The Flavors of Winter

Within the coffee industry, it’s well known that winter is a popular time for special limited time offerings with seasonal ingredients. Throughout the season, nostalgic and well-loved flavors take center stage, creating decadent, comforting, and eye-catching café drinks.

For many customers, the winter season is closely connected with holiday fare and comforting treats. Flavors such as peppermint, holiday cookie, and white chocolate are trending this winter season.

Peppermint

Candy canes and peppermint hard candies are ubiquitous during the winter holidays. With iconic red and white striping, and fresh mint flavor, peppermint is well-suited to making a comforting winter beverage with an appetizing visual element.

Peppermint pairs well with hot & cold espresso drinks, as well as tea & hot chocolate. Crushed peppermint is often used as a garnish for a pop of color.

This winter, many national coffee chains prominently feature peppermint on their seasonal menus. Starbucks and Dunkin both offer a Peppermint Mocha, and Black Rock Coffee Bar has brought back their Peppermint Bark White Mocha. Dutch Bros offers a Peppermint Mocha, which can also be ordered in cold brew form.

Cookies

Cookies are another holiday staple wrapped in tradition. For many people, baking and decorating holiday cookies evokes nostalgic memories of spending time with family.

This winter season, many café menus feature flavors such as cookie butter, gingerbread, and sugar cookie. Some creative drinks even feature whimsical garnishes such as sprinkles or cookie pieces.

The popularity of cold drinks has soared over the past few years. This past quarter, Starbucks reported that a whopping 75% of beverage sales have been cold drinks. In alignment with that trend, many featured drinks are designed to be prepared and consumed cold this season.

While the nostalgic draw of holiday cookies may be focused on a warm, fresh baked aspect, cafés and national coffee chains are leaning into the cold trend for their cookie beverage offerings.

Two national chains feature cookie-flavored cold brew – Dunkin with Cookie Butter Cold Brew, and Black Rock with Christmas Cookie Cold Brew – while Starbucks offers an Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte topped with red and green sprinkles.

White Chocolate

White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids. In contrast to dark chocolate and milk chocolate, white chocolate does not contain cocoa solids.

Both Starbucks and Dunkin offer Toasted White Chocolate mochas and lattes, with caramelized notes adding depth of flavor. The Black Rock Peppermint Bark White Mocha, mentioned earlier, features white chocolate for a double layer of holiday connection.

Alt Milks

When it comes to preparing a hot or iced latte, cafés today feature more variety than ever. Real dairy milk and dairy alternatives such as oat, almond, coconut, macadamia, and soy cater to the dietary needs and preferences of any customer.

Some menus even feature alternative “oat nog” this season, providing a plant-based option for an indulgent holiday favorite.

Houston’s Has It

Houston’s carries a full portfolio of syrups, sauces, and shelf stable milks to provide the wide palette of ingredients for winter beverage creation. Our trusted vendors like Torani, Monin, 1883, DaVinci, and Barista 22 offer the essential holiday flavors of Peppermint, Cookie Butter, and White Chocolate, among others.

Houston’s also carries hot tea, hot chocolate, espresso supplies, cleaners, drinkware, and even Pirouline chocolate hazelnut cookies for garnish.

For a suite of offerings to bring winter delight to your customers, Houston’s is your source.

Read about other industry trends on the Houston’s Blog.

The post Sweets & Treats: Winter Trends 2022 appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Winter is a popular time of year when customers reach for seasonally-themed limited-time-offerings at coffee shops and restaurants nationwide. Whether it’s an office coffee break, a grab ’n’ go en route to a shopping excursion, or a holiday gathering, winter-themed beverages are sure to be seen.

Familiar Favorites

With the unprecedented disruptions of the past two years, it’s no surprise that many customers seek the comfort of quintessential holiday flavors to reclaim a sense of stability amid the chaos.

Hot Cocoa and Apple Cider are perennial favorites that serve up nostalgia in a cup. The arrival of Eggnog on store shelves and menus is another instant signifier that winter has begun. Cafes and chains across the country offer these classics, often with a creative spin. It’s commonplace to see Hot Cocoa given a seasonal boost with the addition of Peppermint syrup, and the comfort of Toasted Marshmallow is not likely to go out of style any time soon. A signature Apple Cider may be elevated with a pop of Cranberry syrup or a burst of Warm Spices. Lattes made with Eggnog flavoring, first popularized in 1986, have remained a winter staple for over three decades.

Trending

While familiarity and nostalgia drive the choices of many customers, others are looking to step beyond the classics, delighting in new creations. The sweeping seasonal popularity of the Pumpkin Spice Latte has shown that customers now expect new seasonal menu offerings as standard practice, and look forward to new innovations with eager anticipation.

This winter, coffee shop trends include holiday cookie-flavored beverages, as well as a curious prominence of cold beverages, which might seem unexpected given the dip in seasonal temperatures. The Sugar Cookie Latte is gaining popularity, and many menus feature variants made with Shortbread syrup or Gingerbread flavoring. Trending cold beverage options include Peppermint Bliss Cold Brews, Eggnog Nitro Lattes, and Eggnog Smoothies, which still maintain seasonal focus.

Many cafes also look to put a holiday spin on drink garnishes and toppings. Crushed candy canes or a cinnamon sugar sprinkle are classic touches. Caramel or white chocolate sauce drizzle and whipped cream are additional essentials for putting the finished presentation on winter beverages.

Houston’s Has It

No matter if your customers are looking to stock up on ingredients for the classics or unique flavors to fuel their creative innovations, Houston’s has a full lineup of seasonal syrups from trusted partners like Torani, Monin, DaVinci, and 1883 Maison Routin.

We’ve got the ingredients for crafting a unique Winter Citrus cider, hopping on board the cookie trend with Gingerbread or Toffee, and keeping it classic with Peppermint and Eggnog flavors.

We’re also your holiday source for cafe sauces, whipped cream supplies, and seasonal Java Jackets for the perfect presentation.

A winter wonderland of seasonal flavors; Houston’s has it.

View our Winter Seasonal Selections

The post A Cup of Good Cheer: Seasonal Flavors for Winter appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Merchandising

Saturday, December 16th, Wilsonville-based employees gathered at the local Holiday Inn for our annual Houston’s Christmas Party. Upon arrival, employees were handed their usual gambling “funny money” and goodie bag, but this year the baggies contained an extra gift for attendees – a Houston’s branded Fifty-Fifty drink bottle. The bottles proved to be a big hit with both Wilsonville and Kansas City employees (who were also given bottles at their Christmas party), as we’ve seen many of the bright blue bottles traveling around the office and warehouses.

The familiar atmosphere and many of the activities of past Christmas parties returned for 2017, including the bar, casino games, bingo, and earning tickets to put towards a variety of raffle prizes. Jose Coral was the big winner of the night, and took home the annual cash prize.

Inside Sales

This year also saw a host of new entertainment activities in the form of air hockey, shuffleboard, basketball, and the very popular photo booth. Provided by David Efaw Productions, along with the casino and other games, the photo booth was accompanied by an assortment of funny hats, glasses, other props for employees to pose with. The booth provided fun for all employees, including the Board of Directors and those who chose to sit or stand nearby and take in the action throughout the night.

Many employees also dressed for the occasion, donning extra festive attire. As the man who inspired this tradition with his festive suit last year, Greg Estes was sure to wear his holiday best again this year – a bright blue suit with Santa and gift box print.

As always, the food provided by Holiday Inn was delicious. The hors d’oeuvres selection was comprised of a variety of cheeses, fruits & vegetables, and meats (including two different kinds of shrimp)! Salmon, roast beef, prime rib, chicken, and turkey were served as the main entrées, accompanied by three different salads, mashed potatoes, rolls and more. The decadent desserts were all by wiped out by the end of the night, which was to be expected when there was carrot cake, flour-free chocolate cake, pecan pie and an assortment of small bite-sized treats.

Employees enjoy casino games at the Wilsonville 2017 Holiday Party

Throughout the night as attendees enjoyed their meals, a rousing game of bingo, or just sat and chatted with their coworkers a slideshow of the past year’s events and accomplishments played on large screens highlighting that we have a lot of to be proud of as 2017 comes to a close.

The afternoon of the Christmas party, some Houston’s employees engaged in a friendly bowling competition between Outside Sales and corporate employees at Wilsonville Lanes. Despite the extreme difference in bowling experience, both teams were good sports and there were many laughs.

The post Familiar Fun: Celebrating the Holidays appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Maureze, Tony, and Marsha enjoy the festivities

Houston’s Kansas City facility employees came together in 80’s prom style, on Saturday, November 18th, to celebrate the holidays. The party started off right with some delicious hors-d’oeuvres and great conversations.

The delicious Italian buffet was provided by Trezo Mare. From stuffed chicken and roast beef, to salmon and a potato bar, the food is always a favorite! Casino games and a photo booth entertained employees between the meal and when annual awards were given. Games included craps, blackjack, roulette, and poker and the photo booth had many fun props that to take pictures with; which, seemed to be the most popular activity of the night as the area near the photo booth was always very crowded.

Enjoying some casino games at Kansas City’s Holiday Party

To add an additional element of fun to the evening, “superlative” awards were given to deserving employees. What are “Superlatives” you may be asking? Given the high school prom theme, a set of honors were created, just like back in high school (i.e.: best looking, most athletic, most likely to succeed, etc.). The 2018 Duct-Tape Award was given to Ken White for being able to fix just about anything. Marsha Batiste won the Pom-Pom Award for having the most team spirit. And The Lochness Award went to Marley Stephenson, for being least likely to be found.

Robert Jones, KC Warehouse Manager

The most anticipated event of the night came after the “Superlatives,”  in which Leo Forman was awarded the grand prize cash award.

Written by Jacob Dick and Sherman Dodd

The post Totally Rad Holiday Celebration in K.C. appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Photo courtesy of Torani®

Torani® Raspberry Mimosa

Ingredients:

• Torani® Raspberry Syrup
• ½ Cup Champagne
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Orange Juice

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in a fluted glass and stir gently

Sipp Eco Beverage Co® Pomegranate Mojo Lemon-drop

Photo courtesy of Sipp®

Ingredients:

• 6 Blackberries
• 4 oz. Pomegranate Juice
• 1 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1 oz. Vodka
• Sipp Mojo Berry

Preparation:

Muddle blackberries and place them in a shaker filled with ice, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and vodka. Shake vigorously, strain the contents into a glass, and top of the cocktail with Sipp Mojo Berry. Garnish with blackberries.

Photo courtesy of Monin®

Monin® Love On The Rocks ‘Rita

Ingredients:

• Ice
• ½ oz. Monin Strawberry Fruit Puree
• ¾ oz. Monin Habanero Lime Syrup
• 1 ½ oz. Silver Tequila
• ½ oz. Triple Sec
• 3 oz. Sweet and Sour

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker in the order listed and shake vigorously until the ingredients are mixed. Pour the contents into a serving glass and garnish with a strawberry and lime.

And for those of you who enjoy hot cocktails…

Photo courtesy of Oregon Chai®

Oregon Chai® Oregon Chai Glögg

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Red Wine
• 1 ½ oz. Oregon Chai Spiced Chai Tea Latte Concentrate
• ½ oz. Torani Vanilla Syrup
• 2 Star Anise Seeds
• Dash of Cinnamon
• Cinnamon Stick for garnish

Preparation:

Aside from the cinnamon stick, place all the ingredients into a pot and simmer until the smell permeates the room. Serve warm into a coffee mug or any other temperature safe glassware with the cinnamon stick inside of the cup.

The post Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue. Celebrate Love With A Cocktail Or Two! Part 2 appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Kansas City Christmas 2016: Robert, Rebecca, Jennifer, and Sherman

Big Daddy Rob Jones hosted the event in the Embassy Suites Hotel. The evening’s main event was an interactive murder mystery set in an early 1900’s Speak Easy. Many of the employee’s attending took the theme to heart and dressed in costumes reminiscent of mobsters and flappers. Even our resident St. Nick (Sherman Dodd) came in a red three piece zoot suit with a matching hat!

The after dinner entertainment began with an employee from each table chosen to be a character in the storyline. Each table team was provided with a full bio of the character/suspect. A detective was on hand to interview the suspects and provide clues. Funny money flowed so you could “buy” information from other teams to identify the prime suspect, motive and opportunity.

Characters included:

• Trish Fish/Girl Friday – Brenda Willette
• Doug Graves/Rival Mobster – Cesar Correa
• Genocide/Assassin – Christina Glenn (Guest of Cindy Miles)
• Rat Finkle /Snitch – John Anderson
• Gus the Milkman/Secret Bootlegger – Michael Bradley
• Sylous/Smut Magazine owner – Shawn Clayton
• Scott Free/Playboy – Howard Owens
• Eric/3^rd Left Hand Man – Jacob Dick

A special mention is deserved by Big Ears John Sortore and Crazy Sherman Dodd for receiving extra attention. Both were randomly pulled from the crowd to be questioned as potential bootleggers. Sherman’s “interrogation” by singer and actress Amanda Lay was a memorable part of the evening.

The team who identified themselves as The Real Mob was able to solve the mystery. The killer was…..Eric – Jacob Dick!

Kansas City Christmas 2016: Robert & Randy with his 10 years of service award

$25 Prizes were awarded for participation including best dressed, worst guess, best actor and best actress.

Other awards for the night included:

• Randy Draper: 10 year service award
• Mary Powers: 2^nd Runner Up and recipient of $500.00
• Scott Davis: Grand Prize Winner of $1000.00

Thank you to the KC Christmas Party planners for such a fun evening!

Special thanks to Larann Lackey for the great photos of the event. Additional photos can be found on our company Facebook page.

By Guest Writer: Melissa Anderson; Houston’s Director of Pricing & Programs

The post Happy Holidays from KC! appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Jennifer and Bill making announcements

After a two-year hiatus, the Wilsonville holiday party returned to the local Holiday Inn. Holiday parties are often the highlight of the year, as they allow employees to mix and mingle leisurely without thinking about work, and this year’s affair did not disappoint.

The doors opened at 6:00 for an hour of cocktails, socializing, and appetizers.  Funny money for gambling was dispersed, and Wild Bill’s set up a roulette wheel, black jack tables, and a craps table, and an exciting evening of gambling was ready to roll. There was also an air hockey table and a ping pong table for live-action fun, and bingo for those who wanted to remain at the tables and visit with friends, family, and co-workers.

In case you missed Greg…

The dinner menu was superb – boasting flavorful pork, salmon, prime rib, and chicken entrees with a host of sides and vegan dishes available as well. Desserts were, as always, plentiful and delicious.  One can say a lot of things about holiday office parties, but one thing is for certain—you never leave a Houston’s party hungry! 

While the food, activities, and prizes are always popular year-after-year, the highlight of this year’s party was the attire of one specific member of the Board of Directors. If you didn’t happen to see Greg Estes in his “off the rack” polyester holiday suit, we’re not sure you were at the right party—the suit was bright red and sported a snowman and Christmas tree print – definitely hard to miss. 

Our new Human Resources Director, Dana McGowan, offered up her own holiday fun when she took on the task of announcing prize winners.  Great gifts were raffled off to some very lucky winners, including a 55″ TV, a drone, a Shark vacuum cleaner, and a variety of gift certificates to stores, restaurants, and hotels.

The Kansas City warehouse is gearing up to bring in the holiday season with their Christmas Party on December 10^th. We look forward to hearing all about it!

The post Happy Holidays! appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Photo courtesy of Torani.

Torani Pomegranate Champagne Punch   

2 cups champagne

½ cup Torani Pomegranate Syrup

1 cup sparkling water

½ cup citrus vodka

Lemon pinwheels or citrus slices for garnish

Ice

Combine champagne, syrup, sparkling water, and vodka in a large bowl or pitcher.  Serve with ice and garnish with lemon pinwheels or citrus slices.

Midnight Hibiscus Kiss. Photo courtesy of Monin.

Monin Midnight Hibiscus Kiss

½ oz Monin Hibiscus Syrup

1 oz pomegranate blueberry juice

Champagne

Add syrup and juice to champagne glass.  Fill glass with champagne and stir gently.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds or blueberries.

Lemon Flower Sparkler. Photo courtesy of Sipp.

Sipp Lemon Flower Sparkler

3 oz champagne or dry white wine

2 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur

Sipp Lemon Flower

Pour liqueur and champagne over ice in a chilled glass.  Top with Sipp Lemon Flower and stir well.  Garnish with a lemon twist.

Was your New Year’s Eve party a success?  Then rehydrate and replenish with this nutrient filled smoothie:

Pacific Foods Holiday Hangover Smoothie. Photo courtesy of Pacific Foods.

Pacific Foods Holiday Hangover Smoothie

1 ½ cups Pacific Foods Chocolate Hemp Non Dairy Beverage

6 oz coconut water frozen into ice cubes (about 6 cubes)

¾ cup raw unsalted pistachios, shelled

1 frozen banana, sliced

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon organic cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Tip: Try adding a scoop of Add a Scoop Hangover Blend powder supplement to this smoothie or any other smoothie for an easy way to help restore balance in your body.  The combination of ginkgo biloba, taurine, ginger root, chamomile, and peppermint give you extra support to help recover from the holidays.

Happy New Year!

The post Sparkling Cocktails for a Happy New Year! 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.