Maria Sales & Marketing Director
Have you popped in to a pop-up yet? You may have noticed that pop-up kitchens, restaurants and takeaways have become the new ‘in thing’ lately, but have you thought about popping a pop-up, up for your food business?
Food pop-ups began to surface in Britain in the early Noughties, but they are not a new phenomenon. They have been popular in countries such as the USA, and particularly Cuba, for years now; diners would make use of word of mouth – or more typically nowadays, social media – to follow the movement of such places. In the UK, pop-ups were more likely to be found at places such as festivals, food fairs or concerts – and they were also a good way for an up and coming chef, or someone who simply wanted to experience running an eatery, to cook and serve food. But now, more and more food establishments and well known chefs can see that there is a much wider opportunity to be had when it comes to taking advantage of pop-up restaurants and what they can do.
Pop-up restaurants create a buzz. They are unique and exciting as they can be set up in unusual venues or up and coming areas – and they provide the perfect opportunity to advertise a food business or give chefs the chance to try out new, experimental dishes. The biggest attraction of creating a pop-up restaurant is the unique experience and intimate feel they offer; people love this – they like trying something unusual, something a little different compared to the usual restaurant ‘feel’.
Fancy getting in on the pop-up phenomenon? Just remember, pop-ups are not limited to larger businesses, they are fantastic for every type of food business – you just need to know how. This is where we can help. We know the benefits of creating a pop-up for your food business; you don’t need a fixed location; with great branding and promotion, you can create a high turnover and have low overheads, whilst raising your brand profile and reaching new customers. Your food business will also be seen as modern and staying ahead of current trends by embracing pop-ups and how popular they are.
Our most recent jaunt into food pop-ups involved Zan Fish who run a hugely successful chain of fish and chip shops in Derby. Zan Fish are very proud of their Derby roots and as a sponsor of Derby County Football Club, they wanted to make their presence at the club even more prominent. We worked together to create an exciting new marketing campaign that involved putting their sponsorship to good use…and the idea of using a pop-up, mobile fish and chip service was born. We called this Zan Fish Express, created a new logo and helped promote and set up their first pop-up at the Derby County iPro Stadium, which was on 3 September 2014. Our work also involved securing the stadium location, trailer branding, creating promotional material and design. Feedback from the fans was so positive – we got everything right – and their highly successful pop-up service will grace the football field at every Derby County home match.
We love working with companies to devise and create successful pop-up plans, so if you are thinking of branching out into pop-up territory, get in touch! We can help with everything you need to make your food pop-up work.
