More than a third of food consumption in Spain takes place outside the home.

"•Spain has more than 200.000 bars and cafes, 55.000 restaurants, and 8.000 modern catering establishments."

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Eating out is no longer reserved for special occasions. It's an everyday occurrence. The HORECA channel accounts for 30% of the food and beverage market in Spain, which is approaching 30.000 billion euros.

 

These are some of the conclusions drawn from the study "The Horeca Channel in Spain. Analysis of the current situation and future trends» prepared by Iliada Consulting for the Spanish Federation of Industries Nutrition and Beverages, FIAB, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, MAPA, and the collaboration of Rabobank and Grupo Greco (Study Group for the Restoration and Communities), whose conclusions will be presented next November within the framework of the First Convention International Foodservice Convention, EATIN» OUT. This Convention will also coincide with the Hospitality Equipment Trade Fair, HOREQ 07, which will hold its fourth edition in the fair from Madrid, between November 24th and 27th.

 

Despite the strong development of tourism in Spain, and considering the country's rich culinary culture, eating out has thus far been considered a supplementary activity, without significant official studies being conducted on it. However, this new, growing, and constantly evolving food supply chain is becoming a business opportunity at every level of the supply chain. This has motivated the food industry association to promote the development of this study.

 

It suffices to highlight that the HORECA channel market has gone from being practically negligible to representing just over 30% of the total, with a market value approaching €30.000 billion. Similarly, this sector's market share in other countries, such as the United States, reaches almost 50%, with a consistently upward trend.

 

 

A sector in continuous growth

 

The HORECA channel, characterized mainly by being a very heterogeneous sector, with large differences between all segments, registers a natural growth of 4% per year, This makes it interesting for both manufacturing companies and small new entrepreneurs, according to the study prepared by Iliada Consulting for FIAB.

 

The total number of establishments dedicated to this segment amounts to 642.704. These include 219.163 bars and cafes; 55.422 restaurants; 8.610 modern catering establishments; 17.836 hotels; 24.975 social catering establishments (education, nursing homes, healthcare, institutions, workplace cafeterias, and catering), and other institutions (700). Alternative sales would account for the remaining 316.000 establishments (vending, delivery & takeaway, leisure, etc.).

 

By region, the central-southern and northeastern areas of Spain account for 40% of the total number of establishments., while the areas with the highest sales levels in this sector are also expanding to Andalusia.

 

In terms of employment, the HORECA sector employs almost 60.000 people And, as with the food industry, only 500 companies have a workforce of more than 25 employees.

 

According to the study, everything seems to indicate that the HORECA channel will maintain its current level of sales volume growth, for which it is necessary for companies to adapt to the changes that will occur in this segment.

 

Thus, the expected evolution process in this sector will have three key players to consider: restaurant and hotel chains; current individual owners who generate their brand; and the incorporation of immigrants into the ownership of bars and cafes for the neighborhood, which will maintain the vigor of the current small business model.

 

All of this also makes it necessary to seek collaboration between manufacturers, to promote innovation and modernization of points of sale, launching joint research projects for the development of new products aimed at the consumer.

 

International Convention: EATIN» OUT

 

 

This context argues the interest of the FIAB by this booming sector, which is manifested in the realization of the First Convention International Foodservice Event, EATIN » OUT. This event will take place at IFEMA on November 26th and 27th, coinciding with the fourth edition of the Hospitality Equipment Show, HOREQ 2007. With this initiative, both the employers' association and IFEMA are joining forces to contribute to boosting business in this "new food chain" in Spain and its internationalization. 

 

The opportunity presented by the EATIN» OUT call is thus based on the strong expectations for growth in food consumption outside the home and, therefore, in the business lines associated with it, both on the part of the Spanish food and beverage industry, and the old/foodservice industry.

EATIN» OUT is also presented as the only meeting point with a European vocation that, in a monographic way, will address the specific needs of commercial exchange and dialogue between the food and beverage industry and the old/foodservice in a broad sense.

 

From this point of view, there is unanimous interest shown by all the associations and representative institutions of the various sectors involved, whose active participation in EATIN» OUT is structured through an Advisory Committee in which, together with FIAB, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, MAPA; the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade, ICEX; participate; the FEHR, Spanish Federation of Hospitality; CEHATSpanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation; PROMOMADRID; ACEX and Rabobank.

 

On a biennial basis, the Convention It has been designed according to three complementary parts: International Seminar and Workshops, through which an analysis of the evolution of the business will be offered from the international perspective of leading operators and experts; an Exhibition area, located in Pavilion 2 of IFEMA, in which companies from the national and European industry will be present with an offer of products and services especially focused on this segment, and the Commercial Meetings, which will facilitate bilateral business meetings between Spanish firms and European buyers from the horeca channel.

 

The demand summoned by EATIN» OUT is made up of potential buyers from the horeca channel: modern restaurants, hotel chains, food franchises, restaurants, catering companies, etc. at the national and European level.