FOUNDER LED & FOOD HALL STRATEGY PLACE MAKING THROUGH FOOD & CONNECTION
Expert Strategist & Advisor. NED Hospitality Consultancy Food Halls, Founder Led Food Solutions. Food Tourism & Place Making
About
Our Expertise
With over 20 years of Director-level experience, we offer full hospitality consultancy; concept development, market research, launch activation, and ongoing support delivering innovative yet pragmatic solutions.
- Start-up
- Strategic Planning
- Relationship Building
- Food and Beverage Vision
- Operational Overview
- Menu Development
- Business Development
- Hospitality Tech Advisory
- Talent Management
- Negotiation
- Spatial Design - Scope and Specification
- Placemaking
- Business Analysis
- Budgeting
- Market Analysis
- Brand/ Concept Development
Olivia Reid - Director
A passionate, innovative leader with 25 years immersed in food, culture, and hospitality, I focus on igniting growth across the emerging food hall and multi-vendor sector. Through my consultancy, Black Bird Box, I deliver food-led placemaking and strategies that empower independent operators to thrive. Unlike traditional consultants, we combine strategic theory with extensive, practical experience in directly funding, designing, launching, and operating market halls. I excel at building trust with brand founders, unlocking new revenue streams for SMEs, and collaborating with developers and local authorities to transform neglected spaces into vibrant, community-focused food destinations anchored by data-driven operational frameworks.
Fellow of the Institute of Place Management (FIPM)
Previously, I've served as Visionary Food Hall Director at Shelter Hall, Food Director and Founding Member at Sessions and Operations Lead at Black Rock Group.
SERVICES -INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS & GROUPS
Business Review & Remodelling
We review your existing commercial operations to enhance the customer experience, maximise returns, and improve efficiency across products, systems, and visibility. Focused interventions on specific operational challenges with tactical solutions. We scope the problem, define the outcome, and deliver. process includes market research, competitor benchmarking, and sector positioning. In some cases a fractional on-site role may be required for a short period.
Strategy For Food Halls and Smaller Kitchen/ Menu Formats
We analyse the current offering and potential through data and research into food hall, event, and communal dining trends—both local and international. We offer a full vision with multiple strategic directions based on competitor analysis, stakeholder feedback, and market insight challenges. Our approach is transparent, results-driven, and designed to help businesses succeed.
Feasibility Studies & Site Assessments
We analyse site potential using data, stakeholder input, competitor research, location analysis, and industry trends. We evaluate both current performance and future opportunities, delivering development options and a recommended model to support confident, informed decision-making. Deliver recommended model for new concepts, Market design scope and specification and develop options to provide clients with confidence in the best path forward for their new site
New Concept Development
With years of experience, we can support your new opening/ concept development from the initial design of your kitchens and back-of-house spaces to comprehensive menu development, including detailed costings, dietary information, and allergen tracking. We also manage supply chain and procurement systems, implement sustainability initiatives, and establish efficient workflows and operating procedures.
Strategic Menu Engineering
Imagine your menus actively driving higher sales. We specialise in optimising your print, digital, and visual menus, leveraging comprehensive sales data and behavioural insights. Through a blend of customer research, in-house analysis, and data-driven strategy, we craft compelling menu copy that does not only increase revenue but also subtly guides customers toward choices that improve their overall dining experience.
SERVICES - LANDLORDS, BIDS, FOODHALL OPERATORS
Tailored Placemaking Consultancy
We provide expert consultancy services that seamlessly combine rigorous feasibility analysis with meaningful stakeholder engagement for markets, food halls, and restaurant communities. By pairing on-the-ground collaboration alongside traders and local authorities with data-driven site analysis and competitor research, we deeply understand commercial realities and build the trust needed to navigate complex change.
From initial viability studies to stakeholder engagement and targeted marketing, we ensure every project aligns perfectly with its local context. Delivering robust development options, design scopes, and recommended models for new concepts, we provide clients with the absolute confidence and strategic insight needed to launch high-impact venues that drive commercial success and foster long-term community pride.including local authorities, community groups, and traders we build the strong foundations needed to launch or elevate high-impact events. Whether delivering a vibrant weekly street market or a curated specialist festival, or a new community or strategy we bring the creative edge and operational precision required to maximise attendance, deliver identity and foster long-term community pride.
Trader Curation
Market traders are the heartbeat of any successful market hall, which is why we place their engagement at the centre of our strategy. Leveraging deep industry experience, we collaborate closely with traders throughout the planning and execution phases to design spaces that drive business growth and foster community. Beyond engagement, we curate the ultimate venue dynamic by sourcing high-quality food brands and managing all negotiations, legal agreements, and handbooks, acting as a strategic bridge between landlords and independent businesses to ensure long-term commercial success.
Feasibility Studies & Engagement
At Black Bird Box, we combine direct, on-the-ground engagement with traders and independent operators with rigorous, data driven site analysis. By spending time with those who use these spaces daily, we deeply understand commercial realities and build the trust needed to navigate complex change. We pair this face-to-face approach with modern, community-wide digital engagement and competitor research to uncover true local demand. By delivering robust development options, recommended models for new concepts, and detailed market design scopes, we provide clients with the absolute confidence and strategic insight needed to choose the best path forward for their site.
New Sites and Acquisitions
We analyse site potential using data, stakeholder input, competitor research, location analysis, and industry trends. We evaluate both current performance and future opportunities, delivering development options and a recommended model to support confident, informed decision-making. Deliver recommended model for new concepts, Market design scope and specification and develop options to provide clients with confidence in the best path forward for their new site
Business Review & Remodelling
We review existing commercial operations to enhance the customer experience, maximise returns, and improve efficiency across products, systems, and visibility. Focused interventions on specific operational challenges with tactical solutions. We scope the problem, define the outcome, and deliver. process includes market research, competitor benchmarking, and sector positioning. In some cases a fractional on-site role may be required for a short period.
Hospitality Tech Stack & Strategy
We provide strategic support for hospitality tech and marketing integration, offering efficiency-focused plans and relevant introductions to industry-leading platforms. Finding a bespoke tech stack for each and every client with integration strategy to allow for stage-gate development.
CLIENTS & PARTNERS
PROJECTS & TESTIMONIALS
SHELTER HALL
NEW SITE TENDER, LAUNCH AND MANAGEMENT & ACQUISITION STRATEGY - Oct 2019 - 2024
My involvement spanned the entire five-year period, from the initial tender through to its recent acquisition by Market Halls. This included tender strategy, food and concept vision navigating significant hurdles such as build restrictions, widespread staffing shortages, and the intricacies of a merger and acquisition.
Testimonial from CEO - Dan Warne
'Liv was instrumental in setting up Shelter Hall and Sessions overall. Her thought leadership, intellect, connections, drive and good humour made the impossible come to life. She'll forever be a cofounder in this business and is a huge asset to anyone that engages her.'
BRILLIANT BRIGHTON BID
FEASIBILITY STUDY AND FULL REPORT FOR A SEAFRONT BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT MODEL
2020-2021
Testimonial from Brilliant Brighton CEO Gavin Stewart “
Olivia’s insight, professionalism and innate personality were key to the successful outcomes on a number of joint projects. Her ability to bring people along on a journey while engendering fundamental change was inspiring and I look forward to our next project, whatever that might be.”
SEA LANES
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR NEW WORKING MODEL TOWARDS 3 SITE EXPANSION
2024-2025
Sea lanes is an outdoor oasis offering the best in open water exercise and wellbeing while re-fuelling with artisanal F&B
Testimonial from Sea Lanes Director - Harry Smith
"Working with Olivia was transformative for Sea Lanes. Her comprehensive F&B report became a cornerstone of our growth plans, offering objective insights that drove tangible results in our menu, operations, and customer experience.
Crucially, Olivia guided our management structure, leading to the recruitment of two exceptional General Managers who have significantly impacted our daily running and long-term vision. Her expertise in market trends and strategic analysis pinpointed our unique strengths and growth areas, ensuring we stay ahead.
Olivia’s report is now our essential go-to for new site development and continuous improvement. Her analytical rigor, industry knowledge, and strategic foresight were a catalyst for positive change, strengthening our team and preparing us for the future. We wholeheartedly recommend Olivia to any business looking to unlock its full potential"
PADDINGTON MARKET HALLS
NEW SITE VISON & LAUNCH
2024 - 2025
Working with Market Halls to shape their latest and arguably most ambitious food venture has been incredibly rewarding. This project is set to redefine West London's dining scene with Market Halls Paddington, an expansive 11,000 square foot space featuring eight diverse food traders, two bars, and a great outdoor terrace.
My key objective, in partnership with the Board, CEO, and Property team, was to meticulously curate an aspirational line-up of London's best food traders. The challenge: integrate eight top-tier concepts into a seven kitchen layout, all while ensuring a compelling all day offering for a diverse audience. Overcoming the logistical hurdles of matching our hand picked traders
Our approach is transparent, results-driven, and designed to help businesses thrive.
Contact Us
We look forward to working with you and driving positive change through expert consultancy
