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Food Magic Daily Monday, June 26, 2017 1 0 SNACK ON AMERICA! By JG Riley, Vice President of Media Formaggio Brand has a new rallying cry: "Snack On America!" Anthony Mongiello and his Formaggio team are known for their trendsetter status in the dairy case and deli, so why would this year be an exception? If customer trends are any indication, then they are on target again. Snacks are becoming huge. Formaggio Brand has responded with an array of snack lines that fit well into any size supermarket as well as club store and even C-stores. "Healthy Snacks to-Go" is the byline for these product offerings, as is the buzzword 'charcu- terie,' a term with which we're all becoming more familiar. At the top of the list are the Charcuterie Sticks & Dips which are six sticks of fresh mozzarella wrapped in charcuterie-style meats. These are accompanied by a dipping sauce special- ly paired for each meat option: Prosciutto/Balsamic Fig Dip, Soppressata/Balsamic Glaze, Genoa Salami/Whole Grain Mustard and finally Pepperoni/Ranch Dip. There is a two-stick version avail- able as well, Charcuterie Snacks, which features the same pairings as their bigger brothers and have created quite a sensa- tion in early focus groups due to their grab-and-go size, convenience and out- side-the-box approach by including the perfect dipping sauce as a complement. Trendsetting is par for the course where Formaggio is concerned and it appears Formaggio is hitting a bullseye. E-Z open Multivac packaging has been adopted by Formaggio Brand for a number of product lines over the last couple years and now snack lines will benefit from this as well. The packag- ing is absolutely transparent, so you can see how fresh the meats are wrapped around the white fresh moz- zarella and the incredibly unique addition of the dipping sauce com- partment. But where Formaggio Brand really sets itself apart is the completely transparent seal with minimal graphics so you can see the product and the dipping sauce themselves; this is a product that treats the eyes as well as the palate. You will also be pleasantly surprised by the other charcuterie snack lines, such as Charcuterie Cups – another transpar- ent E-Z open Multivac package which offers a small bowl-shaped cup divided down the middle into two compartments – one for meat cubes like soppressata, Genoa salami, and another compartment for cheese cubes such as Pepper Jack and pro- volone. Do not miss C h a r c u t e r i e Bites – minia- ture versions of F o r m a g g i o ' s famous prosciutto, basil and cheese rolls that are perfectly bite-size. They are pretty to look at and possibly more deli- cious than their bigger predecessors. All of these offerings are incredibly conven- ient, exactly what I want in a modern grab-to-go snack and a low-carb way to go about it. There's a movement in America these days to rally for healthy snacks and Formaggio Brand is at the front lines with its 'we-have-arrived' snack pronouncement: Snack On America! How can we possibly do oth- erwise? NEED OMEGA-3S IN YOUR LIFE? Are you looking for the next buzzword or are you looking for healthy, clean label quality and value? The answer is simple. Omega Valley Farmers ® created the first cheese to have sustainable Omega-3 fatty acids naturally in every variety of its cheese line. Everyone snacks on cheese and everyone wants to develop healthy snacking habits. This clean label cheese contains 128mg of Omega-3 fatty acids in every ounce. No additives, no fish oil and no off taste or color – just a great, creamy, ready-to-snack cheese avail- able in nine varieties of Monterey Jack, cheddar, gouda, muenster and much more. Retail cuts range from one-ounce snack sticks in a variety of packaging to 40-pound blocks. Working with Master Cheese Makers, the product can be shred, sliced or cubed. If vari- ety is the "spice of life," Omega Valley Farmers has what you are looking for. Omega Valley Farmers cares about its farms in Central Wisconsin and works with a group of farmers dedicated to car- ing for their herds, the land and the envi- ronment. The natural flax-based feeding program allows healthy benefits to the dairy cow, giving the product a clean begin- ning that shows through in every ounce of cheese. When looking for great dairy products, people look to Wisconsin. When looking for "healthy for you" cheese, look to Omega Valley Farmers. For more information, go to www.omega valleyfarmers.com. MENU EXPANSION IDEAS FROM LIL' ORBITS Lil' Orbits cooking equipment can open the door to new menu expansion ideas for many restaurants, bars, event venues, food trucks and institutional feeding operations. Current trends that include small plate menus, sharable menu items, bar-centric "munchies," snacks as meal replacements and all-day breakfast serv- ing can be effectively and creatively answered with Lil' Orbits product inno- vations. Lil' Orbits offers automatic donut- making equipment, automatic pancake/crepe making equipment and special mixes. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lil' Orbits manufactures all of its products in the United States and sells to customers in over 110 countries. It started nearly 50 years ago with its invention of the mini-donut machine. Mini-donuts are a timeless, popular food item that many customers remember enjoying at festivals, fairs and sporting events – recently or years ago. The very profitable mini-donut concept has proven to be ideal for on-demand serving in any location where impulse food purchases are an important part of menu choice and profitability. Today, its model 1200 and 2400 donut machines produce fresh- cooked, hot-to-go donuts in four sizes, all of which can be decorated for today's gourmet and designer donut trend. Output can be adjusted to customer demand during peak serving times. Its donut machines need only a very small space within the typi- cally crowded pro- duction area and Lil' Orbits self-contained downdraft vent sys- tems can eliminate the need for outside venting. The Lil' Orbits Uni-Matic II produces a variety of sizes of pancakes and crepes without frying. Automated, greaseless cooking reduces training and labor costs and ensures repeatable, quality results at any time of day. Pancakes or crepes start from a bat- ter dispenser and are transported auto- matically on heated Teflon belts through the Uni-Matic. Control settings deter- mine the amount of batter dispensed to the belts to regulate pancake or crepe size. Cooking time for pancakes (two sides) and crepes (one side) is gauged accordingly. Crepe fillings can be added during the cooking process and automati- cally wrapped into each crepe. Finished pan- cakes and crepes are deposited into a receiv- ing tray. The Uni-Matic produces up to 1,800 small, 360 medium or 180 large pancakes per hour, and similar volumes of small, medium and large crepes. It can be operated in the food pro- duction area or out in front where cus- tomers can enjoy watching the very inter- esting Uni-Matic cooking process. Lil' Orbits offers a full line of sup- plies, including its own unique donut and crepe mix blends and a wide variety of topping and fillings. Learn more by visiting www.lilorbits.com, calling 800.228.8305 or emailing contact@lilorbits.com. TOUCHSCREEN TOWER DISPENSES HEALTHY PRODUCTS, SMALL FOOTPRINT, BIG PROFIT Say goodbye to cluttered countertops with tea pots, sugar bowls, bowls of lemon slices and other flavor additives thanks to Lancer's new Touchscreen Tower. This attractive, illuminated dis- pensing tower with flavor shot automa- tion pours teas, sweeteners, juices and other flavor additives in a modest 9.3- inch by 16.3-inch footprint while the bag-in-box product is neatly stored out of sight. This dispenser gets its name from its interactive touchscreen that enables users to create unique and delightful flavor blends that cater to personal preferences. The touchscreen has digital advertising capabilities and customizable lighting patterns along the tower's curves, beauti- fully showcasing the brands and flavor options to create enticement. In today's health conscious world, the demand for tea is rising, and bag-in- box teas provide the ideal solution. Bag- in-box products reduce waste and are environmentally friendly. Bag-in- box teas, extracted from the finest quality leaves, contain as many or more nutrients as dried tea leaves, and eliminate the brewing prep time and clean-up. Simple. Fresh. Always ready. With up to 10 valve modules, Touchscreen Tower's flexibility allows managers to easily launch and test new beverage campaigns, like summer flavors, winter spices or the newest trendy sweetener, without removing the best sellers. Sparkling tea is a unique taste sensa- tion that is creating some buzz and is expected to be one of the top 10 trends for this year. Bubbles bring out flavor. For those that have been drinking car- bonated soft drinks for years, sparkling tea may be an excellent healthy-choice cross-over. Pleasantly surprising, this tower is not just for tea; it's capable of serving carbonated and non-car- bonated soft drinks, flavored waters, plus energy and sport drinks. Touchscreen Tower's state-of- the-art technology, ADA compli- ance, long life, low maintenance and elegant design are just a few reasons why this dispenser is expected to earn enthusiastic approval in the months and years ahead. For more information, visit www.lancer corp.com.