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 8 6 started making pickles four years ago because we were looking for a clean, crisp pickle on the market and couldn't find one that wasn't chock full of funky chemicals or dyed some un-holy shade of green. After a few summer pickling ses- sions, we found ourselves with left over pickle brine. Using our tart, spicy brine, we began a tradition of Sunday morning Bloody Marys. It struck us that we need- ed to share what we were drinking and Stu's this is Bloody Mary was born! RDN: What would you say makes your company unique? SW: Our company is unique because of a concept that I learned in culinary school: "you eat with you eyes first." This idea is paramount to what differentiates us from our competitors. Of course, we care end- lessly about what goes into our bottles, lay- ering flavor upon flavor and still providing a clean finish; but we also care just as much about the bottles themselves. I want a bottle to speak for itself – to intrigue our customers and hopefully make them ques- tion their preconceived notions concerning how a Bloody Mary bottle should look. The product tells its story which begins way before you take the first sip. RDN: What distinguishes your product from the competition? SW: Our flavor speaks for its self. But if I had to speak for it, I'd say our distin- guishing factor is the fact that our prod- uct allows for both easy customization and consistent reproduction. You made it perfect once, you'll make it perfect again! We allow our customers, from the at home bartender to the trained mixolo- gist, to consistently make a perfect Bloody Mary without having to use a dozen ingredients and long recipes. RDN: How would you compare the posi- tion of your products against the current market? Stu's Kitchen (Cont'd. from p. 1) SW: Initially, we gained a strong position in the market by putting the first products in front of the right people. Ultimately though, it's not only about being in the right place at the right time, but also being the right product for the right place. Although selling to big national retailer and small specialty food stores at the same time can be a challenge, we've maintained our success by offering the right product to the right retailer, and by continually innovating new products to fit that model. Ultimately, our top con- cern is providing the best Bloody Mary experience we can; we've earned our customers' trust since they continue to receive what they've been promised. RDN: What is your outlook in general for this product line? SW: Whether we have been providing people with their favorite drink or pro- viding an option for a wonderful mari- nade in their culinary adventures in the comforts of their own home, we've been concentrating on the specialty food market for some time now. But now, after a number of restaurants and bars have approached us, we've creat- ed foodservice size, offering gallons or half gallons growlers of our con- centrate. This is an incredible opportu- nity for bars and restaurants to jump on the Stu's bandwagon and get home- made quality and premix constancy at a great price. RDN: How can our readers find out more about the company? SW: Stu's this is Bloody Mary is proud- ly stocked at specialty food stores around the country as well as shops like Dean and Deluca, Crate and Barrel, and Anthropologie. People can also find us at stuskitchen.com. For more information, visit www.stuskitchen.com, call 855.228.0838, email stuwaters@gmail.com or stop by booth #7274. As a trusted partner, we help brands "mobilize" and leapfrog in this changing and competitive environment. We achieve this through our revolutionary SMARTSolutions mobile software plat- form. RDN: How can SMARTSolutions help build my brand? YH: Imagine one streamlined mobile platform where you can engage, execute, measure and manage your brand's mar- keting, operations, training and field leader strategy. Imagine connecting 1:1 with every guest, employee and leader in your brand to drive healthy sales and long-term prof- itable growth. Imagine the 1:1 guest connections lead to deep engagement; redefining loy- alty and relationships that improve your brand while driving increases in buying behaviors. And, imagine real time recovery with quantifiable sales insights that measure actual purchases not only repur- chase intent. Imagine if you had a wealth of data, all distilled, connected and actionable to improve the behaviors of your teams and front-line execution. The technology is actually getting smarter with every inter- action, making it easier and more effec- tive for your teams every day. Introducing SMARTSolutions, the mobile all-in-one brand management platform designed and streamlined for your smartphone. RDN: Really? All from the phone? YH: Yes! Using the phone, a tool every- one already connects with minimizes costs and complexity. Some of the largest barriers to inno- vation and execution involve hardware investments, deployment, WiFi connec- tivity, integration and most importantly, ease of use. Nextx (Cont'd. from p. 1) We have evolved our interfaces to work perfectly on a phone to increase adoption, save seconds and dramatically lower start-up costs. Managers become freed from back office administration and can invest more time on the floor with the team and guests, team members can train "in-posi- tion" not in the back office, and leaders can see the execution behaviors on their phones to better allocate resources, focus and coaching rather than fire fighting. RDN: Who uses SMARTSolutions? YH: SMARTSolutions evolved from 20 years of industry expertise and enduring partnerships with global companies including YUM!, Burger King, Panda, Church's and many other recognizable brands. By leveraging our innovative solu- tions and expertise in brand-building, our clients experience incredible increases in team proficiency, operations improve- ment, guest engagement and loyalty as well as demonstrable sales growth. Whether you are a growing fran- chisee or a major brand looking to expand, SMARTSolutions can be tai- lored to meet your needs today and well into the future. RDN: Sounds great! How do you recom- mend brands get started? YH: A partnership with NextX guaran- tees a sound mobile strategy, executed through a modular platform, implement- ed successfully. We are change agents very aware that restaurant technology and solutions deployment requires thoughtfulness with your teams. We recommend beginning with tar- geted solutions that drive exponential gains. As proficiencies and behaviors build, additional SMARTSolutions can be seamlessly introduced. For more information, stop by booth #8554 or contact inquires@nextxnow.com. HEATHMAN RESTAURANT AND BAR EARNS 4 STARS The historic Heathman Restaurant & Bar in the heart of downtown Portland's cultural district has received accolades from Forbes Travel Guide, earning a four-star rating for its world-class dining experience for the second year in a row. Forbes Travel Guide's annual Global Star Ratings for hotels, restau- rants and spas represent a global bench- mark for luxury travel. Professional inspectors evaluate each property against more than 500 criteria, using the most stringent and objective standards in the hospitality industry. Four-star properties feature distinctive settings, great attention to detail and accommo- dating staff members who take pride in catering to guests' needs. The Heathman Restaurant & Bar is a notable culinary destination and a land- mark in Portland's thriving restaurant scene. The breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour and weekend brunch menus feature French-style dishes inspired by the flavors of the Pacific Northwest and showcasing locally sourced, carefully curated ingredients. Executive Chef Michael Stanton draws on the best of Oregon's seasonal bounty to create delightfully flavorful and unique dishes. The skill and classical techniques employed by his team shine through in the restaurant's artful cre- ations. "We are delighted to again be rec- ognized by Forbes as a four-star restau- rant," said Randy Noia, General Manager of The Heathman Restaurant & Bar. "It is a privilege to be ranked among the upper echelon of culinary institutions in the region, and the team works every day to meet this commitment to quality. Much of the credit goes to Chef Michael Stanton, whose style masterfully blends French technique with the taste of the Pacific Northwest." For more information or to make a reser- vation at The Heathman Restaurant & Bar, call 503.790.7752 or visit www.heathmanrestaurantandbar.com. LESLIE UHL NAMED COMTÉ SCHOLARSHIP WINNER The winner of the third annual Comté Scholarship for American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals™ has been announced. Leslie Uhl, cheese- monger and business specialist for Di Bruno Bros in Philadelphia, scored the highest points in the blind essay contest and has won an all-expenses-paid trip to the Comté region to explore the area and its culture and to learn about production and the cheese's history. Uhl began her professional career as a cheesemonger three years ago and became an ACS CCP in September. "Winning this scholarship is easily the most exciting news I've had all year, second only to the news of passing the ACS CCP exam," said Uhl. "I'm so thrilled to be a part of a new adventure, and I can't wait to be at the heart of French cheese making in the Comté region." This year's essay question focused on the importance of preserving tradition- al methods of cheese production and explored how Comté's PDO specifica- tions ensure a link between terroir and fla- vor. The essays were judged anonymous- ly on the basis of knowledge and creativ- ity by a panel of three renowned cheese experts, including former Board President of the American Cheese Society Greg O'Neill, Global Cheese Buyer for Whole Foods Market Cathy Strange and maître fromager Max McCalman. Made exclusively in the Jura Mountain region of France, Comté is an artisanal cheese with AOC and PDO des- ignations.