Innovation

🥝 Saladplate, part of Informa Markets, serves as a hub for the Hospitality, Food and Beverage industry, offering insights, news, and trends. The platform features weekly news updates, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-monthly e-magazine. It grants exclusive access to over 10,000 brands and companies, as well as registration and updates for over 35 international trade events.

💾 Vivatel Kuala Lumpur, integrated with STAAH's technology, has streamlined operations, resulting in an 8% increase in website bookings and a significant 23% rise in online revenue. The hotel benefits from STAAH's dynamic pricing, analytics, and social media integration, enhancing marketing strategies and direct revenue share. The efficient tech upgrade at Vivatel has led to improved revenue management and customer service experience.

🏨 SuiteOp, a Guest Operations Platform, secured $3 million in seed funding to expedite development, enhance automation tools, and pursue market expansion. The funding round, led by ScOp with contributions from Dream Capital and strategic angel investors, marks SuiteOp's first external financing. Co-founded by Jean-Emmanuel Losi and Simon Seroussi, SuiteOp was born from the operational challenges of Sosuite, a short-term rental brand in Philadelphia. The platform, addressing labor shortages and fragmented software, now serves various lodging businesses. It offers IoT, smart automation, white-labeled guest portals, and analytics, supporting tens of thousands of units with a fivefold annual run rate increase and a consistent 15% month-over-month growth without customer churn. The new capital aims to enhance automation for efficiency in high-cost, labor-constrained environments and to expand into key markets. SuiteOp was founded in 2023 and enhances property management through a comprehensive, integrated platform.

🚢 A record 19 million passengers projected to cruise in the US in 2025. IDeaS Cruise RMS supports cruise operators to maximize revenue and optimize cabin capacity. Revenue management helps cruise lines manage perishable inventory (cabins), maximize ticket fares, and ensure profitable voyages. Demand for cruises surged post-pandemic with changes in booking patterns. IDeaS provides forecasting, automation, advanced analytics, and customizable solutions for cruise lines. Collaboration across commercial organizations is emphasized for future revenue optimization.

🏦 Hi Auto, an AI-powered voice tech startup for the QSR industry, secured $15 million in Series A funding led by Delek Motors, the Zisapel Family, and others, totaling $23 million raised with a $4 million credit line for expansion. Hi Auto's SaaS platform delivers 96% order accuracy and over 90% completion rate, tackling labor cost challenges like California's $20/hour minimum wage. With clients like Bojangles and Popeyes UK, the company's dynamic upselling feature boosts average ticket sizes. Founded in 2019 by Roy Baharav and Eyal Shapira, Hi Auto has a team of 100 people globally.

🛡 Joseph Frisk, VP and CISO at Dine Brands, and Marcus Wasdin from the Restaurant Technology Network Board of Governors highlight the complexity of cybersecurity in the restaurant industry. Cyber threats exploit human error, loyalty programs, and use AI for attacks. Restaurant IT must educate employees, secure customer data, monitor threats in real-time, and prepare for post-quantum cryptography to combat rapidly evolving cyber risks while balancing user experience.

☕ Tambia, a Colombian speciality coffee brand, is evolving its packaging this month to a new look with fully recyclable packs. The new design features a deep navy-blue background, gold logo, and a hummingbird, symbolizing Colombian biodiversity with 160 hummingbird species. The range includes Finca La Sierra, Castillo washed in light, medium, and dark roasts, and limited editions Geisha washed and Pink Bourbon washed coffees. These are available for purchase on Tambia’s website, Amazon, select retailers, and via subscription service starting at £7.43 for a 200g bag. The Arabica beans are grown on high-altitude land on Cerro Bravo, ensuring traceability and quality from seed to cup.

🏠 PPDS and Allente partnered to improve hotel entertainment with Philips MediaSuite TVs in Scandinavia. The collaboration, started in 2020 after Allente formed from Canal Digital and Viasat Consumer's merger, targets one million customers across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Philips MediaSuite, the first hospitality TV with Netflix readiness and Google Cast, joins Allente's premium live sports, movies, and TV series, aiming to provide guests with a home-from-home TV experience. This service offers competitively priced content packages, enhancing in-room entertainment by allowing guests to access streaming accounts with personal devices. PPDS’ Nils Brovold and Allente’s Therese Mellin both emphasize the elevated guest experience this partnership offers.

📅 Vacances Bleues appointed Arnaud Vogel as Director of Digital Transformation and Organization, who brings over a decade of experience to the role. From January 1, 2025, Vogel will lead a team of about 20, aiming to enhance digitalization, CRM and loyalty programs, improve data quality, and integrate AI. The company operates 26 properties in France and offers travel to 120 international destinations, focusing on accessible, sustainable tourism. Vogel's expertise is seen as a vital asset for Vacances Bleues' long-term strategy and competitiveness.