News

Camile seeks 'Cloud Kitchens'

Camile Thai Kitchen, the delivery chain run by entrepreneur Brody Sweeney, is launching a lower-cost franchise model aimed at shuttered bars and restaurants during the camile0520

coronavirus crisis.

Mr Sweeney is targeting venues that have been forced to close due to lockdown measures, but which have professional cooking facilities that could be converted into “cloud kitchens” for home delivery, even while they remain closed.

Camile Thai will charge an upfront licence fee to new franchisees of €5,000 and Mr Sweeney estimates that the total investment required to avail of the model will be about €30,000, including marketing and the conversion of commercial kitchens to include bespoke equipment such as wok cookers.

Franchisees would be given a deal to operate as a Camile Thai delivery service for an initial period of 12 months, with an option to extend.

Axa to pay French restaurant claims

Insurer Axa has said it would meet the bulk of business interruption claims from some restaurant owners in France after it lost a court case that was seen as a potential precedent axa0520

for coronavirus-related disputes across the world.

The move from the insurance giant will be watched closely, in particular by FBD Insurance and businesses in the hospitality sector here.

It comes after a Paris court ruled last week that Axa should pay a restaurant owner two months' worth of revenue losses caused by the virus pandemic.

Axa had argued its policy did not cover business disruption caused by the health crisis and said it will appeal the Paris ruling. Similarly, FBD says it is "strongly of the view" that its business insurance policies do not provide cover for a pandemic of the nature of the coronavirus.

Tender for Sligo Surf Centre

The country’s first surfing Centre of Excellence could be up and running next year after a tender was issued for its construction in Sligo. surfsligo

The Government announced in November 2018 that the new national surf centre would be located in Strandhill and would be a key centre for visitors looking to capitalise on some of Europe’s best waves while touring along the Wild Atlantic Way.

The National Surf Centre of Excellence would also feature an interpretive experience that would tell the story of surfing in Sligo and along the Atlantic coast, an area that, pre-Covid-19, had become increasingly popular with domestic and international surfers.

Bord Bia plots Foodservice recovery

Bord Bia, in association with Technomic market researchers, are compiling a White Paper on the Irish Foodservice Market, for publication and presentation via a webinar on Thursday, 28th May from 2-3PM.

While acknowledging the clear and ongoing damage that Covid-19 is having on foodservice, it is important to begin thinking about how the industry will ultimately open up.

The objective of this White Paper is to evaluate potential changes in the short, medium and longer term and to help foodservice operators, distributors and suppliers to begin developing strategies based on scenario building.

The webinar will be co-presented by Maureen Gahan, Bord Bia Foodservice Specialist and David Henkes, Senior Principal, Technomic.

Lorraine Heskin, Founder & CEO of Gourmet Food Parlour, who will also participate in the webinar, sharing her story as a foodservice operator that has had to transition in the face of Covid-19.

This is an open event, suitable for foodservice operators, distributors and suppliers servicing the domestic market.

Pubs lobby for 'one metre' distance

Many reopening pubs will be forced to limit patrons to one-eighth of their normal capacity under the Government’s two-metre rule for social distancing, a publican-commissioned analysis concludes. pub

The report for the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) appeals to the Government to reduce the State’s social distancing guidelines to one metre, as the World Health Organisation suggests as its minimum safe distance.

Both publican groups also are lobbying the Government to permit pubs with restaurant licences to open on June 29, the date set for restaurants to reopen. Pubs are expected to wait until August 10 under the State’s phased plan for exiting the Covid-19 lockdown.

The analysis by Knapton Consulting Engineers found that the typical pub would see customer capacity slashed by 87pc if the two-metre rule between patrons is enforced.