Consumers call for better allergen management | Kitchen CUT

Recent headlines in the national press are doing a great job of raising awareness about allergens. There have been far too many tragedies in recent years, and the F&B industry is becoming more and more aware of the need to implement tighter controls over allergen management, across all products, all recipes and all menus.

Just as the coverage has raised awareness within the hospitality industry, it has also made the consumer more aware of the dangers of eating out and more conscious of the need to be fully informed by the cafes, restaurants and hotels that they want to eat in.  The customer wants assurance that what they eat will be safe.

We already know that consumer confidence is dwindling. Recent research from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) cited that nearly two-thirds (64%) of people aged 16 to 24 who suffer from food allergies have avoided eating out in the past six months.  These results are attributed to allergen sufferers’ lack of faith in restaurant menus, and in many cases this lack of faith is entirely warranted.

With a population of 66 million, an estimated 21 million people in the UK live with an allergy (source: Allergy UK), this means that 30% of the total potential customer base for any F&B business lives with an allergy, with a considerable proportion of these being food related.

That’s a lot of potential customers. Customers who are now better informed than ever about the risks of poor allergen management and the technology available to those businesses that chose to keep their customers safe.

A recent article in the Daily Mail, highlighted the dangers of eating out, suggesting that “chain restaurants are playing ‘Russian Roulette’ with the lives of millions of British customers”.  The article, read by millions of consumers, went on to highlight Kitchen CUT’s allergen management system and its leading-edge technology, allowing restaurants to track allergens for each and every product used, all the way from the supplier to the customer’s plate.

Renowned chef Giorgio Locatelli, who runs Locanda Locatelli in Marylebone, told MailOnline that,

‘Too many UK restaurateurs and food operators are playing a game of Russian Roulette with customers’ lives. Maintaining accurate allergen information is extremely challenging.’

‘Even a small change in a recipe… or a change in supplier can have an impact on whether or not dishes contain a new allergen.’

Improve allergen management, gain customer loyalty

By providing allergen sufferers with a safe environment that identifies, tracks and clearly displays what goes into your dishes, allergy sufferers could become some of your most loyal patrons.

Sound complex? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Kitchen CUT has an automated way to comprehensively and accurately manage allergens without disruption to staff, customers or profit; underpinning and enhancing customer loyalty, reassured by the knowledge that they can eat safely with you, time and time again.

So, in the current economic climate, the question is really:

Can you afford to ignore them?


You can get more information about Kitchen CUT or a free online demo by emailing sales@kitchencut.com or calling +44 (0) 330 113 0050

You can register for a free trial here

 

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