Collaboration, connection and community are the key components for an optimistic and forward-thinking future in foodservice and hospitality.

Alex Demetriou, CEO of Foodbuy UK&I, said innovation is also important, and the need to attract talent to the sector was “non-negotiable.”

Alex, alongside Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, and Karl Atkins, CEO of Foodbuy Group, recently headlined the recent Arena Savoy Lecture, a prestigious event which has brought senior sector leaders together for more than 30 years to share industry insights and share constructive discussions.

He said:

“The way we will all get through the challenges we have is collaborating, getting closer and supporting each other as an industry.

“The ‘we’re all in it together’ philosophy has never been more on-point. It’s a whole supply chain approach, and the strength of relationships is everything – more important than ever before.

“All of the challenges that we all face are somewhat easier when we come together and collaborate.”

He added:

“I believe passionately that the foodservice and hospitality sector is a great place to grow talent, and the UK will be a much poorer place if we do not get younger people to work and engage in our industry.

“Attracting talent is non-negotiable. There’s a reason why we all work the hours that we work. It’s challenging, but we still do it because we love it.”

He said the responsibility for attracting talent lies not just with industry bosses but with individuals who can influence and motivate others through their own actions and performance.

He explained:

“I refer to it as the ‘Messi’ and the ‘Ronaldo’ effect; people used to want to work for companies, but they’re now going to work for individuals, because they are seeing brilliant leaders.”

Increases in the price of utilities, charges from suppliers, employers NI contributions and the minimum wage, have all affected the hospitality sector, which is still crying out for a reduced rate of VAT to help businesses balance the books.

But Alex also spoke about the “experience economy”, highlighting the event space as a sector that will keep on winning.

“People want that one-off experience; they want the photo. They want to say that they did that for their children, because three takeaways a month won’t be remembered, but that photo at the Taylor Swift concert will be.”

He said food halls, juice bars, dessert cafes and experiential spaces, like Flight Club, are all driving growth and optimism, and that there is investment and positivity when it comes to spaces.

“Some people are continuing to invest; we’ve just got to align with those winners.”

Another reason to be optimistic, he said, is that:

“Convenience is king, whether it’s in technology or creating a frictionless working environment.

“People are often saying they don’t have disposable income, yet they find it for convenience, so the opportunity for Foodbuy is to make the world convenient and to make it easy for us to work with.”

Alex warned:

“We fall into the trap of becoming comfortable in two areas as human beings; habit and copying.  Habit, doing what we’ve always done, because its comfortable. Copying, just doing what somebody else is doing.

“But what that doesn’t actually give you is the opportunity to innovate.”

Alex concluded:

“We are a customer-centric business, and I want to solve problems for our members.

“Ultimately, for all the challenges, I choose to work in this industry, surrounded by brilliant people, because I’ve not had more fun doing anything else.”