Market Basket | August 2010

edited by Diane Ridge

Truffles, chocolate-dipped ice cream desserts from Blue Bunny, make it quick and easy for operators to create elegant desserts that keep customers coming back. Each 4 oz. ice cream truffle is individually wrapped and easy to plate. Available in two flavors: French Vanilla — premium French vanilla ice cream dipped in dark chocolate and drizzled in milk chocolate and White Chocolate Raspberry — premium French vanilla ice cream with tasty swirls of raspberry sorbet dipped in white chocolate and drizzled in dark chocolate. Visit www.bluebunny.com for more.

McCain Foods USA introduces a one-of-a-kind new fry-McCain Signature Crescent Cut fries - perfect for operators looking to set their menu apart and capture patron interest. The fries feature a unique cut that delivers crispy edges with fluffy potato insides. Also, they stay hot and crispy longer than regular fries-up to 10 minutes after cooking. For more information call 800-767-7377 or visit www.mcCainusa.com.

Kellogg's GROW program is an exciting year-long selling plan from leading veggie foods brands Morningstar Farms and Gardenburger. This program provides all the business building tools operators need to capitalize on the veggie foods trend. Operators can become a member of the GROW program and gain access to customizable merchandising materials and quarterly promotion kits by logging in at www.growveggie.com and click on the Grow icon today to enroll.

BelGioioso Cheese announces its newest product for foodservice and retail: Shaved Caesar Blend. This savory trio combines sweet and slightly sharp Asiago, with a robust Romano and rich, nutty Parmesan. The result is a cheese blend that lends a sophisticated touch to any dish. In addition to a classic Caesar salad, it is also delicious served over pastas, vegetables and melted into sauces. Add to bread dough, and bake to create gourmet cheese bread. Visit www.belgioioso.com for more.

For a true Cuban sandwich, nothing less than true Cuban Bread will do! Authentic Signature Cuban Bread, from Signature Breads, has the traditional long loaf shape, with a crisp crust and light, flaky interior texture. Lighter than French or Italian styles, our Cuban bread is made to be toasted and pressed--perfect for a real Cubano sandwich. Buen provecho! Visit www.signaturebreads.com for more information.

The Foodservice Division of Hormel Foods introduces Always Tender Oven Roasted Pork, fully cooked boneless, center-cut loins and tenderloins. Always Tender Oven Roasted Pork is prepared using a proprietary cooking process resulting in consistently tender and juicy pork eliminating any worry of overcooking. FSDs and chefs can menu dishes that are more interesting than chicken, more cost effective than beef, and have the healthy halo of turkey. Visit www.hormelfoods.com, for more.

Truitt Bros. is proud to pioneer sustainably processed foods for the foodservice and grocery sectors-offering a range of third party-certified sustainable products from pears, cherries, plums and green, kidney, black, garbanzo, and pinto beans to delicious chilis, side dishes and desserts. Its production facilities and several growers have undergone rigorous and comprehensive processes to achieve sustainable certification from the Food Alliance, the nation's leading third-party certifier of agricultural producers and processors. For information, call 800-547-8712 or visit www.truittbros.com

LeanPath announces the introduction of WasteLOGGER, a software solution for food waste tracking that helps foodservice operations prevent, minimize and avoid pre-consumer food waste (which includes overproduction, spoilage, expiration, trim waste). The software runs on existing computers and does not require specialized tracking equipment. By tracking waste daily, operators can save 2-4% on food purchases. Visit www.leanpath.com, for more.

You asked for it, you got it! Computrition's Point-of-Sale (POS) solution is here! Break away from the “traditional” cash register and process your customers' transactions with ease and full integration into Hospitality Suite products and more. Contact us today for more information (800) 222-4488 ext. 250 or email us at [email protected].

Now operators can deliver America's favorite cookie with a rich, golden taste! New Golden Oreo Pieces from Kraft bring the #1 sandwich cookie brand, a crisp cookie crunch and consumer-preferred flavor to traditional ice cream treats and more. Adding Golden Oreo Pieces to the menu creates opportunities to attract even more dessert customers. They're a great addition to cakes, pies, dessert bars, and drinkable desserts (shakes, malts and floats). Visit www.kraftfoodscompany.com for more.

ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston introduces three new Sweet Things sweet potato varieties to capture the ever-growing consumer demand for sweet potatoes. The Sweet Potato Seasoned Crinkle Cut Wedge is seasoned in a red pepper batter coating. These crinkle-cut wedges are par-fried in canola oil for 0g trans fat, a format ideal for baking or frying. The Sweet Potato Mini Tater Puffs give kids or adults wanting a delicious crunch, a unique, flavorful puff perfect for every daypart. They're bakeable, fryable, and great for dipping. And Sweet Potato Julienne Fries have crunchably crisp texture appeal, plus great plate coverage. Visit www.lambweston.com for details.

From satisfying fruit smoothies to sophisticated cocktails, foodservice customers are finding Fresh California Avocados on beverage menus. Fresh California Avocados are at their peak, so now's the time to take advantage of this season's prime fruit. Find the recipe for the Avo Maria, along with fresh takes on milkshakes, coolers, smoothies and suave cocktails on CaliforniaAvocado.com/Foodservice — or call 800-370-3782.

According to NPD Group 2009 snacks have officially become the fourth meal of the day. Operators can profit from the snacking occasion with Dole Fruit Bowls in 100% Fruit Juice, a great tasting and refreshing ready-to-eat fruit snack. Dole packs six varieties of quality fruit in 4- and 7-ounce servings. The four-ounce fruit bowls contain one-half cup — one full serving of fruit and juice — and provide an excellent source of Vitamin C. Available year round, shelf-stable Dole Fruit Bowls offer a fruit-filled, flavorful, healthier snack to satisfy demanding customers. Call 800-723-9868, or visit www.dolefoodservice.com for more.

Made with whole grain and perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack, Smucker Foodservice offers a full line of Smucker's Snack'n Waffles. There's no better time than National Whole Grain Month, this September, to celebrate with these presweetened fully baked waffles. Individually wrapped and shipped frozen, simply thaw and serve heated in the oven-safe pouch or microwaved for easy speed to plate. The 2.2-oz. fully baked waffle meets two grains/breads servings and provides 16 grams of whole grain per waffle. Available in three flavors — maple, cinnamon, and blueberry. Visit www.smuckerfoodservice.com.

Working together, operators and the Robot Coupe CL50 Gourmet can achieve gourmet dicing cuts in three new sizes and waffle cuts in two sizes. Use the CL50G with its new dicing grids to get perfect dices in no time at all, saving you time and labor. The waffle discs (4mm and 6mm) provide quality, consistent waffle cuts in just minutes. The CL50 Gourmet will also perform all your other food-processing needs — slice, shred, grate, French fry and julienne in a large variety of sizes. When you use the CL50 Gourmet, you can process up to 2000 servings in just 3 hours. Call 800-824-1646, or visit www.robotcoupeusa.com.

Rubbermaid Commercial Products recently introduced its ProSave Food Box System featuring the new Dual Action Food Box Lid. The ProSave Dual Action Lid helps provide an integrated solution that not only fits all brands of clear food boxes, but slides back or flips-up for proper food storage and freshness, saving you time and money. The patent pending lid allows the user to quickly access food with one hand — improving efficiency by 65 percent while reducing risk of cross-contamination. For more information, visit www.rubbermaidprosave.com.

Introducing Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Decaf. Now all your customers can enjoy the premium taste of Starbucks Coffee instantly while you cut down on coffee waste and labor thanks to single-serving packaging. Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Decaf comes in cases of 24 thee-packs or 200 sticks marked for individual resale. Visit www.starbucks.com for more information.

Join Otis Spunkmeyer and Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the fight against breast cancer by offering the limited edition Pink Cookie, a chocolate cookie loaded with pink candy-coated chocolate pieces. Raise awareness for the cookie and breast cancer with free table tents and wait staff stickers. Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 2010. As part of the promotion, Otis Spunkmeyer, Inc. has donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure at least $100,000 in connection with The Pink Cookie Sales Promotion. To learn more, call 1-888-ASK-OTIS, or visit www.spunkmeyer.com.

Made from top-shelf ingredients, the Farmland Gold Medal Smoked Sausage is BIG on flavor. The 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. This tasty new smoked sausage measures up at a whopping eight inches, so your average bun can barely contain it! Farmland Gold Medal Smoked Sausage comes fully cooked, and is shipped 4/1 in a ten pound case. Visit www.farmlandfoodservice.com for more.

With America's heightened desire to eat smart, Uncle Ben's Flavored Brown Rice is a great way to make sure customers are getting their whole grains. These new great kid-friendly mixes are a smart addition to any meal, made with 100% whole grain brown rice and natural flavors and colors. The rice is higher in fiber, lower in sodium, lower in fat with 0g trans fat and great for kids menus, schools and healthcare. For more information, call 800-432-2331 or visit www.marsfoodservices.com.

It is now easier for on-site foodservice operators to create unique branded solutions with the click of a mouse. Tyson Food Service has launched its new Tyson Branded Solutions Program Website at www.TysonBrandedSolutions.com. The new site allows operators to place orders for Tyson branded solutions product units, packaging, merchandising materials and menu reprints. The program includes Primo Donna's Italian Kitchen; Ancho Grill; Sunset Strips; and Crustano's Café, inspired by the tastiest cafe creations from around the world. Call 800-24-TYSON for more.

Customers expect flavor-filled salads, so keep them interested with the addition of Fresh Gourmet Crunchy Toppings. Shelf stable and always ready to use, adding signature crunch has never been easier, or required less labor. Each on-trend variety is available in 1 lb. bags for back-of-house use, as well as single-serve portions, ideal for takeout. Toppings are available in Tri-Color Tortilla Strips, Lightly Salted Tortilla Strips, Wonton Strips, Crispy Onions and Crispy Jalapeños. Visit www.sugarfoods.com or call 888-708-2222.

Merisant Company is making life sweeter by introducing a national branded offering which includes the four leading zero calorie sweetener “colors” under the Equal and Pure Via brand names. Equal will now market “yellow” and “pink” offerings that will bear the brand name and deliver the quality and taste patrons expect. The collection also includes Pure Via, an all natural, zero calorie sweetener, to satisfy patrons' requests for a stevia-based sweetener in the “green” segment. For information, pricing and a free sample, call 1-888-658-1948 or visit www.equalpurevia.com.

Monin Gourmet Flavorings, welcomes new Monin Cucumber Syrup to its family of syrups. With a true essence and cooling effect of fresh cucumber, Monin Cucumber Syrup is a refreshing flavor accent for specialty teas, lemonades, cocktails and mocktails. The syrup is made with natural cucumber flavor and pure cane sugar to deliver a highly fragrant aroma with a lightly sweet cucumber taste in a highly-concentrated, easy to use format. The syrup is Kosher certified, Halal, wheat gluten free, Vegan, GMO free and dairy free. Call 800-966-5225 or visit www.monin.com for more information.