Launched in May, ARCA is an instrumental voice for positive change in the restaurant and cafe segment of the Accommodation and Foodservice industry – a $64 billion sector that employs 450,000 people across 55,000 venues around the country. (or alternatively a $110 billion industry employing 1 million people across 110,000 venues around the country). Striving to become Australia’s peak hospitality body, representing more than 54,000 restaurants and cafes, ARCA is led by CEO Wes Lambert, alongside restaurateur and chef Neil Perry AM (Margaret) as Chair and Chris Lucas (Lucas Restaurants) as Deputy Chair. Their mission is to secure the future of the restaurant and cafe sector by tackling government legislation on key issues such as taxes, inflation, wages and rental pressures on the industry’s behalf.

Fine Food Australia is the country’s pivotal platform for connecting industry leaders, discovering the latest trends and providing a defining, annual in-person experience, integral to the sustained future of the foodservice and hospitality sphere. There’s never been a more pivotal time for Fine Food Australia to use its strength of brand to support the industry in battling its challenges, with this year’s expo in Melbourne celebrating 40 years in the business.

“We know the restaurant and cafe segment is a resilient segment,” says ARCA CEO Wes Lambert. “We want to make sure that as many restaurants and cafes can continue in the future, so we’ve formed ARCA with some of the leading restaurant groups in the country. We believe that [together] we will be a stronger voice.”

Fine Food Australia and ARCA are a match of perfect sense, one providing the voice, the other a stage. Over half of Fine Food Australia’s annual attendees feel directly aligned with ARCA’s objectives, making the show a rich environment for creating lasting relations, sharing knowledge and supporting positive movement within Australia’s advocacy space.

Joining forces with representatives from prominent industry groups including Lucas, House Made Hospitality, Fink, Trader House Group and more, has given weight to ARCA’s stronghold, but chef and the Association’s chair, Neil Perry, insists that ARCA stands for all hospitality businesses in the sector, not just big employers. “It’s about making sure we’re representing small, single businesses as well as larger businesses.”

“We feel this is a great time to have a conversation because there are a lot of legislative conversations going on, says Lambert. “Dining in restaurants and cafes is part of the fabric and culture of Australia.”

Proud to be at the forefront of a fundamental transformation within the foodservice and hospitality industry, Fine Food Australia looks forward to a successful partnership with ARCA and join them in their vision that, “Together, we can make a real and lasting difference and ensure the segment has #aseatatthetable.”

Article written by Annabel Ross