What's in it for you?
There is an increasing interest from manufacturers in specific opportunities offered by the eating out market (e.g. catering industry, company restaurants, fast food, institution restaurants and petrol stations). This trend is accentuated by the changes in our lifestyle: we eat out more often, we like to eat more frequent smaller meals instead of eating three times day.
Also, the composition of the population has changed dramatically while the impending aging population explosion is expected to have an impact on eating and drinking behaviour. Already, thirty-five eurocents out of each euro is spent in the eating out market and this percentage will likely increase further.
By joining scientific information on consumer behaviour of Wageningen University and Researchcentre and the practical knowledge of companies such as Sodexo in a more or less standard company restaurant, a facility is created for research on real consumers in realistic conditions. Even over longer periods of time.
Manufacturers are invited to involve the Restaurant of the Future to be a part of their product development. We offer opportunities for field testing of their newest foods, for testing of new ovens, for launching new preparation methods, for investigating the effects of changes in preparation modes, for implementing cashless payment systems, for judging access control systems on their merits, and many more field testing opportunities.
Businesses can draw on the Restaurant of the Future for prototype testing and assistance with the implementation of new techniques of food preparation, presentation and meal serving systems. The Restaurant of the Future is not only a restaurant, but also a laboratory. We can change conditions as required. For instance, will people tend to eat more fish if the restaurant is decorated to present an atmosphere of a day at the beach? It is through research in our facilities that answers to questions like these are found.