Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/510109
R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s F r i d a y, M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 5 3 0 'WILD' ABOUT WASTE REDUCTION, HAND HYGIENE By William Gagnon, Vice President of Marketing, Excel Dryer As a franchise owner of the international Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar and grill, Sarah Morin knows a thing or two about statistics. "Sports people can be a bit obsessed with stats," she said. "And I like ours: 50 high-definition plasmas and big screens, 30 ice-cold beers on draft, 20 signature sauces and dry rubs for our award-winning wings and hand dryers that work in 10 to 15 seconds." While that last statistic may seem a little out of place, Morin said high-speed, energy- efficient XLERATOR ® hand dryer tech- nology extends the Buffalo Wild Wings focus on advanced technology. "We spend a lot of money on tech- nology," said Morin. "Best-in-class XLERATOR hand dryers are consistent with our brand by providing the ultimate guest experience. When you walk into the dining area or our restrooms, we want you to say 'wow!' – the speed and effi- ciency of XLERATOR hand dryer defi- nitely adds to the 'wow' factor." Attendees of the National Restaurant Association trade show are encouraged to stop by the Excel Dryer booth #4660 to experience that wow factor – or any of Morin's Connecticut- based Buffalo Wild Wings locations in Manchester, Wethersfield or Windsor. Unlike conventional hand dryers that take 45 seconds to dry hands, the high- speed, energy-efficient XLERATOR hand dryer dries hands completely in 10-15 seconds (dry time based on third party testing performed by SGS International on standard XLER- ATOR hand dryer with 0.8 noz- zle to less than 0.2g of residual moisture) while using 80 percent less energy. XLERATOR repre- sents a 95 percent cost savings versus paper towels and elimi- nates labor, maintenance and waste, while creating a more hygienic restroom environment. When asked about the main benefits of XLERATOR hand dryers, Morin was particularly enthusiastic about the reduc- tion of waste and improved hygiene for guests and staff. "We are able to redirect the attention of our team members to focus on the guest experience rather than refilling paper towel dispensers and waste removal," said Morin. "There is also that expression that a restaurant's restroom is a 'window to the kitchen'… if restrooms are not well-maintained or littered with paper towel waste, it reflects on the entire operation. If guests can see a mess in the restroom, they worry about what they can't see in the kitchen." She also says that XLERATOR hand dryers are a hygienic choice for her staff because they don't have to pick up paper towels from the floor or handle paper towel waste. Morin's patrons appreciate the speed of the XLERATOR hand dryers. In an environment where guests often come to watch big games – from the Super Bowl and World Series to March Madness and Olympic Games – waiting 45 seconds to dry hand with a conventional hand dryer can mean missing a game-changing play. Learn more about the game- changing XLERATOR hand dryer at www.exceldryer.com. For more information, visit www.exceldryer.com, call 888.998.7704, email sales@exceldryer.com or stop by booth #4660. NEW FLAGSHIP SOFT SERVE FREEZER DEBUTS IN NORTH AMERICA Oceanpower's new flagship DW series soft serve freezers recently made their debut in North America, symbolizing the company's new push for its strategic global expansion. The new models will rank the company among the top-tier for- eign ice cream equipment manufacturers in the U.S. market. Running on either single-phase or three-phase power, the new DW series features dramatic upgrades from Oceanpower's existing line of soft serve machines. The series runs on an industry- leading patented Triple-Control system in that the machine is able to switch between Current, Temperature and Timing modes in case one or two modes fail, ensuring maximum reliability and protection against potentially destructive events such as cylinger-freezing. The series is also equipped with either two- or three-horsepower American-brand Tecumseh compressors well known for their quality consistency, superior refrig- eration capacity and wide range of oper- ating voltage. The super continuous dis- pensing capability now positions the models among the top candidates for business with heaviest foot traffic. The first-dispensing time is now reduced to between eight and 10 minutes once the compressor starts. In addition, sparing an extra compressor, the model now oper- ates on one powerful American-brand Tecusmeh compressor for both ice cream making and hopper refrigeration, cooling the hopper at a much faster speed for maximum mix freshness. The one com- pressor system also simplifies the machine design for easier service and higher level of reliability. The ice cream making process is also aided by the 1.5 horsepower Regal-Beloit joint venture-made AC beater-motor, which suits a wide range of viscosity for all types of soft serve mixes. On top of all these features, the models offer other value-added features such as Oceanpower's new generation air pump that is able to raise overrun to 50 percent to 60 percent (which is virtually indispensable for businesses serving cus- tomers with such taste preference), the durable motor-propelled magnetic hop- per agitators, infra-red remote control and acrylic soft touch pads for smooth touch control, and a new automatic- return dispenser door for better handling and insulation. The biggest plus for the series is that pasteurization is available on the three- phase model. The patented pasteurization mechanism is able to raise the mix in the cylinders and hoppers to 167 Fahrenheit within 20 minutes of heat- ing and maintain the tem- perature for 15 seconds, killing 95 percent of germs, before the ice cream mak- ing progress begins. Operators are free to run the feature at intervals at their choice, such as at business open and close. This optional feature greatly enhances food safety for opera- tors and consumers. Together with the standby function, pasteurization relieves the operators from the burden of disas- sembling the dispenser and washing the machine every night. For more information about Oceanpower's products, stop by booth #5438, visit www.oceanpoweramerica.com or call 800.672.4161. OVERSTOCK.COM INTRODUCES FARMERS MARKET Overstock.com recently launched a new Farmers Market section within the Overstock website. This market of hand- picked products offers customers throughout the United States access to home delivery of seasonal, healthful foods grown and produced in their area. Overstock is currently able to serve about 20 percent of the U.S. pop- ulation with farm-fresh food grown near their ZIP code. The company intends to provide local delivery access of fresh, locally grown food to 70 per- cent of the U.S. population by the end of 2014. The Farmers Market program requires no up-front costs for suppliers to join, instead using a revenue-sharing model that allows them to get their products on Overstock with minimal changes to their existing procedures. Farmers, CSAs and co-ops interested in joining the program are encouraged to contact the Farmers Market team at farmersmarket@overstock.com for more information. SALES OF ORGANIC PRODUCTS TOP $39 BILLION Sales of organic food and non-food prod- ucts in the United States broke through another record in 2014, totaling $39.1 billion, up 11.3 percent from the previous year, according to the latest survey on the organic industry from the Organic Trade Association (OTA). Despite the industry struggling with tight supplies of organic ingredients, organic food sales in 2014, at $35.9 bil- lion, posted an 11 percent rise, while organic non-food sales, at $3.2 billion, jumped almost 14 percent for the biggest annual increase in six years. In blue states and red states, across the heartland of America and all along the Gulf Coast, sales of organic products are posting double-digit increases. The majority of American households in all regions of the country now make organic a part of their supermarket and retail pur- chases – from 68 to almost 80 percent of households in southern states, to nearly 90 percent on the West Coast and in New England, according to new market research. OTA's Organic Industry Survey is the most accurate and comprehensive quantitative picture of the U.S. organic industry available. It was conducted and produced by Nutrition Business Journal. Over 200 companies responded to the survey, conducted this year from February 10 through April 3. The full sur- vey will be available in mid-May through OTA. The U.S. organic sector has expand- ed significantly since OTA first began tracking the industry's performance in 1997. In 1997, organic food sales totaled around $3.4 billion, and accounted for under 1 percent of total food sales. In 2014, organic food claimed almost 5 per- cent of the total food sales in the U.S., and has consistently far outshone the 3 percent growth pace for the total food industry. Organic fruits and vegetables contin- ued to be the biggest-selling organic cat- egory in 2014 with $13 billion in sales, up 12 percent from the previous year, and making up more than 36 percent of all organic food sales. Of all the produce now sold in the United States, 12 percent of it is organic, a market share that has more than doubled in the past 10 years when organic produce sales accounted for only 5 percent of the fruit and veg- etable market. The organic dairy sector posted an almost 11 percent jump in sales in 2014 to $5.46 billion, the biggest per- centage increase for that category in six years. Sales of organic non-food products – accounting for 8 percent of the total organic market – posted the biggest per- centage gain in six years, with sales of organic fiber and organic personal care products the stand-out categories.