The pandemic has changed our habits and the way we work, how has the foodservice world adapted and changed?
It’s been just over a year since the world was shocked. It was a year in which people’s habits that seemed consolidated forever were overwhelmed by a pandemic that, as of today, has caused 117,573,007 confirmed cases and 2,610,925 deaths, of which just over 100,000 in Italy alone. Numbers that no one would have imagined only a year ago.
Beyond the human casualties, also the world economy suffered heavily from this curse, showing contrasting situations with companies and sectors that are unlikely to recover and professions that have seen gigantic leaps in turnover, instead: a clear case in point are digital platforms such as Zoom, which has seen its turnover grow by 326% compared to the previous one, touching 2.6 billion dollars.
In all this, the agri-food sector has experienced a complicated situation. In Italy, the entire sector is worth over 522 billion Euros – equal to 15% of national GDP – and it is the sector that has held up the most in 2020, thanks to the record result of exports (46.1 billion Euros), losing only 1% compared to the -11.5% of the industrial sector.
Why complicated? Because, while retail has seen strong growth in consumption, the out-of-home sector (restaurants, pizzerias, bars) has lost 48% of its turnover, with an overall loss of 41 billion Euros. To give an example, it is estimated that in the last year 300 million kilos of beef, 250 million kilos of fish and seafood and about 200 million bottles of wine have never arrived on the restaurant tables.
It’s not easy to give answers; it’s not easy to talk about this while entire families will probably have to face immense difficulties due to the loss of their job or business.
There has certainly been aid and the restaurant sector has probably received the most, but even here not all that glitters is gold. In fact, catering sector is part of a production chain in which agricultural producers, food industries, food craftsmen and distributors are involved. And it is precisely the latter, the distributors, who have not received any support, even though they have often been the ones helping the restaurant sector the most, being tolerant with payments.
A complex picture to analyze, but one that seems destined to get better, with an immediate restart of the sector as soon as the pandemic is resolved thanks to vaccines. The proof lies in the immense desire for sociality that animates each of us. In this year we have understood that human relationships are the foundation of quality of life; we saw it at the beginning of the pandemic and we feel it inside in these difficult weeks.
Social relations are made in ‘places’ and the restaurant or pizzeria – in addition to serving good food – have a privileged role for this purpose. One of the most evident aspects can be seen in the mode of consumption that has been emerging in recent weeks; in fact, where it is possible to stay out to lunch, people linger (on weekends), remaining at the table until late afternoon.
Many things have changed in this field over the past year, starting with customer attitudes toward catering, and many of these changes will remain even when life gets back to normal.
Let’s look at them:
- Reception
Priority is given to places that guarantee security. This means adopting all the required measures, but also taking into account cleaning as a primary indicator, the beauty of the place, adequate spaces, orderly mise en place, harmonious furnishing elements and a smiling and prepared service. With regard to this last aspect, it is important to quickly improve the training of staff who knows how to enhance the qualities of the restaurant and its cuisine.
- Understanding the menu
The customer is increasingly prepared and therefore he will no longer be fooled by menus and attitudes that put him in a subordinate position. So, especially in the menu description, it is advisable that everything is perfectly understandable and not requiring an excessive effort. Let’s remember that you go to a restaurant to feel good and not to take exams.
- The connection with the territory
Italy is a country that boasts a biodiversity and a landscape variety that is unique in the world. So why stop at standardized preparations that can be easily consumed anywhere? Creating a relationship with the territory means giving value to the place, its producers, its inhabitants and its culture. Ingredients that are increasingly appreciated.
Here are the answers from now on. Those restaurant owners who will be able to organize their work according to these simple criteria will win the day. And when people will return to travel, to meet friends, to enjoy Italian beauty, the restaurant owners and pizza makers who will have adapted their offerings to these needs will become an integral part of a new quality of life.
