September at Quantaco was dedicated to one thing:Â insights. Whether it was conversations at the Fine Foods Expo, shared insights from Q-Connect discussions, expert perspectives from Alex Pikoulas, or the turnaround story of two struggling pubs, the theme was clear, numbers only matter when they guide action.
At Fine Foods, the challenges hospitality faces were front and centre. Rising food costs and labour inefficiencies continue to erode gross profit, while compliance and cash control remain essential to keeping businesses stable. Yet we also saw what sets high-performing venues apart. It wasn’t bigger budgets or larger teams, it was faster access to accurate data. Operators using Cooking the Books for cost control, Q-Insights for real-time dashboards, and Salesline for connecting sales and labour were making better, quicker decisions that directly impacted profitability.
The same sentiment was echoed in our Q-Connect discussions. Profitability is not just about gross profit; it’s about embedding insights into the daily rhythm of a venue. Teams that created simple, repeatable routines, like 15-minute “numbers huddles” to review labour variance and GP, were more agile and confident. And when KPIs were used as tools for coaching instead of policing, venues saw stronger team engagement and accountability. The takeaway was simple: it’s not the insights you have, it’s how your team uses them.
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That message was reinforced by Alex Pikoulas, CEO of Munjarra Capital, who shared a pragmatic perspective on the broader economic environment. Australian households are in stronger shape, housing activity is picking up, and hospitality revenues are showing signs of growth—particularly in gaming (+15%) and RTDs (now 7.5% of drinks sales). He also stressed that with yields remaining tight, value creation in pubs will increasingly come from investing capital into growth opportunities.
He further highlighted AI as the next major platform shift, with more than US$1 trillion in global infrastructure investment forecast over the next three years, set to reshape how businesses—including hospitality—drive efficiency and growth.
For hospitality operators, this isn’t abstract, it means sharper sales forecasts, dynamic financial reporting, better knowledge retention, and smarter use of data like weather or events to predict demand. His final point was clear: investors are actively looking for operators who can prove operational excellence, and there has rarely been a better time to build for growth
The power of insights was also brought to life in a case study with hospitality consultant Mitch Rose. Two regional pubs were heading downhill, debts climbing, compliance slipping, and numbers arriving too late to make a difference. Working with Quantaco, Mitch helped them reset their numbers, control cash, and rebuild trust with their communities. The result was dramatic: both pubs rebranded, regained their footing, and lifted net margins by up to 12%.
September showed us that insights are more than just data points, they are the daily decisions, habits, and strategies that transform venues. From expo-floor conversations to boardroom economic perspectives to on-the-ground turnarounds, one truth stood out: hospitality thrives when operators have timely, trusted numbers and the confidence to act on them.