The food and beverage space has done a lot of evolving over the last decade. And after some unprecedented circumstances, it experienced some short but rapid stages of advancement, bringing us new technologies that are now commonplace. As time goes on, and stability is challenged once again with factors such as a cost of living crisis, the industry carries on its steady modernisation, making it fit for the consumers of the future.   But what does this future look like?   In our final episode of the season, we’ll be putting this question to our experts to find out what advances are around the corner for food and beverage businesses. Because as we’ve learned over the last few episodes, F&B brands don’t just sell food, they help build communities and, in extreme cases, provide a lifeline to customers.   In this episode of Beyond Retail, we’ll hear from CEO and Co-Founder of Storekit, Christophe Delacroix, on how the relationships between brand and consumer will continue to grow. We’ll learn about changing customer values to discover what F&B businesses will need to prioritise in the future to keep their patrons happy, and we’ll find out about the role delivery will play in years to come.   We’ll also speak with Director of Strategy and Development at Crown Creative, David Carofano, to discover how physical restaurants will continue to adapt as consumer needs around speed, safety and comfort continue to shift. David also explains how F&B brands are getting creative with the use of their spaces in an effort to combat the challenges arising from smaller locations and rising costs.   And finally, we’ll hear from Global Head of Unified Commerce at Adyen, Brian Dammeir, who walks us through future trends to help us understand the needs businesses must to cater to. Plus, Brian will guide us through the role unified commerce will play and explore the further benefits it’ll have on businesses and consumers alike.   If you want to find out more about technology and behavioural trends, visit Adyen.com/en_GB for more.

The pandemic taught food and beverage brands how to evolve through innovation. Digital took the forefront, and convenience and efficiency became more important than ever when it came to keeping business afloat. Meanwhile, takeaway and delivery options opened up new revenue streams for restaurants and cafes, expanding their consumer base and appealing to a whole new audience.    But as the industry continues to face a pressurized social climate with the current cost-of-living crisis, and recession predictions looming, brands are pivoting their attention back to the one factor that can make or break their reputation – their customers.    In this episode of Beyond Retail, we hear first-hand what it takes to keep customers happy in the food and beverage space. We explore the habits and trends that are influencing the most recent developments in this ever-evolving landscape. We also discover more about the technology and software helping businesses seamlessly and efficiently manage these changing demands.    We speak with Shane Mansfield, Marketing Director for Just Eat for Business, to hear more about the origins of food delivery technology, and the growing personalization features designed for increased consumer demand.   Diego Masciaga, customer experience expert, author, and former-manager of the three Michelin-starred restaurant, The Waterside Inn, gives us an inside look at how restaurants are balancing identity and uniqueness in their branding and atmosphere to create memorable experiences for their customers. He also shares the changes he’s seen in consumer demographics throughout the history of his career in hospitality.    And lastly Team Lead for Account Management at Adyen, Nicole McQuaid, tells us how consumer behaviours and preferences around food delivery and food ordering are shifting alongside the industry’s adaptations and societal changes.    If you want to find out more about technology and behavioural trends, visit Adyen.com/en_GB/ for more.  

Throughout this season, we’ve explored the value that atmosphere, design, and innovative tech provide when boosting customer experience. But as an industry built on people, F&B is increasingly shifting its focus inward to find new ways to enhance the experience of those who keep the businesses running – staff. In this episode of Beyond Retail, we investigate the ways in which brands are enhancing the everyday tasks of their frontline staff. We hear about the changes being made to improve the service industry, which has traditionally been associated with strenuous schedules, few employee perks, and high turnover rate. We learn about what employers are doing to make the work in this field more attractive in order to retain existing employees, and attract new staff. We speak with Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality to learn about the effects a post-pandemic landscape and growing cost of living crisis are having on employee recruitment and retention rates. We also talk to Christophe Delacroix, co-founder and CEO of Storekit, who teaches us about the technology helping brands through the recruitment process, and easing the strain of service staff. CEO of TiPJAR, Ben Thomas, tells us more about tipping in the industry, explaining the complexity of increased legislation around it and sharing new initiatives aimed at promoting tip transparency between workers and employers. And Hemmo Bosscher, SVP of Platforms and Financial Services at Adyen, gives us a deeper understanding of the platforms built to alleviate pressure on food and beverage businesses by streamlining services, tasks, and functions. If you want to find out more about technology and behavioral trends, visit Adyen.com/en_GB/ for more