b'Ive seen in a long time, but HUNGRY is very wellbiggest way possible in developing, curating and positioned to thrive. onboarding talent into our organizations. We have always invested heavily in trainingWe have no higher mission than to bring our staff, with hospitality training and food safetypeople back to work and bring back the fun work training. We now also have a lot of COVID-relatedenvironment our industry is known for. I also think training, from proper precautions (masks, gloves,2022 will be a year where companies start to social distancing, etc.) to new solutions we havereinvest in event-technology and equipment. These that help ensure safetysuch as staffed andpurchases have been sidelined due to budgets, served buffets and our group order solution,but as the business comes back, so too does the where everyone can order their own lunch eachopportunity to streamline operations though day via the HUNGRY app. Over the last two years,technology and newer, better equipment.weve also rolled out more training and focus on DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] and mentalJEFF GRASS: The traditional corporate cafeteria health, too. is dead because the legacy model with onsite commercial kitchens and full-time culinary staff What are your predictionswill never make economic sense again due to less density of workers in buildings and high variability for catering and eventin attendance by day. I believe there will be a lot trends in 2022? of innovation in the industry to find alternative solutions. For example, HUNGRY is about to ADAM NOYES: Given a continued gradualannounce a new Cafs and Coffee Bars solution recovery, we are bullish about the future. We thinkthat provides similar permanent onsite foodservice 2022 will be a good year, with the front half of thefor corporate clients, but with better variety and year being down to 2019 levels but the back halffood quality, and with a solution that eliminates being better than ever due to pent-up demand in allthe need for onsite kitchens and culinary staff. The business segments. savings are immense.BILL HANSEN: Couples marry regardless of theJAMIE BAXTER: Between the labor shortage economy. Thats the good news. The challenge isand the increasing number of events taking place when will corporate business return? Fifty percentas the spread of COVID-19 slows, 2022 will of our business has been corporate in the past, andlikely push hospitality employers to improve weve been blessed with the surge in weddings toconditions (wages, schedules, etc.) to attract and make up the difference. retain more employers.In addition to this, businesses will increase their TRISH SPELLMAN: I predict that sustainabilityuse of third-party applications, including Qwick, to will continue to be a growing trend in 2022, withefficiently fill last-minute shifts. more menu items focused on making good use of ingredients that would normally go to waste. We will continue to turn this trend into a resident-experience-enhancing effort by incorporating rescue recipe items into dining features and specials, all while educating residents on the topic of sustainability.I also think that grab-and-go items will continue to be an important component of any catering or foodservice operation well beyond the pandemic, as these items provide both convenience and safety.JAMES FILTZ: Customer patience and compassion has been high during the pandemic as guests realized how caterers were dealing with recovery and reopening. As we move past the current phase of the pandemic, customers will start to lose their patience with delays or defects in our industry, and well need to step up our game by investing in the CATERING, FOODSERVICE & EVENTS cfe-news.com23'