Suppliers Roundtable: The business of eating & drinking

Meet the experts

Daniel M. Deliano, Marketing Manager MENA DMK MENA FZCO

Ahmad Popal, Head of beverages Nestlé Professional, Nestlé Middle East FZE

What are the latest developments in the field of food & beverage supplies? How do these developments especially affect hotels in the mid-market segment?

Deliano: The mid-market is definitely a growth market and we absolutely want to participate in that growth, also in terms of developing a portfolio which meets the constant change in needs of our clients. In addition, we are aiming to adapt our offers to the changing ways of consumption and applications of the products in need.

The big advantage of DMK is that it is capable of providing the full dairy range from cheese to butter, creams and UHT-milk, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk, all high quality products made in Germany. Furthermore, DMK has deep experience in the foodservice sector and is already a reliable supplier for many decades all over the globe.

Popal: Serving the hotel segment is a priority for Nestlé Professional and we closely monitor trends to develop the most appropriate solutions in every aspect.

What we are seeing globally is that the mid-market segment attracts a broad range of guests due to the good value it provides. One key consumer target segment for mid-market hotels is the millennial traveller, who is looking for trendy food and beverage options with a wide range of variety. Hotels in this segment, therefore, look for food and beverage solutions that are versatile, delicious and simple to use. Another key segment is the corporate traveller, who will be conscious of spending due to corporate travel policy, yet who seeks out a consistent and good quality food and beverage option.

What is your bestselling offering for the hospitality industry?

Deliano: Our high quality Oldenburger UHT-Milk and Shani Whipping Cream is very much liked by a large number of the head chefs throughout all the categories in the hoteliers’ sector. Oldenburger products are made out of 100% fresh and pure cow´s milk. There are no preservatives added; also, they are not mixed with any type of vegetable fats. This guarantees the perfect taste of fresh and pure dairy.

Popal: Our product range is ideal for the hospitality industry. They are delicious, versatile, and easy to use with minimal labour effort and training requirements. Our top four brands are Nescafé, Nestlé Coffee-Mate, Maggi, and Nestlé Docello. Nescafé and Maggi are indispensable products for hotels. Nescafé and Nestlé Coffee-Mate stick packs are a staple in virtually every hotel room in the region and Nescafé Alegria is almost the standard solution in a number of hotel staff canteens as well as staff offices.

Maggi, with a diverse range of bouillons, sauces, soups and seasonings, helps make the running of a hotel  kitchen much easier. Last but not least, Nestlé Docello is quickly evolving into a popular solution in the hospitality industry for making and serving desserts in a simple way.

What are the main challenges that mid-market hoteliers  face when it comes to food & beverage supplies and how does your company help to overcome these challenges?

Deliano: One challenge we are facing is to develop products which are suitable for the needs of our partners. Therefore, we put a focus on a sophisticated foodservice range. We assure this through constantly interacting with our clients and listening to their needs and demands.

Popal: From our research we know consumers and hoteliers in this segment look for consistently good quality, good service and an overall good experience, but they also seek a simple experience where they can save money. It is a mass-market product, but without the mass-market feel and offers trendy yet convenient options. Offering a food and beverage menu that is authentic and trendy, simple and, at the same time, cost-conscious, is a major balancing act for most hoteliers.

This is exactly what Nestlé Professional’s solutions aim to offer, from Nescafé machines that offer a high level of beverage customisation to stocks, sauces, bouillons, soups, seasonings and desserts that are highly versatile.

Mid-segment hotels do not necessarily have the expensive and complex structure to run a large staff organisation. Nestlé Professional’s products and machines are incredibly simple to operate and allow for full cost control.

What new products, offerings, has your company launched recently?

Deliano: Currently, DMK is launching its portfolio of Oldenburger grated and sliced cheeses especially targeting the horeca sector. This portfolio includes most, if not all, typical European cheeses like gouda, edam, emmental, cheddar and mozzarella.

Our mozzarella cheese is very popular and very much liked for pizzas as it has great application benefits such as melting and browning and, of course, the taste is very fresh and perfect for every type of pizza. The other varieties are best liked for a cheese buffet e.g. for breakfast and/or snacking.

Popal: One of the more recent launches in the region has been the Nescafé Milano machine solution that offers a premium coffee experience at the breakfast service or banqueting operation.

The new Nescafé Milano touchscreen technology allows for variety and customisation and, therefore, meets the needs of a broad consumer segment. At the same time, the machines are fast, simple to clean and maintain in less than five minutes a day, and provide online-connected data for full transparency of usage and operation.

Another exciting launch is ‘Chef’, which is able to perfectly suit hotels’ needs of delivering and enhancing authentic taste and high quality flavour, while saving labour time. ‘Chef’ stocks and sauces use the highest quality raw ingredients to deliver the most authentic flavours and aromas. They are versatile, yet guarantee a consistent taste, texture, and appearance time after time.

What other news would your company like to share?

Deliano: DMK is providing tailormade services to our clients. To assure this quality of service delivery, DMK is going to “get married” with Modern General Trade, a company with high expertise in distribution and services all over the United Arab Emirates. We have been working with them for more than 30 years with them in the UAE market.

This latest move is to secure and to provide the best services and business proposals available in our fields of operations. In addition, we are about to launch a Middle Eastern typical range of cheeses by Q3. We will keep you posted.

Popal: One critical area is the after-sales support to keep the operation running with a limited number of staff and skills on premises. We have an all-inclusive programme called ProCare Beverage Services that provides machine rental, technical service, delivery, and a call centre under one umbrella, without any extra charges. Our dedicated Nestlé certified technicians and service personnel cover almost every country in the entire Middle East under the same consistent ProCare service.