How We Have Built a Successful Hospitality Brand Post Covid

Covid brought the hospitality industry to its knees in 2020. The industry is now experiencing labour shortages (another blog of its own), inflation, and rising food and wage costs. The challenge is to find a way to keep customers coming through the door. To achieve this in today’s market the industry must deliver a quality product consistently and create a fantastic customer experience while creating emotional connectivity with customers to ensure repeat business.

A way to create this emotional connection and stay relevant is ensuring your business model strikes the right balance between innovation and trends to appeal to the whole market, while consistently delivering a high-quality product.   

Starting out, our vision was to not only build a company that created one-of-a-kind events, but we also wanted to have a company that had more than one string to its bow.  We needed to create a company that could innovate, not just pivot with the market, but lead it.

During and after covid we identified that consumers were looking for restaurant quality, fresh, chef prepared meals online. The fastest growing food trend in the world.  Securing many at home clients, the company has now expanded into a wholesale market delivering to wholesalers locally and to remote regional areas.  To add to this, our company also provides an online private and corporate platter delivery service, heat and serve oven tray and a frozen meal pouch range.  In our spare time we run small and large private and corporate events with an event management arm.

Catering and event management is still our focus. However, in tough times the business needed to demonstrate innovation and creativity by finding solutions to value add to stay profitable and relevant (and they were tough times).

Out of covid the company has emerged as a strong industry leader. Expanding into online, delivery and wholesale was not something that was originally considered as a long-term goal. It has been a profitable gamble.  We also made sure while making this pivot that we never lost sight of our core business. Catering, events, and event management is our core. Creating a whole new customer base through our online, delivery and wholesale business has created a company with a strong business structure with many pillars holding us there.  

Ensuring that we not only keep innovating to stay relevant and find ways to value add to the customer, we must also ensure we deliver the best food, produce the best events and provide the best service for our customers in good times and bad.  

Afterall our business purpose statement is to keep event catering exciting, to educate and innovate. To deliver a quality product consistently and create a fantastic customer experience.

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How are Generation Z and Millennials Shaping the Food and Beverage Scene?

The hospitality industry is in a state of constant change. To be successful, operators need to have a genuine curiosity for food and beverage, keep up to date with emerging trends and stay informed about changes in customer behaviors, preferences, and expectations.  Remaining relevant and unique is incredibly important in this industry, and also one of the greatest challenges operators face. Anticipating what the market demands is key. Right now, hospitality operators need to get on board and appeal to Millennials and generation Z. They are the largest emerging consumer group and are reshaping the industry.

These generations have a strong focus on health and wellness and are discerning about what they consume. In the beverage world they are leading the charge towards out of the norm wine varietals and low alcohol beverages. This market is growing at pace, get onboard. From a food scene, Millennials and generation Z are dining at high-end restaurants, demanding and happy to pay for high-quality, organic, and sustainable food. They value transparency in the sourcing and production of their food and beverage.

 Millennials and Gen z prefer to spend money on a luxury experience than a product. Having been exposed to the Internet and influencer marketing for most of their lives, they are looking for memorable events that captivate their emotions and create a sense of exclusivity. These events are about indulging in unique dining experiences that are Instagram worthy and shareable with their peers. It’s a way for them to express their individuality and personal style.

A luxury food and beverage experience also offers a break from the fast paced and digital world that they are constantly connected to.  It provides an opportunity to disconnect, savour the moment and enjoy the sensory pleasure of food and beverage.

As hospitality operators we need to understand that Generation Z and Millennials are shaping our industry by seeking luxury food and beverage options that prioritise their health, help express their individuality, and ensure unique exclusive experiences. Their influence is prompting the industry to adapt and innovate to meet their evolving needs and preferences.

By understanding and catering to these preferences you can position your food and beverage business to stay ahead of the competition.

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Top 5 Reason Why You Should Host Your Events at Home

Catering in the privacy of your home offers several advantages over hosting an event at a venue.

Here are a few reasons why:

1. Convenience: When you cater in your own home, you have the convenience of being in a familiar environment. You don't have to worry about travelling to a venue or dealing with parking. Everything you need is right there, and you have full control over the setup and layout of the event.

2. Personalization: Hosting an event at home allows you to personalize every aspect of the experience. You can choose the styling, arrange the seating, and create a cozy and intimate atmosphere that reflects your own style and preferences. A personal touch will make your guests feel more comfortable and will create a memorable experience.

3. Cost savings: Catering at home can be more cost-effective than hiring a venue. You don't have to pay for room hire fees, which can be quite high, especially for popular event spaces.

4. Privacy: Hosting an event at home provides a level of privacy that may not be possible at a venue. You have control over who attends the event, creating a more exclusive and intimate gathering. This can be particularly beneficial for private celebrations or events where you want to maintain a certain level of privacy.

5. Flexibility: When you cater at home, you have the flexibility to customize the menu according to your preferences and dietary restrictions of your guests. You can work directly with the caterer to create a personalized menu that suits your taste and budget. This level of flexibility is often limited at venues, where you may have to choose from a set menu or package.

Overall, catering in the privacy of your home offers convenience, personalization, cost savings, privacy, and flexibility that may not be available at a venue. It allows you to create a unique and memorable event that reflects your style and preferences.

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2024 Wedding Trends

Some of the biggest wedding trends in 2024 will see couples choosing a multi-day experience, mid-week and lunch time receptions. Mid-week weddings which were popularised during the pandemic continue to attract couples. Venues are more accessible, and costs can be optimised.  Some venues will offer a sweeter deal for a mid-week wedding. Lastly, what is better than a lunch time winter wedding? The 2024 wedding season will see luncheon receptions more than ever before.

 If you have guests flying in from out of town, your multi-day affair offers you quality time with your family and friends. Weddings can be hectic, and the day goes very quickly.  Take time with your loved ones and spend as much time as possible with them. Start your experience with a meet and greet.  Invite your guests to a casual sunset drink and a bite to eat.  Everyone can pay for themselves and it’s a great way for everyone to connect and re-connect.

Next, the main event; the Wedding. You may decide on the lunch time experience which we are calling ‘Love over Lunch’. It's a long time in the planning so why not make a day and night of it. The Love at lunch and the mid-week experiences offer a cost-effective option for young couples looking for value. Start the ceremony around 11am with lunch starting between 1pm and 2pm. Receptions usually last for around 5 – 6 hours so your event will wrap up between 6pm – 8pm.  Organise an after party which is always fun.

Lastly, the recovery brunch. Arrange for your guests to meet mid-morning where they can swap stories and photos, say their last goodbyes, enjoy a delicious brunch and a spicy Bloody Mary.

When planning your wedding consider all your options and offer your guests an experience to remember.

Let the Michels Team create your 2024 wedding experience form inception to reception.

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Setting Event Budgets

A meal is an opportunity to bring guests together for a culinary experience and a chance to make a statement at your event. Choosing your caterer is as important as your keynote speaker and more important than the centrepiece. Sub-standard catering due to budget restraints can have a huge impact on your event.  You need a caterer you can trust, who is passionate about food, explores cultural trends and can provide fun, interactive food and beverage ideas.

Make finding the right caterer the first thing you think about when working out your budget, not the last.  Don’t ‘guess’ what your food and beverage budget is going to be. Get quotes, work it into your budget, then set your ticket price. You want your guests to be asking who the caterer is, not complaining they didn’t get value for money.

Guests are never aware of the food and beverage budget.  The only thing they are aware of is that they paid $xx for their ticket and they want value for that.  This perceived value is always reflected in the food, beverage, and service standard, not the flowers and balloons.  Yes, styling and presentation is important however food, beverage and service should be the main event. Think about conversations you have with people after they have attended an event.  I can guarantee it will be about the food, beverage, and service standard, not the decorations.

At Michels Catering and Events we work with our clients to help create successful events. We understand our clients have budgets and we try to work with them from inception to ensure the budget is spent in the most successful way. Well thought out budgets create successful events!

Michels Catering and events is a fully licensed, event management and catering company. The only company of its kind in NQ. If you are looking to create a sensational event with exceptional food and beverage service that leaves your guests excited, explore our website www.michelscateringandevents.com.au or Contact the team info@mcenq.com.au. 

Event catering is just getting exciting!

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Gin Generation

Well…if you are not drinking Gin, especially Gin from a boutique Australian distillery, you are seriously out of the loop. The current trend is Boutique Australian Gin, which can only be drunk with boutique flavoured tonic water and other forms of very special mixers made only for gin.  

My husband and I were enjoying a gin from Western Australia recently, with…yes, a very groovy specially brewed tonic and noticed “London Dry’ on the label. Why would an Australian gin have London Dry on the label? London Dry is simply a category of gin.  Contrary to what the name suggests, it does not have to be produced in London.

TYPES OF GIN
Basically, there are three categories of gin. London Dry (the best), Distilled Gin (the middle) and compound gins (the…I will find that on the bottom shelf of my local bottleo).  Compound gin is basically flavoured vodka – Distilled gins can have flavouring added after distillation and London Dry gins cannot have any flavourings added (except for a tiny amount of sugar) after the distillation process. You could say London Dry is gin in its purest form.

Flavourings are what we refer to as Botanicals, which is anything that grows out of the ground and what gin is essentially about, apart from the juniper berries of course.  Gin is a neutral spirit, flavoured predominately with juniper berries and various seeds, roots, herbs, fruits, and berries. Distillers are pushing the boundaries with botanicals these days and Australia is leading the charge.

WORLD CLASS AUSSIE GIN
Australian gin seems to be on everyone’s lips now and we are producing world class Gin. In 2013 there were 10 domestic gins on the market. Now there would be more than 700. I do not want to play favourites and I have not tried every one of the 700, but I am very partial to Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin or Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin. However, if you have not had the pleasure of tasting the North QLD Gin from Wolf Lane Distillery you are missing out.

I stopped into Shaw & Co this week and was recommended the Wolf Lane Tropical Gin. It was served to the table in a beautiful glass, with plenty of ice and was delicious.  The ice is important, trust me.

So next time you are ordering Gin ask for an Aussie Gin with bottled tonic add plenty of ice.

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