Market Trends

🍺 BrewDog, in its 2023 financial report, disclosed a pre-tax loss of £59.2m, which widened from £30.5m in the previous year. However, revenue increased from £321.2m to £354.6m, and underlying trading EBITDA improved from a £12.8m loss to just £2.5m. CEO James Arrow, who succeeded co-founder James Watt earlier in the year, reports a significant operational efficiency improvement. In the first half of 2024, BrewDog achieved EBITDA positive trading with revenue reaching £137.5m. The company's global bar sales rose by 12.3% in 2023, and they continue to expand internationally, including new markets like Thailand.

🍋 Yuzu, a citrus fruit with a tart yet sweet flavor and a distinctive floral aroma, is gaining traction in the US, featured on 5.9% of restaurant menus, marking a 29% rise in four years, according to Datassential. Its juice is used in various drinks and Japanese ponzu sauce, and it's increasingly adopted in desserts, marinades, and other sauces, particularly by independent and fine-dining venues. The fruit is most popular among Asian consumers.

🍽 Margo, a modern European restaurant, highlights Scotland's larder, led by Jonathan MacDonald of Scoop and chef Robin Aitken. With a focus on local seafood, meat, and in-house bread and pasta, the menu offers dishes like smoked haddock churros, beef tartare, and red prawn agnolotti. The drink list boasts fine wines and unique cocktails, like frozen martinis. Margo seats 138 and features an industrial chic design with an open kitchen. Located at 68 Miller Street, Glasgow, G1 1DT, another venue, Sebb’s, is set to open beneath it, offering a grill-centric menu.

🍴 Tyler Florence, celebrity chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, emphasizes the value of creating memorable experiences in his restaurants over his TV shows and cookbooks. He believes restaurants are the most crucial part of his work, as expressed in a podcast episode dated Oct. 13, 2024. Florence has been featured on The Food Network for 28 years and plans to continue working in restaurants for life. His 17th cookbook is titled "American Grill," and one of his establishments is the Miller & Lux restaurant. Additionally, chefs Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud were mentioned in the episode.

🍝 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016, reports on food and beverage trends and guides F&B coverage. Hosts "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast. Wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), Manager magazine, and Asia Times in Thailand (1992-1997). Covered Tiananmen Square for ABC News in 1989. Thorn's NRN column won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award. Inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. Authored entries for the Oxford Encyclopedia (2012) and Companion to Sugar and Sweets (2015). Lives in Brooklyn, NY. Email: [email protected] Social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

🍴 Chef Tyler Florence, celebrated for his 27 years on the Food Network and portfolio of top restaurants, divulged his secrets to creating memorable hospitality experiences in a podcast episode. On Oct. 11, 2024, he emphasized three critical elements for exceptional hospitality (01:03), the crafting of a restaurant ambiance that transports guests (01:25), and the significance of building a space that feels both timeless and current (03:48). He shared insights into his San Francisco restaurant, Wayfare Tavern, including using materials like a century-old tobacco barn floor for authentic atmosphere (06:17), and mentioned his other establishment, Miller & Lux, at San Francisco's Chase Center (07:21).

🏨 STAAH hosts a Weekly Hotel Industry Quiz aimed at hoteliers to test knowledge and stay updated with industry trends. The quiz covers various topics including luxury hotel brands and hotel software. Participants are encouraged to share the quiz and look forward to new quizzes each week.

🏩 Charlie MacGregor, founder of The Social Hub, discussed hybrid hospitality on Oct. 9, 2024. The concept involves blending various groups and using space flexibly. Benefits include creating vibrant areas, maximizing revenue, and promoting a fun, safe environment. The model enhances business agility and robustness. MacGregor detailed what hybrid hospitality is (01:30), the environment it creates (03:07), connecting workers through co-working spaces (04:32), and business agility (09:25).

🎭 In Jeddah, Art Jameel announces Hayy Jameel’s new autumn 2024 programme, featuring a group exhibition "We Saw an Endless Cycle" from November 27, 2024, to April 19, 2025, and a solo exhibition, "Moving Mountains," until October 26, 2024. Hayy Cinema hosts Horror Week (October 23 - November 3, 2024) and the "My Heritage Documentary Competition" (October 24 - 31, 2024). Hayy Markets is on November 22-23, and Hayy Matsuri, a cultural Japanese festival, is planned for January 2025.

🌺 Hibiscus, also known as 'jamaica,' is trending on U.S. restaurant menus, featured in 10.2% of them—a 30% rise in four years, according to Datassential. This flowering plant, recognized for its vibrant hue and tart flavor, is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Popular in teas, cocktails, syrups, and desserts, hibiscus is most common in independent and fine-dining restaurants, aligning with the demand for global flavors and floral notes.