market basket 2012-03-01

edited by Diane Ridge

From January 1 through June 30, 2012, Dole Food Company is offering foodservice operators attractive incentives to increase menu appeal while saving on their bottom line. Included is an Operator Direct Rebate Offer, coupons, and up to $500 in valuable savings on Case Purchases. Loyal customers save on orders of qualifying DOLE Fruit Products. Visit www.dolefoodservice.com, or call 800-723-9868 for more details.

Anjou Pears from Truitt Bros. enhance any menu and add premium appeal and variety for customers. Perfect as an ingredient in bakery items, salads, side dishes, desserts, garnishes, sauces, glazes and more, the subtly-sweet and firm juicy slices are perfectly ripened and available year-round. Sliced (with the skin on) and packed in resealable shelf-stable jars, Anjou Pears are incredibly easy to handle and serve. No worries about bruising, no waste and no ripening required — just delicious pears, ready to be enjoyed. Call 800-547-8712 or visit www.truittbros.com.

Entice customers at breakfast and beyond with Otis Spunkmeyer Supreme Muffins. From the abundant crown with delectable toppings to the elegant “tulip-style” cup, everything about them is upscale. Each muffin is bursting with rich fruits, nuts or chocolate and has the look and taste of a fresh-baked, signature item. Thaw and serve as needed to reduce spoilage. Available in five flavors: Blueberry Crumb Cake, Decadent Chocolate Chunk, Triple Berry Whole Grain, Banana Bread, and Apple Cinnamon Pecan. Call 888-ASK-OTIS, or visit www.spunkmeyer.com.

The Kraft YES Pack, an innovative dressings package introduced by Kraft Foodservice, is designed to deliver maximum yield with greater ease. Made from flexible yet durable plastic, the YES Pack (Yield, Ease and Sustainability) allows operators to easily squeeze out up to 99% of the dressing inside without creating any inconvenient mess for the user. Available in a 2/1-gallon format, the YES Pack allows operators to stock a greater variety of flavors with a smaller investment. Visit kraftyespack.com, for details.

In the winter season and beyond, diners crave comfort dishes with a creative and unique twist. Simplot Traditions dehydrated mashed, hash browns and casseroles are a great way to exceed customer expectations. The new Simplot Traditions Recipe Wheel makes it easy to create 12 different kitchen-friendly recipes for mashed potato and hash brown dishes. Call 800-572-7783 for your free copy of the Simplot Traditions Recipe Wheel, or visit www.simplotfoods.com/traditions for more.

Hoshizaki America's ice machines now feature a label with QR Codes specific to make, model and serial number. Customers and service technicians can use their smart phone to scan the QR code for convenience. The scan is a direct link that automatically pulls up a mobile web page specific to equipment serial number. The webpage features warranty registration records as well as instruction, service and parts manuals. Visit www.hoshizaki.com, for details.

Tyson Deli, a division of Tyson Foods, Inc., has released new information to help drive retailer success: wing and tender merchandising is the key to building top line deli sales. While fall football and tailgating have typically kicked off wing season, retailers who use visible merchandisers have found success selling wings year-round due to growing popularity of wings for snacks and dinner. Tyson offers an array of Crispy Glazed wings including flavors such as Buffalo, BBQ, Hot Pepper, Teriyaki and Caliente. Visit www.TysonDeli.com, for details.

McCormick & Company, Inc. is taking its Flavor Forecast, a catalyst for innovation among foodservice professionals, to the next level in 2012. For this milestone report, an international group of McCormick experts — including chefs, sensory scientists, trend trackers, marketing experts and food technologists — collaborated to identify global trends that will continue to shape the future of flavor. McCormick delivers custom presentations to more than 100 foodservice operators providing recommendations on how to best incorporate the flavors into their menu offerings. To explore the future of flavor with recipes, photos and video, visit www.McCormickForChefs.com/FlavorForecast.

Natural and wholesome, foodservice operators turn to Fresh California Avocados for vegetarian and vegan menu solutions. As part of a healthy lifestyle, avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients making them a good produce choice for meat- and dairy-free diets. As an ingredient they deliver a nutty flavor, smooth texture, color, appetite appeal and satiety. Not bad for a mere 50 calories per one ounce serving. Visit CaliforniaAvocado.com/Foodservice, or call 800-370-3782 for menu ideas.

Monin Gourmet Flavorings offers more than 200 different products to add versatility and profit to beverage menus. Flavored gourmet coffees are enjoying continued popularity, and customers are experimenting with new coffee flavorings, like Blueberry Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie. Monin products are made with pure cane sugar, and many syrups are also available in Sugar Free varieties to appeal to the calorie-conscious consumer. Call 800-966-5225, or visit www.monin.com for ideas.

Sweet Street Desserts adds Chocolate Thunder to their line of fabulous cakes. Rich dark cake explodes with dark chocolate icing, deep semi-sweet chocolate pieces and a dusting of Dutch coca to provide the chocolate-on-chocolate experience craved by chocoholic purists and anyone who loves chocolate. Visit www.sweetstreet.com, for more.

MARS Foodservices introduces its Grain Notes e-newsletter developed to provide operators with insights and inspirations for menus and matching up today's food trends with popular Uncle Ben's products.
Topics range from the new MyPlate food icon, to better-for-you alternatives for fighting childhood obesity. This monthly e-newsletter starts with a current trend or insight then follows with an “Offer of the Month” rebate and special offers from Uncle Ben's. To sign up for Grain Notes or for additional recipes, insights and information, visit www.MARSFoodservices.com or call 800-432-2331.