US hotel foodservice revenue is poised to increase 5% as the economy recovers and the industry undergoes a “reinvention” that includes new menu concepts featuring fresh, “natural” and “local” foods, according to a recent report by market researcher Packaged Facts.In the wake of the 2008-2009 recession, the hotel industry is adjusting to changing consumer expectations, adding new or revamped menus that are “reshaping how hotel guests experience hotel food and beverage offerings.”
New menu concepts capitalize on guests’ desire for “on-trend gourmet fare” and “better-for-you options,” including fresh, natural, and local foods, as well as vegetarian and allergen-free items, Packaged Facts said.
The increasing emphasis on local and natural menu items ties in with broader initiatives toward healthier foods, said David Morris, a consultant and the Chicago-based author of the Packaged Facts report.
Many hotels are adding more fruit selections to breakfast menus, while some nationwide chains, including Marriott International, Inc., and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, have recently promoted locally grown produce or farmers market offerings, Morris said.
Food retailers and restaurants have scaled up locally grown offerings in recent years to capitalize on consumer perceptions that such products are safer and healthier.
Hotel foodservice revenue bottomed out in 2009 as consumers and businesses cut back on travel and related expenditures such as meals and entertainment, Packaged Facts said. The projected 5% revenue rise this year will be driven “primarily by higher hotel occupancy rates and related travel expenditures,” the researcher said.
This year’s estimated increase follows a 3% revenue gain in 2010, to $22 billion, the researcher said, with “moderate” growth expected to continue through 2012.
Source: The Paker
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