festive season. The cost-of-living crisis doesn’t seem to have stopped people going out to spend.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced marketing executive to join Peach 20/20 due to growth. The purpose of this new role is to support activity to further grow our community of senior executives, founders and entrepreneurs working in hospitality, and support marketing activity around our industry-leading programme of events.

Be Inclusive Hospitality has released its first Impact Report for 2020-2022, summarising its journey over the past 2.5 years.

A new report from research consultancy CGA by NielsenIQ and live music booking platform GigRealmreveals that 78% of consumers are more likely to visit a pub, bar or similar venue if it offers live music. Nearly as many (73%) say they are likely to stay in a venue longer if there is live music, and 76% are likely to buy more drinks.

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed pub, bar and restaurant groups were collectively up by 3.7% in November compared to the same month in 2021, according to the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker.

If there’s one constant in hospitality, it’s change. But how can businesses adapt and be sure they’re moving in the right directions? Three agile industry leaders joined Peter Martin at the Peach 20/20 Conference to discuss transformation and the lessons they’ve learned in five key areas. 

Surveys tell us that business leaders are distinctly downbeat about the prospects for Britain’s restaurant and bar market. But bring together a group of the industry’s brightest and best over dinner and the conversation quickly turns to growth - and more often than not global growth.

Hospitality is grappling with the effects of rising food costs, inflation, supply chain instability, and some customers feeling like they’re paying more for less, writes George Wetz, COO and co-founder of Yumpingo.

How can hospitality recruit and retain the best people? An ’Ultimate Talent Contest’ panel session at the Peach 20/20 Conference explored ways to create compelling working environments and keep teams motivated and happy. Here are ten of the takeaways for all employers to think about. 

COP27, climate protests and extreme weather are all keeping sustainability high in the public conscience—with big consequences for hospitality. Research from CGA by Nielsen IQ shows more than two in five consumers think sustainability is important when eating and drinking out, while a third are more likely to eat or drink at a venue that is transparent about its environmental impact. And as Peter Martin put it at the Peach 20/20 Conference: “If it's front of mind for customers, it’s got to be front of mind for us.”

Plan B, the mentoring platform founded five years ago by Emma Causer, Holly Addison and Ann Elliott, to accelerate women’s representation on boards, has announced a major re-brand and restructure, in line with a refreshed, broader purpose.

New surveys from CGA by NielsenIQ and Fourth highlight recruitment problems, high churn and rising payrolls ahead of crucial Christmas trading.

The first ever Plan B Conference on 23 November featured around 30 speakers in a dozen different sessions—all focused on creating inclusive cultures where diversity thrives and female leaders flourish. The event culminated in the announcement that Plan B’s work will now expand under the new banner of ‘Balance the Board’.

CEO and founder of acclaimed US operator, 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, John Kunkel shares his incredible and hugely inspiring journey to becoming one of the United States’ most creative and successful restaurant and bars entrepreneurs.

Acclaimed US operator 50 Eggs Hospitality Group is resurrecting plans to bring its award-winning concepts to London.

While hospitality has grown much more confident with technology, there’s untapped potential to make it work better for guests and teams. Kim Teo, founder and CEO of Mr Yum—the digital enterprise that provides mobile tools for guests to browse menus, order and pay and support brand engagement—shared her views on a host of tech issues in the latest episode of Peach 20/20’s Top Table Podcast. Here are five of her messages.

Soaring costs and economic uncertainty have severely dented confidence in Britain’s hospitality sector. The October Business Confidence Survey shows that just 8% of leaders of multi-site businesses feel confident about the next 12 months for the eating and drinking out market. This is a sharp drop from the figure of 23% in the last survey in June - which in turn was a steep fall from 65% in March.

Wahaca is a pioneer of restaurant action on the crucial issue of sustainability - with work to inspire all operators and suppliers. Co-founder of the Mexican street food brand Thomasina Miers knows the issues are real, but solutions are never straightforward. She shared lessons from her and Wahaca’s environmental journey with Peter Martin in a special episode of Peach 20/20’s Top Table Podcast, recorded at the Casual Dining Show—and here are five of her top messages.

An inspiring new generation of entrepreneurs are shaking up hospitality, creating pubs and restaurants that properly represent and support their diverse communities. Three of the best joined a panel session at the Peach 20/20 Conference—and here are some of the messages they shared.

Entrepreneurial stars of the restaurant, pub and bar world join the roll call of Icon Award recipients

The founder of a pioneering charity has been hailed for his crucial contributions to wellbeing.

Against the backdrop of a turbulent economy and continuing political uncertainty, hospitality leaders gathered at London’s iconic Roundhouse for the Peach 20/20 conference. Here are some key messages from the day:    

Awards honour 14 of the UK’s leading brands and people across the restaurant, pub and bar sectors