Speaker Q&A: Will Stratton-Morris, Caffè Nero UK
“Interesting, informative and delicious!” — that’s how Will Stratton-Morris, CEO of Caffè Nero UK, describes lunch! show. Arrive early on opening day to see him in a rare Keynote interview, talking to Mark Stretton about his incredible career and what’s next for the much-loved coffee shop brand. Topics will include customer service and customer loyalty, Brexit, and his predictions for the market (10.30am, 19 September).
What do you think is the key for operators to successfully compete against their competitors?
You need to have be clear about what your brand stands for and what you offer, so customers can relate to you and feel connected to you. Everything you do has to make sense for your business. Then you need to put your customers first and consistently deliver to a really high standard.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?
It’s twofold, there is nothing more rewarding that going into a store and meeting team members and seeing the joy and pride they take in their coffee house. At the same time, it’s seeing how much our customers enjoy and love the coffee house they’re in, the coffee they’re drinking and the service we’re giving them. So much hard work from so many people goes into creating that experience, so seeing customers enjoying it is hugely rewarding.
And the most challenging?
We’re in a hugely competitive market, and it’s a tough environment out there, so it’s important we keep the business moving forward. Trying to plan 12, 18, 24 months ahead and beyond is vital, but also challenging because we don’t know what reality we will face.
What does the next 12 months have in store for your business?
We are in the middle of a huge food transformation programme, the biggest in our history and one which aims to change food in the coffee shop market, so we will continue to innovate and develop that range. We will also continue to focus on our coffee. We’re a coffee business and proud of the premium high quality of our coffee and we always focus on ensuring that remains the case.
Can you give us an example of what your business is doing to be even more sustainable?
We are committed to removing unnecessary packaging wherever possible. A lot of our new food innovation and range include fresh, unpackaged food for customers to eat in and take out. We are also focused on how we can reduce the number of paper cups in our business. We incentivise our customers to use reusable cups with double reward stamps, and we’ve replaced paper cups with glassware at our free water stations.
In the last year we’ve removed over six million paper cups from our business. We also segregate all our cups in store and financially support the Valpak scheme, which sees brands overpay waste service providers to ensure paper cups reach the proper recycling facilities.
What do you see as the key food-to-go trends to watch?
Customers are really responding to choice and quality. Our new Deli food menu offers a much broader range than before, as well as extensive vegan and vegetarian options. We’ve made sure everything is of a premium nature, and customers are really responding to it.
What’s your current bestselling product?
I have to say, our new sausage roll, which has pork and pancetta, is performing extremely well. If I’m honest, I’m not surprised, when I first tasted it I thought it was amazing, probably the best sausage roll I’ve ever tasted!
Why is innovation so vital to the food-to-go sector?
Because customers want to be excited, they want to try new things and they want to feel like they have choice. So as operators it’s important we offer them exactly that.
What innovative products are you hoping to find at lunch! show this year?
As always I’m looking to be inspired and to find something really delicious I wasn’t expecting! There is always something you try and come away thinking “I wasn’t expecting that!”.
How important is lunch! to the food-to-go sector?
I think it helps showcase the innovation and constant development, which takes place in the sector, plus it’s a place to share ideas and get a broader understanding of what the industry is doing.
Describe the lunch! show in 3 words:
Interesting, informative, and delicious!
Who or what inspires you to be even better?
It might sound a cliché, but I’m constantly inspired by the people in the business. They really are the heartbeat of Caffè Nero. We have a truly amazing culture here and as I visit our coffee houses up and down the country, the energy, warmth and team spirit makes me want to do a better job for them!
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
Understand your customers. Whatever your role, be it finance, marketing or HR, understand the customers who visit your business everyday and understand what makes their experience better. And then see your business through the eyes of your teams, so you know what they face when you ask them to do something.
See Will at lunch! 2019
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Will Stratton-Morris, CEO of Caffé Nero UK (hosted by Mark Stretton, MD of Fleet Street Communications: 10.30am on Thursday 19 September in Coffee Shop Keynotes Theatre
