On November 12, 2020, this year’s 5th edition of the ACROSS RETAIL TALKS took place online. This time, the prominent panelists key question was “Gastronomy – has the former rising star turned into a fallen angel?“
Host Reinhard Winiwarter (publisher of ACROSS Magazine) and moderator Klaus Striebich (RaRE Advise) welcomed a top-class panel that included:
- Jonathan Doughty (Global Head of Foodservice & Placemaking, ECE)
- Ibrahim Ibrahim (MD Portland Design)
- Heiner Raschhofer (Owner Soulkitchen Group)
- Walter Seib (CEO HMS Host International)
- Sofia Selberg (Foodservice & Hospitality Consultant)
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The industry is currently facing extremely big and difficult challenges. When we talked to the panelists, they described in great detail how they handle this current situation. Walter Seib emphasized how difficult this moment is for the travel gastronomy sector.
Heiner Raschhofer is also anticipating hard times ahead, and underlines the importance of Austria’s winter tourism, which is currently very much in limbo.According to Ibrahim Ibrahim, the Covid crisis did not create that many new challenges but extremely accelerated already existing trends. He vividly explains his approach to ‘new retail’ and what kind of role gastronomy could play in it.
Localism was the major buzzword that dominated the entire discussion about future strategies. Jonathan Doughty also sees a bright future for the F&B industry–despite the difficult situation this sector is facing right now. After corona, the people’s desire for gastronomic experiences will be bigger than ever before.
He also believes that people will willing to spend more money for these experiences. The panel also agreed that delivery services will remain a vital element and become a key component of future concepts, even for premium/high-end gastronomy concepts.
At the end of the discussion, all panelists made their predictions for the future. In short, after difficult and dark months, the sun will shine again. Perseverance, flexibility, and innovative capability are key words in this situation.An exciting talk that is not to be missed!
The next ACROSS RETAIL TALKS tackling exciting, European topics are being planned right now.
