Beginnings
The name Kerry is well known within the beverage and foodservice industries as an innovator, delivering a wide variety of operator-friendly offerings, while maintaining a high quality experience for the end customer.
Originating as a dairy operation in southwestern Ireland in 1972, Kerry has grown over the past 50 years to serve a global market. Kerry Foodservice U.S. operations encompasses a slate of well-known café-focused specialty beverage brands such as DaVinci Gourmet, Big Train, Oregon Chai, and Island Oasis, which are present throughout cafés and specialty coffee shops nationwide.
DaVinci Gourmet
The DaVinci Gourmet brand originated in Seattle, WA, a city often cited as the epicenter of the U.S. craft coffee movement. DaVinci is perhaps best known for its line of flavored syrups – from barista staples such as vanilla and hazelnut, to unique offerings like cheesecake and cookie dough syrups, for something just outside the ordinary.
The DaVinci family also features sauces, like caramel and chocolate, for decadent flavor and eye-popping visual presentation.
A wide range of smoothie and frappé mixes also fall under the DaVinci Gourmet name. And in alignment with the Kerry spirit of innovation, the emerging category of fruit refreshers is also represented, with Mango Dragonfruit and Watermelon Lime among the flavor offerings.
Big Train
Big Train comprises a line of frozen beverage mixes with a focus on ease of use – the “blend and pour” convenience is a favorite feature among busy café and coffee shop operators.
Iced and blended coffee beverages have surged in recent years, with some nationwide chains reporting over 50% of sales are now from cold beverages. Frappés are big business, and Big Train offers an extremely wide variety to cater to any taste. As a partner to the specialty coffee industry, Houston’s carries over 50 Big Train blends, including mochas, lattes, blended espresso, frozen hot chocolate, horchata, protein drinks, and chai.
Oregon Chai
Chai is another coffee shop category that has been trending in recent years. Under the Kerry family of brands, Oregon Chai features a roster of chai concentrates and powders which offer a great taste experience for the end customer, and, importantly, easy preparation and storage for the operator.
A number of different flavors are offered, including vanilla, extra spicy, salted caramel, and sugar free.
Island Oasis
Kerry’s Island Oasis brand may be strongly associated with the bar industry, with margarita and pina colada mixes as featured offerings. However, there is certainly room in the café industry for Island Oasis shelf-stable fruit purees, especially as summer approaches with rising demand for smoothies, craft lemonades, and other fruit-based drinks.
The hallmarks of Island Oasis include the use of only premium natural ingredients, and no high-fructose corn syrup.
Enduring Partnership
It is evident that Kerry aims to be an all-encompassing partner to the beverage industry, with a focus on operator-friendly features such as ease-of-use, shelf-stable packaging, and a wide range of brands and varieties.
By valuing innovation, Kerry sets a foundation of seeking to align with industry trends and the evolving needs of operators moving into the future.
