« Food Trends in Retail »

Each year, EHTL students enrolled in the first and second year of the BTS Hospitality Management course take part in a cycle of company visits, conferences and presentations, designed to deepen their knowledge through contact with experts and major economic players. On 14 January 2020, Mr Marc HOFFMANN, Marketing Director of Cactus Group, and Ms Liz NEPPER, marketing employee, gave a presentation entitled Food Trends in Retail. Cactus has been present in Luxembourg since 1900, with the first grocery store that opened its doors in Luxembourg City in the railway station district. Cactus now has 58 stores and employs more than 4,000 people.

Over the decades, it has had to constantly renew itself in order to keep up with new consumer lifestyles and meet their expectations. Today, the key words are clearly responsible, ethical and environmentally friendly consumption. In points of sale and on the shelves, these trends are reflected in the multiplication of the offer of organic, vegetarian or vegan products, lactose-free, gluten-free, less sweet, less salty and pesticide-free foods. Similarly, bulk sales are aimed at reducing packaging, while the catering service offers quality, homemade products. Cactus also emphasizes the promotion of local products and fair trade, which aims to support producers and workers in the South whose hard work enables them to supply the countries of the North with foodstuffs that are now part of our daily lives.

Cactus’ objective has always been to defend strong values, with a slogan Nëmmen dat Bescht which indicates the desire to offer the best quality without compromise. Efforts are constantly being made to stand out from the competition and continue to prosper.

During the exchange that followed the presentation, the students shared two points that are of great importance to them: respect for the environment and the ethical responsibility of those involved in distribution. The customer is king: if his expectations are not met, he will go elsewhere.