Peter Backman2 days ago1 minThe effects of coronavirus on the USA restaurant market - It has brought forward the development of restaurant delivery – and ghost kitchens – by an estimated two years - Overcapacity has been cleared out. Whilst ...
Peter Backman6 days ago1 minPublicly quoted players increase cash reservesPublicly quoted players in the foodservice sector – ranging from international operators such as Compass and Whitbread, to UK-focused Restaurant Group – have...
Peter BackmanMay 181 minThe industry plans to rebuildFollowing the Prime Minister’s speech on 10 May, the lockdown rules have been lifted very slightly, but sadly, it’s clear that the foodservice sector, along w...
Peter BackmanMay 111 minThe industry continues to wait...Whilst there is some sign of activity in the foodservice sector – a heartbeat somewhere in the takeaway and delivery sector, most businesses are turning thei...
Peter BackmanMay 41 minThe impact of Covid-19 has three stages..There seems to be a coalescing view across the industry that there are three stages to the impact of Covid-19, and on this occasion I very much agree. The fi...
Peter BackmanApr 271 minA spirit of innovation...Over the past week, there has been an engendering spirit of innovation and “getting things done”, as exemplified by Meals for the NHS, which has already rais...
Peter BackmanApr 201 minMany are starting to think about what the future will look like...The past six days has seen the new form of normality continue to embed itself and news from the government that the lockdown will continue for another three w...
Peter BackmanApr 141 minA new form of normality sets inThis past week has seen a new form of normality start to set in. For some businesses, it has been an incredibly busy time, for others it has become a time f...
Peter BackmanApr 61 minThe foodservice market is beginning to enter a new phaseOver the last week, news stories have slowed down slightly compared to previous weeks, which indicates that the market is beginning to enter a new phase. Thi...
Peter BackmanApr 11 minWeekly Briefing Report Given the rapidly changing nature of the world today, I’m providing my industry friends with a weekly outlook on what is happening. The Weekly Briefing Repo...
Peter BackmanDec 17, 20191 minIs the restaurant sector showing the first signs of recovery?After three years of decline, the fastest growing emerging restaurant brands have grown by 3.8% in the last six months*, according to the latest Ones To Watc...
Peter BackmanOct 23, 20193 minThe best burger in the world comes from Brazil!On my recent trip to Brazil, where I was invited by ABIA to share an overview of the European foodservice market at its annual foodservice congress, I was lu...
Peter BackmanOct 18, 20193 minDelivery - who wins?I think it’s fair to say that delivery is here to stay. It’s what consumers want and expect – and it’s not going to go away. But as I look at the marketplac...
Peter BackmanJul 28, 20192 minQ2 QBR: A SENSE OF LOCKDOWN IN THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRYAn absence of real news across the foodservice sector underlines a sense of lockdown. It’s as if everyone is waiting for something to happen. Is it Brexit?...
Peter BackmanMay 24, 20192 minWhat's Hot in the USAHaving just returned from my annual trip to Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some of my obse...
Peter BackmanApr 4, 20194 minDoes ‘un-stoppable demand’ always result in overcapacity?There’s a memorable scene in the Loony Tunes cartoon series when Wile E Coyote runs manically over the edge of a cliff. His forward propulsion is such that h...
Peter BackmanMar 7, 20192 minExperiential hospitality - here to stay or a flash in the pan?I was at GRIF (Global Restaurant Investment Forum) in Amsterdam, followed by the Casual Dining Show in London and the word ‘experience’ was in use a lot, at ...
Peter BackmanJan 25, 20192 minBrands to Watch in 2019With the big B word dominating the news and hanging over our heads, I have most definitely felt the air of uncertainty and trepidation as everyone wonders wh...
Peter BackmanDec 17, 20184 min2018: A Rollercoaster RideAs I sit here reviewing 2018, I realise it has been yet another year of challenges and changes. There have been some overarching themes and I put the consume...
Peter BackmanDec 1, 20181 minWeb, weather and the World Cup have driven hospitality sales in the last quarterQuarter three has shown us slightly more upbeat results, following the first half of the year, although rising inflation has helped mask many negative sales ...
