F&B Insights with Will & Johnny!
Two top industry professionals talk about the opportunities and challenges of retail gastronomy.
Will Odwarka and Jonathan Doughty are among the most experienced F&B experts in the retail gastronomy scene in Europe. In the seventh installment of the ACROSS Discuss series, they discuss what F&B operators need to know when looking for the right expert, and how important it is for operators to remain flexible and open to alternatives.
For F&B consultants, providing the right service for clients also entails knowing whether the expertise they want is also the one that they really need. Consultants´ experience and technical knowledge is paramount, but clients also have to be well-informed to correctly identify the right expertise required for the job at hand. Having the knowledge to choose the right advisor when establishing a new business is a core principle for any F&B operator. As such, in a changing environment where the target area and audience is never the same, finding the right consultants who, instead of repeating the same standardized procedure, come up with a new and fitting approach for every location, can bring out the best in a newly introduced concept.
Join us as we delve into this topic.
Will Odwarka
Will Odwarka is the Founder and CEO of Dubai-based firm Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting since 2019, and a member of the ACROSS Advisory Board. He was born and raised in Vienna, Austria. He has 30+ years of experience leading international strategic growth and development, Franchise and partner management, and F&B operations. He successfully opened over 1000+ outlets in over 40 countries for renowned global players such as McDonald’s, Starbucks, Burger King, Costa, and Wendy’s and smaller players like Creamscafe and Coffeeshopcompany. He strongly focuses on international market entry for F&B players, brand and investor scouting, and AI in hospitality in the Middle East and Europe.
Jonathan Doughty
As a highly experienced F&B professional, Jonathan Doughty has worked at all corporate levels, and has held both executive and non-executive board roles, as well as special advisory appointments and acted in training roles. He has extensive experience around the world in hospitality, property, food and beverage and commercial real estate. Having worked remotely, in situ and on demand in over 30 countries, he is recognised as a leading professional in both the foodservice and commercial property industry.
