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OCG Show Daily 2 3 Tuesday, June 6, 2017 FALAFEL POWERS UP YOUR MENU Mediterranean has been forecast to be one of the Most Influential Regional Cuisines for 2017 with falafel named the break out star of that trend. In its most recent Foodservice Handbook, Winsight dubbed falafel a "widespread, QSR ready" trend and should be a "new focus for Fast Casual." "We couldn't agree more," declares Peter Parthenis Jr., Grecian Delight President & Chief Executive Officer. Sustainable, plant-based proteins are growing into must-haves in the eyes of many of today's restaurant patrons. QSR Magazine even declared that plant-based proteins "are increasingly becoming an integral ingredient in many menus. Lead by a desire for sustainability and more healthful eating and a key tool to appeal to a younger demographic." Surprising to some, it has not been vegetarians driving the rise of plant pro- teins. In fact, the number of vegetarians in the U.S. has not changed significantly in the last decade. Rather it is the Millennials and Gen Z consumers that are driving the demand for plant-based meals as they are often less expensive, better for the environment and for animal welfare – all things highly valued by younger consumers. "We see falafel as the perfect new addition for restaurants, as it is a two-for- one win. You combine a desirable plant- based protein and authentic Mediterranean favorite in one delicious menu solution," explains Parthenis. To help restaurants capitalize on this grow- ing demand for plant-based protein and ethnic cuisine, Grecian Delight has expanded and enhanced its falafel line-up to now include a dry mix, dough, IQF fritter and pre-cooked puck. "Our reformulated dough shares the same great vegan formula as our new authentic IQF fritter," states Parthenis. The Grecian Delight development team visited a number of restaurants across the Mediterranean to better understand and capture the authentic flavor of the region in this new recipe. "Grecian Delight now offers a complete line-up of falafel prod- ucts and capabilities to meet the needs of every menu and kitchen prep require- ment in restaurants today," declares Parthenis. Falafel is a versatile product that can be used as a vegetarian pro- tein snack, appetizer, sand- wich or salad. "Our chef has created a range of exciting traditional and contemporary menu applications for falafel," states Parthenis. Many of these ideas and more information on bringing the power of falafel to your menu can be found at www.greciandelight.com/falafelpower. Grecian Delight, A Pure Mediterranean Foods Company, brings you the very best of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine with products including gyros and specialty meats, pitas and flatbreads, tzatziki, hummus and spreads, falafel and additional Mediterranean specialties. For more information, go to www .greciandelight.com. OREGON CHERRY GROWERS FOCUSED ON QUALITY By Matthew Gillespie, Director of Marketing, Oregon Cherry Growers Established in 1932, Oregon Cherry Growers, Inc. is a grower-owned coop- erative of family farms located in Oregon's bountiful Willamette Valley and along the Columbia River Gorge. What began with 700 fruit tree "root- ings" brought by covered wagon in 1847 has matured through generations of dedicated growers to become the world's largest producer of sweet cher- ry products. We support all classes of trade, including foodservice, industrial and retail markets. More Than Cherries It's important to note that we actually produce much more than cherries. We take great pride in bringing our family- owned farms' natural bounty to market, including cultivated and wild blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and more! Sustainability is Our Way of Life We believe in sustainability, not only in terms of the environment, but with regard to our cooperative. We are one of the first agricultural cooperatives in the world to earn the third-party B Corp™ certifica- tion, in recognition of our environmental- ly responsible operations, progressive employment policies, quality products and community engagement. See more at www.bcorporation.net/community/ore- gon-cherry-growers-inc. Foodservice Whether you need the best-tast- ing maraschinos to garnish drinks in your bar, or are looking for all- natural ingredients to incorporate into meals and desserts at your restaurant, healthcare facility or school cafeteria, Oregon Cherry Growers has a product catalog with the quality and variety you'll appreciate. We distribute our brands under the Royal Harvest™, Royal Willamette™ and Willamette Valley™ labels, but also do a considerable amount of co-packing for our foodservice customers. Industrial There are several world-class brands whose well-known products feature fruit ingredients from Oregon Cherry Growers. Our customers rely on the highest quality from our fruit preps and purees, glacé, frozen fruits and dried fruits made with all-natural, non-GMO ingredients, to make the desserts and products their customers know and love. If you love eating cherry ice cream and it was made in the United States or Canada, there's a better than 90 percent chance those cherries came from Oregon Cherry Growers! Retail All of our packaged products are chef tested and shelf stable. This means our traditional and premium maraschinos keep their crunch, and our dried fruits retain their flavor, texture and color through the shipping and resale process. What's more, our Royal Harvest line includes maraschino cherries and dried fruits made with non-GMO ingredients and free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives that meet the growing demands of health-conscious customers. For more information, visit www .oregoncherry.com. GLUTEN-FREE MORAVIAN COOKIES FROM SALEM BAKING CO. Gluten-free flavors of Salem Baking Company's classic Moravian Cookies include Double Chocolate, Toasted Coconut and Salted Caramel. For the Double Chocolate, rich melted artisan chocolate is poured into each batch and blended with premium cocoa. For Toasted Coconut, sweet toasted coconut flakes are combined with whole eggs and finely milled wheat flour, and for Salted Caramel, creamy caramel is melted and folded into the dough, mingling with just a pinch of sea salt. Each flavor is baked using only the finest, most essential ingredients, with no preservatives, artificial colors or artificial flavors. Each cookie contains 15 calories or less. These 5-ounce boxes retail for $5.99. For more information, call 800.274.2994, email orders@ salembaking.com or go to www.salem baking.com. COMARK INSTRUMENTS LAUNCHES BLUETOOTH POCKETHERM WITH APP Comark Instruments is continuing its commitment to raising the standards in HACCP and food safety with the launch of the new BT250KC Bluetooth Pocketherm with Kitchen Checks App. The BT250KC Bluetooth Pocketherm is fast, accurate and water- proof. The quick responding probe with a 1.5-mm tip folds out to allow you to choose the best angle to take different temperatures at different points in the kitchen such as prep, cooking or cooling. Use the BT250KC Kitchen Checks App to manage all of your HACCP tem- perature recording. It's a simple way to automate data collection and eliminates the need for handwritten temperature records and years of paper storage. Checklists within the app ensure all pro- cedures are followed correctly and any non-compliances or critical control point variations are recorded and corrected. Via the cloud-based dashboard, you can immediately assess the implications of any incidents outside of pre-set param- eters or just analyze the data at a later time. The Bluetooth Pocketherm uses a thermocouple sensor to transmit temper- ature data via Bluetooth to your Android or iOS phone or tablet. The data is in real time and is tamperproof. The 1.5-mm thin tip probe with the sensor at the end offers speed of response and precise readings with only a tiny pinprick into the product. The Comark Kitchen Checks App is a free-of-charge smart- phone app available in both the Apple and Google Play app stores. The easy-to- use app can be loaded with your HACCP plan and pairs via Bluetooth to the BT250KC thermometer. One of the many positives of greater awareness and attention to food safety and HACCP is that it has spurred innova- tion in temperature measuring and at the same time has driven down costs. Comark thermometers and temperature monitors are geared to the need for speed and accuracy of measure- ments, but always at affordable prices. The BT250KC is just the latest model from Comark to bring the operator a convenient, fast responding ther- mometer that is accurate and reliable and can be used everywhere in the kitchen to ensure that an operation is serving safe food and is adhering to their HACCP plan. A full Kitchen Checks system using the Comark KC wireless loggers offers 24/7 security and peace of mind that night or day critical temperatures are being monitored and recorded. For more information about Comark and its products, visit www.comarkusa.com.