2024 Predictions

As we step into a new year, the hospitality and catering industry continues to navigate through challenges, adapting to changing landscapes and striving for excellence. At The Evolve Group, comprising Evolve Hospitality, Enhance Catering, and Collins King & Associates, we eagerly explore what 2024 has in store for us. We reached out to key individuals within each brand to share their insights and predictions for the upcoming year.

Evolve Hospitality – Alex Pern, Evolve FOH Business Manager

What will hospitality look like in 2024?

Alex Pern believes that the industry will grapple with ongoing labor shortages. Evolve Hospitality remains committed to proactive support, maintaining high standards of staff and services. The focus will be on a bespoke approach to assist struggling restaurants and businesses.

Recruitment predictions for 2024?

Agencies will face heightened competition for talent. Treating and respecting staff is crucial, and if this continues, Evolve Hospitality anticipates overcoming recruitment challenges.

What does 2024 have in store for Evolve Hospitality?

Despite inevitable obstacles, Evolve Hospitality is well-prepared with processes and structures. The Front of House pipeline promises exciting developments, showcasing the brand’s commitment to excellence and continued client partnerships.

Enhance Catering – Clare Downes, Managing Director

What will catering/hospitality look like in 2024?

Clare Downes sees positive signs for the Catering and Hospitality world. The lingering effects of remote work on the Contract Catering Sector are noted, but increased demand in the Education and Healthcare sectors is expected. The rise in retirement homes also contributes to higher staff demands.

The Catering and Hospitality industry is showing positive signs, but the impact of the COVID-era shift to remote work still lingers. The Contract Catering Sector and restaurants are affected, especially with the prevalence of a 3-day office-based workweek. This reduces demand for catering services on Mondays and Fridays, and although Thursday is now considered the new Friday, SPH in restaurants and bars is lower on this “new Friday” due to customers working from home the next day.

In Education and Healthcare, there is a surge in demand. The Free School Meals Government initiative has led to a significant increase in school meal volume. While the number of venues hasn’t substantially risen, the need for staff to produce these meals has increased. The broader picture includes a projected 8.8% growth in retirement homes by 2025 to accommodate the aging population. As life expectancy rises, more elderly individuals are entering Care, Residential, and Retirement Village settings, necessitating an increased staff to manage catering demands.

What does 2024 have in store for Enhance Catering?

As Enhance Catering enters its fourth year of operation, and second full year without COVID restrictions in 2024, anticipation is high. The expected growth in the Education and Healthcare sectors, central to our business, fuels our excitement. We eagerly look forward to providing support in these vital areas. Personally, I am genuinely thrilled about the upcoming year, excited for the prospects it holds for individuals within the business and the brand as a whole. Being part of such a unique, niche, and professional business continues to fill me with pride.

Enhance Catering – Jack Oakland, Business Manager – South

What will catering/hospitality look like in 2024?

Jack Oakland foresees continued growth in plant-based and vegan options, especially in school operations, emphasizing the importance of meals stimulating brain function.

Recruitment predictions for 2024?

Anticipating a persistent shortage across the industry in 2024, it becomes imperative to offer more competitive benefits and salary packages to address workforce needs. Notably, the positive development of the national living wage increasing to £11.44 is encouraging. This significant raise, the largest we’ve witnessed, particularly impacts our front-line workers, a crucial consideration amidst the ongoing reality of a non-reducing cost of living.

What does 2024 have in store for Enhance Catering?

I have a strong conviction that the relationships established in 2023 will propel our growth. Despite being a relatively young company, we are swiftly gaining recognition as a specialist catering DBS recruitment agency. Our commitment is evident in our thorough vetting and right-to-work checks, exceeding industry standards. Clients can be confident that when they book a staff member with us, they are securing a comprehensively vetted employee ready to work in vulnerable child or adult environments. While acknowledging my bias, I confidently foresee us progressing and thriving throughout the year.

Are there specific skills or qualifications that you anticipate will be in high demand among hospitality and catering professionals in 2024? 

I think our onboarding process to ensure we are employing the right people for the jobs we offer is imperative, we know what our clients need so we employ people to fulfill these roles.

In the context of the evolving workplace landscape, how is Enhance promoting diversity and inclusion in the hospitality and catering sector, and what initiatives are you planning to enhance diversity in candidate placements in 2024?

For my strategy personally we are reaching out in many different ways to recruit staff in any way we can, we are not just relying on our job’s boards, to ensure we can connect with a diverse workforce. We regularly attend job fairs to try and capture people from different backgrounds and to be as inclusive as possible.

Collins King – Ben Rice, Senior Account Manager

How do you see technology impacting the hospitality and catering industry by 2024?

Technology exerts its influence in diverse ways across all industry sectors. This includes the implementation of POS systems in some B&I sites, where staff utilise iPads to facilitate a Deliveroo-style service directly to meeting rooms or desk blocks within an office building. Additionally, restaurants are adopting innovative practices such as employing robots as assistant waiters and using iPads as POS systems to streamline operations, reduce staff headcount, and cut costs. This forward-thinking approach is particularly beneficial for restaurants facing financial challenges. Looking ahead to 2024, an escalation in the adoption of these cost-saving technologies is anticipated. As consultants, our role involves thorough due diligence, posing direct questions about a project’s use of technology in previous roles.

What strategies do you have in place to assist candidates in their professional development and career growth within the hospitality and catering industry? How do you plan to support continuous learning and upskilling for candidates placed through your agency in 2024?

This is quite simply knowing our market as consultants. Understanding market trends, movements, growth and potential new players in the game. We attempt to guide them in their journey, mapping out a success route to where it is they want to get to.

What will hospitality look like in 2024?

The outlook hinges on factors such as VAT, government intervention, and public spending. The luxury hotel sector is thriving, evident in successful openings like Raffles. In 2024, there’s a potential surge in foot traffic within the corporate market, driven by the growing trend of workers returning to office spaces.

Recruitment predictions for 2024? How might the market change?

Optimistically, the trajectory appears positive! Last year, Corporate Catering experienced overspending, prompting several caterers to disengage from agencies and focus on internal recruitment. There is a potential resurgence in agency spending anticipated for 2024, fueled by understaffing challenges in various sites.

What does 2024 have in store for Collins King?

Diversification remains a focus. 

As we delve into 2024, The Evolve Group UK remains at the forefront of industry trends and challenges. With a commitment to excellence, innovation, and adaptability, our brands are poised for another year of growth, partnership, and success in the dynamic hospitality and catering landscape.