Blog

After the last two years that the hospitality industry has had to endure, it’s now more important than ever to build good customer loyalty. Too many businesses focus on acquiring new customers rather than retaining the existing ones. And while both are important, building a long-term relationship with customers is incredibly valuable, as it means they are invested in your business. They believe in your values. And they support them. The flip side of this is that they are then also more likely to help you attain new business through word of mouth – customer reviews are hugely influential in purchasing decisions. We recently wrote about how you can stimulate more positive reviews.There are many ways to build customer loyalty. Offering rew...

Your restaurant may have all the ingredients for a successful business: delicious food, stylish decor, a great ambiance, and a brilliant team. But without a sommelier, you could be missing out on a crucial part of the recipe – not to mention the extra revenue having someone with such expertise could bring.It’s not just fine dining restaurants that can benefit from having a sommelier. So don’t stop reading because you think you don’t meet the criteria. Everyone can benefit from having the knowledge of someone in the drinks industry, whether it’s a permanent position, or someone who works with you on an ad-hoc basis to curate your wine list, offer suggested food and drink pairings, and educate the staff.To help us take a deeper dive...

Following a government consultation on calorie labelling in 2018, it has been confirmed that Mandatory Calorie Labelling aimed at “tackling obesity” is set to be enforced on 6th April 2022. And we’re here to explain what that means, and how Erudus can help businesses comply…WHAT IS MANDATORY CALORIE LABELLING?Mandatory Calorie Labelling is a piece of legislation that will be directed towards large food businesses (businesses with 250 or more employees) in the out of home sector – for example, restaurants, cafés, takeaways, bakeries and Caterers.The aim of the new legislation is to provide accessible information that may encourage consumers to make healthier food choices when eating out. Alongside this, there is hope that intr...

St George’s Day is one that often gets overlooked by the hospitality industry. Especially in comparison to St Patrick’s Day, the month before, which sends cities into week-long celebrations. But there’s no reason we should celebrate St George’s Day any less. After all,  it is also known as the Feast of Saint George’s Day…Yes, you’re right in thinking that, in this context, ‘feast’ doesn’t actually mean ‘a large meal’ but rather an annual religious celebration dedicated to a saint, but there’s nothing to stop us from throwing a feast to celebrate, right?All over the world countries are celebrating this religious day, which falls annually on April 23, including Bulgaria, England, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, and Sp...

Easter is a great time to get creative with your cakes and bakes. All it takes are a few simple additions to traditional recipes and you’re good to go. From topping cupcakes with mini eggs to decorating cakes with Easter-shaped chocolates, and candy bunnies and carrots, you don’t have to do too much to make a big impact. Whether you’re putting together a special Easter menu for the 17th April or just want to add a few festive treats to your afternoon tea line-up, your customers won’t be able to resist these five Easter bakes.EASTER CUPCAKEThis is the recipe for a classic vanilla cupcake but you could add blueberries, chocolate chips or crushed mini eggs into the mix too. Top it how you wish. You can’t go wrong with a flavoured but...

The vast array of gluten-free products is such a positive development for those with Coeliac disease. There’s nothing worse than looking at a menu and finding there’s nothing suitable for your dietary requirement. No longer a restricted option, diving into a delicious piece of gluten-free Chocolate Fudge Cake is not an issue and demand remains strong within the retail and foodservice sector. According to the Coeliac UK, over 1 in 100 people suffer from the disease, but 1 in 5 consumers are still choosing gluten-free food for health reasons. What started as the occasional ground-breaking product has expanded into an amazing variety of products from bread, sauces, and cakes to name but a few.In the past, gluten-free had a reputation for...

Easter is just around the corner. The one day a year where it’s acceptable to eat chocolate for breakfast… and lunch and dinner. This year, Easter falls on Sunday, 17th April – here’s hoping spring is fully in the air and the sun is shining. Easter’s about spending time with family, whether that’s going for long walks, indulging in culinary delights or playing games – who doesn’t love an Easter Egg Hunt? But it also opens up a lot of opportunities for restaurants and bars to increase their sales. Depending on your establishment, there are many ways you can attract customers over the Easter period, from menu specials to themed afternoon teas, family games days and more. Here’s our top tips to boost sales this Easter:CREAT...

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. And although we don’t need a date in the diary to tell us to celebrate the most important woman (or women) in our lives, for hospitality businesses, the 27th March can be a very lucrative opportunity. It’s a chance to promote your business, reach a broader audience and even get a little creative.CREATE AN EXCITING OFFER Put together an offer that really shows mum (or mum figure) just how special they are. Offer a free glass of Champagne or Prosecco (or even a bottle) when they dine with you, or a free dessert at the end of the meal. You could even promote Mother’s Day gift cards, they may not dine with you on the day but they’re a promise for future bookings - and a lovely present. HOST A...

Irish or not, the world goes green on St Patrick’s Day. And this year, we expect it to shine even brighter after the lockdowns of 2021, which forced hospitality to close. The Irish don’t need much of an excuse to party, but it does help that this year St Patrick’s Day falls on a Thursday (March 17th) - close enough to the weekend that everyone wants to get involved. You don’t need to paint the walls with shamrocks but there are a few things you can do to bring a little Irish charm to your restaurant or cafe. It could be a St Patrick’s Day playlist, a green-coloured cocktail, an offer on Guinness, or even a special menu for the day with some Irish classics. To give you some St Paddy’s Day inspiration here are five delicious rec...

It’s almost that time of year again. Where for one day, it’s acceptable to eat pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Piled high, sprinkled with sugar and a squeeze of lemon - or maybe you prefer them drenched in maple syrup and served with crispy bacon. It is, of course, Pancake Day. Or Shrove Tuesday as it’s formally known. An Anglo-Saxon Christian tradition, the religious association of Shrove Tuesday began because the day preceding Ash Wednesday presented an opportunity to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk and sugar, before Lent. It always falls on a Tuesday, but never on the same date, as it must always be 47-days before Easter Sunday. However, over time, the old age tradition has become a favourite of many - religious o...

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we’re sure there are lots of excited guests, hungry to see what special menu you’re going to put together. It may not be the most favoured ‘holiday’ of the year but it’s still one that’s celebrated by many, and is sure to boost your sales. If you do it right… We’d recommend curating a menu, this could be themed by cuisine: Italian, Indian, British, French etc. Or, it could be a fusion of dishes, sharing plates and platters… It is the day of love after all, and people are quite happy to share. For top tips on how to get the most out of Valentine’s Day, take a look at our previous article, here. And for some recipe inspiration, keep reading… We’d suggest putting toget...

When we think about creating plant-based meals, the children’s menu can often be overlooked. But there’s no reason that any less attention or creativity should be given to the curation of a children’s menu. We should be feeding young minds with information and options, so they can make their own choices, whether that’s the sport they want to play or food they prefer to eat.With more and more families cooking plant-based meals at home, children are becoming much more adventurous with what they eat. Some may have even been brought up on a strict vegan diet, and almost half (42%) of British kids are worried about the future and environment, which is why it’s ever more important to feature exciting plant-based meals on your menu. One...