As Canadians, it’s interesting to note just how often the conversation turns to the weather. In fact, not surprisingly, the app checked most often on smartphones is the weather. And, you can always tell when spring arrives — not just by the warmer air but by the fact that many of us seem to shake off that slumber of lethargy we all fall into during the winter months when all we want to do is hibernate.
Come March, it seems everyone in the industry suddenly comes alive, and life returns to its chaotic bent. How else do you explain the plethora of goings on that come to fruition every spring, almost like a rite of passage — whether it’s the countless tradeshows and conferences across the country, the myriad product launches or the rebranding efforts of various restaurants which realize that sometimes there’s nothing like change to reinvigorate a brand.
Closer to home, this spring, we launched a variety of new products ourselves. First off, earlier in the season, KML launched a video series called F&H Live! The offering is part of our expanding stable of digital products. Through the medium of videos, our editors and videographers peruse tradeshows and conferences for new material to interest our readership. We debuted this feature at the 2013 CRFA Show in Toronto where we went on the prowl for new products and technology for restaurant owners and operators, and then we featured a selection of videos in early April on our website. Similarly KML staff visited the SIAL Show in early May for a global look at the unique products showcased at that exposition. Over the next few months, F&H Live! will continue to grow, allowing our editorial team to bring you innovative new ideas and product information directly from a variety of events and conferences and straight to your computer screen.
Additionally, we’ve also reformulated FoodPlus, an expanded digital edition of our food story. While it used to reside on our website, the new format is available as a digital newsletter sent out four times a year. If you’d like a complimentary subscription, sign up at here.
Finally, this past spring, KML also unveiled the recent edition of “The Bottom Line,” produced in partnership with Doug Fisher of Toronto’s FHG International consultancy firm and Ryerson University. The report measures 2012 industry performance by providing operating data from across the country and every dining sector. The digital publication surveyed more than 600 foodservice operators, representing almost 3,000 restaurants. With today’s operating environment continuing to become more challenged, this report provides operators hungry for statistical analysis an opportunity to gain insight into a number of key operating areas. And, it allows them to compare their own numbers against those represented in the survey. It’s yet another tool in our growing portfolio of products that provides operators with essential information to operate more efficiently and effectively. You can obtain your complimentary copy at here.
We hope you take advantage of these new products, and, as always, we’d love to hear what you think about them.
