Supplier Roundtable: Tableware

Suppliers and food and beverage directors from around the Middle East discuss their tableware trend predictions for the coming years, as well as the main industry challenges that they are facing

What are the main considerations when designing/choosing tableware?
Kevin Wills, director of food and beverage operations, JW Marriott Dubai: We firstly look at the general concept pull-through, making sure of the function, ergonomics and appropriateness to the fare that’s on offer. Also, we need the think about replacement availability.

Allen Hutchings, general manager – UAE, Renarte Hospitality Supplies LLC: Tableware should incorporate elements of the interior designers’ blueprint, be it colour, geometrics or texture and echo the story behind the concept – whether it’s classic or contemporary, fine dining or fast moving.

Also, budgets are very important, as it is easy to go overboard with selections and miss the allocated budgets by a mile. The real skill for suppliers is to find the right balance.

Zia Muhammed, general manager, Abrao LLC: The concept of the restaurant would be the prime factor by far on which the designer would choose to play with the colours and shapes of the tableware.

Sander Ackermans, director of food and beverage, Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre: We choose modern and unique but practical tableware and certainly something which is a little different to our competitors on the island. The main points for consideration are whether everything can be combined, easily stored when not in use, is stylish for our guests and serviceable for our staff to use.

Gavin Dodd, managing director, A.Ronai (Eastern) Ltd.: Unfortunately in this market at the moment the first consideration seems to be upfront cost.

Esra Parin, beverage and food director, W Doha Hotel & Residences: We look at how durable it is and how it will highlight the food. Getting the right shapes, sizes and colours. But we like to be funky. We like to find new things – things that haven’t been seen and used, staying away from the commercial field – we try to select things here and there to make it a little more homely, and a little more unique.

How have trends changed in the past year when it comes to shapes and sizes?
Kathy Birch, marketing manager, Artis: We are seeing a continued trend for unusual shapes of tableware, and for especially for the small, ‘dinky’ sizes which are being used for haute cuisine tasting menus and amuse bouche. People also have come to find that plates don’t have to be round – there are strong trends towards ovals, triangular and rectangular plates.

Sander Ackermans: Today, nearly all shapes imaginable are available. Strong lines and clear shapes are the most requested at the moment.

Kevin Wills: There is less focus on ornate styling, with plates that offer a white canvas for foods prevailing. However, we’ve also found that unique shapes and artisan touches are growing in popularity.

Shubhendu Roy, managing director, Hotelity: There has been an increase in the demand for new and innovative shapes. With the increase in the range of restaurants emerging into the market, and the increase in competition, the chefs’ requirements have changed from the more common into more contemporary and innovative shapes.

Wolfgang Meyer, general manager, Walküre: The trends have changed towards round and organic shapes, with squared shapes becoming less important now.

Renu Oommen, chief marketing officer, RAK Porcelain: The restaurant world is currently shifting towards organic shapes and concepts.

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How has the use of materials and colour evolved?
Renu Oommen: Colours remain classic ivory with some slight infusions of light decals and simple designs. RAK porcelain introduced its high-alumina porcelain which increases its strength, which is popular. RAK Porcelain’s raw materials also give it the special advantage of being lead- and cadmium-free, thereby making it safe to use.

Sander Ackermans: There was a time when unbreakable glass, which looked like china, was very popular. This material is very durable, but it is important to buy the best quality possible. Today, we select much higher quality materials like fine bone china and hand created specialist glass products.

Allen Hutchings: We have seen an emerging trend in at least one outlet per property to experiment with new materials like slate, glass and stoneware. This could be full lines or accentuating pieces. Colour has always been an important part of tableware, but it is no longer loud.

Kathy Birch: Although white porcelain remains the firm favourite with chefs, Artis has noticed a shift towards subtle coloured glazes, with a more handcrafted, rustic feel – duck egg blue/grey in matt finishes, with a Scandinavian feel, are hot right now. Over the past year, we’ve seen strong trends for the use of natural materials, including slate, used as a serving platter, and the incorporation of dark wood trays used in conjunction with porcelain pieces.

Zia Muhammed: These days every client wants products that no other hotel is currently using, everyone wants exclusivity and they are daring to go for different colours, but white is always a champion.

Gavin Dodd: White product was the most popular product of the last few years, but coloured items, particularly our Craft range have surged in popularity this year.

Ghizlane Benzakour, director of sales and marketing, Procurio General Trading: It used to be very common to customize the porcelain by adding a special design and colour. Today clients are selecting more plain white. Most of the time colours are required just for speciality restaurants or banqueting in order to match the interior designs.

Is bespoke tableware on the increase, and why?
Gavin Dodd: It goes up and down, really. Clearly anything that is custom designed is bound to cost more. Unfortunately tabletop and all OS&E products seems to get left until the very last minute and quite often budgets are spent before the tableware is chosen. But we have seen a slight increase in requests for custom products in the last few months as the industry pulls itself out of the recession.

Kevin Wills: Yes, we use it, and in every case, each customised item becomes a talking point for our guest and a unique part of a memorable dining experience.

Wolfgang Meyer: It remains relatively popular but due to the higher price tag clients often prefer standard.

Allen Hutchings: Bespoke tableware needs bespoke budgets. Sometimes budgets are available, but time is a constraint, as bespoke work generally needs longer lead times in terms of designing, pre-production sampling and manufacturing.

Shubhendu Roy: Yes, customised designs are on the rise as chefs are getting more competitive through their creativity. And, with this, they need specific tableware to best present their creative cuisine on.

Renu Oommen: Bespoke tableware is definitely on the increase, due to the strong craving for uniqueness, and especially the need for personal touches on the items.

Ghizlane Benzakour: Not really, as only a few hotels can afford to invest in high quality tableware.

Sander Ackermans: We use bespoke tableware, especially for our buffets for various functions and for the afternoon high tea, and it uniquely matches the design concept of the venues we have.

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What are your main challenges?
Wolfgang Meyer: Our main challenge is the competition that we are seeing from the Far East, with companies creating cheap products.

Allen Hutchings: Projects getting delayed makes it difficult maintaining pricing, especially when projects move to the next financial year. In situations where goods are ordered but are not ready to be received the cost of warehousing dilutes the ever thin margins even further. Cash flow is severely affected as payments are released only on goods delivered, whereas goods have been fully paid up to the respective manufacturers.

Shubhendu Roy: The main challenge in the industry today is having the regional market accept the new brands on the market.

Zia Muhammed: It is difficult to be creative and source products that are totally innovative and new to the market. The ‘wow factor’ is a helpful component for us while presenting a new line to the client, and you need something that is an instant trendsetter.

Renu Oommen: The budget constraints which are set by the hotel investors on one hand and, on the other hand, the quality and durability needs of hotel chefs.

Esra Parin: It’s not easy to find something simple to bring out the food on the plate, yet finding something different to make it stand out.

Are there issues holding or replenishing stock?
Gavin Dodd: We carry nearly 150,000 pieces of tabletop products in our warehouse at any one time. This is obviously a huge financial commitment and, whilst the client generally applauds our actions, unfortunately we are still operating in a market that is not prepared to pay for that investment. It is also a big challenge for us to select the correct items.

We probably have 50,000 plates in stock but often a client will not take the 28cm plate that we have in stock but will insist on the 27cm plate that we will need to order from the factory.

Esra Parin: Lead times are definitely a big problem that we encounter in the food and beverage industry. Suppliers will say that it takes 12 weeks when you order something, but usually you end up waiting for at least four to five months.

And then if you’re choosing new designs, that will take another two months in getting samples and then testing it. You really have to plan in advance. If you have an emergency, you sometimes have to end up buying things off the shelf.

Zia Muhammed: Having a substantial inventory of regular moving products supports our growth and helps sustain the professional service that we are known for in this market. As a service factor we hold 20% of any line which we sell as a reorder for backup which can be delivered in 24hrs, but as there are so many designs, we unfortunately can’t hold stock of every line.

Sander Ackermans: You always need to control your stock, and naturally to order more before you are going to run out. Of course, sometimes an item is discontinued, but today there are so many manufacturers creating some wonderful products that you can always find something comparative if a stocked product is no longer available.

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What will be the trends for the next two years in tableware?
Kathy Birch: We feel that the Eastern/Oriental trend will remain strong, along with simple, pared-back shapes, matt finishes and natural materials which we are seeing.

Wolfgang Meyer: Square shapes will become less popular as an increasing number of outlets opt for more rounded shapes of tableware .

Gavin Dodd: We believe that the trend will continue towards smaller individual portioned items.

Renu Oommen: The world is currently focusing on eco-friendly solutions. At RAK porcelain, we use eco-friendly materials and dispose of all the waste material that is generated during production in an environmentally-friendly way.

Esra Parin: There won’t be very many fancy designs, things will be very simple in the next few years.

Zia Muhammed: Definitely, we will see a great demand for bespoke tableware as that gives the closest benchmark to set standards.