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| Hospitality Today | Christmas 2016 / January 2017
Seasonal insights from Horizons
2016 : A Turning Point
Foodservice industry experts Horizons , opened the Arena Christmas Event with its exclusive annual review of the year and predictions for 2017 . Setting the scene , Peter Backman , Horizons ’ managing director ( above ), spoke of a year that has seen market growth “ from Wormwood Scrubs to The Ritz ” and an industry that remains dynamic with opportunities . And , a year in which disruptors , from Brexit to the upsurge of delivery , have started disrupting . We now find ourselves in a period of uncertainty as the details of Brexit are discussed and reported , with no clear direction on what it will look like .
Looking back over 2016 , the audience was reminded of notable developments ( other than Brexit ) including : the health debate really evolved ; traditionally retail-focused manufacturers started looking towards foodservice ; the advance of delivery ( including Burger King !); consumers eating out more frequently but expecting more than ever ; the opportunities opened by the launch of the night tube ; the sophistication of BBQ trends ; the ongoing merging of day parts and growth of lunch (+ 2 %), breakfast (+ 5.2 %) and snacking (+ 6.2 %); the American election ; and the influence of technology , as Zizzi trains staff on Instagram .
Looking forward to 2017 , the headlines could look something like : consumer loyalty declining in favour of good value ( which can be either cheap , or “ expensive but worth it ”); a decrease in the dominance of casual dining ; the volatility of the pound affecting the bottom line as it impacts pricing on equipment , food , fuel etc ., however , on the flip side the fall in the pound will continue to bring in more overseas visitors and increase staycations ; immigration is likely to be the biggest influence on the foodservice market ; ‘ Buy British ’ might have a resurgence as imports become more expensive ; and delivery will continue to change the way businesses work .