Food and beverage trends in the hospitality industry have remained mostly unchanged for many years. However, recent shifts in consumer habits have caused hotels to re-think their food and beverage programs. Many hoteliers are making a big push to accommodate consumers’ growing appetite for healthier, convenient food choices. As a result, some classic hotel F&B systems are either being scaled down or phased out completely. While adjusting to these changing trends may require some initial investment on the part of hotels, overall, they are paving the way for a potential increase in profits.

Minibars

One major casualty of changing F&B trends is the hotel minibar. What once served as a healthy revenue stream for hotels has fallen out of favor with many hotel customers. Millennials are largely responsible for the minibar’s decline in popularity. While this demographic does enjoy convenience, they are also budget conscious and unwilling to pay premium pricing for common items they can find cheaper elsewhere. So how do hotels cater to guests’ desire for convenience and value at the same time? By offering premium convenience items that are more likely to entice guests to open their wallets.

Grab-and-Go

Healthy grab-and-go items is the fastest growing food trend in the hotel industry and has tremendous potential for growth in the coming years. Items like yogurt parfaits, green juices, and gourmet box lunches appeal to guests who are on the go. What’s more, these items sell at a much higher price point than traditional concessions like candy bars or chips. Stocking the right convenience items will encourage guests to spend more money in their hotel that they might otherwise spend elsewhere. Guests often cite food options as one of the most important amenities they consider when choosing to book a hotel.

Unique Dining Experiences

Chain restaurants have long been common fixtures in hotels, however, they too are losing traction with hotel customers. Both business and leisure travelers now prefer dining experiences that feel more “local.” To entice guests to take advantage of an on-site restaurant, hotels will have to commit to creating menus that are built around sustainable, seasonal ingredients wherever possible. Guests want dining experiences that are unique and authentic to the city they’re visiting.

Whether you’re looking to incorporate grab-and-go items in your hotel or need a source for seasonal produce, Source1 Purchasing can connect you to the right strategic suppliers for your food & beverage program. Contact us today for a free supply chain analysis.

One of our special team members, Matrina Johnson, Program Development Manager at Source1 Purchasing, networking with Best Western attendees at the Best Western Food & Beverage Marketplace Showcase. It was an eventful day of education and sharing of best practices at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, in the city of Philadelphia–the city of Brotherly Love!

With the Best Western Food & Beverage Marketplace, members benefit from a dedicated customer service team who provide:

• actual purchasing data that identifies savings of 7%-12%

• analytics and reporting that continually identify savings

• assistance in meeting corporate compliance and coordinating rebate reimbursements

No Cost to Participate. Easy to Enroll.

Visit the Best Western Food & Beverage Marketplace!

Or Call 877.755.7828.

Learn how Dennis Mullins, Purchasing Manager from Wilderness at the Smokies, singlehandedly oversees purchasing of all the resort’s products. Dennis:

• discovered that he could gain even more value from the vendors he was already working with.
• consolidated his purchases for his food and beverage, housekeeping, retail and maintenance departments.
• enjoys having greater control over his inventory and the number of vendors he is using.
• increased his Program Utilization Rate from 28% to 62% (the higher the Utilization Rate, the higher the potential program savings).
• saved $27,000 with national pricing from Source1 Purchasing and earned $7,500 in rebates in six-months.

Learn more.

Corporate conferences and meetings can potentially be significant income streams for hotels. Corporate groups help fill hotel rooms and often take advantage of other hotel amenities. Unlike leisure travelers, groups looking for hotels for corporate events are typically less concerned with where in the city a hotel is located and more interested in what amenities are available inside the hotel that can add to their event’s success. However, marketing to these groups can be challenging. Many hotels have ballrooms and corporate meeting spaces available, so what does it take to stand out from the competition? The first step towards booking more corporate groups is understanding what planners look for in a meeting venue. Learn how to book corporate events at your hotel with these three tips.

LEISURE ACTIVITIES

Corporate guests will generally spend more time in a hotel during their stay than a leisure guest. Hotels seeking to attract corporate conference and meeting clients should always make maintenance of meeting rooms and common areas a top priority. Stained carpet, old linens, and damaged furniture can all be huge deterrents for meeting planners. Any audio & visual equipment available for use must be well-maintained and in good working order at all times. Hotels should stress their commitment to maintenance in any of their marketing materials and make potential clients aware if the location has undergone any recent renovations or upgrades.

INCENTIVES

Apart from preferred room rates, there are many incentives that hotels can use to draw corporate groups. Hotel incentives like discounts on amenities such as in-house spa treatments and room service will encourage guests to continue to spend money within the hotel during their free time. For corporate events spanning several days, it’s not uncommon for meeting planners to schedule off-site activities for at least a select number of their group members. Hotels that partner with local activity providers, like tour guides or golf courses, should offer their assistance in scheduling any outings.

FOOD & BEVERAGE CHOICES

The quality of a hotel’s food and beverage offerings can be a major deciding factor for meeting planners. In order to remain competitive and as consumers expectations continue to rise, many hotels have worked to drastically improve the quality of their catering menus. Whether the corporate client prefers grab-and-go lunch boxes or plated service, hotels should be prepared to offer fresh, high-quality options either way. Larger groups will almost always expect hotels to be able to accommodate any guests who are vegetarian, gluten-free, or have another common dietary restriction.

From food to linens and furniture, Source1 Purchasing can help hotels save money on everything they need to exceed the expectations of their corporate group clients.

Do you know how many departments in a typical hotel use chemical products?

If you want to know, just ask someone from Source1 Purchasing or ask our partners at Diversey!