Trends we spotted | Week 17
25-4-2025
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. This edition highlights some fun hospitality initiatives for Kingsday — perfect to visit, enjoy, or use as inspiration for next year! We’ve also included some international examples of creative campaigns and product launches.
- Royal Desserts at live-fire restaurant Nela in Amsterdam.
- Café De Blaffende Vis in Amsterdam will unveil its iconic 2025 King’s Day façade at the stroke of midnight during King’s Night.
- Café De Gaper in Leiden will transform into Snackcafé De Gaper on King’s Day, serving a snack menu fit for royalty.
- Stëlz Hard Seltzer released a limited edition ‘can belt’ especially for King’s Night and King’s Day — it sold out quickly!
- Want to toast with an orange drink? Jägermeister ORANGE has just hit the market.
- In the U.S., BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse teamed up with Mars to launch a new twist on their signature dessert: the SNICKERS® Pizookie.
- Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard introduces a bold take on a classic: Cola Italian Ice.
- Pretzelmaker® in the US is giving away free Pretzel Bites tomorrow (April 26th) in celebration of National Pretzel Day.
- Outback Steakhouse in Australia turns up the heat with their Hot Wing Roo-lette – a spicy challenge for the daring!
Enjoy reading!
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | DILEMMA Kitchen, THE BUTCHER Smashed Burger and the Sojubar
22-4-2025
Every day we spot fun, new concepts. This week a creative breakfast, lunch and coffee concept in Breda: DILEMMA Kitchen, another new smash burger concept this time from the THE BUTCHER chain in Amsterdam and a new location of the Sojubar at the Westfield Mall of The Netherlands in Leidschendam.
DILEMMA Kitchen by Emma Hopstaken opened in Breda in January, she provides private dining, catering, pasta workshops and breakfast and lunch on Friday and the weekends. The Sojubar in the Mall opened last week, they serve K-food and drinks (possibly a cocktail with Soju). And THE BUTCHER Smashed Burger is the chain’s first outlet where they specialise in the trendy smash burgers. This location will open its doors on April 28th on the Albert Cuypstraat!
We wish these entrepreneurs and their teams a lot of fun and success with their concepts. More information below!
2 minutes read
Trends we spotted | Week 16
18-4-2025
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- Biotech company Tropic created a banana that resists browning, offering major benefits against food waste.
- The Hoxton Edinburgh is set to open this June in the historic Haymarket district. The hotel features 214 rooms, including nine room types with names such as Snug Single, Bunk Room, Cosy, Roomy, Biggy and more.
- McDonald’s Germany has opened a temporary McDonald’s restaurant experience in a Minecraft design in the center of Munich.
- The ‘Broccoli Cheddar Pizookie’ by BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse. A savoury pizookie this time!
- Celebrate burgers and bottomless fun at Red Robin during the National Burger Month with a Bottomless Burger Pass.
- A ‘Pay What You Want’ Food Truck tour on ‘National Tax Day’ by Newman’s Own food and drinks.
- And the Staypineapple hotel brand in the US covered taxes and amenity fees for their guests if they booked on ‘National Tax Day’.
- Energy storage system from Intercel prevents peak load at TommyTomato’s new meal delivery site in Utrecht.
- Gastrovino in the Netherlands opened two new locations in just one week. A store in Leiden and a store and Mediterranean-style osteria in Nuenen!
Enjoy reading!
Trends we spotted | week 13
31-3-2025
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- Have more plan(t)s for dinner! The Sustainable Plant FWD restaurant week will be held from April 5 to 12 in Amsterdam.
- Jade Frommer, co-founder of the Ephemera Group, is shaking up the fast-food industry in Paris with the launch of pop-up restaurant, called 6,90. And their main course is available for just €6.90.
- KFC® USA is dropping an all-new “Dunk It Bucket” – the brand’s first new bucket in nearly a decade – featuring also-new Mashed Potato Poppers.
- Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, the #1 best-selling gelato brand in the U.S., is raising the bar of its unique Layers line by introducing the Bakery Collection. They created ‘The Dipped Whisk’ in collaboration with Dominique Ansel.
- McDonald’s – A Minecraft Movie Meal and Happy Meal are available at US restaurants nationwide for limited time starting April 1.
- Kimpton teams up with Tiny Zaps for exclusive tattoo pop-up series for ‘Tattourists’ at 5 locations in the US.
- Schmarrnsinn is the first pop-up Kaiserschmarrn Café in Frankfurt, kaiserschmarrn with all kinds of toppings!
- There’s a pub in Ireland with your name on it! A worldwide search by Heineken® to find a new owner to keep the family tradition of the McLoughlin’s alive.
- nhow Hotels launched ‘dance nhow, change now’.
- The Dutch Bird Brewery launches exclusive Easter beer Kakelfris.
- Restaurant Vestdijk47 in Eindhoven tackles food waste and receives Orbisk certificate for 16 per cent reduction in eight months.
Happy reading!
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | Samy’s Gourmet Sandwiches, restaurant Aan de Zweth and restaurant Notable
11-3-2025
Every day, we spot fun, new concepts. This week, three new concepts from Voorschoten, Schipluiden and Echt. Samy’s Gourmet Sandwiches in Voorschoten has a menu of freshly prepared sandwiches with a surprising twist! The business is owner Jessamy’s dream and her absolute favourite sandwich on the menu is the Satay sandwich with chicken thigh, peanut sauce, coleslaw, sambal and crispy onions on farmer’s bread. In Schipluiden, restaurant Aan de Zweth has been taken over by young entrepreneurs: chef Justin Koopman and hostess Indy Chiron Akkermans. We like their special menu to celebrate the former chef Joris Peters and the new chef, this month. And in the South of the Netherlands in Echt, in an old roof tile factory, restaurant Notable has opened. At their chef’s table you will experience the hospitality, craft and creativity of chef Vital Awick and sommelier Adriaan Visser.
We wish these entrepreneurs and their teams a lot of fun and success with their concepts. More information below!
Trends we spotted | Week 06
10-2-2025
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- Spotted on the Instagram account of our favourite baker Dominique Ansel, Pinkglow Pineapple. Unfortunately only available in the US and Canada but Del Monte is about to introduce a Rubyglow Pineapple in Europe.
- Spotted on Instagram in NYC – a Singles Anti-Valentine’s event or a Singles Valentine’s Party.
- Greyscale is an edible art activation by Brazilian artist João Loureiro in a collab with Piccolina Gelateria at MPavilion in Melbourne. Choose from six gelato flavours that are all different shades of grey. Inspiration for ice cream parlours around the world?
- Perfect pairings of Detroit-style pizzas and burgers by Emmy Squared Pizza and BERO, non-alcoholic beer. Recently we also spotted a wine-pizza pairing. Inspiration for local collabs?
- Areas opens the world’s first robotic restaurant with Artificial Intelligence, called Self, on Barcelona airport.
- Claridge’s Bakery set to open this summer with Richard Hart as the executive baker & creative director. With a focus on British classics like Bloomers, Granary Loaves, Jam Tarts and Custard Tarts, as well as Hart’s globally renowned sourdough breads.
- Maybourne recently announced a 2027 opening for its newest development in the Parisian quarter of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, The Maybourne Saint-Germain.
Enjoy reading!
Trends we spotted | Week 05
3-2-2025
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- We came across a Swiss-based company, KITRO which is tackling the global issue of food waste.
- An interesting article on eHotelier – The Hotels Network launched Swaps, personalized hotel website experiences.
- Collaboration between two iconic hotels – Iconic Tuscan hotel, Il Pellicano travels to Claridge’s Restaurant for week long residency.
- Great Valentine’s Day inspiration from the Belgian Otomat chain – candlelight dinner with a firestarters matchbox and, of course, heart-shaped pizzas.
- On the Instagram account of restaurant and lunchroom Da Kepello in Panningen, we came across another dessert board! Also great way to serve desserts for Valentine’s Day.
- Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant De Oude Gevangenis Alkmaar opened last Saturday, February 1st. You can spend the night in a former prison!
- Ruby Hotels will open its first project in Hungary at the end of 2026! The Budapest project is located in the iconic Corvin Palace, Budapest’s oldest department store and a listed building from 1926.
- In March, Cinema Culinair will descend on Antwerp and Ghent with its film-food events from the 12th until the 30th of March. Enjoy both the film and the food from the film!
Enjoy reading!
Star chef Enrique Limardo cooks at Hilton Amsterdam in honour of the Chocolate Festival
23-1-2025
From a special cocoa menu to a full evening with star chef Enrique Limardo himself. Hilton Amsterdam has been a partner of the annual Chocolate Festival Amsterdam for 12 years. This year, the hotel is organising a number of culinary experiences and events focusing on the versatility of cocoa. For this, they joined forces with Venezuelan star chef Enrique Limardo.
2 minutes read
Trends we spotted | Week 01
3-1-2025
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- McDonald’s Australia Squid Game meal brings a familiar item from the series into reality. It comes with a DALGONA Candy.
- KFC combines chicken and sauce with new concept ‘Saucy by KFC’. It opened in December in Orlando.
- This Valentine’s Day, Whataburger is giving one lucky couple the ultimate prize: a Whatawedding at its Las Vegas location on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.
- Four Seasons celebrates the year of ‘The Snake’ with a journey of innovation and festive traditions.
- We think a ‘Doggy treat food truck’, like the Mobile Barkery in San Diego is a great idea! We and lots of other dog friends and owners would love to buy a hot drinks and dog cookies at ‘off-leash’ areas.
- Angel Shot App LLC recently announced the launch of their new, innovative mobile safety app for nightlife patrons and hospitality establishments.
- Making Dry January more tasteful with the herbal blends in WishGarden Herbs mocktail kit.
- The 2025 outlook for the 0.0 category looks positive, but still has some social barriers to overcome. Thus Heineken® 0.0’s new campaign says alcohol-free should be reason-free.
Enjoy reading!
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | Don Utrecht, Daruma Crêpe and BunBun Amsterdam
28-11-2024
We spot fun, new concepts every day. This week: Don Utrecht, where you can enjoy coffee made with Neapolitan Kimbo beans and tasty Italian panninis, luxury sandwiches, salads and pastas. Daruma Crêpe where they make the Instagrammable ‘Crème Brûlée Crêpe’ and more; they have opened a shop in the Nishimarket in Rotterdam and have pop-ups in Amsterdam and Leiden. BunBun sells croissant buns in the centre of Amsterdam. They make 7 Bun flavours, 3 savoury and 4 sweet, every day.
We wish all these entrepreneurs and their teams lots of fun and good luck with their new restaurant, pop-ups and bakery, more details below!
Reading time: 2 minutes
