Speaker Q&A: Anya Marco, coffee market expert
Anya Marco is one of the UK’s leading authorities on coffee shop trends. In her lunch! Keynote, she’ll be dispelling some of the myths around social media and sharing five simple tips on how coffee shop businesses can use it to engage with their customers.
Anya will also be hosting an exclusive interview with FCB Coffee’s MD Barny Clevely, and chairing the ‘Doing good is good business’ panel discussion, featuring Max Dubiel, founder of Redemption Roaster, Cemal Ezel, CEO of Change Please, and Julius Ibrahim, founder of second Shot Coffee (from 1.30pm on Friday 20 September in Keynote Theatre 2 – Coffee Shop Keynotes).
Which food-to-go operators / retailers do you particularly admire and why?
Pret – for all the reasons that everyone admires them: they stick to their values putting people and passion for food first, they are always ahead on trends, respond accordingly and they never shy away from taking responsibility for everything from making a mistake to ensuring they source food ethically etc.
What do you think is the key for operators to successfully compete against their competitors?
It is said a million times but a USP is critical – look at EAT. (now owned by Pret) they really didn’t offer anything sufficiently different to their main competitor and in the end have become part of the Pret empire. Increasingly, I also think it is essential to be engaging, authentic and transparent – consumers want to feel part of the experience and that they matter, anything less than putting them first is simply not good enough.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Mainly helping businesses understand trends and the industry so that they can continue to grow.
And the most challenging?
The same businesses not listening!
What do you see as the key food-to-go trends to watch?
Obviously veganism, vegetarianism and lower meat consumption is a critical trend. Most healthy food trends are becoming embedded now as consumers demand as much flexibility out of home when eating as they can have at home. Gluten free, dairy free and heightened awareness of allergens (and very likely more allergens being listed such as fungus, mushrooms, onions etc). Food trends can be connected to the economy, so if we do head into recession expect more meal deals (alas) but also the demand for more comfort foods as consumers look to food for reassurance in uncertain times.
Why is innovation so vital to the food-to-go sector?
Quite simply because consumers are so demanding and they get bored!
What innovative products are you hoping to find at lunch! show this year?
More healthy food-to-go that is low carb, gluten free and dairy free – without mushrooms!
How important is lunch! to the food-to-go sector?
Networking, information and innovative ideas.
Can you tell us a bit about your much-anticipated session at lunch! 2019?
I’d just love visitors to feel more confident about how they can engage with consumers (and clients) using social media without it being the massive monster in the room that everyone thinks of it, and to dispel some myths about social media (ie you don’t need 3m followers to do well – 300 engaged followers is better!).
Who or what inspires you to be even better?
My husband – he is constantly innovating and changing his approach to his work on SteampunkCoffeeMachine and has a never ending supply of enthusiasm!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Be yourself, be true, be kind
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that most people don’t know:
I’m about to start a PhD in Archeoastronomy and Megalithic Sites having just completed my MA with some exciting and significant findings about Avebury stone circle about to be published!!
See Anya at lunch! 2019
5 Top Social Media Tips for Coffee Shops: 3.35pm on Friday 20 September in Coffee Shop Keynotes Theatre
