Quenching Your Kitchen Curiosity: New Trends in Food & Beverage

The Food & Beverage industry is evolving quickly, influenced by new technologies and ever-changing consumer behaviours. 

To better understand this transformation, Radford Chancellor (Macintosh Foodservice Solutions) chatted with Daniel Galmiche (Michelin star winner and former Masterchef of the Year) and Vanessa Clarke (Instanta’s Business Development Manager) in the fourth episode of the Kitchen Curiosity podcast.

You will hear about how plastic is leaving the workplace, how Instanta keeps innovating, and how breakfast and vineyard trends are shifting—for instance, did you know British wine might be the next big thing?  

Here’s a quick overview of their conversation. 

Instanta’s point of view 

Over the last 60 years, Instanta has witnessed the Food & Beverage sector undergo radical transformations. 

With this unique perspective, the company was invited to share its view on the industry’s fluid landscape.  

After an update about Instanta’s upcoming plans and an inspiring story of her experience helping the community through the Bruton Foodbank, Vanessa acknowledged that “A lot of businesses now are aware of what plastics are doing to the ocean.” For instance, “The average person uses about 156 plastic bottles a year. When you look at it that way, and how long it takes to decompose, up to 450 years, a new solution is required.” 

Thankfully, many companies are realising how avoiding plastic consumption altogether is more sustainable than recycling (after all, are all landfills really sustainable?) and significantly cheaper as well. 

That’s why a rising number of offices and venues are replacing single-use plastic bottles with modern water systems like InstaTap. 

Moreover, increased awareness about the benefits of hydration (“the NHS recommends 1.9 litres a day” reminds Vanessa) is driving water consumption in the private sector as well—requiring a more sustainable approach to water.

Instanta is not sleeping on these trends. Looking to regain its pre-pandemic revenue, the company is pushing forward with new products. 

What makes Instanta one of a kind is its “incredible team” and “innovation,” according to Vanessa. “We’re always trying to be one step ahead of competitors, and the offers that we have are quite dynamic.” For instance, Instanta is “the only manufacturer of a unit that’s over 135 litres for high-capacity boiling water” designed for mess areas, concert venues and stadiums.

Speaking of innovation, the company’s “InstaTap has gone from generation one to generation two” now combining “boiling and chilled systems.” 

“This product is really geared towards office spaces, trying to eradicate plastics in these areas, and conference centres.” It also includes “safety features and an anti-microbial system that enables a 99% reduction in bacteria.”

In other words, Instanta remains the go-to choice to meet evolving F&B needs and support sustainability in the commercial sector. Explore the company’s new range of products to see how it can modernise your business.

A chat with Daniel 

Chef Daniel Galmiche discovered his passion for cooking at his aunt’s farm when he was only five. Since then, he’s worked in renowned Michelin Star restaurants (such as Le Gavroche with Michel Roux), won prestigious awards and spread his culinary philosophy all over the world. 

During the episode, when Radford pointed out that people in the UK are increasingly eating out for breakfast or brunch (35% of consumers in 2023), Daniel shared his unique perspective as a chef. 

While he never gives up on his morning ritual—lemon, ginger and hot water, followed by a baguette with ham—he understands that it can be very convenient for people to just buy their breakfast out. That way, they can wake up a little later and save time; it’s the commuter’s dream. In addition, it can be good value for money as a full English breakfast can sate you until dinner, allowing you to skip lunch.

Then, Vanessa reflected with Radford on how cocktails and gin are trending up at the bar this year—although champagne remains her weakness. After a recent vineyard tour, she realised how British wine is increasing in quality and popularity, which is great because using local products benefits both the environment, and small UK businesses. 

At this point, Daniel joined the conversation on British wine, agreeing on the rising quality of these products—which, sadly, is partly due to warmer weather caused by climate change.

You can see that more and more Michelin Star restaurants are including UK wines, especially white, and the public is becoming more and more receptive to this shift—so, why not try a local brand next time you’re at a restaurant?

The fact that many French champagne producers are buying land in Kent and Somerset to plant their grapes is only a confirmation of this trend: British wine is becoming bigger every year. 

Want to learn more about Daniel’s journey and how he became a world-famous chef? Or how about the brilliant ways Instanta is supporting hydration in the F&B industry? You can listen to the whole episode here or on Spotify.