Quarter II
Deli Star
QUARTERLY LOG Chef Jared Joins Deli Star Family as Executive Chef
From left to right: Back: Andrew Siegel - Director of Supply Chain Management, Justin Siegel President, Front: Mike Weber - Director of Operations, Dan Siegel - Chairman of the Board, Bill Barrows - Director of Human Resources, Cathysue Smick - Senior Food Scientist / Director of Quality
Deli Star Earns Significant Media Attention from Industry Sometimes, good things really are worth the wait! After nearly 30 years of improving food safety and delivering the highest quality meats to our customers, our industry peers are taking notice. Last February, after announcing Deli Star’s Innovation Center in downtown St. Louis, one of the most significant magazines in our business asked to learn more about Deli Star. Five months later, after a full day of touring both Deli Star operations in Fayetteville and St. Louis, MEAT+POULTRY published a lengthy feature story in its July issue, detailing the company’s commitment to innovation, food safety and workplace culture. The article, titled: “Blending Science, Quality and Culture. A family atmosphere and purpose-driven work make Deli Star Inc. shine,” featured all of the company’s products as well as its latest innovations, such as the AmVac fresh meat packaging system. “I was thankful to be able to represent the Deli Star team in hosting the reporter and photographer to the plant and the SLIC in St. Louis,” said Justin Siegel, president. “A major industry feature like this represents decades of great work, innovation and commitment to quality. I am proud to see everyone’s hard work recognized.” MEAT+POULTRY is an industry-leading magazine dedicated to meat processing, with a monthly readership of more than 224,321 across its print and online editions. Read the full story in Meat + Poultry‘s digital issue: http://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/mp/2016_07_01/#/50
Quarter II - Deli Star Quarterly News
What’s on the menu at Deli Star’s new St. Louis Innovation Center? Just ask newly appointed Executive Chef Jared Case – or “Chef Jared,” as Deli Star has known him since he began as a consultant in 2009. “Chef Jared is a familiar face at Deli Star, a long-time friend and confidant,” said Justin Siegel, president of Deli Star Corporation. “His impressive career coupled with his forwardthinking vision makes him the perfect fit to lead our team.” In early June, Chef Jared took over culinary support at the Innovation Center—managing its kitchen, creating recipes that showcase Deli Star’s products and driving innovation through menu ideation sessions. He also serves as the primary research and development lead, collaborating with the production team and providing sales support with key culinary contacts and customers. “Bringing a chef’s perspective to our process reinforces our commitment to deliver the safest and most in-demand proteins to our customers,” Siegel explained. After Chef Jared graduated from the Culinary Institute of America – Hyde Park in 2003, he made a name for himself as the executive chef of some of the most acclaimed restaurants in St. Louis and Chicago: Park Grill in Millennium Park, Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Prasino Restaurants, Tribute Restaurant, and St. Clair Country Club. Additionally, he served as executive sous chef for the East Bank Club and executive chef de cuisine at Marche. Chef Jared also brings some celebrity status power to Deli Star – as Food Network fans may have seen him on Beat Bobby Flay in 2015 or Anne Burrell’s Chef Wanted in 2013.
For more information visit www.delistarinc.com or email sdietrich@delistarinc.com
1
Deli Star Patriotic Pride In Hiring On July 13, Deli Star’s human resources team attended the Scott Air Force Base Transition Summit hiring and education fair. This upheld Deli Star’s longstanding tradition of supporting—and employing—the military and its veterans.
Deli Star has been part of the Scott Patriot Program since 2014, which recognizes local businesses that provide support to members of the military and their family. The program also designates Deli Star as a “military friendly” place to work and conduct business.
“In my long history in working with veterans organizations, I’ve found that veterans have incredible leadership experience and are well educated, flexible and cooperative – all things that make them exactly what we’re looking for here at Deli Star,” said Bill Barrows, Deli Star HR director.
“We’re very proud of the veterans we have on staff right now and all they have done for us,” Barrows said. After this hiring fair, Barrows noted he hopes there will be more employees to recognize at this year’s Deli Star’s Veterans Day celebration in November. “That’s what it’s all about – we support and believe in our neighbor, Scott Air Force Base, and our veterans,” said Barrows.
National Salad Month Showcases Deli Star’s Products The Refrigerated Foods Association declared July “National Deli Salad Month” – and Deli Star’s research and design team has a lot to show for it. In celebration of the month, the research and development team hosted an ideation session to produce custom salad solutions to meet a client’s individualized needs. Deli Star’s chicken, ham and bologna were specifically developed to facilitate protein salad production and guarantee product safety, so there were no limitations on Executive Chef Jared Case’s mission to explore bold and unique salad flavors.
ideation session at the St. Louis Innovation Center.
However, before he started cooking, Chef Jared led a brainstorm session
After sharing many ideas throughout the ideation session, the client came away with not just one solution, but a long list of new products that aligned with the ever-changing consumer trends.
with the R&D team and the client to gather critical information to understand the goals of the project. “I do try to drive the session, but I do the majority of the listening—not the talking,” said Chef Jared. “Listening to our customers plays a major role in finding solutions for our customers’ very specific needs.” With a firm grasp on the goal and an open creative mind, Chef Jared and his team prepared about 30 salad recipes for the customer to sample at the
2
“We create flavor profiles inspired by cultures across the world,” Chef Jared said. “Anything from South American to Greek to Italian to Thai – you name it – to find that perfect product or solution for the customer.” Because the client and the R&D team met in person, clients could share feedback in real time and the R&D team could quickly adjust recipes, which allowed for faster product development.
“The collaboration was a huge success,” Chef Jared noted. “We ended up with seven recipes that everyone liked and one that—within 30 seconds— every single person said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s fantastic.’”
For more information visit www.delistarinc.com or email sdietrich@delistarinc.com
Quarter II - Deli Star Quarterly News
Quest for the Best Fuels Development Deli Star is on a quest—a Food Quest, that is. Eight Deli Star employees recently set out to find the best Reuben sandwich in the St. Louis area. They visited Carl’s Deli in Clayton, Blue City Deli in Benton Park and John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub in Soulard. Unanimously, they came to the consensus that the winner was “definitely McGurk’s.” “McGurk’s Reuben sandwich was the sandwich voted best overall Reuben of the three locations because the meat was perfectly tenderized and the bread was well toasted to add extra flavor and crunch,” said Tyler Boring, Deli Star Research and Development manager. Although the Food Quest was a yummy adventure, the employees were searching for more than just a delicious lunch. “These ‘Food Quests’ to find the best dishes in St. Louis help the research and development team identify consumer trends, while supporting local businesses at the same time,” President Justin Siegel explained. As for the next Quest? Soon they’ll be looking for STL’s best backyard cheeseburger.
Star Guest Winner Nick Coleman At Deli Star, employees learn early on that the backbone of success is high standards. And anyone who knows Nicholas Coleman knows that he embodies these standards to a T … or a P – the 5Ps of Deli Star Standards, to be exact. Each quarter, Deli Star employees are encouraged to nominate coworkers who have exemplified the 5Ps: positive attitude, professionalism, pride in facility maintenance and appearance, product and industry knowledge, and proper and effective communication. Of the nominations received this quarter, Barrows noted that the choice to recognize Coleman was an easy one. “Nick is a one-man operation in the grinding room,” said Deli Star Human Resources Director Bill Barrows, who hired Coleman. “It’s a tough physical job – but he always has a smile on his face and is always willing to help.” Coleman began full-time in the grinding room in January, after proving himself a great fit with Deli Star as a temporary employee in the past. “Those who know Nick would say that he’s a very hard worker, team-oriented, enthusiastic and gets along very well with others,” Barrows said. “We’re really lucky to have him as a member of the Deli Star family.”
New Name – Same Quality and Taste for Premium Meat Line The Carver Line has recently taken a new name, but fans of Deli Star’s restaurant-quality line of ham, turkey and chicken can rest assured — its superior quality remains unchanged. Now known as Chef’s Edge, the premium line of proteins with whole muscle texture relies on innovative, sous vide culinary technique to capture natural flavors – including applewood smoked, honey and other all-natural options. The meats also undergo a special postpasteurization process to achieve a 150-day refrigerated shelf life.
Quarter II - Deli Star Quarterly News
Deli Star Executive Chef Jared Case explains that Chef’s Edge is the primary product line used in menu ideation sessions with clients – and that he has even focused entire sessions around innovative solutions using only Chef’s Edge rotisserie-style chicken and Deli Star’s salad dressing. “The Chef’s Edge line embodies the strong value behind Deli Star’s products – like our commitment to using all natural ingredients, choosing coloring solutions with formulas that pass standards in all states, and producing our products in a streamlined way that is cost effective for our customers,” Chef Jared said. “It’s a true win-win.”
For more information visit www.delistarinc.com or email sdietrich@delistarinc.com
3
Deli Star University : Always Head of the Class Last year, Deli Star Chairman Dan Siegel gave a lecture on meat processing— which he dubbed Meat Processing 101—to two customers and about 10 employees. That intended one-time class has blossomed into a bigger concept, even with its own logo: Deli Star University. Deli Star will host the second Deli Star University class under the new branding on November 17: Sandwich Making 201. This time, Dan and others will teach attendees about the science behind sandwich packaging and
shelf life, studying issues including “cheese cold melt,” “ham color fade” and “residual oxygen.” The key benefits of the program are two-fold: deepening Deli Star’s knowledge of its customers and their products, and solidifying Deli Star’s standing as a scientific industry leader. According to Deli Star President Justin Siegel, the program is rooted in one of Deli Star’s most important goals. “It’s another great way that we’re bringing scientists, chefs and customers together –giving back to the industry in a meaningful way,” said Justin.
Clean label is sticking around Clean labeling is a trend that is continuing to rise in the food and beverage industry.
Will producers promote products that have organic ingredients on their labels that
Today, most products that consumers are longing for are natural, organic, and have
many consumers have no knowledge of? Or will they produce items that have simple
simple labels.
labels, but lack organic certification? At Deli Star we strive to offer clean label products through our research and development. Our goal is to provide higher quality products
Steve French, a managing partner with Natural Marketing Institute, says that there
for our customers to promote a healthier lifestyle through diet and nutrition.
are many different aspects that feed into clean labeling. He says that consumers feel more in control of their life if they are eating healthy foods. One way to make them
You can read more about the clean label trend on www.meatpoultry.com. Just search
feel in control is by understanding what is on the labels of the food they consume.
“clean label.”
Consumers are less likely to buy a product that contains ingredients they have never heard of. This affects everything in a product such as flavors, colors, hydrocolloids, and preservatives. Now that the clean labeling trend is rapidly growing, producers are focusing on making simple labels and producing organic products and ingredients. This has been difficult due to the belief that some perfectly safe ingredients are highly processed, rather than clean and simple. It will be interesting to see what producers are going to do now.
4
For more information visit www.delistarinc.com or email sdietrich@delistarinc.com
Quarter II - Deli Star Quarterly News