As innovators we very rarely innovate the models we use for innovation planning. The reason is called the success trap - the 'it was successful before, let's eat, sleep, repeat...' mentality.

Protecting the longevity & profitability of business means ensuring that the cultural working environment is both robust & flexible enough to respond rapidly & efficiently to changing circumstances, positive & negative. It is important to create & maintain an innovative, supportive culture which works towards creating predictable success.

According to Planetly, the F&B industry is responsible for 1/3 of global emissions. Hence the importance of the work being done across our industry to reduce the impact on our planet, most recently the drive to become Carbon Negative. From Behemoths such as Mondelez aiming for 2050 and UK brands such as Yorkshire Tea already sitting at carbon neutral, the gauntlet has well and truly been laid down.

When it was launched last year, Future Food set out to demonstrate the relationship between future trend predictions and customer acceptance, readiness, and most importantly how that manifests over time. They aim to provide the food industry with meaningful insights that make a real difference to understanding where future trends and consumers are heading collectively.

Businesses tend to scale back on innovation during unsettled economic conditions, the conundrum however is that this is perhaps when it is most needed; to deliver differentiation from competitors & drive profitable growth.

WHO states that one in three 11-year olds in the European region are overweight or obese. Food Navigator UK goes further: one in ten children in reception year are classed as obese, rising to one in five by year six. UNICEF state the figure rises again to one in three as either overweight or obese by the time they leave school.

Implementing innovation into a business, negotiating real & perceived obstacles in the way can seem a daunting task, but with careful planning & persistence your reward will bring long-term profits.

Businesses tend to scale back on innovation during unsettled economic conditions, the conundrum however is that this is perhaps when it is most needed; to deliver differentiation from competitors & drive profitable growth.

For 14 years McDonalds have kept their standard cheeseburger at 99p, somehow £1.19, doesn't sound quite the same…Two pints of milk are now selling at the same price that 4 pints of milk were selling at the start of the year. UK inflation is soaring & retail is facing the consequences under the consistent inflationary pressure.

Implementing innovation into a business, negotiating real & perceived obstacles in the way can seem a daunting task, but with careful planning & persistence your reward will bring long-term profits.

There is no denying that us Brits love a picnic, why wouldn’t we? Idyllic summers day, wild flower meadow, lazy feet paddling in a stream as we sip chilled fizz & nibble on canapes… this is what we aim for....

“She nailed the brief” according to Mary Berry & Monica Galetti & so our congratulations go to Jemma Melvin with her Lemon & Amaretti Trifle: lemon curd Swiss roll, St Clements’s jelly, lemon custard, amaretti biscuits & mandarin coulis, finished with fresh whipped cream, candied peel & chocolate shards.