Atlantic Restaurant News - February 2014

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estaurant News R February 2014 Vol. 16 No. 1

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LION & BRIGHT PULLS INTO HALIFAX

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BILL PRATT BUSSES FOODSERVICE

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Renée Lavallée

DARTMOUTH, NS—Dartmouth’s Feisty Chef has taken over the space above the Two If By Sea Café (TIBS) on Ochterloney Street with plans to open The Canteen in March.

From the mezzanine overlooking the downstairs café, Renée Lavallée will be serving up sandwiches, soups, salad and food-to-go. She will also host cooking classes, private dinners and a monthly, five-course family dinner run in conjunction with TIBS co-owners Tara MacDonald and Zane Kelsall and their staff.

Lavallée has been working with the duo for three years, often using the upstairs space, since her last kitchen line position as executive chef at Five Fishermen.

“This is a natural progression, the next step, because TIBS only sells pastries and coffee and that’s it; they don’t want to do anything else,” Lavallée told ARN, adding there is a demand in the neighbourhood for quality, good-value food.

“The great thing about this space is I’ll have 20 seats upstairs and Two If

By Sea has about 40 or 50 seats,” said Lavellée. “We’re going to be using the two areas as one common area, which is great.” She noted the arrangement

will be beneficial to both parties, as they each will attract new potential clientele.

Lavallée brought Jessica Best, the former baker for Raymonds Restaurant in St. John’s, on board to make breads and bagels in house.

With an average check of about $13, The Canteen will offer a rotating selection of five sandwiches, such as jerk pork with mango chutney and a crunchy slaw; two soups, such as a roasted eggplant and chickpea with harissa in the summer; and a hot lunch of the day, such as spaghetti and meatballs or Thai green curry chicken.

Open from 10:30 a.m. until 7 p.m., people can come every night and grab a hot meal to go home, said Lavallée.

She will plan the menu depending on seasonality and what she can get from local producers. Not committing to one type of food, Lavallée said she would feature a mix of cuisines, including Middle Eastern, Asian and Italian.

After 20 years in the industry, Lavallée said her cooking style is simple: she doesn’t want people to have to overthink the dishes, and finds herself cooking what she would

make for her family at home.

While customers are free to roam between the two establishments, the concepts will look distinct, said Lavallée. Downstairs, TIBS has a clean look with white walls and wooden tables and chairs.

Construction on The Canteen started in January, and the 700-square-foot space will feature a 300-square-foot, completely open kitchen built on castors to make it easy to move for cooking class. Along the back wall of the building, the kitchen and a wood-framed chalkboard menu will be visible from downstairs.

Lavallée plans to use punches of colour, such as turquoise chairs, red pendant lights and local artwork.

On the walls, planters will be filled with edible herbs and sprouts to use throughout the year.

Last summer, Lavallée opened The Shack Oyster Bar with a partner at Queen’s Wharf. She will continue running the eatery for at least two more summers and make The Shack’s food at The Canteen, sending it across the harbour by ferry.

66 Ochterloney St., Dartmouth, NS. @TheCanteenNS.

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Lion & Bright Café Wine Bar pulls into Halifax

By Jonathan Zettel, assistant editor HALIFAX—The Lion & Bright Café Wine Bar opened in Halifax’s North End in January as an extension to the Local Source Market.

The 2,000-square-foot space—which features high ceilings and exposed brick—will be a café during the day and transform into a wine bar at night.

“The space is big and open so people can come in and casually hang out and share a big table with neighbours or set up a laptop and do business,” Local Source’s owner Sean Gallagher told ARN, adding a café wine bar is a natural expansion of the Local Source Market.

Named after the traditional name for a team of oxen, Lion & Bright has a barista-run

Bill Pratt and the Gecko Bus.

café that serves North Mountain Coffee from Berwick, NS, along with butter pastries made on site. The menu will also include a rotation of nearly 70 internationally inspired savoury pies, grilled cheese sandwiches, soups, salads, cheese boards and roasts.

According to Gallagher, everything on the food menu, except for some cheese from Quebec and New Brunswick, comes from Nova Scotia.

The wine menu includes a list of old world wines from Italy, Spain and France as well as Californian cabernets and Argentinean malbecs. Along with the wine menu, Lion & Bright also offers an extensive list of local craft beer. The all-Nova Scotian tap list features Kitchen Party Ale and Cereal Killer by Cape

Breton brewery Big Spruce and includes selections from Boxing Rock, Bridge Brew and Hell Bay breweries.

Lion & Bright has a lounge licence and a space for live entertainment. Gallagher said he is looking to start live entertainment nights and a five-course meal for a foodservice industry night once a month.

Lion & Bright does not currently serve brunch, although plans for a Sunday pancake breakfast are in the works. Since the opening, business at the café and wine bar has been steadily increasing, Gallagher said.

eyes, mounted skylights, scaly appendages and a 14-foot tail looping up and over the bus.

“The inside had to be cooler than the outside. It’s an experience to come on the bus,” Pratt told ARN, noting the interior décor includes an Aztec-style sun, lizard prints and LED lighting. Inside, the seats have been removed to make room for waiting customers and a production station is in the back portion.

Pratt opened Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers + Poutinerie on Pleasant Street in Dartmouth in February 2012 and Habaneros Modern Taco Bar next door a few months later. Last year, he opened a 120-seat combined Cheese Curds and Habaneros location at 600 Windmill Rd. With an average check of less than $10, the Habaneros Modern Taco Bar Gecko Bus will offer Mexican fusion.

“It’s an extension of Habaneros, but we’re serving not the full menu. We’re serving burritos and burrito bowl salads and tacos,” Pratt said. With the cooking being done in the Burnside location production kitchen—where vegetables are pickled and meat is braised and shredded—warm items will be held on steam tables and assembled to order. Specials might include Indian butter chicken, Singapore noodles with vegetables or Korean beef bulgogi burrito bowl salads.

“We’re not authentic Mexican, nor are we trying to be. We’re more fusion, and it’s not your typical burrito,” said Pratt.

With a heated interior and air conditioning for summer months, the food bus has the potential to operate year-round. “If there’s a downpour outside, you can come on the bus and order your meal,” said Pratt.

Pratt hopes to find five steady locations (perhaps in industrial areas, near Halifax Stanfield International Airport or at a post-secondary institution) to park the Gecko Bus Monday through Friday, leaving the weekends free to bring it to tournaments and events.

Pratt is also in the process of getting franchising of his concepts up and running, with the goal of launching this fall.

He said he has hired a law firm and chartered accountant, is working with the Business Development Bank of Canada and is getting the proper procedures and programs in place to ensure viability.

Rolling out a taco bar DARTMOUTH, NS—Restaurateur Bill Pratt is taking his modern taco bar to the streets this month in what he has dubbed the Gecko Bus. The retired navy chef challenged staff to come up with “the freakiest food truck in Canada.”

The result: a 45-foot converted school bus transformed to look like a gecko, with glowing

2530-2534 Agricola Street, Halifax.

(905) 454-6014, www.facebook.com/lionandbright, @lionandbright.

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RestaurantNews Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 jzettel@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor, Digital Content Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianrestaurantnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianrestaurantnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco ext. 0 sgiammarco@canadianrestaurantnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianrestaurantnews.com How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

Child’s play

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n a cry heard around the world, a recent clash between a four top with a baby and the privileged patrons at a high profile restaurant in Chicago opened the babygates for operators to chime in with their takes on the uneasy mix of children and fine dining.

It’s the balancing act played out by front of house staff across the country: at what point does a cranky child become downright disruptive to other patrons? In a case such as the aforementioned Alinea, where seats are sold in advance at hundreds of dollars a pop, guests have high expectations of ambience and service, both of which can balance on a hair.

Although some operators have tried an outright baby ban, which is often met with a hue and cry on social media, most operators prefer not to take a public stand against infants. After all, a Brampton restaurateur found himself faced with a potential lawsuit last year after denying guests entry with a stroller to his small restaurant because of space restrictions. Many restaurants may choose to be more oblique with their policies and make it clear through lack of child seating, menus, etc. where their affiliations lie.

At the same time, we’re seeing more concepts springing up that cater to children and the people who love them. Within the past few years, kid-friendly cafés are becoming more common, keeping adults caffeinated while offering children milk drinks, arts and craft areas and yoga.

Family-based chains are stretching beyond the kid’s menu and are serving up free child care with meals, such as an Olive Garden in Orlando teaming up with a neighbouring child activity centre for a promotion for parents to enjoy childfree dining. Paradiso, a restaurant in Washington, even offers a private dining room where tots are served by their own attendant while watching movies and colouring.

By segregating children from the rest of the restaurant, however, are the needs of the parents being served or are operators merely banishing them out of sight, like smokers in the glass enclosed rooms of the past decade? Considering that some families already feel that casual dining is the only resort for eating out, such programs may just exacerbate the divide between parents and childless patrons.

In the end, the definition of disruption may

Bi t s Extreme weather takes toll on sales Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

Volume 16 Number 1 Atlantic Restaurant News is published 6 times per year by Ishcom Publications Ltd. which also publishes: Ontario Restaurant News, Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Canadian Chains Directory 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada 1 800 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada & USA: $24.95/ year or $39.95/two years Single copy: $5.95 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1702-3483 GST number R102533890

vary by establishment: to some restaurateurs, a small child may be no noisier than a table full of inebriated patrons, a loud cellphone conversation, or flash photography shoots at a dining table. Much of the press surrounding the baby controversy has boiled down to the need for a restaurant to have clear-cut policies regarding disruption of any kind, including children, and being consistent, but not inflexible, in its enforcement. Other public spaces, such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, have no qualms about plainly stating that all babies are forbidden from entering its hallowed halls to ensure peaceful performances.

Banning children outright from a restaurant space may spare other diners from noise during their meal, but cuts down on the amount of exposure that tomorrow’s diners may get to the restaurant experience. And to be sure, parents, more so than publicans, are responsible for policing the behaviour of a child in a fine dining setting; a reminder enforced by one Atlanta restaurant who posted signage asking parents with disruptive children to take them outside out of respect to other patrons.

After all, in a shared space such as a restaurant, certain courtesies governing behaviour still hold true, whether the patron is eight months or 80 years old.

Leslie Wu Editorial director

Comm e n t

www.atlanticrestaurantnews.com Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com

AT L A N T I C R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

TORONTO—More than 60 per cent of operators noted bad weather in December hurt business and more than one-third of restaurateurs saw lower sales in the last quarter on 2013 compared to previous years, according to the latest Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s Outlook Survey.

According to the survey, which tracks business conditions for nearly 5,400 establishments nationwide, a quarter of foodservice operators expect sales growth to cool over the next six months and 44 per cent indicated they would have to raise prices during the first half of 2014 to cope with rising costs and business challenges.

Bad weather was cited as the fourth largest issue having a negative impact on restaurant industry, with labour costs, food cost and weak economy topping the list.

Sysco, US Foods antitrust battle brews over proposed acquisition WASHINGTON—Rising costs for the foodservice industry will likely be the focus of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) overseeing the antitrust battle over the deal that would see food giant Sysco Corp. buy US Foods, Reuters reports.

The $3.5-billion deal—announced in early December—would bolster Sysco’s position as North America’s largest food distributor and add brands including Cattleman’s Meats Co. and Devonshire Desserts Ltd. to the company’s U.S. portfolio. According to Reuters, national buying groups who purchase food for hospitals, restaurants and hotels will no longer be able to leverage low costs between the two groups if the deal goes through.

If the merger will drive up costs or damage competition, the FTC could try to stop the deal or require assets to be sold off.

“Sysco operates in a highly competitive and fragmented space,” the company said in a statement defending the deal.

“The proposed merger will allow us to take meaningful cost out of the system and thereby

a nd

make Sysco more competitive.”

According to Technomic, Sysco reported US$39 billion in revenues in 2012 while US Foods generated $21 billion.

A company spokesperson told ARN in December the proposed deal would have no effect on Canadian operations.

Ottawa gives $2.65M to help processors go global TORONTO—The federal government has invested up to $2.65 million to the Canadian Food Exporters Association (CFEA) to help food and beverage processors compete on the global stage.

The CFEA will use the funds to attend international trade shows around the world to promote Canada’s food and beverage products and create new international contacts.

CFEA president Susan Powell says the organization is appreciative of the investment.

“We [will] leverage this support to provide export programs for Canadian small to midsized food, beverage and ingredient manufacturers to make them more competitive internationally,” Powell said in a release.

According to the department of agriculture, the food and beverage processing industry employs nearly 300,000 Canadians and exported $24.6 billion worth of goods in 2012.

The grant was made through the government’s AgriMarketing Program, a five-year, $341-million initiative.

New CFO for High Liner LUNENBURG, NS—High Liner Foods announced on Jan. 28 that Paul Jewer will replace Kelly Nelson as chief financial officer. Nelson will be retiring following the company’s annual general meeting in May and will work with Jewer, who was most recently CFO with Sobeys Inc., until then to ensure a smooth transition.

“The company was fortunate to have benefitted from Kelly’s financial expertise and dedication, which have contributed greatly to its growth and success,” David Hennnigar, High Liner board of directors chair, said in a release.

Bit e s

Jewer is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and began his career with Ernst & Young LLP. Prior to joining Sobeys in 2003, he worked his way up in finance positions in the technology sector.

Second Cup gets new CEO MISSISSAUGA, ON— The Second Cup announced the appointment of Alix Box as the company’s president and chief executive officer. Box will also serve on the board of directors effective Feb. 24.

For the past six years Box has been an executive with Holt Renfrew and prior to that she served for 10 years as vice-president of operations, company and licensed stores at Starbucks Coffee Company. During her time with Starbucks, Box oversaw 675 Canadian stores.

Box will replace Stacey Mowbray, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Mowbray, a former chief marketing officer at Molson Canada and senior vicepresident of marketing and branding at Cara, has been with Second Cup since March 2008, when she was hired to replace then president Bruce Elliot. She took over the chief executive officer spot when Gabe Tsampalieros, CEO and owner, died in March 2009.

Second Cup was founded in 1975 and has more than 350 locations across Canada.

Trace amounts of pesticide on organic produce OTTAWA—According to a CBC News analysis of data supplied by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), 45.8 per cent of samples of organic fresh fruits and vegetables contained some trace of pesticides.

The samples were taken between September 2011 and September 2013. Reported by the CBC on Jan. 9, a smaller amount (1.8 per cent) violated Canada’s maximum allowable limit for the presence of pesticides. The CFIA told CBC News none of the test results pose a health risk and none of the food was prevented from being sold as organic.

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Tre nd

WaTch

What’s cooking in 2014 Five predictions from Baum + Whiteman BROOKLYN, NY—Baum + Whiteman has been an international food and restaurant consultant firm since 1970. They have created a list of trends to watch for in 2014, with the common themes of locally-sourced, artisan and house-made offerings continuing in popularity with operators.

1. Restaurants in retail stores. Look for the return of restaurants to popular retail outlets. The idea driving the trend is to keep customers on the premise longer so that they buy more.

2. Upscale chicken. No longer will chicken be seen as a humble food. Chefs will use it to produce upscale poultry-focused entrees, such as combining it with chanterelle

mushrooms, figs, and foie gras.

3. Introducing the food hall. Say goodbye to cookie-cutter food courts and say hello to upscale food halls offering artisanal food produced by local restaurants.

4. Bubbling beverages. Restaurants looking to make a splash in 2014 can serve up house-made sodas, pressed juices and sour tasting beer. Bartenders are also revisiting vermouth-based cocktails.

5. Buzzwords. Fluke will be the fish of the year, followed by trout. Octopus will also be popular. Kale will remain a popular vegetable, although watch for cauliflower.

More restaurants are introducing housemade fruit vinegars and gin will be 2014’s liquor of choice.

IBISWorld report: QSRs outperform FSRs in Canada LOS ANGELES—Although full service restaurants have been recovering from the recession with slow and consistent growth, industry growth has been subdued because people want more for their money, according to an IBISWorld report on Canadian restaurants. “Quick service restaurants have outperformed full service

restaurants due to their more affordable prices and superior product development,” IBISWorld industry analyst Andy Brennan said in a release.

According to the report, rising food costs, which are cutting into bottom line margins, have also put pressure on restaurant operators. Industry revenue is expected to advance half a percentage point per year over the next five years, performing marginally better as the Canadian economy continues to improve.

“Consumer spending is likely to grow at a much faster rate over the next five years, driven by lower unemployment and disposable income growth,” Brennan said.

AT L A N T I C R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

NPD predicts 2014 success in quick service burgers, snacks TORONTO—Canadians spent more at restaurants this past year than in 2012—a three per cent increase surpassing $49 billion in sales—despite consumer traffic remaining flat, according to the NPD Group.

At the end of 2013, the NPD Group reviewed what Canadians have been eating for the last year and where those meals have been coming from. Recent studies from NPD looked at dining habits compared to previous years and what those trends likely mean for the foodservice industry in 2014.

The number of restaurants across the country also increased, adding another 1,000 units to the foodservice landscape, with well-known chains outpacing smaller independent establishments.

“Independent operators that are not prepared to steal share from their more popular counterparts will fold under the pressure of a highly competitive marketplace,” Robert Carter, executive director of foodservice at the NPD Group, said in a release. “The fight for dollars was very aggressive [last] year and, out of necessity, the same competitive attitude is expected to uphold through 2014.”

Operators who increased sales by more than three per cent in 2013 grew at a faster rate than the overall market.

The NPD Group predicts that it will be challenging to convince Canadians to dine out more often. Despite flat traffic, NPD expects customer traffic to grow for some segments of the restaurant industry.

According to the research firm, Canadians are still motivated by the menu innovation at burger operations, so this quick service segment is expected to continue doing well. In the past five years, players in this category have successfully expanded menus beyond core burger offerings, with key growth (nine per cent since 2008) taking place during the end-of-day snacking period. In addition, snacking increased steadily during the same timeframe and has attracted more consumers to quick service coffee stores.

“The snacking trend shows no sign of slowing down and while this is promising for quick service restaurants, it’s taking its toll on the full service sector,” said Carter. “Visitation for this group has been on the decline for the past several years and much of this is due to Canadians’ increased need for food on the go.”

According to NPD research, traffic in the full-service segment is down 89 million visits per year from 2008, and the per-capita use of these restaurants has decreased from 55 visits per year in 2008 to 48 visits in 2013. Though limited overall market growth is anticipated in 2014, spending is still expected to increase in the full-service segment.

“The battle for share in the full service segment led to a series of brand and chain consolidations in 2013,” said Carter. “Given the continuing struggle for growth in this segment, I would expect more consolidations in 2014.”

National Restaurant Association tracks the trends WASHINGTON—The National Restaurant Association asked professional chefs and members of the American Culinary Federation, about trends that will be found on restaurant menus this year.

Modifiers like locally-sourced, environmentally sustainable, gluten-free and organic will continue to see success in 2014.

New trends to hit the market include quinoa noodles, ethnic-inspired breakfasts and hybrid desserts like the cronut, townie and ice cream cupcake.

Also look for Peruvian cuisine to make waves and for chefs to find ways to cook noseto-tail and root-to-stalk recipes to reduce food waste.

Top 10 food trends 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Locally sourced meats and seafood.

Locally grown produce.

Environmental sustainability.

Healthy kids’ meals.

Gluten-free cuisine.

Hyper-local sourcing.

7. Children’s nutrition.

8. Non-wheat noodles (e.g. rice, buckwheat, quinoa).

9. Sustainable seafood.

10. Farm/estate branded items.

Top 10 alcohol trends 1.

2.

3.

4.

Micro-distilled/artisan spirits.

Locally produced beer/wine/spirits.

Onsite barrel-aged drinks.

Culinary cocktails (e.g. savoury, fresh ingredients).

5. Regional signature cocktails.

6. “New make” (unaged) whiskey.

7. Gluten-free beer.

8. Edible cocktails.

9. Food-liquor/ cocktail pairings.

10. Food-beer pairings.

cOMInG eVenTS Feb. 26- 28: Hospitality NL Annual Conference and Tradeshow, Gander Community Centre and Hotel Gander, Gander, NL. www.hnl.ca Mar. 2-4: Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association Show. Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. www.crfa.ca.

Mar. 16-18: International Boston Seafood Show, Boston, MA. www.seafoodexpo.com.

Mar. 24-27: International Pizza Expo, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. www.pizzaexpo.com.

Apr. 2-4: SIAL Canada Show, Palais des Con-

gres of Montreal, Monteal. www.sialcanada.com.

Apr. 7-9: Online Revealed Conference, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites, Toronto. www.onlinerevealed.com.

Apr. 13-14: ApEx Tradeshow, Exhibition Park, Halifax. www.apextradeshow.ca

Apr. 24-27: Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals 2014 National Conference, Delta Ottawa City Centre, Ottawa. www.cafp.com May 6-7: Canadian Restaurant Investment Conference, Eaton Chelsea Toronto Hotel, Toronto, ON. www.restaurantinvest.ca

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NL mussel plant first to get BAP certification PLEASANTVIEW, NL—A Norlantic Processors Ltd.’s mussel processing plant has become the first facility of its kind to receive a Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certificate.

The plant—located in Pleasantview, NL, on Notre Dame Bay—attained the certification after an 18-month process with Global Aquaculture Alliance, the independent third-party trade association that oversees the certification.

“Achieving mussel BAP for our plant further demonstrates our continued commitment to produce the best mussels in the world,” Terry Mills, Norlantic Processors

president, told ARN in an email. “Traceability, responsible farm practices, environmental and social responsibility—as well as being a responsible corporate model—is our ambition.”

Mussel processing plants became eligible for BAP certification in August. Norlantic is also seeking certification for its three mussel farms that span 728 hectares. In October, Atlantic Aqua Farms Partnership in Prince Edward Island became the first mussel farm to attain BAP certification.

Along with the initial cost, an annual fee for the BAP certificate is, according to Mills, “very expensive.” Norlantic has received

funding from provincial and federal governments, and the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA).

Norlantic is planning marketing and promotional campaigns to inform wholesalers and suppliers of the certification.

Miranda Pryor, executive director of NAIA said the certification reaffirms the industry’s commitment to supply mussels to the North American market.

“Our mussel farmers and processors are global leaders in sustainable farming,” Pryor said in a statement.

Norlantic processes more than 450,000 kilograms of blue mussels annually.

McDonald’s will buy sustainable beef in 2016 OAK BROOK, IL—On Jan. 7, McDonald’s announced it would purchase what the company is calling “verified sustainable beef ” in 2016. Bob Langert, McDonald’s vice-president of global sustainability told GreenBiz.com that the company was not yet ready to commit to a specific amount the company would buy in 2016 or when it might achieve the goal of purchasing 100 per cent of its beef from “verified sustainable sources.”

A statement on the company’s website read: “This sounds simple, but it’s actually a big challenge because there hasn’t been a universal definition of sustainable beef.” Some aspects of beef production can be positive for the planet, such as well-managed pasturelands which support biodiversity. However, McDonald’s stated it recognizes the negative impacts of certain practices, such as overgrazing, are factors.

McDonald’s has been working with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) since 2010 to identify best practices and guidelines for sourcing sustainable beef, according to the company’s website.

“McDonald’s has a real opportunity to be a leader by driving more sustainable beef production, which can only be done in partnership with the beef industry and its stakeholders. The process is challenging, to be sure, but can transform both McDonald’s supply chain and the broader industry into a force for conserving some of the world’s most ecologically important regions,” David McLaughlin, vice-president of agriculture, WWF U.S., said in a statement.

McDonald’s plans to work with stakeholders and third-party organizations—including the WWF and Cargill—to draft principles and best practices for sustainable beef. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA)—the voice of Canada’s 68,500 beef farms and feedlots—is a member of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) along with McDonald’s.

Fawn Jackson, manager of environmental affairs for the CCA, said sustainable beef is a bit of mystery and is defined, in part, by where a producer is located. She told ARN the GRSB is defining it by principles and criteria. “Then it’s going to go to the national level and, from there, those principles and criteria will be transformed into something on the ground,” said Jackson, adding this will build “a foundation upon which everybody can speak to.”

She said sustainability must take into account a number of factors and a number of people can make the claim and mean different things. “Really, it’s not one factor that defines sustainability, it’s a whole bunch of factors: it’s the economic side, it’s the social side, it’s the environmental side. It’s about the different things that fall below those main pillars,” said Jackson. “I think it has to be all-encompassing and I think that’s why it’s so important to have a foundation that then we can build off of.”

She noted that McDonald’s is a big player in the beef industry. “I think that they have taken a really proactive approach that is going to help ensure the success of everyone; they are very interested in sustainable supply and social corporate responsibly, just as the cattle producers in Canada are,” she said.

Jackson is spearheading a Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which has seen support from the industry and is slated to launch in the spring.

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When it comes to feeding hotel guests, today’s operators are fine-tuning the balance between the convenience of graband-go options and more traditional room service methods.

By Marni Andrews

F

ogo Island Inn chef Murray McDonald loves to forage for mushrooms in the woods and pick wild berries on the hillside. He finds the abundance of nature revitalizing and brings that inspiration to the kitchen of the 29-room luxury boutique hotel. “The kitchen’s culinary motto is ‘Find new ways with old things.’ We want to redefine the culinary identity of Newfoundland and Labrador by using the food this place provides through an exploration of the seven distinct seasons on Fogo Island,” he explains.

“I don’t treat the restaurant like a hotel restaurant. We’re doing new Newfoundland cuisine by looking at what we always did here and moving it into the future. Without a foot in the past, connecting us to the land, you have soulless food,” he says. “A lot of travellers are looking for that now—food from the local area of wherever they are.”

By focusing on creativity, regionality and authenticity, some chefs are putting a new face on hotel foodservice.

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For the year ending August 2013, foodservice traffic at Canadian hotels is up substantially over the past year at seven per cent and accounts for more than $1 billion in sales, according to Joel Gregoire, foodservice industry analyst at The NPD Group.

Most of this growth is coming from breakfast and lunch with breakfast representing 42 per cent of gains.

In the same period, hotel restaurants accounted for six out of 10 visits of total hotel food business, says Gregoire, but this has dropped over the past year from 65 per cent. He says room service is capturing more share (from four to six per cent), while beverage/snack stations are growing share from three to five per cent. Catering occasions represent 16 per cent of accommodation traffic (up by 12 per cent).

“The challenge for the accommodation sector is to grow traffic while incentivizing the consumer to spend more and drive incremental dollars in addition to foot traffic,” suggests Gregoire.

PUTTING THE SERVICE IN ROOM SERVICE

Robert Hood, corporate food and beverage manager for Atlific Hotels, offers some tips to get the most out of in-room dining. He calls it a science that starts with proper in-room dining tables, hot boxes to keep food warm and the appropriate silverware and plates to make the experience feel as if the guest were sitting in a restaurant or bar.

Hood offers some tips to help keep your room service looking pristine: • Serve sauces on the side so the food does not arrive a mess.

• The right menu is key. For example, large, full bowls of soup don’t transport well.

• The food has to make the journey while holding the correct temperature (whether hot or cold). The outcome will be different in a property with 36 stories compared to a property with 10.

• Tiles in the lobby as opposed to carpet will affect the outcome of the food. Bumps are not a delivery cart’s best friend.

• An important question to ask the guest is: “Would you like me to bring the tray or in-room dining table into the room?”

Many Atlific properties do rigorous testing with a full mock-up of the process from when the call is received and even tracking the temperature of the food over the journey.

“In-room dining is someone coming into your personal space. The way our in-room dining associates handle this is pivotal. How the knock sounds, how they announce themselves,” he says.

“Go through the order with the guest. Make sure they have everything they need and what to do with the tray or table afterwards. The fond farewell and letting the guest know to touch “0” if they need anything else. I like a follow-up call within 10 minutes so that when the guest is sitting down with their sandwich and wants some mustard, there’s still the opportunity to have it brought up,” says Hood.

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TALKING TRENDS

Portable and flexible: “The line between hotels and restaurants in foodservice is blurring,” says Garth Whyte, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). “Hotels are understanding what repeat customers like and how to make them happy. People want smaller, quicker meals and flexibility. Some want 24-7 availability, others want snacks. Health and wellness is a huge trend, so are healthy kids’ meals.”

Home away from home: Erica Benes, foodservice coordinator for Sol Cuisine, calls hotel stays intimate experiences—guests’ home away from home. “I’m impressed to see how quickly dining establishments are responding to dietary and principled concerns. There is increasing demand for healthier options, with meatless and gluten-free driving the market. We’re seeing menu legends with tags for glutenfree, vegetarian, and even locally-sourced ingredients,” says Benes.

Taste of place: Experiencing local food is an important part of travel, says Steve Flagler, director of food and beverage at the 970-room Blue Mountain Resort in The Blue Mountains, ON. Offering locally-sourced menu items is a win-win for everyone, he explains, because guests receive fresh products, staff has a story to tell, the chefs have an intimate experience with the food they are preparing and the company supports the local business community.

Catering to the experience: “Food has become a key part of the resort experience. It is part of the togetherness,” says Grace Sammut, executive director of Resorts of Ontario, which has more than 100 member properties. “Food is being consumed more within on-site restaurants or pubs whether it’s a weekend getaway, five nights with the family or a couple’s weekend. There’s a greater appreciation for wine and beer pairings, while some of our family resorts have children’s buffets with a lower table and food palatable to children. Children love it.”

International flavours: Michael Delli Colli, marketing manager at Expresco Foods—whose most popular items are fully-cooked and ready-to-cook chicken and beef satays— thinks healthier options and international flavors are strong trends in hotel foodservice.

Serving up revenue

Shangri-La Vancouver tea.

Reinventing room service Kendall College’s School of Hospitality Management in Chicago published a trends outlook demonstrating that many hotels are reinventing their room service programs in the face of declining sales. Some properties like the New York Hilton have eliminated it entirely. Yet, some hotels have found ways to make it work by upgrading items and emphasizing impeccable delivery.

The Fogo Island Inn’s room service is included in the room rate, which also covers three meals a day and snacks. As a service, it is treated equally with other foodservice options. For example, the Fisherman’s Basket offered at daybreak consists of a choice of coffee or tea plus a scone or muffin, and can be left at the door or brought into the room as desired, says McDonald.

“Room service is all about comfort food,” says Marc Dorfman, director of food, beverage and catering for the 259-room Four Seasons Hotel Toronto.

The hotel offers a mobile phone app with menus from which the hotel guests can order room service.

“We have geared our menu to create a mix of international street comfort food with great success. From pad thai to Greek souvlaki, the menu is very popular with Canadians and international travellers.”

Hood says that all of Atlific’s full service hotels offer in-room dining because it is a guest expectation and has even experienced a resurgence over the last few years.

“Traditionally, room service has been either really good or terrible as a category. We call it ‘in-room dining,’ which gives it a little more panache and so the guest understands what to expect. The hotels with a market for it can develop in-room dining into a very profitable department. It’s not just putting food on a tray and transporting that to a room,” Hood says, adding in-room dining is more about relaxation.

“Certain cities full of restaurants still do very well with in-room dining. If it’s cold or the hockey game’s on, people will stay in. We’re able to measure the potential capture ratio for the number of rooms we’re selling. In-room dining never runs at a

deficit because we charge a premium price,” he explains.

In hotels with the size and class to offer room service, the growing influence of asset managers looking to trim marginal operations is one of the biggest dangers for the program, says Dr. Gabor Forgacs, associate professor at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Previously, if an operation made enough through catering and banquet to cover room service losses, the F&B division was left alone if budget was met. Not any longer. Room service now needs to stand on its merit, says Forgacs.

“Room service still has a value add in certain hotels but if a given hotel doesn’t cater to the high end of the affluent segment with timely and courteous service, even for unconventional requests, they will struggle to keep the lights on,” says Forgacs.

With access to healthier food options on a room service menu, this department can contribute “enormously” to F&B revenue, says Delli Colli of Expresco Foods. On the other hand, if smart food options are not available, guests will leave the hotel to find them, he says.

Properly executed food and beverage areas of hotels can be a great revenue source.

Dan Young, public relations manager for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, says that less than two years after the debut of the Sheraton Social Hour, which offers guests a curated menu of premium wines and weekly tasting events, results have exceeded expectations. Participating hotels have higher bar

RevPAR, better year-over-year performance in bar and F&B RevPAR, and saw an average 20 per cent increase in year-over-year beverage revenue at the lobby bar.

For example, the Sheraton Kansas City’s wine sales increased 43 per cent in the bar and lounge, Sheraton Seattle saw a 39 per cent sales increase, and The Sheraton New York Times Square’s bar revenue is up 20 per cent since introducing the program.

Giblin of SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts says his properties with a good mix of meeting and catering space and a restaurant/bar operation can see up to a 40 per cent margin with F&B. “Local markets are important but when competing against local restaurants, it’s critically important

for us to provide what meets the customers’ needs,” explains Giblin.

“In my opinion, the hotel business has lost a significant amount of revenue potential mainly because we weren’t competent in F&B. Products were overpriced and service was slow. And we didn’t keep up with food and beverage trends throughout the world,” he says. “I’m a big believer in looking outside the hotel industry to see where we need to go.”

Dorfman, of The Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, says keeping up with technology will also have an impact on the bottom line.

“We capture 10 to 20 per cent of room service business through the iPad and that number is growing.

Room service accounts for five per cent of our total F&B budget,” Dorfman says.

Café Boulud in The Four Seasons Toronto. Photo by Christian Horan.

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Grab-and-go options When renovating the on-site restaurant last year, the 120-room Holiday Inn and Suites Mississauga made the decision to add a grab-and-go market to their lobby due to the opening of many coffee shops and small stores in the area, drawing away guests for food purchases.

“We thought if we could keep that coffee and snack business with-

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out increasing labour, why not? Our weekly corporate clients told us they couldn’t wait until the Marketplace opened,” says general manager Ash Constantine. “Only 50 per cent of them were dining in our restaurant, while the rest were running out to coffee shops, to grab quick snacks.”

The Marketplace offers Starbucks coffee, frozen dinners, muffins, pastries, snacks and sundried fruits. Microwaveable brand names such as Mr. Noodles and Kraft Dinner are also on hand, says Constantine.

Instead of ordering pizza from their room, guests might now come down in pajamas and slippers to the Marketplace for frozen dinners and stop at the front desk to chat.

The positives also extend to the bottom line, says Constantine, with the Marketplace adding between 10 and 15 per cent to F&B sales. Coffee, muffins and pastries have at least a 70 per cent markup while other items are closer to 40 per cent.

“The common expression we hear now is, ‘Charge this to my room’,” says Constantine. “It’s a niche market that’s not taking away from our restaurant. If anything, we’ve added sales to the Motivity

AT L A N T I C R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

The grab-and-go market at Holiday Inn and Suites Mississauga.

Café because many guests now get something from the Marketplace after dinner to take up to their room,” he explains.

Robert Hood, corporate food and beverage manager for Atlific Hotels’ 55 properties, says graband-go markets are great revenuegenerating investments.

“Full service hotels have let themselves down. Guests can order

from the menu but ask for a bag of chips and they have to leave to look for a convenience store. We’re getting rid of vending machines in favour of grab-and-go because people don’t carry cash anymore and the machines can be empty late at night if they’re serviced by a third party,” says Hood.

Steve Giblin, president and CEO of SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts with

20 properties in Canada, likes to have a grab-and-go market on the property wherever and whenever possible.

“We train our people to tell the customer when they come in and want something quick to eat, ‘Let me go get that for you,’ even if it’s late at night and the kitchen is closed,” says Giblin. “People love options.”

Holiday Inn and Suites Mississauga Starbucks.

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Pita Pit plans to double up KINGSTON, ON—Ontario-based franchise Pita Pit saw its most openings to date in 2013 and is poised to beat that number this year.

The Kingston, ON chain opened 34 Canadian units in 2013.

“This year is going to be our busiest year ever in Pita Pit’s history for Canada,” Kevin Pressburger, vicepresident of franchise development, told ARN. “We’re on track to open at least 40.”

Founded in 1995 by Nelson Lang and John Sotiriadis, there are about 200 Canadian units, with locations in nine provinces. Longer term goals include plans to have a total of 400 in Canada by the end of 2018.

“We did a complete brand refresher over the last 36 months and all of our stores are getting full renovation programs. We’re just finishing the tail end of that in terms of retrofitting existing stores which have been around since ’98 and are just getting a facelift now,” Pressburger said. “That look was designed to better connect with adults, professionals and families.”

When the first location opened near Queen’s University, there was a collegiate feel and while the brand still does well with the college and after-bar crowds, Pita Pit—as well as the clientele it started with—has grown up and has families, he noted.

New and renovated locations feature a softer colour palette, wood floors and what Pressburger described as a “more comfortable, warmer look.”

Franchises are about 1,200 square feet with 16 to 18 seats. The average check is about $10.

The brand—with 60 per cent of its locations in Ontario—has been in the Maritime and Western provinces for more than a decade.

“We’ve had huge growth in the Maritimes,” said Pressburger, who attributes recent growth to the new look.

He said the brand is becoming better known in Atlantic Canada, with about six new locations slated to open there in the next 12 to 18 months. Pressburger said a request to open in Newfoundland and Labrador, the only province currently without a Pita Pit, is being considered.

The chain introduced smoothies in 2009 to complement its lineup of pita sandwiches and another vegetarian option (spicy black bean) last year.

“There has been competition from every concept; every concept has taken a look at their menu mix,” said Pressburger, adding fast, healthy options are becoming more available across the board. “The space has become much more competitive.”

He said 40 stores annually is the pace the company wants to maintain to reach its 2018 goal of 400 stores and becoming well represented coast to coast. Pita Pit has opened between 20 and 22 in Canada per year on average in the past, said Pressburger.

“When it comes to growth, for us, having the appropriate capital is only one part of the equation,” said Pressburger, adding it is more important franchisees share the company’s values.

Top: Nelson Lang, co-founder of Pita Pit. Bottom: Stratford, ON, location.

P.E.I. tourism strategy looks to past and future CHARLOTTETOWN—Prince Edward Island’s hospitality operators are looking both to the past and future in its tourism strategy for 2014.

At the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island’s 2013 annual general meeting on Nov. 29 at the Confederation Centre for the Arts, topics included industry growth, complacency, occupational shortages, P.E.I. labour market changes and quality service.

While forecast growth (locally and nationally) for the past five years has not materialized and substantial growth isn’t forecast for the next few years, this year P.E.I is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the meeting of the Fathers of Confederation, which has the industry hoping for a profitable year. The yearlong and provincewide tribute is planned to mark the Charlottetown Conference and celebrate P.E.I. as the home of confederation.

At the AGM, Slemon Park Hotel manager Kevin Mouflier was elected TIAPEI president. Other changes to the board of directors include Robert Jourdain taking up the position of vice-president and Rachel Vidito and Robert Jay joining as members at large.

Mouflier has 31 years of indus-

try experience. He has been involved with TIAPEI for a decade and moved to P.E.I. in 2000.

Mouflier told ARN that 2014 will be an exciting year from a marketing perspective and looks to be shaping up as a strong year with an increase in conference business following the opening of the Prince Edward Island Convention Centre in the summer.

“P.E.I. as a whole has been pretty flat over the last eight years, so we’re looking forward to seeing growth and particularly with 2014, there are a lot of scheduled events taking place throughout the year,” he said.

The island’s total growth in visitation over eight years saw an increase of 18,445 visitors, a growth of 1.5 per cent.

TIAPEI presentations also predicted increased cruise ship traffic with two larger capacity vessels to visit in 2014.

Culinary tourism in 2013 saw a boost and TIAPEI officials deemed the Fall Flavours Festival a success with a 16 per cent increase in ticket sales and about half of attendees coming from out of province.

“One of the big things I want to focus on is the importance of servicing our customers and growing visitation,” said Mouflier.

“If you grow too quickly, people don’t get the proper support and it’s just growth for the sake of growth.

We’re trying to grow properly with the right people,” he said.

Pita Pit first opened overseas in New Zealand in 2007 and now has almost 60 locations there. Last year, it opened 32 international locations and has franchises in the U.S., Panama, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, India, United Kingdom, France and South Korea.

The association is bringing World Host training, launched during the winter Olympics in Vancouver, to island operators as a full day of training available to tourism operators for a cost of $20.

“We want to leave that impression that people want to come back and they want to tell other people how good the service was here,” he said.

In March, a strategic planning session in Summerside brought together more than 30 operators from all facets of the industry.

With provincial marketing funding being reduced annually by about two per cent, a task force was established and sub-committees were formed to develop a plan for industry-led tourism dollars, prepare an economic impact business case for tourism, establish a leadership structure and prepare a three-year strategy and board structure review of TIAPEI. Mouflier said launching the tourism strategy in November 2013 for this year (and in future years) as opposed to March will make a difference by giving operators a chance for advanced preparation.

“We’ve really got to focus on increased visitation,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to be done.”

Suntory to buy Beam

Laphroaig is one of the brands being acquired from Beam by Suntory.

OSAKA, Japan—Suntory Holdings Limited has agreed to buy Beam Inc. in a US$16-billion deal announced in January.

The sale is expected to close in the second quarter of this year. It will potentially make Suntory the third largest distillery in the world, according to the CBC. Suntory, whose portfolio includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands such as Ribena, posted sales of $17.6 billion in 2012 and has more than 28,000 employees.

With the acquisition of Beam Inc., Suntory’s net sales of spirits will exceed $4.3 billion, according to the company.

The move will add: Jim Beam, Maker's Mark and Knob Creek bourbons; Teacher's and Laphroaig Scotch whiskies; Canadian Club whisky; Courvoisier cognac; Sauza tequila; and Pinnacle vodka to Suntory’s portfolio. Currently the company

produces Japanese whiskies Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki, and Kakubin, Bowmore Scotch whisky and Midori liqueur.

"I believe this combination will create a spirits business with a product portfolio unmatched throughout the world and allow us to achieve further global growth,” Suntory’s president and chairman of board Nobutada Saji said in a release. “We are particularly excited about the prospect of working more closely with Beam's excellent management and employees who will play an integral part in the growth of the business."

Beam management, including president and chief executive officer Matt Shattock, are expected to remain in place at Beam headquarters in Deerfield, IL. Worldwide, the company has 3,400 employees and posted 2012 sales of $2.5 billion.

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BeverageNews A REPORT ON THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

PEI Brewing Co. opens culinary space Lot No. 40 Canadian

PEI brewing company culinary space interior.

CHARLOT TETOWN—The PEI Brewing Company held the grand opening of its culinary space on Jan. 9.

The 6,500-square-foot room is housed within the brewery and will be used for a wide variety of events from concerts to weddings.

Marketing director Al Douglas said the venue, which already has many bookings for 2014 and some for 2015, is unlike anything else on the island.

“It was something that was needed in Charlottetown and P.E.I., for that

matter,” Douglas told ARN. “It’s a real place to showcase not just the events but the food side of things as well.”

Attached to the space is a fullyfunctioning kitchen with a brick-fired oven. Chefs are brought in from restaurants under the Murphy Hospitality Group (who also own the PEI Brewing Company) and can design a menu in consultation with clients.

Renovations of the room, which has a 25-foot ceiling and exposed brick, took 18 months.

Robert Henderson, the provincial

minister of tourism and culture, attended the opening.

“This new centre will provide new and exciting unique experiences and will serve as a prime location to showcase island chefs, musicians and artisans,” Henderson said in a statement.

In conjunction with the culinary space opening, the brewery also launched the Fathers 2014 Commemorative Beer Pack.

The four-pack includes familiar PEI Brewing Company beer rebranded for the occasion: the Blueberry Ale will be labeled 1864; Coles Cream Ale will become Premier George Coles; the Brown Ale will become Colonel John Hamilton Gray; and Sir John A’s Honey Wheat Ale will retain its name.

PEI Brewing Company is also the official brewery of P.E.I. 2014 celebrations, which will mark the 150th anniversary of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference. One of the first public events in the space celebrated Sir John A. MacDonald’s 199th birthday.

96 Kensington Road, Charlottetown.

902-629-BREW, @PEIBrew, peibrewingcompany.com.

Canadians shine at beverage competition GENEVA—Canadian wine, liqueur and beverage makers won awards at the annual World Beverage Competition held in Geneva, Switzerland, in early January.

More than 10,000 entries from around the world competed in a blind taste test for platinum, gold, silver and bronze awards in a variety of beverage, spirit, wine and beer categories.

The Vibrant Vine, a small, familyrun winery from Kelowna, BC, received three awards: platinum white wine, bronze white wine and bronze in the packaging category for its distinctive bottles with 3-D artwork.

Toronto-based Jaan also took home best in show for its liqueur that blends exotic spices infused with vanilla, citrus and maple.

In the beverage category, Spearhead Springs won platinum for water and Dipps Double Down won gold in the energy drinks category.

And in the spirits category, Ungava Canadian Premium Gin brought home a silver medal.

The World Beverage Competition is one of the largest international beverage competitions and is a member of the World Trade Organization.

Best in show for white wine: The Vibrant Vine Wyn Lewis of The Vibrant Vine said the family-run winery is very pleased with the results.

“We’ve been bouncing off the walls here,” Lewis told ARN. “People are sending me emails from the U.K., and from Germany and France saying, ‘Canadian wine? Who are you?’”

The Kelowna winery only produces 4,000 cases annually on a small 11acre farm. Lewis and his wife Marion do all of the farm work while their son Tony is the winemaker and their son Phil designs the labels.

Lewis said he was shocked when he found out about the awards because he didn’t even know the wine had been entered. TricorBraun, a U.S.-based company that sells bottles to The Vibrant Vine, asked if they could enter the bottles in a packaging contest in Geneva.

“We had no idea, of course, that we’d been entered into a wine competition,” Lewis said. “We thought we were in a packaging competition.”

After the awards were announced, TricorBraun sent The Vibrant Vines an email congratulating them on winning the bronze medal for packaging at the World Beverage Competition.

Lewis said that not until the very end of the email was there mention of placing first overall in the white wine category.

“We never, never expected this,” Lewis said who has applied to double the capacity of the winery’s tasting room in response to the recent attention.

Best Liqueur: Jaan Judges at the World Beverage Competition noted that Jaan—a paan-based liqueur blended in Toronto and winner of the best in show liqueur—was “a very unique liqueur.”

Raj Dhanjal, president Jaan Inc., told ARN the liqueur is made with “exotic Indian spices” infused with vanilla, maple and citrus, adding that he was “pleasantly surprised” with the results of the competition.

According to Dhanjal, the liqueur can be used in cocktails, martinis, coffees, teas, mixed with tequilas or whiskeys, or even poured over ice cream.

Currently Jaan—branded from a Hindi word meaning both “love” and “life”—is available at Ontario border duty free stores and in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba with plans to move into Quebec in the near future.

The liqueur was available at the LCBO in Ontario last summer, but quickly sold out. The LCBO has placed another order, which should hit shelves by May. Dhanjal said blending and bottling is moving from Toronto to Montreal in the near future, once custom-made bottles arrive.

The company has plans to produce Jaan whiskey, vodka, chocolates, truffles and a Jaan-flavoured ice cream.

Whisky of the year

David Weaver and Bill Atwood of Corby Distillers accept their award from Davin de Kergommeaux (center). Photo by Jen Steele.

VICTORIA—The Canadian Whisky awards were announced on Jan.16 as part of the Victoria Whisky Festival.

Nine independent judges voted Corby’s Lot No. 40 the Canadian Whisky of the Year at the fourth annual competition. More than 60 whiskies from across Canada were entered in the competition.

Chairman of the judges Davin de Kergommeaux called the winning whisky, “the very essence of what rye whisky is all about.”

Lot No. 40 is distilled at the Hiram Walker Distillery in Windsor, ON, and was made from a 19th century recipe by Canadian Joshua Booth. The recipe uses 90 per cent rye and 10 per cent malted rye and the whisky is aged in brand new oak barrels.

According to de Kergommeaux, sales of high-end Canadian whisky are on the rise with exports up nearly 25 per cent in 2013. While overall

sales remain flat within Canada, he says, value brand whisky sales are declining with more customers buying top shelf brands. De Kergommeaux said more women are drinking whisky and millenials make up nearly half of whisky drinkers in Canada.

“Restaurateurs should know the millennial generation really loves whisky and that they are willing to pay a little bit more to get really good quality,” he said. “The millennial generation has led a resurgence in the bold robust Canadian whiskies.”

Other winners include Alberta Premium Dark Horse, Forty Creek Heart of Gold, Masterson’s Straight Rye Whiskey, Wiser’s Red Letter and Crown Royal Black.

Two microdistilleries also earned medals: Still Waters Distillery from Concord, ON won a bronze; and Last Mountain out of Lumsden, SK, took home bronze and silver awards.

Licensee discounts for P.E.I. CHARLOTTETOWN—The Prince Edward Island Liquor Control Commission (PEILCC) introduced wholesale alcohol pricing for licensees in December.

“Key representative organizations such as the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association and the Tourism Industry Association of PEI, as well as other stakeholders and individuals have expressed concern about the pricing model, the timing of price increases and their impact on licensee business,” read a letter from the PEILCC. “In addition, a request was made to set a price ceiling, which unfortunately cannot be accommodated, but in lieu of it, the PEILCC is offering a new pricing structure.”

Effective Dec. 2, licensees will receive a 10 per cent discount on draught, spirits and products in the

ready-to-drink category and 13 per cent for products in the wine category. The wine discount will hold until March 31 and decrease by one per cent until it reaches 10 per cent on April 1, 2016. Licensees will also receive special pricing on 24-pack bottles of beer.

“Through these pricing adjustments, it is anticipated that all licensees will be able to remain competitive with the industry,” said the association in the letter. “The PEILCC recognizes that licensee business represents 17 per cent of total sales and that a strong partnership needs to exist for both parties to excel.” Licensees from greater Charlottetown and Summerside areas as well as the Kensington area must order products from the Licensee Distribution Centre to obtain the discounted price.

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Don Cherry’s seeks hotel partners; plans Newfoundland expansion

Eric Fex, chef, Bradford Don Cherry’s; Glen Blake, president and CEO Full House Franchise Systems; and Chris Painter, licensor, Don Cherry’s Sports Grill Inc.

By Colleen Isherwood, Senior contributing editor PARRY SOUND, ON—Don Cherry’s Sports Grill added three locations last year: one in a converted fish restaurant in Whitby, ON; one in a brand new arena in Stoney Creek, ON; and one in the Howard Johnsons in Strathmore, AB. There’s also a 65-seat Don Cherry’s in the Ramada in Jordan Station, ON, housed in a converted conference room. The concept is flexible, noted Chris Painter, who has co-owned the 15-unit national chain of restaurants since 2007 with his brother Darrel and father Bill.

The Painters started with 16 res-

taurants when they purchased the chain, which went down to 12 in the years following the recession. But things turned around last year. In addition to the three units that opened in 2013, plans call for three more units next year in Paradise and Conception Bay South, NL, and in a new casino to be built in North Battleford, SK. John Lake, who owned a Don Cherry’s in Brampton, ON, is licensee for the Paradise and Conception Bay restaurants. Existing Newfoundland locations include Grand Falls/Windsor, Clarenville, Goose Bay and Torbay. Sydney, NS is home to a Don Cherry’s as well.

Painter said that Don Cherry’s wants to add to the five Don Cherry’s

already located in hotels. In addition to the Strathmore location, there are Don Cherry’s restaurants in Jordan Station, Niagara Falls, Ottawa and Parry Sound, ON. The Painters’ relationship with Don Cherry goes back to 1999 when Parry Sound started hosting the annual Bobby Orr Golf Tournament.

Orr and Cherry always attended, and the Painter brothers took care of the two each year during the tournament.

At the 2001 tournament, Cherry thought he would take a look at the new Don Cherry’s restaurant at the Knights Inn. The Painters steered him away, warning that Cherry would be besieged by the 300 tourists at the restaurant. “They had my welfare in mind,” Cherry noted six years later when the Painters were chosen over 13 groups who wanted to buy the chain.

“We were a couple of guys working as bartenders and cooks—we put everything we had into that investment and we’ve never looked back,” Painter told ARN. “I see the greatest growth for us in the lodging industry, in hotels with 50 rooms or more,” Painter said. “You can put Don’s brand along with your hotel brand on the signage. The idea is to draw people in from the local neighbourhood as well as off-road.

For people visiting family or friends, or at weddings, you would also have the restaurant on site.”

While “cities are a bunch of small neighbourhoods,” secondary and tertiary markets are the target. “Don Cherry’s can be successful in a town of 6,500 people like Parry Sound. I like to see growth in small to medium-sized towns,” he said.

Painter stressed that Don Cherry’s provides a licence, not a franchise.

“Most of the money made stays local,” he explained. There is a set fee based on liquor licensing and size of operation, and that fee is constant even when the restaurant is making more money.

“We give full autonomy at the store level. We’re not a head office that said, ‘Here’s your menu and here’s your packaging’,” he added.

For example, 80 per cent of Don Cherry’s menu items are common to all of the restaurants, while the remaining 20 per cent are local favourites, which can include items like pulled pork pizza on the Bradford Don Cherry’s menu. Prime rib is a specialty at the Parry Sound restaurant, appearing as a meal, sandwich and even soup.

Every year, licensees are invited to a two-day meeting to determine which items will be among the 80 per cent. They try about 20 to 25 items created based on current food trends and vote on them—only items that get more than half the votes are put on the menu. Pricing is up to the licensee as well.

PROD U CT S Meet Walter: premium caesar mix Brutus Beverages Inc. introduces Walter, a premium caesar cocktail mix. Walter—named after caesar creator Walter Chell—is small-batch brewed and made with vine-ripened tomatoes, grated horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, select spices and real clam juice from the North Atlantic. Walter comes in two flavours: well spiced and mildly spiced.

For more information, visit www. waltercaesar.com.

Beating the heat Chicago-based Tonguespank Spice Company has a new series of dry spices based on liquor-infused hot peppers. Made with all-natural ingredients, rare peppers and no preservatives, the series includes Smoky Bourbon, Garlic Grappa, Citrus Rum and Wasabi Sake. For those seeking extreme heat, customers can try Tonguespank’s hottest blend: Scorpion Bourbon. According to the company, the spice blend uses Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers, which are 100 times hotter than jalapeños.

For more information, visit www. tonguespank-spice-company.myshopify.com.

Compact ice makers Scotsman Ice Systems has unveiled

a new line of compact, under-thecounter ice machines. The machines cater to the market’s request for a basic cuber that produces less than 100 pounds of ice daily.

The product line—dubbed Essentials—has three machines that produce between 58 and 100 lbs of ice daily. Each model is made of recyclable materials and run by a refrigerant with a low ozone-depleting potential.

For more information, visit www. scotsman-ice.com.

Bathroom tissue goes green Pulp and Paper International awarded Cascades the “Environmental Strategy of the Year” and “Innovative Product of the Year” titles in December for its line of green paper products. The award-winning line Cascades Moka eliminates chemical whitening and is composed of 100 per cent recycled fiber.

According to the company, Cascades can use five times less water and two times less energy than the North American paper industry average.

For more information, visit www. cascades.com.

Applebee’s adds tablets Applebee’s plans to install tablets on every table and multiple bar positions at more than 1,800 restaurants

Décor elements common to all the Don Cherry’s are memorabilia available from Cherry’s daughter, Cindy Cherry, and a bank of quality televisions visible from every seat.

The Bradford store is among those whose décor prominently features an enormous hockey mask outlined in coloured lights. At the Niagara Falls location, the same hockey mask includes blinking red eyes.

“We give licensees a list of sources to outfit their spaces. At the end of the day, every store is different in colour and setup—just like Don’s jackets,” Painter said.

“The concept applies to a brand new build or a conversion,” said Glen Blake, president and CEO of Full House, master franchisor for the Knights Inn brand, which includes the Painters’ hotel in Parry Sound. “It can be applied to any non-revenue producing space.”

When asked if he thinks the celebrity-based chain will endure once Don Cherry’s show comes to an end, Painter said: “As Don has matured over the last 35 years, he has skyrocketed to the seventh greatest known Canadian. Changes in his approach have come into the stores—while initially Don Cherry’s was a bar concept, his appeal now is to ‘Kids and folks.’

It’s a place to celebrate who Don is.

Look at other icons like Tim Hortons —I’d be tickled pink if we went down that road.”

1.

by the end of this year.

DineEquity, franchisor of Applebee’s and IHOP restaurants, announced an aggressive schedule recently for 2014 tablet installations throughout the Applebee’s system.

E la Carte Presto tablets will be installed, allowing guests to add to orders, pay and play games at the table. “Let’s face it, everyone who has ever been to a restaurant has been frustrated by waiting for their check,” Applebee’s president Mike Archer said in a release. “Starting out, our goal was to create a way for guests to control when and how they pay their check. What we learned after nearly two years of testing is we can provide much more.”

In the pilot program, the tablets significantly reduced transaction times, according to the casual dining chain.

Designed specifically for restau-rants, the tablets are intended to withstand spills and bumps.

Initially, the tablets will provide the ability for guests to pay, add ad-ditional drinks, desserts and other menu items to their order and also play a selection of games.

During the next 18 months, video streaming, music, additional games, social media interaction with Apple-bee’s online pages and gift card sales will be added.

For more information, visit elac-arte.com.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Walter, a premium caesar cocktail mix. 2. Tonguespank Spice Company’s new series of dry spices based on liquor-infused hot peppers.

3. Scotsman Ice Systems’ new under-the-counter ice machines. 4. Cascades Moka.

5. E la Carte Presto tablets.

PE OPLE

In a weekend of rare role reversal—with musician Alan Doyle at the stoves and chef Todd Perrin on the microphone—cooks sang and singers cooked at Fogo Island Inn on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

The Great Big Sea frontman traded in his song sheets for recipes, switching places with Perrin of St. John’s Mallard Cottage.

“I am always excited when gifted people visit us at the Inn. I’m really looking forward to a great weekend with our guests and these two awesome guys as we cook up a storm and raise the roof with music,” said Fogo Island Inn executive chef Murray McDonald.

“Their knowledge and expertise will help enhance our board’s strategies, and accelerate industry adoption of GS1 standards, driving a more efficient value-chain,” he said.

LeBoutillier began his career in account management at Ogilvy & Mather advertising. He joined U.S. operations at Kraft in 1992 and held several senior positions there.

In 2007, he was hired as senior vicepresident of Unilever Food U.S. before heading the Canadian operations.

Froese joined Loblaw in 1978 as a store colleague and has held various leadership positions within the company.

The 20-member board, which GS1 Canada appointed John consists of CEO-level executives, LeBoutillier, Unilever Canada directs the overall financial and president and chief executive officer strategic direction of GS1 Canada, a and Grant Froese, Loblaw Compa- member of the international supply nies chief administrative officer to chain standards organization. its board of governors.

“We are proud to welcome these Murray McEwen will soon beesteemed Canadian industry lead- come a member of the Order of ers to our board,” N. Arthur Smith, Canada, this nation’s highest civilpresident and CEO of GS1 Canada, ian honour, “for his contributions said in a Jan. 9 release. to the food industry and for his

sustained commitment to supporting his community,” as cited by the Governor General’s office.

The Erin, ON-resident spent most of his career with Britishowned Tate and Lyle—which oversees North American companies such as Redpath Sugar in Toronto—and was president, chief executive officer and when he retired.

McEwen was part of the team that discovered sucralose, a sugar substitute that can be used in cooking.

“In the food world, it’s seen as significant,” McEwen told the Guelph Mercury. McEwen was a member of the board of directors of Breakfast for Learning, a national breakfast program for children. “We would kick-start community breakfast programs,” he said. “The idea was for these programs to become self-sustaining but they all needed equipment to get started.”

Top: Chef Todd Perrin.

Inset: John LeBoutillier.

Margret Begner mourned by Saint John hospitality community SAINT JOHN, NB—Margret Begner, coowner of the Dufferin Inn, passed away in early January following a battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of extensive involvement in both the hospitality and Saint John Community.

Born on Nov. 17, 1955, Margret and her husband, Axel, came to Canada after working in the hospitality industry in Germany for a decade. Co-owner and operator of the Opera Bistro and the Dufferin Inn, Margret was the founding organizer of the Fundy Food Festival and organizer of the Out of the Cold men’s shelter providing meals to the homeless. She was also a member of the immigration board and Tourism New Brunswick.

Ross and Willa Mavis, owners of Inn on the Cove and Spa, a competing inn and eatery, knocked on the door bearing bottles of jams to welcome the Begners when they first came to Saint John. “We said, we have just gone through what you’re going through,” Willa Mavis told CBC Radio. Axel, who didn’t speak English then, couldn’t believe that they were so welcoming. In Germany, no one would ever extend a hand of friendship to a competitor, Axel said.

Ross Mavis recalls that Margret Begner always had a can-do attitude, whether they were bringing a food fesitval to Saint John, or raising money for the local Boys and Girls Club, the hospice or the homeless shelter. Ross said that if anyone should receive the Order of Canada, it was Margret. “We lost a lovely spirit, someone who really added something to the community,” Willa Mavis said.

Writing in Trinity Today, Herb Duncan recalls the Opera Oscars, an annual evening of food and wine where the Begners paid tribute to their Opera Bistro patrons with humorous awards. “They introduced fine dining at that level to Saint John,” Ross Mavis told CBC. “They could clearly see that we should do things this way or train staff in a certain fashion.”

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