A fulminant start to the Summit
The European Foodservice Summit celebrated its 25th anniversary in a new location—Amsterdam, after 24 years in Zurich. Held in the historic Felix Meritis, the event gathered 250 international decision-makers for two days to discuss the latest industry trends.
The first day kicked off with a lively networking event, featuring a “Face 2 Face” Speed Networking Session for participants to establish initial connections.
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Exclusive Ranking to Start
José Cil, former CEO of Restaurant Brands International, opened the first congress day in Amsterdam. Drawing from his extensive experience at Burger King and as a board member of Norwegian Cruise Line, Cil highlighted four critical factors for navigating economic uncertainties: great taste, reliable guest experience, convincing value for money, and a positive corporate culture. Katrin Wißmann, Editor-in-Chief at european foodservice media, presented the Europe ranking of major quick-service restaurant companies, emphasizing the dominance of U.S. chains. Wißmann also stressed the importance of omni-channel presence, maintenance of existing units, and eastward expansion.
Growth Strategies and Leadership Lessons
Alan Honan from Wingstop shared the impressive growth story of his company. Founded 30 years ago in Dallas, Wingstop has aimed for further expansion, having grown from 1,000 units in 2017 to 2,300 units today, including 52 in the UK. Future expansion targets include Italy and Germany. Under the title “Supercharged for Growth,” Honan outlined how Wingstop plans to become a global company with 10,000 units worldwide, with a key focus on pushing digital ordering and payment services to 100 percent.
Rapid Expansion
Olgierd Danielewicz captivated the audience in the afternoon with the rapid success story of Rex Concepts. The company, founded in September 2022, managed to expand from 0 to over 100 stores in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania within 120 weeks, featuring brands like Burger King and Popeyes. Danielewicz shared that adaptability is crucial for success, whether in terms of location, capital availability, or shifting priorities.
Importance of Resilience
Paula MacKenzie spoke candidly about her experiences before joining PizzaExpress in 2022. From 2017 to 2022, she served as Managing Director for KFC UK & Ireland, leading the company through a comprehensive transformation. MacKenzie stressed the importance of building resilience, noting that crises often start small and should be tackled early. She emphasized the need to be present on the ground rather than relying solely on data analysis.
Focus on the Middle East
Jeremy Scarf and Stefan Breg from Keane offered insights into the new F&B landscape developing through mega projects in Saudi Arabia. These projects, such as the vertical city The Line and the massive project The Cube, aim to redefine how people live, work, and interact in Saudi Arabia. Breg noted that investment barriers for small and medium-sized brands have significantly lowered, but highlighted the importance of direct, face-to-face interactions with Saudi partners for successful collaboration.
“We Are Sparring Partners”
Eduardo Velasco from L Catterton, Yasha Estraikh from Piper, and Alessandro Baccarin from CVC Capital Partners joined a panel discussion moderated by Vincent Mourre from WhiteSpace Partners. The investment experts discussed their varying approaches, from target selection to the point of resale. They agreed on their role as sparring partners, offering expertise while allowing management to handle daily operations.
Noma Founder on Stage
To conclude the first day, Claus Meyer, founder of Noma, spoke about success and failure—and a mission. With empathy, charm, and a good dose of humor, he used his own biography to illustrate the ups and downs of life. Beyond his culinary achievements, Claus Meyer is also socially engaged. By founding the Melting Pot Foundation, he aims to improve the quality of life and opportunities for disadvantaged people in Denmark and around the world.
After his time with Noma, Meyer founded a bakery—”good ingredients and plenty of rest time make a good bread.” Meyers Bageri sextupled its EBITDA from 2007 to 2012. He then sold it and moved to New York in 2015, initially enjoying great success and establishing a “new Nordic cuisine” in the USA. However, a venture in Brownsville soon led to bankruptcy. “I made the biggest mistakes of my career,” he says in hindsight, admitting that thoughts of suicide crossed his mind. But Meyer is an optimist. Back in Copenhagen, he quickly recovered and started a new business focused on sustainability. He ensures that everyone contributes to making the world a little better and fairer every day. “There are many things I would have done differently in retrospect,” he says. But as the 60-year-old points out, his setbacks also made him stronger. And his life lesson: “When everything disappears and you are at your lowest, you can still bake bread and prepare a fantastic meal for your friends.”
