Blog
Stay up-to-date on the latest improvements we’ve made to Spoonfed, and read our take on catering news and trends from around the world. Some food for thought...
Co-Working Communities are Hungry
We can have a think about why the word *‘community’* is often used in the context of coworking spaces, we can consider the ideology behind these spaces and we can look at the future flexibility for the workforce - but if someone doesn’t order lunch what’s the point anymore??
Who had the last laugh in 2020?
There’s not been much to smile about recently - even those whose businesses have been on the ‘winning side’ during the pandemic have done so in a climate of anxiety and uncertainty. What about the Hospitality sector? After the struggles of recent months do you think we will go back to our tried and trusted ways?
Tis the Season to be Vegan
For the caterer (especially in days of online ordering, but also looking ahead to things returning to face to face gatherings) making sure that your clientele know you take their vegan needs - temporary or otherwise - seriously is vital. The demand for vegan menu options means some caterers will be overlooked if they don’t step up properly.
2021 Vision?
2020 Vision or just 2020 Hindsight! What about 2021 Vision? What's your view of the months to come? Can you see something in your mind’s eye you want to bring to fruition. Do you have a view of what you believe can be achieved and have the imagination to set about working towards that goal. January is always a good time to take stock and to see how things can be improved
Bah Humbug?
This year, it wouldn’t be a surprise if many in the Hospitality sector said, ‘Bah Humbug’ to any who might begin to talk about green shoots or even profitability. Are they right?
Style and Substance
Spoonfed are delighted to add Freedom Pay to their range of payment gateway partners which customers can integrate with. Such a significant piece in the catering jigsaw.
What do you put up with? And Why?
Many businesses are time poor because what began as ‘put up with it just now’ became a ‘that’s just how we do it’, solidified into an accepted ‘process’.
Our Black Friday 'Foodie' Five
For this year’s Black Friday frenzy Spoonfed have saved you the trouble of scouring the web pages to get the best deals. Here are our top 5! Things you didn’t know you needed and items you could easily live without - we’ve found them!
Adding to the Team - Getting the Basics Right
Spoonfed are adding to their team - again! What’s behind this move in the middle of these difficult times for the Hospitality sector?
Be a Hospitality Hero
Many businesses are going to find themselves in a quandary this year? There’s no opportunity for their usual end of year party and all the treats that go with that. Boo!!However, a creative caterer
Solidarity. Empathy. Patience.
So many in the hospitality sector have needed a helping hand this year - they couldn’t stand up without depending on others in a whole host of different ways. Everyone will have their own story about contracts being re-worked, suppliers being understanding, customers being prepared to adapt. ‘Self sufficiency’ was not part of this story - solidarity, empathy and patience were the foundations for pushing through the challenges.
5 Alive and Kicking
Let's think about the current lay of the land. Here are the 5 things forward thinking Food Providers are finding as they seek to keep their operations alive and kicking.
Team Building
Don't look back in Anger - we could go over all the issues, hassles, false starts and misery of 2020 but we need to lift our heads and see what's possible. Spoonfed has strengthened its team in order to do just that. We are delighted to welcome John to the team.
No Mr Bond, I expect you to dine
Full marks if you noticed that this blog title was (almost) taken from the 1964 Bond movie, ‘Goldfinger’. I once visited a movie company whose catering manager promotes new menu items to celebrate
Diary of a Post-Furlougher
7.45am Life used to be simpler. Wallet – check. Mobile – check. Keys… ‘Who’s moved my ke.. got them - Bye!’. But not any longer. Now, I’ve got to remember ‘Mask’. That’s a 25% increase (or is it a 33.3%...never sure) in the list of things to get right in order to get my working day up and running. And getting back after being on furlough is hard enough. It’s a shock to the system y’know.
Are you Choosy?
Are you choosy?Maybe it depends on what we mean by ‘Choosy’? Are we talking just being sophisticatedly selective or are you just downright ‘persnickety’? (Apologies for the language).It’s not your
Daily Bread Delivered with a bit of help from Spoonfed!
Adapting post Covid-19 with SpoonfedPettigrew Bakeries is a new and truly independent bakery in the beautiful Victoria Park area of Cardiff. Their iconic shop front was known by locals for 83 years as
One way caterers can prepare for the UK's new immigration laws
The UK government has announced that so called “low-skilled” workers will not get visas from 2021 onwards, under post-Brexit immigration plans. Waiting tables and certain hospitality-related jobs will fall short of the ‘points-based’ requirements for skill level, so the industry can expect staff shortages
Shortlisted for a PEA and recent wins
We got some exciting news recently from The Caterer that Spoonfed has been shortlisted for a Product Excellence Award (PEA) in the technology category. The PEAs recognise excellence and innovation in food, drink and equipment products within the hospitality sector
Delivery rescues the dining sector
Recent UK dining industry data collected by Cardlytics has shown that spend on delivery rose by 19% in 2018, when the overall industry saw just a 3% increase. A close look at the figures reveals just how powerful food delivery can be
The Huge Impact of Data in Catering
A colleague has pointed out a mistake in the article I have had published in Sandwich & Food To Go News this month. In the third paragraph, concerning Brexit, I wrongly predicted that by the time the magazine was printed and sent out, some kind of progress would have been made
Spoonfed customers averaged 27% revenue growth in 2018
On average, caterers using Spoonfed in 2017 and 2018 saw their revenues grow by 27% last year. Another excellent 12 months of helping caterers scale their business and handle more orders with less
Keeping a calm kitchen through the political storm
The UK is split almost down the middle right now when it comes to Brexit. About half of us are watching in stunned silence as the mess continues to spread, while the other half are fed up with the whole thing
How caterers avoid waste by giving customers what they want
Food waste statistics never fail to amaze. Around one in every six meals ordered away from home is thrown away in the UK. The average person in the US generates about four pounds of waste every day.
Spoonfed users growing by 20% per annum
In the first half of 2018 average hospitality revenues for Spoonfed customers were 20% higher than in same period of 2017. Yet more evidence of the powerful impact that Spoonfed’s catering management system can have on corporate catering sales
Allergens and special requests - catering to the individual
Whether it’s as part of the latest dietary fad or the doctor’s orders, the number of people looking to avoid certain ingredients in their work lunch continues to rise rapidly. More than 50 million people in the US suffer from at least one food allergy
Social Enterprises and Spoonfed - the system for sustainable catering growth
Social Enterprises across the world are using Spoonfed software to manage corporate catering services and increase their revenues, helping them give more to good causes while employing people in need
2018 Catering challenges and the best way to meet them
Rising food costs, high business rates and wage increases are among the many threats to caterers in 2018. With economic and industry challenges piling up in 2018, it’s a good time to look at what caterers can do to not only survive, but thrive
Your app needs updating - Could the future be mobile websites?
A recent article on QSR magazine’s website weighed up apps against mobile websites and found in favour of apps. At Spoonfed we have put a lot of thought into the pros and cons of each option
Spoonfed caterers saw a 54% increase in their web order values in 2017
Caterers using Spoonfed to take orders online saw a huge 54% increase in revenues from online ordering in November 2017 compared to the previous year. If you’re still looking for a New Year’s resolution
Hard times ahead in catering
As we near the year’s end, unwelcome predictions about the state of the catering industry in 2018 make this a great time to ask... could your business be more efficient
Allergens - it’s time to get a good reaction from your customers
Allergens are becoming an increasingly important part of catering. Being able to show clearly which menus contain certain ingredients, and to guarantee that they won’t sneak into an order
Top 3 Tips for Independent Restaurants
It’s day one of Restaurant Tech Live, where we are exhibiting Spoonfed and seeing the latest ideas that will be shaping the future of the restaurant industry. Today, our co-founder and MD Willie Biggart spoke at RTL
Wake up to the revenues you’re missing
Britain’s coffee chains and quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are eating into each other’s primary revenue streams, looking to reduce downtime while increasing profits. As the market for meeting room food grows
Spoonfeeder becomes a dad!
A quick update to say that I am a dad! My baby boy was born one month ago and mum, dad and baby Pete are all well. Well, mum and dad are pretty tired, and in our dozy confusion over the last few
Vivatech - Back to the Future
If you follow us on Twitter you might have seen that we recently went to Vivatech, the technology exhibition in Paris. It’s a great event that brings together innovative companies of all sorts
Catering with technology and competing for customers
There are a lot of unknowns right now in the catering industry. Economically and politically it’s hard to predict what the rest of 2017 will have in store, but a recent report from the British Hospitality Association sheds some light on the state of the industry
B2B and Faster Food
Standing in line at McDonalds last week, I was struck by how quickly things have changed in the QSR industry in a short time. McDonalds now offers table service for smartphone orders; large, touchscreen ordering screens; and they accept job applications by Snapchat
Cloud Technology Transforming Businesses
Daniel Newman of Broadsuite Media Group poses the question, “Is it time to stop talking about cloud technology and start talking cloud business?” He went further, “What are the problems that can be solved by the cloud? What’s the bottom-line impact
Spoonfed Double Nominee At This Year's Scottish Business Awards
On Friday we received some superb news; we have been nominated for two awards at the Scottish Business Awards, with this year’s event being hosted by none other than George Clooney!Spoonfed has been
The Rise and Rise of Vegetarian Restaurants
With the announcement that sandwich chain Pret A Manger is to open a pop-up vegetarian only restaurant in Soho next month, it has to be asked what will wash in next on the tide of vegetarian restaurants
Zalmi Duchman Article Shows Catering Tech Takeover
In a recent article for Forbes magazine, food and tech reporter Zalmi Duchman has shown us how in the world of corporate lunches, online ordering is overtaking the more traditional phone order