Facilicom Group is going to innovatively expand its Food & Beverage portfolio in the Benelux. Joost Smaal started working on 1 September to ‘build the new world of eating and drinking’ within the F&B division. Over the coming months a concept will be developed that anticipates the rapid market changes. ‘A concept off the beaten track of catering.’
Catering has always been one of the pillars of the Facilicom Group’s service package. Up until 2016, the Group was active in the Netherlands with Prorest, which still operates under that name on the Belgian market. In the Netherlands, the Group still works with Albron as a strategic partner. The timing makes it all the more challenging. Covid-19 will permanently change the traditional catering market. The expectation is that working from home will increasingly gain a foothold and that company restaurants will have to reinvent themselves to respond to this changed situation.
Part of the facilities chain
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“This is why we aim to look beyond traditional catering,” says Facilicom Group’s Vice-CEO Albert van der Meulen. “It is a great step for us in a special time. Eating and drinking will always be important, all the more so in times where there is an increased emphasis on aspects such as health and vitality. We aim to make a positive contribution to clients, as well as employees, through food with impact.”
A lot of hard work on setting up the new division is currently underway behind the scenes. Effective from 1 September, Joost Smaal as the person ultimately accountable, is providing direction and staffing for the new F&B division. Joost has been active in the broader food market for years, and has experience in marketing, sales and concept development. He also was an independent entrepreneur in the food sector for several years.
Summer 2021
Facilicom Group aims to introduce the concept to the market at the beginning of 2021. The division's vision, strategy and name will be further defined over the coming months. Joost Smaal: “Facilicom Group is not returning to offer more of the same. It is clearly our ambition to go off the beaten track of the catering market. We aim to build a new world of eating and drinking. In the concept we are going to develop, the individual needs of guests will have an even greater focus.”