positivity the overriding theme at FEA’s 2022 Light Equipment and Tableware Forum
Plus: melamine, hygiene, colour, organic and sustainability, including a solution for ‘aldesko’ eating

What’s next in tableware?  Which gadget will chefs be lusting after later this year? FEA’s Light Equipment and Tableware (LET) Forum is the place to find out.  The annual event has had a two-year hiatus but was back with a bang at Whittlebury Hall, Towcester, May 10-11. 

The over-riding feeling of the event was positivity.  Steve Goodliff, chair of FEA’s LET Group, said, “It was an absolute joy to be part of this year’s Forum.  Dealers and suppliers are reporting a strong bounceback, some seeing sales even higher than pre-Covid.  But you know what?  Another reason for all the smiles was the simple pleasure of meeting people face to face again.” 

Delegates and suppliers agreed.  Diane Kinkead, head of light equipment at Bunzl Catering Supplies, said, “I’ve been coming for many, many, many years.  I think it’s a brilliant forum, both for people who are experienced in the industry and those who are new.”  From the suppler side, Ross Gibson of PFR said, “The Forum is always excellent, very much on point. If we only did one event per year, this would be it.”

In terms of the big trends, melamine and polycarbonate were strongly in evidence.  Many foodservice professionals were putting this down, at least in part, to the huge increase in outdoor eating and drinking.  In addition, manufacturers have excelled themselves in developing new and exciting designs – many of them very much in keeping with another of the big trends: all things organic.  Textured melamine dishes and bowls, many in natural, uneven shapes, were the order of the day.  Meanwhile, over in ceramics, reactive glazes add to the natural, spontaneous ambience of the organic approach. 

Colours continue to fly.  Although white tableware will always be popular, delegates and suppliers alike attested to the popularity of colour.  Certain hues were clearly winning in 2022, though finding a common theme is not easy – the most popular range from rich, bright marine blues to muted sage.  Perhaps that just goes to underline another trend: the eclectic nature of table top presentations.  The mixing and matching of steel, wood, glass, ceramic, melamine, whites and colours ... it’s no holds barred when it comes to the table top designer’s palate.  

After Covid, hygiene and safety occupy an even bigger part of the buyer’s criteria.  That was evident in, for example, buffet products that presented food in single portion, covered containers.   Similarly, suppliers noted strong sales for sauce dispensers that minimised the potential for cross contamination.  Personalisation is another clear trend, with many companies offering relatively inexpensive and low volumes on personalised products ranging from plastic squeeze bottles to wooden pepper mills.  And personalisation continues to play its part in Covid-safe hospitality, with products such as bespoke signs directing customers to help maintain social distancing. 

Sustainability is clearly going to be ever more important, both as part of product development and within buying selection processes.  Launches here includes low cost, reusable stainless steel cutlery (for ‘aldesko’ eating), highly energy-efficient grills, knife-life-prolonging sharpeners, scouring pads made of walnut shells, and compostable coffee pods. 

We all know about the supply issues that Covid and Brexit are causing.  Many of the suppliers commented on the steps they are taking to ensure they can maintain supplies for their customers.  “We’ve been focused on getting stock rather than developing products!” was one company’s response to the ‘what’s new?’ question.  Another reported that, pre-Covid, they ran at around £3 million-worth of stock, whereas currently it was almost £5 million, to give customers as many options as possible.   Meanwhile, things are improving: a manufacturer said that, at its worst customers had had to wait for up to 14 weeks for an order – that’s now down to 2 weeks. 

Meanwhile, several suppliers said that, during the pandemic, certain product lines had sold well – notably chef’s knives and barware.  It seems we were all learning how to cook and make cocktails. 

The Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA)is the independent, authoritative voice of the foodservice equipment industry, representing nearly 200 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment - from utensils to full kitchen schemes.  For more information on FEA visit www.fea.org.uk 

A longer version of this article is available at fea.org.uk.  To find out more about the LET Forum, contact FEA. 

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Keith Warren, FEA: 020 7793 3030

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