NL Delivery Game | Meal deliverers safer and more aware on the road

9-11-2021

Since the corona pandemic, the number of meal deliveries in the Netherlands has increased excessively. According to the Food Service Institute Netherlands (FSIN), this market grew by 37% compared to 2019. This development is leading to an increasing number of meal delivery in the industry, especially the 16 to 24 year old age group. According to Veilig Verkeer Nederland (the Safe Traffic Association Netherlands (VVN), this age group takes more risks in traffic, which means that they are more likely to be involved in accidents. To prevent this, the Dutch Association of Meal Delivery Services (NLVVM) has created the NL Delivery Game. The initiators – consisting of ten large delivery chains – join forces and launched this training game for the more than 20,000 meal deliverers they employ. In the game, the traffic and behavioral rules of the Safe Traffic Association Netherlands are tested. Resulting in more meal deliverers safer on the road and more aware in traffic.

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Kitchen robot Flippy 2 | Increase efficiency in the QSR sector

4-11-2021

Miso Robotics, a start-up company that is transforming the foodservice industry with robotics, revealed their newest model of their Flippy: kitchen robot Flippy 2. With the help of all the learnings at one of the restaurants of the QSR brand White Castle of Flippy 1, the newer model takes over the work for an entire frying station and is able to perform twice as much food preparation tasks compared to the previous model.

An ideal employee for in your QSR kitchen! Do you want to read more on robots in the hospitality world, check out our articles on robots here. 

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New innovation by Domino’s Pizza Belgium | Domino’s Cal’z sandwich

18-10-2021

In addition to a wide range of pizzas, Domino’s Pizza offers more and more dishes suitable for lunch or as a snack. With this, the chain focuses on the popularity of the lunch moment and the growing demand for lunch delivery. After the introduction of the warmly welcomed Crunchy Chicken, the Domino’s Cal’z sandwich is now also available at all Domino’s Pizza locations in Belgium.

In this article we have written about another calzone variation from the US: ”The Crazy Calzone” from Little Caesars.

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Introduction of a autonomous robotic restaurant | By SJW Robotics

27-8-2021

SJW Robotics, a Toronto based FoodTech company, will be launching a fully autonomous robotic restaurant with zero on-site employees. The company will be demonstrating the pre-commercial unit in the fall of 2021, with a commercial rollout scheduled for Q1, 2022. At the heart of SJW Robotics shines RoWok™, a proprietary automated kitchen system that cooks made-to-order meals like an accomplished chef. Armed with high-speed mechanism, RoWok captures the essence of wok-based cooking and uses state-of-the-art sensors and automation protocols to deliver consistent quality in accordance with the highest food safety standards. The design inspiration for the unit comes from industrial food manufacturing systems and an engineering team with proven accomplishments in robotics.

SJW Robotics’ next-generation restaurant will come in the form of a 100 square-foot standalone unit. The techforward kitchen’s small footprint, plug-and-play capabilities and 24-hour accessibility will enable its implementation in a multitude of locations such as airports, hospitals, universities, grocery stores, office towers, shopping malls, stadiums and industrial complexes.

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Grubhub and Yandex SDG launch robot delivery technology at The Ohio State University

23-8-2021

Grubhub, one of the leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery platform on college campuses, and Yandex Self-Driving Group (SDG), a leading autonomous vehicles developer inside Yandex, one of Europe’s largest internet companies, will roll out delivery via Yandex’s robots at its first college campus — The Ohio State University (OSU).

We also spotted a likewise system in China, where Alibaba is deploying 1,000 delivery bots across Chinese university campuses and urban communities this year. The bots, called Xiaomanlv or ‘small donkey’ in Mandarin, can deliver about 50 packages at one time and as many as 500 packages in one day, covering 100 kilometres on a single charge. Although the final robot delivery technology in our streets may differ from those some parties are testing, it looks like we will have to get used that these systems will integrate our traffic system. We can’t imagine what it will be like in Amsterdam, it’s already a big challenge to ride a bike here if you’re not used to drive here!  

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Trends we spotted | Week 33

20-8-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu 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 the most spectacular off-menu dish at the rule-breaking Japanese restaurant Shuko in New York and to the ‘Cuisine Solaire’ by restaurant Le Présage in Marseille. It’s Europe’s first solar-powered restaurant.

In London you can enjoy cocktails and high tea’s at a disused train station, check out the great 1940s themed high tea video at Cahoots Underground in the article. Also opened in London: a new immersive cocktail experience, Mr. Tipsy’s Down The Hatch! With a lot of OTT-ness!

French food tech start-up Gourmey is working on lab-grown foie gras that could allow restaurants to continue to serve the highly-prized delicacy in an ethical way. Great news for foie gras lovers, it looks like it and the chef who tried it says it also tasted the same.

The new pizzeria Pazzi in Paris is staffed entirely by robots, from order-taking to prepping the dough to putting the pizzas in boxes. Check out the video, as guests you can follow your pizza being made!

We love the idea behind the ‘random acts of kindness’, as does Domino’s Pizza in the USA, they started their ‘Surprise Frees’ Promotion. Until November 21, 2021, they are surprising randomly selected fans with free menu items.

And a link to an article about the new ‘Taco Bell Defy’. The 3,000 square-foot restaurant concept located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, utilizes a two-story model for “the frictionless future of Taco Bell”.

Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!

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Trends we spotted | Week 32

12-8-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu 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 the announcement that a visit to an indoor restaurant, gym or theater in New York will only be allowed for those vaccinated as of August 16. All in a dramatic step to fight rising Covid-19 cases.

Alain Ducasse and Albert Adrià to open an 100-day trial restaurant in Paris and more and more luxury brands are accepting cryptocurrency. The Dolder Grand hotel in Switzerland and BitLux private jets have teamed up for the world’s first crypto-based luxury travel partnership.

Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels have teamed up to create Panera Brand, boasting nearly 4,000 locations and 110,000 employees across 10 countries. All three brands are owned by Luxembourg based JAB Holding Co.

Interesting development: startup Cecilia, the interactive bartender for airports, VIP lounges, stadiums and venues or even hotels. Cecilia mixes 120 cocktails per hour! And an article about 3 robots that can tap beer: Ebar, Revolmatic and Macco Robotics. In the article a video from Ebar.

The Raffles Hotels & Resorts continues global expansion with new openings in 2021 and beyond. With this year their second hotel  in Dubai, Raffles The Palm. Check out the other openings in the article.

IKEA in the USA is going to sell candles that smell like Swedish meatballs and another great example of how to use TikTok. The chef of the Italian Embassy in London, Danilo Cortellini spotted pasta chips and decided to upgrade the recipe!

Klimato from Sweden lets restaurants calculate their CO2 emissions per dish, interesting development! And we spotted shampoo bars, a completely plastic-free alternative in bars. A  distinctive, sustainable alternative for your amenities!

For fans of the series La Casa de Papel, Netflix and Fever created the immersive experience that is located in the French ‘La Monnaie de Paris’, the institute of the French currency.

Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!

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Modern Japanese dining at urban restaurant Sushi San in the Netherlands

5-8-2021

Disclaimer this article is more interesting for Dutchies.

Opening – A wonderful evening out in a contemporary Japanese restaurant where you can choose from classics and new creations from a well-known chef. As from October residents of Zeist in the Netherlands can visit the new urban sushi restaurant Sushi San. The place is uniquely decorated with a combination of modern design and traditional Japanese elements such as large wooden columns, rice paper lamps and drawings of koi carp. Both small and large groups will soon enjoy an exclusive all you can dine concept here.

This Japanese hotspot in Zeist will also work with robots that will support their staff. The fact that the robots are really not going to replace the employees is apparent from the advertisement on their website in which they are looking for employees. We are curious about the robots!

Reading time: 2 minutes

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Trends we spotted | Week 6

18-2-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu 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 amongst others about a signal-blocking butter dish for better phone habits. Interesting for on your dinner table after the COVID-19 crisis, we have been digital way too long! And a link to a ‘how to make’ Charcuterie and cheese bouquet.

Last week a M&M’S experience store opened at Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and we love collaborations like this one: Philadelphia’s Down North Pizza has launched ‘A Match Made In Philly’, featuring limited-edition pizza’s created by some of Philadelphia’s culinary stars.

Sustainable initiatives: #slaughterhouse waste products turned into bioplastic packaging and 2 companies are testing real-time digital labels that would detect spoiled food and thus reduce waste.

Two of America’s largest fast food chains, McDonald’s and Burger King, have announced new loyalty programs. Interesting to read! And what do you think, will there be more robots in the hospitality industry after COVID-19? We spotted another one, Robot ‘Jeeves’ in the Radisson Blu at Zürich Airport.

As of March 16th, children can watch the new show by Michelle Obama on Netflix. ‘Waffles + Mochi,’ is a culinary show that will teach them food related wisdom! And in Germany schools can create classes in the conference rooms of the Best Western Hotel Group.

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Trends we spotted | Week 49

8-12-2020

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu 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 an AI-powered wine wall with facial recognition security and Pringles Passport attempts to satisfy a nostalgia for traveling.

Last October people could dine on board the world’s largest passenger aircraft, an A380 at Changi Airport. Would that satisfy your nostalgia for traveling a bit? And KFC introduced autonomous rolling chicken-dispensing pods in China, completely contactless.

At Pizza Hut you could enjoy a plant-based sausage, Beyond Italian Sausage, in the U.S. and Pancheros Mexican Grill introduced their ’12 Days Pancheros’ Holiday promotions. Inspiration for restaurants with take-out or delivery!

We spotted the MyPanera Coffee subscription a couple of months ago and now an European brand, Espresso House also launched a flat rate for coffee. Inspiration for other coffee corners? Especially if you have many people working at your location.

Dutch Television channel KRO-NCRV and restaurant chain Resto VanHarte are organizing a grand Online Christmas Dinner together. Inspiration for your country?

Sustainability: IKEA announced their plan to make 50% of their food menu plant-based by 2025 and we have spotted a new sustainable design for the seating at Schiphol Airport, called Blink. Interesting read for other venues.

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