The croissant craze | This is what 2024 brought us
16-12-2024
We discussed which products show up the most on social media, in all kind of shapes, flavours and colours, this year. The first product that popped up is the croissant. We think the croissant hype began with the Cronut by Dominique Ansel, back in 2013. Since this croissant-donut combination, we have seen endless variations. Last January we wrote an article with the question what 2024 was going to bring us? Well the year 2023 ended with a broissant and 2024 started with a brioche croissant loaf, which is kind of the same! We spotted the broissant in a pop-up in the Landmark hotel in December and the brioche croissant loaf in Amsterdam early January. Later this year we spotted, croissant cereals, potato croissants, the Onioissant, BallSsants, the Croicheese, the Cröner, a Cherry Crioche, Croissant Cones. And it ended with tasting the elongated croissant by François Perret at the Ritz Paris Le Comptoir.
2 minutes read
Trends we spotted | Week 50
13-12-2024
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- We think the Ritz Carlton Berlin has one of the most beautiful Christmas trees in their lobby, ‘Der Giving Tree’! An initiative to make wishes come true for children who are hospitalized. They give their guests and passers-by the change to participate in the season of giving.
- Heineken Hoek Steakhouse has recently opened in the hotel ‘The Diamond’ in Amsterdam.
- Le Pain Quotidien opened its first franchise in Maastricht and is looking for expansion to other Dutch cities through franchise.
- Great examples of how international ‘Christmas trends’ are used – in their own way – in the Netherlands. A gondola and a ‘Christmas lighting party’ or as they call it a ‘magical winter evening’ at ‘t Noorden in Aalten. And you can dine in a transparent igloo at restaurant Saus in Bergen op Zoom.
- 1 Hotels announced a new hotel in 2025: 1Hotel Tokyo.
- A ‘Reindeer Games Pop-Up Bar’ at Holston House Nashville.
- Panera turns the holidays upside down with their new: limited edition Holiday Soup Cup Collection. Some ‘soup’- inspiration!
- The ugly Christmas sweater ‘trend’ continues to inspire, this time we got a press release from soccer club PSV and came across a press release from KFC about their Christmas sweater.
Enjoy reading!
Silent Night 2024 | Mandarin Oriental celebrates ten years of ‘the Art of Stillness’
3-12-2024
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group recently announced their 10th annual Silent Night, which will be hosted on December 8th, 2024. They will celebrate ‘the Art of Stillness’, the global tradition invites guests to immerse themselves in a night of mindfulness and disconnection and dedicate a break from the busy holiday season. In commemoration of this milestone year, The spas at Mandarin Oriental have elevated annual activations to include the Silent Retreat, an immersive, sensory journey designed to foster self-discovery and peace.
We love their Silent Night initiatives, we wrote about them last year in our ‘Trends we spotted, week 47’. More time for stillness and reflection is very now! Last week we wrote about the Zencember© initiative of Bagels & Beans.
2 minutes read
Trends we spotted | Week 48
2-12-2024
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- Wheat flour brand NACARINA from Costa Rica created a cake replica to celebrate the historic reopening of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. The official reopening is on December 8th this year.
- UNESCO and Relais & Châteaux announce a partnership for sustainable development in harmony with all life on earth.
- CollaBEARation Build-A-Bear & KFC®: Bears in KFC outfits!
- Zara opened Zacaffé in Madrid, Zara by Castro coffee shop and a coffee shop concept store in Athens.
- Clone, the European foodtech startup from Paris that has raised €105 million in funding, is officially launching in the Netherlands.
- Collaboration of restaurant Parkheuvel (**) with Parkcafé Parqiet.
- SOUS celebrates 2-year anniversary and kicks off Christmas.
- ‘Wie zoet is krijgt lekkers! (Those who are sweet get treats) – This year MR PORTER Steakhouse, Bar & Lounge, IZAKAYA Asian Kitchen & Bar, THE DUCHESS and MOMO Restaurant, Bar & Lounge are offering a unique interpretation of a Sinterklaas classic on Thursday December 5: the chocolate letter.
- And from Instagram: the Louis Vuitton dog collection. Would fit nicely in luxury hotels that allow dogs!
Enjoy reading!
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | Don Utrecht, Daruma Crêpe and BunBun Amsterdam
28-11-2024
We spot fun, new concepts every day. This week: Don Utrecht, where you can enjoy coffee made with Neapolitan Kimbo beans and tasty Italian panninis, luxury sandwiches, salads and pastas. Daruma Crêpe where they make the Instagrammable ‘Crème Brûlée Crêpe’ and more; they have opened a shop in the Nishimarket in Rotterdam and have pop-ups in Amsterdam and Leiden. BunBun sells croissant buns in the centre of Amsterdam. They make 7 Bun flavours, 3 savoury and 4 sweet, every day.
We wish all these entrepreneurs and their teams lots of fun and good luck with their new restaurant, pop-ups and bakery, more details below!
Reading time: 2 minutes
Trends we spotted | Week 47
26-11-2024
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- Spotted on Instagram: A Snowglobe Christmas Cocktail! A G&T with edible white glitter and edible crocs and frozen Rudolph cream on hot chocolate!
- Holiday season inspiration from Australia, Outback Steakhouse launched Steakmas, with a ‘Koala on the Walla’.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill recently announced it is bringing back three of its best-selling merchandise in their ‘All I want is Chipotle’
- Restaurant Spetters in Breskens has been named ‘Restaurant of the Year’ by restaurant association JRE-Nederland.
- KULT Kefir is an innovative Belgian brand which sells an organic, healthy drink based on water kefir. You can order it at different restaurants and bars and it’s now also available in supermarkets in the Netherlands.
- Youtuber Kaj Gorgels and culinary influencer Colin Knopper are opening burger restaurant Drippy’s in Rotterdam in cooperation with the CEO of the restaurant chain ‘De Beren’.
- McDonald’s will launch their McValue platform in US Restaurants next year!
Enjoy reading!
Bagels & Beans celebrates Zencember© | All you need is less
26-11-2024
Need to relax and recharge between the festive rush? You can do so at Bagels & Beans throughout December. During Zencember©, you can drop by their locations for a zen moment. They will also help guests with personalised Christmas cards and the most beautiful wrapped gifts. And they also serve stress-relieving drinks and bagels, musical assistance and hand yoga!
2 minutes read
Christmas inspiration | Like an arty Christmas tree, decorations, delicacies and music at luxury hotels
25-11-2024
We love the fact that some hotels invite friends and/or designers to decorate their Christmas tree. We’re always looking forward to the arty Christmas tree of the Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair, this year decorated by designer Sir Paul Smith. The arty Christmas tree just outside the Connaught hotel has been decorated by influential British artist Conrad Shawcross RA. But we also always love the decorations at the Plaza hotel in New York, the Bûches de Noël in France and more. A list of luxury and fancy Christmas trees, decorations and traditional delicacies by luxury hotels. Who knows some of it might inspire you!
5 minutes read, scrolling goes much faster but you’ll miss the best details!
Trends we spotted | Week 46
18-11-2024
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- A cool way to serve a ‘girl dinner’ for 2! Done at Restaurant Villa Orange in Amsterdam.
- NH Collection celebrates its 10th anniversary across Europe with an Anniversary Spritz, as cocktail and mocktail.
- Papa Johns Pizza and Aviation American Gin are spicing up the cocktail scene with the ‘Cini Tini’.
- The Ron Gastro Bowls are back at Poké Perfect! This winter Ron Blaauw created the Beef Rendang bowl and a Tempura Shrimp bowl.
- Dave’s Hot Chicken chain is giving away hundreds of free sandos in East London on November 20th.
- A great NYC tradition: the adult happy meal. Now also available at the Conversatorium Hotel in Amsterdam.
- Waddle into wonder, the Penguin Parade Sculpture Trail in Fleet Street Quarter is now open!
- IKEA has opened its first Swedish restaurant on a UK high street.
- Cahoots Postal Office has officially landed in Borough Yards, London. Through a life-size postbox you step into a 1940s-inspired cocktail den.
- An snow or ice maze in Poland: Snowlandia in Zakopane!
Enjoy reading!
Dive into Christmas | At the HUMBUG immersive Christmas Dive Bar
15-11-2024
Dive into Christmas, to cheer up Santa! This November, London’s magical immersive Christmas dive bar, HUMBUG, is back in town and, this time it promises to be even bigger, even better and even more raucous than before. Shaking things up for the festive season, the team at HUMBUG will be firing up the snow machines and sprinkling a little mischief into the magic at the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane from November 14th – December 31st, after a fully sold-out season last year.
Reading time: 2 minutes
Elongated croissants at Le Comptoir at the Ritz Paris
A simple butter croissant at Café de Flore Paris
Le Comptoir at the Ritz Paris
