Economist: Labour shortages ‘particularly evident’ in hospitality

Carlos Cacho returns to the QSR Media Conference & Awards to offer an updated macroeconomic overview.

Carlos Cacho makes a return to the QSR Media Conference & Awards, this time, offering a presentation as chief economist for Jarden in Australia.

Prior to joining Jarden, Cacho spent three years as Australian Economist at UBS Australia, and previously five years at Colonial First State Global Asset Management.

He holds a Bachelor of Economics, as well as a First Class Honours in Economics from the University of New South Wales. 

See our quick Q&A with him below:

QSR Media: What’s your assessment of how the QSR/fast casual restaurant industry handled the challenges dealt by COVID-19?

Cacho: In general, very well. The ability to transition to delivery allowed businesses to perform relatively well during the lockdowns and support their staff and communities. The key moving forward is transitioning back to eat in and navigating the normalization of consumer spending and behavior.  

From your perspective, what are some key lessons/insights/trends that brands have learned/further understood/need to know as we approach a post-pandemic industry? 

One of the biggest challenges through lockdowns, and now into the recovery, is managing labour. With borders closed, and domestic demand surging, many parts of the economy are facing labour shortages, this is particularly evident in hospitality.

Now that we’re returning to a physical event, what are you excited to do at the QSR Media Conference & Awards this year?

After last year’s virtual event where networking was very limited, I’m excited to meet business leaders and owners and hear about what they are seeing on the ground.  

Get an update on how the industry is performing in the wider economy - register for the QSR Media Sandhurst Conference & Awards by clicking here.