Ahead of the inaugural F&B@Sea Awards, taking place at F&B@Sea on 11 April 2024, we caught up with Margie Jones, to get his thoughts on why the awards are crucial to the industry and what he thinks makes for a stand-out entry.
Margie Jones, Collins College of Hospitality Management, Interim Dean, "The Wine Professor"
Why did you want to be a judge for the first F&B@Sea Awards?
The cruise industry’s continued commitment to on trend food and beverage.. I always welcome the opportunity to learn from industry to stay in tune with what is happening.
Why are the F&B@Sea Awards so important for the industry?
I think awards programs help us keep track of trends and encourage creativity. Two key things in competitive advantage.
What advice would you give to companies entering the awards?
Balance creativity and profitability. Sure there are some loss leader moments that make for WOW but ideally programs that are sustainable are more attractive.
What makes a standout entry?
Not sure yet, this is my first year.
What are the top three things you are looking for in an entry?
Creativity, sustainability, and have the potential to be tweaked and used by others.
What are the top three F&B trends you're most excited about in 2024?
Health focused products, non alcoholic segment, up and coming regions/products
