Trends in Food and Beverage Technology 2022
FnB is an extremely popular term in the food service and food service industry, with an increasingly rapid growth rate with the number of eateries, restaurants, and cafes constantly opening everywhere.
So what is FnB? What food and beverage technology trends are being widely applied in businesses? Let's find out with FieldCheck in the article below!
What is F&B?
FnB (or F&B) is an abbreviation of Food and Beverage, a phrase in English used to refer to the food and food service industry. However, with the development of the economy, the FnB model no longer only provides culinary-related services to customers but also includes the restaurant , hotel and tourism businesses.
F&B is a food and drink business model
FnB businesses are businesses operating in the field of restaurants, catering, and food.
Today, when people's needs for food and culinary experiences are increasing, FnB businesses always have to constantly update consumers' tastes as well as have a reasonable business strategy to compete with many customers. competitors in this lucrative market.
One of the strategies that major F&B chains have been accelerating to implement is leveraging latest technology used in food and beverage industry with the aim of improving the dining experience and attracting a wider audience.
Next, let's take a look at some typical technologies being applied by many businesses in the F&B industry today.
Technologies Being Successfully Applied in F&B
Digital Payments
Digital payment, also known as cashless payment, is becoming a familiar and popular form of payment globally and in many Southeast Asian countries (67% of financial users support digital payments for financial transactions).
Not only that, the demand for a contactless payment system is at an unprecedented level and is expected to account for 91% of transactions by 2025. In Vietnam, cashless payments can be made. present through many forms such as: payment via e-wallet (Momo, Zalo Pay, Viettel Pay,...) digital banking, debit card, credit card.
Digital Payments
Not only are large restaurant chains or coffee shops using digital payments, but more and more small dining venues are also allowing customers to pay cashless.
The advantage of this form is reflected in the fact that managers can understand the store's revenue in a clear and detailed way, help control assets better, prevent fraud and financial loss.
In addition, consumers will also be more convenient when paying, solving the situation that guests do not bring enough cash and errors in the exchange - payment process.
Food Delivery
Food Delivery applications originate from the needs of customers, making it easy for them to order through a website or online application without having to go to the place to buy.
Previously, this form was only popular with fast food restaurants such as Pizza Hut, KFC, Jollibee,... But now with the appearance of Food Delivery applications, customers can order any food. , drinks that they need, with a wide selection of restaurants and coffee shops appearing on the app.
Food Delivery App
Shoppers can also easily find and order food at home, then pay directly on the app or choose to pay later.
For FnB businesses, the use of food delivery technology also helps them increase the number of orders and revenue significantly. However, it also requires managers to calculate and negotiate costs with the delivery unit to avoid customers paying too high a fee for this service.
Order By Handheld Device
One of the pioneering technologies in the F&B industry is the use of hand-held ordering devices (phones, tablets) for staff to order food at the table.
Many large-scale restaurants have chosen handheld ordering devices to improve the ordering process and serve customers smoothly and efficiently. In particular, with this technology in food and beverage industry, employees can request payment on the device anywhere as long as there is an Internet connection, saving unnecessary travel time and serving customers faster.
Ordering will no longer be a problem for the restaurant when it has a large number of customers and allows to serve more customers, which also means increased customer return rates and increased sales. store merchandise.
Manage Cafes and Restaurants With Software
This is a technology solution that many FnB businesses are interested in because of its efficiency and high applicability in all operations management processes for restaurants.
Vending machine at the cake shop
Management software for the F&B sector will include a set of equipment: vending machines, cash registers and order machines, automatic receipt printers, barcode scanners, etc.
The application of management software is the solution to bring the best service experience to customers, with the connection of departments from bringing customers to the table, ordering and quickly ordering, to the process of making food. The payment process is also more compact and convenient.
Managers also easily understand the entire working process of employees, monitor financial situation, support for daily reporting.
See more: FieldCheck - Comprehensive chain store management app
Technologies That Promise to Boom in Business in the F&B Industry
The world is constantly moving and changing in new directions. Every industry has its influence and rotation since then, and the F&B industry is no exception.
Without grasping market trends, all business activities will become obsolete and be knocked out immediately. To survive not only the present but also the future, managers must constantly update, understand and apply new technology trends to bring businesses to new heights.
The technologies in the FnB business that are predicted to explode in the future are:
Self-Service Robot
In large restaurants and eateries in some countries such as China and Japan, the use of robots to serve customers or act as "delivery workers" is gradually becoming popular. In addition to the above jobs, the robot can also sing happy birthday to customers, help in the kitchen and present food.
This self-service robot technology is a solution to the shortage of personnel in the industry, helping to ensure the quality of service for customers and save on labor costs.
Robot delivers food to customers
Robots will not be able to completely replace humans as many people fear, when they think they will take away job opportunities. In fact, they are just tools to support people during the working process, avoiding unnecessary errors.
Voice Payments
With payment technology by voice recognition, customers can complete bill payments quickly and conveniently. Through this technology, customers almost do not have to make bill payments.
Applications/software can recognize voice to process to allow quick payment, avoiding cumbersome procedures. This is a dream scenario and is gradually becoming a reality in some restaurants around the world.
Voice payment
Service provider Mastercard has been testing the technology in San Francisco eateries. Accordingly, the sound melodies used are inspired by the local culture, making it easy to recognize, remember and create a brand impression. This technology is currently being responded by many restaurants and hotels around the world; and they are willing to spend money to own this modern technology.
See more: 10 Big Digital Transformation Trends
How Big F&B Chains Use Technology to Succeed
Quick service restaurant model is one of the popular FnB business types developed by many FnB brands, typically three names: Starbucks, KFC, McDonald's.
These FnB chains often do not invest too much in human resources, but mainly apply technology and equip software equipment for food and beverage processing. Let's see how they have applied the technology!
Major F&B Chains
Starbucks
Starbucks has long been known as a famous coffee chain brand in the world, but few people know that behind the great coffee taste are modern and unique technologies.
Many industry experts also see Starbucks as a technology company, alongside other giants such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Google, with products: wireless charging station systems, beacon technology, payment applications. mobile computing, Roastery virtual reality experience, etc.
Customers coming to Starbucks will use the restaurant's Wifi to access Starbucks Digital Network - a digital content system with a series of paid publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist,...
Starbucks has implemented this service as a spiritual food for customers to enjoy alongside their coffee, with the aim of enhancing the customer experience at the store.
Starbucks Mobile Payment App
In addition, Starbucks is using smart refrigerators, a food & drink technology solution that can track the expiration date of ingredients stored in cabinets and Clover coffee machines with cloud connectivity, along with other modern IoT devices (Internet of Things), also fully utilized by Starbucks everywhere in the store.
KFC
At KFC, the technology used is mainly artificial intelligence and IoT in production and commercial activities.
Typically, the KFC chain in Beijing (China) is currently using image recognition technology to identify customers, replacing membership cards and loyalty cards. With this technology, staff can know the age, gender, and food preferences of customers to make recommendations accordingly.
Besides, about 300 KFC stores in Beijing will also be equipped with virtual reality game consoles, allowing customers to satisfy their needs for food and entertainment.
KFC is a fast food chain
KFC is also in the process of researching and developing 3D bioprinting technology to be able to produce chicken meat in the laboratory, forming a line capable of making Nugget chicken balls from chicken cells and raw materials. plant material.
This idea of KFC comes from consumers' demand for healthy eating, to meet the needs of meat substitutes and to develop more environmentally friendly products in food production.
McDonald's
If you've ever bought food at McDonald's, you'll probably be quite surprised to have to manually order food on a large screen placed outside or right in the middle of the store - aka an automated kiosk.
At the screen of this digital ordering counter, the buyer will see all the dishes on the menu, choose the portion size, drink, and pay by bank card to get the bill.
With automatic order form, customers do not need to queue at the counter and ask staff to choose for themselves, but can serve by themselves to save more time.
McDonald's also allows customers to order through a mobile phone application, food will be delivered to their home, or ordered at any address that customers choose. With the fast-growing food delivery apps today, the company develops its own ordering platform in parallel while partnering with third parties to reach a wider range of customers.
McDonald's Automated Ordering Kiosk
Conclusion
For businesses that are selling food, drink and hospitality service, we hope you will discover more lessons from the food and beverage technology application of these famous brands.
The article also provides an overview for those who are new to the FnB business to understand the concept of the industry and technology trends that can bring the best quality of service to customers.
