Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/310731
Re s ta u ra n t D a i l y N e ws 7 7 S u n d a y, M a y 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 foxholes to fine dining, the Sterno brand has always played an important role in the American experience. Today SternoCandleLamp produces a wide range of portable warming and creative lighting products for a global audience of foodservice professionals and consumers. "2014 marks the 100-year anniver- sary of the first patented chafing fuel. Few companies can boast a century of main- taining relevance with their original prod- uct line nor have the kind of universal brand name recognition of Sterno. Sterno Canned Heat is a vital part of our heritage and a key ingredient in helping make SternoCandleLamp what it is today," said Mike Pacharis, Vice President of Marketing, SternoCandleLamp. With the strength of iconic Sterno Canned Heat and continuous innovation, SternoCandleLamp develops and brings to market new products that give food- service industry professionals greater control over food quality and décor. SternoCandleLamp's most recent inno- vations include environmentally prefer- Sterno ( Cont'd. from p. 1) able wick and gel chafing fuels (Green Restaurant Association Endorsed), the WindGuard™ Fold-Away Stainless Steel Chafer, the 15,000 BTU Butane Stove with WindBlock, and the Lumina FX2 Rechargeable Flameless Candle System. These products are available through local foodservice distributors. Consumer products such as buffet kits and chafing fuels used for at home entertaining, picnics, tailgating, campsite cooking and as a backup heat source for emergency situations are found at mass retailers, supermarkets, hardware and drug stores, sporting good and discount stores (retail outlets include Walmart, Kmart, Kroger, Safeway, Supervalu, True Value, Dick's, Sports Authority and Bed Bath & Beyond). SternoCandleLamp's product line includes wick and gel chafing fuels, butane stoves and accessories, more than 200 lamps, catering equipment and liquid, traditional wax and flameless candles. For more information, visit SternoCandleLamp at booth #7225 or at www.SternoCandleLamp.com. four new products into the marketplace that deliver solutions never before seen in our industry. Our products can be found in QSR, fast casual, convenience, food- service, hospital and school kitchens. We have also had success in distribution, pharmaceutical, transport, airports, etc. Anywhere quality and consistency is needed, you will find our products. RDN: What makes your company unique? RS: Customization! We are still one of the only companies in our market that understand that every brand has a differ- ent view of incorporating technology into its environment. As the developer and manufacturer of all we sell, we have the capability and flexibility to mold a prod- uct to fit a clients' particular business model and objectives. We see more and more products being sold through distribution as 'solu- tions,' and if you have a very narrow view of the word solution they may fit the bill. Our experience in dealing one on one with operations and food safety pro- fessionals is that they are all looking for that special something to deliver the level of quality and excellence they seek. Our Solutions Architects work closely with individuals and different users to help them to meet their objectives. RDN: How do you see the next year in terms of the economy, sales, technology and product evolution? RS: The economy has nowhere to go but up, and smart brands are doing all they can to introduce intelligence into their kitchens by looking for ways to improve operations and optimize labor efficiency while minimizing food loss. We've seen an increase in sales and interest in our core technologies. For the last 18 months or so, we've heard a lot of talk about iPads and the deployment of them as kitchen tools. Over the last year we've seen manufac- turers like Samsung take the No. 1 spot in providing phones and tablets into the marketplace. While I think computing has reached very economical levels, I don't believe deploying some units into the field will answer all an operators needs. We've also seen a number of POS companies jump on the bandwagon to provide solutions. While no one doubts ICC ( Cont'd. from p. 1) the power behind many of these compa- nies, I suggest you take a serious look at the costs associated with current POS systems and weigh it against giving them complete control over your operation. RDN: Are you introducing any new products? RS: Yes! We have several very exciting new products we're bringing to the mar- ket this year. Like so many of our prod- ucts, the ideas come right from profes- sionals in the trenches, the folks who have to make their kitchen perform opti- mally, everyday. We've coined our marketing platform on the phrase 'Bird's Eye View.' What would a manager see if he or she could fly overhead and see everything you need to see to run an operation? We provide that in our new product, i.View. With this opera- tional dashboard, a manager can see everything he or she needs to know to keep the restaurant running smoothly and efficiently. An array of measurement tools that monitor temperature, travel path, product prep, product management, etc., collect data that goes up to the cloud and then can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from a smart device. Logs and reports are automatically generated, doing away with hand logging or spiral books. Our goals for 2014 and beyond will be to continue to develop and release products that meet the needs of opera- tions and food safety professionals while minimizing labor and automating specif- ic tasks. With us you will find devices that remind, record and report, thereby providing management with measure- ments to manage their operations more effectively and achieve continual process improvement. RDN: How can our readers find out more about your company? RS: Come on by and visit us at NRA, booth #1857 and visit our new website at goicc.com, or just give us a call at 877- ICC-8788. Wev are always happy to learn more about your business objec- tives and explore ways to support you in meeting your objectives in better quality, consistency, operations and food safety. For more information, visit goicc.com, stop by booth #1857 or call Candace at 877-ICC-8788 to set up an appointment with a Solutions Architect who can assist you with your specific needs. the best ingredients available: durum and semolina flours, eggs and clean ingredi- ents with no transfat; we don't use colors for our flavored pastas. Our pastas have a resilience not found in most competitors pastas. It maintains its character under the pressure of foodservice conditions, while remaining delicate enough to meet the challenges of any chef preparing a single gourmet meal. And yes, there really is a Carla. She is the Founder, President and driving force behind our reputation for authentic Italian taste. She was born and raised in the Piedmont region of Italy and came to this country in 1968. In 1978, she opened a small 1,800 square foot retail pasta shop in Manchester, Conn. Soon, local restaurant owners were buying her pastas to serve in their establishments. In 1982, Carla closed the doors to her retail store and moved into a USDA approved 6,000 square foot facility. At this time, she began to distribute her products through food service distribution chan- nels. The company continued to flourish, and by 2002 Carla's moved to a new 50,000 square foot facility in South Carla's Pasta ( Cont'd. from p. 1) Windsor, Conn., making products the best way we knew how with the same attention to detail as we did in 1978, utilizing Italian equipment. We now manufacture over 250 different pasta and pesto products. Today, Carla's Pasta still resides in the South Windsor plant, but in 2013, completed two large additions, expand- ing the plant to just under 100,000 square feet. We are a USDA, HACCP compli- ant, BRC 'A' rated facility following green manufacturing practices centered around our 300 kilowatt fuel cell that produces enough electricity to power about 425 homes via a chemically con- trolled reaction with domestically derived natural gas. Carla still runs the company with the same level of passion and perfection as always. Today, Carla's passion and drive have been instilled in her two sons, Sandro and Sergio, whose new ideas and enthusiasm are helping to move the com- pany forward. The sales force echoes this passion in presenting our products nationally. For more information, visit www.carlas pasta.com, call 860-436-4042 or stop by booth #707. purpose of conducting research and pro- viding education to potato growers and consumers. We work with growers, ship- pers, distributors and processors of potatoes throughout the state and much of the U.S. RDN: What will you be talking about at the show? MW: This will be our first time attending the show, and our main goal will be to make people aware that we grow potatoes in Michigan and can supply fresh and pro- cessing potatoes throughout much of the year. Not many people realize it, but Michigan is the largest state in the produc- tion of potatoes for potato chips. Some people don't even realize that we grow potatoes in Michigan. That is why some of our goal is to increase awareness of Michigan potatoes. We definitely want to focus on a whole variety of fresh potatoes, but also on other products that are made with potatoes, including potato chips. RDN: What are you doing to increase this awareness? MW: To date, many of MPIC's efforts have been research based. We are work- ing to expand our promotional and edu- cational efforts. Being at this show is a great example. We recognize that Michigan potatoes and potato based products are of the highest quality and hope we can demonstrate that to buyers Michigan Potato Industry ( Cont'd. from p. 1) and processors. RDN: Do you have any new promotion- al ideas? MW: From a promotional standpoint, working closely with the Michigan Restaurant Association has been a recent success for MPIC. We kicked off a recipe contest last year to increase awareness of the health benefits involved with eating potatoes. We ended up judging 14 differ- ent recipes from chefs and high school students. This year we are going to split the entries in two categories: profession- al entries and student entries. Additionally, we have been working with some retailers to demonstrate quick and easy potato recipes in their stores. RDN: What do you anticipate to be your greatest challenge in the upcoming year? MW: From an industry standpoint, getting potatoes planted this spring hopefully won't be a challenge as man- aging the weather becomes a big part of it for the growers. Aside from that is dealing with the perception that pota- toes are not healthy. Many people believe that potatoes are not a healthy part of a diet. We want to inform peo- ple that they actually are, and share with them all the health benefits pota- toes offer. For more information, visit The Michigan Potato Industry at booth #8064 or online at www.mipotato.com.