2023 Hospitality Industry Predictions

2022 was a transformative year for businesses in the hospitality industry. Australian cafés and restaurants were challenged to adapt to new ways of working in a post-pandemic world, and the hospitality industry demonstrated remarkable resilience, ingenuity and enjoyed significant recovery after a prolonged and unprecedented shake-up.

So before we switch on our out-of-office, let’s reflect on the year that was and predictions for 2023.

GOOD STAFF MAKE GREAT BUSINESSES

Australians are proud of our thriving hospitality industry and the impressive café, restaurant and dining experiences we are internationally renowned for. One of the many ways we celebrated the end of international and state-wide travel restrictions and lockdowns, was to organise meals out with friends and family. But when the borders opened, the hospitality industry struggled and is still struggling to find skilled hospitality staff to keep up with increased consumer demand for eating out.

HELEN’S 2023 PREDICTION: With a staffing issue on the rise, it is important for businesses to take time and care with their employees in order to retain their good, quality staff. We predict that to do so, businesses will seek to reduce pressures for back and front staff by implementing heat-and-serve products. This way, they can focus on other areas of the business to help attract quality employees.

A FLOCK OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS

Australia opened its international borders to fully vaccinated tourists in February 2022 after two years of serious border closures and travel disruptions. A surge in international tourists boosted business for many in the hospitality industry. But finding and retaining skilled staff remained an issue, so the hospitality industry implemented creative changes. One of the innovations was the use of QR codes and digital menus to streamline ordering for our international tourists and local patronage while also enabling restaurants and cafés with reduced staff to keep operating.

HELEN’S 2023 PREDICTION: Tourism is set to surge again in 2023, with many eager international travellers setting their sights on Australia. Australia is famous for its fresh produce and consumers are increasingly seeking out high quality dining experiences. We expect many hospitality businesses will embrace and celebrate meals and products made with high-quality and local produce in 2023 to cater to growing appetites for fresh, healthy Australian food.

This is just one of the ways you can introduce visitors to some of our world-renown and delicious, homegrown flavours. Another innovation to consider in catering to international customers is to complement Australian dishes with international flavours, like our very own heat and serve Butter Chicken Filo. The delectable filo is filled with succulent chicken pieces, slowly cooked in a rich Indian-spiced sauce, enveloped in a buttery filo pastry.

HEALTHY, HEARTY FOOD IS IMPORTANT AT ALL AGES

Food quality and a positive dining experience has the potential to not only influence positive nutrition and health outcomes but also to improve overall wellbeing and mental mindset. In recent years, we have found this is particularly true for senior Australians.

In 2022 the daily supplement for meals in aged-care facilities increased by $10. This provided the perfect opportunity to bolster future meals with extra nutritional value. Our heat-and-serve meals are nutritious and made with wholesome ingredients and take less time to prepare which is helpful with the existing hospitality staff shortages across the country.

HELEN’S 2023 PREDICTION: We predict the quality and experience of aged care dining rooms to continue to be a focal point for those operating within these industries in the year ahead. We also expect increased focus on serving meals that are both visually appealing and nutritionally balanced. Focusing on flavour and familiarity means our seniors can enjoy wholesome, mouth-watering meals as well as the health benefits they provide.

GROWING GREEN COMMUNITIES

The growing care consumers have for the health of our environment continues to inspire their preferences for aesthetically appealing, eco-friendly dining experiences and packaging alternatives. In 2022, the trend of reducing takeaway plastic use in favour of biodegradable cardboard, paper wraps and brown packaging continued. Dine-in customers quickly became accustomed to ordering from digital menus when many cafés and restaurants engaged QR code scannable menus, sparing the planet’s ecology and empowering customers to feel hygienically safe ordering from their own screens in a post-pandemic world.

HELEN’S 2023 PREDICTION: Reducing the use of plastics in favour of eco-friendly alternatives will likely continue as a popular method to position your business as customers continue to care about our planet. Take sustainability a step further and swap printed menus and signage with digital alternatives where possible. No contact options like QR-coded menus will certainly continue as the new normal in 2023.