The Bulletin- February 2022

What's the Big Chill? Blast Freezers and Hardening Cabinets

Let's Talk AllergensFood Safety Corner

Managing Your Stores Online Reputation

The Official Publication Of The North American Ice Cream Association

Bulk Ice Cream Packaging-How To Make The Choice For Your Business

February 2022

THE BULLETIN

A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Aaahh February – The Month of true love.

Its probably the last real month that you have to relax before most of us jump back into the pre-season workload. That being said, we have some members who are into the fresh made candy and treat business as well, and they are going full steam.

I gave Kelly Larson from Sweet Temptations a quick call before writing this column and she was up to her elbows in 50 lbs. of Rice Crispy Treats. Reminds me of a dream I once had.

In any case, we had a great member webinar at the beginning of the month going over member benefits and a little information on using the website and the members only section. If you missed the session, the replay can be found at www.icecreamassociation.live This will be the first of a monthly online meeting that we will host for our members, and we would love to hear your suggestions for content or training. We have already had some great suggestions from our members from topics ranging from interviewing 3rd party deliverers, POS companies and other services to our industry. Please email the office with a webinar suggestion at info@icecreamassociation.org We would love to hear from you.

Also, just a reminder that multiple committees are working on content, calendaring and activities for the Association Trade Show and Convention on the 7, 8 and 9th of November this year in Fort Worth. The association board will be visiting the convention center and hotel in a couple of weeks and we are excited to see the site for this years event.

Save the date – Its going to be a good one.

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Steve Christensen Executive Director

Welcome to The North American Ice Cream Association Rachel Franko Furniture City Creamery Grand Rapids, MI

ADRIAN SIMON Bonnie Brae Ice Cream Denver, CO

Tom Leo

Molly A Jordan Oh Five Scoop Shop Fort Wayne, IN

Kathryn Ripp The Creekside Scoop LLC Cross Plains, WI

Calesta Ayer Motley Moo Creamery Anchorage, AK

John Suttner Buddys Burgers & Custard, LLC Waukesha, WI

Mat McGee Georgina's Frozen Custard & Ices Palm Harbor, FL

Angela Muir Boom Town Creamery Oklahoma City, OK

Bruce Brown Alpine Chocolat Haus Gaylord, MI Timmy Humphries Jacks Treat Truck

Leos homemade ice cream Carlisle, PA

Rebecca Swindle Patra Lees Kitchen HOUSTON, TX Elizabeth Higgins Lindy’s Ice Cream Onalaska, TX Jason Risner Scoops Ice Cream & Grille Mountville, PA

FOOD SAFETY SUPPORT HOT-LINE FOR

SMALL/ARTI SAN DAI RY PROCESSORS

Not sure where to start? Our network of food safety experts from Universities across the US are here to help you take the next step by providing free one-on-one plan consultation and review.

315-787-2600 Dairyfoodsafetycoach@cornell.edu

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Food Safety Corner Let’s talk Allergens The major allergens are milk, eggs, finfish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. These eight allergens account for over 90% of all food allergies.

Our industry uses all major allergens, even fish byproducts (fish gelatin).

An Allergen Control Plan protects the health of consumers as well as the reputation of your company. It is a written document regarding the storage, handling, processing, packaging, and identification of allergenic food ingredients in your facility.

Your plan must be implemented, enforced and updated continually. Every time you hire a new employee, make sure they understand their role through documented training. Every time you begin working with a new supplier, evaluate their Allergen Control Program and change yours as needed.

The following are the fundamentals of an Allergen Control Plan: Segregation: Allergen control depends on keeping allergenic ingredients segregated from other food products from the time they enter your facility until they are introduced into the production line. Segregating the product includes ensuring that an ingredient containing an allergen is never stored above a non- allergen ingredient.

Your plan should outline documentation to

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suppliers are diligent in managing allergens. As part of your Supplier Control Program, require Letters of Guarantee, Third Party Audit Results and Product Specifications.

Ensure allergenic ingredients are shipped in clearly marked, sealed containers, and that containers are not damaged during transport. Clean any spills as soon as possible, use dedicated pallets for allergenic ingredients, keep containers clean and sealed.

Prevention of Cross-Contact during processing: Production scheduling can go a long way toward preventing cross-contamination.

It is important to consider when allergenic ingredients are introduced into the process and how traffic could inadvertently carry allergens from one point in the facility to another.

Schedule long runs in order to minimize changeovers. When possible, add products containing allergens as late in the process as possible. Use rework containing allergens only in formulas containing the same allergen, “like into like only” policy.

Product Label Review: Make sure to have a label approval process for your products or changes to current products.Remember ingredients can vary if you utilize different vendors for the same ingredient.

Also have a process in place to identify ingredient changes when receiving incoming ingredients.

New product specifications and formulation changes must be reflected on labels immediately.

Make sure packaged foods comply with FALCPA(The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection)Act; it is important to know companies cannot arbitrarily add “may contain” because precautionary labeling should not be used in lieu of adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices. Train line personnel to ensure labels are switched appropriately at product changeover on the production line.

It is also important to consider how you will make this information readily available to the consumer. One recommendation is to post ingredients and allergens on your website. This will allow for you to make changes and timely and accurately communicate with your consumer.

Allergen Cleaning Program, Verification and Validation Extensive allergen cleaning is necessary to get rid of allergenic proteins. Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures should be clearly written and easy to follow.

Define who is responsible for the cleaning operations, include detailed cleaning instructions and keep detailed records.

Only use equipment with good sanitary features: ease of cleaning and sanitizing, no dead spots, self- draining, accessible for visual inspection.

limited to, making sure there is no food or chemical residue, your equipment is in good repair, checking gaskets and seals and confirm that the equipment surface is smooth, no scratches or pits as well as inspecting the area above and near equipment.

Other cleaning verification and/or validation procedures should be clearly written. Describe analytical procedure, define the final verification/validation criteria, keep detailed records.

A final note: Sulfites and artificial colors (like FD&C yellow #5) do not elicit true allergic reactions but they are a form of food intolerance or sensitivity. Make sure FD&C colors are listed on ingredient statements and list Sulfites if present at more than 10 ppm.

If not able to verify the sulfite concentration, list them on the ingredient statement. Failure to list these ingredients will trigger a recall.

Tune in next month and we’ll take a deeper dive into other useful topics and share some practices you can hopefully put to use right away.

Heather Draper, The Ice Cream Club,

Cleaning verification can be as simple as a daily documented visual inspection of the equipment performed by trained employees.

Visual inspection includes, but is not

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What's the Big Chill?

Blast Freezers & Hardening Cabinets Zoë Triantis- Carpigiani

To blast freeze, or not to blast freeze?… that is the question. Though it might not have been an original inquiry of Shakespeare— this is a popular question among many modern frozen dessert retailers. It also begs the question: ‘why?’. What’s so special about an ultra-low temp blast freezer, versus a static freezer?

Here’s the difference: Static Freezers are designed to store cold products—but Blast Freezers are designed to make products cold very quickly.

Think of blast freezers as the ‘convection ovens’ of the refrigeration realm. A “blast” of cold air, created by a high velocity fan, circulates ultra-cold air around the product, quickly bringing down its internal temperature. With this form of ‘windchill’ technology, blast freezers can accomplish product core hardening in just a few minutes or hours, depending on the size of the vessel. This would take a static freezer multiple days to achieve.

So why is a fast freeze necessary? As is turns out, it determines the taste and texture of your product.

Whether you’re serving ice cream, gelato, sherbet, or sorbet—one thing is always present… ice. It’s the make and break of all textures and consistencies within frozen dessert products.

When a frozen product is first extracted from a batch freezer, the initial ice crystals are at their smallest and most unique form.

Each crystal structure is immensely delicate and distinct, quite comparable to the splendor of a snowflake.

These ice crystals start off tiny, about 2-4 microns in size. They have a very fragile structure, which makes it easy to clump together and expand. These ice crystals will grow with even the slightest rise in temperature, sometimes growing up to 14 microns with a rise of a single degree (F).

Once these ice crystals start to fuse and grow together—there’s no turning back!

Unfortunately, nothing can be done to reverse this crystalline expansion process, which results in an icy, chewy product.

(Gross!)

Without quick freezing, texture and taste aren’t the only elements that take a jab— another surprising victim is overrun.

Overrun is the amount of air that is incorporated into a frozen dessert product during the freezing production process.

Shaped by fats, proteins, and stabilizers— overrun is what creates that smooth and creamy texture found in frozen desserts.

It’s as synonymous with air, as it is with profits.

Overrun enlarges consumer perceived portions, which makes the serving size more enjoyable for the consumer and more prosperous for the seller. However, when ice crystals grow larger, their structures collapse, resulting in a hindered and deflated overrun.

Unfortunately, these temperature fluctuations are quite common in

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standard static freezers. Frequent opening and closing of doors and long loading and unloading times lead to unstable temperatures and conditions that cause this expansion.

Maintaining the integrity of the original ice crystal structure in your frozen dessert is the ultimate goal. This is why immediate blast freezing is absolutely necessary to achieve a high quality ice cream. Bringing down the core temperature of a product to -20° F, in the time span of just 4 hours, can maintain the original structure, shape, and size of these ice crystals. This results in the remaining ‘free water’ molecules within your product finally slowing, setting, and locking into a deep freeze.

This results in frozen desserts that have superior taste, texture, and overrun. This accelerated core freezing (or hardening) allows for a much longer hold, which improves overall storage life. Whether you’re a small-town shop or a mass wholesaler, increased storage life is always appreciated in any business.

These specialized blast freezers and hardening cabinets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and capacities.

Thermal capacities average from about -15°F to -25°F on most models, with tight sealing insulated doors that help retain their frigid interior. One thing to keep in mind is that the blast freezer thermostat will always display the true temperature, though the ‘feels-like’ temperature is actually about another 10 degrees colder! This is due to the high velocity fan creating that windchill effect, breaking through that warm air layer that surrounds your product.

How should you pick your future blast freezer? That really depends on your business’s product volume and variety.

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Smaller models are very simplistic in design, and can even fit on a countertop.

They are more geared toward shops with weekly production, or small numbers of batches. Larger multi-door models utilize separate sealed chambers which offset potential temperature fluctuations. These larger units are quite worth the investment for those in high production, daily batches, cake creation, and portioned desserts.

Producing individually portioned desserts (such as popsicles and frozen bars) requires a larger storage capacity. This is due to the need for proper fit and spacing of the molds within the shelving to allow for adequate air circulation.

Many models of blast freezers and hardening cabinets also include defrost settings and special technology that aid in temperature regulation. Certain models have increased-efficiency evaporator coils, resulting in a reduction of energy consumption and more consistent temperature regulation. To prevent ice buildup on the interior walls, defrost technology is another vital feature for blast freezers. The most common types of defrost settings include timed cycles, manual defrost, or automatic detection defrost. Modern models that utilize automatic detection defrost settings are much more efficient at keeping consistent temperatures, and have better energy savings than the timed defrost programs of older standard models.

Safeguard your product with the quality you want customers to recognize. Blast Freezer and Hardening Cabinet technology has come a long way to help you improve the freshness, texture, taste, and overrun of your frozen dessert products.

So what are you waiting for? Give your product the big chill it deserves!

Don't Miss a Beat Confirm your contact detials on your membership profile are correct to ensure you keep up to date will all things Ice Cream

CLICK HERE

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Bulk Ice Cream Packaging 101 Making A Choice when There Is No Absolute Right Answer

You spend your life-energy creating your ice cream and frozen dessert products.

Exceeding customer expectations through your business value-chain is what drives you to continue moving forward. Bulk packaging of your product is not generally an area you focus most of your resources to address but it is an area that can be a real catalyst for long term success of your endeavors. When packaging is on target, it offers itself to be the gift that keeps on giving; when the packaging is off the mark, value becomes greatly eroded or lost altogether. Packaging becomes that added element that separates you from the rest of your competition.

What do I mean by “bulk packaging”? Bulk packaging is generally represented by packages of 1.5, 2.5, 3, 4 or 5 gallon fill volumes.

The industry has become standardized at those volumes. The packages are used for in-store dip cabinets, food service outlets, and other wholesale applications. The category really came into being back in the 1930’s with the introduction of a paper-based drum with metal components. Both the packaging and the machinery necessary to form containers were revolutionary for those times. Much of the base industry today remains skewed toward legacy metal ring, paper based drums. But talk to anyone that has scooped from one of these drums and you will get an earful of issues and experiences that highlight the difference in expectations since the 1930’s.

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What do I mean by “bulk packaging”? Bulk packaging is generally represented by packages of 1.5, 2.5, 3, 4 or 5 gallon fill volumes. The industry has become standardized at those volumes. The packages are used for in-store dip cabinets, food service outlets, and other wholesale applications. The category really came into being back in the 1930’s with the introduction of a paper-based drum with metal components. Both the packaging and the machinery necessary to form containers were revolutionary for those times. Much of the base industry today remains skewed toward legacy metal ring, paper based drums. But talk to anyone that has scooped from one of these drums and you will get an earful of issues and experiences that highlight the difference in expectations since the 1930’s.

If there is no right answer, then how can you better decide what is best for you and to avoid potential liabilities in your selection? The environment is constantly evolving and more scrutiny is being placed on packaging than ever before. In short, the decisions center around whether you want to utilize paper or plastic as the primary substrate. Complexity is found when you consider the added features of paper options: the 1930’s metal ring, plastic rings, no rings, manual forming, or self-erecting.

Be that paper or plastic, each material and style has its own unique feature/benefit value in the scope of your needs, those of

your customers, and adherence with FDA and OSHA guidelines.

What are some of the considerations and how does package program selection impact your business?

Physical space allocated for packaging materials Product staying within your controlled area of use or will you sell/distribute to third parties Ability to metal detect for foreign materials Desire to re-use the packaging Dipping cabinet styles where your product will be used Manner in which your customer will use and dispose of the packaging System for hardening/freezing Stacking/racking/delivering of your containers Degree of branding or graphics Ability to support forming equipment in your facility Degrees of scalability and/or flexibility for your business plan

subjective tool, we welcome questions, comments or additional areas to be evaluated.

At Weidenhammer, we are 100% dedicated to bulk ice cream packaging. We believe we have a tremendous program offering above all others. However, we know we are not the absolute right answer for every ice cream producer needs. The decision on the ideal package for your business has to be decided with your specific lens. The Weidenhammer team stands ready to assist you work through the options toward your ideal package to protect your product and project your brand value. For more discussion on the topic of ideal bulk packaging program selection, feel free to contact mike.cockrum@weidenhammer.us.

Weidenhammer

To provide guidance on your selection, a comparative overview of the primary package styles used for bulk ice cream and frozen dessert products has been created.

For detail, follow this link. You will find a side-by-side evaluation and ranking of relative product attributes. This is not a result of any scientific study but rather an accumulation of a team of people totaling over 100 years of packaging experience. As a

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Online Reputation Management: A Beginner’s Guide Whether we like it or not, reputation matters.

Anyone that has ever had to deal with untrue or damaging things said about them, or someone they care about undoubtedly knows this. The same is true in business.

That’s why online reputation management (ORM) is such a huge part of running a successful business in the digital age.

Why Online Matters

Reputation

Management

In the past decade, what people are saying online has impacted a business’s performance. Several negative comments online and your reputation can change quickly. A rude or unprofessional employee can have people gossiping about your business in no time. Chatter about poor quality work or services that don’t meet expectations can cause your company or practice to lose existing clients as the word spreads.

Online Reputation Management is something every business needs to include in their marketing plan. Yes, Marketing Plan. Several different items fall under the broader category of Online Reputation Management.

Let’s take a look.

ORM and SEO Where does your website rank when you search for similar businesses? Are you in the top five? Are you on the first page of search

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results? You ideally want to be in the top five because those people searching online will likely research a little bit more. If you are not ranked in the top five and not on the first page, you need to invest some time in growing your SEO. Things that grow your SEO are a website for speed, regular content posting, and being a trusted and reliable source in your business category.

ORM and Social Media Platforms Do you have a presence on social media? If you don’t, you should probably get one. You should at least have a Facebook or Instagram account and make a point to post regularly on them and interact with your customers. You will have to decide which types of social media accounts fit your needs based on the type of business you have. Starting with Facebook is always a safe bet. If you have existing accounts on different platforms, make sure all the information matches. Location, hours of business, even your handles should be the same or very similar across the platforms.

Google My Business falls under this umbrella too and is a perfect transition into…

Online Reviews I think we all know how critical online

reviews are, and most people rely heavily on Google for these. People also commonly leave reviews on Facebook and Yelp. Positive feedback and reviews can add sales to your business, just like negative ones can take business away.

If you are managing your own reviews, two things are essential. The first thing is that you want to make sure you are responding to the reviews regularly. You acknowledge and say thank you for the positive, and you address any negative comments in a nonconfrontation manner. If the complaint needs further conversation, request that people reach out to you directly via phone or email to find a resolution. Sometimes you can’t make customers happy no matter what you do, so the best course of action is to apologize and say you will improve moving forward.

The second thing you want to do is solicit reviews. The more you ask, the more you will get positive reviews. Yelp will not allow you to request reviews, but all other platforms will let you ask your customers to leave a review for your business. You can do this at checkout through follow-up texts and emails or even by putting QR codes at the table or on the door.

Target Market

Conenect With Our New Mentorship Program We are looking for mentors for the Association mentor program.

Please CLICK HERE to get eligibility details and sign up today!

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Sa

e at

e h T D e v Conecon 2022 will be held on the November 7th, 8th, and 9th in Fort Worth, TX Details to Follow

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Have you checked out our online training resources?

CLICK HERE TO SIGN IN AND GET STARTED

Join The Conversation Have you joined the private forum for association members?

The forum is a great way for association members to share ideas, questions and best practices.

Click HERE to join now!

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MARKETING CALENDAR FEBRUARY Holiday 2022 Daily Holidays

Candy-Making Day: 1 Chinese New Year 2022: 1 Crepe Day: 2 Hedgehog Day: 2 National Sweater Day: 3 Bubble Gum Day: 4 World Nutella Day: 5 Canadian Maple Syrup Day: 6 Play Monopoly Day: 6 Ballet Day: 7 Extraterrestrial Visitor Day: 8 National Pizza Day: 9 Toothache Day: 9 National Giving Hearts Day: 10 No One Eats Alone Day: 11 Lincoln's Birthday: 12 Galentine's Day: 13 National Cheddar Day: 13

Ferris Wheel Day: 14 Valentines Day: 14 National Gum Drop Day: 15 National Almond Day: 16 Girl Scout Cookie Weekend: 18-20 Chocolate Mint Day: 19 Love Your Pet Day: 20 Presidents Day: 21 National Dog Biscuit Day: 23 National Chili Day: 24 Skip The Straw Day: 25 World Pistachio Day: 26 National Retro Day: 27 National Tooth Fairy Day: 28

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MARCH 2022 Daily Holidays

National Peanut Lovers Day: 1 International Pancake Day: 1 Dr. Seuss Day: 2 National Anthem Day: 3 World Book Day: 3 Employee Appreciation Day: 4 National Frozen Food Day: 5 National Dentist's Day: 6 Oreo Cookie Day: 6 National Cereal Day: 7 National Peanut Cluster Day: 8 Barbie Day: 9 Nametag Day: 10 National Promposal Day: 11 Middle Name Pride Day: 11 Genealogy Day: 12 Daylight Saving Time Begins: 13 Potato Chip Day: 14 Save a Spider Day: 14 True Confessions Day: 15 Panda Day: 16 Campfire Day: 17 St. Patrick's Day: 17 Kiss Your Fiancée Day: 18

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National Chocolate Caramel Day: 19 Proposal Day: 20 Snowman Burning Day: 20 Won't You Be My Neighbor Day: 20 World Storytelling Day: 20 World Poetry Day: 21 As Young As You Feel Day: 22 National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day: 24 Purple Day: 26 National Scribble Day: 27 National Mom & Pop Business Owner's Day: 29 Pencil Day: 30 National Crayon Day: 31

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DISPLAY ADVERTISING Hey there, Supplier Member. Hopefully by now you have seen quite a few changes in the way the association is improving member benefits and communicating with our members.

Our main method of communication is still our monthly Bulletin published on the 10th of each month. Up until recently, The Bulletin has struggled to attract advertisers and we have been offering free ads to those supplier members who contributed an article.

THE GOOD NEWS IS.....

We have recently put extra effort into increasing the effectiveness of the Bulletin with the following functions: Full Color Front Cover President and Executive Director Messages Monthly Food Safety Articles Marketing and Event Calendars More Links to articles and online content.

This has led to high engagement through open rates and link clicks.

With this higher engagement, we are having more inquiries by Supplier Members about advertising to our members again in the Bulletin. For this purpose, we are publishing The Bulletin Advertising rates for 2022.

Frequency rates are based on the total number of insertions used within a twelvemonth period.

Space Reservations: 10th of month preceding publication Material Deadline: 15th of month preceding publication.

Please direct any questions to Steve Christensen, Executive Director at the below contact details.

636 778 1822 * Toll Free: 866-303-6960 E-Mail: info@icecreamassociation.org * Web: www.icecreamassociation.org

Association Officers 2022 President Dave Deadman, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI Vice President Charlie Wilcox, Marianne’s Ice Cream, Santa Cruz, CA Treasurer Kelly Larson, Sweet Temptations, Grand Haven, MI Secretary Rick Pizzi, Pizzi Farms, Waltham, MA

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Immediate Past President George Xouris, Andia's Ice Cream, Cary, NC Executive Director Steve Christensen, Wildwood, MO Terms Ending Annual Meeting 2022 Charlie Bomboy, Bomboy's Homemade Ice Cream, Havre De Grace, MD Dirk White, The Alaskan Creamery, Sitka, AK Kyle Cameron, Joy Cone Company, Wirtz, PA Rick Pizzi, Pizzi Farm Ice Cream, Waltham, MA Jill Curran, Kimball Farm, Inc., Westford, MA Terms Ending Annual Meeting 2023 Valerie Henrici, Yummies, Warsaw, NY Sue Kloter, Kloter Ice Cream Barn, Ellington, CT Donnie Montgomery, Homestead Creamery, Wirtz, VA Andy Jones, Lloyds of PA, Prince Frederick, MD 2020 SUPPLIER OFFICERS President Evan Waldt, Ice Cream Equipment Spec.

Reno, NV Vice President Nichole Theriault, I.Rice & Company, Inc..

Philadelphia, PA Secretary/Treasurer Hank Sweeney, Classic Mix, LLC.. Neenah, WI Chairman Ben Keser, Joy Cone Co., Hermitage, PA COMMITTEES AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Executive Committee David Deadman, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI

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Nominating Committee George Xouris, Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream, Morrisville, NC Convention Committee Dave Deadman, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI Membership Committee Charlie Wilcox, Marianne’s Ice Cream, Santa Cruz, CA Ice Cream Clinic Committee Christine D’Amico, Over the Top, Pleasant Hill IA Scholarship Committee Sue Kloter, Kloter Ice Cream Barn, Ellington, CT NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY The Association is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in all of its endeavors. To that end, we shall not tolerate any words or acts of discrimination, harassment or any inappropriate behavior in general against any person affiliated with the association, including its members and guests, with regard to race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation.

This Bulletin is published by: The North American Ice Cream Association PO Box 601 Wildwood, MO 63040 This issue of The Bulletin is now available online at www.icecreamassociation.org.

Click on the Members Only button and enter your Username and Password. If you cannot find your Username and Password, call the office at 866-3036960 or send an e-mail to info@theicecreamassociation.org requesting the information.

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