Both companies have an established annual tradition of naming a Flavor of the Year – shining a spotlight on a trending taste, global flavor, or new innovation. The Flavors of the Year have been unveiled for the new year 2023: Monin with Hot Honey Syrup and Torani with Toasted Black Sesame Syrup.

While christening a syrup the “Flavor of the Year” generates interest for the end consumer, it also serves as a benefit to distributors and bar & café operators. For a distributor, a Flavor of the Year can increase average order value as a novel add-on, and for the operator, serving a limited time offering can command premium pricing, and can increase customer engagement through a unique creation that generates buzz.

Monin Hot Honey Syrup

Hot Honey Syrup is made with organic wildflower honey and real jalapeño pepper for a unique and complex combination of sweet and spicy.

Reviewing Monin’s featured Hot Honey drink recipes, there is strong focus on iced beverages: iced teas, lemonades, margaritas, and other cocktails. It’s evident that the unique bite of the syrup can elevate an ordinary drink to an extraordinary experience.

Hot Honey Syrup is not limited to the bar industry; Monin does offer a frappé recipe, and the Flavor of the Year could also be intriguing in the realm of customized energy drinks – another growing category within the café industry.

Torani Toasted Black Sesame Syrup

Torani describes Toasted Black Sesame Syrup as a perfect combination of sweet and savory, balanced with an earthy, nutty finish. Toasted Black Sesame Syrup also has a bold dark color – a rich black, as the name suggests.

The syrup is also an entry in Torani’s Puremade line – meaning it is made with pure cane sugar and contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

A clear coffee & café focus is evident in reviewing Torani’s featured Toasted Black Sesame drink recipes. It’s well known that there has been a shift toward cold drinks in the café industry, and Torani has leaned into that trend with Black Sesame Cold Brew, Boba Milk Tea, and Iced Matcha Latte among the suggestions.

Houston’s Has It

Whether you’re a distributor or operator in the bar industry, café industry, or both, Houston’s is your source for these innovative flavors, as well as the entire rainbow of syrups and sauces offered by Monin, Torani, and other trusted gourmet brands.

Visit our web catalog to view the offerings and see what benefits the Flavors of the Year can have for you and your customers.

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

The post 2023 Flavors of the Year appeared first on Houston's Blog.

1. Pacific Espresso Brownies

Brownies have to be one of the best ways to enjoy cocoa, and Pacific Foods’ Organic Oat Beverage adds that extra bit of flair that totally sets this recipe apart. Making them for someone who’s vegan? All you need is dairy-free chocolate chips and this recipe is complete!

2. Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream Cake

If you’re a fan of ice cream cake, then this is the one to try! With a cookie crust and some deliciously decadent ice cream, you might think you’ve got all you need. However, this recipe really comes to life with the addition of Monin’s Dark Chocolate and Caramel sauces.

3. Chocolate Chai Fondue

Chocolate fondue is a classic. Most of us have probably skewered a piece of fruit or pound cake and delighted in the chocolatey treat. But we kick it up a notch with this recipe. David Rio’s Tiger Spice Chai livens up the traditional flavor for an experience you won’t soon forget.

4. Chocolate Amaretto Torte

This is not your typical cake. It’s a nutty, moist, death-by-chocolate dessert that will soon have you writing poetry in its name. We suggest “Ode to Torani” as a title for your next one.

5. Charcoal Banana Frappe

This recipe is brilliant in its simplicity. Even if you’e running a little low on supplies, it shouldn’t be hard to scrounge up the few ingredients that this frappe calls for. And if you’re in need of some MOCAFE Charcoal Mocha, be sure to give Houston’s a call.

6. Pirouline Napoleon

There are a number of layers to this light and fluffy tower, but we promise that the end result is SO worth it. A little fruit, a bit of whipped cream, and the crisp goodness of Pirouline Chocolate Hazelnut Wafers unite for a morsel that shows you really worked to impress!

7. Hollander Super Moist Chocolate Cake

What at first seems to be mere chocolate cake is hiding a secret ingredient in plain sight. This recipe doesn’t call for any simple sauce; Hollander’s Dutched sauce is drizzled over this masterpiece. We’re certain that once you’ve tasted it, you’ll know why it makes all the difference to use Hollander.

8. Chocolate Covered Cherries

Valentine’s Day is no fun unless you’ve got enough treats to last long after it’s over. That’s precisely what this recipe offers. With 60 Oregon Cherry Growers Maraschino Cherries drenched in dough and chocolate, that sweet tooth should be covered for a few days at least.

The post 8 Recipes that Make the Most of Your Valentine’s Day Chocolate appeared first on Houston's Blog.

1. Monin’s Raspberry Frost

This is a tall glass of surprises. Simply fill a serving glass with ice, add all other ingredients in and blend them until smooth! We think you’ll find the mint a surprising and refreshing celebration of spring and a welcome to summer.

2. Monin’s Tropical Raspberry Margarita

What’s summer without one more margarita? Monin makes it simple. All you do is fill a serving glass with ice, blend the ingredients together, and create another summer memory while you still can.

3. Monin’s Fruit Smoothie Lemonade

When life gives you lemons, make sure you have some Monin Raspberry Smoothie Mix too! Fill a serving glass with ice, and pour in the listed ingredients in order. Then, pour the mixture into a mixing tin and back into the serving glass to ensure everything is properly mixed. Enjoy lemonade the way it was meant to be served.

4. Monin’s Raspberry Basil Smoothie

Berry and basil!? Trust us. Just fill a serving glass with ice, pour the ingredients into a blender, and blend it all until it’s smooth. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this unlikely combo.

5. Monin’s Ripe Raspberry Daiquiri

Looking for something for those beach days? Fill a serving glass with ice, add the listed ingredients, and blend until this boozy beverage is smooth. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy the season in style!

6. Monin’s Frosted Raspberry Cocktail

Even if the temperatures are still cool, there are certain ingredients in this recipe that’ll keep you warm. Fill a serving glass with ice, then pour everything into a blender until it’s smooth. Sit back and enjoy, no matter the weather.

7. Monin’s Frosted Raspberry Lemonade

Tart berries and sour lemon mingle in this simple summertime treat! Fill a serving glass with ice, add each ingredient, and discover your new favorite way to enjoy lemonade.

The post 7 Monin Raspberry Recipes to Spring into Summer appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Each spring, SCA hosts a large expo in Seattle, Washington to aid in industry education and prosperity. This Specialty Coffee Expo (commonly referred to as the SCA Expo) allows industry manufacturers and producers to showcase their products and give coffee operators, distributors, and enthusiasts alike the chance to peruse the newest and greatest offerings. Over the years, the show as grown “expo-nentially,” selling out exhibition space that now fills three halls of the Seattle Convention Center.

The overall focus of this year’s show was diversity, featuring coffees grown/produced in countries around the world, with Asia and South America as some of the most prevalent. Countries such as China and Brazil were particularly popular with booths that were made to impress.

While Houston’s does not exhibit at the expo, we do attend each year. The show provides us with the opportunity to meet with vendors and customers, and to get an idea of what to expect from the future of the coffee industry. Many of our manufacturer/vendor partners exhibit at the show including Torani, Monin, Dr. Smoothie, David Rio, Urnex, Kerry Foodservice, and Two Leaves and a Bud, as well as newer Houston’s vendors like Pacific Foods, Califia Farms, and ITO EN.

Monitoring current and upcoming trends in the coffee industry is crucial, and SCA Expo is always a perfect opportunity to assess the crowd. With the busy summer season in mind, many exhibitors at SCA Expo 2018 opted to offer taste tests of cold beverages from iced coffee and frappes, to non-coffee beverages like lemonade and flavored sparkling water. The absence of previously popular oatmeal products was painfully obvious this year, but made way for other healthier trends that ranged from convenient grab-and-go products, to handcrafted, premium products. Turmeric offerings seem to be surging with David Rio’s latte powder leading the pack. All natural, sugar-free, and/or low-calorie beverage options also seem to be on the rise, as are dairy/milk alternatives. While nut milks have been popular in years’ past, it appears oat milk will be giving the ever-popular almond milk a run for its money in 2018.

Contributing to the theme of diversity, Torani showcased its new Asian fruit-inspired Longan Syrup, among other products, by serving up Butterfly Lemonade that combined the syrup with Lemonade Real Fruit Smoothie mix. The vibrant purple color and sweet Longan flavor paired with the tart lemonade for a perfect summer offering.

Monin served its new Brown Butter Toffee Syrup in frappe, but most notable was the flavored sparkling water. Monin’s new, all-natural Concentrated Flavors line provides sugar-free, low calorie flavor to any drink, but the Strawberry Basil and Watermelon Jalapeno Sparkling Water offered expo attendees a light, yet flavorful beverage.

Celebrity Latte Artist, Melannie Aquino showed off her skills in booth #2100, drawing pictures with foam and chocolate on the tops of various lattes prepared with David Rio chai products. After attendees were wowed by the latte art, many were also impressed with the authentic turmeric flavor in David Rio’s Turmeric Lattes, Turmeric macaroons, and turmeric cupcakes provided by a local bakery and made using David Rio’s powdered product. The philanthropic organization also used the show as an opportunity to introduce Nalin, the white tiger and newest adoptee under the company’s endangered species initiative.

While many exhibitors utilize SCA Expo to introduce new product, Dr. Smoothie (a Bevolution Group brand) took this year’s show as an opportunity to reintroduce itself entirely, launching a rebrand of the 1997 logo. The new logo has opted away from retro and moved towards simplistic, yet refined. All of the brand’s packaging will have a consistent, clean look, featuring photos of fresh fruit and color-coded frappe categories. Watch for a soft rollout of the new branding sometime this summer.

Each year, SCA Expo exhibitors are given the opportunity to enter their products in a new product showcase, with the chance to win “Best New Product” bragging rights for the year. Our friends at Pacific Foods took home top honors in the Specialty Beverage Flavor Additive Category by winning Best New Product for their new Barista Series Oat, a plant-based dairy alternative that will be released this summer. Crowds gathered around the Pacific booth while attendees (including our own Rebecca Phillips and Amanda Hackathorn) tried their hands at latte art in the exhibitor’s Latte Art Throwdown. The winner of the competition got a chance to pour the latte art featured on the Pacific Foods’ new product packaging, also due out later this year. Sadly, neither Rebecca nor Amanda won the honor, but they certainly gave it their all!

As Houston’s shifts its focus towards the rapidly growing coffee segment, these vendor relationships and industry/product insights are key to our continued growth and success. With many coffee-based vendor partnerships, Houston’s controls a unique niche as a redistributor to the specialty coffee industry, providing access to hundreds of ancillary products sold and used by roasters and baristas across the country. It’s no secret that coffee’s popularity and progress will continue to grow, making events such as this more and more valuable. That’s why we can’t wait until next April when SCA Expo 2019 tackles Boston, Massachusetts! Will we see you there?

The post SCA Expo: Specialty Coffee Insights & Inspiration appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Images: Blue Hills Church Food Pantry facebook page

Blue Hills Church in Kansas City is committed to being “A place to love. A place to grow. A place to experience God.” As such, they are also committed to the spiritual growth and development, educational training, economic empowerment, and social advocacy of their local community.

As a part of their commitment to their local community, Blue Hills Church started a food pantry to benefit those in need within their congregation and community. They work in conjunction with Harvesters Community Food Network (another Houston’s donation recipient) and other independent donations.

Houston’s was able to provide Blue Hills with a variety of Monin and Torani syrups, Torani Real Fruit Lemonade, Sipp soda, and Umpqua Oats Oatmeal. The nearly 260-pounds of donations will help fill the food pantry and provide warm/cold beverages for community members in need.

The post A Place to Grow: Blue Hills Church Food Pantry appeared first on Houston's Blog.

The Houstons team supporting Monbana Chocolaterie at Coffee Fest

The weekend of October 13th – 16th brought coffee aficionados from around the country to Portland, Oregon for Coffee Fest Portland. Coffee Fest holds three regional shows across the country each year, with shows held in Nashville, Tennessee and Chicago, Illinois earlier this year.

Our Sales and Marketing Teams have worked the Coffee Fest Shows, as well as the SCAA Global Coffee Expo in Seattle, since June 2015 in support of our international vendor, Monbana Chocolaterie. Coffee Fest Portland was the culmination of Houston’s tradeshow support for the French chocolate and frappe manufacturer, and we went out with a bang!

The entire Outside Sales team was present for opening day of the show, following a two-day sales meeting hosted at the Wilsonville office. The Regional Managers manned the Monbana booth all three days of the show, passing out samples of Supreme, Tresor, and White Tresor sipping chocolates. West coast Regional Managers Matt Clark, Angie Lightening, and Steve Franklin had the chance to touch base with customers who were in attendance. Oregon/Idaho Regional Manager, Matt Clark, was able to refer several interested local attendees to Houston’s customer, Longbottom Coffee & Tea of Hillsboro, Oregon.

Coffee Fest typically caters towards companies involved in the retailing of coffee, tea, and related products, but the show provides Houston’s with an excellent opportunity to connect with vendors and keep tabs on industry trends.

Houston’s had 15 vendors exhibiting at Coffee Fest Portland including: Torani, Monin, Bevolution Group, Two Leaves Tea Company, and David Rio, among many others. The Inside Sales and Purchasing teams attended the show on Saturday, October 15th, giving them the opportunity to try vendor products and make vendor connections, as it’s rare for these teams to have the opportunity to meet some of their vendor contacts face-to-face.

In terms of trends, this year’s shows have proven that tea is making a comeback within the industry, as consumers are looking for natural, healthier options to coffee (and sugar or creamer), especially in the evening. Oatmeal, while it was big in previous years, seems to have taken a backseat to Matcha, with vendors showcasing everything from individual ceremonial Matcha sticks to baked or packaged goods containing the finely ground green tea leaves. Cold brew also continues to gain popularity, especially Nitro cold brew which provides consumers with a smoother flavor experience than traditional cold brew.

As the 2017 show schedule comes to a close, we look forward to the 2018 shows in Baltimore, Denver, and Los Angeles and the trends those shows will present from their various regions.

David Rio

Torani

Monin

Umpqua Oats

Dr. Smoothie

Almond Breeze

Two Leaves and a Bud

Java Jacket

Cappucine

Espresso Supply

The post In Our Own Backyard: Coffee Fest Portland appeared first on Houston's Blog.

I think we can all agree that no Independence Day is complete without mouthwatering food! The 4^th of July is all about eating outdoors, grilling, drinking refreshing beverages, and enjoying the company of family and friends!

Everyone loves the savory tastes of grilled foods on the 4^th but while the classic cookout selection of burgers, hot dogs, and fresh salad are always a hit, why not try some new flavors on your grill like a juicy steak covered with a chocolate rub or a batch of chai glazed chicken wings? And while you are manning the grill, offer your guests some refreshing beverages like a strawberry pomegranate sparkling cocktail or a blackberry mint margarita.

Even if you are not celebrating the 4th, don’t fret. These recipes are ones that you can enjoy all season long, no matter where you are from!

Celebrate America’s birthday or simply celebrate summer with these recipes provided by Torani®, Monin®, David Rio™, and Sipp Beverage Co®.

Delicious Bites –

Steak with a Monbana Chocolate-Coffee Rub

Monbana Steak Rub. Photo courtesy of Sam Ortega

Ingredients:

• Steak of your choice
• 1 packet (2Tbsp) of Monbana® Tresor Chocolate Powder (can also use Monbana Organic Chocolate Powder)
• 2 Tbsp. Ethiopian coffee, finely ground
• 1 Tsp. paprika
• Salt to taste

Rub Preparation: 

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Photo courtesy of Sam Ortega

Cooking Directions: 

1. Apply the dry rub to the steaks a few hours before grill time, coating thoroughly. Don’t be afraid to be generous with the rub while coating! (Tip: It helps to have all ingredients at room temperature).
2. Sear the steaks on both sides.
3. Move the steaks to the cooler zone on the grill, and begin turning and sprinkling  more rub onto the steak. These layers begin to caramelize and build up, sealing the juices within the meat.
4. Continue to cook the steaks to desired temperature.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Note: Recipe courtesy of Doug Przybyszewski, Houston’s Regional Manager

4^th of July Pops

4th of July Pops. Photo courtesy of Torani

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. Torani Blue Raspberry Syrup
• 1 Tbsp. Torani Coconut Syrup
• 1 Tbsp. Torani Cherry Lime Syrup
• ¾ cups of water divided in three

Preparation:

1. Combine Torani Blue Raspberry Syrup with ¼ cup of water and freeze as one layer in a ice pop mold.
2. Freeze for one hour or until liquid has frozen completely.
3. Repeat this step for each layer, using Torani Coconut Syrup and Cherry Lime Syrup.

Note: To scale up to make several pops, keep ratio of 1 part Torani to 1 part water. Mix and match different flavors!

Chai Glazed Wings

Photo courtesy of David Rio

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Cub Chai Original
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. sugar or honey
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
• 2 pounds chicken wings

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a re-sealable plastic bag and mix well. Place in refrigerator to marinate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
3. Remove wings from marinade and place onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also grill over a low flame until cooked thoroughly.

Refreshing Beverages –

4^th of July Refresher

Photo courtesy of Monin

Ingredients:

• 1 wedge(s) watermelon
• 5 oz. green tea
• 1 oz. Monin Watermelon Syrup
• 2 oz. lemon-lime soda
• Mint

Preparation:

1. Place one long watermelon wedge in glass then fill glass with ice.
2. Add green tea then slowly pour Monin Watermelon syrup into glass.
3. Top with Sprite.
4. Garnish with mint.

Note: Stir prior to drinking.

Strawberry Pomegranate Sparkling Cocktail

Photo courtesy of Torani

Ingredients:

• 8 Tbsp. (4 oz) Torani Pomegranate Syrup
• 1 pint strawberry sorbet
• 4 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds
• 1 bottle prosecco

Preparation:

1. This drink is best served when everything is cold- even the glass it’s served in. Put 4 Tom Collins glasses in the freezer until they’re frosty.
2. Add 2 Tbsp. Torani Pomegranate Syrup to each glass.
3. Add a small scoop of strawberry sorbet and 1 Tbsp. of pomegranate seeds.
4. Fill the glasses the rest of the way with prosecco.
5. Enjoy right away before the sorbet melts! Serves 4.

Blackberry Mint Margarita

Photo courtesy of Sipp

Ingredients:

• 5 oz. tequila
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 4 oz. Sipp Mojo Berry

Preparation:

1. Add the ingredients in a highball or margarita glass filled with ice cubes.
2. Garnish with lime wedge or round.
3. Enjoy!

The post What’s On Your Plate This 4th Of July? appeared first on Houston's Blog.

On behalf of our vendors, we invite you to stop by, say hi, and see what’s new!

Torani® – Booth #506, 508

Flavor seekers around the globe enjoy Torani® in their favorite beverages every day. And Torani® has continued to stay on the creative edge with new product lines and ideas for the last 80 years.

Monin® – Booth #613, 615

Monin®’s sole purpose is to create flavors that people around the world can easily use in their everyday life.  Founder Georges Monin’s motto La Passion de la Qualit® (“Passion for Quality”) became the Monin® slogan.

Monbana Chocolaterie, USA – Booth #402

Monbana has combined a respect for tradition and a continuous passion for chocolate innovation through selecting the finest ingredients and the very best varieties of cocoa from Ivory Coast. Creator of chocolate squares to accompany coffee, Monbana is also famous in the HoReCa sector for its excellence of its indulgent chocolate drinks.

Java Jacket – Booth #701

The original green coffee sleeve is the best insulating cup sleeve on the market.

Dr. Smoothie® – Booth #618

Dr. Smoothie® formulates its beverages with your health in mind to maximize the benefits to your body. Functional beverages are what Dr. Smoothie® is all about since 1997.

Cappuccine® – Booth #413, 415

Many people don’t know that Cappuccine® created the first blended iced coffee mix over 15 years ago. Today, its product line consists of more than 20 gourmet flavors that are proudly served all over the world.

David Rio™ – Booth #406

David Rio™ makes chai because it is inspired by traditional Indian milk tea, and it set out to blend Eastern traditions with Western style to create America’s Premier Chai.

Pacific® Natural Foods – Booth #409

Pacific® Foods has one simple goal – to make tasty, healthy foods with integrity. Making foods it can be proud of is as much about the ingredients it uses and the way those ingredients are grown, as it is the actual recipe. And GMO’s? Not on Pacific® Foods’ watch.

Espresso Supply – Booth #709

Espresso Supply, Inc. has used its expertise to develop a full line of espresso accessories and small wares designed to facilitate the operation of an espresso bar or coffee business.

Kerry Big Train / Oregon Chai – Booth #600, 602

Kerry is a known innovator in the food and beverage industry. Kerry shakes up the industry with its unique approach and inventive solutions in beverage, coatings, and seasonings providing consumer driven, operationally friendly menu solutions.

Maya Tea Company – Booth #713

Maya Tea Company custom blends the finest teas from far reaching regions of the globe, creating tantalizing and tasteful teas for use from home and in restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops across the nation.

The post Check Out Houstons’ Vendors at Coffee Fest Chicago! appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Unfamiliar with SCAA? – “The Global Specialty Coffee Expo was designed to be the coffee professional’s one stop shop for everything they need to succeed in the coffee industry. As the industry’s standard setter, the SCA has built a solid reputation over the last 30 years of providing the most up to date, qualified information and providing our members the tools to succeed. ”

Here is a list of our vendors that will be at the show:

Torani® – Booth #1244

Flavor seekers around the globe enjoy Torani® in their favorite beverages every day. And Torani® has continued to stay on the creative edge with new product lines and ideas for the last 80 years.

Monin® – Booth #2519

Monin®’s sole purpose is to create flavors that people around the world can easily use in their everyday life.  Founder Georges Monin’s motto La Passion de la Qualit® (“Passion for Quality”) became the Monin® slogan.

Dr. Smoothie® – Booth #840

Dr. Smoothie® formulates its beverages with your health in mind to maximize the benefits to your body. Functional beverages are what Dr. Smoothie® is all about since 1997.

Mocafe™ – Booth #606

Innovative Beverage Concepts Inc., creators of Mocafé™, has been a leader in developing award winning cafe beverages since 1996. Come taste and compare the difference real ingredients make.

Urnex Brands® – Booth #1438 

Urnex® doesn’t make coffee or coffee equipment; it helps make them better. With over four generations of experience, Urnex® is the world leader in specialty cleaning products for coffee and espresso equipment.

Cappuccine® – Booth #1005

Many people don’t know that Cappuccine® created the first blended iced coffee mix over 15 years ago. Today, its product line consists of more than 20 gourmet flavors that are proudly served all over the world.

David Rio Chai and Tea™ – Booth #939

David Rio™ makes chai because it is inspired by traditional Indian milk tea, and it set out to blend Eastern traditions with Western style to create America’s Premier Chai.

Pacific® Natural Foods – Booth #1542

Pacific® Foods has one simple goal – to make tasty, healthy foods with integrity. Making foods it can be proud of is as much about the ingredients it uses and the way those ingredients are grown, as it is the actual recipe. And GMO’s? Not on Pacific® Foods’ watch.

Vitamix® – Booth #304

Since 1921, The Vitamix® Corporation has been an award-winning innovator in blending technology. It is a quality-based organization creating, producing, and marketing high performance, durable, reliable, and innovative equipment.0

Espresso Supply – Booth #1142

Espresso Supply, Inc. has used its expertise to develop a full line of espresso accessories and small wares designed to facilitate the operation of an espresso bar or coffee business.

Kerry Big Train / Oregon Chai – Booth #946

Kerry is a known innovator in the food and beverage industry. Kerry shakes up the industry with its unique approach and inventive solutions in beverage, coatings, and seasonings providing consumer driven, operationally friendly menu solutions.

Two Leaves And A Bud – Booth #2204

Two Leaves and a Bud is an independent tea company known internationally for producing organic and fairly traded whole leaf tea sachets, iced tea, and now traditional teabags from their Paisley Label Tea collection. They take tea personally and are passionate about connecting tea lovers to the tea they love and introducing new tea drinkers to truly great tea.

Frozen Bean – Booth #1539

Frozen Bean is the leading premium beverage mix provider, providing delicious gourmet beverages and specialty desserts that are easy to make. Their passion is to create the finest beverages, using only the highest quality ingredients sourced from around the world.

Monbana Chocolaterie, USA – Booth #643

Monbana has combined a respect for tradition and a continuous passion for chocolate innovation through selecting the finest ingredients and the very best varieties of cocoa from Ivory Coast. Creator of chocolate squares to accompany coffee, Monbana is also famous in the HoReCa sector for its excellence of its indulgent chocolate drinks.

Zojirushi – Booth #1004

Zojirushi Corporation began operation more than 90 years ago with the launch of its first glass-lined vacuum bottle. Improving customers’ quality of life through creation of innovative products remains the heart of Zojirushi’s corporate philosophy.

Service Ideas – Booth #2105

Since 1946, Service Ideas has been an innovative worldwide provider in the service industry. Today, Service Ideas continues to push forward with an uncompromising commitment to provide quality products and service to our ever-expanding audience.

Remember, if any of these vendors have new products you need in your restaurant or warehouse, call Houston’s to see how we can help!

Credit: All of the above company descriptions were paraphrased from the vendor’s website linked to the vendor name. Logos courtesy of our vendors.

The post Next Stop: SCAA Seattle! appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Chuck Haynes, Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Chuck Haynes on being selected as the Wilsonville warehouse Employee of the Month for March 2017! Chuck, who is the FedEx Lead, first started with Houston’s in June of 2013 in the UPC Department and later transitioned to the FedEx department. He truly enjoys his job, where he gets to help customers with picking up will call orders, making sure that all dropship orders are properly processed, and help train new employees. Chuck also enjoys learning new skills and is always willing to jump at the chance to cross-train with other departments in order to assist them. He is well on his way to being a “Jack of all trades” when it comes to jobs in the warehouse and is always happy to help out his coworkers with a smile.

Greg Jones, his direct manager said, “Chuck was chosen as employee of the month because of his versatility and dedication to his job.  Chuck makes sure that every single order that comes into the freight pools is shipped that same day.  In addition to his focus on the FedEx Department, he often volunteers to help swing shift out with their orders, or helps Receiving when they are busy.  Chuck works with many of our customers directly when they come in to pick up will calls, and he is not only very helpful to them, but also presents a positive image of our company.”

His free time is filled with yard work (which he enjoys), working on his truck, camping, and/or fishing. He is a veteran bowler of 22 years and even competed in the King Pin National Tournament in Reno. So if you are looking to up your bowling game, it’s not likely that you would “gutter ball” by reaching out to Chuck for advice!

Thank you for all you do for Houston’s Chuck and congratulations again!

The post We Are Houston’s: Chuck Haynes appeared first on Houston's Blog.