Smart safe
25-1-2016
G4S introduced a new cash deposit service for entrepreneurs, CAS. A smart safe in which the sales from the cash register can be deposited. The deposit service counts automatically every banknote, checks its authenticity and puts the money into your bank account. When CAS is almost full, an automatic signal will be send to G4S who will pick up the content.
“It was about time for a modern alternative for depositing money into your bank account.” says Bas Rodenberg, commercial director G4S Cash Solutions. “If it’s up to us, CAS becomes the cash version of the pin device. An inseparable duo in every shop.” Entrepreneurs are able to manage the sales safely and efficiently with CAS, apart from the level of sales. “Cash payments stay” says Rodenberg. “Recent research shows that Dutch people still pay half of their payments in cash. The big amount of cash that is received daily by entrepreneurs in the hospitality and retail industry demands a system to have your sales relocated to the bank in a safe and secure manner.”
Smart safe fits in a future-oriented business
Rodenberg explains why CAS is launched at the Horecava: “G4S sees collaboration with their costumers and chain partners as the key to a safer world. That’s why industry associations helped visualizing the needs of entrepreneurs with cash money in their enterprise, because they know exactly what they’re dealing with.” So, no more walks to a bank at different times of the day with shopping bags filled with money!
Cold Brew Parlor in lobby Wyndham Grand
21-1-2016
The Wyndham Grand brings a new buzz to the traditional coffeehouse experience with the launch of Brew Parlor. A fresh take during afternoon happy hour where people can meet, recharge, or simply take a breather over cold-brewed coffee-based drinks and cocktails.
As from the beginning of 14 January, coffee lovers will be able to experience cold-brewed pick-me-ups and hand-crafted caffeinated cocktails from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. every Monday through Friday at Wyndham Grand’s Brew Parlor pilot hotels in Chicago (U.S.), Doha (Qatar), Shenzhen (China) and Istanbul (Turkey). According to a study by Euromonitor International bottles filled with cold brew coffee are growing in sales worldwide, faster than any other bottled non-alcoholic beverage.
Cold Brew Parlor
Although it takes a while to brew cold coffee, the installation is a beautiful artisanal installation in your lobby! In the Netherlands we do have the company Batavia Dutch Coffee of Jits Krol and Robert Nijhof. They are penetrating the hospitality industry with the cold brewing method from the Dutch East India Company era. They bottle their cold brew…
Wouldn’t it be a great idea to have an installation at the hotel lobbies of the big hotel chains in Amsterdam and Rotterdam? As part of their coffee corners, like the hotels of the Wyndham Grand chain are doing.
But even museums, like our ‘Scheepvaartmuseum’ with topics regarding the Dutch East India Company should serve cold brewed coffee. ^Marjolein van Spronsen
A WineStation in your hotel lobby
18-1-2016
Bram Kosterink has immersed himself in the capabilities of the WineStation. Which is already used in some hotel lobbies where you can take a glass of wine via your room key (card) and the bill will be debited to your account ….
Bram Kosterink about the WineStation
This is one of those blogs that has been inspired by another blog. In response to my blog “Inspired by Tuscany’ I was approached for a drink at the systems of WineStation. The same system that I encountered in Tuscany, but now I was informed about the details for the owners of the system in the hospitality industry. I thought it would be interesting to share this information…..
For those who have not read my blog about Tuscany. With the system that I encountered at that time it’s possible to pour your own glass of wine as guests. By means of a pass which you have to upload with an amount, you can choose three different glasses; a tasting glass, half glass or a full glass. After the glass is filled, the amount is directly taken from the pass. Besides this option, the system keeps the wine in the same condition for at least 60 days.
Hilton and Marriott do use the WineStation in the lobby
Hilton and Marriott are already using this system in their luxurious suites and in the lobby of some of their hotels. The hotel room key, (card), can be used to access the WineStation. When the guest takes a glass of wine from the system, the amount is debited to the guests hotel bill.
Besides that the system can be used as described above, the company Napa Technology created the possibility to monitor the ‘wine’ behaviour of guests in a number of wineries. The passes for the WineStation are personalized to be able to send invoice every period. The wine drinking preferences of all guests are known, what they like to drink and how much they drink…. Allowing the wineries to meet every guest’s needs. The technology allows to actively target the sales. Cool if you can prepare a wine profile for all your regular guests. Moreover you can serve and inform your guest at their interest. I wonder how my wine profile would be, probably quite diverse. ^ Bram Kosterink
TapFruit: a healthy and sustainable thirst-quencher
7-1-2016
TapFruit is pure fruit to use in your tap water, without added sugars or any other nonsense. The founders made TapFruit to make tap water thirst-quencher number one again at the office, on the go or at home.
Fabian Roobeek and Ernst Visscher, the founders of TapFruit experienced a lack of alternative, healthy thirst-quenchers at the office. Tap water and syrups are often too sweet. TapFruit is fresh, fruity and unsweetened. The product is made from pure fruit puree and is not concentrated, has no artificial additives or sugar. It is easily preservable in handy stick packs. One stick contains 5 raspberries and one piece of pear. TapFruits fits a healthy diet, since one stick only contains 14 calories and 2,8 grams of fruit sugars. Fabian and Ernst think to offer an alternative; tap water with a natural twist and a delicious, fresh fruity taste.
Crowdfunding
With just 12 days to go the target amount to start selling TapFruit has been reached, of course the target amount has been adjusted so you can still join on One Planet Crowd. Besides tap water being healthy it also is a lot more sustainable and we’re lucky to have high quality tap water here in Northwest-Europe!
Founders of TapFruit
Fabian Roobeek and Ernst Visscher are the founders of Limo de Janeiro B.V., the company behind TapFruit. As previously mentioned they searched for an alternative, healthy thirst-quencher at the office, with TapFruit as the result after a lot of experimenting and collaborating with top experts. The founders of TapFruit not only try to convince people to live a healthier but also more sustainable lifestyle. The fruit is directly purchased from farmer Marinus Bunt from B&B Fruit in the Betuwe. Like this they can get the best fruit with a small sustainable footprint.
Sichuan bitterballen (small croquettes)
6-1-2016
On Aziatische-ingredienten.nl you can find a delicious recipe for Sichuan bitterballen. Bitterballen are small and round croquettes, which are a real Dutch treat.
Of course there is an Asian example of our Dutch pride: the Sichuan bitterballen
We received multiple reactions on the article about croquettes in the leading role, in which we also included the Italian bitterballen (Arancini). Amongst others Robin Kok send us her recipe for Asian bitterballen. The recipe, unfortunately only available in Dutch, sounds delicious!
For her Sichuan bitterballen Robin used ‘Sichuan style red boiled beef’ that includes ingredients like ginger, chilli bean sauce, rice wine and Chinese dark soy sauce. She makes a dummy proof roux with gelatin. Because of the gelatin the small croquettes are much easier to mold once the roux is cold and therefore need less flour. For the crust she uses panko! On Aziatische-ingredienten.nl Robin shares more recipes. I read some blog posts which are mouth-watering like dried tangerine peel, Youtiao (fried bread sticks) and Salak (snake fruit). ^Marjolein
Small gestures in hospitality for Valentine’s Day
5-1-2016
Valentine’s Day is originally an American holiday. But hey let’s celebrate it in the Netherlands as well because it’s a very convenient date for a small party!
The hospitality industry is very good at coming up with nice big and small gestures for Valentine’s Day. We have searched the internet and collected a lot of examples. About some we have already written before but it’s all collected in this edition of ‘Small gestures in hospitality for Valentine’s Day’. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our Pinterest board for Valentine’s Day!
Honey Spoon
29-12-2015
The Honey Spoon is a small cup within a spoon, filled with 100% flower honey. An unique way to serve honey without any mess. Convenient, hygienic and unique.
Honey Spoon
Within the out-of-home shops and thus also in the hospitality, alternatives for sugar are increasing in popularity. Honey in the tea is getting more popular. In order to keep it simple and clean and don’t mess with a cup of honey they created a new invention, the Honey Spoon. A small plastic spoon, filled with flower honey. The only thing you have to do is, just like with a normal cup of honey, remove the plastic top. Then you just put your spoon in the tea, stir well and you have got a nice cup of tea with honey, without the mess.
Availability
The Honey Spoon is available in a luxurious dispenser with 125 spoons or in a silo with 20 spoons. It is possible to order a sample via this link. The Honey Spoon is available in The Netherlands at several wholesalers like, Sligro, Deli XL and VHC.
Wrong Christmas Sweater party
23-12-2015
On the Korte Heuvel in the Dutch town Tilburg, they celebrated the last Friday Afternoon Party before Christmas with a ‘Wrong Christmas Sweater’ theme.
Wrong Christmas Sweater party
Last year, the largest Friday afternoon party from Tilburg has been a huge success as well and they had the same theme; Foute Kersttrui (Wrong Christmas Sweater). Hundreds of people gathered at the party area of the Korte Heuvel to kick of the holiday season with colleagues and friends. Santa and his Christmas wives were present and there were torches everywhere. One could eat our famous Dutch pea soup (snert) and there was plenty of glühwein (mulled wine) and beer. This year the ‘Wrong Christmas Sweater’ party was held on Friday 18th December as from 17:00 everyone was welcome. With a wrong Christmas sweater you received free mulled wine at Polly Maggoo. Initiators are the owners of Polly Maggoo and it is now adopted by a number of cafes in the area.
Inspiration
Come up with a nice theme and prolong the festivities surrounding Christmas. Since 18 December, the Christmas Season started and there is no one available for work-related Christmas parties so this initiative in Tilburg is a lovely way to throw a party and to generate additional revenue. Win / win for participants and entrepreneurs. Just as the ‘Kerstmiddag’ (Christmas Afternoon) on 24 December in Hengelo.
SnowPage symbolises the festive spirit at the Peninsula Hotels
21-12-2015
The Peninsula Hotels are ready for the Christmas season. The SnowPage, their mascot and limited edition cuddly toy is for sale for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®.
SnowPage, the ultimate holiday ambassador
SnowPage is dressed to impress for the holiday fundraising campaign by the Peninsula Hotels. The SnowPage is fashionably restyled by the luxury toy art collective Papinee. They created a limited edition of just 300 toys for each hotel, and all profits will be donated to the Make- A-Wish Foundation®. If guests buy one of the SnowPages they will have a chance on winning an ultimate Peninsula experience with the “Golden Tickets”, offering prizes for all the family. The Golden Tickets are hidden inside some SnowPage boxes.
Papinee created the SnowPages
Papinee has hand-crafted 10 limited edition SnowPage toys, with the lovable snowman dressed in exquisitely embroidered costumes inspired by the arts, culture and architecture of each Peninsula destination. Hallmarked by Papinee’s detailed craftsmanship and vibrant design style, the exclusive SnowPage toys are designed with care using the finest luxury fabrics.
The Peninsula Hong Kong SnowPage will be dressed in a dark navy jacket, embroidered with vintage neon motifs, The Peninsula Beijing SnowPage will wear a signature Page cap with his red patterned coat with a traditional Chinese dragon design. A New York SnowPage is stylish in red, white and blue with hints of New York’s Art Deco movement, while the Tokyo SnowPage will be dressed in a classic cherry blossoms-embellished kimono.
#RFWinterTale storytelling around the Christmas Season
18-12-2015
The winter tales about Rudy the elk’s journey celebrating Europe’s Festive experiences. His journey is made even more special by the Rocco Forte hotels. Creating storytelling with the #RFWinterTale.
At the website of the Rocco Forte Hotel chain, you can find different stories about Rudy the elk, who is experiencing different elements of all the cities where the Rocco Forte chain has a residential hotel. In short all the stories are about Rudolph, the elk’s adventures while he travels through Europe. Every winter, he suffered the humiliation of being mistaken for a reindeer. So Rudy packed his bags for a grand tour through Europe, in order to educate the world about the mighty elk, which is definitely not the same as the reindeer. Even though his parents called him Rudolph….
Create your own story aroundRudolph, #RFWinterTale
As we write Rudy has already visited the Rocco Forte Astoria hotel in St. Petersburg, the hotel Savoy in Florence, the Villa Kenedy in Frankfurt and hotel Amigo in Brussels. Nice short bedtime stories to tell your kids, especially if they love to travel! At the website of the Rocco Forte chain you can create your own Winter’s Tale about Rudy. After sharing your tale at your social media channels, you can enter to win a 6-night stay at three of their luxurious properties, for two nights each.
About the Rocco Forte Hotel Chain
Established by Sir Rocco Forte and sister, Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a family of 10 individual hotels and resorts in Europe. Located in Edinburgh, London, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Florence, Rome, Sicily and St. Peterburg. Each hotel is a landmark and they’re all individual hotels with exclusive design and distinctive dining and service. The hotels are member of The Leading Hotels of the World.