Interviews
Let's Go Glocal!
On day two of the 9th European Foodservice Summit, five international foodservice players joined in a lively discussion on the future of food in their industry. Coming from very different countries and cultures Robert Brozin, Lori Ann Daytner, Marcel Dietrich, Kim Rahbek Hansen and Walter Seib shared their opinions on topics such as: the knowledgeable customer, (hyper-)authenticity, food sourcing and rising costs. Following the questions asked by Christopher C. Muller, Central University of Florida, who moderated the CEO panel, the following text sums up central statements and standpoints of the discussion.
How do you perceive consumer attitude towards and knowledgeability about food in your restaurants? K. R. Hansen: ”In Denmark, we have a very demanding market. Transparency is more important than ever. Yet, the situation is quite paradoxical: young women in Copenhagen between 18 and 24 actually have very little experience with cooking at home. On the other hand, their knowledge about the things they eat or want to eat has tremendously increased. They ask about the origins of our products and the supply chain. At the same time we hear questions on a very low knowledge level like 'can pregnant women eat raw fish?'. We have to provide answers to both customers. That’s why we provide thorough information on our website.
By the way: educating your customer has the positive side effect of creating very high customer loyalty. In Denmark, when people want to know about Japanese food, Sticks’n’Sushi ranks very high at the top as a source of information. And even journalists come to write about us.”
L. A. Daytner: “In terms of transparency, the requirements in the Russian market have certainly not reached those levels yet, thankfully. However, our guests are becoming very extensively travelled. In the last 15 years, tourism has truly exploded. And Russians are excellent tourists: they spend a lot of money and like to try new things. Of course, when they return, they want to replicate this experience. And they go for a very high level of authenticity. They are very demanding of ingredients and of how we prepare the dishes.”
With the romantization of the farmer we’re seeing a new hyper-authenticity. How much of this hyper-authenticity is actually good for business?
W. Seib: “Honestly, in our culture, who wants to be in the farming business anymore? Hardly anybody. People from Poland, Russia and other European countries work on our fields because nobody from our culture is willing to do such hard work for so little money. Of course, there is a lot of noise about local products and authenticity. But you always have to consider how much people are really willing or can even afford to pay. In my opinion, there’s always demand on both sides of the spectrum.”
M. Dietrich: “This notion of craving something authentic is really just an antitrend. In the past century, we have seen the emergence of mass production. Now, people are tired of filling their stomachs with things that taste and look all the same. It’s our task to find a balance between these two extremes. That means considering a certain mass and volume while at the same time keeping offers authentic.”
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10th European Foodservice Summit
(23),24-25 September 2009
Zurich, Switzerland
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| 23 November 2008 |
