Taking some of the stress out of foodservice management

Directing the many facets of an active foodservice operation requires the ability to multi-task, lead, organize, think on one’s feet and meet stringent regulations—all while producing quality food day after day. The demands of the job have the potential to overwhelm.

Proactive foodservice operators are always on the hunt for tools and ideas that will help streamline their operations, add as much automation as possible and simplify their systems. The right tools can improve product while reducing the stress of everyone on the team. Here’s how.

Safe, fresh and clearly labeled

Most consumers who rely on foodservice operations in hospitals, schools, universities, large offices and other institutions are looking for clearly identified foods that are both healthy and fresh.

Studies show that these consumers want grab-and-go products made with simple, recognizable ingredients that are labeled clearly, with easy-to-read, detailed ingredient and freshness information. They want to be able to quickly discern fresh, local and natural qualities, and they want to see “free-from” statements, such as antibiotic-free, GMO-free and hormone-free.

Millennials are leading the growing “free-from” foods trend. According to a recent Mintel group study, 60% of millennials said they’re concerned about transparency and clean ingredients in the food they eat. 

The desire for transparency and the need to quickly and easily read label information and make a buying decision that is as healthy and convenient as possible are where a competent menu and recipe management and label automation system can provide help in any active food service operation.

Make it automatically easier

From entire school systems operating huge central production kitchens, to multi-location hospital groups with multiple local kitchens, menu and recipe management are key to serving fresh food with the kinds of labels consumers want.

One such system is becoming the talk of the foodservice industry. DayMark Safety Systems has developed a custom, web-based nutrition labeling system that provides detailed information on all of a foodservice operation’s menu items.

“Through our popular MenuPilot™ platform, foodservice directors can supervise the development of new recipes and manage change,” explains Jill Carte, director of product development at DayMark.

“Through the MenuPilot platform, collaboration within local teams and among corporate headquarters is optimized. Training is easier, updates are instantaneous to all locations and centralized data makes consistency in menus, recipes, products and labeling more possible than ever before.”

Foodservice operators especially value the easy menu update feature, with updates securely and efficiently pulled in via the cloud from the centralized MenuCommand™ dashboard to the MenuPilot app at the store level. This includes real-time changes that can be communicated to staff at all locations via a sync operation in the app.

A good, user-friendly dashboard should provide a comprehensive overview, including announcements, account metrics, detailed analytics and number of users currently using the platform. DayMark’s system does just that.

Cost effective printer and label options help tell the fresh product story

DayMark’s Bluetooth-enabled Matt85™ label printer, available as part of a complete automated food labeling program, allows users to print labels wirelessly using the MenuPilot app and the available Matt85 Android tablet.

“We’re excited about the Matt85 printer,” Carte says. “It’s a premium direct thermal printer at a cost just over $400 and it needs no repairs, so it pays for itself quickly while providing anytime, anywhere printing.”

DayMark Matt85 label options include dissolvable labels, unique die-cut shapes, wet compatibility and removable versions in widths up to four inches.

Kitchen automation helps take stress off the plate and keep profits coming

The advantages of kitchen automation are many. The right automation system can help foodservice operators manage the impact of changes, simplify health alerts on menus and products, master expenses, prioritize projects and manage their portfolio of existing products.

Kitchens in educational, institutional, healthcare and corporate food service operations are all using systems like the DayMark platform to manage recipes, train staff and produce labels while reducing costs and presenting more appealing product.

Advanced automation can be a powerful tool that helps reduce the stress of foodservice operators who use it. Meeting the demands of today’s consumers for fresh, clean, convenient foods requires fast, accurate labeling capabilities. Having that capability can help market food products and improve the safety and compliance of any operation. It’s time to move foodservice operations onto an automation platform.