Turning the Clock Back With the Farm to Table Movement

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There’s no better example than the rise of the farm to table movement to prove that the world is indeed round. As the reality of global warming and climate change hits home, weno longer want to be responsible for food on the table that comes with a big helping of carbon emissions – as in frozen foods shipped across the country or even across the oceans.  People now want organic and sustainably grown produce that is grown in nearby farms, if not in their own backyard. Read More

Restaurant Consulting Firms for Long-Term Sustainability

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Worldwide restaurant owners are looking to intensify their efforts for promotion and marketing in order to stay ahead in the competition. They are looking forward to transform their identity and change their infrastructure as per the fastchanging food industry and its trends. Furthermore, they are focused on enabling innovations to improve their customers’ experience. In practical terms, restaurant owners are redefining their capabilities to introduce new and flexible delivery system, and increasing their efficiencies at ever-lower costs. Most of the restaurant business owners rely on the capabilities of restaurant consultants. Restaurant consultants are the industry experts that help business owners to stay competitive, smart, agile, and responsive all the time, while retaining their customers. Read More

Why are we hearing so much about obesity?

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Headlines scream it, marketers cash in on it, even employers are making a to-do about it. Americans need to lose weight. Robert Ancill, CEO of Food Consultancy The Next Idea, says: “Here’s the skinny: From 1980 to 2004, the rate of obesity doubled in the United States. Over the 2005–2006 period, more than a third of the U.S. population was obese, which translates into more than 72 million Americans struggling with significant weight problems, according to the National Center for Health Statistics”. Read More

Loyalty programs in restaurants: Aprimary customer engagement platform

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With consumer eating out habits changing, competition is yet again expanding across previous borders. One of the primary marketing platforms, restaurants are adopting, is Loyalty programs.

Loyalty programs designed to reward loyal customers with unique and customized benefits and at the same time to maintain a long standing [mutually rewarding] relationship. According to a recent survey held on loyalty program memberships for restaurants, it was revealed that on average each family affiliates to, on average, 18 loyalty programs. Compared to 20 years ago where reward programs were mainly Air Miles, it is evident the importance of loyalty programs and the ever increasing popularity of this strategy. Read More

By Mercedes Chiprut, Partner The Next Idea

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Improve your management style over lunch

Who knows best how well you’re performing as a manager? Your employees, that’s who. But getting them to speak or write freely on the subject can be difficult. Especially if you run a small department, anonymity is crucial to them. So make it pleasurable instead of a chore for your team. Send them out to lunch together annually or twice a year—on the company’s dime—and instruct them to talk about your management skills. Read More

Consumer Evolution for Organic and Natural continues in America

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The benefits of using organic and natural food has been highlighted through published research analysis where the continuous evolution of the consumer market in organic and natural foods in America has been substantiated. It is through these reports that we find that consumers are still in favor of using organic and natural products as compared to the counterparts which are processedusing more conventional and ‘processed’ methods. Consumers have become increasingly disillusioned when choosing conventional products primarily due to their better understanding of additives and preservatives, and although some questions still remains about the authenticity of the organic and natural, people in America are increasingly more inclined towards Organic and naturally produced foods. Read More

The effects of Soda

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Researchers at Rutgers University have found drinking soda which contains high-fructose corn syrup could contribute to the development of diabetes, especially in children.

Scientists tested beverages containing the syrup and found high levels of reactive compounds that previous studies have found have the potential to trigger cell and tissue damage which can cause diabetes. Read More

Mediterranean diet

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What is the next phase in healthy eating?

According to Robert Ancill, President of The Next Idea, Los Angeles based Restaurant Consultancy consumers are taking increasing interest in Mediterranean cuisine.

In 2007, The Journal of the American Medical Association reported, a combination of the Mediterranean diet, moderate exercise and drinking, and no smoking can

lower mortality rates by 65 percent. Read More