Sipp® Sparkling Organics

Bottled Beverages: The bottled beverage category is predicted to continue to expand.  In line with the third wave of
coffee and the age of craft and artisan everything, bottled cold brew teas and coffees will broaden.  Probiotic beverages like Kombucha, despite being around for a while already, will hit their stride and go mainstream.  Fresh juices, water infusions, and more craft sodas are hitting the shelfs to satisfy the desire for more specialty, hand crafted drink options.  Sipp® Eco Beverage, for example, is already expanding its line of handcrafted sodas to include its newest flavor, Zesty Orange.

New Product Origins:  Consumers today are constantly seeking new flavors and are more interested now than ever in learning where their food came from and how it was produced.  In the search to taste new experiences, adventurous consumers are seeking out pure, authentic products or techniques from all over the globe.  Specifically, traditional “Old World” ethnic dishes satisfy the curiosity of many.

2016 will be the International Year of Pulses.

It’s All About Vegetables: Vegetables are growing in popularity and as the average consumer becomes more health conscious, we’ll be seeing vegetables replace pastas and meats on menus.  Pulses (including beans, lentils, and chickpeas) specifically have become a winner for their sustainable, economical, and nutritious value.  According to Global Food Forums, “The United Nations is so certain that pulses will peak in popularity that it has dubbed 2016 the International Year of Pulses”.  Pulses are being added to things like chips and pastas to create more nutritious options, as well as to add a new flavor twist to dishes.

The Delivery Revolution:  These days there’s an app for everything.  The growing number of order and pay apps along with online ordering and delivery services is making it easier than ever to dine in your own home.  Consumers are into unique, quality, artisan foods and the ability to order more than a fast food pizza at home is key in deciding whether to stay in or dine out.  “With 48 million time-strapped Americans describing themselves as foodies, gourmet convenience will be among the megatrends”, says Global Food Forums.

Changes in Labor:  Much more discussion will be had about raising minimum wage and new technologies will change the need for workers in certain areas of food service.  These types of issues will shake up the workforce system as restaurants may have to review pricing and create a new way to distribute resources.

The post Food Service Trends of 2016 appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Tablecraft color-coded Grippy Cutting Boards. Photo courtesy of Tablecraft.

There are a lot of food and festivities that occur during the holidays and it’s helpful to be prepared in the kitchen and around your establishment.   Here’s a list of 10 essential items to help you avoid last minute scrambles and make the holidays a success!

Cutting Boards:  When we think of the holidays, one of the things that comes to mind is holiday parties and lots of food.  Whether you’re preparing a bigger meal for larger groups or serving up plenty of tasty appetizers, you’ll have a lot of chopping to do and cutting boards are a necessity.  A set of color coded cutting boards, like Tablecraft’s grippy cutting board kits, make it easy to keep vegetables and meats separated.

Chef Knife:  A good chef knife will go a long way year round.  During the holidays it’s a workhorse for big feasts and cooking for lots of people.  It will help you chop, slice, and dice just about anything you need it to and provide you with an easier cooking experience all around.

Portable Burners:  These are ideal for catering all those holiday parties and for cooking on site to make a more festive occasion.  Vollrath’s Mirage® induction ranges are a precise and durable option, with two different models to fit your needs.

Chafing Dishes:  From holiday feasts to catered events, these pans make serving large quantities of food a breeze.  Many prefer a stainless steel option since they are not only durable, but elegant as well.  They add both style and function to the room.

Mixing Bowls:  Mixing bowls are essential because they are needed for so many different things—for mixing up a side, a dressing, baked goods and much more.  Having a few stainless steel bowls in a few different sizes is great since they hold up well to the constant use.

Sheet Pans:  A necessity for baking plenty of holiday goods! The holidays just wouldn’t be the same without an assortment of treats and sheet pans will be your best friend when baking.  Make sure you have enough so that you can prep for the next round while others are in the oven.

Decorating Tips and Pastry Tubes:  Impress guests with beautiful presentations.  With all of the treats around the holidays, you’ll have plenty that will need to be filled, piped, and decorated.  August Thomsen/ Ateco offers great selection in size and style of pastry bags and tips to match your decorating plan.  Canvas pastry bags are great for thicker products in which more applied pressure is necessary to squeeze it out, since they are more durable.  Plastic coated works well with oily or warm products since the plastic acts as a barrier to stop it from soaking through.        

Photo courtesy of Libbey.

Candles:  Ambiance is important and the soft lighting of candles provides the warm and cozy feel of Christmas.  Candles are an inexpensive way to create an atmosphere that invites guests to stick around longer.

Champagne Flutes:  Everyone is in a celebratory mood during the holidays.  You’ll want to be passing out the champagne in these glasses to keep the toasts coming and the good times rolling.  Depending on the environment of your establishment, disposable flutes can be an easy option for these types of events.

Anti-icing Agent:  Don’t let the frightful weather stop business from coming through your doors.  If you’re in an area that gets snowy weather, making your entrance accessible and safe is essential.  Quest Specialty Liquefire is a non-toxic anti-icing agent that melts snow and ice and prevents it from bonding to surfaces.  It’s a great non-corrosive alternative to rock salt.

How many of these essentials are you stocked up on already?  What other items can you not make it through the holidays without?

The post 10 Essential Food Service Smallwares for the Holiday Season appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Holiday shoppers look for quick and convenient dining options while they are out and about.

The holidays are a unique time for food service—on one hand many people are busy spending time with friends and family at home.  On the other hand, many are also out and about more often than usual, shopping and participating in festive activities.  While restaurants and food service retailers will be directly affected by these types of consumer behaviors, how the holidays affect food service supply manufacturers and distributors is dependent on the end user too.  If consumers eat out more, then restaurants will need to plan and prepare more via their suppliers, and vice versa.  There are pros and cons for the food service industry during the holidays.  Consumers in general are busy.  For sit down restaurants this may lead to a decline in traffic, but for quick serve restaurants it may be an opportunity to provide busy shoppers with the ease and convenience they need while they are already out and about.  Without a purpose though, many are inclined to stay home, away from the crowds, and out of winter weather unless it’s necessary.

Holiday marketing promos help drive business.

That is only one side of the spectrum though.  As a way to celebrate the season it is also common to see an increase in both casual and lavish gatherings.  Think company parties, or people getting together with old friends who are in town for the holidays.  And more often than not, these gatherings end up being larger groups than on a day to day basis.  “A whopping 94 percent of all holiday diners indicated that their holiday dining parties consist of up to five other guests”, according to FSR Magazine’s survey results on holiday dining habits.  It is important for restaurants to stock up on supplies for these types of occasions or even rearrange temporarily to accommodate larger group sizes.  During the holidays and special occasions consumers are willing to shell out some extra money for the occasion—people are in a “treat yourself” mood.  Restaurants know this, but they still need to give customers a reason to dine at their establishment.  Holiday marketing programs can make a difference in driving customers through your door instead of through the neighbor’s.  Buy one, get one deals, holiday events, and even allowing reservations can all be deciding factors in choosing which place to dine at.  Knowing that consumers are willing to spend more, some establishments also create special holiday menus that include multi course meals or more lavish food items that merits a higher price point.  It’s a chance for seasonal items to shine as well.  FSR Magazine continues on to say, “Nearly half of the survey’s respondents said they will order a holiday-themed dish from a full-service restaurant one to two times from October to January, while four out of 10 indicated they will order a holiday-themed dish three or more times during the holiday season.”  This is a reason for suppliers to promote seasonal items as well, since dining establishments will need them for their specials. It’s a win-win situation since these are the things consumers want during this time of year, and it allows restaurants and suppliers to bring in more revenue.

Let’s not forget the retail end to food service either.  Gift cards are extremely popular for gift giving during the holidays and purchasing fresh baked cakes and pies to go is common as well.  If you are an establishment that offers to go meals, expect a potential increase in those orders, especially among families with children who want to keep their family well fed, but don’t have the time to cook themselves.

While the holidays can overall be an unpredictable time for food service establishments, if positioned correctly there is plenty of opportunity to relish the inflated spending habits of holiday consumers.  Just like in retail, planning ahead and understanding the wants of the average person this time of year can go a long way.  How are you anticipating the holidays will affect your business?

The post How Does the Holiday Season Affect the Food Service Industry? appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Cafeterias are being updated to more modern cafe style bistros.

Consumers in general are craving more nutritious, local, and gourmet-like menu items.  With the healthcare food service industry growing like it is, it’s no wonder an effort to please the general public is happening.  According to Elevate Research, “The hospital food service industry generates more than $20 billion annually and is growing steadily”.  Not only is the industry focused on catering to the people already in the doors, but many places are making changes to attract more outside customers as well.  Creating more modern café style bistros with chefs instead of food production managers, and offering things like coffee kiosks and food carts are some of the ways to up the appeal of healthcare food service establishments.  These changes are gateways to achieve other consumer desires as well.  Executive chefs have the means to make healthier, higher quality dishes and trendier menu options that include authentic culturally based foods, increased seasonality and locally sourced foods, and customization.

These demands don’t come for any price though.  While consumers may be willing to pay more for these types of culinary experiences in a lot of cases, they still expect good value.  This is especially true for healthcare food since the industry has been known for cheaper options.  The struggle is in trying to provide good quality food while still keeping costs low amongst rising food costs.  And since the healthcare industry is becoming more competitive in general, it is even more important to pay attention to customer feedback.   This can help “minimize waste, boost revenues, and help you stay ahead of shifting patient preferences”, says Elevate Research.

Many healthcare facilities are adopting hotel-style room service.

In addition to developments in healthcare common areas, changes are being made in-room too.  “More and more hospitals are adopting hotel-style room service that allows patients to order their meals anytime from an expanded menu”, says an article on Becker’s Hospital Review.  This type of service can reduce waste — therefore saving money — since patients can choose what they want when they want it.  Additionally, it’s a step towards getting higher quality and more satisfying nutritious options to patients.  Since it’s in the healthcare industry’s mantra to look out for the well-being of people, many have decided it’s finally time to be representative of that in their food as well.

Ultimately these food service changes will do wonders to improve patient, guest, and staff satisfaction and generate a more appealing image for healthcare facilities within the community.  Food service can have a bigger impact on our overall experience than we may think and we are finally understanding that it is not something to be overlooked in the healthcare industry.

Have you noticed these trends in healthcare food service?  How do you compare healthcare food service to retail food service?

The post Now Trending in Healthcare Food Service appeared first on Houston's Blog.

BEER SERVICE

Pint/Tapered/Mixing:  The simplicity of this glass makes it a good choice for most types of beer.

Mugs/Stein:  Heavy and thick with sturdy handles, these mugs are built to hold beer without breaking, and are often used when the beer is meant to be very cold.  A stein is similar to a mug with one exception:  it includes a thumb rest or a lid.

Pilsner:  Flared at the top to help maintain a stronger beer head that is not desired in darker beers, these glasses serve pilsner and lager beers well.  They are also perfect for holding water, soda, or ciders.

WINE SERVICE

Red Wine:  Generally a larger glass, although one should only be poured to about a third full to allow the wine to aerate.  Designed with a larger rim, this glass will allow the person to smell the aroma while sipping the wine.  Stemless red wine glasses also work well as there is not a concern with the heat transfer from a guest’s hands since the wine is already served at room temperature.

White Wine:   Typically a smaller glass than a red wine glass, the goal is to keep the chilled wine at temperature for the duration of the drink.  Although stemless white wine glasses are available, the wine will stay chilled longer if held by a stem.

Sherry:  Also called a “copita,” this glass resembles a red wine glass, though smaller.  Its narrow rim enhances the strong aroma of sherry or port wines.

Champagne Tulip/Coupe:  Part of the fun in serving or drinking champagne is to see the bubbles rise.  For this purpose, and to keep the sparkle from going flat, the tulip-shaped glass is a perfect choice.  The coupe is an elegant choice for a toast, but keep the serving size low—the short, round bowl of the glass is not optimal for bubble retention.

MISCELLANEOUS GLASSWARE

Beverage/Water/Iced Tea:  Similar in size and shape, these are generally considered a multi-purpose glass and are great for holding main beverages—from water to iced tea, sodas to milkshakes.

Highball:  Usually holds 8-12 fluid ounces.  This glass is typically taller than an Old Fashioned but shorter and wider than a Collins.  Use for mixed drinks that require large amounts of juice, soda, or ice, or as an all-purpose beverage glass.

Brandy:  Often referred to as a “snifter,” this glass is balloon-shaped with a short stem, which allows the glass to be cupped to transfer heat from the hand to the glass, naturally warming the beverage.  The balloon shape traps the aroma of the beverage in the glass.  Typically associated with brandy and Cognac service, the glass has evolved to present aged whiskeys as well.  The bowl of the glass should only be filled to a quarter or a third of capacity to allow the beverage to breathe.

Coffee:  Serves the same purpose as a coffee mug, but with a more elegant appeal.  This glass is perfect for adding a decorative touch to alcoholic coffee beverages.

Collins:  Originally designed to hold a Tom Collins, the glass is now used for serving many different types of mixed drinks.  This tumbler usually holds between 10-14 fluid ounces.  It is distinguished from a high ball by its narrow, cylindrical shape.

Cordial:  Small and dainty, this glass can be used to serve any sweet liqueur, and can also double as a beer sampler when an establishment wishes to maintain an elegant theme.

Margarita:  This glass has an exceptionally wide bowl, specifically designed for the salted or sugared rim often associated with a margarita.  The glass will often have a smaller bowl beneath the large bowl, although this is a purely aesthetic addition.

Martini/Cocktail:  For beverages that don’t call for carbonation or ice.  The drinker can hold the glass by the stem, thus maintaining the chilled temperature of the drink.  The shape of this glass also ensures the full effect of aromatic beverages as the drink is placed directly under the drinker’s nose.  Cosmopolitan glasses are stemless versions of a Martini/Cocktail glass.

Rocks/Old Fashioned:  Generally small enough to hold only ice and the liquor of choice.  Sometimes drinks served with “a splash” of water, soda, etc., or a mixed drink that is smaller (such as its namesake, the Old Fashioned) will be served in a Rocks or Old Fashioned Glass.  A Double Old Fashioned maintains the same shape as a Rocks or Old Fashioned, but holds about one and a half times as much, making it an ideal candidate for beverages served with fruit or other solid ingredients.

Shot/Shooter/Whiskey:   Typically designed to hold just 1-2 ounces of a single liquor or liquor mixed with another spirit or non-alcoholic ingredient.  In general the beverage is not sipped but rather “shot” quickly, although this is not always the case.  The shot glass is also often a bartender’s choice for measuring the alcoholic ingredient in a mixed drink.  Shooters are normally taller than a shot glass, and whiskey glasses are usually a bit wider to accommodate ice when requested.

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