Trends we spotted | Week 17
25-4-2025
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’. This edition highlights some fun hospitality initiatives for Kingsday — perfect to visit, enjoy, or use as inspiration for next year! We’ve also included some international examples of creative campaigns and product launches.
- Royal Desserts at live-fire restaurant Nela in Amsterdam.
- Café De Blaffende Vis in Amsterdam will unveil its iconic 2025 King’s Day façade at the stroke of midnight during King’s Night.
- Café De Gaper in Leiden will transform into Snackcafé De Gaper on King’s Day, serving a snack menu fit for royalty.
- Stëlz Hard Seltzer released a limited edition ‘can belt’ especially for King’s Night and King’s Day — it sold out quickly!
- Want to toast with an orange drink? Jägermeister ORANGE has just hit the market.
- In the U.S., BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse teamed up with Mars to launch a new twist on their signature dessert: the SNICKERS® Pizookie.
- Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard introduces a bold take on a classic: Cola Italian Ice.
- Pretzelmaker® in the US is giving away free Pretzel Bites tomorrow (April 26th) in celebration of National Pretzel Day.
- Outback Steakhouse in Australia turns up the heat with their Hot Wing Roo-lette – a spicy challenge for the daring!
Enjoy reading!
Queer Beer launches ‘Tinder for beers’
7-4-2025
Queer Beer, the beer brand celebrating diversity and inclusivity, comes up with a playful campaign: Swipe & Sip – the Tinder for beers! For the first time, instead of the traditional male-dominated beer world deciding what goes in the glass, their fans get to be in charge. Via swipeandsip.nl and in selected pubs, beer lovers can swipe for their favourite flavour. The beer with the most swipes to the right will become their very latest beer: called Lesbier.
1 minute read
Netflix and MGM Grand unveiled new dining experience in Las Vegas | NETFLIX BITES
14-2-2025
NETFLIX BITES Vegas is now open at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, embarking on a savoury one-year culinary residency that invites guests to dig into dishes and drinks that bring the magic of the screen to the table. Promising a flavourful adventure, this unique dining experience offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with each menu item inspired by a hit Netflix show or movie. This one-of-a-kind restaurant combines Netflix’s storytelling with MGM Grand’s renowned hospitality, offering an unforgettable culinary journey crafted to give fans a new way to experience their favorite stories and characters.
Like our prior article about set-jetting, it’s all about storytelling!
3 minutes read
Set-jetting | Stay in movie-star hotels with ALL.com
13-2-2025
From the Oscars and BAFTA Awards to the Venice and Cannes Film Festivals, the silver screen inspires travellers the world over. The ever-growing consumption of films and series is fuelling a boom in cinema tourism, also known as ‘Set-jetting’. This trend, in which travellers take inspiration from hit films when choosing destinations, has had its popularity boosted by popular and award winning films such as Killers of the Flower Moon (Oklahoma), Oppenheimer (New Mexico) and Barbie (Palm Springs). According to Bloomberg, there is a real “White Lotus Effect”: the filming of seasons 2 and 3 in Sicily and Thailand has had a significant impact on bookings in these two destinations (season 3 launches on 17 February).
2 minutes read
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | Crusty Slices, Puffle Bees and HOTBOXXX
4-2-2025
Every day we spot fun, new concepts. This week, we spotlight three new concepts in Germany! Crusty Slices in Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt, is a fun concept that sells croissant dough slices with pizza toppings, sold in pretty boxes. They are growing fast in Germany, and are looking for franchisees. There are also franchise opportunities at Hanover-based HOTBOXXX, where you get your food out of the wall. Unusual though, you can also pull an entire menu out of the vending machines. And, of course, a few Dutch specialities. Puffle Bees is a concept that has been in Berlin since 2021, they too serve hybrids like the croffle (which they thus call the Puffle) and Egg Drops. They will soon open their second branch in Hanover.
We wish all these entrepreneurs and their teams lots of fun and success with their concepts. More information below!
2 minutes read
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | Petit and Bakery Heemelrijck, the SKEWER BAR and Restaurant Paarl
28-1-2025
Every day we spot fun, new concepts. This week: the SKEWER BAR in Rotterdam, where you can enjoy meat, vegetables and tofu skewers. An authentic street food restaurant specialising in dishes from the Changsha region in China. In Amsterdam, restaurant Heemelrijck has opened a new restaurant, Petit Heemelrijck, and bakery Heemelrijck with a new Wentelteefjes (French toast) to go concept. A new concept with a 75-year family history! And in Sassenheim, the South African pop-up restaurant Paarl opened in the third quarter of 2024. They treat you to a shared dining menu with all kinds of South African dishes such as biltong, braai, boboti, samosas and so on.
We wish all these entrepreneurs and their teams lots of fun and success with their concepts. More information below!
2 minutes read
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | Nume, Bardo and De Oude Melkfabriek
7-1-2025
Every day we spot fun, new concepts. This week: Bardo in Apeldoorn, a restaurant with a French, chic but also natural ambiance. Owners Yves Jaartsveld and Monique van Helsdingen aim to keep it very personal and offer their guests a beautiful experience. In Arkel, De Oude Melkfabriek (The Old Milk factory) opened in October 2024, where you can eat out and attend culinary workshops on Persian cuisine, by chef Abbas. And in November, Nume New York Bistro Amsterdam opened in The Manor Hotel. You pronounce it as ‘New Me’!
We wish all these entrepreneurs and their teams lots of fun and success with their concepts. More information below!
Reading time: 2 minutes
Young entrepreneurs & new concepts | CUP N CRUST, restobar Vivid and Haricot
19-12-2024
Every day we spot fun, new concepts. This week: CUP N CRUST, the ‘little sister’ of Panda Pizza in Kralingen, Rotterdam. A specialty coffee bar where they sell CUPS (coffees, lattes, Matcha, Chai, Mocktails) and CRUSTS (Focaccia’s). In Utrecht on the Nobelstraat, restobar Vivid opened its doors this month. A shared dining (or not, of course) concept where they serve Mediterranean dishes in a casual atmosphere with a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays. And in Maastricht, Haricot opened its doors this week. A fine dining restaurant but slightly different, with a focus on fish, crustaceans and shellfish.
We wish all these entrepreneurs and their teams lots of fun and success with their concepts. More information below!
2 minutes read
Trends we spotted | Week 44
5-11-2024
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 new theme park at Universal Orlando Resort opens on May 22, 2025: Universal Epic Universe.
- Sir Paul Smith is designing the Claridge’s Christmas tree 2024. It will be unveiled on November 20th.
- McDonald’s in Budapest introduced the McDonald’s Nyugati Lounge with DJ’s and live music, every Friday and Saturday. We think this idea might work for more locations!
- How about a game of ‘Glow in the dark Padel’? It’s possible at the Sand Dune padel club in Dubai. Inspiration for other padel clubs or for Family Entertainment Centers?
- New in New York City, a great spot for a picture with NYC in the background: The Skylift at the all-new Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center.
- Did you already spot ‘sealed burgers’ or in France ‘Disco Burgers’? We recently spotted the Sunny Pockets with other ingredients than just burgers. It originates from France.
- Selling stamppotten (stew with mashed potatoes and vegetables) in the winter instead of ice cream! Done by DROOMijs in Nijmegen and more Dutch ice cream parlours!
- For those visiting the Horecava, check out the way to experience some of the Netherlands’ leading chefs up close in the exclusive Chef’s Table setting of Taste of Horecava by Gault&Millau.
Enjoy reading!
Trends we spotted | Week 43
29-10-2024
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 White House Dinner will be held at Kasteel de Wittenburg on election day, November 5th! Following the elections in the US with America expert Willem Post and United States correspondent Michiel Vos!
- Chef Dominique Crenn from Atelier Crenn (***) is joining chef Viki Geunes at restaurant Zilte (***) in Belgium for an exquisite four-hands lunch and dinner.
- From greenhouse to theatre hall: three out-of-the-box settings for an inspiring fair at the Midden Nederland Hallen in Barneveld.
- Spotted on the Instagram of the Dutch Travelling Sisters, Bossche Bollen ice cream that went viral this summer. Created by Bakkerij (bakery) & Lunchroom Royal ’s-Hertogenbosch.
- Gastro-Mexican restaurant OAXACA in Amsterdam, celebrates its first anniversary with special dish for Día de Muertos. This dish ‘Enchiladas with Tres Moles’ can be tasted until November 10th!
- Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort celebrates 37th anniversary by inviting guests to share their love story on social media with #DearBucuti.
- A Lover’s Curse dessert and bloody cocktail for a spooky Halloween at MOMO Restaurant, Bar & Lounge in Amsterdam.
- Mövenpick hotels celebrate their ‘Kilo of Kindness campaign’ every year between October 14th and November 15th.
- The Hard Rock International and Lionel Messi celebrate their continued partnership with ‘Captain Messi’ superhero toys, a children’s menu and a retail collection.
- And inspiration through Instagram: a Tiramisu Shop has also opened in Amsterdam. And have you ever heard of a Hotpot Cinema?
Enjoy reading!
