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

On Running’s performance fashion for holistic living

A fitness app for apocalypse survival

Stat: Chinese consumers embrace local shopping

Mediamatic’s isolation-friendly dinner dates

Serres Séparées photographed by Willem Velthoven for Mediamatic, Amsterdam

Serres Séparées by Willem Velthoven for Mediamatic, Amsterdam. Photography by Anne Lakeman

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 brews. Allowing couples to experience a romantic dining experience in a private and protective cabin, the Serres Séparées offers 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

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. 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 are 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 affected 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

Stat: Chinese consumers embrace local shopping

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 consumers’ 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.

Brightseed maps the dark matter of nutrition:

Emma Cooper-Mullin, director of brand marketing at biotech start-up Brightseed, delves into the world of phytonutrients and their power...

Asian Urban Farming Market:

Concerns about food security, climate change and loss of livelihood are re-affirming urban farming as a model for sustainable living...

Sustainability : Urban Farming : Food

High-tech Sugars:

As consumers, companies and governing bodies shun sugar, innovations and next-generation sweeteners are blending nutrition with science...

Food : Sugar : Technology

How OffLimits is redefining emotional eating:

Emily Elyse Miller, founder of OffLimits, discusses disrupting the cereal category and creating a brand built around a full spectrum of...

Food : Branding : Wellness

Augmented Restaurants:

Augmented reality is creating unconventional, interactive dining experiences that bridge the gap between physical and digital environments.

Food & Drink : Social Media : Technology

Rebranding Asian food culture:

Kim and Vanessa Pham, co-founders of Omsom, discuss the importance of proudly reclaiming the integrity and identity of Asian flavours in...

Food : Marketing : Convenience

Pandemic Dining Market:

As they respond to the coronavirus, restaurateurs have an opportunity to redesign future dining spaces and reclaim their role in the...

Restaurants : Covid-19 : Food & Drink

The imperfect voices of quarantine cooking:

As consumers turn to home cooking as a source of comfort during crisis, culinary experts are championing a slower, simpler and more...

Food : Home Eatertainment : Covid-19

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

Food : Drinks : Media

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

Food : Design : Photography

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

Alcohol : Spirits : Drinks

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

Food : Drink : Meal Kits

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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?:

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:

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?:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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?:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

Luxury : Drinks : Spirits

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:

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:

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:

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

Drinks : Alcohol : Far Futures

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

Drinks : Alcohol : Spirits

Related to Food & Drink

News

Astralis hacks food delivery for gaming jersey launch

The Danish eSports team has partnered with food delivery app Wolt for its Counter-Strike jersey launch.

Retail : Fashion : Marketing

News

Stat: Australian youth are wary of lab-grown meat

The nation's Generation Z are not ready to accept cultured meat, despite their widespread concern for the environment and animal welfare.

Food : Sustainability : Generation Z

News

Tony’s happy activism calls out cocoa slavery

For its latest campaign, Tony’s Chocolonely draws attention to the dark sides of the chocolate industry in a vibrant way.

Advertising : Food : Drink

News

Seaweed U gives algae a flavour injection

The food brand seeks to educate Western societies on the health and planetary benefits of algae.

Food : Packaging : Sustainability

News

PepsiCo’s night-time drink for soothing sleep

Driftwell is offered in miniature cans and is designed to be enjoyed before bed and help consumers unwind.

Drinks : Sleep : Health And Wellness

News

Stat: Americans turn flexitarian amid Covid-19

Over half of health-conscious Americans are changing to a plant-based diet.

Food And Drink : Health : Covid-19

News

Whole Foods opens first ghost supermarket

The retailer’s new facility, open at the Industry City campus, will fulfil grocery delivery orders in Brooklyn.

Online Shopping : Retail : Ecommerce

News

PrettyLittleThing moves into gin production

The fast fashion brand has created a pink gin to raise the spirits of staycationers amid the pandemic.

Drink : Fashion : Travel

News

Beyond Meat turns children’s food educator

Together with leading digital education innovator Everfi, plant-based meat company Beyond Meat will create a free online course on sustainability.

Food : Sustainability : Gen Alpha

Big Ideas

Gen Z Perspectives: US

Yale graduate Tarek Ziad unpacks the phenomenon of cottagecore and what’s driving Generation Z’s whimsical fascination with rural living.

Youth : Workplace : Digital

News

Usual Wines unveils an unusual spritz

The DTC wine brand has launched the Usual Spritz, made from sparkling wine and natural guava juice.

Drink : Wine : Low ABV

News

Watch House’s playground for coffee connoisseurs

The Watch House playground for coffee connoisseurs has opened in Bermondsey.

Coffee : Retail : Craft

News

Chipotle’s avocado apparel upcycles restaurant waste

The Chipotle Goods line features designs dyed with avocado pits left over from its restaurants.

Retail : Fashion : Sustainability

News

Culinary candy that’s calorie-transparent

Direct-to-consumer confectionery brand Behave aims to re-invent sweet snacking by creating chef-crafted gummy bears made from natural ingredients.

Food : Health : Sugar

News

A cooking kit that re-imagines self-sufficient dining

Designer Jisun Kim re-imagines portable dining with a conceptual kit for self-sufficient, on-the-go cooking.

Travel And Hospitality : Food And Drink : Portable Dining

You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to one of our membership packages from just £100 a month.

View Subscription Offers Sign in

What do we use cookies for?

We use cookies to enable the use of our platform’s paid features and to analyse our traffic. No personal data, including your IP address, is stored and we do not sell data to third parties.

Learn more

Food & Drink

Need to Know 22 : 05 : 20

In today's news:

Mediamatic’s isolation-friendly dinner dates

On Running’s performance fashion for holistic living

A fitness app for apocalypse survival

Stat: Chinese consumers embrace local shopping

Most Recent

Neighbourhood Tourism Market:

Menopausal empowerment:

How The Yes is re-imagining algorithmic retail:

Edu-packaging heralds a new direction for phygital play:

How beauty is being refined for Generation Z:

Brightseed maps the dark matter of nutrition:

Heritage Refashioned:

Graphic Activism:

Off-price Retail Strategies:

What’s next for Millennial family travel?:

Inclusive exclusivity is the new retail experience:

Asian Urban Farming Market:

Gen Z Perspectives: US:

Digital Twin Cities:

China Luxury Retail Market:

Brightseed maps the dark matter of nutrition:

Asian Urban Farming Market:

High-tech Sugars:

How OffLimits is redefining emotional eating:

Augmented Restaurants:

Rebranding Asian food culture:

Pandemic Dining Market:

The imperfect voices of quarantine cooking:

Inside the social media pantries of tomorrow:

The premium spirits defying world borders:

Asian Virtual Kitchens Market:

Virtual Happy Hours:

Webinar: Covid-19 Future Planning:

Covid-19 Contingency Planning:

Healthy kids campaigns:

Media Kitchens:

Discovery Grocers:

Food Waste Innovation:

Social Elixirs:

Food brands get a taste for fashion:

The spaces making zero-waste dining luxurious:

Healthy Snacking Market:

Neo-food photography:

Flexitarian Meats:

Home Eatertainment:

Grown-up Sodas:

Vibrant Veganism:

Diets for an evolving planet:

British Spirits Market:

Discovery Dining:

Algorithms are rewiring our tastebuds:

Bio-bottles:

Natural Wine Market:

Biodiversity will unlock a bright future for food:

How emotion is shaping Asia’s dining spaces:

Why the food revolution is not about progress:

Summer Fancy Food Show 2019:

New Wave Aperitifs:

Meal kits can be a green alternative to groceries:

Chocolate Market:

Bold Baby Food:

Aquaponics is changing the farm-to-table conversation:

Next-generation Protein:

Space10 on creating a cookbook with a mission:

Gourmet Getaways:

China Dairy Market:

New Urban Farms:

Craft Coffee Market:

Post-category Spirits:

Prescription Supermarkets:

Should coffee chains ask teens for ID?:

Climate-positive Foods:

Should we be sceptical about superfoods?:

The ingredients to watch in 2019:

Smart Food Storage:

Leo Campbell of Modern Baker on debunking carb myths:

Paul Mathew on why cocktails are going hyperlocal:

Need to Know
22 : 05 : 20

The virtual, synthetic cocktails of the future: