Zoku Copenhagen | Welcoming it’s guests as the world slowly opens up

26-5-2021

concrete is proud to announce Zoku Copenhagen is opening its doors, the second hotel to open following Amsterdam. The workmeetsplay hotel concept has been created for the global nomad. Zoku is a homeoffice hybrid, also suitable for long stays, with the facilities of a hotel and the social buzz of a thriving neighbourhood. A relaxed place to live, work and socialise with likeminded people while getting wired into the city.

Zoku Amsterdam opened back in 2016 and it was one of the first workmeetsplay hotel concepts we spotted. Last week we spotted an interesting article about the future of the technology in the hospitality world with examples like the more apartment proptech startups Mint House, Kasa Living and WhyHotel. It reminded us of  Zoku Amsterdam, a more compact concept, with now a second hotel in Copenhagen, Zoku Vienna almost ready to open and Zoku Paris under construction.

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Trends we spotted | Week 20

21-5-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu 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’.

To combat food waste IKEA is launching a free ScrapsBook cookbook in the USA and Coffee tech start-up Bellwether Coffee is going to commit to paying Colombian farmer 20% with the help of a new innovative tool.

Asda supermarket in the UK is launching cocktail-flavoured spirits to easily make cocktails at home, something we spotted before with Neon Zebra! And an interesting article about the future of hospitality technology with a lot of interesting insights.

Now that the pubs have reopened in England the brewers cannot handle the high demand for beer, and here in the Netherlands the NENT Group will be launching Viaplay in 2022, with the exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 and Bundesliga.

For the ones interested in technology, Google held their annual conference this week and announced their Project Starline, a new more realistic way to #videochat!  And in London a Chocolate Factory will be opening this year, in this article the link to the waiting list!

The Sutter Home Family Viveyards created sweet wines with fruit flavours like peach and pineapple! Would young people like to drink that in Europe as well? For beerlovers there is now a vacuum cleaner and beer cooler in one; the Brewmboni from Molson Canadian. Perfect for game-night.

The Higher Order Smokers created a way to simply smoke a cocktail or snack, their project at Kickstarter is already backed! And for when you are looking for an easy way to make a cup of coffee: also on Kickstarter, coffee in the form of bags! Just as easy as making yourself a cup of tea.

Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!

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Opening this summer | the biggest London restaurant by the Big Mamma Group, Ave Mario

17-5-2021

The traditional osteria Ave Mario is London’s new place to pizza, cocktails, and good times. This 7,000 square feet of Italian heaven by the Big Mamma Group will open on the 25^th of June by an enthusiastic bunch of 120 Italians.

We first came across the Big Mamma Group in Paris, we even wrote about their enthusiastic use of Instagram Stories in 2017, the guys working at their restaurants we’re really Instagrammable. The Group now has 2 restaurants (soon 3 with Ave Mario) in London, Gloria and Circolo Popolare. In Paris they have 7 restaurants, 1 bar and 1 Food Market. They also have restaurants in Lille (Osteria tradizionale Bellazza), Lyon (Cucina popolare Carmelo) and Madrid (Trattoria & Terrazza Bel Mondo). This is a great restaurant chain to visit if you’re in the neighbourhood!  

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Trends we spotted | Week 19

14-5-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu 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’.

A Singaporean company, Forest & Whale, is experimenting with edible and compostable food packaging and Panda Packaging has come up with a reusable bamboo cup with an integrated loyalty program.

Hilton recently shared a fun video encouraging guests to bring their dog to their Pet Hotels in the UK and Ireland and Pepsi opens the very first Fast Beverage Restaurant in the United States, Pep’s Place.

The State of New York will ban the use of plastic amenities in hotels and motels from 2024, and McDonald’s will work with the office of President Biden to raise awareness around Covid vaccinations among Americans.

Mövenpick Thailand offers a temporary package that allows travelers to go in self quarantine for 14 days in luxury. And sustainable hotel chain Habitas intends to realize at least 10 3D-printed hotels in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Finally, Guinness has recently launched a new stout beer, to all coffee lovers: pay attention!

Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!

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Fruit and Vegetables Week | Launch ‘We’re Smart Academy’ and exclusive 5 Radishes Chefs Club

10-5-2021

Top international chefs will join forces in the We’re Smart Academy, starting on the 10th of May. They share their knowledge about healthy, ecological cuisine in webinars, manuals, cookbooks and Clubhouse sessions with other chefs, food companies and consumers. The academy gets off to a flying start on the first day of the Fruit and Vegetable Week. On the same day, We’re Smart World, the organization behind the week, launches the 5 Radishes Chef Club, an exclusive club for the 79 best vegetable restaurants in the world. 

When we see the enormous press interest in the transition of Daniel Humm from Eleven Madison Park (***) to only cooking vegetarian, it is unavoidable that there will also be a boost in vegetarian and vegan cooking. A very positive vibe towards healthier food! With 2 recipes in this article with the Vegetables of the year – Peppers and Fruit of the year 2021: Watermelon, both from the well-known vegetable chef Frank Fol. 

Reading time: 4 minutes, required time for the recipes are separately stated. 

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Concrete shares the design for restaurant Oh.lala… | A touch of France in hotel W Osaka!

16-4-2021

Inspiration from the Amsterdam based multidisciplinary design studio concrete who signed for the design of restaurant Oh.lala… in the hotel W Osaka! We here at horecatrends like some of the design elements like the lamps, the dots, the wall with the copper pots and pans! And we love the name for the restaurant, it reminded us of restaurant ‘Le Coucou’ in New York, another adorable French language joke!  

Located on the third floor of W Osaka, restaurant Oh.lala… offers an all-day international dining experience for its W guests, in collaboration with the chef of Michelin-star restaurant La Cime. Concrete’s local insight of the Japanese Love for French lifestyle & culture formed the inspiration for this bistro-diner. A French atmosphere combined with Osaka boldness: Oh.lala… 

Reading time: 2 minutes 

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The Cheese Barge will finally dock in Paddington Central this May

13-4-2021

This May, Mathew Carver, founder of Pick & Cheese and The Cheese Bar, will finally launch his new restaurant, The Cheese Barge, a double-decker vessel permanently moored on the Grand Union Canal at Paddington Central. Originally scheduled to open in Spring 2020, the barge has spent the last year self-isolating in Somerset, and is now ready to lead the charge in The Cheese Bar’s mission to champion British cheese. 

We think we need a ‘Cheese Barge’ as well in Amsterdam but then one with the mission to champion Dutch cheeses! We have the cheese and we have the canals, who’s going to do it? 

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Bar à vin Frank’s | An underground bar below brasserie Maison François in London launches this May

12-4-2021

Frank’s, a new subterranean bar à vin from the team behind the critically acclaimed French brasserie Maison François, opens on Monday 17th May. Located in the heart of St James’s, 34 Duke Street,  beneath the recently opened brasserie, the bar will serve a carefully chosen list of unconventional wines by the glass alongside a regularly changing menu designed with drinking in mind.  

We love the concept of a Bar à Vin! Lots of wines by the glass with simple but great food, great concept for a small diner. There are too few of them! We love to see examples like Frank’s or La Cave Septime in the Netherlands as well.  

Reading time: 2 minutes 

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Limited-edition PAC-MAN pizza box featuring augmented reality game by Pizza Hut

8-4-2021

Pizza Hut served up a ‘Newstalgia’ campaign celebrating what fans know and love about the pizza restaurant, but with a contemporary twist. To bring the campaign to life, the brand unveiled a limited-edition PAC-MAN pizza box featuring an augmented reality game and a chance to win a custom PAC-MAN game cabinet back in March. The campaign did put a contemporary twist on celebrating all the things people love and associate with the brand – from Book It!® pins, classic arcade games, red cups and Tiffany-style lamps and of course, iconic Pizza Hut pizzas. 

Although the campaign has already ended we think it might be an inspiration for other restaurants to add some nostalgia to their brand in one way or another. Lots of us loved to play PAC-MAN back in the day but also games like Tetris, Mario Kart and remember SimCity? We have all learned not to play with our food but this might be fun!  

Reading time: 2 minutes 

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Trends we spotted | Week 13

6-4-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu 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 an investment by restaurant chain Chipotle in autonomous delivery by startup NURO. And to help out in tough times, supermarkets rent storefront windows from restaurants. Launched last week in Amsterdam, Reclame voor Horeca (‘Ads for Hospitality’). 

Both NESCAFÉ and the startup, UP TO GOOD, introduced drinks made from upcycled coffee fruit. NESCAFE NATIV and UP TO GOOD cascara. And in London opened Urban Mutts, the first luxury dog hotel! With spa treatments, handcrafted dog beds, reiki etc. 

Ultimate Paleo Protein infuses your cup of coffee with quality protein, healthy fat, and heat-stable probiotics. It reminded us a bit of Bulletproof coffee? And the first Cannabis-infused wine from France has been created in the region of Bordeaux. 

KRISPY KREME® Giving FREE doughnuts to everyone who shows his or her COVID-19 Vaccination Card and has more ideas to encourage people to get the vaccine! And we spotted a startup with the aim to reduce our sodium intake which is increasing our high blood pressure: Green Salt made of Salicornia!    

Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading! 

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