VoorDeThuiswerkers.nl | A hotel room as solution for the work from home challenge
14-4-2020
Inspiration from the Netherlands where two entrepreneurial freelancers offer a solution for those who can no longer cope with the challenge combining working with their family at home as well during the corona virus crisis. ‘VoorDeThuiswerkers.nl’ (which can be translated at ForThe PeopleWorkingFromHome) is an initiative of Olivier Kruger and Seffie Treistman, who hope to contribute to lower the pressure at home by providing a quiet workplace and helping hotels generate revenue so that their employees can keep their jobs.
On the second of April we already wrote about Hotel Kom in Maartensdijk (The Netherlands), which had taken a similar initiative as an individual hotel. In response to the article we understood that other hotels were also providing workspace in their own surroundings. VoorDeThuiswerkers.nl is a platform to make these addresses more accessible for those who find working from home too much a challenge! And for hotels, every little bit can help in these harsh corona times ……
What does the catering industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus | Inspiration April 10
10-4-2020
And then it is Easter! Most restaurants that have been delivering are now busy preparing their dishes. Last Wednesday, our colleagues from Van Spronsen & Partners hospitality consultants published a whitepaper: ‘Coronavirus crisis, resilience of the catering industry’, in which one of the conclusions is that even when the catering industry could start up again, in the new reality, the ‘social distance society’, delivery will certainly prove to be an addition to the turnover.
This week’s inspiration!
Including initiatives of collaborations between supermarkets and catering suppliers and restaurants. But also a restaurant chain in the UK that is considering to create mini supermarkets in their restaurants in which they will sell products from their suppliers.
Great item for your newsletter, ask your regular guests what they are missing from your hotel or restaurant as done by the Oetker Collection. They also give recipes and exercises to keep fit. #WESTAYUNITED
Some brands even draw attention to ‘Social Distance’ with their logo, such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s in Brazil. Jure Tovrlian from Slovenia made a few examples, the last one is very funny!
A very useful item in this coronavirus period has more than raised their target amount on Kickstarter, a keyring with a ‘Hygiene Hand’ attached to it. And an example of how the BrewDog brewery is coping with this crisis, they have a Hop Drop app with drive-thru beer collection points, they help make handsanitizers and they organize an online bar.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Flexotels | Mobile ‘corona proof’ booth to visit grandparents safely
9-4-2020
Yesterday, my sister and I brought laundry, literature and treats for Easter to my mother who lives in a care home. A cheerfully waving mother behind the window of her room, but also a lot of misunderstanding about why we do not come in. Flexotels in the Netherlands, which normally rent out mobile sleeping units for large events, have changed a number of these units as a mobile ‘corona proof’ booth. A good example of positive ‘thinking different’! In Asten (in the south of the Netherlands, the Hof of Bluyssen was the first to purchase such a container. ^Marjolein
What does the catering industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus | Inspiration April 6
7-4-2020
Gradually we get used to the effects of the Covid-19 virus here in the Netherlands, fortunately many keep their distance and many people are able to work from home. Maybe even in the sun today! But more and more entrepreneurs are starting to worry about the economic impact. They could survive the first deadline here of the 6th of April, but the effects are getting more serious now. Fortunately, we see a lot of inspiration and even experience it ourselves, such as restaurant owners who add a card to the delivery to thank their guests and offer a glass of bubbles when his or her business is open again.
This week’s inspiration!
With initiatives involving collaboration like between the kitchen of Eleven Madison Park & the Rethink Group. The restaurant with three Michelin stars is now part of a ‘Soup kitchen’ and an example from a takeout meal from restaurant Alinea in Chicago, also with three Michelin stars.
A bagel shop ‘Call Your Mother’ in Washington reopened and came up with a very special and original auction!
In China we have spotted a special delivery initiative at Meituan, they deliver a paper shield behind which you can eat! And New York-based technology and lifestyle company Air Co. makes hand sanitizer out of CO2. We already wrote about their carbon negative vodka earlier.
An initiative by Airbnb to offer health care professionals and first responsers sleeping places closer to their work. And an article that made us realize how difficult entrepreneurship in the U.S. is. We came across an article about choosing between offering delivery which increases the possibility of infection of employees with Covid-19 or fire to them.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!
What does the catering industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus | Inspiration March 27
27-3-2020
Our perspective on the world has completely changed during the past couple of weeks, a true paradigm shift! At this very moment it’s important to constantly fact check all the news about the Coronavirus, a lot of fake and scary news has been spotted at the social media. For example at a website in the U.S. we came across a question whether or not food could be a source of the virus. Fortunately they also gave the official answer of the CDC (Centers of Disease Control and Protection) but please don’t believe strange advices!
We also spotted a lot of positive inspiration. So, we want to show you some small positive gestures and inspiration during these anxious times.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Very positive news is that we see a lot of people unite and not only in the health care. We even spotted an online game in which gamers can help the university of Washington’s Center for Game Science to create a medicine.
In France the Accor Group, a hotel chain, opened the CEDA (Coronavirus Emergency Desk Accor) telephone helpdesk. They help to accommodate homeless people trough France in conjunction with the government.
We spot a lot of positive initiatives by restaurants, like for example #JREwhatsinthefridge and other ones to keep in touch with their guests. In the Netherlands, one of our chefs with two Michelin stars started a video making a delicious daily meal. And many more individuals give tutorials, which made us laugh is the reaction of a famous chef in an Instagram story: “After two days in quarantine and watching many cooking videos, I understand why so many of you come to restaurants” ?
In most languages there is a saying like ‘money can’t buy happiness’ but if you’re very rich you can buy a ‘Covid-19 themed exclusive package’ at Le Bijou Hotels & Resorts in Switzerland. But if you’re entertaining your kids at home, you could make them happy with a ‘toilet paper’ cake!
The Westin Houston Medical Center | First Hotel in the U.S. to deploy ‘Virus Killing Robots’
24-3-2020
The Westin Houston Medical Center is the first and only hotel in the U.S. to utilize LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots™ to sanitize and disinfect its guest rooms and common areas to help combat the threat of coronavirus. The room disinfection technology, provided by San Antonio-based Xenex Disinfection Services, was developed by two epidemiologists in Houston, with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as their first customer. The Westin Houston Medical Center purchased two of the decontaminating Robots, which are already at work sanitizing rooms inside the building.
In these times of stress about the spread of COVID-19 amongst travellers worldwide, these virus killing robots are an interesting new cleaning product for hotels. The Westin Houston Medical Center pioneers one of the hospitality industry’s response to COVID-19.
What does the catering industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus | Inspiration March 24
24-3-2020
Our perspective on the world has completely changed during the past week, what a paradigm shift! I personally thought that we would no longer post trends and inspiration on Horecatrends. It seems of no importance right now however we also spotted a lot of positive inspiration. So, we want to show you some small positive gestures and inspiration during these anxious times.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Here in the Netherlands we spot a lot of initiatives in the hospitality industry, like hotels offering capacity to hospitals. In the UK the hotel chain Best Western is in talks to convert their hotels into NHS hospitals and in the U.S.A. hotels are used to shelter the homeless and the less seriously ill who have to be in quarantine.
In London a restaurant with one Michelin star reopened as Brat Farm, Grill and Wine Shop. Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort gives an example on how to try to provide your guests with as much flexibility as possible through your cancellation policy.
Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!
Trends we spotted | Week 12
20-3-2020
Our perspective on the world has completely changed in the past week, what a paradigm shift! I personally thought that we would no longer post trends and inspiration on Horecatrends. It seems of no importance right now but we also spotted a lot of positive inspiration. So, we have written a ‘trends we spotted this week’ with small positive gestures and inspiration in these anxious times.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Marjolein van Spronsen
This week, among other links to articles about a hand wash tutorial by Gordon Ramsey and the Cheese trucks of the London based The Cheese Bar.
McDonald’s in the U.S. and Canada are considering rent deferrals for its franchisees and Uber Eats is introducing a new support package that includes a waiving of delivery fees on all orders from independent restaurants across U.S. & Canada and dedicated marketing campaigns.
And an article at Eater about what restaurants need right now to actually survive in the USA. Here in the Netherlands, the government is taking all the necessary measures at this moment and even banks are helping. We wish all restaurant owners worldwide will be able to find a way to stay in business.
Chipotle tackles social distancing with virtual hangouts on Zoom, interesting inspiration if you try to reach young people. And upscale restaurant Canlis in Seattle finds new business model in the Covid-19 crisis.
In the Netherlands we spotted free e-learning programs for people working in the hospitality industry and many restaurants offer gift vouchers with benefits. One of them doesn’t give vouchers but gift plates!
Materialise’s 3D printed hands-free door opener eliminates direct contact with door handle
17-3-2020
3D Printing technology may lend a hand in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus. Materialise, a Belgium-based pioneer in 3D printing, has designed a 3D printed door opener that makes it possible to open and close doors with your arm, removing the need for direct contact with door handles. The company is offering the printable design for free and calling upon the global 3D printing community to 3D print the door opener and make it available all around the world.
Call for anyone who can print this hands-free door opener in 3D…. The file can be downloaded here.
“The power of 3D printing in combination with Materialise’s three decades of 3D printing expertise made it possible to turn an idea into an innovative product in less than 24 hours,” says Fried Vancraen CEO of Materialise. “By making the design available digitally, it can be produced on 3D printers everywhere and become available around the world in a matter of hours. In this case, we designed the product in Belgium and people in China, Europe or the U.S. can now 3D print the door opener locally.”
TrashBot by CleanRobotics | A smart trash can that uses AI
10-3-2020
US-based robotics company CleanRobotics recently was named a semifinalist in the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE competition for its product TrashBot. TrashBot is a trash can using sensors, camera’s and Artificial Intelligence to separate trash from recyclables. This is how it works: Garbage is thrown into the bin after which a small door slides over the opening. The garbage is analysed using robotics, computer vision and artificial intelligence to detect and separate landfill from recyclables. TrashBot does this more accurately than human beings, capturing high quality waste data and it lets staff know when it’s getting full. Cloud connectivity allows individual units to learn from the global TrashBot fleet, becoming more intelligent over time. TrashBot also has a monitor for corporate communications, education and advertising.
The selection between landfill and recyclables is done way more accurately by TrashBot than by humans. Plus the fact that it lets staff know that the bin is getting full makes TrashBot a perfect solution for convention centers, commercial buildings like malls, stadiums, airports, bus- and train stations. As the pressure to recycle will increase the TrashBot will help these facilities to take out the uncertainty of the recycling done by humans and do it more efficient.
Initiatiefnemer Seffie Treistman op een werkplek in Holliday Inn Express City Hall Amsterdam
