This is a question that every prospective and existing club owner agonizes over when they examine their ancillary service offerings. Adding a food and beverage component to a club can feel like a big task for club owners. It can also be costly if it is not done properly. Fortunately, these are issues that are easily resolved today with the advent of a new specialist in this field, known to the health & fitness industry as a Food & Beverage (F&B) Consultant and Designer.
The need for an F&B consultant has arisen for a few reasons. 1. Juice bars, restaurants & cafes all over the country open and close quickly due to poor planning and execution. Food & Beverage consultants know how to make it work. 2. The relationship between physical exercise and a healthy diet is understood by most (particularly in this industry) but adhered to by few. This happens because club owners are not classically trained to operate in a food service environment, and therefore don’t know how to market their products, making them prone to simple mistakes that should be easy to avoid. It is frustrating for club owners, operators and staff to see a client work out hard at the gym and then head for the coffee shop to pick up a sugar-laden iced latte. This money could be better spent on a healthy and beneficial snack, shake, or, preferably, a meal in your club. 3. And lastly, without prior experience, club owners do not know the right questions to ask or how to recognize early warning signs when they appear. Being a classically trained chef and having managed a wide range of establishments for over a decade and a half, it’s apparent that these are errors not specific to the fitness industry. But you do have a benefit that these other establishments do not: a captive audience with a desire to improve their overall health and well-being.
A good way to make sure your club’s F&B venture is successful is to employ a Food & Beverage consultant to properly design your operation. When done correctly, a juice bar/café/restaurant can not only add to your bottom line, but it can also enhance the experience of members.
With the assistance of a skilled F&B Consultant and Designer, implementing everything from a healthy juice bar to a full service restaurant in your club can be an easy and streamlined process. Even experienced architects who specialize in the fitness industry will always recommend a consultant for new clients who are looking to implement a food and beverage component. Not to be misunderstood, a consultant is not a replacement for an architect, and visa versa; they work in tandem to bring everything together seamlessly for the client.
How Do I Choose A Food & Beverage Consultant?
Choosing a Food and Beverage Consultant and Designer is similar to selecting an Architectural or Engineering Firm. The chosen company must have a significant level of knowledge and experience within the fitness industry in order to understand all of the nuances that go with it. It is important to ascertain the range of services they provide. Typically, the consultant should be knowledgeable in all phases of planning, design, operation and product specifications. A “full service” or “turn key” consultant should provide you with:
• Detailed construction plans for your project
• Simplified equipment and millwork resources
• Health Department Plan Review documents
• Menu suggestions, costing analysis & budget
• Training
This may seem like a large order to fill, which is why you should solicit assistance from a professional who can take you through the process and teach you how to make this new business a part of your own. Start small with a snack or juice bar, watch it grow, keep things interesting and it just might turn into a full scale café or restaurant in no time. Now you’re reaping the benefits of two businesses! It may take some time and research to locate the right consultant for you but they are out there, and the initial investment in their services will save you considerable money and will pay dividends in member satisfaction and, ultimately, retention.
Victor Cardamone is the Director of Design and Development at Performance Food Centers, Corp. He is accomplished in food service concept and design as well as being a classically trained Executive Chef. He can be contacted at 888.pfc.9151, or visit www.performancefoodcenters.com
