TikTok’s army of fans will be delighted as Social Shakes, the brand-new ice cream shake bar set to open its first store in Lakeside Shopping Centre, announces it’ll recruit its entire team through a week-long open audition on the social media platform – starting 22nd June.

With the sector re-opening and summer on its way, is it time to rethink your cake and ‘sweet treat’ menu? The sector’s suppliers have plenty of ideas and creativity to offer.

Many cafés and coffee shops will be re-opening in a limited fashion this month with a focus on their outside seating areas, and in this issue, we focus on the importance of coffee machines and having a good breakfast and tea offering. In addition, Lincoln and York’s CEO, James Sweeting, shares his views on the past year, the company having also commissioned a new packaging line.

With the hospitality sector set to re-open, and the café and coffee shop sector in particular seeking to make the most of outdoor and takeaway opportunities, it’s more important than ever before to make sure that you have a stand-out tea offering, emphasise the sector’s suppliers.

After a testing year for a UK café sector now planning its re-opening, Café Life caught up with Lincoln and York’s CEO, James Sweeting (pictured), on a range of topics, the company having recently unveiled their investment in a new packaging line, while, like most other enterprises large and small, negotiating the effects of Brexit and Covid.

As café and coffee shops re-open, water quality and, in turn, consumer appreciation of beverage quality, should not be neglected, point out BRITA.