Bush’s Best Foodservice website is now live. Looks fantastic. Thanks, everyone at Marlin and The Alchemedia Project for making it happen, and for our client Erik Henry who continues to trust us with this sort of thing. Take a look at the site right here.

News: According to The NPD Group, the foodservice industry will not start to recover until the second half of 2010 when diner visits will stop decreasing.
What it means: Dollar menus, two-for-ones, complete meal deals, couponing and special promotions will continue strong growth for the next 12 months. Many eateries teetering on the brink in 2009 will not survive to the end of 2010.

For in-depth trend information: Eat In, Eat Out: a business white paper on food, dining and beverage industry trends for 2010 and beyond. www.americanforecaster.com.

Although the economic recession has clearly affected the U.S. tea market, slowing previously double-digit sales growth in the pricier RTD segment while slightly lifting sales in the more affordable bags/loose tea segment, tea’s appeal as an “affordable luxury” and its compelling image as a healthy product have kept sales in the black when many other CPG categories have seen declines. Moreover, considering the 2005-2009 period overall, sales have done well, and as the economic picture brightens the recession may turn out to have a silver lining in that it has compelled tea marketers to innovate along value-added lines likely to continue to resonate well with consumers in the years ahead.

Market thrusts examined in the report include exotic superfruit flavors; hybrid products designed to compete with other beverage categories including bottled waters, energy drinks and sodas; new RTD spins on green tea that promise to mainstream this tea type once and for all; emerging segments including yerba mate and Kombucha; the upswing in fair trade and other “ethical” appeals; social marketing via nontraditional media like Facebook and Twitter; and a strong tea push in the convenience store channel by marketers and operators alike. At the same time, foodservice players from fine restaurants on down are expanding their tea offerings even as tea rooms and coffee/tea shops surge, suggesting tea may be headed toward much broader levels of distribution and popularity à la Starbucks.

This fully updated report examines the U.S. market for tea across the retail and foodservice spectrum, including ready-to-drink (RTD) tea, leaf (bagged and loose) tea, and instant tea. Following an introductory chapter documenting tea types, packaging trends, “the ethics of tea,” and global market trends, the report segments and quantifies the market by channel and product type, providing historical sales figures and projections through 2014. The report examines market drivers and trends and thoroughly maps out the competitive situation to the marketer and brand share level, profiling brands including Arizona RTD Tea (Ferolito, Vultaggio & Sons), Bigelow Tea (R.C. Bigelow, Inc.), Celestial Seasonings (The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.), Honest Tea (Honest Tea, Inc.), Lipton (Unilever) and Starbucks and Tazo Tea (Starbucks Coffee Co.). Trends in new product introductions are analyzed at length, based on data from Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics, as are trends in the c-store and foodservice channels.

An exclusive feature of this report is custom survey data from Packaged Facts’ February 2009 online poll of 2,600 U.S. adults, which was conducted to measure purchasing patterns, attitudes and demographics specific to tea and other functional foods and beverages. Drilling down to the brand level, the analysis also relies on consumer survey data from Experian Simmons’ Spring 2009 National Consumer Study to chart consumer demographic and psychographic trends, Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Review data tracking product sales in mass-market channels, and wholesale data from leading natural/specialty channel distributor United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) to quantify sales and market shares of natural and specialty products.

For more information, please visit :
http://www.aarkstore.com/reports/Tea-and-Ready-to-Drink-RTD-Tea-in-the-U-S-Retail-Foodservice-and-Consumer-Trends-34626.html
Or email us at press@aarkstore.com or call +919272852585

TUNA – CHUNK LIGHT

The price of skipjack raw material stabilized during November in both Bangkok and General Santos, Philippines. Processors looked for opportunities to meet their requirements with relatively low raw material costs which resulted in increased orders being placed for finished goods with their production plants. The prevailing market of USD $850/ ton for main sized skipjack in Bangkok and $850 to $900 per metric ton in the Philippines is 40% lower than the canners paid in August. Fishing for tuna in the western and central Pacific continued to be good for most of the fleets operating there. Although there were fears by the fishing industry of a continual downward spiral in raw fish prices, demand has been strong from customers in the USA, hoping to catch the elusive single duty rate for January 1^st arrivals. Additionally, it was reported that a large European grocery chain stepped into the market and purchased 700 containers of retail size tins, 75% placed with canners in Thailand and the balance with canners in

McLane Global continues to strongly recommend that customers take advantage of the current very attractive offers for canned product, and cover their requirements through the first quarter of 2010, including the Lenten holidays. Although the bottom of the market has come and gone from the producers, overall price levels for finished goods remain at attractive levels from positions still held by U.S. importers. Again, it seems an ideal time to cover your needs through March 2010 deliveries.

APPLES AND APPLESAUCE

The production of canned apple products, including solid pack sliced apples and applesauce began at the end of October in the northern part of China in Shandong and Shaanxi provinces. At the outset of the harvest, conditions were near ideal with yields in the orchards better than normal. As a result, canners’ opening offers for the finished goods were actually below those of last season. There are now, however, reports of sharply increased raw material costs in the Shaanxi region, and producers there have announced price increases accordingly.

McLane Global recommends placing orders for requirements through the summer of 2010, while pricing remains very advantageous to the end users.

ASPARAGUS

The production of canned green asparagus has begun to revert to its seasonal slowdown for the summer months of January and February in Peru, as crop yields sharply decrease due to the spike in temperatures. This follows very good harvests, and high production levels in November and December. Overall, there have been no unexpected results from the recent harvesting. Price levels have remained stable, as most factories are committed for deliveries through the end of 2009. It is anticipated that canners will be looking for higher priced contracts for the finished goods for shipment throughout 2010. This is a result of their razor thin margins on existing contracts, and the weak financial status of the canned asparagus industry in Peru as a whole.

McLane Global recommends that customers continue to take advantage of the very attractive pricing still available for canned green asparagus. Demand in the USA has been on the rise, and is expected to continue during the winter months. Canned asparagus remains one of the least expensive items in the canned vegetable category.

FRUITS

As previously reported, the unsold stocks of all tin sizes of canned peaches have dwindled sharply due to an unexpected shortfall in overall production of canned peaches in China. Most canners have already sold out of foodservice sliced peaches, with U.S. importers expected to receive their final deliveries in January of 2010. In the same vein, the overall availability of retail sized tins has been dramatically reduced.

The packing of canned pears has been continuing at both optimal levels and pricing. Yields from the last crop were more than adequate and production of finished goods is on-going from the fruit held in cold storage. The canning of fruit cocktail is also ongoing. However, as peaches are an important ingredient of this item, certain canners have been forced to announce increases in their offers for the final product.

McLane Global recommends that customers react quickly in covering all of their fruit requirements through to next summer’s new canning season.

MANDARIN ORANGES

The new packing season which commenced at the end of October, and generally runs through mid January has been severely adversely affected in regard to overall tonnage of fresh fruit. It is now a certainty that the total of product processed for canning will be significantly curtailed, and shortages in supply are expected, particularly for fancy grade product. In Zhejiang Province, there is a 50-60% reduction in fruit, while the areas of Hubei and Hunan are seeing a reduction of 40-50%. In addition, the sizing of the fruit being harvested is 60% Large to Extra Large segments, which is not suitable for packing 11 oz. tins, the most important tin size in the USA market. This is putting considerable upward price pressure for raw material for small to medium sized segments, Additionally, sugar prices, used in the production of the syrup is costing producers 50% more than last year.

McLane Global strongly advises that retail customers react to this very serious set of market conditions, and cover all their requirements for 2010, as soon as possible. We feel that although not as pressing as issue on foodservice sizes, an early end to the production season can cut short any the normal stockpiling which canners might have anticipated. At this point in time, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that all sectors of the market would be well advised to cover their needs on a timely basis.

MUSHROOMS

In a situation very analogous to that of mandarin oranges, this season’s new harvest of mushrooms has been likewise negatively impacted. The most important growing region of Fujian is experiencing a decrease in total harvesting of raw mushrooms in the area of 35-40%.  Other significant growing regions of Shandong and Sichuan are seeing their crops reduced by 55-60% against last year’s totals. Another significant factor in determining overall availability is the fact that there has been a sharp reduction in the number of Chinese firms exporting to the USA.

McLane Global is urging customers to take decisive action in covering all requirements through the first half of 2010. Canners are very reluctant to make either large or long term commitments due their pessimism in the supply situation, and their expectation that a currency revaluation against the U.S. dollar is in the offing.

OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL

The harvesting of olives for both oil and table olives is continuing in Spain, Although there are no significant problems in the crop, the total tonnage will be somewhat lower than last year. Of particular note in this regard, is the smaller harvest of large sized olives, especially the Queen variety. The other major factor adversely affecting landed prices is the continuing weakness of the U.S. dollar versus the Euro. The pricing paid to the farmers is, naturally, paid in Euros, and the Spanish packers have now converted all offers to U.S. importers to this currency. Although the harvesting is expected to continue into December, the major cost components have already been established.

McLane Global recommends that customers place their requirements in an orderly fashion, as needed. No significant spike on the FOB pricing is anticipated. The major question mark in the landed cost equation will be the possible fluctuation of the U.S. Dollar versus the Euro.

PINEAPPLE

Production of the winter crop commenced in October in Thailand and the fruit supply has gradually been increasing. The peak of the harvest is expected around the end of December which is later than normal. The current field price to the farmers is running between 4.30 to 4.50 Thai Baht per kilo, which is quite low. This is due to the weak demand which canners have experienced as yet from European buyers. However, the price of empty tins was increased by 7% in the fourth quarter of this year, and a second round of price increases for tinplate has been announced for the second quarter of 2010. The Thai government has now intervened in the market, and forced the packers to hold the raw fruit price paid to the farmer, at no lower than 4 Baht per kilo. The winter harvest is expected to be in line with previous years but the summer crop next year is expected to be seriously short due to the lack of rainfall in the growing regions of southern Thailand.

McLane Global recommends that customers begin to look at their needs through the spring of 2010 when demand normally increases. In addition, it is expected that European buyers will begin to move the canned market higher once their stocks ultimately need to be replenished.

Notes from webinar I lead in October.

Business Intelligence for the Consumer Goods Industry

Business Insights’ portfolio of consumer goods management reports are designed to help you make well informed and timely business decisions. We understand the problems facing today’s consumer goods executives when trying to drive your business forward, and appreciate the importance of accurate, up-to-date, incisive product, market and company analysis. We help you to crystallize your business decisions.

The strength of our consumer goods research and analysis is derived from access to unparalleled databases and libraries of information and the use of proprietary analytic techniques. Business Insights reports are authored by independent experts and contain findings garnered from dedicated primary research. Our authors’ leading positions secure them access to interview key executives and to establish which issues will be of greatest strategic significance for the industry.

Our consumer goods portfolio of reports can be used across a wide range of business functions to assess market conditions and devise future strategies and cover the food and drinks, ingredients, packaging, health, toiletries and cosmetics categories and key consumer issues including eRetail and marketing.

Key issues examined by this report

• Ethical packaging. Green packaging is a primary concern for the food and drinks industry. Using less packaging will become a key focus over the next five years, and this is especially important for convenience products that rely heavily on packaging benefits such as multi-packs, compartment packaging and portioning.
• Health concerns. Health is an increasingly important driver of convenient products, and marketing is becoming multi-faceted with the evolution of food and drink offering more advanced health benefits such as weight control and other specific health concerns.
• Emerging markets. Growth in regions such as Asia-Pacific and Latin America is acting to boost overall sales of dried, instant and wet ambient convenient products. These have shown increasing signs of maturity in Western markets where demand has tended to move into fresher convenient products.
Convenience continues to be a key trend in food and drinks, with consumers increasingly looking for products that suit their lifestyle requirements. The extent of the development of convenient products is signaled by the notion that consumers are coming to view various convenience benefits as the norm. Adding value in terms of convenience is increasingly linked to providing further benefits, combining saving time and effort with additional aspects of food and drink marketing. These include providing health, freshness, taste, versatility and ethical benefits, and marketing products that suit particular consumer needs such as on-the-go convenience and products for children.

Future Convenience Food and Drinks is a new report published by Business Insights that provides insight into the direction of the convenient food and drinks market and how the sector will develop over the next five years. This report analyzes current and future trends that are set to impact significantly on the marketing, formulation and packaging of convenience food and drinks.

Discover future growth opportunities in the convenience food and drinks market with this new report

This new report will enable you to:
• Identify future growth opportunities in a developed sector, using this reports analysis of sales of convenience food and drinks in emerging markets to 2011.
• Gain insight into industry opinions on the convenience food and drinks market over the next 5 years through an exclusive survey of industry executives undertaken by Business Insights.
• Improve the targeting and effectiveness of your NPD strategies with this report’s analysis of convenience benefits, product categories and regional trends based on analysis of Productscan data of 35,000 convenient food and drinks products launched globally between 2005 and 2008.
• Predict future convenience food and drink market size and growth levels, using this report’s forecasts to 2011, including category specific analysis, in Europe and the US.

Your questions answered:
• How are different convenient food formats developing and which products will provide growth?
• What innovations are driving new opportunities in convenience food and drinks NPD?
• Which region will experience the most growth in convenience food and drinks to 2011?
• Who are the most innovative convenience food and drinks manufacturers?
• How does the industry expect the marketing of convenience food and drinks to change over the next 5 years?

Some key findings from this report:
• The convenience food and drinks market is worth $158bn in Asia-Pacific and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% to 2011. Latin America and the Middle East and Africa are set to grow at a faster rate, but these regions hold a collective share of less than 13% of global sales.
• A growing share of 40% of new convenient products launched globally in 2008 feature benefits relating to speed of preparation, compared to shares of 30% for single serving products and 15% for fresh convenience.
• Expenditure on convenient products peaks in Sweden at over $700 per capita, and is over $400 in the US. Per capita spend in all other regions is less than a quarter than that of the average for Western Europe and North America, but the gap is expected to narrow steadily.
• The number of dinners prepared from scratch at home is highest in France and Spain but is falling fast. The level of cooking from scratch is lowest in the US but the trend away from this appears to be slowing.

I went to a restaurant that serves “breakfast at any time”.
So I ordered French toast during the Renaissance.
Steven Wright

Breakfast is a culinary conundrum. Consider the following:

• Widely regarded as the most important meal of the day yet breakfast is the meal most Americans like to avoid all together. As the recently released 2009 Technomic Breakfast Consumer Trend Report noted, 59% of consumers skip breakfast at least once a week.
• The Center for Disease Control reported that in 2007 25.6% of adults over the age of 20 were obese yet the most frequently cited reason (48%) for skipping breakfast is that people were not hungry. Nearly a fifth of consumers (19%) believe that it is a healthy choice to skip breakfast.

So when we are not skipping breakfast entirely, what exactly are we doing for breakfast? Quite a bit actually, according to the 2009 Technomic Breakfast Consumer Trend Report: 

Consumption

• Consumers are less likely to skip breakfast on the weekend, with 40% saying they never skip breakfast on these occasions, compared to 30% of consumers who skip during the week. 45% of consumers skip breakfast on the weekend because they are not hungry and 29% say they don’t have time to eat breakfast.
• Consumers are much more likely to eat breakfast en route during the week (58%) than on the weekend (37%) for away-from-home breakfast occasions.
• Cooked breakfast foods are top of mind for weekday breakfast occasions, with most consumers saying they eat breakfast sandwiches (77%), eggs (72%) and breakfast potatoes (69%) at least occasionally.
  49% of consumers usually or always purchase coffee to accompany their away-from home breakfast meals during the week.

Purchasing Decisions

•  38% women and 31% of men say they would be highly likely to purchase breakfast foods during other parts of the day if they were offered at limited-service restaurants.
• 46% of consumers indicate interest in breakfast foods that are served all day at full service restaurants.
• 33% of consumers report that it is too expensive to get breakfast at fast-casual restaurants during the week and 46% say the same of breakfast options offered at coffee shops.

Attitudes

• 43% of consumers said that they think it is faster and more convenient to eat breakfast at home and 34% think that grab-and-go breakfasts from home are faster than foodservice options.
• 24% of consumers indicate that they would likely visit full-service restaurants more often during the week if time was not an issue.
• 49% of consumers surveyed were in strong agreement that the food they eat at home is healthier than anything they could buy at a restaurant or convenience store  and 48%  think it is important that they eat a nutritious breakfast.

So what does this all mean to operators?  The fact that many consumers routinely skip breakfast during the week suggests that operators may not be satisfying the needs of all consumers with regards to breakfast. To capture a larger share of stomach, operators should pay increased attention to their customers needs at breakfast, offer menu items that are highly portable, can be prepared quickly and can be offered at competitive price points.

For years I have struggled with finding a career that I want to do and be able to earn enough to live off of.  Typically in foodservice, if you didn’t own the place, you really didn’t get paid much.  I’m a person who loves to be in and around lots of activity and finding a career in this type of place is not easy. I’m talking about sports arenas and concert venues. And again, if you don’t own the place…  I started at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, in June 2009 as a Concession Supervisor. I work the games of The New England Revolution and, of course, The New England Patriots.  I also have the opportunities to work any concerts held at the stadium. I worked at the Elton John/Billy Joel and U2 concerts this summer.  What an exciting place to be during any of these events.

Well, now my sights are set on becoming a full-time Concession Manager overseeing all aspects of Concession managment in a world class sports arena.

TUNA – CHUNK LIGHT

The price of skipjack raw material in the Bangkok market declined sharply during September and October from US $1400 per metric ton to US $850 per metric ton. This is a consequence of unexpectedly good fishing in the western and central Pacific during August and September despite restrictions on catching. This came as a surprise to the market, which had expected a decline in the supply of raw material. Packers who had increased their purchases during July and August in anticipation of shortages were left with high stocks of relatively expensive raw material. To offset their costs , and lower their average fish costs, packers lowered their buying prices in September. Cold storage facilities for the raw material are now full and vessels now arriving in Bangkok have no takers for their fish. Some fishing boat owners are considering stopping their fishing operations as a result of the reduction in the market price of skipjack raw material which is now below their actual cost of fishing.

M-C McLane strongly recommends that customers take advantage of the current very attractive market conditions, and cover their requirements for the first quarter of 2010. There is a consensus among the canners that the pricing for finished goods has reached its bottom. In addition, the major buyers in the USA, including the national brands, have already finalized their purchases, and the market for canned product seems to have been set.

ASPARAGUS

The production of canned green asparagus in Peru is in full swing as the growing conditions are presently at their optimum. The market for fresh asparagus remains dull which has allowed an ample supply of raw material to be diverted to the canning facilities. These conditions are expected to continue though the end of the year. This has not, however, permitted the asparagus industry in Peru to operate on a sound financial basis, due to the low selling prices of contracts and commitments being fulfilled at this time. It is a virtual certainty that the individual canners will be forced to raise their pricing levels when the next round of contracts are consummated at the beginning of 2010.

M-C McLane recommends that customers take advantage of the inexpensive pricing now available for canned asparagus.  In addition, historically, demand in the USA spikes sharply as the holiday season and the winter months approach.  As a reminder, canned asparagus is currently one of the least expensive items in the canned vegetable category.

FRUITS

Despite an ample supply of raw material, canners of peaches in China abruptly ended their packing at the end of August. They did not want to see a repeat of last year when they were forced to hold stocks of unsold inventory in their warehouses due to lagging worldwide demand for their products. At this very early point in time, most canners are nearly sold out of canned peaches. Whatever has been packed is all that is available. On foodservice sizes in particular, offers are being made by the various factories for the very limited quantities which remain uncommitted.  Retail sizes are somewhat more readily available. However, it is only a matter of time before the market begins to reflect the overall shortage of canned peaches from the 2009 crop and packing season.

Due to favorable weather conditions, and the fact that pears can be held in cold storage, the canning of pears is expected to continue until the early part of the new year. While the situation on canned pears does not match that of canned peaches, the market prices remain steady due to consistent demand from buyers in Europe and the USA.

The packing of canned fruit cocktail is also continuing, and attractive offers are still available in the market. It is questionable how long this will continue, as peaches are a major component in the production of fruit cocktail. It remains unknown how long the conditions for canned fruit cocktail will remain favorable.

M-C McLane strongly advises our customers to react quickly, and cover their requirements for canned peaches as far into the future as possible. Any stocks which remain uncommitted will disappear with any uptick in the demand for canned peaches. With the very attractive offering prices in the market for canned pears and fruit cocktail, it is to buyers’ advantage to commit for needs through the first quarter of 2010.

MANDARIN ORANGES

Packers in certain regions of China already began packing from the new crop season at the end of October. Opening prices are approximately 5% higher than last year’s pack. The total tonnage of raw material available for this year’s canning is approximately 20% below the previous pack. It is, therefore, likely that there will not be sufficient stocks to last through 2010.

M-C McLane recommends that buyers cover their needs for the first half of the new year.

MUSHROOMS

Based on the known planting for the new season, it is apparent that this will not be a favorable canning season in China. By the end of September, most mushroom growing areas have finished composting and seeding of the raw material. Following the downtrend from the last crop, the mushroom growing areas have further declined this crop. The main reason is that during the past two consecutive years, most farmers lost money cultivating mushrooms. The selling price for the raw material in the last crop was the lowest in 10 years, far below the cost of production.

While some canners in the Shandong and Sichuan regions have already announced opening prices for finished goods, the packers in Fujian province where the majority of the crop is grown and canned will not quote new pack prices until mid December. There is already concern, however, among those most knowledgeable in the industry in China, that defaults will occur on very large scale contracts. There is now a hesitancy on the part of the canners to participate in expected bid requests.

M-C McLane advises customers to keep a close watch on this market, and to react quickly when the market prices are settled at the middle of December. It is already known that there will be a significant reduction in available canned product and offers are expected to reflect the overall shortage in this year’s crop.

OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL

The new harvest in Spain and other countries in the northern hemisphere began in the middle of October. Growing conditions remained favorable as expected and the size of the total harvest is seen at this point to be very similar to that of last year. While this is good news for a major component on the cost of the finished goods, it is offset by the very unfavorable rate of exchange between the U.S. Dollar (which went into a freefall in the past two months) versus the Euro. As a result the landed costs in the USA will be noticeably higher than previous arrivals. These conditions exist for both jarred and canned table olives, as well as for olive oil.

M-C McLane suggests that customers buy as they need at this point, as the prospects of the exchange rate are speculative as we move into the future. Additionally, there is a possibility that the market may decline somewhat for large sized Queen olives as the harvest season continues.

PINEAPPLE

Although the new pack season has yet to commence, the packers in Thailand are attempting to try to lower the fruit raw material prices being negotiated with the farmers, as their initial offers for canned product are not being well received in the market. Pineapple juice concentrate is currently driving the raw material market up, as demand continues to be strong and supplies are understandably tight. As a result, the peak of the season as forecasted will begin in late November, a bit later than normal. By the end of November, packers will be in a better position to make their offers for finished product more intelligently. It has been reported by the few canners in Indonesia that they anticipate an uneventful packing season, without any shortfalls expected.

M-C McLane continues to advise clients to cover any existing requirements until January 2010 for canned pineapple from existing inventories currently in the USA. The total tonnage of raw material for this winter pack is expected to be in line with normal crop cycles. Therefore, in spite of the fact that most Thai canneries have to first fulfill orders left over from last season, it is a distinct possibility that they will, in the end, begin to moderate the offering prices for the finished product as the crop begins in earnest.

CANNED MACKEREL

The fishing season which began in January in South America came to a close at the end of September. The catch saw a vast and unexpected improvement over the summer months after a very slow start earlier in the year. This allowed the canners in Chile to build up unsold inventory stocks which may be sufficient to cover shipments through the end of this year. Additionally, this has caused the canners there to become more aggressive in their pricing, to levels which are the lowest seen in 2009. We have also seen increases both in the FOB costs, as well as in the ocean freight rates, from China. This has narrowed the gap in landed costs to only 10% for product from Asia to that from canners in Chile. As a consumer preference exists for the sizing of South American fish versus China, the price differential has become minimal.

M-C McLane recommends that customer place their orders for spread shipments through the end of the year to insure that their requirements will be met.

The convenience store industry raises a tremendous amount of money for various causes. Our industry has a large impact with its support of national and local charities.

Commitment to funding raising is admirable and makes our jobs rewarding. At the same time, it may be a business strategy not utilized enough. Most consumers’ lack of trust towards big businesses is at an all-time high. Banking and Wall Street heightened these feelings of distrust to a level not seen since the great depression. Cause marketing may bridge some of these feelings.

The next generation (22-30) is even more sensitive to cause marketing

• 83% will trust a company if it is socially/environmentally responsible
• 89% are likely to switch from one brand to another if the latter supports a cause
• 79% want to work for a company that cares about how it impacts society
• 74% listen to a company’s messages if they have a deep commitment to a cause

Cause marketing is a big opportunity for our industry. As the price of fuel goes over $3 again, fuel companies are viewed as the villains again. Consumers don’t understand how the average guy can’t afford to drive yet oil companies are posting strong profits. In a recent poll of 20 industries ranked on trust, fuel companies came out 19th. I am not promoting this thinking but trying to point out our industry has issues that we can turn into opportunities.

I would like to share a cause I have been involved in. 20 years ago. We felt our customers and employees didn’t see our company as an organization interested in anything other than generating profit.

We decided the charity must benefit kids and avoid high administrative costs.  After completing my due diligence we felt that getting involved with St. Jude Children’s Hospital was our best fit.

During the past three years, 84 cents of every dollar received has supported the research and treatment at St. Jude. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.

Children never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.

St. Jude Halloween Promotion sponsored by Coors

During October, employees at the participating establishments will ask patrons to make a $1 donation to St. Jude. The donors will have the opportunity to write their names on pumpkin-themed pinups which will be displayed in each location through Halloween.

Since its inception in 1992, the St. Jude Halloween Promotion has raised more than $41 million to help kids battling cancer at St. Jude.

Currently, the St. Jude Halloween Promotion has four national partners that are convenience stores: Casey’s General Stores, Hess Corporation, TravelCenters of America and Petro Stopping Centers.

Convenience stores can help by visiting www.stjude.org/halloween

“Ah brown sugar how come you taste so good?”
Brown Sugar
The Rolling Stones
Sticky Fingers (1971)

 Loathe as I am to prognosticate on such matters,  (I prefer to leave such things to the experts like Nostradamus and Miss Cleo – besides if I really was good at it, I would be picking winning lottery numbers), I believe I have foreseen the next micro trend in food service. Call it “Culinary Intuition”.  Its so cutting edge, so micro, a search of the 66,077 menu items from over 500 US, English and European Chains as well as leading independents found in Technomic, Inc.’s comprehensive Menu Monitor failed to notch a single mention.  It’s sweet, it’s moist and it’s nutritious. It’s dark and delicious. It’s … brown sugar.  But not just any ol’ run of the mill brown sugar, but rather, sugar which resides farther down the refining ladder:  Muscovado.

Muscovado (from the Spanish mascabado, meaning unrefined), is an unrefined, non-centrifugal sugar made purely from the juice extract of the sugar cane. Once the cane juice is extracted, it goes through an evaporation process which leaves behind large, slightly brown sugar crystals. The brown color is not due to any additives, but comes from the slight carmelization of the molasses during the evaporating process:

Sugar Cane Products

The sugar is not separated from the molasses stream, which helps it retain most of its essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.  In the traditional refining/cooking process lime juice is added while the cane juice is heating.  It is produced in Barbados (hence the English term “Barbados Sugar”), in Mauritius and the Antique province in the Philippines. Muscovado sugar is available in two formats, Light and Dark:

So why will Muscovado sugar be the next big little thing? Chefs looking for minimally processed ingredients will find its raw and unrefined character appealing. Consumers looking for a healthier alternative in their sweeteners will be drawn to the nutritional advantages Muscovado sugar has over refined white sugar:

Lastly, taste, texture, aroma and other organaleptic qualities add a richness and complexity to a variety of sweet and savory dishes that white sugar simply cannot match.

Here is the link to the CSNews exclusive summary of the webinar I participated in “Trends in Eating and Drinking — High Touch, Some Touch or No Touch, Foodservice Is Key to Future of Convenience Retailing,” back in September.

http://www.csnews.com/csn/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004014330

On the TWELFTH appetizer, my waitress brought to me…
12 Quesadilla, 11 Breaded hot wings, 10 Spicy Nachos, 9 Crispy cheese sticks, 8  Battered mushrooms, 7 Chips with salsa, 6  Mini eggrolls, 5 ONION RINGS! 4 garlic sticks, 3 French fries, 2 cups of soups, and some BREAD TOPPED WITH PARMESAN CHEESE!

Sung to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Original by lebeiW15; adapted, updated and re-arranged by yours truly

We know them as hors d’oeuvres, starters, antipasto, gustus, tapas, maza, mezze, zakuski, and dim sum. Jack Benny once described them as a “ham sandwich cut into 40 pieces.”  Appetizers are the small foods that occupy the left side of the menu and are intended to be served before meals to whet the appetite. For operators appetizers can provide incremental profit. For diners appetizers offer the opportunity to experiment with bold and unique flavor profiles within a social dining experience. 

The recent Technomic Appetizer Consumer Trend Report (March 2009) shed some light on appetizer consumption, purchase and preference drivers in Full Service Restaurants:

• Most consumers think appetizers should be shared (82%) and expect that portions will be large enough to do so (61%).
• 65% of consumers say they will forego appetizers if they are too expensive, up from 57% in 2007.
• Consumers opt for starters that look and sound appetizing (76%), are fresh (69%) and will satisfy their cravings (69%).
• Fried appetizers rock. 81% of consumers sometimes order fried starters – a significantly higher percentage than for any other type of appetizer measured. Among fried appetizers, mozzarella sticks and onion rings were ordered most often, by 78% and 71% of consumers, respectively. (Note: French Fries were ordered 66% of the time)

As the chart below illustrates, a significant percentage of diners would consider ordering an appetizer combo platter, underscoring the importance of variety.

 Which Appetizers Would You Consider Ordering at a Restaurant?

Combined with diners’ predilection for fried foods, the implications are obvious. If you don’t menu a fried food combo appetizer platter, you are committing menu mix suicide. Fine Dining and Raw establishments should proceed at their own risk.

Among the Top 500 US Restaurant Chains (both LSR & FSR), 108 Chains  deleted 243 Appetizer menu items, 146 Chains added 367 Appetizer menu items for a net gain of 124 Appetizer menu items between January and June 2009 (Source: Technomic Trend Tracking Report). Some notable  additions to the menu included:

• Samplers – 21 additions
• Shrimp – 18 additions
• Chicken Strips/Nuggets – 14 additions
• Calamari – 11 addtions

With samplers, bigger was better. The number of 4 items samplers out numbered the 3 items samplers 13 to 8.

For operators thinking about appetizers, look for consumers  to mix and match small plates, choosing to customize a meal out of appetizers rather than an entrée. Ethnic spices, bold flavors and global ingredients can build guests’ interest in the appetizer menu. As the popularity of samplers  bears out, variety is the key to delighting guests with appetizers that offer something for everyone.

Jerry:”The guy who runs the place is a little temperamental, especially about the ordering procedure. He’s secretly referred to as the Soup Nazi.”
Elaine:”Why? What happens if you don’t order right?”
Jerry: “He yells and you don’t get your soup.”
The Jerry Seinfeld Show – Episode 116

In March 2009, Technomic, Inc. conducted an online consumer survey with a nationally representative sample of more than 1,500 American consumers. The goal of the survey was to gauge soup consumption and purchasing behavior. What they found is, like George Constanza in Seinfeld, many consumers were not getting their soup.

 The percentage of consumers ordering soup on all or most of their restaurant dining occasions dropped considerably from 2007 (25%) to 2009 (14%). (Source: The Soup Consumer Trend Report (2009), Technomic, Inc.)   Nearly a third of today’s consumers (32%) rarely order soup at restaurants. 16% of consumers surveyed reported they never order soup at restaurants. Many of the consumers who do not order soup at restaurants cite a lack of appealing options and competition from the retail market  

The top reason for why these consumers do not order soup is that their taste preferences are not being met. Nearly a third (31%) of consumers who forego restaurant soups say they don’t like soups offered at restaurants.

Reasons for not ordering soup at a restaurant – by gender

Source: The Soup Consumer Trend Report (2009), Technomic, Inc

30% of customers said they do not like to order soup at restaurants because they can easily prepare it at home.

Despite consumers’ apparent waning interest in soup, soup remains firmly ensconced on most menus. The Technomic Menu Monitor Trending Report
offers a snapshot of what’s appearing and falling off of menus across the country. In the June/January 2009 edition, 32 concepts removed a soup item off their menus, 28 concepts added a soup to their menus and 10 concepts both added and removed soup items from their menus for a net change of 2 additions. Soups in the Chowder category were the most frequent additions with 10. Those additions were offset by 6 deletions, leaving a net gain of 4, also the largest overall gain in the survey (along with soups in the Cream of Vegetable category).  Soups in the Chili category were the most volatile with 8 menu deletions and 9 menu additions for a net change of plus 1.

So what is an operator to do?  Differentiation is especially important where soup is concerned, since the offering is so widely available at retail stores. Innovation and differentiation in soups can be found across the globe:

	From the Italian for “reboiled” this Tuscan Ribollita can take up to 3 days to make. Based on traditional Minnestrone, on the third day the leftovers are reboiled and served.
	Literally meaning “pepper water”, curry scented Mulligatawny soup is widely associated with Indian culture. It was in fact created by servants for the English Raj who demanded a soup course from a cuisine that had never produced one.
	Tom Ka Gai features the iconic flavors of Thailand: coconut milk, lime juice, galangal, lemon grass, holy basil and chilies.
	A specialty of the Veracruz coast, Caldo de Mariscos (“seafood soup”) is found all over Mexico, where it is commonly sold in markets as a morning-after hangover remedy.
	Popular along the Southern coastal region of Peru, Chupe de Camarones is a seafood variation on the national dish. All chupes contain potatoes in some form.

Looking ahead, despite its recent slump, soup is well-positioned to be promoted as a healthful offering, and is a viable product for operators to use local or seasonal ingredients. Including these types of components in soup creates a stronger “health halo” for the item and increases its appeal among women and younger consumers. Additionally, soup is a good avenue to promote menu differentiation in terms of variety and customization when offering the item as part of a combo meal or a mix-and-match entrée alongside salads, sandwiches or wraps.

[1] Please note that the figures reflect additions and deletions of soup as an appetizer and not as bundled with entrees or other menus such as kids menus and seniors menus.

TUNA – CHUNK LIGHT

The current market for Skipjack raw material has shown increasing softness in the past few weeks. Demand for skipjack finished goods continues to be weak, causing excess inventory positions for the canners. In addition, overall catch of fish in the major fishing grounds has greatly improved. Skipjack raw material is currently trading in Bangkok at around U.S. $1100 per metric ton versus the $1500 per ton which we saw a month ago. There is some speculation by some traders that we may see the raw material pricing continue to slide, possibly as low as $700 to $800 per metric ton. If this scenario comes to pass, it is expected to occur by the middle of October. Historically, this leads the major branded packers to step in to take advantage of the low raw material pricing. This, in turn, would result in a rebound of the raw pricing back to higher levels.
M-C McLane recommends that customers watch this market carefully early in October in order to seize the opportunity for very competitive pricing for canned product, as the window to purchase at seasonally low prices will disappear quickly. The belief is that there is pent up demand globally, and if the branded canners buy as expected when the raw material pricing is at its low, prices for the finished goods are certain to increase from that point.

ASPARAGUS

The availability of fresh asparagus has improved as expected with the winter in Peru coming to a close. Canners are back on track to ramp up production to normal levels from October through January, as the market for fresh asparagus is still well below normal levels.
The asparagus industry in Peru, in general, continues to face serious issues despite the relative low cost of raw material. Their cost of production is at close to a breakeven point. In order to survive, it is a virtual certainty that they will be forced to raise prices for canned product when existing contracts are completed in December.
M-C McLane recommends that customers take advantage of the current low prices for canned asparagus, particularly as consumption increases in the fourth quarter of the year. Pricing of canned asparagus is now below that of all other domestic vegetables.

FRUITS

The canning season for peaches in China came to an abrupt finish at the end of August, despite a glut of available raw material. Canners made a conscious decision to basically pack to firm orders, and not to build unsold inventories which they would have to carry in warehouses in a time of slack demand from both U.S. and European buyers. Most critically affected is foodservice size product. There are still offerings available from the packers for retail merchandise for which future sales are expected.
The pack of canned pears is proceeding nicely due to optimum growing conditions, as well as, an extended packing season. Sales of both retail and foodservice packs have been steady and stocks of pear products seem to be in balance. This pack is expected to continue until January, as fresh raw material is still being held in cold storage.
The pack of fruit cocktail is continuing, and sales are below those of previous years. As peaches are the main ingredient of fruit cocktail, the packing season may be ended prematurely. At this point in time very attractive offers are still available.
M-C McLane strongly recommends that customers cover their requirement on canned peaches from contracts signed at the beginning of the season at levels below those of last year. With prices for canned pears and fruit cocktail also available below the levels of past years, we also advise customers not to hesitate in covering requirements.  As a category, all canned fruit are expected to show higher pricing as the months go by.

MANDARIN ORANGES

Although the next packing season is not expected to begin until the end of November, the early indications are that there will be a reduction in the total available raw material. As there are some carryover stocks being held by canners, no dramatic spikes in pricing for finished goods are expected.
M-C McLane suggests that customers promptly cover all requirements for the balance of 2009.

MUSHROOMS

Canners in China are currently completely sold out of retail sized product. The new canning season is not scheduled to begin until the end of November. Due to the depressed pricing levels which both packers and farmers received from the last pack, cultivated acreage of fresh mushrooms has been reduced by a minimum of 30% versus previous years. It is expected that there will be strong demand for retail product once new pack offers become available. The combination of these two factors will almost certainly result in higher prices for canned product. In anticipation of this, the only canner in India who is exporting to the USA has already announced price increases of approximately 10% on all items.
Foodservice merchandise is less severely affected, as yet, since canners have been holding stocks of brine raw material from which repacking is done. The decreased tonnage from the new crop will ultimately impact the availability of brined raw material as well. The result will be increased pricing for foodservice tins as stocks overseas are depleted.
M-C McLane strongly advises customers to promptly place orders for all requirements for the fourth quarter of this year from spot inventories which are accessible in warehouses in the U.S. at the present time.

OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL

The new harvest in countries throughout Europe is expected to commence at the end of October. Growing conditions have been favorable up to this point. In addition, canners are still holding a reasonable amount of unsold stocks in inventory. It is anticipated that the price per ton paid to the farmer will approximate last year’s level. However, the U.S. Dollar has depreciated sharply in value over the past month. As the producing countries base their sales prices on the Euro, the landed costs to customers in the USA will be noticeably higher.
M-C McLane suggests that customers take a long position on their requirements for both table olives and olive oil. There are no immediate encouraging signs that the dollar will regain any strength, at least in the short term.

PINEAPPLE

The summer pack in Thailand ended in July, with the coming winter crop expected to begin in mid-November. The rainfall which occurred between the two canning seasons has helped to improve expected yields in the pineapple fields. This should result in a reasonable quantity of available raw material. The canning industry remains cautious, however, due to a number of factors which could adversely affect the total tonnage canned. First is the prediction of an El Nino effect from September to November which would cause drier than average climate conditions across the fields in southern Thailand. Secondly, the high world price of sugar due to short production, particularly in India, could impact the cultivation of pineapple which may be converted into sugar cane, as farmers would likely see a better return on their investments. Additionally, the exchange rate of the Thai Baht versus the U.S. dollar has been very strong, and is expected to continue indefinitely.
M-C McLane continues to advise buyers to cover all requirements promptly from spot stocks through the end of the year. Nothing from the next production cycle will arrive in the United States until January 2010 at the earliest. Canners in Thailand still have existing commitments from the summer crop yet to fulfill. Based on all available information, it seems apparent that new pack pricing for finished goods will continue to increase.

CANNED MACKEREL

The fishing season in Chile was closed on September 10th and the next season will not open until January of 2010. The summer did bring an unexpected uptick in the total catch of fresh mackerel, allowing the canners to stockpile some inventory to see them through until the next canning season. Although it is unknown whether the carryover supplies will ultimately be sufficient to fulfill global demand until next year, the canners in South America have thus far maintained price levels comparable to those for product of Asia. Given the choice, most consumers prefer the quality of fish typically packed in Chile.
M-C McLane recommends that customers cover their expected requirements at the attractive price levels now available for Chilean mackerel.

Yours truly is the featured writer at FohBoh today. Be sure to check it out.

CHD Expert Studie: Arrangements für Oldtimer-Clubs werden immer wichtiger

Hamburg, 29. September 2009
Was gibt es Schöneres als einen Concours d’Elegance? Ausstellung und Ausfahrten mit Classic Cars gehören zu jeher zu den schönsten Momenten der anspruchsvollen Hotellerie. Neben der Villa d’Este am Comer See gehört auch das Schlosshotel Bensberg bei Köln zu den Toplocations für Treffen außergewöhnlicher „Vintage Cars“. 53 Prozent der Hotels haben ein wirtschaftliches Interesse an Mobilistentreffen. Dies geht aus einer aktuellen Untersuchung des Außer-Haus-Marktforschungsinstitutes CHD Expert Deutschland hervor.

„Classic Driver und passionierte Biker gehören gerade bei den größeren Hotelbetrieben mit anspruchsvoller Gastronomie zur Kernzielgruppe“, analysiert Thilo Lambracht. Der Außer-Haus-Markt-Experte von CHD Expert beobachtet seit Jahren einen steten Anstieg an Wochenendausfahrten und Oldtimer-Treffen. „Bestandteil des Programms sind stets gemeinsame Essen oder ein Ausklang in gemütlicher Runde in der gehobenen Gastronomie“, so Lambracht. In dieser Zielgruppe gibt es noch erhebliches Potenzial: „Unsere Analyse hat gezeigt, dass nur rund 13 Prozent der Hoteliers und Gastronomie aktiv Werbung für Mobilistentreffs unternehmen.“

Für Gruppen wie Oldtimerfans werden in zahlreichen Gastbetrieben Sonderkonditionen eingeräumt. Über 42 Prozent der Gastronomen und Hoteliers sind zu Zugeständnissen bei den F&B-Preisen und Zimmerraten bereit. Dagegen setzt nur rund ein Viertel (25%) der Profi-Gastgeber auf zeitlich begrenzte Pauschalrabatte (z.B. -10% bis Ende Oktober). Marketinginstrumente wie Zugaben (z.B. Verzehrgutscheine oder „2 für 1“-Angebote) werden nur von knapp 19 Prozent der Anbieter durchgeführt.

Über CHD Expert (Deutschland) GmbH: Die Geschäftsbereiche reichen von Marktforschung über Direktmarketing bis zu Data Management. Die Firmenphilosophie steht unter der Überschrift „Wissen und machen!“. Das Unternehmen wurde 1997 als Marktplatz Hotel GmbH gegründet und ist heute als CHD Expert (Deutschland) GmbH international tätig mit Partnern in allen wirtschaftlich bedeutenden Ländern Europas sowie USA, Kanada und Asien. CHD Expert gehört zu den Preferred Partners des Hotelverbandes Deutschland (IHA). Der Kundenkreis umfasst namhafte Unternehmen u.a. aus den Bereichen Food & Beverages, Ausstattung und Medien.

CHD Expert Studie: Arrangements für Oldtimer-Clubs werden immer wichtiger

Hamburg, 29. September 2009
Was gibt es Schöneres als einen Concours d’Elegance? Ausstellung und Ausfahrten mit Classic Cars gehören zu jeher zu den schönsten Momenten der anspruchsvollen Hotellerie. Neben der Villa d’Este am Comer See gehört auch das Schlosshotel Bensberg bei Köln zu den Toplocations für Treffen außergewöhnlicher „Vintage Cars“. 53 Prozent der Hotels haben ein wirtschaftliches Interesse an Mobilistentreffen. Dies geht aus einer aktuellen Untersuchung des Außer-Haus-Marktforschungsinstitutes CHD Expert Deutschland hervor.

Classic-Car-Rallyes und Motorradfahrer-Treffen sind für die Hälfte der Hoteliers und Gastronomen sehr interessant.

„Classic Driver und passionierte Biker gehören gerade bei den größeren Hotelbetrieben mit anspruchsvoller Gastronomie zur Kernzielgruppe“, analysiert Thilo Lambracht. Der Außer-Haus-Markt-Experte von CHD Expert beobachtet seit Jahren einen steten Anstieg an Wochenendausfahrten und Oldtimer-Treffen. „Bestandteil des Programms sind stets gemeinsame Essen oder ein Ausklang in gemütlicher Runde in der gehobenen Gastronomie“, so Lambracht. In dieser Zielgruppe gibt es noch erhebliches Potenzial: „Unsere Analyse hat gezeigt, dass nur rund 13 Prozent der Hoteliers und Gastronomie aktiv Werbung für Mobilistentreffs unternehmen.“

Für Gruppen wie Oldtimerfans werden in zahlreichen Gastbetrieben Sonderkonditionen eingeräumt. Über 42 Prozent der Gastronomen und Hoteliers sind zu Zugeständnissen bei den F&B-Preisen und Zimmerraten bereit. Dagegen setzt nur rund ein Viertel (25%) der Profi-Gastgeber auf zeitlich begrenzte Pauschalrabatte (z.B. -10% bis Ende Oktober). Marketinginstrumente wie Zugaben (z.B. Verzehrgutscheine oder „2 für 1“-Angebote) werden nur von knapp 19 Prozent der Anbieter durchgeführt.

Über CHD Expert (Deutschland) GmbH: Die Geschäftsbereiche reichen von Marktforschung über Direktmarketing bis zu Data Management. Die Firmenphilosophie steht unter der Überschrift „Wissen und machen!“. Das Unternehmen wurde 1997 als Marktplatz Hotel GmbH gegründet und ist heute als CHD Expert (Deutschland) GmbH international tätig mit Partnern in allen wirtschaftlich bedeutenden Ländern Europas sowie USA, Kanada und Asien. CHD Expert gehört zu den Preferred Partners des Hotelverbandes Deutschland (IHA). Der Kundenkreis umfasst namhafte Unternehmen u.a. aus den Bereichen Food & Beverages, Ausstattung und Medien.

I recently had the pleasure of appearing as a guest on the Finesse Cuisine Hour with Jon Wool located at BlogTalk Radio on your Internet Radio dial. Finesse Cuisine is rated Chicagoland’s finest and most inventive catering company. Jon Wool and weekly guest talk about entrepreneurship, arts,entertainment, food and wine. Just click on the player below to listen in as we talk about food trends and happenings in the foodservice industry.

Foodservice, like physics, seems to have its own immutable laws and principles that govern the behavior of entities and individuals with the foodservice universe. For example, just as Newton’s Third Law of Motion exemplified that for every action in the physical universe there is an equal and opposite reaction, the Third Law of Menu’s states that for every portion sizing action there is an equal and opposite portion sizing reaction. In a foodservice environment emphasizing value, customer concerns about obesity and an aging population, many operators and chains instituted a variety of smaller portion menu options: “Right Price, Right Portion” menus, minis, sliders, flights, small plates, etc. However, some operators, acting under the Third Law of Menus, reacted in an equal and opposite manner:

 “Panormous” Pizza from Pizza Hut: “Pizza so big it should have its own zip code.”

 “Bigs” from Potbelly: “All the deliciousness of your favorite Potbelly Original with the added bonus of being 33% bigger.”

 “Quad Stack Burger” from Hungry Jack’s (AU) – “four beef patties, four slices of cheese, two rashers of bacon, barbecue sauce and two sugared buns”

The influences of the Third Law of Menu’s can also be felt elsewhere. One need only watch “Man vs. Food” (www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Man_v_Food) hosted by Adam Richman on the Travel Channel to see the effects. For those unfamiliar with the show, every week the host takes on gastronomic challenges to see which will prevail, man or food in a battle of unbridled consumption. Recent challenges included 72 oz steaks, 7.5 lb hamburgers and 7 lb breakfast burritos. Keep in mind these, these are fixtures on the menu , not menu items created especially for the show. Cartoonist B. Kliban once wrote. “Never eat anything bigger than your head.” Clearly Mr. Richman was never a Kliban fan. Additionally websites such as http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/ and www.supersizedmeals.com function as foodservice freak-shows, documenting examples of epicurean excess found in restaurants around the world.

So good things may come in small packages, but when it comes to portion sizes, remember: Actioni contrariam semper et æqualem esse reactionem

Let me be the first to say that, despite consumers’ healthy diet protests to the contrary, the death of fried foods is greatly exaggerated. One need only look to any annual State Fair to comprehend the power that deep fried food has over us. Though any state fair offers a plethora of deep fried delicacies, the State Fair of Texas (aka the “Fried Food Capital of Texas” – their words, not mine) may well be the Shangri-La of all that is deep fried. Below is just a sampling of the fried foods available at the fair:

• Fried Banana Split
• Chicken Fried Bacon
• Fernie’s All-American Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Texas Fried Jelly Belly Beans
• Deep Fried S’mores
• Fried Pop Rocks Fundae Blast
• Fried Cake on a Stick
• Green Bean Fries (have to have a healthy option)
• Ignited Moon (yes, it’s a deep fried Moon Pie)

(For a complete listing please be sure to visit 2008 Big Tex Choice Awards. Really. It has to be seen to be believed. )

In fact, if you parse through the Texas State Fair’s food offerings, the word “fried” appears 40 times as an menu descriptor. As one operator interviewed related when asked if he thought his customers viewed fried food as an indulgence: “An indulgence? It’s a necessity!”

Nor are state fairs the only locale that people enjoy fried foods. In the recently completed “Future of Fried Foods: Consumer Trend Report” by Technomic, Inc. it was estimated that over 66 billion portions of fried foods were served by commercial and non-commercial operators in 2008:

Other fried food facts of note that emerged in the course of Technomic’s research included:

• McDonald’s sells approximately 4.8 billion Chicken McNuggets annually. McDonald’s also sells in excess of 65 million pounds of Chicken Selects.
• College and University students consume more than 128 million servings of French Fries
• Fas Mart sold 2 million pounds of fried chicken out of 60 convenience stores.
• Wendy’s sells about 560 million pounds of French fries annually.

Additionally, there is nothing to indicate that the fried food express is going to derail anytime soon. Technomic’s Menu Monitor reveals incidences of menu items containing descriptors such as beer battered, fried, southern fried, breaded, milanese and/or tempura (note: items such as “fried rice”, “refried beans”, etc. were excluded from the analysis.) increased 1.4% from the 6 month period ending December 2008 to the 6 month period ending June of 2009.

Clearly, when it comes to healthy eating, people say one thing and eat another. So fire up the family car, head for the local State Fair and indulge in all that is salty, crunchy and, most importantly, fried.

Old enough to remember when there were only 3 television channels to choose from? Today the average household has access to 104 channels. Do your recall as a child being overwhelmed having to choose from amongst the 31 flavors offered by Baskin Robbins? Today, foodservice operators offer customers a staggering array of choices with every dining occasion:

• Buffalo Wild Wings – 14 varieties of wing sauce
• Dunkin Donuts – 52 varieties of donuts
• Chipotle – 65,000+ taco, burrito, and bowl combinations
• Starbucks – 87,000+ drink combinations
• Sonic – 165,000+ drink combinations
• Subway – 2,000,000 sandwich combinations

Think about it. You could conceivably consume a different Subway sandwich every day for 5,479 years and theoretically not repeat yourself. Is it me, or is this literally too much of a good thing?

Barry Schwartz, professor of psychology at Swarthmore College and author of “The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less” (Harper Collins, 2005) said “Variety creates torture”. Why? People fear of making the wrong choice. The result is people make too many selections to overcome that fear. Two studies, published in 1999 and 2003 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that when people were exposed to more dietary variety and restaurants (where there is more variety by definition) over six months, overall calorie intake and body fatness increased.

Foodservice operators often fear damage to brand equity through heavy discounting. Similarly, does too much variety result in self inflicted wounds to ones brand? In one psychology experiment, researchers asked subjects to compare chocolate chip cookies from a jar of 10 cookies and a jar of two cookies. A cookie from the smaller jar rated higher than the cookie from the larger jar. And the cookie wasn’t just better. It was rated more valuable, more desirable to eat in the future, and more attractive as a consumer item, despite the fact the cookies were identical. More choice made the subjects feel that their sample was less desirable.

Maybe there is a reason that vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream: paralysis by analysis.