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 ninth installment of the ACROSS Discuss series, they discuss how chasing repeatable success when creating a unique customer experience will not achieve the best results without incorporating the location-specific emotional aspect into the concept, which connects with the guests on a personal level.
As an industry, retail tries to find repeatable success with many concepts. Copy-paste works when it comes to the core of different experiences and concepts. However, what developers forget in retail, leisure and F&B, is the emotional index that makes customers feel excited when visiting a location for the unique experience it provides. This emotional aspect is something that the property industry finds difficult to deliver.
The emotional factor comes into play when people who deliver the project aim high, better and well at delivering something different, and try to hook into the matter of why people want to invest in an experience economy instead of a physical brick-and-mortar economy. Most businesses are struggling with this aspect. Developers usually find their biggest success where they have managed to move the emotional index.
Join us as we delve into the 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.
