market basket 2011-02-01

edited by Diane Ridge

Lamb Weston Natural Chips and Natural Yukon Chips make menuing freshly cooked potato chips a cinch. They feature a skin-on, thinly-sliced, kitchen-cut look without the labor. Menu as an appetizer, side, second “fry,” or bagged grab-and-go snack. Create signature chips by adding seasonings and dips. Complete your chip program with customizable branded bags featuring sports team or company logos and a warmer. For details and rebate offer, call 800-766-7783 or visit www.lambwestonchippromo.com.

For avocado news, updates, and menu ideas visit CaliforniaAvocado.com/Foodservice. CAC has improved and expanded the website to create a comprehensive resource dedicated to sourcing, selecting and optimizing fresh California avocados. Designed for easy navigation and key word access, the site offers the information and tools that FSDs and chefs need in their operations. While on the site, request one or all of the California Avocado Commission recipe collections — the Culinary Companion CD, and The Magic of the California Avocado, the Foodservice Menu Guide and Too Hot Not To Be Cool brochures — or call 800-370-3782.

Made from top-shelf ingredients, Farmland Gold Medal Smoked Sausage is BIG on flavor. The new sausage is made from only USDA-inspected cuts of pork and beef, which give it a rich taste and delicious, even texture. It's also smoked, offering a delectable, authentic smokehouse flavor. The sausage measures up at a whopping eight inches, so your average bun can barely contain it, making for an eye-catching plate presentation. Visit www.farmlandfoodservice.com for more details.

Server Products' new 8-bottle Squeeze Bottle Holder makes dispensing cold condiments and signature sauces for sandwiches and other foods simple and efficient. The stainless steel 8-bottle unit fits in a cold table, taking up the space of a 1/3 size pan. Tests indicate that bottles in the holders stay 6 to 7 degrees colder than bottles standing in an open pan where cold air can easily escape. 1-, 2-, and 3-bottle squeeze bottle holders are also available. For details, visit www.server-products.com or call 800-558-8722.

MARS Foodservices is offering the use of logos for its well-known brands so operator menus can shine. Among the Mars Brand Candies are M&M'S, America's favorite candy brand; the #1 candy bar in America, Snickers; and Twix with the highest overall product rating of its competitors. To learn more about the availability of the MARS Brand Candies logos and to see the usage guidelines, visit www.MARSFoodservices.com and click on “Need a MARS Logo?” or call 800-432-0331.

San Jamar, a leader in food safety tools, announces Saf-T-Wrap Station with slide cutter. The new Saf-T-Wrap System with slide cutter includes the same great features as the original Saf-T-Wrap — wrap or foil, integrated dating labels, pen/marker holder, and one handed carry handle but with incredible ease — one finger is all it takes to operate the slide cutter! Saf-T-Wrap offers multiple mounting options. Call 800-248-9826 or visit www.sjcr.com, for more.

Smucker's offers a full line of distinctive portion-control products and the opportunity to add comfort and value to any foodservice operation by displaying America's most trusted brand of jams, jellies and preserves. Customers will appreciate seeing the brand they trust for their own families on tabletops and buffet lines. For details, visit www.smuckerfoodservice.com.

February is National Snack Food Month! Operators can celebrate Munchy Month and beyond by taking advantage of free point-of-sale materials, courtesy of Kraft Foodservice. By partnering with Kraft and participating in Munchy Month, operators team up with the top brands in the cookie, cracker and nut segments. Just visit www.munchymonth.com and get immediate access to Oreo, Cips Ahoy!, Planters and Ritz point-of-sale materials in downloadable PDF format. For more, visit www.kraftfoodservice.com/snacks.

American Pride Seafoods introduces Blackened Seafood created in partnership with Chef Paul Prudhomme. This premium line is authentic blackened seafood made easy for both foodservice and retail. Completely pre-seasoned, featuring today's most popular species such as tuna, salmon and flaky white fish. Blackened Seafood is ready to cook from frozen in minutes on a flat grill, skillet or in the oven. Visit www.americanprideseafoods.com for more information.

Wondering how to increase exposure and drive traffic to your café and retail areas, while improving your health awareness program and supporting your green initiatives? Computrition has your solution! With Web Menus, your staff can review your dining menus online, along with nutrition, ingredient, and allergen information. Data is updated in real-time. Just plug and go. To learn more, view the Web Menus demo at http://www.computrition.com/webmenus-experience.htm, call 800-222-4488 ext. 250, or email - [email protected].

When you insist on the best you insist on Bush's Best. And now our great tasting, high quality Great Northern beans are available for foodservice operators. Every bean we choose comes from farmers who know the high standards we demand. And we make sure they're ready for all your creative culinary executions right out of the can. So whether you're making salads, soups or entrees you'll know you're using the very best Great Northern beans available. Visit www.wepickthebest.com for details.

Add a little jubilation to your next smoothie, milk shake, or special meal with the rich touch of Truitt Bros. Cherries Jubilee, featuring dark sweet cherries infused with the essence of Cognac and cherry brandy. Cherries Jubilee provides a wealth of easy-to-execute dessert possibilities — use in smoothies and milk shakes, over ice cream and cheesecake, as a filling for crepes and pastries, or mix with warmed Grand Marnier and brandy for flaming specialties. Also great atop crisp waffles at breakfast, in fruit salads at lunch, and beside country-grilled ham at dinner. Call 800- 547-8712, or visit www.truittbros.com for more.

Tyson Food Service has released the newest edition of Tyson's Insights and Discovery newsletter containing “Understanding Today's Foodservice Consumer,” which helps to unlock the latest consumer-centric insights into foodservice-related trends. The newsletter, produced in collaboration with market research firm Technomic, identifies product solutions, recipe concepts and strategies operators can implement to drive traffic. Visit www.tysonfoodservice.com, or call 800-24-TYSON, for more.

New ready-to-cook premium turkey burgers from Foster Farms are a great way to upgrade your burger offerings and be on-trend in 2011. They are a flavorful and healthier burger alternative with fewer calories, more protein and half the fat of 30% lean ground beef. The turkey burgers are made with premium ground turkey and seasoned with garlic, onion and natural flavorings. Ready-to-cook convenience allows you to grab only what you need and cook from frozen — eliminating waste. Visit fosterfarmsfoodservice.com for more.

Rich's portability solutions meet multiple menu needs to support operators' desire to have easy and versatile offerings for their patrons throughout the day. Whether it's simplifying fresh-baking for flavorful morning treats (cinnamon rolls, scones, French toast sticks), or creating artisan-style sandwiches (pannini bread, par baked rolls, Fresh n' ready dough for Italian specialties) and craveable snacks and sweets (pizza crunchers or breadsticks, sweet bakery, whipped topping) Rich's products reduce labor and increase operational efficiency and profit potential. For information, visit www.richsfoodservice.com.

An all-American fruit favorite, apples rank high in menu usage. With new DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Diced Apples, operators can capitalize on apple popularity, creating appetizers, sauces, toppings, baked goods and desserts with a flick of the wrist. Only Dole offers all natural fruit, peeled, diced and frozen without sugar or stabilizers. Chef-Ready Cuts means ready-to-use and waste-free: pour only the necessary amount from the 5-pound re-sealable bag. Visit www.dolefoodservice.com for product and menu ideas, or call 800-723-9868.