UK

The pizzeria is named after the owner, a recognised Neapolitan Master Pizzamaker. 50 Kalò Di Ciro Salvo is officially set to open its first site in London. Named after renowned pizzamaker Ciro Salvo, the pizzeria is stationed in Northumberland Avenue, few yards away from Trafalgar Square and is designed by an award-winning Italian firm. Salvo intends to bring his idea of pizza and high hydration dough, his continuous research for the best Campanian produce and raw materials and, when possible, sourcing from the best supplier available locally. Particular attention was also given to the creation of the wine list, selecting the best Campanian’s wine available in the UK, and importing some new ones. The menu is expected to include many of the signature pizzas such as Margherita, 50 Kalò, Montanara, and his signature “fritti”. “London is, amongst the European capitals, the one that currently can give the best opportunities and represent for me a great challenge. The idea of opening a Pizzeria in the UK is the only one that I have thought of in the last few years and I believe now is finally the right time,” Salvo said. 

The upstart brand will open at the end of the month. Aiming to compete in London’s burger scene, Japanese urban-inspired restaurant Yen Burger is set to open its site 1B Southwark Street at the end of June. The new concept is expected to offer premium Asian-influenced burgers, combining unique ingredients such as Japanese chili and Kim-chi mayonnaise, plus Asian herbs including 'Shiso', a Japanese leaf known for its great taste and health benefits. Yen Burgers also has a ‘no frozen food’ policy, and says each burger will be freshly made in-house from the best quality Aberdeen Black Angus or Wagyu beef, 100% sustainable cod or vegetable alternatives. Customers can also avail of the gluten-free option in their burger range. Healthy side options will include the crunchy Asian coleslaw, freshly steamed edamame beans or homemade sweet potato chips. “Although I grew up in Europe surrounded by lots of great western food chains, I could never go a day without my mother’s delicious Asian cuisine. Therefore, I wanted to create something that is truly unique and combines western food with and light east Asian ingredients - an Asian burger. The opening of Yen Burger sees this dream come to fruition and I’m so excited to start welcoming guests into the restaurant,” owner Yen Nguyen said.

Action on Salt says some fast food salads contain more than the daily recommended salt limit. Ready-to-eat salads could be damaging our health, according to a new study by Action on Salt. The expert group discovered that salt content of salads bought from restaurants, sandwich/coffee shops and fast food outlets has increased by 13% since they were last surveyed in 2014 (from 1.65g to 1.86g per serving on average). Action on Salt says this highlighted a “distinct lack of commitment from the food industry to reduce salt.” “Salads are typically considered to be a healthy option, but restaurants and retailers are continuing to add unnecessarily high amounts of salt and saturated fat to their salads and putting the health of their customers in jeopardy. We want the food industry to be transparent by displaying clear, colour-coded nutrition information on front of pack or at the point of sale, to help consumers make a more informed decision wherever they choose to eat,” Action on Salt nutritionist Sarah Alderton said.

The latest Barclays study says only a third of British workers now work the traditional 9-5 schedule. Britain’s bars, restaurants and leisure clubs could make a further £6.75 billion per year just by adapting opening hours to changing working patterns, according to the latest report by Barclays. They claim only a third (37%) of British workers now work the traditional 9-5 hours, with over a fifth of British workers (22%) saying they need different opening hours. The report also finds that a similar number (19%) expect 24-hour hospitality services. Restaurants (£2.2 billion per annum), takeaways (£2.1 billion), and pubs, bars and clubs (£1.2 billion) are said to benefit the most if they respond to this demand. Takeaway services, for example, supposedly left nearly a third (32%) of workers unable to order a takeaway as the business was closed. Barclays says this desire to order a takeaway at unusual hours is even higher among young workers (18-24 year olds), with (37%) keen for delivery between 11pm and 5am.

This is part of the global brand’s goal to source 100% of guest packaging from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by 2025. More than a thousand McDonald's restaurants in the UK and Ireland will begin their phased rollout of paper straws starting September, the brand confirms. "Reflecting the broader public debate, our customers told us they wanted to see a move on straws but to do so without compromising their overall experience when visiting our restaurants. Over the past few months we've been working closely with supplier partners to find a solution that works both for our customers, and that the supply is there given the size of our business,” McDonald's UK and Ireland CEO Paul Pomroy said. McDonald's supply of paper straws in the UK will be met by suppliers Transcend Packaging, a Wales-based start-up focused on sustainable packaging; and Huhtamaki Foodservice EAO, global fibre-based packaging partner, which has worked with McDonald's for over 30 years. The amounts paper used by both suppliers will come from certified source and endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) or FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). The iconic global brand’s UK move reportedly supports their goal of sourcing 100% of guest packaging from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by 2025 and to have guest packaging recycling in all restaurants globally. "McDonald's is committed to using our scale for good and working to find sustainable solutions for plastic straws globally,” McDonald’s Executive Vice President for Global Supply Chain and Sustainability Francesca DeBiase said. McDonald’s has also started to test alternatives to plastic straws in Belgium and is scheduled to do the same for in select restaurants in the U.S., France, Sweden and Norway later this year.

Opening on June 29, the Manchester site will give limited-edition shirts to the first 100 customers. Building on the success of Taco Bell’s expansion in the North East, one of their franchisees is set to launch a new site in Deansgate, Manchester. Similar to other Taco Bell restaurants across the country, the restaurant will have an urban aesthetic that channels the brand’s Live Más style. The site, which can accommodate up to 70 people, will have free Wi-Fi and charging stations – targeted for student and young professionals. “Following the successful opening in Liverpool in March we are incredibly excited to be bringing Taco Bell to the heart of Manchester City Centre and driving the Live Mas spirit in the North East,” Taco Bell franchisee QFM Group’s Arjun Patel said. “We’ve seen so much love for Taco Bell throughout the UK, especially in the north. We are excited to announce even later opening hours until 4am everyday - and to welcome more people in Manchester through our doors to experience our delicious Mexican-inspired food,” Taco Bell UK & Europe marketing leader Ellen Gault added. The site is scheduled to open on June 29, where the first 100 customers can enjoy a limited-edition Taco Bell Deansgate t-shirt.

The cup is made from light-weight sustainable bamboo fibre.

The destination will depend on the average temperature from this month to August. Pho has announced a chance for customers to have a free trip to either Vietnam or a staycation within the country. Partnering once more with Rickshaw Travel, customers can submit their entries online at www.phocafe.co.uk/summer2018 or via the menu cards on tables at any Pho restaurant. Pho will either provide a one economy class return flight from London to Vietnam (either Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi) or one night accommodation for two people in Brighton, Cambridge or Oxford, 2 round trip train tickets from London to Brighton, Cambridge or Oxford, and a meal for 2 at Pho in Brighton, Cambridge or Oxford. To determine the type of prize, Pho will take the average temperature of the days between June 11 and August 31 as published by the Met Office at Heathrow Airport. The highest temperature of each day will be recorded. If there were more days under 23 degrees Celsius during the time period, the prize will be the Vietnam trip. If not, the winners will have a staycation at their selected city.

The menu is based on the author’s new book, Real Food Kids Will Love. Recently opened Bluebird Café has teamed up with children’s cookery author Annabel Karmel to have an exclusive menu collaboration specifically designed for Bluebird Café’s family diners. The menu is based on her upcoming book Real Food Kids Will Love, slated to launch on June 28, and will be offered during a six-week residency in the café. Offerings for children include hidden vegetables Bolognese, roast chicken, roast potatoes, squash and sage stuffing, and no-sugar chocolate orange energy balls. Adults, meanwhile, will also have a friendly selection that includes the mini raspberry cheesecakes. “The team is consequently thrilled to be welcoming Annabel through its new White City doors, where her signature dishes shall run alongside Executive Chef Simon Gregory’s modern European menu,” Bluebird Café said. Two ticketed children’s cookery workshops hosted by Karmel and Gregory, will also take place by August during the residency period.  

The global pizza brand is asking U.S. customers to nominate their towns for repairs. Aiming to “save” pizza one pothole at a time, Domino’s Pizza USA launched a campaign where they assist in funding to help repair roads. Through the ‘Paving for Pizza’ campaign, customers interested in nominating their town for a paving grant from Domino's can enter the zip code at pavingforpizza.com. If their town is selected, the customer will be notified and the city will receive funds to assist in repairs. “We don't want to lose any great-tasting pizza to a pothole, ruining a wonderful meal," Domino's USA president Russell Weiner said. Domino's previously worked alongside four municipalities to help repair roads in Bartonville, Texas; Milford, Delaware; Athens, Georgia and Burbank, California.  

The revamped menu comes with the brand’s first vegan-friendly wrap. Greggs has announced that it has relaunched its range of sandwich offerings, including their Mexican Bean Wrap – their first vegan-friendly offering. The vegan wrap is soft tortilla wrap packed with mixed beans, sweetcorn and mixed peppers, tomato sauce, guacamole, chili sauce and some fresh salad leaves. New additions to the range include the Tandoori Chicken Wrap, Chicken Caesar Oval Bite, and mature Cheese Ploughman’s Oval Bite. Classic sandwich offerings have been updated, such as the Tuna Crunch Baguette. The revamped sandwich range has been made available since June 14. 

This is part of their long-term plastic waste reduction initiative. Burger King UK announced a series of new commitments to reduce plastic waste by the end of the year, in line with the brand’s vision for all packaging used in its 500 stores nationwide to be recyclable, biodegradable or compostable by 2025. Key projects include the introduction of a smaller, lighter-weight and compostable drinking straw, in restaurants nationwide in September 2018, which will reportedly reduce the fast food brand’s total plastic output by 36% a year or approximately 29 metric tonnes. They are also working with suppliers to find a completely biodegradable straw replacement that still works for customers, in line with their goal of completely eliminating plastic straws from all restaurants. A pilot test will also take place from 1st July 2018 in 70 restaurants, where straws and cup lids will only be given to customers when requested. Burger King says a nationwide, permanent roll out before the end of the year might be implemented if this shows positive results. “Packaging helps us to provide guests with the same great tasting, quality food that they expect from us, however we are aware of the negative impact that plastics in particular can have. We are firmly committed to making a real difference and increasing the recyclability of the materials we use, as well as helping our customers to dispose of packaging more responsibly,” Burger King UK chief financial officer Tim Doubleday.

The food item was previously launched last year.

This is one of the brand’s three openings scheduled for this year. Rosa’s Thai Café is now set to open one of its newest sites in Bluewater later this year, after signing an agreement with commercial property company Landsec to acquire 2,500 sq ft in the area. “London was a great starting point for us to offer our authentic and sustainably sourced dishes, but we wanted to reach out to an even wider market. We’re delighted to be bringing an entirely new type of cuisine to Bluewater, which we view as one of the UK’s leading retail and leisure destinations,” Rosa’s Thai Café managing director Gavin Adair said. The brand, who was recently acquired by private equity firm TriSpan, is noted for their signature Thai food with seasonal ingredients and sustainability credentials. (Also read: Rosa's Thai Café acquired by private equity firm TriSpan) “Guests at Bluewater have told us for some time that they would like to see Thai cuisine offered as part of our dining options. We have seen strong demand for space in the plaza and we know Rosa’s Thai Cafe will be a popular addition,” Robert Hardie, Portfolio Director at Landsec, co-owner and asset manager of Bluewater, added.

This initiative allows restaurants with existing delivery services to join the online delivery platform. For the first time, restaurants who make deliveries with their own rider fleets will now be able to join Deliveroo and make use of their 15,000-strong UK rider network. Through the new ‘Marketplace+’ service, customers on the app will see both restaurants who make use of Deliveroo’s ‘core’ delivery network and restaurants who deliver meals themselves starting July. Restaurants, meanwhile, will be able to deliver to customers using either their own riders or Deliveroo’s rider network – enabling them to fulfil more orders at times of high customer demand, speed up delivery, and extend the times where they can offer delivery. The company says customers will see an additional 5,000 restaurants on the platform by the end of the year, widening their selection. Marketplace+ is being rolled out globally this year, launching in Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Australia, Hong Kong and the UK and Ireland in July. “[W]e are unveiling the next big step in our plan to offer customers an even greater choice of restaurants, at a greater range of prices while continually improving service. This is a major development for the company that will mean thousands of new restaurants delivering new orders to new customers and it’s part of our mission to become the definitive food company,” Deliveroo CEO and co-founder Will Shu said. 

The limited-edition cups are launched ahead of Pride marches across the country. Celebrating the LGBT community, Costa Coffee has unveiled its first-ever rainbow-coloured cups. The limited-edition Pride cups will be fully available in selected stores across the UK in Edinburgh, Essex, London, Glasgow, Brighton, Leeds, Manchester and Cardiff. They products are fully recyclable and ordered in place of the standard red cup for each store to reduce waste. The coffee brand is a founding partner of GLOW (Gay Lesbian Out at Whitbread), a group of over 1,000 members that champion equality and inclusion in the workplace. “Our all new rainbow cups are a fun way to celebrate Pride and reflect Costa Coffee’s values of equality, and diversity. We are passionate about championing team members rights to work in an inclusive, supportive environment. We’re so proud of the achievements of the GLOW team and look forward to seeing them marching at the many of the Pride Parades across the UK,” Costa Coffee managing director for UK & Ireland Jason Cotta.