Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/802137
& A look at the events, issues, and innovations shaping specialty food, plus industry news, trends, and more. trends happenings TECH-HAPPY RESTAURANTS Sitting at a table quietly enjoying your meal may be a thing of the past at some New York eateries. Take Live On Air, a restaurant in Brooklyn that serves up food with a New Orleans bent and broadcasts segments live from the dining room and kitchen on Periscope and Facebook, including blind-folded taste tests and kitchen prep. Also coming to New York: Selfie Cafe, which will serve everything from coffee to cupcakes, with the ability for customers to add a selfie image to all menu items using a proprietary app. Images are then printed on the food items in edible ink.—Denise Shoukas Are You Ready for Robot Deliveries? Forget drones, there's another futuristic option for reliable delivery service—rolling robots. Starship Technologies, a London- based startup created by the founders of Skype, has introduced an autonomous robot the size of a beer cooler that can deliver up to three grocery bags, sandwiches, or packages within five to 30 minutes. Staying on course using integrated navigation and obstacle avoidance software, the robot also is monitored by a human operator. "Last-mile delivery is very inefficient as it currently stands, with a large percent- age of the total transportation cost being weighted in the last mile. Congestion in cities along with high levels of pollution are getting worse as e-commerce grows by over 10 percent per year," says Henry Harris- Burland, Starship Technologies head of mar- keting and communications. "Our robots are small zero-emissions devices [designed] to increase efficiency and reduce cost for cus- tomers and businesses alike." The company hopes to offer $1 local delivery in the future, "opening up a wealth of opportunity for local companies," he adds. Starship Technologies already has partner- ships in Washington D.C., Fayetteville, Ark., and Redwood City, Calif.—D.S. Brand Simplicity Pays British food retailer Aldi tops the Brand Simplicity Index for the fourth year running—and that's a good thing. Siegel+Gale, the global branding company behind the index, has found that 64 percent of con- sumers are willing to pay more for simpler experienc- es. Companies that embrace simplicity—of products, services, communications—tend to enjoy increased revenue, brand advocacy, and other benefits.—D.S. PHOTOS: STARSHIP TECHNOLOGIES 14 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com