Diner tech revolution
Sir, In ‘Cashless store, apps and health to drive the future of food to go’, (18 February, p6), Gavin Rothwell, IGD senior retail insight manager, was right to highlight that technology is likely to play a continually bigger role in food to go. This is as true for eating in as eating out.
Technology has had a central role in shaping restaurant operations. The first phase of tech disruption focused on ‘restaurant management tech’ ie managing inventory, money, staff. The second phase was ‘diner convenience tech’. Restaurants began adopting self-order technologies, providing digital kiosks and menu boards.
Today restaurants and food retailers are entering a third phase: ‘diner experience tech.’ Consumers can now order and customise meals. They can experience making and shaping meals for themselves - total meal customisation while enjoying a wait-free booking and cashless eating experience. We’ll increasingly see a focus on experience through personalisation and customisation.
Ritam Gandhi, founder, Studio Graphene
Aldi bucks rebrand trend
Sir, The Aldi rebrand manages to update the logo’s overall feel while ensuring it is still instantly recognisable. The brand’s colours and striped border are intact, with some graphic tweaks to the wordmark and logo. The two elements have been nicely balanced so they sit more harmoniously together. Graphic gradients and crafted type add an approachable softness as well as sophistication compared with the harsh angles and thin lines of the previous version. In a time when virtually every rebrand sees logos becoming flatter and simpler, Aldi is bucking the trend.
Tom Probert, senior designer, The Cabinet Agency
A second coming?
Sir, With regard to Asda’s listing of ‘free-range’ milk (‘New Free Range Dairy Farmers’ milk wins listings at Asda’, thegrocer.co.uk, 28 February) it is worth noting that, back in 2007, in the UK, Anchor butter was repositioned as The Free Range Butter Company, though packaging and advertising doesn’t reflect that today. Since then we’ve had a debate over mega-dairies and indoor production; the devaluation of conventional milk and the launch of value-added milks; and Horsegate. All mean free-range dairy may get a second bite of the cherry.
Rich Ford, director of new business, Sherlock Studio
No comments yet