Food & Drink

From the latest openings to new ingredients, a deep-dive into the landscape of food and drink

Need to Know
22 : 05 : 20

By Abi Buller and Savannah Scott

Mediamatic’s socially-distant dining, On Running steps into fashion with trainers apt for a pandemic, and Chinese consumers opt for local buys.

In today's news:
Mediamatic’s isolation-friendly dinner dates Mediamatic’s isolation-friendly dinner dates
On Running’s performance fashion for holistic living On Running’s performance fashion for holistic living
A fitness app for apocalypse survival A fitness app for apocalypse survival
Stat: Chinese consumers embrace local shopping Stat: Chinese consumers embrace local shopping

Mediamatic’s isolation-friendly dinner dates

‘Serres Séparées’ by Mediamatic, Amsterdam ‘Serres Séparées’ photographed by Willem Velthoven for Mediamatic, Amsterdam
‘Serres Séparées’ photographed by Willem Velthoven for Mediamatic, Amsterdam ‘Serres Séparées’ photographed by Willem Velthoven for Mediamatic, Amsterdam
‘Serres Séparées’ photographed by Willem Velthoven for Mediamatic, Amsterdam ‘Serres Séparées’ photographed by Willem Velthoven for Mediamatic, Amsterdam

Amsterdam – Mediamatic has launched an isolation-friendly dining experience on the waterfront near Amsterdam central station.

Designed to abide by social distancing measures, the concept brings together locally-sourced food and crafted Amsterdam brew. Allowing couples to experience a romantic dining experience in a private and protective cabin, the ‘Serres Séparées’ enables both a safe social setting and an intimate opportunity for connection.

As many hospitality spaces plan for their future of service during and after Covid-19, new initiatives are emerging to enable private socialising in outdoor and public settings.

In order to future-proof guest experiences, restaurateurs and hoteliers are being challenged to redesign communal spaces for optimum health and safety. For more, read our opinion piece on the future of hotel design.

On Running’s performance fashion for holistic living

Cloudnova by On Running, Zurich Cloudnova by On Running, Zurich
Cloudnova by On Running, Zurich Cloudnova by On Running, Zurich

Zurich – On Running has released a fashion-forward trainer to fit our inter-Covid way of living.

The brand’s first ‘fashion’ trainer, Cloudnova, has been released at a time when the global crisis is accelerating the trends it taps into. In fact, the brand has even pushed forward the release date of the shoe to suit the current landscape and merging of fashion, performance and outdoor living.

‘Performance used to borrow from fashion. Now it’s been the other way around, and we see that in how outdoor gear has been adopted by fashion brands and how almost every brand now has sneakers, because it’s driven by a generation who is blurring the boundaries between work, home, sports, and play,’ explains co-founder David Allemann.

Many affluent consumers are increasingly viewing nature as a form of luxury. Particularly as the lifestyle sector continues to be impacted by Covid-19, consumers will be looking for garments that help them enjoy the Elevated Outdoors.

A fitness app for apocalypse survival

London – Apocalypse Survival Training is a new app that allows users to elevate their usual fitness regimes with the exhilaration of working out in an apocalypse.

Created to add more excitement to people’s home-based workouts, the audio fitness adventure app combines gamification and fitness. Allowing users to function as a main character – a super sleeper agent – the narrative goal is to end an alien invasion of a parallel reality in London. With the story taking place periodically over three types of workout: running, bodyweight circuits and yoga/stretch, the experience is intended to offer functional escapism.

‘When we make exercise escapist by engaging people mentally and emotionally as well as physically, we see much better and long term physical and mental health outcomes,’ explains Adele Anderson, founder of Apocalypse Survival Training.

With an increasing number of consumers engaging in At-home Fitness, particularly during the lockdown period, people are looking for inventive and engaging ways of staying active.

 Apocalypse Survival Training, London  Apocalypse Survival Training, London

Stat: Chinese consumers embrace local shopping

Charismatic China by TryFu Charismatic China by TryFu

According to research by Kantar, Chinese consumers are now more in favour of products that have been produced locally than they were before the pandemic.

The study found that localism as a mainstream movement in retail was the most championed by Chinese customers – with 87% expressing this view. Meanwhile, 81% of people in Italy share this view, followed by 76% in South Korea and 73% in Spain.

Already a key factor in sustainability practices, the choice of buying local is also in line with many consumer concerns about the safety risks associated with imported products.

As we explore in our recent opinion piece, brands in China are increasingly focusing on championing future-facing and local sustainability practices.

Inside the social media pantries of tomorrow

Inside the social media pantries of tomorrow:

Jessica Young, founder of natural food platform Bubble, on how hype groceries and digital culture are changing our relationship with...

 Grocery : Health : Digital
The premium spirits defying world borders

The premium spirits defying world borders:

With consumers unable to travel and discover local tipples, distillers are creating elevated spirits that can transport drinkers to...

 Luxury : Drinks : Spirits
Asian Virtual Kitchens Market

Asian Virtual Kitchens Market:

Food delivery platforms are bringing restaurant kitchens and bar culture into homes as new business models and Covid-19 disrupt the...

 Food : Drink : Covid-19
Virtual Happy Hours

Virtual Happy Hours:

Amid Covid-19 and self-isolation, digital tools combined with delivery services are reframing drinking at home as a positive,...

 Drink : Society : Retail
Webinar: Covid-19 Future Planning

Webinar: Covid-19 Future Planning:

A 30-minute webinar examining the pandemic’s impact across key sectors, and the steps to future-proof strategies for your organisation...

 Society : Covid-19 : Retail
Covid-19 Contingency Planning

Covid-19 Contingency Planning:

Learn the immediate impacts of Covid-19 across key sectors, and discover best-in-class case studies and future considerations for your...

 Covid-19 : Society : Health
Healthy kids campaigns

Healthy kids campaigns:

A series of new food industry initiatives aim to inspire and deliver healthier eating among children by targeting parents, schools and...

 Food : Healthy Eating Design : Children
Media Kitchens

Media Kitchens:

Delivery platforms are working with media companies and social apps to launch virtual restaurants that combine food with entertainment.

 Food : Drinks : Media
Discovery Grocers

Discovery Grocers:

Online grocers are putting personalisation at the heart of their offering, from curated shopping baskets to SMS advisers.

 Retail : Food : Technology
Food Waste Innovation

Food Waste Innovation:

From food-sharing to upcycling, the growing need to create innovative and sustainable solutions to food waste presents a range of...

 Food : Retail : Sustainability
Social Elixirs

Social Elixirs:

Non-alcoholic brands are targeting conscious hedonists with flavourful, functional drinks created for sober social occasions – and...

 Drinks : Sobriety : Wellness
Food brands get a taste for fashion

Food brands get a taste for fashion:

From fast food streetwear to luxury drink carriers, brands are launching clothing collections as a tool to market products and reveal...

 Food : Drinks : Fashion
The spaces making zero-waste dining luxurious

The spaces making zero-waste dining luxurious:

Chefs and restaurateurs are proving that zero-waste can be high-end with a raft of new eateries representing the next generation of...

 Food : Waste : Sustainability
Healthy Snacking Market

Healthy Snacking Market:

Urbanisation and an increasing preference for convenient, on-the-go food and drink are driving innovation in healthy snack formats.

 Food : Retail : Convenience
Neo-food photography

Neo-food photography:

Meet the four food photographers skewing ideas of perfection and health in favour of a playful and disorderly aesthetic.

 Food : Design : Photography
Flexitarian Meats

Flexitarian Meats:

Food products that mix meat with a healthy dose of vegetables are becoming a gateway for consumers curious about flexitarianism and...

 Food : Meat : Health
Home Eatertainment

Home Eatertainment:

Changing dining dynamics have created a new convenience culture focused on elevating the experience and enjoyment of eating and drinking...

 Food : Convivial : Convenience
Grown-up Sodas

Grown-up Sodas:

Consumers’ increasingly global palates are driving demand for complex flavoured soft drinks that have the double benefit of being...

 Drinks : Soft Drinks : Non-alcoholic
Vibrant Veganism

Vibrant Veganism:

Plant-based products are being boldly redefined by creative practitioners who are pushing for a visceral approach that shows desire...

 Advertising : Design : Macro
Diets for an evolving planet

Diets for an evolving planet:

The Eatelier founder Katinka Versendaal on creating speculative gastronomy to translate complex research into sensorial food experiences.

 Culinary Technology : Food & Drink : Climate Change
British Spirits Market

British Spirits Market:

In a gin-saturated market, British spirits brands are innovating with displaced tipples, bold branding and more sustainable production...

 Alcohol : Spirits : Drinks
Discovery Dining

Discovery Dining:

Restaurateurs are raising the bar with slowed-down, elevated experiences that combine global flavours, mood-led interiors and entertainment.

 Food : Leisure : Restaurants
Algorithms are rewiring our tastebuds

Algorithms are rewiring our tastebuds:

Alon Chen, CEO and co-founder of Tastewise, on how the food intelligence platform uses data and AI to track fast-moving food trends in...

 Food & Drink : Technology : Artificial Intelligence
Bio-bottles

Bio-bottles:

As consumers become more knowledgeable about their waste, bottled drinks brands are responding with a series of material innovations.

 Packaging : Sustainability : Material Futures
Natural Wine Market

Natural Wine Market:

Fuelled by a rebellious yet responsible spirit, the natural category continues to flourish as a small but significant niche in the wine...

 Food & Drink : Wine : Natural
Biodiversity will unlock a bright future for food

Biodiversity will unlock a bright future for food:

Mike Lee, co-founder of Alpha Food Labs, examines building a sustainable food and drink brand from the soil up.

 Food : Sustainability : Retail
How emotion is shaping Asia’s dining spaces

How emotion is shaping Asia’s dining spaces:

A new generation of Chinese eateries are using colour, texture, plants and lighting to inspire particular moods among diners.

 China : Food : Restaurants
Why the food revolution is not about progress

Why the food revolution is not about progress:

S Margot Finn, author of Discriminating Taste: How Class Anxiety Created the American Food Revolution, explains why our modern appetite...

 Food : Society : Sustainability
Summer Fancy Food Show 2019

Summer Fancy Food Show 2019:

At the annual food and drink event, experimental flavours, cross-category combinations and better-for-you creations led the specialist...

 Fancy Food Show 2019 : Food & Drink : Food
New Wave Aperitifs

New Wave Aperitifs:

The traditional aperitif is being re-invented, tapping into moderation mindsets and a slower style of drinking infiltrating cocktail...

 Drinks : Aperitifs : Alcohol
Meal kits can be a green alternative to groceries

Meal kits can be a green alternative to groceries:

From slashing waste to sourcing ingredients sustainably, these meal kit companies are repositioning themselves as a solution for...

 Food : Drink : Meal Kits
Chocolate Market

Chocolate Market:

Despite climate change threatening supply chains, the chocolate sector is thriving, with product innovation fuelling regional flavours...

 Food : Sustainability : Supply Chains
Bold Baby Food

Bold Baby Food:

To foster a new generation of adventurous eaters, brands are offering flavourful new baby foods with herbs, roots and spices from the...

 Food : Youth : Health
Aquaponics is changing the farm-to-table conversation

Aquaponics is changing the farm-to-table conversation:

Jason Green, CEO of aquaculture pioneer Edenworks, examines how fish waste and plant microbiomes are revolutionising agri-tech produce.

 Food : Sustainability : Technology
Next-generation Protein

Next-generation Protein:

Food tech companies are pioneering new plant proteins, which better mimic animal products in taste, texture and nutritional profile.

 Food : Technology : Sustainability
Space10 on creating a cookbook with a mission

Space10 on creating a cookbook with a mission:

Polina Bachlakova, editor of Future Food Today, the first cookbook from Ikea’s research and design lab, envisages a playful and...

 Food : Drinks : Sustainability
Gourmet Getaways

Gourmet Getaways:

Chefs are venturing into high-end hospitality, opening B&Bs that promise not only Michelin star-worthy food but immersion into their...

 Food : Hospitality : Outdoors
China Dairy Market

China Dairy Market:

Fuelled by the belief that dairy products are a vital component of any healthy diet, Chinese consumers are adding an increasing...

 Food : Drink : Health
New Urban Farms

New Urban Farms:

Agricultural practices are undergoing a seismic shift as farmers and start-ups contend with feeding an ever-growing urban...

 Food : Technology : Sustainability
Craft Coffee Market

Craft Coffee Market:

The rise in coffee connoisseurship is creating new opportunities in a competitive market, with brands exploring emerging markets, new...

 Food And Drink : Coffee : Hospitality
Post-category Spirits

Post-category Spirits:

A wave of new start-up distilleries are creating category-defying spirits that reject the traditional rules and regulations of...

 Drinks : Hospitality : Food
Prescription Supermarkets

Prescription Supermarkets:

Grocery retailers are assuming a new role as dietary advisers, educating consumers and providing personalised health and nutrition...

 Retail : Healthcare : Nutrition
Should coffee chains ask teens for ID?

Should coffee chains ask teens for ID?:

With a major UK brand refusing to serve coffee to some teens, could the high street welcome a forward-looking café for young people?

 Drinks : Youth : Leisure
Climate-positive Foods

Climate-positive Foods:

Restaurants and food brands are turning their carbon-offsetting efforts into educational and marketing campaigns that flaunt their...

 Food : Uprooted Diets : Sustainability
Should we be sceptical about superfoods?

Should we be sceptical about superfoods?:

Author and professor of nutrition Marion Nestle sheds light on the manipulative marketing techniques that food brands are borrowing from...

 Food : Marketing : Health
The ingredients to watch in 2019

The ingredients to watch in 2019:

From sustainable sources of protein to up-and-coming nootropics, we highlight five ingredients that are well placed for new product...

 Food : Drink : Hospitality
Smart Food Storage

Smart Food Storage:

Intelligent storage solutions and innovations in food safety detection are helping consumers to reduce waste and track food’s edibility...

 Food : Technology : Food Safety
Leo Campbell of Modern Baker on debunking carb myths

Leo Campbell of Modern Baker on debunking carb myths:

The co-founder of the Oxford-based bakery explains how the company is differentiating its healthy carb baking and how consumers can...

 Food : Carbs : Modern Baker
Paul Mathew on why cocktails are going hyperlocal

Paul Mathew on why cocktails are going hyperlocal:

The co-founder of Blood and Sand explains why its 12-year-old London bar, The Hide, no longer stocks international spirits and how the...

 Drink : Alcohol : Cocktails
Indulgence Market: Restaurant Desserts

Indulgence Market: Restaurant Desserts:

Changing consumer palates and a marked decline in the number of pastry chefs are forcing restaurants to rethink dessert, both in terms...

 Food : Sugar : Dessert
Uprooted Diets

Uprooted Diets:

Diets are undergoing a seismic shift as threatened supply chains, shortened food miles and a demand for more positive action from brands...

 Food : Drinks : Uprooted Diets
Carb Revival

Carb Revival:

Restaurants and brands are reframing carbohydrates in a positive light, as new science questions current thinking on bread and pasta.

 Food : Educated Eating : Health
Displaced Drinks

Displaced Drinks:

As climate change affects where ingredients are grown and consumers demand more local products, brands are challenging what provenance...

 Food : Drinks : Alcohol
Neil Grimmer on how to make personalised nutrition accessible

Neil Grimmer on how to make personalised nutrition accessible:

The founder of Habit believes brands must not cut costs at the scientific testing stage, but instead should drive down prices through...

 Food : Health : Nutrition
Alternative Intoxication

Alternative Intoxication:

With alcohol losing favour among consumers, cannabis-infused drinks are set to offer an alternative for those still seeking some form of...

 Drink : Cannabis : CBD
The State of Craft Beer

The State of Craft Beer:

With craft beer producers in the West struggling in an overly competitive market, innovators are looking to new flavour profiles and...

 Drinks : Alcohol : Retail
Evening Waters

Evening Waters:

Amid consumers’ rising concern about the effect of alcohol on their health, a series of versatile waters are emerging intended for...

 Water : Non-alcoholic : Nightcap
Low-proof Drinkers

Low-proof Drinkers:

Consumers are eschewing the extremes of binge-drinking and abstinence in favour of a more considered relationship with alcohol.

 Hospitality : Drinks : Wellness
What’s next for fermented food and drink?

What’s next for fermented food and drink?:

With consumer interest in fermented food and drink growing exponentially, we identify five new product opportunities for those looking...

 Food And Drink : Hospitality : Health And Wellness
Why kombucha is more than just a functional drink

Why kombucha is more than just a functional drink:

Adam Elabd, co-founder of Yesfolk Tonics, discusses repositioning kombucha as a craft beverage and the benefits of barrel ageing.

 Food And Drink : Hospitality : Health And Wellness
Alternative Energy Drinks

Alternative Energy Drinks:

Growing concern about the negative health impact of high-sugar and caffeine energy drinks is prompting the development of less harmful...

 Food And Drink : Wellness : Retail
Cultivating Flavour

Cultivating Flavour:

Traditionally, fruit and vegetables have been cultivated for hardiness, but a number of innovators are choosing to grow them from a...

 Food : Flavour : Fruit
Fermented Drinks Market

Fermented Drinks Market:

The functional fermented drinks market is maturing fast, with innovators emphasising improved health benefits, free-from credentials and...

 Drinks : Hospitality : Health And Wellness
Jim Meehan on why moderation is good for the alcohol industry

Jim Meehan on why moderation is good for the alcohol industry:

The bartender and author discusses the disparity in drinking habits between different US generations, the moral responsibilities of the...

 Drinks : Hospitality : Wellness
This West African supergrain could be the next quinoa

This West African supergrain could be the next quinoa:

Noah Levine, chief marketing officer at Yolélé Foods, a start-up building a supply chain for the African grain fonio, explains the...

 Food : Cuisine : Diets
Bed and Beverages

Bed and Beverages:

A new type of hotel is emerging where alcohol is not confined to the bar, but is at the core of the hospitality experience.

Travel : Hospitality : Drinks
Cognac Market

Cognac Market:

Long considered a staid and elitist drink, cognac brands are working to make the spirit more accessible.

Luxury : Drinks : Spirits
Edible Incubators

Edible Incubators:

The food and drink sector is drawing inspiration from Silicon Valley, with new incubators opening that foster collaboration and...

 Food : Drink : Retail
Nicola Temple on changing the narrative around processed food

Nicola Temple on changing the narrative around processed food:

The author of Best Before: The Evolution and Future of Processed Food explains why vilifying processed foods could be detrimental to...

 Food : Technology : Processed Foods
African cuisine is gaining popularity outside of the continent

African cuisine is gaining popularity outside of the continent:

From kitchen pantries to new restaurant formats, African entrepreneurs are bringing the flavours of their homeland to Western consumers.

Food : Flavours : Culinary Diplomacy
​The virtual, synthetic cocktails of the future

​The virtual, synthetic cocktails of the future:

Scientific innovation is challenging the manufacturing, consumption and very definition of alcohol.

 Drinks : Alcohol : Far Futures
Fresh Frozen

Fresh Frozen:

With the rise of plant-based eating, new brands are rethinking frozen food to appeal to more health-conscious consumers.

 Food : Convenience : Packaging
How to make sustainability delicious

How to make sustainability delicious:

From food education and design to sustainable dining, here are five steps to becoming a responsible food brand.

 Food : Drinks : Food And Drink
Connected Kitchens

Connected Kitchens:

Kitchen appliance manufacturers are using voice assistants, recipe integration and computer vision to turn the kitchen into a hub of...

 Technology : Food : Cooking
Educated Eating

Educated Eating:

Consumers increasingly want to know more about the products they buy, from their provenance to their impact on the planet.

 Food : Drink : Sustainability
Future Foodscapes

Future Foodscapes:

Amid growing consumer demand for transparency in food, designers are approaching visual communication in new ways and challenging...

 Food And Drink : Packaging : Hospitality
Anne-Laure Le Cunff on making healthy eating engaging

Anne-Laure Le Cunff on making healthy eating engaging:

The founder of artificially intelligent (AI) nutritionist Lysa and former member of Google’s digital health team on creating an engaging...

 Health : Wellness : Artifical Intelligence
Mohammed Ashour on the need to scale cricket farming

Mohammed Ashour on the need to scale cricket farming:

The CEO of Aspire Food Group explains why robotics is key to making cricket protein an affordable alternative to meat.

 Food : Agriculture : Protein
Young Eaters

Young Eaters:

The eating habits of younger generations are being shaped by a greater appreciation of food and by parents who are instilling their...

 Food : Generation Z : Baby Food
Tea Market

Tea Market:

The tea market is faring well – but as consumers veer towards coffee, brands will have to reconsider traditional offerings.

 Food : Drink : Tea
Global Spirits Market

Global Spirits Market:

The landscape of the global spirits market reveals changing consumer tastes, highlighting the desire for more premium products...

 Drinks : Alcohol : Spirits

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