Miscellaneous

💻 Premium leisure airline beOnd, based in Dubai, is expanding its online package holidays through a partnership with TUI, leveraging a platform by tech specialist Nezasa. Earlier this year, beOnd launched the beOnd Holidays platform to integrate flights and resorts. The collaboration combines TUI’s packaging expertise with Nezasa’s AI-enabled itinerary technology, allowing users to customize trips dynamically. This innovation aims for personalized travel recommendations, enhancing customer experience and streamlining premium leisure travel.

🍎 Mevalco will introduce NOVO by O-MED, a limited-edition extra virgin olive oil from Spain, crafted from 100% Picual olives, pressed on the first harvest day. Available in the UK through Mevalco in November with pre-orders now open. Each 500ml bottle costs £13.50, packaged in cases of six. NOVO, known for its rich green hue and fresh, peppery taste, is produced by O-MED, a family-run mill in Granada. Expected UK arrival: Tuesday, 11 November.

🍽 Longbow Venues achieved notable success at the 2025 Westside & Southside Restaurant & Bar Awards on 27 October 2025 at the OEC Sheffield. The Peacock at Rowsley won "Restaurant of the Year," The Ashford Arms in Bakewell secured "Best Sunday Lunch," and The Maynard in Grindleford was awarded "Best Family Favourite." Over 50 team members attended, celebrating the group's focus on quality, local produce, and genuine hospitality. The event honored independent venues in Sheffield and North Derbyshire.

🍽 Chefs Valerios and Barta are shaping the future of food with a focus on Costa Rica's culinary heritage and plant-based cuisine. In Costa Rica, Valerios emphasizes indigenous ingredients like culantro coyote and tacaco, while Barta has spent over a decade mastering plant-based cooking, from Budapest to New York City. Their efforts aim to preserve culinary traditions through innovative techniques and sustainability, as highlighted in Valerios's book "Abuelas de Costa Rica" and work at Huacas Restaurant.

🧡 Starting around age 25, collagen production declines by 1% per year, exacerbated by UV exposure, smoking, alcohol, and poor diet. The global collagen supplements market, valued at $5.91 billion, is projected to grow to $8.02 billion by 2030, driven by both older and younger consumers. Historically animal-derived, newer supplements feature sustainable marine and plant-based sources. Hydrolyzed collagen peptides, broken down for better absorption, are key to supplement efficacy.

✈️ HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions) introduces 'HTS Seat Upgrades', boosting airline revenue by over 20%. This platform allows travelers to opt for cabin and seat upgrades, including empty seat blocking. It integrates seamlessly with airline systems for dynamic pricing and upgrades, optimizing across cabins. Corsair utilizes HTS for enhanced customer experiences. Ella Alkalay Schreiber, SVP at HTS, highlights the flexible, customizable approach, allowing airlines to capture high-intent users and maintain brand consistency.

🏨 The Kessler Collection has announced a strategic partnership with Highgate, forming a new luxury hotel management platform. Highgate will manage several Kessler hotels in the U.S., including The Casa Monica Resort & Spa in St. Augustine, JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District, and The Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville. Kessler's staff will join Highgate's Kessler Hospitality division. This alliance aims to combine creativity with operational expertise, enhancing profitability and setting new standards in the luxury hospitality industry.

🛳️ On the Beach (OtB), a leading UK beach holiday specialist, has expanded into cruising holidays. Initially offering cruise-only deals from Celebrity Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Royal Caribbean, the company plans to include more cruise lines and full packages soon. Si Morris-Green leads the initiative, leveraging his experience from Planet Cruise and others. Chief Financial Officer Jon Wormald emphasizes meeting customer demand with transparency and value.

✈️ Wizz Air, one of Europe's rapidly expanding low-cost airlines, is enhancing its accounting with Accelya’s FLX ONE Order Accounting. This system supports Wizz Air's retail ambitions, offering real-time transaction precision and visibility. As the airline plans to double its fleet and staff within the next decade, the system will help reduce manual tasks and ensure financial control. According to Michael Berlouis, this aligns with their fast-paced growth strategy, focusing on delivering customer value.

🍴 Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, resides in Brooklyn, NY. He hosts "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast and won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award. Educated at Tufts University, Le Cordon Bleu, and studied in China in 1988-89. Thorn wrote for the New York Sun (2005-2008) and Asia Times (1995-1997). He was IFEC president in 2005 and joined Restaurant Hospitality in 2016. Thorn's expertise spans global cuisines and restaurant trends.