Hotelympia 2016 identifies industry trends

24-Feb-2016 - Last updated on 24-Feb-2016 at 15:57 GMT

ALTAR Furniture's Great Tape tables is part of the Modern Nostalgia trend while Williams' Refrigeration's coldrooms shows how the kitchen is now theatre

The growth of free-from food, de-formalised dining and the kitchen as theatre are some of latest trends in the hospitality sector that will be explored in more detail at Hotelympia 2016.

Ahead of this year's show, which opens at London's Excel on Monday, exhibitors were asked to pinpoint key trends for the year ahead and show how their products and services will help visitors tap into them.

The biannual show, which runs from Monday 29 February to Thursday 3 March will host almost 1,000 exhibitors from the worlds of catering equipment, interiors, food and drink and technology as well as provide a forum for debate for some of the biggest issues.

Fresh Montgomery managing director Toby Wand said: “Hotelympia has a long and illustrious history of giving visitors their first-look at ground-breaking product developments and 2016 is no different. We’re proud to host almost 1,000 innovators under one roof, offering visitors a glimpse of the year ahead, with tangible tools to help their businesses profit from key industry developments.”

Industry trends (and how Hotelympia exhibitors are helping hospitality operators get on board):

The Kitchen as Theatre: With uniqueness and ‘experience’ becoming ever more important to diners, exhibitors are unanimous that open kitchens or ‘pop-up’ modular, mobile units that add ‘theatre’ and break the fourth wall between back and front-of-house, are elements worth exploring. Exhibitors tapping into this trend: Falcon Foodservice (stand 3530) with its new F900 range of products; Cambro Manufacturing (stand 3350) with its Cam 'Go Box' and Williams Refrigeration (Stand 3530) with its coldrooms featuring designer cladding and viewing windows.
Debunking Formalised Dining: With the rise of casual dining paving the way for consumers enjoying food ‘their way’ and on ‘their terms’, the pressure is on for operators to keep up with the fast pace of this more de-formalised style of dining. Smart technology can aid smooth service. Exhibitors tapping into this trend: Wi-Q by Wi-Q Limited (1712) which allows customers to order and pay for their food and drinks via any device; Kepos Systems (1646) which will debut its Spin Pad Handheld POS System at the show.
Modern Nostalgia: Even in the modern era, classic and timeless design, twinned with modern manufacturing techniques and given a contemporary edge, is incredibly important to ensure that a space has that all-important longevity and is able to transcend fads. Exhibitors tapping into this trend: ALTAR Furniture’s (2345) newest line of tables, the ‘Great Tape’ collection are handmade copies of retro compact music cassettes, enlarged in a 1:10 ratio and Burgess Furniture (2309) will showcase its new Inicio Banquet Chair - a contemporary re-design of the classic banquet chair with a choice of six back shapes.
The Growth of Free-From: Figures suggest that the catering industry could be missing out on an estimated £100 million a year by not catering for people with coeliac disease and their friends and family, but it’s not just gluten intolerance; legislation introduced in 2015 requires foodservice operators to identify dishes containing any of the 14 allergens, including, amongst others, lupin, sulphites, milk, eggs and fish. Exhibitors tapping into this trend: Nestlé Cereals (1259) will be unveiling a new range of gluten-free cereals; INKKA (934) will be showcasing the very first Peruvian 100% quinoa pasta and GranoVita will present its free-from, organic, vegetarian and vegan products.

To register for Hotelympia, click here