As TVE have recently moved into Central London, We’ve noticed a few new F&B concepts that have caught our eye. Our examples suggest brands that think about the wider experience they sit within have a better audience understanding. This deeper knowledge allows brands to build closer relationships with their audience.
Food with Facts: Kioskafe
Monocle’s latest venture into the F&B space comes in the form of Kioskafe. The beauty is in the attention to the location’s consumer; opposite the Frontline Club and a short walk from the Heathrow Express.
The offer was built for this environment, selling travel accessories and international newspapers alongside a simple menu. It then uses this idea of well informed, global living to attract a wider aspiring audience.
Eating and Exercise
The increasing prevalence of Gym Memberships is another lifestyle that brings with it a unique food occasion. Brands such as upmarket Gym Grace Belgravia deliver their own F&B service to serve gym goers high protein, low fat food before or after a workout.
Not only does this satisfy to the dietary needs of gym goers, it helps extend the role of The Gym as a social space (an emerging desire, particularly amongst a younger cohort).
The Brunch Business: Caravan
Brunch has moved away from Sex and The City special to staple weekend activity in London, and many brands have utilised the trend to capture new levels of growth. Coffee Roasters Caravan have expanded greatly over the past three years, spurred on by the new role brunch plays as a social occasion.
What is most interesting is the location choices for such expansions. By picking two locations well known for their surrounding cultural activities (Kings Cross and The South Bank) the brand is aligning itself with areas of the city that complement the experience it offers, such as galleries or shopping experiences.
So what opportunities are there for other brands?
By building a wider picture of the consumer and understanding the wider context their F&B visit sits within, brands can best tailor, target and leverage their location, amenities and offering to fit within the wider experience economy.
Whether you are a family restaurant or a high end steakhouse, understanding the role you play in the wider occasion can both unlock opportunities for growth but also help leverage and articulate existing equity more efficiently.