Celebrate Festivus: A Tradition for Those Overlooking Other Holidays

🎉 Hey there, Branded fam!

Hope your week was lit and you're ready for the holiday cheer!

I wanna spread some love, so here's a big shout to Karl Malone, erm, the Mailman himself! We'll be delivering our next newsletter edition on Dec 30, so get ready!

Now, something weird happened… or maybe it wasn't. After announcing an extra edition on some messy H-team call, I got this headscratcher of an image. Something about it has me puzzled (😊). Any ideas, peeps?

Busy, busy, busy, but also festive and safe—that's the Branded way! Despite the noise and chaos, there's a list of things I'm mighty grateful for, including the Branded newsletter and the wonderful community it fosters. I've heard some wild and wisecracking ideas over the holidays—can't wait to tinker with them in 2024!

Today's topic was inspired by a recent dinner q Gandalf. The hospitality industry, baby, it's a complex beast. And yeah, I know people get all twitchy when I say "bad things" might happen to kitchens, but hey, I like stirring shit up sometimes 😉

Anyway, I'm gonna hit you up with some cold, hard numbers on that tasty "changing food spending habits" thing. And yes, USDA, I'm looking straight at you!

Not-So-Buried-Lead: Consumers are spending more on food, but here's the real deal—the way they're spending is changing. And no, I don't expect you to get all excited about tracking food spending trends, but the changing consumer dining habits? You're the ones driving that change! 🚗😎

Let's hear it from our boy Munch, an economist from the American Farm Bureau Federation:

📝 Spending away from home surpassed food-at-home spending by over $300M last year! 💸 The biggest categories were full-service restaurants (34%) and quick-service restaurants (34%). Food sold at merchandise stores and vending machines also saw an increase. 🍔🍟

But it ain't over yet! Traditional grocery stores used to hold a huge piece of that pie, but their market share has been dropping for years. In 1999, they captured 72% of at-home food spending. Last year, that dropped to a measly 50%. The decline was thanks to the growth of warehouse clubs, supercenters, and home delivery. 🛍️🛒

Oh, and for all my analysis-loving peeps out there, the changing consumer dining habits is a tough nut to crack. Multiple factors contribute to these changes, from price increases at grocery stores to pandemic-related pent-up demand and beliefs that it's cheaper to order in than cook at home.

Now, some folks are predicting the kitchen will go the way of the sewing room. Okay, maybe not gone, but rethought, anyway. A source from the wonderful world of AWS believes kitchens will no longer be necessary for the masses. And guess what? I've got questions too. People are curious—I promise! 😉

Alright, let's wrap this up. Value, value, value. That's the game-changer for consumers. It's highly personal and has different meanings depending on the generation. If you're not delivering value consistently, you're losing the game.

Fewerentities in the hospitality industryare consistently delivering value, and that's sad. It's time for operators to embrace tech and personalize their engagements with guests. That's the future of food, baby.

Interested in working with us to navigator these digital transformation waves? Holler at us, homeslice.

Let's bring a few changes to the ol' newsletter. How about a little "Who Wore it Best This Week?" section? It's inspired by good ol' Us Weekly's "Who Wore It Best" section. So, which one of us looks better in this Santa suit? Let's tally up the votes! 🎅🤩

Okay, gang, it's time to celebrate this holiday season. Make it a bunch of fun and remember—it takes a village.

Hope you enjoy our Access Hospitality Network, where you'll learn about our portfolio companies, investment strategies, and future opportunities.

Stay tuned for a special Hospitality Hangout featuring Phil Crawford, the CTO of CKE Restaurants! 🍔🍟

On a final note, I saw that freaky image of me and Rev again, so I figured it was fate. And Rev and his pals, Handcraft Burgers & Brew, have been recognized as one of Food on Demand's "Outstanding Operators"!

Join us in congratulating our partners and fellow outstanding operators at Papa John's, Craveworthy Brands, Chipotle, Sweetgreen, Focus Brands, Wow Bao, and many more! 🎉🎁

Hey, gang! Time for this week's WITW contest! Tom Kaiser, a friend of Branded from Food on Demand, deserves a win for rocking our gear like a boss! Thanks for representing us so well, Tom!

TODAY'S TRIVIA

Answer: 18.9% (Total tips for restaurants we observed on the Toast platform averaged 18.9% of total check amounts in Q3 2023, the same as Q2 2023.)

ASK THE HEADLINE

💰 Want answers? Ask away! Our Ask The Headline segment is here for you. 🎉 Shoot us a question and decide whether to stay anonymous or get a friendly shout-out when your query is featured.

That's it for today! Remember, see you next week, around the same time, on the same channel!😎

We're a tight-knit team with a double dose of humor and insight just for you. Some might say we're like Santa Claus, except we don't leave lumps of coal in your stocking. 😂🤣

Reach out to us: [email protected] & [email protected] | 235 Park Ave South, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10003

*Branded Hospitality Ventures: a badass investment and advisory platform mixing food-service, tech, innovation, and capital. With our industry expertise and meaningful connections, we bring value to our portfolio companies through investment, strategic counsel, and plain ol' awesome knowledge. 🔥💪💥

Wanna know more about Branded? Click here! Got questions? Shoot us a message! 💬✨

[1] Restaurant Business Online[2] QSR Magazine[3] Quick Service Restaurant[4] Foodservice Equipment & Supply

The holiday cheer continues as Branded announces a special edition of their newsletter focused on the changing food spending habits, particularly in the food-and-drink sector and food service industry.
In the world of education-and-self-development, there's a podcast series discussing the impact of technology on lifestyle, including its influence on the hospitality industry and food service.
Branded Hospitality Ventures invests in a variety of portfolio companies, including some in the entertainment and food-and-drink sectors, offering insights and innovation to help these companies succeed.
As part of their commitment to the community, Branded plans to launch a new section in their newsletter, called "Who Wore it Best This Week?", inspired by entertainment news outlets like Us Weekly, to celebrate unique style moments within their community. Additionally, they are excited to announce a special Hospitality Hangout featuring Phil Crawford, the CTO of CKE Restaurants.