17th April 2018
Ramadan is the “biggest untapped opportunity in foodservice” with millions of pounds of extra revenue available during the festival, according to Salih Sheikh, head of marketing at BB Foodservice, the delivered foodservice arm of Bestway Wholesale.
Sheikh said the industry was “behind when it came to commercialising Ramadan” and that an increasing number of Muslims were eating out during the festival when feasting together after sunset rather than cooking at home, while there had been a spike in demand for halal products.
“Christmas is the biggest event in the foodservice calendar – worth hundreds of millions of pounds to operators every year – and it’s far from alone. Easter, Pancake Day and Mother’s Day are all key for pubs, restaurants and hotels but the industry is behind when it comes to commercialising Ramadan. It’s the biggest untapped opportunity in foodservice. During Ramadan, people gather after sunset to feast together and it’s now common to go out rather than cook at home. And judging by the spikes we see in halal products during Ramadan, it’s not only Middle Eastern, Asian and North African restaurants that see extra demand. The fact is the modern British Muslim – and what they like to eat – has changed over the years, with 47% now UK-born. As a result, Ramadan has quickly become a mainstream opportunity for operators,” he said.