Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/983621
Restaurant Daily News Tuesday, May 22, 2018 4 0 Restaurant Delivery is Heating Up An interview with Laura Calder, Senior Product Manager, Sterno Products. RDN: Sterno is a leading manufacturer of premium insulated food carriers. Was the decision to enter this space motivated by the boom in restaurant delivery? LC: Without question, and it's not just traditional brick and mortar restaurants. Most recently, enabled by software pow- erhouses, we're seeing the emergence of virtual restaurants. Their sole purpose and existence is to only serve food via delivery – they have no servers, no cashiers, no front door that you can walk in and sit down at a table and order a meal. There's a kitchen where all types of different menus are cooked, and then delivered to the customer. RDN: What about catering? Does this fall within restaurant delivery? LC: Catering is also a big part of restau- rant delivery. Caterers are experiencing successes with expanding their business to offer boxed lunches. We've seen national chains roll out catering pro- grams, with significant marketing and advertising behind them. RDN: How big is the industry? LC: There's a lot of numbers and fore- casts out there, but there's one thing that I've found to be undisputed, whether it be from a national brand or independent restaurant operator, the delivery industry is exploding; restau- rant food delivery has some serious momentum behind it, and it shows no signs of slowing down. As far as numbers go, according to investment firm Cowen, the food deliv- ery market is worth $43 billion today, and by 2022, in just five years, they pre- dict it will be worth $76 billion. RDN: Who is order- ing? LC: The largest seg- ment ordering delivery today is Millennials, followed by adults aged 35-44 years. If your restaurant currently attracts these seg- ments, you should be looking at delivery as a way to expand your consumer base and increase sales RDN: What expectations do these con- sumer segments have? LC: Convenience and quality. Quite sim- ply, many Millennials prefer eating at home versus going out, and want food that is ready-to-eat brought to them. With the emergence of new apps and third party delivery companies, it's easier than ever for consumers to have food deliv- ered to their doorstep. They also want this food to be of the same quality – taste, appear- ance, temperature, as if they were eating it at a table in the restaurant. For example, you order your favorite pork sandwich from your local barbecue spot. It arrives lukewarm, the bun is soggy and the barbecue sauce is leaking from the container all over your carpet. It's unlikely that you're going to order this dish again. You may also avoid ordering from this restaurant again with the fear that other dishes will have the same poor execution. This bar- becue restaurant has just lost its oppor- tunity for a repeat customer, from someone who very likely could have been ordering from their menu at least once a week. Visit Sterno Products at booth #6912. For more information, go to www .sternopro.com or call 951.682.9600. Comark's PDQ400 Pocket Digital Meets Food Code Requirement for Thin Tip Thermometers Food safety, risk management, HACCP – terms with many things in common, but one in particular – are the common bac- teria found in the food chain such as E. coli and salmonella being properly destroyed in your kitchen, and how do you know for sure? One of the many positives of our greater awareness and attention to food safety and HACCP is that it has spurred innovation in temperature measuring, and at the same time has driven down costs. Comark's thermometers and temper- ature monitors are geared to the need for speed and accuracy of measurements, but always at affordable prices. The PDQ400 pocket digital ther- mometer is just the latest model to bring the operator a convenient, fast responding thermometer that is accurate and reliable and can be used everywhere in the kitchen. In addition, the PDQ400 is waterproof, field calibratable and with a max hold reading, can be used to test the rinse cycle in commercial dishwashers. The slim design fits easily in a pocket or sleeve. But perhaps the most important fea- ture of the PDQ400 as well as the full line of Comark pocket digitals is the thin 1.5mm tip. A thin tip with the sensor at the end offers speed and precision only found in thermocouple probes, but at a significantly lower price. The FDA feels a thin tip is so impor- tant that they have written the require- ment into the latest version of the Food Code in para- graph 4-302.12: "…temperature m e a s u r e m e n t s in thin foods can be accurately determined using a small-diameter probe 1.5mm (0.059 inch) or less…." As an additional safety measure, all of Comark's pocket digitals as well as its thermocouples contain an anti-microbial called BioCote ® built into the instrument cases to inhibit the growth and reproduc- tion of bacteria on the case itself. BioCote active ingredients are registered with the EPA, but though this inhibits the growth of bacteria on the cases, it does not remove the need to practice the high- est standards of personal and profession- al hygiene and cleanliness. Another increasingly popular solu- tion to innovative and economical tem- perature measuring and monitoring in HACCP programs is the use of RF wireless monitor- ing systems in the cold chain, from distribution centers to kitchens. A sys- tem such as Comark's RF300 Diligence WiFi wireless loggers offers 24/7 security and peace of mind that night or day critical temperatures are being monitored and recorded and alarms sounded whenever something goes awry. RF systems are certainly more expensive than simple thermometers or even data loggers, but measured against the costs of throwing away a freezer full of food when you don't know how much the temperature has fluctuated after a power outage, the savings and payback can be substantial. Visit Comark at booth #3651. For more information, go to www.comarkusa.com or call 800.555.6658. Mars Takes a Bite of KIND Mars, Incorporated will take a minority stake in KIND. As part of the agree- ment, the two companies will partner to grow KIND's product offerings and business globally, utilizing each other's strengths. The partnership will allow KIND to continue to drive positive change in the food industry while fulfilling – on a worldwide scale – its KIND Promise, a set of nutrition principles that have guid- ed the company's innovation since its founding. KIND will provide Mars with a pioneering and trusted brand to anchor a newly formed global health and wellness platform, while Mars will provide KIND with its proven international model to expand into new markets. KIND will con- tinue to operate independently, led by its majority stakeholders, Founder Daniel Lubetzky and the KIND team, with its existing headquarters in New York, New York. As part of the agreement, Mars will lead the growth of the business outside the U.S. and Canada, partnering with KIND in accordance with the KIND Promise. The partnership will enable KIND to accelerate its dual mission to make its healthy and tasty foods available to more people across the globe and make the world a little kinder through meaningful social impact initiatives. It will also enable KIND to expand into new cate- gories. "When we introduced our first whole nut and fruit bar in 2004, we set out on an ambitious mission to do things differently and challenge false compromises by offering snacks that were healthy and tasty as well as wholesome and conven- ient. It's been exciting to see the reach and impact of our mission, and with our partnership with Mars, we're looking for- ward to continuing on this journey as we empower more people to make healthy eating decisions across the globe. We remain fully committed to our guiding principles, including our commitment to always use a nutritious food as the first and predominant ingredient in every food product," Lubetzky said. "We're proud to partner with Mars, a family-owned, prin- ciples-driven company with a proven track record of holding a long-term view, and look forward to working with them to make this a better world for future gener- ations." "This is a partnership built on mutual admiration and a shared vision for growth," said Grant F. Reid, Chief Executive Officer and President of Mars. "We believe there is tremendous opportu- nity to build on the success of KIND's product portfolio in new markets. As we continue to expand our business and broaden our portfolio to address evolving consumer needs, we're delighted to part- ner with a respected leader in the health and wellness space." Sonoma Syrup Co. Launches Peppermint Simple Syrup Sonoma Syrup Co. has released a Peppermint Simple Syrup to its Infused Simple Syrup line. Sonoma Syrup Co.'s syrups are made from the only the finest ingredients with an emphasis on achiev- ing the most authentic flavor profile pos- sible. The new Peppermint Simple Syrup contains only non-GMO ingredients: cane sugar, water, organic peppermint extract, organic peppermint oil, vanilla extract, citric acid and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and is available in 375 mL (12.7-ounce) bottles. This new Infused Simple Syrup is especially delicious in the beverages of the season, such as: peppermint hot cocoa, mochas, or even over ice cream but can also be used in cocktails, sodas, baked goods and more. This organic cane sugar-based syrup is the perfect flavor to bring seasonal warmth and happiness to the conscious consumer. For more information, contact Sonoma Syrup Co. at 707.996.4070 or online at www.sonomasyrup.com.