Outdoor catering is big business

THE blanket ban on smoking in Ireland, now being copied to varying degrees in other countries, has led to a new trend in food service in Europe and elsewhere - outdoor catering.

And it is being featured at Anuga, the biennial international trade fair for food and beverages, which opened in the German city of Cologne at the weekend and continues until Thursday.

External trading in beer gardens, restaurants and trendy cafés is the focus of much interest by some of the 6,294 suppliers from 108 countries who are expected to attend the exhibition, expected to attract over 160,000 visitors.

The organisers said outdoor catering is no longer restricted to the summer months. With the correct furnishings and equipment, it is possible to extend the al fresco season up to 300 days a year. They point to the experience in Ireland, where catering facilities have had to respond to the blanket ban on smoking indoors.

“In order to let their customers smoke and drink at the same time and in any weather, many publicans and landlords have moved their dining tables and chairs outside, even under gray skies and with chilly temperatures.

“This is benefiting the manufacturers of windbreakers, all-weather umbrellas/parasols, rain coverings and heating elements, for example - all of which are in strong demand in Ireland.”

Local authorities in Europe are also showing an interest in external catering, as shown by a two-year project in Hamburg, where beer gardens and open-air cafés will in the future be able to cater for guests outdoors until 11pm.

The Gastro Food Forum at Anuga is presented under the heading of the External Catering Marketplace.

Bord Bia is coordinating the Irish participation, involving eight companies exhibiting in the meat and dairy halls. Food Minister Brendan Smith will attend the exhibition and will launch Bord Bia’s pan-European Irish beef promotion campaign in Cologne.