Bar

"For the World" neon sign
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Global Trends 2022: Technomic

Global Trends 2022: Technomic

by David Klemt

"For the World" neon sign

What? You didn’t think we would focus only on Canada and America when it comes to 2022 trends, did you?

It’s difficult to keep up with restaurant, bar, and cuisine trends if you keep your focus too narrow.

Technomic is acutely aware of this. So, we took a look at senior research manager Aaron Jourden’s 2022 Global Restaurant Trends Forecast report.

One specific item, a coffee, is a striking standout. But we’ll get to that in a moment…

Operations

First, let’s take a look at restaurant and bar operations.

It’s not just North America that’s facing a labor shortage. And in 2022, Technomic expects this challenge to persist.

There are a few ways we can look at labor shortages and other challenges.

One: We can make no internal changes, pretending hope is a strategy and things will work themselves out magically. Two: We can get cynical and hostile, putting the blame on workers.

Three: We can look at the industry as a whole and operations in particular to make meaningful changes. Working conditions can be improved, leadership skills can be developed, operations can be streamlined, inventory can be cross-utilized and maximized. What are we offering workers and guests? What can be changed to reduce costs, and to increase traffic and revenue?

In other words, operators are in a position to adapt, innovate, and make meaningful changes that will ensure our industry’s long-term survival.

Labor, supply chain, and cost issues will continue in 2022. However, Technomic predicts that 2022 will be the year of measurable recovery.

Fading Ghosts

Technomic isn’t saying that ghost kitchens are going put to rest.

Rather, the firm expects the hype around them to fade away. To be sure, ghost (and virtual—not the same thing) kitchens enjoyed quite a bit more than 15 minutes of fame in 2020 and 2021.

However, we’ve seen recent reports of certain ghost kitchen chains facing logistic and legal troubles. The shine very much seems to be dulling on this pandemic trend.

Again, Technomic doesn’t think ghost kitchens will suddenly disappear. But the incessant coverage? That may be on the way out in 2022.

Food & Flavor Trends

Now, the fun stuff. If Jourden’s report proves accurate, menus throughout the world are going to see some intriguing additions:

  • Breakfast Comes Back. With people heading back to the office and children back in school, the breakfast daypart will return. Operators who did away with breakfast may see value in bringing breakfast food and beverages back.
  • Chicken or the Egg? Per Jourden’s report, the egg sandwich is in a position to knock chicken sandwiches off their pedestal. So, chicken wins either way. Jourden points to an interesting element of this prediction: Eggs are fun, allowing for puns on menus, marketing, and branding.
  • Regional vs. Global. A number of regional brands will stand out against global brands in 2022. Regional brands speak to what today’s consumer wants: locality and hyper-locality; sustainability and responsible business practices; and a focus on healthfulness.
  • What Coffee?! Jourden’s report identifies a number of truly innovative and intriguing F&B trends for 2022. The one that grabbed my attention immediately? Avocado coffee. Already popular in Indonesia, avocado coffee is expected to find its way onto menus across the globe. Other items Jourden thinks will gain traction in 2022: Pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), Mexican flatbreads, vegetarian-friendly meat alternative halloumi, mutabal or moutabal (baba ghanoush’s cousin), regional comfort soups, and plant-based eggs.
  • Functional Foods. If you didn’t find avocado coffee intriguing, what about dessert foods imbued with healthful characteristics? Jourden identifies a few desserts that do more than satisfy a sweet tooth: Hand pies that boost immune systems, macarons made to enhance moods, and even ice cream that will enhance a person’s skin health and appearance.

Next year is going to be challenging. That simply isn’t up for debate. But it’s also going to be rife with opportunity and innovation for savvy operators.

Image: Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Wooden spoon loaded with salt
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American Trends 2022: Technomic

American Trends 2022: Technomic

by David Klemt

Wooden spoon loaded with salt

Two weeks ago, I reviewed and shared Technomic’s “Canadian Trends: Looking Ahead to 2022” report, and now it’s America’s turn.

Not too surprisingly, the US and Canada are similar in terms of a few 2022 trend predictions.

And while the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is causing some restaurants and bars to close, there is some good news from Technomic.

Salt

First, a difference between America and Canada. As you may recall from my review of Canadian predictions, Technomic predicts butter will be even more important next year.

Interestingly, salt is the big prediction for the United States. The reasoning is similar: people are seeking out comfort in these difficult times.

Technomic’s “2022: The Year of the Climb” report states flat out that, “Salt is the new fat.”

The industry intelligence firm predicts that salt will be increasingly important in kitchens—and on tables—in 2022.

For example, Technomic expects operators to focus salt-cured fish and meats. Of course, that doesn’t just meet a predicted consumer demand. Cured foods can be preserved for longer, which is appealing to operators.

Seaweeds, salt blends, and salty sauces will be used in the kitchen. According to Technomic, some of those will replace (or accompany) traditional salt on tables.

Going further, Technomic predicts that salt will find its way into cocktails. This can be in the form of salty ingredients or salt water, a trend from a few years ago.

Creative Prep

Let’s stick with the kitchen a bit longer.

This is one of the strongest similarities shared by the US and Canada. Technomic predicts that operators will need to focus on cross-utilization and creativity.

As you’ve likely already figured out, this is because of supply chain issues. The more ways items can be used without introducing new SKUs, the easier things may be for operators.

Some examples of cross-utilization suggested by Technomic:

  • Roasting, grilling, and blistering items normally served raw.
  • Pickling ingredients.
  • Fermenting items.
  • Turning some items into jams.
  • Aging some ingredients.

Labor Challenges

Obviously, the labor shortage is felt throughout North America. Unfortunately, this is another similarity when comparing Technomic’s American and Canadian 2022 trend predictions.

KRG Hospitality has addressed the need for the industry to make significant changes several times this year. In particular, founder and president Doug Radkey published a book, Hacking the New Normal, calling for change to improve working conditions and the industry’s long-term survival.

Technomic is suggesting the same. The firm predicts the following for 2022:

  • Wage increases across the board.
  • Benefits (healthcare, emergency child care, 401(k), and more).
  • Virtual hiring events.
  • Referral and signing bonuses.

However, more needs to be done. The industry doesn’t simply need to revamp its image, it needs to:

  • address—and not dismiss—issues raised by current hospitality professionals;
  • solve the problems that led to so many hospitality workers quitting jobs and giving up on the industry;
  • implement real solutions for the problems the industry has faced and, frankly, nurtured for decades.

And that’s just the start. If we don’t face our industry’s challenges head-on, there won’t be much of an industry in the future.

The Battle for Comfort

Yes, comfort food will be important next year. Hence the entire section on salt above.

However, when I mention comfort in this section I’m referring to personal comfort levels.

You’ve likely been hearing from industry peers and seeing on social media that a number of bars are closing until December 29 or December 30. These temporary closures are due to spikes in positive Covid-19 cases, mostly driven by Omicron.

Many Americans, eager to return to a semblance of their pre-Covid lives, want to spend time in restaurants and bars. However, people need to balance their comfort levels with their desire for social experiences.

In response, Technomic predicts that operators will need to balance the on-premise and off-premise. In other words, omni-channel operators must dial in their offerings.

Per Technomic, operators have to figure out their mix: interactive in-person experiences, takeout, and delivery.

Good News

Technomic is making two 2022 predictions that should come as a relief to operators.

First, Q1 of 2022, per Technomic, “will reveal a particularly strong year-over-year performance” in comparison to 2021.

Overall, the firm projects a 10.4-percent sales increase for 2022 when compared to 2019 sales.

There is, however, a caveat. We’ll have to take rising menu prices into account when analyzing this year’s and next year’s sales levels.

For those wondering which category is predicted to perform the best, Technomic identifies limited-service restaurants will recover quickest.

In contrast, full-service will see slower recovery. Business, leisure, and indeed “bleisure” travel will have an impact on full-service traffic.

So, 2022 isn’t going to magically return to pre-pandemic “normal.” However, should Technomic’s conservative sales prediction prove accurate, recovery is on the menu.

Image: Jason Tuinstra on Unsplash

Square terminal in restaurant kitchen
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Square: 2022 Threats & Opportunities

Square: 2022 Threats & Opportunities

by David Klemt

Square terminal in restaurant kitchen

As all hospitality professionals know, the past nearly two years is imposing rapid change on the industry, necessitating rapid, strategic adaptation.

The key word in the above sentence isn’t “adaptation,” it’s “strategic.”

Of course, it’s hard to make strategic choices without as much information as possible.

To that end, we’ve reviewed Square‘s recently released “Future of Restaurants: 2022 Edition.” This is the company’s second annual Future of Restaurants report.

Square partnered with Wakefield Research, surveying 500 operators and 1,000 consumers to identify 2022 threats and opportunities.

Threat: Labor Shortage

Most operators aren’t going to want to read this prediction from Square. However, we can’t identify and adapt for opportunities if we don’t acknowledge threats.

Per Square’s report, the labor shortage may never see a correction. In other words, welcome to yet another new normal.

More than 70 percent of operators say they’re facing a labor shortage, per Square. Just over 20 percent of available positions were, at the time the survey was conducted, unfilled.

Instead, operators will likely, according to Square, need to make operational and work culture changes:

  • Improve working conditions. For example, encouraging and acting on team feedback. Another example? Modernizing scheduling.
  • Ensure workers are being mentored and not simply managed.
  • Hire, train, assign tasks, and schedule more strategically to operate with a smaller team.
  • Offering incentives that entice higher-quality candidates to work for you.

One participant quoted in the Square report claims that QR code ordering dropped their labor cost percentage by 150 percent.

Threat: Lack of Tech

As SevenRooms suggested when looking forward to 2022, technology solutions can lessen the burden of labor shortages. That leads us to another big threat: failing to embrace tech.

Some operators bristle at the word “automation.” For many, it conjures an image of robots in the kitchen and delivering food to tables.

Obviously, we’re opposed to replacing staff with any form of automation. However, we support automating tasks if that means team members are better utilized.

Why not automate inventory? Why not automate online order filling? If it improves operations and the guest experience, automation is less threatening.

According to Square’s report, 62 percent of operators think automation is appealing for managing online, delivery, and contactless orders. Ninety percent of operators say that back-of-house automation—if staff can focus on more important tasks—is a good idea.

More than 90 percent think automated inventory is an appealing solution.

It has taken a lot of time for hospitality to catch up to other industries in embracing tech. But Square reports that 36 percent of restaurants upgraded their business tech in 2021.

Of course, automation will become a threat if operators lean too heavily into it and stop paying attention to detail.

Phrased another way, be tech-savvy, not tech-reliant.

Opportunity: Omni-channel

Square see implementing an omni-channel strategy as the way forward. In fact, their general manager for Square Restaurants, Bryan Solar, said the following:

“We see the time of the dine-in only or takeout only as largely done forever.”

Going omni-channel (diversifying) in the restaurant space means making online ordering and delivery important elements within the overall business strategy. To that end, Solar posits kitchens will grow in size to better handle online orders.

Square’s survey reveals some intriguing numbers:

  • 13 percent of consumers say they’ll avoid restaurants that don’t offer online ordering.
  • Among restaurants with online ordering, those channels generate 34 percent of their revenue.
  • Over the past year, 54 percent of restaurants either added or expanded online ordering channels.
  • Online ordering is likely here to stay: 69 percent of respondents plan to offer it post-Covid-19.
  • 24 percent of operators are planning to allow guests to order alcohol from them online.

Another interesting set of numbers pertains to first- and third-party delivery. As we’ve stated several times, we much prefer operators offer first-party or direct delivery. According to Square, 49 percent of operators plan go direct delivery. More than half—62 percent—will pursue third-party delivery. That suggests that some operators will offer both.

Opportunity: Direct Ordering

When it comes to engaging online guests, operators need to control the experience. As I wrote for another publication years ago, a restaurant or bar’s website is still very important.

This statistic proves that statement true: Per Square, 68 percent of online guests want to order via a restaurant’s website or app, not a third-party.

More than likely, a significant portion of those guests want to know they’re supporting a restaurant and its staff directly. Hence the importance placed on ordering via the website or their own branded app.

So, operators would do well to ensure their websites feature an ordering widget. Or, they can opt to have an app built (or at least skinned) for their business.

Opportunity: Kiosks

According to Square’s survey results, 79 percent of consumers prefer ordering from kiosks over ordering from staff.

Most consumers and operators likely associate ordering kiosks with fast food restaurants. However, other categories can also benefit from these devices.

Close to half—45 percent—identified it as a preference when ordering at a casual-dining restaurant.

And fine dining isn’t immune to the convenience of tech. A little over 20 percent of consumers prefer to order via kiosk in the fine-dining space.

Overall, kiosks speak to the guest desires for convenience and safety. More than a third indicated that ordering via digital menu is appealing because they don’t have to touch a menu someone else has touched. And 37 percent like a digital option because they don’t have to wait for a server to bring them a physical menu.

Eleven percent of Square survey respondents will avoid a restaurant if they don’t offer digital menus.

Nearly half (45 percent) of restaurants are planning to offer QR code menus post-Covid-19. Another benefit of digital menus is dynamic pricing. As costs fluctuate, operators can increase or reduce prices easily without printing new menus.

Outlook

Representing a stark contrast from 2020 survey results, nearly 60 percent of operators say the survival of their restaurants is a concern in 2022.

That’s still a high number but vastly lower than how operators answered about 2021. Last year, 92 percent of operators surveyed said they were worried about survival.

According to Square’s report, operators are looking past surviving and making long-term plans. That’s a welcome sign that confidence is improving.

To review Square’s “Future of Restaurants: 2022 Edition” report in its entirety, click here.

Image: Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

SevenRooms guest data image
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SevenRooms Predicts 2022

SevenRooms Predicts 2022

by David Klemt

SevenRooms guest data image

As we near the end of a tumultuous 2021 we must look ahead to 2022 to set our industry up for best strategies, innovations, and recovery.

SevenRooms is doing just that, looking at what operators should consider to meet guest expectations next year.

In a blog post on the company’s website, SevenRooms reveals what they believe are the keys to success in 2022.

Let’s jump in.

More is More

The first quarter of 2022 will mark two years of the pandemic and its affects on the industry.

As SevenRooms says, some guests will not have been out of their homes for two years. The company predicts this contingent will be looking to unleash pent-up demand.

Of course, that represents an opportunity for operators. Another wave of pent-up demand can mean a boost in traffic and revenue.

However, guest expectations will be sky high. That cliché that less is more? Yeah, you can toss that right out.

More will be more for this contingent of guests looking to dine and drink out after feeling cooped up for month after endless month.

Sure, some guests are aware that operators are facing labor shortages, increased costs, and other pandemic-driven challenges. They know that workers are overwhelmed and finding themselves in hostile confrontations they certainly don’t deserve.

And sure, some guests are sympathetic to those struggles. However, they have their demands and expect restaurants, bars, and hotels to meet them.

What can operators do to meet those demands? In fact, what can they do to anticipate and overdeliver on guest expectations?

SevenRooms has a couple suggestions.

Collect guest data. At this point, this should be a given. How can an operator engage with and retain guests if they don’t really know anything about them?

Embrace more tech. Platforms like SevenRooms can handle a restaurant or bar’s reservations quickly and easily. This is a feature that, per SevenRooms, more than half of guests expect a restaurant or bar offer. Some platforms can also automate marketing; send guests post-visit surveys; and tackle review aggregation.

Convenience Reigns Supreme

Here’s a quick, impromptu survey:

Do you prefer a seamless restaurant, bar or hotel experience, or do you like frustrating dining, drinking and lodging experiences?

I’m going to go ahead and assume you prefer the former option. In other words, you like what your guests like: convenience.

Well, SevenRooms is predicting that the desire for convenience will only grow stronger among guests.

Yes, delivering on the increasingly important topic of convenience will rely on collecting data. But rather than view it as just one more task, SevenRoom suggests looking at it in a more positive light.

A number of the conveniences guests expect can be automated. They can even help ease the burden of the labor shortage somewhat.

For example, contactless ordering and contactless pay are close to becoming standards. Offering those features to guests means meeting expectations, thereby delivering an excellent guest experience. On-demand ordering and paying can also ease some front- and back-of-house pressure.

Collecting guest data allows management and front-of-house staff to add personal touches before a guest is even seated. Again, seamless, excellent guest service.

Another convenience? Online ordering. SevenRooms isn’t the first to predict that on-demand ordering is here to stay. In fact, a suite of conveniences will be important moving forward:

  • Online ordering during in-person visits and for delivery or pickup.
  • A user-friendly reservation system that goes deeper than just picking a date and time. Why not allow guests to select seats and even request upgrades?
  • A virtual waitlist. Not only is this convenient, SevenRooms says this feature can boost walk-in traffic and reduce abandonment.
  • Contactless, mobile paying options.

There you have it. Two seemingly basic predictions—higher expectations and a desire for even more convenience—with the potential to boost traffic, loyalty, and revenue.

Image: SevenRooms

Restaurant diners eating burgers, fries and roasted vegetables
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What Does Omni-channel Mean?

What Does Omni-channel Mean in Hospitality?

by David Klemt

Restaurant diners eating burgers, fries and roasted vegetables

Buzzword or professional jargon, the term “omni-channel” seems to come up more often as our industry embraces more innovations.

As more social and digital platforms (channels) pop up, your job as marketer becomes more complex.

For a pessimistic take, your marketing efforts are like a ship. Every new marketing channel that gains traction is like a hole you have to plug. Fail to do so and you risk your marketing ship sinking.

Now for an optimistic take. Every channel you can add to your marketing is an opportunity to grow your reach. Increasing the amount of people who become familiar with your brand represents the potential to grow loyalty and sales.

If you want to meet your guests where they are—and you should—you need to have a presence where they are to engage with them.

And that’s just marketing. There are also omni-channel operational tactics you can implement. Unsurprisingly, you’ll likely realize many of those solutions are also digital.

So, what does “omni-channel” mean for operators? It means offering seamless guest experiences pre-, per- and post-visit.

Staying top of mind is also an element of an omni-channel strategy.

Traditional Channels

In terms of marketing, let’s break down the different types of channels available to operators.

A simple way to look at “traditional” marketing channels is that they don’t leverage digital mediums:

  • Newspaper and magazine ads
  • Radio and television ads
  • Direct mail
  • Billboards
  • Vehicle wraps
  • Flyers

Now, some of the above may seem outdated. However, those channels still have reach.

The key is knowing your brand and audience to know if a traditional channel will deliver an ROI. You also need to take the time to figure out where your dollars and time are best spent.

Digital Channels

So, there’s a reason I put the word traditional in quotation marks in the previous section.

There may be a time when digital channels become so ubiquitous that they’re considered traditional.

Just look at the digital channels below and consider how commonplace they’ve become:

  • Social media
  • Email marketing
  • Company websites
  • Search engine marketing
  • Newsletters
  • Text messages

It’s easy to see how one day the channels above will overtake their non-digital counterparts and become the traditional way we market.

The reasons for this are obvious. Digital campaigns are easily measurable, they allow for incredibly specific targeting, and they tend to be more engaging.

Really, the biggest cons that pertain to digital marketing channels are: being viewed as annoying/intrusive; being lost in the sea of ads people encounter every day.

On the execution side, it can still be overwhelming to engage just in social media marketing. However, there are platforms that can help make this task less daunting.

Other Channels

Like I wrote earlier, omni-channel doesn’t only pertain to marketing.

Of course, the term and practice are most often associated with marketing. However, operators have more to think about to truly become omni-channel.

The way your guests interact with your restaurant are also channels. Your front-of-house staff is a channel, technically speaking.

Now, we all know that the pandemic forced operational changes. Many of those changes are here to stay.

So, let’s look at a potential guest journey:

  • The potential guest receives a promotional offer via email.
  • They follow the link to an online reservation platform.
  • After arriving at the restaurant with their party, they check in with the host in person.
  • The server greets the party, some of whom request a physical menu. Others in the party pull out their phones and access the menu via QR code.
  • Throughout the meal, the server touches the table to ensure the visit is going well, refill drinks, take additional drink orders, etc.
  • When it’s time to pay, the party quietly does so via a touchless option and leaves.
  • A follow-up email is sent for feedback.
  • After a number of days, a text message is sent out to encourage another visit.

The marketing channels are just one element that makes the hypothetical restaurant an omni-channel operation. Providing digital, touchless menu access and payment are also omni-channel elements.

Those are just a few examples. If you take the time to review your operations; where you can reach new and repeat guests; threats such as third-party delivery; and innovations you can implement, you’ll see where you can make changes to become an omni-channel restaurant.

Image: Dan Gold on Unsplash

Quarter Proof Light Gin bottle and cocktail
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ABV: Does it Have to Be All or Nothing?

ABV: Does it Have to Be All or Nothing?

by David Klemt

Quarter Proof Light Gin bottle and cocktail

In the discussion of alcohol, it seems to be an all-or-nothing topic: spirits and drinks are either full-proof or zero-proof.

Innovations in the space take two paths. There are brands like Seedlip that create alcohol-free spirits using botanicals, herbs and other ingredients. Resulting products are original creations with unique flavor profiles.

Another path is taken by brands such as Lyre’s. Rather than creating entirely new spirits, these producers craft alcohol-free that mimic their full-proof counterparts. For example, Lyre’s vast range includes a zero-proof bourbon and rum.

When it comes to drink builds, things get a little deeper. Yes, the all-or-nothing approach still applies to a point. Obviously, there are standard and high-proof cocktails. And yes, there are alcohol-free, zero-proof cocktails, also known as “mocktails.”

However, there’s also a third approach: low-ABV cocktails. Two popular build techniques are:

  • making low-proof liqueurs and wines the stars in Spritzers and other drinks; and
  • reverse cocktails.

When the conversation around lower-proof cocktails first gained steam, Spritzers, Fizzes and other options were brought to the forefront.

Then came the reverse cocktails, which I’ll explain briefly using a Reverse Martini build:

Let’s say your traditional recipe calls for two ounces of gin, a half-ounce of sweet vermouth (we can fight about this some other time), and a dash of orange bitters. To build the Reverse Martini, half the gin, quadruple the sweet vermouth, and keep the bitters the same.

Crafting reverse cocktails isn’t an overly complex process. But what if there was a third entry in the full-proof versus zero-proof battle?

Quarter Proof

It turns out, there is another path those seeking to consume lower-proof cocktails can take.

As the brand Quarter Proof says (or asks), “Who said it had to be all or nothing?” As the name implies, this brand intends to craft spirits that ring in at a quarter of the proof of their traditional counterparts.

 

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The brand’s first product, G/N, is produced in the same manner as full-proof gin: copper pot distillation. Like traditional gin, G/N is made with juniper berries.

However, because the resulting liquid is just 12-percent ABV and not 37.5 percent, European law says it can’t be designated “gin.” So, Quarter Proof got creative with the name.

Quarter Proof G/N is like a full-proof London Dry Gin in every way—aroma, flavor profile, mouthfeel, finish—save alcohol content. Along with juniper berry, expect coriander, sweet orange, and grapefruit on the nose and palate.

This is an intriguing development in the world of spirits and I’m eager to see what Quarter Proof crafts next. “Light spirits” produced to deliver the full drinking experience with moderation from the ground up are a compelling option.

Image: Quarter Proof

Coquito cocktail garnished with cinnamon stick
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The Winter Cocktail Your Menu Craves

The Winter Cocktail Your Menu Craves

David Klemt

Coquito cocktail garnished with cinnamon stick

Sure, you can throw eggnog onto your menu and call it a cold day but what about a tastier winter rum cocktail that will wow your guests?

It’s the Coquito and we celebrate it on Tuesday, December 21 this year.

This creamy and rich rum drink makes an ideal LTO during the winter holiday season. And what better day to launch it than National Coquito Day?

So, let’s dive into the Coquito.

Origins

This delicious rum cocktail comes to us from Puerto Rico. There, it’s a traditional Christmas drink.

The name translates to “little coconut” in Spanish. Given that it’s made with coconut milk or cream of coconut, the name makes a lot sense.

Simple, straightforward, rich and creamy, the Coquito is easy to make and easier to drink.

Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, this amazing drink embodies the flavors of the season.

Recipe

Bacardí lays claim to the original Coquito recipe. Like the phrase “No Negroni without Campari,” the rum brand says, “It’s not an original Coquito without Bacardí.”

The Bacardí Coquito recipe is as follows:

  • 1L bottle of Bacardí Superior Rum
  • 15 oz. Cream of coconut
  • 14 oz. Condensed milk
  • 12 oz. Evaporated milk
  • 2 Tbsp. Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon to taste

Add all ingredients to a punch bowl and refrigerate until well chilled. Pour into mugs or cordial glasses and garnish with a cinnamon stick and/or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Traditionally, the Coquito is served in a shot glass.

However, there are several alternative ways to make the Coquito. For example, the Liquor.com Coquito recipe:

  • 750 mL White, añejo or spiced Puerto Rican rum
  • 56 oz. Sweetened condensed milk
  • 48 oz. Evaporated milk
  • 24 oz. Cream of coconut
  • 4 tsps. Vanilla extract
  • 4 tsps. Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. Ground nutmeg
  • Cinnamon sticks (one stick per bottle of prebatched Coquito, two per individual serving)

Add all ingredients except for rum and cinnamon sticks to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, bring to a simmer, and then let cool. Add the rum and stir. Pour into bottles that can be sealed, and add one cinnamon stick. Seal bottles and store in refrigerator (some sources say the Coquito can be stored for up to two weeks). Serve in rocks glasses and garnish with two cinnamon sticks.

Riffs

Some people add eggs to the saucepan version of the Coquito. The thickness of the drink can also be altered by reducing or increasing heating times.

Alternatively, swapping the cream of coconut out in exchange for coconut milk means a lower fat content. Obviously, that will affect mouthfeel and thickness.

Further, using different brands and expressions of rum will affect flavor. In fact, some recipes call for chocolate-flavored rum or adding chocolate liqueur.

Finally, using a zero-proof alternative to rum will allow guests who aren’t drinking to participate and engage with your winter menu. Lyre’s White Cane Spirit, Dark Cane Spirit, and Spiced Cane Spirit are clever alternatives. Ritual Rum Alternative is also a great zero-ABV option.

So, there are several ways to make the Coquito your bar team’s own. Spices, liqueurs, milk versus cream, garnishes, and glassware can put your stamp on your Coquito.

Mark your calendars and ready your marketing channels: Tuesday, December 21 is National Coquito Day.

Image: Maria Moledo on Unsplash

Sangria in a pitcher on a bar
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Winter Sangria for the Holidays

Winter Sangria for the Holidays

by David Klemt

Sangria in a pitcher on a bar

Most people may associate Sangria with summer months and tropical locales.

However, Sangria can certainly shine during the winter months and holiday parties.

All you really need is a rich and perhaps somewhat sweet red wine and seasonal spices.

What is Sangria?

We celebrate National Sangria Day on December 20. That may seem strange to people who view it as a summer drink.

However, with the right wines and spices, Sangria easily transforms into a season-specific libation.

At its core, Sangria is a punch. It’s commonly accepted that this wine-based drink was created during the 18th century. Supposedly, the predecessor to Sangria (“bloodletting” in Spanish) was served cold or hot.

However, the cold version found its way onto American shores in the 1940s. There are stories that claim Sangria took off in the mid-1960s because of the 1964 World’s Fair.

So, what are the basics? Traditionally, Sangria consists of:

  • Red wine (Rioja is most traditional)
  • Chopped fruit (local fruits are most traditional)
  • Fruit juices (in place of some or all chopped fruits)
  • Sweeteners (orange juice and/or sugar)
  • An alcohol boost (brandy or liqueur)
  • Sparkling water or soda (for texture)

There are also Sangria recipes that use white wine, sparkling wine, and even combinations of red and white wine.

Winter Red Wines

Since you’ll be using seasonal fruits and spices to flavor your Sangria, the case can be made that the red wine base doesn’t matter.

However, your housemade recipe will benefit from careful consideration. Also, your guests will appreciate you putting some thought into your recipe.

The following red wines are excellent during the winter:

  • Red Zinfandel
  • Malbec
  • Petite Sirah
  • Petit Verdot
  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Shiraz
  • Sirah/Syrah
  • Sangiovese
  • Grenache/Garnacha
  • Tempranillo

These varietals tend to have warming flavors and aromas, along with medium to full bodies.

Of particular note are Grenache, Garnacha and Tempranillo. Those varietals, along with red Riojas, are commonly used to make Sangria in Spain. By the way, Grenache and Garnacha are the same grape; it’s called Garnacha in Spain, Grenache anywhere else.

Winter Fruits and Spices

This is where you really make your winter Sangria stand out.

First, select your wine. Obviously, you don’t need to use one of your pricier wines. Get to know it, tasting it with your bar team. Consider what fruit notes and body characterize the wine. Note its level of sweetness.

Next, consider the spices that define the holiday and winter season. Cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, clove, ginger, and allspice all come to my mind.

Now, the fruits. Pears, pomegranates, cranberries, kiwis, oranges, grapefruits, Meyer lemons, kumquats, persimmons, and tangerines are all in season in the winter.

After that, decide if you want to add a modifier like Gran Marnier, brandy, ginger ale, or just sugar.

Then, experiment with your wine choice, spices, and fruits until your housemade Sangria is to your liking and authentic to your brand.

The final step? Costing and pricing. This will be a seasonal item or LTO, so you can probably get away with charging a bit more for it than you would for a standard cocktail.

Make sure to jot down your recipe. That’s not only so it remains consistent. Doing so will also help you create new Sangria recipes for each season.

And there you have it. Not only will you be able to wow your guests on National Sangria Day, you now have a Sangria recipe you can modify on a seasonal basis.

Image: Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash

Old Fashioned cocktail garnished with orange peel and cherry on bar
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

50 Best Announces 2021 Winning Bars

50 Best Announces 2021 Winning Bars

by David Klemt

Old Fashioned cocktail garnished with orange peel and cherry on bar

The world’s best bars have been reviewed and ranked, and were announced by the aptly-named World’s 50 Best Bars on December 7.

In reality, the list is split into two and ranks the 100 best bars in the world.

Now, it may seem strange to some to review and rank bars during a pandemic. However, our industry and the top performers within it deserve recognition.

Interestingly (and somewhat disappointingly), only four of the top 50 are American operations. There are no Canadian bars among the top 100.

When it comes bars 51 through 100, there are seven American bars on the list. That makes a total of 11 American bars appearing on the global list of best bars.

Clearly, the organization needs to pay more attention to Canadian’s provinces and their bar scenes.

American Bars

Below are the American bars that made the cut. Their ranks and locations are included:

  • Katana Kitten, New York City, NY (Rank: 10)
  • Café La Trova, Miami, FL (Rank: 28)
  • Dante, New York City, NY (Rank: 30)
  • Attaboy, New York City, NY (Rank: 34)
  • Double Chicken Please, New York City, NY (Rank: 54)
  • Employees Only, New York City, NY (Rank: 60)
  • Kumiko, Chicago, IL (Rank: 61)
  • Thunderbolt, Los Angeles, CA (Rank: 66)
  • Sweet Liberty, Miami, FL (Rank: 89)
  • Death & Co., Los Angeles, CA (Rank: 99)
  • Leyenda, New York City, NY (Rank: 100)

Does anything jump out at you? Half of the American bars that made the Top 50 and 51-100 lists are in NYC. Miami and Los Angeles are tied for second-most bars on the list, with a single Chicago bar claiming a spot.

The World’s 50 Best Bars

  1. Connaught Bar, London, UK
  2. Tayer + Elementary, UK
  3. Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain
  4. The Clumsies, Athens, Greece
  5. Floreria Atlantico, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  6. Licoreria Limantour, Mexico City, Mexico
  7. Coa, Hong Kong, China
  8. El Copitas, St. Petersburg, Russia
  9. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
  10. Katana Kitten, New York, America
  11. Two Schmucks, Barcelona, Spain
  12. Hanky Panky, Mexico City, Mexico
  13. Insider Bar, Moscow, Russia
  14. Baba Au Rum, Athens, Greece
  15. Manhattan, Singapore
  16. Atlas, Singapore
  17. Zuma, Dubai, UAE
  18. The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan
  19. Drink Kong, Rome, Italy
  20. 1930, Milan, Italy
  21. Presidente, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  22. Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia
  23. Catina OK!, Sydney, Australia
  24. Salmon Guru, Madrid, Spain
  25. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, Mexico
  26. No Sleep Club, Singapore
  27. Camparino In Galleria, Milan, Italy
  28. Cafe La Trova, Florida, USA
  29. Little Red Door, Paris, France
  30. Dante, New York, USA
  31. Kwant, London, UK
  32. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
  33. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  34. Attaboy, New York, USA
  35. Lucy’s Flower Shop, Stockholm, Sweden
  36. MO Bar, Singapore
  37. Sips, Barcelona, Spain
  38. Baltra Bar, Mexico City, Mexico
  39. Sober Company, Shanghai, China
  40. Tjoget, Stockholm, Sweden
  41. Epic, Shanghai, China
  42. Charles H, Seoul, South Korea
  43. Tippling Club, Singapore
  44. Above Board, Melbourne, Australia
  45. Galaxy Bar, Dubai, UAE
  46. Re, Sydney, Australia
  47. Sidecar, New Delhi, India
  48. Union Trading Company, Shanghai, China
  49. Darkside, Hong Kong, China
  50. Quinary, Hong Kong, China

This is the second consecutive year that the Connaught has clinched the number one spot.

Just 16 of the bars that made the top 50 are new to the list. Take from that what you will.

As you can see, there are more bars located in Singapore and China than anywhere else among the top 50. Of the bars in China, they’re split evenly between Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Criteria

The World’s 50 Best Bars is owned and organized by William Reed Business Media. Per the website’s “How the voting works” tab, no employees or sponsors “has any influence over the results.”

Voters are said to all be “bar experts.” According to the website, 50 percent of voters are bar owners and bartenders. A quarter are drinks writers, and another 25 percent are “well-traveled cocktail experts.” Overall, at least 25 percent must be new voters each year.

There are a total of 600 voters (so, 300 are bar owners and bartenders, and so on). Each voter casts seven votes. Their votes are based on the best bar visits they’ve had from the previous 18 months.

Voters must only vote for bars they’ve actually visited; pop-ups cannot receive votes; and voters can’t vote for bars they own or in which they have a financial interest.

Previously, participants had to cast at least two votes for bars located outside of their home countries. However, due to the pandemic, that requirement was tossed out for the 2021 lists.

According to the organization’s website, votes are confidential and voters are anonymous.

Image: Pylyp Sukhenko on Unsplash

Yellow neon "butter" sign and scaffolding
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Canadian Trends 2022: Technomic

Canadian Trends 2022: Technomic

by David Klemt

Yellow neon "butter" sign and scaffolding

Curious about what to expect in 2022 as a Canadian restaurant, bar or hotel operator?

Technomic has some predictions for next year.

Reviewing their “Canadian Trends: Looking Ahead to 2022” report, creativity and streamlining will be keys to success.

Let’s jump in!

Butter

Yes, this is why I chose the image above. Technomic is very specifically identifying butter as an important 2022 F&B trend.

And no, they don’t appear to be predicting the popularity a particularly rare or esoteric butter. The industry intelligence firm means butter will prove important in 2022.

In large part, Technomic is pointing to comfort food as a driver for butter.

Generally, the firm points to how versatile butter is in the kitchen. Browned and herb-infused butters, says Technomic, will find its way into cocktails.

Flavor and texture will play an important role, extending the butter prediction into buttery foods territory. For example, Technomic predicts butterscotch, buttermilk and ghee will see a boost in usage and demand.

Additionally, the plant-based movement will help nut butters grow more popular. In fact, Technomic says nut butters will find their ways onto burgers and into cocktails.

Interestingly, the firm’s butter prediction gives operators two larger trends to watch: comfort food and plant-based.

Cross-utilization

You don’t need me to tell you that North America—and the rest of the world—is facing supply chain issues.

I know you’re exhausted from just the past nearly two years of constant adaptation and pivoting. In 2022, you’ll have to continue with your creative problem solving.

The supply chain challenge (there’s an understatement) requires creativity in several areas. This includes the kitchen and menu.

Technomic suggests that one path forward through supply chain problems involves ingredient preparations:

  • Pickling
  • Candying
  • Salt-baking

The firm says these creative takes on ingredients operators already have will extend product life; add new flavors to dishes; and deliver new textures. Those last two offer guests new experiences.

In addition, getting creative with the ingredients you may be able to get more readily will help streamline and update 2022 menus. However, revising your menu will require careful consideration of your supply chain and cross-utilization, with a heavy helping of creative prep.

Running Lean

Smaller footprints. Shrunken staff. Streamlined menus. Smaller, shrunken, streamlined, optimized, leaner…

Call the process whatever you want, Technomic is predicting that operators will need to “optimize” (read: make smaller) their businesses.

Of course, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. We’ve read and heard predictions since last year about what will need to shrink moving forward.

While some recent news reports say that ghost kitchens are out, Technomic seems to think that’s not the case. Technomic suggests ghost kitchens will remain viable for operators who want to expand without investing in real estate.

Additionally, Technomic’s report suggests something that should come as no surprise. In short, if it works for a brand or location, smaller may be better and here to stay.

Growth

Now, this is the most promising of Technomic’s predictions: Growth.

Per the firm, the foodservice industry in Canada was down 29 percent in Q1 of 2021. Pre-pandemic, sales reached $95 billion. That represents a loss of nearly $30 billion.

However, there’s reason to be optimistic in 2022, according to Technomic.

The firm expects growth of 21 percent in 2022 over 2021, or sales of $74.8 billion. Should this prediction prove accurate, 2022 would close just three percent under pre-pandemic sales.

Technomic identifies full-service as the foodservice segment to experience the most growth next year at 26.2 percent. In comparison, the firm predicts limited-service to grow 7.3 percent.

Next year won’t be easy. 2022 won’t be a magical return to normalcy. But there is room for optimism if Technomic’s predictions are correct.

Image: Jon Tyson on Unsplash

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