Reinventing F&B for Gen Z: PESU Students Shine at Shangri-La Bengaluru Horizon

On November 19, 2025, Shangri-La Bengaluru hosted an innovative event titled “Horizon – Reinvent F&B for Gen Z Palette”, challenging students to rethink food and beverage experiences for the most dynamic consumer segment—Gen Z.

Event Overview
The competition invited 3rd semester PESU students to conceptualize and pitch creative dining ideas tailored for Gen Z. The program included:

• Mood Board Submission – Visualizing ambience, aesthetics, and brand identity.
• Team Shortlisting – Selecting the most promising concepts.
• Pitch Presentation – Defending ideas before a panel of Shangri-La industry experts.

Theme: Reinventing F&B for Gen Z
The challenge focused on digital integration, experiential dining, and global flavor fusion. Students were encouraged to design concepts that resonate with Gen Z’s lifestyle—tech-savvy, socially connected, and experience-driven.

Event Highlights

• Teams showcased Instagram-worthy ambience and interactive dining elements.
• Concepts integrated QR-code menus, social media engagement, and personalized offers.
• Menu ideas balanced global flavors with local familiarity, appealing to adventurous yet time-conscious diners.

Winners

• First Place: Charmi N Reddy, Smruti R & Subhi Mohta
• Runners-Up: Gagana NP, Siri Joshi & Anagha Bhat

Key Learnings
Students gained insights into:

• Gen Z’s preference for experiential dining over traditional service.
• The role of technology in enhancing customer experience.
• Crafting menus that combine innovation with accessibility.

Impact
This event bridged academia and industry, empowering students to think creatively and strategically about the future of hospitality. By addressing Gen Z’s evolving expectations, PESU students demonstrated readiness to lead in a rapidly changing F&B landscape.