Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/261544
R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 7 7 S a t u r d a y, M a y 1 8 , 2 0 1 3 AR: We are introducing several new seal configurations that are available both for Cook Chill bags and standard polybags. Cool Corners Bags are designed with solid bottom seals that encompasses the corners giving the user a place to safely hold bags that are filled with hot food. We have also developed a Cook Chill Handle Bag with a strong integrated handle for easy transportation that is also safe and easy to grab during chilling and retherming. Last, we offer bags on a roll that can be used with our stainless steel dispensing system. This system dispenses bags right where you need them while preventing contamination from spills and splashes. RDN: Any new accessories being offered this year? AR: Our salespeople often visit single location restaurants or foodservice operations where space is at a premi- um. They would like to use the Cook Chill system, but don't have a way to effectively chill product within the two-hour timeframe required to meet food safety regulations. We have devel- oped the Mini-Chill System, which requires only 4 square feet of space and can chill up to 10 one-gallon bags of product in the two-hour time window. The system is on wheels so it is easy to move and the recirculating pump can also be used to quickly empty the con- tainer when needed. We think this sys- tem is the perfect complement to our Cook Chill Starter Sets. RDN: You specialize in Cook Chill Systems. What type of foodservice organization is best suited to use that process? AR: It's a common misconception that only large institutional foodservice providers or food processors can use Cook Chill or that implementing the process requires a huge investment in equipment. In reality, we have cus- tomers from single location restaurants to chains with 3-10 locations to huge food processors. All of them benefit from improved food safety, product consistency and lower costs. Our Cook Chill Starter Sets range from $300 to $600 delivered depending on the options selected, so you can try the sys- tem without spending a lot of money. A Mini-Chill System for chilling filled bags is less than $450. RDN: What types of foods are best suit- ed for Cook Chill? AR: Any pourable food can be made with the process. Soups, sauces, dress- ings and pastas are the most popular, but we have customers that use our bags for carne asada, pulled pork, barbeque meats and rice. Ethnic dishes such as Indian curry and refried beans are also well suit- ed for flexible packaging. RDN: What other types of flexible pack- aging does Plascon offer? AR: We offer a full line of products from individual portion bags to huge bulk lin- ers that are used to store and transport foods around the world. One of the fastest growing product lines is our box liners which are used extensively in the bakery, food ingredient and meat pro- cessing industries. For more information, visit booth 6870 at NRA 2013, go online to www.plascon- group.com, call 888-584-4422 or email foodsolutions@plascongroup.com. Plascon Group (Cont'd. from p. 1) certification. Designed for profession- al chefs and busy kitchens in mind, these water baths offer the precise tem- perature controls necessary for a sous vide bath combined with the multipur- pose functionality of a retherming unit and a steamer. More and more chefs are discover- ing that water bath cooking can be a useful daily tool in their kitchen. As Rick Bayless, Chef and Owner of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and XOCO on Clark Street in Chicago explained, "For me, working with the (Flavorseal) circulating water bath is like just an extension of the stove for us now, I mean we've become so comfort- able with it that we rely on it just like we rely on a stove." Flavorseal's new line of water baths feature stainless steel all-in-one construction and a drain for easy water removal and cleaning. Digital controls allow temperatures to set and hold within one tenth of a degree. Capable of temperatures from ambient up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, these water baths can be used with hotel pans as steamers, or retherming units for bagged foods. NSF-certified water baths are available in three dif- ferent sizes: 3.4-gallon, 7.6-gallon and 14-gallon capacity. The larger sizes feature a magnetic stir bar to gently circulate the water, ensuring even cooking. In addition to its full line of equip- ment and supplies for sous vide/water bath cooking, Flavorseal also offers a comprehensive HACCP assistance program for its customers. Depending on the individual need, Flavorseal offers templates for HACCP plans as well as access to industry experts and training workshops. Chef Bayless explained, "Flavorseal helped us to understand how to develop a HACCP plan for cooking things sous vide... if you just Google HACCP plans for sous vide, you will just get a mountain of infor- mation which was basically impossible for me to wade through. Flavorseal came here and led us through the basic steps that we needed to know." As part of its HACCP assistance pro- gram, Flavorseal regularly sponsors industry workshops on Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP), including sous vide and cook chill. Presented by Dr. Brian Nummer of the Retail-Foodservice Food Safety Consortium and Utah State University, these workshops are open to regulators, food safety professionals, and operators using or seeking to use ROP processes. Flavorseal's NSF-certified water baths will be on display at booth 7049 at the NRA Show, along with innova- tions in cook chill and seasoning trans- fer technology for foodservice. For more information on any of Flavorseal's products, contact the company at 866-769-1500 or info@ flavorseal.com. Be sure to visit www.flavorseal.com, and stop by booth 7049. Flavorseal (Cont'd. from p. 1) years of Xpressnap at NRA this year. Why is that a big milestone? JD: In 10 years, we have placed millions of Xpressnap dispensers across the world. Thanks to the Xpressnap dis- penser system's one-at-a-time approach, we guarantee operators will use at least 25 percent fewer napkins. By extension, as we help operators use fewer napkins and control labor costs, we help their bot- tom line. Xpressnap is the leading example of Tork's commitment to customer-driven innovation. It is product that has found a home in national chains, stadiums, food courts, dorm cafeterias and mom-and- pop restaurants. It is a showcase for what Tork represents in the foodservice mar- ketplace―helping our customers to make their work environment better. RDN: What has Xpressnap meant for SCA and Tork? JD: No one wakes up in the morning thinking they need a better napkin dis- penser. Products like napkin dispensers are conspicuous if they don't perform. You don't want to add burden to a restaurant's staff; instead, you want to help the restaurant improve its image as well as drive down labor costs. So if you can deliver a product that doesn't spew paper across a serving counter and the dispenser doesn't run out of nap- kins, then you are a producing a product that helps improve the image of a restaurant and enhancing the cus- tomers' dining experience. RDN: What have you learned over 10 years? JD: Ten years ago, we felt it was impor- tant to introduce one-at-a-time dispens- ing to reduce consumption by preventing patrons from grabbing fistfuls of napkins, only to toss most of them. We quickly learned that bringing one-at-a-time dis- pensing solutions closer to more dinners could have a bigger impact on tabletops or where there was limited counter space. RDN: Dispensers can do more than serve napkins. What other benefits does Xpressnap provide? JD: The AD-a-Glance feature was a key insight that furthered our growth. The display panel is a great tool for promot- ing specials, but our new research with the NRA shows table-top marketing is a powerful tool for building awareness of restaurant loyalty programs and environ- mental messages. A tabletop message about a loyalty program is successful at increasing repeat visits, with 72 percent of patrons saying it was likely or extremely likely to encourage their behavior. Likewise, we found that envi- ronmental messages would inspire repeat visits for 56 percent of respondents. RDN: What will the next 10 years mean for Xpressnap and Tork? JD: We plan on remaining a leader, and to do that we will continue to provide innovations based on the feedback we hear from our customers and staying on top of market trends. From cost and labor savings to fulfilling the needs of the end customer, it is our job to think about the needs of the people who interface with our napkins. For more information, visit booth 1254 at the 2013 National Restaurant Association Show, go online to www.TorkUSA.com or call 866-722-8675. SCA (Cont'd. from p. 1) AMERICAN PANEL'S GOLDEN YEAR: WHAT'S HOT WITH THE BEST IN COLD American Panel, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has continued to innovate and lead the way when it comes to walk-ins, blast chillers and shock freezers. As a proven leader in the walk-in industry and the proud manufacturer of the largest selection of blast chillers and shock freezers on the market, American Panel has raised the bar again! With the introduction of its new modular series of blast chillers and shock freezers, site restrictions are a thing of the past. These units are assembled in the field in much the same way as your typical walk-in. No more wondering how you're going to get that large piece of equipment through the door. The new modular series also features a one-piece evapo- rator assembly. This places all of the components within the cabinet on one side, which greatly reduces the overall footprint of the unit. Not only are the new evaporators being utilized in the modular units but they can also be incorporated into a walk-in assembly. That same smaller footprint can be built adjacent to a walk-in storage room for maximum efficiency and food safety. These inte- gral chiller/freezers can be built into a wide variety of configurations, but can also be installed in retrofit applications into existing walk-ins. For more information, visit www.ameri- canpanel.com.