Festival Foods’ Post

The "break-even bottle" concept is another way for bars/restaurants to set themselves apart AND raise awareness towards artisanal/well made booze. I had totally forgotten about it and Christopher Stevens CSW, CSS raised that topic last week (thank you) The concept is easy: on-prem picks a bottle of something special, advertise it as poured by the oz and AT COST on a given day/time. 25 pours or so and the stuff is gone. one's rare chance to taste something special at the best possible deal. - makes it a special reason for guests to show up - might attract new patrons - sends the message that one's booze program has intent - will likely generate revenue as it is unlikely most customers will show up just for the stuff that's at cost - helps raise awareness for a spirit the venue feels special about - rewards the guest who was there anyway with the opportunity to part-take in something cool. In 2010/2011 i had been doing that in NYC as a way to network; had not had the acumen to name it better than The Hooch Project though (the Tasting Table at the time had been kind enough to do a little write up), not "break-even" catchy. Been on my own waiting for fellow enthusiasts to show up for a few of the first tastings but ended up little by little attracting a neat little following. Successful industry leaders such as Bobby Heugel made that stuff popular (Anvil, TX). Haven't seen much action on that front since the 2015/2016 it feels like, but i feel this idea still has legs #spirits #spiritsindustry #spiritsbusiness #packaging #import #usa #bar #restaurant #onpremise

Long post, but hear me out folks: Recently, I was contacted by a local tv station inquiring about a handful of restaurant closures - mostly chains and a few locally owned. I provided some insights to provide full context and assure their viewers that the Lafayette economy - and our retail sector - remains strong. I’d like to ensure the full context of my remarks make it to the public since tv segments are comprised of only short sound bites. 1) For starters, Lafayette has experienced record breaking sales tax collections - reaching $7.7 billion cumulative by NOV 2023, on track to reach or exceed 2022’s record breaking $8.2 billion total. 2) The restaurant sector is especially tough terrain because of tight margins - and it’s even harder at a time when supply costs are high, labor costs are up, and labor supply is also tight! Also, national chains are constantly scanning their portfolios to eliminate underperforming stores, older facilities. 3) Lafayette has a very high number of restaurants per capita and a healthy number of LOCAL restaurants (https://lnkd.in/gbi5Ss-N) - a GOOD thing for the consumer, but it makes competition pretty fierce. 4) The collective impact of restaurants in Lafayette is solid - thousands of jobs and on average 40-cents on the dollar remains here in the local economy. 5) For these reasons LEDA invests in programs like Shop Local campaigns to encourage people to shop and dine at local establishments! 6) But, we are grateful for investments from retailers and restaurants both locally owned and nationally owned chains! We have a robust balance of local and nationally owned chain eateries and we LIKE IT that way! 7) While some outlets like to talk about closures, we keep those in mind and on the radar to make certain it isn’t the start of a trend; however, we also choose to look at the glass half full. Below are some of the eateries that have recently decided to open or expand in Lafayette, LA: Five Mile Eatery 🔺 Parc de Oaks 🔺 Ton’s Downtown 🔺 Parish Biscuit Co. 🔺 Rocket87 🔺 BJ’s Pizza (a welcomed comeback) 🔺 Soul Haus 🔺 Gather 🔺 Scooter’s Coffee 🔺 Southern Classic Kitchen 🔺 Chimes 🔺 Superior Grill 🔺 Super Chix 🔺 Small Sliders 🔺 Lucia Bakehouse 🔺The Toasted Yolk 🔺 Let’s keep the momentum going Lafayette! 💪 😋 🍽️ 🎉 #ShopLocal Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) Lafayette Travel

This could apply to any region of the country, as the cost to run a business, especially in this sector, is so high. Then coupled with the fact of having to attract new employees and holding on to employees already trained at an older restaurant.

Title: A Disappointing Experience at FoodieLand Festival Over the weekend, I attended FoodieLand, expecting a vibrant multicultural food and entertainment experience. Unfortunately, the event fell short of expectations, leaving much to be desired. Held at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, the organizers failed to utilize the entire space, blocking access to real bathrooms and confining the event to a disappointingly small area.  Despite promises of over 185+ vendors offering a variety of amazing foods, games, and family entertainment, the reality was quite different. The advertised influencers and TikTokers hyped behind-the-scenes glimpses and enticing food displays, but the actual experience was far from what was promised. Parking turned out to be more expensive than initially advertised, priced at $20 instead of the advertised $12. The online ticketing system with time slots proved ineffective, as attendees were crammed together regardless of their designated entry times. Waiting times of around 20 minutes just to get in, coupled with a security check, set the tone for a frustrating experience.  Once inside, the disappointment continued. Long queues, averaging 45 minutes for each food vendor, greeted us. Prices were steep, with every food item costing $25 and up. Despite the promise of diverse cuisine, the selection was limited, focusing heavily on Asian-themed offerings. The absence of staple items like tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, and Philly steak left attendees longing for a more varied culinary experience. The only silver lining was the acquisition of a unique cup after a 30-minute wait to purchase and an additional 30-minute wait for its creation. However, this lone positive aspect couldn't salvage the overall dissatisfaction with the festival. The absence of local Arizona food trucks, a lack of seating, and minimal use of State Fair resources contributed to the festival's failure. It seemed more like a gathering of snack vendors than a true celebration of diverse and local cuisines. Despite the claims of influencers, FoodieLand fell short of capturing the essence of Phoenix, with the renowned First Fridays event proving to be a superior alternative. In conclusion, FoodieLand failed to live up to its promises and was not worth the hefty parking and entrance fees. The lack of variety, extended wait times, and absence of Arizona's culinary delights make it an event to be avoided in the future. #foodieland #foodandbeverage #reviews #phx #statefair

The stock price of our client Wingstop Restaurants Inc. has increased by nearly 80% in 2023, with an impressive additional surge of 24% since January 1, 2024. This #performance is quite exceptional in the restaurant sector and can be explained by Wingstop's very particular model, which not only has the ability to appeal to a very broad customer base but also manages to leverage on the brand's high level of #desirability to maintain a #premium positioning. At WhiteSpace Partners Ltd., we are particularly proud to work with #Wingstop to define and implement their development strategy in Europe. #restaurants #strategicconsulting #internationalexpansion #internationalfranchising #fastcasual #QSR #foodservice

#RestaurantNews Update on Chuy's Restaurants 🚨 Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHUY) is set for an impactful January with two key #investor conferences. On Jan 8, 2024, the Company joins the 26th Annual ICR Conference in Orlando, FL, featuring a fireside chat at 1:30 PM ET, accessible via live webcast. Subsequently, from January 22–23, 2024, the Company participates in the Jefferies 13th Annual Winter Consumer Summit in Beaver Creek, CO, engaging with institutional investors. Stay tuned for more updates. #InvestorConferences #BreakingNews #Retail #Restaurant #RetailStat #FinancialAnalysis

Oktoberfest season is still poppin’! We are grateful for your orders. - #EventPlanning - #CateringExcellence - #FoodAndBeverage - #CorporateEvents - #HospitalityIndustry - #EventManagement - #CulinaryExperience - #BeverageSolutions - #EventCatering - #FoodServiceInnovation

🥗Weis Markets introduces tech-savvy Picadeli salad bars to eight of the Northeast supermarket chain’s locations. Weis Markets is adding the Picadeli stations as it refocuses on self-service in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers can embrace the future of self-service dining with customizable options and AI-driven freshness. #WeisMarkets #Picadeli #SaladBar #TechInnovation

Curious about expanding your restaurant brand into the retail market? Don't miss our free training session this Friday, May 17th, where we'll explore how restaurants can leverage retail CPG strategies for business growth. Register today and learn from an industry expert! Register now: https://lnkd.in/eCA9SeF6 #MenuToMarket #CPG #restaurants #growthstrategies #groceryindustry #grocerystores #grocery #cpgbrands #foodindustry #restaurantgrowth

Another pure-play DTC brand goes multichannel. Is this a good thing? Absolutely. If you have a good product you should make it easy for your customers to buy. For most food and drink brands, this means being available in supermarkets, where 95% of food purchases are made. Does this mean DTC is dead? No way. 1) Without DTC, brands like Beer52 and Graze would not have been able to build their brands and refine their offer to the point where they have the credibility and relevance to get a supermarket listing. 2) DTC is still a great way to obtain bulkier, high-consumption everyday products like coffee, collagen, and toilet paper (to name a few). Multichannel is the way to go, but it does not come without groundwork. #multichannel #dtcstrategy #brandbuilding