With Eventbrite finding the number of food and drink events hosted on its platform to be increasing each year, it has become clear that more events are being hosted across the food and beverage industry.

With a colossal growth of 82%, the pop-up dining experience was found to be the fastest growing trend, following Eventbrite’s analysis of 40,000 of these events.

Flogas, one the UK’s leading LPG suppliers to business discusses with us how the food industry has shifted away from traditional brick and mortar establishment.

Why pop-up food has become so popular

Over 2,000 people who have attended a pop-up dining experience were surveyed by Everbrite, in a bid to shed some light on just exactly why these events have proven to be so popular among the public.

75% of the people who attended the pop-up event believe that it’s worth spending more money to be part of a unique dining experience. Around 50% of the respondents also indicated to be happy to pay more for a meal from the very same menu if it were served at a pop-up event at which chef interaction is involved as opposed to one which is served in a regular restaurant.

So it’s becoming clear that what’s important to people attending those pop-up events is a unique menu or theme, as indicated by 84% of the respondents. Next in line by way of importance is the location of the events, which should preferably be a memorable one (76%), followed by occasions that promised to be a one-of-a-kind experience (74%).

Chef Melissa King, the creator of Co+Lab the pop-up, believes that creating a unique event works both ways in terms of the pop-up food industry. She explained: “There are so many chefs out there – they have their restaurants, their day jobs, but they’re looking for something more. That’s what the pop-up culture offers them. They are able to take over someone’s space for only a few hours and convert it into their own identity. It’s not just about the food, it’s about creating a memorable experience for the guests.”

A look at the increasing popularity of street food

With StreetFood.org.uk boasting some 2,800 members with over 7,000 units serving food across the UK as of 2015, it has become clear that it’s not just pop-up food events that have witnessed a significant rise in popularity- street food is enjoying a golden period at the moment too. UN-FAO statistics claim that street food is now eaten by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide.

Since the produce available is usually not expensive and provides a nutritional source that is based on traditional knowledge, street food has proven to be popular as a fledgling artisan industry in the UK. The food also follows the seasonality of farm production.

Setting up doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg either! One can always look for reliable refrigerated van hire, a perfect location, and also utilize The Hub’s general guidelines suggestions which details that a small second-hand catering trailer or market stall could be purchased for under 5,000. In a report by Nationwide Caterers Association, it was made clear that a fully equipped market stall can be bought for around 3,000 and a food truck for an estimated 10,000. It is also easier than ever to have modular restrooms installed nearby with the help of a company like BMarko, who can be found at https://bmarkostructures.com/modular-bathrooms/. When the van, location, cuisine, and even washroom are shortlisted, some safety equipment for cooks to safeguard them while cooking, would be an added bonus. As apparently, cooks tend to be the most important pillar in driving a food business. And to get it sorted, they could be provided with aprons to save them from splash and spills, good quality gloves (https://unigloves.co.uk/ might be useful in this regard) to protect their hands from any cuts or harm, etc. would be beneficial.

Charlie Morse is a street food vendor himself and was keen to point out to Produce Business UK: “Street food as a trend is certainly growing, although it’s still not at the same level as in New York. I think it will die off a little as a trend and then become a normal, everyday offer. A lot of office workers go to street food stalls to buy their lunch and eat something healthy, cheap and different. There are so many trends within food but it works when you consider that people are money conscious and like variety.”