Gourmet Business April 2017

I just returned from the Nightclub and Bar Show in Las Vegas where our recently acquired publication Santé Magazine (www.iSantemagazine.com) co-sponsored the F&B Innovation Center. No, no...trust me it’s not what you think. We are not just talking about the local watering hole where you can have any beer on tap as long as it’s a Bud, and graze on peanuts and popcorn while enjoying the broadcast sporting event du jour. The identity of a bar is changing, especially in the large urban centers where one will nd a large concentration of Millennials these days. The new breed of bar has an imaginative cocktail menu created by the resident mixologist, and will most certainly feature a number of whiskeys. They are places that Millennials congregate after work or on the weekends to socialize with friends and enjoy a drink in a casual, but tastefully designed décor. Just as the patrons of such bars expect to be impressed by the craft made syrups and infusions in their cocktails, they also get hungry, and demand similar care be taken in the food being o ered. The purpose of the F&B Innovation Center was to inspire bars to elevate their food offerings, while utilizing the minimal amount of equipment. For many bars that have been open for decades, this is a transformation that needs to take place if they are going to stay relevant to the Millennial patron, which constitutes their target market. 

In this issue we turn our attention to the tabletop market, which is another business that is trying to transform itself to adjust to changing buying habits and preferences of the same generation. If your attending the tabletop market at the 41 Madison Showrooms this month you should take particular note of the companies that are not just trying to make small adjustments to their existing product ranges to appeal to the Millennial shopper, but have purposely designed products that speak to them. Our team was very impressed, for example, with the products presented at the Villeroy and Boch stand at Ambiente. This company that is synonymous with upstairs tabletop have created a range of casual dinnerware and accessories well suited to informal dinner gatherings that are well thought out, and filled with creative design touches that are sure to delight the customer. Another company that is thinking smart is Sagaform, which has introduced a clever range of tabletop gifts that come pre-packaged in an attractive gift box with a greeting card and wrapping paper. C’est tout! For the generation that tends to buy prepared foods for their dinner parties rather than taking the time to cook from scratch, you have the perfect bait for catching the Millennial gift giver – hook, line and wrapping paper. 

They say the products that are selling best in our business at any given time are going to a re ection on how consumers are seeking to recreate experiences at home. And for those of you selling products for home entertaining, understanding how consumers are entertaining today will provide you with the best insight to choose the products that will sell best in the current environment. 

David Spencer 

Publisher, Gourmet Business 

dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com