Founder of The Avocado Show discusses the importance of community management for restaurant brands
Published 29 January 2020
The founder of one of the most exciting food start ups - The Avocado Show is joining the GRIF 2020 stage. Ron Simpson along with his friend founded the first avocado franchise on the planet and then turned a tiny 45-seat restaurant in Amsterdam into a global lifestyle brand within a year. Their concept went viral like a celebrity sex tape (yes you read that right!) and with 100k fans online and a multi million dollar investment by the Bill Gates of avocados herself, this story is one for the books and for the stages!
GRIF: What are the key trends transforming the current restaurant investment landscape and how?
RON: A lot of new brands are connecting to their customer base by being very transparent about sustainability, culture and listening to their needs regarding things like convenience, expectations and service. Having an online presence is standard nowadays, but still the companies that take the time for actual good community management are the ones that can turn customers into fans and can fix unavoidable mistakes by investing in care and attention. Showing who you are as a company and team together with listening to your customers is the trend that is transforming the landscape for me now. If you can get the people behind you, the investment will follow.
GRIF: How is the future of the restaurant industry in Europe going to be different from what it is today?
RON: I personally think that restaurants in Europe are going to raise the bar when it comes to daily life. Offering the right products and services to be able to go out and eat out more days a week in a convenient and affordable way is a trend we have seen grow in many other cities across the globe. Now it’s time for the next generation in Europe to swap cooking time for social time.
GRIF: Tell us a little bit about what you look forward to discussing at GRIF 2020?
RON: I look forward to hearing from amazing companies about the value of their brands. How much time and effort do they invest, what are the learnings, why should you or should you not do it? There are amazing things being done in the world of food, service, interior... and also brands. Would love to learn and discuss more about that with input from all over the globe.
GRIF: How do you benefit from being a part of GRIF?
RON: I benefit from being a part of GRIF from the very moment I decide to go. It already inspires me to think of what I want to share and what type of input I am looking for. Makes me research companies and people who do amazing things and then offers me an opportunity to meet them in person. It’s great for networking, personal development and also to make deals if you have something good to offer like we do.
GRIF: What are you looking forward to the most at this year’s event?
RON: That’s hard to say as the culinary tour is always fun and we are part of it again for the second year now, I’m doing a panel about brands which is going to be great with some great panel members too and then there is a very long list of speakers and sessions I can’t wait to attend. But having drinks with like-minded people after an inspirational day never gets old, so let’s choose that!