NICRA October Bulletin

October 2020

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How you can contribute to this years virtual convention

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REFINE THE QUALITY OF YOUR ICE CREAM

HOW TO GET A GREAT TASTING CHOCOLATE nicramembersonly

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Greetings NICRA Members!

I can’t believe we’re less than 3 weeks away from our annual convention! I guess 2020 has been one of those years where we’re happy time marches on.

To be honest, back in early June when the Board first started discussing the possibility of not being able to hold our normal on-site convention, I was bummed. After all, it’s an opportunity to regroup with the countless industry friends I have come to learn from, share tips with, get inspired by, and

George Xouris

Andia's Homemade Ice Cream

just have fun with. But as the summer progressed and the COVID news got worse, reality hit and we decided to pivot and make this convention a virtual one. Yes, it was a little scary at.

first. But the more we talked about it, and the more info Steve and Elizabeth from the NICRA office provided us as they researched the myriad platform options, the more confident and excited I got that we could not only pull it off, but that it will be a convention like no other we’ve ever experienced.

This virtual platform offers capabilities that are literally impossible to achieve on-site. Did you know you’ll be able to click on that are literally impossible to achieve on-site. Did you know you’ll be able to click on a supplier’s virtual booth and communicate with them directly, and in some cases go for a virtual tour of their facility? Another huge benefit of the platform is that every session will be recorded and made available to all registrants for 30 days after the convention! That means no more “Oh man, I want to go to two sessions that are happening at the same time and I can only attend one!” You can also re-watch your favorites, and play them back for others at your company. Having a virtual convention also cuts down tremendously on the cost of attending, since travel, hotel, and food are eliminated. There are many more benefits but I want to move on to the sessions.

This year we will have not 1, not 2, but 3 awesome keynote addresses. CEO’s from industry leaders Graeter’s, Andy’s Frozen Custard, and Hwy 55 Burgers & Fries will be sharing their stories and business advice. You don’t want to miss those, and now with this platform, you won’t!

I don’t have space to talk about the many great sessions we have lined up, so I’ll just briefly mention a few I’m personally excited about: Labeling & Nutrition Laws (I’m so confused about that!), a full day of Food Safety on Monday, Community Collaborations, Daily Operations, Flavor Trends, and Social Media.

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So I hope I’ve motivated you to click on over to nicra.org and register, if you haven’t already. Wishing you good health, safety, and fun as we close out 2020.

CONVENTION COMMITTEE UPDATE

Hello NICRA Members!

I hope everyone is easing into your fall ice cream world routines. Up here in Wisconsin that means we will be preparing for freezing temperatures and snow soon. This also means

that it’s time to work on my ice cream business to make sure I’m ready for next year.

Your NICRA convention committee has been spending a lot of time putting together an amazing virtual convention to help you and your business figure this out.

NICRA’s virtual convention will be held on November 10 – 12, 2020. In addition, back by popular demand, NICRA will host the 2nd annual food (ice cream) safety day on Monday November 9, 2020. Please find some of our awesome convention highlights listed below.

Monday November 9, 2020 Pre-convention food (ice cream) safety coaching on HACCP, GMPs, allergens, and environmental monitoring. Also, ask the end of the day expert panel all of your food safety questions.

Tuesday November 10, 2020 An awesome convention kick-off with our featured speaker Andy Kuntz of Andy’s Frozen Custard.

Andy has grown his custard company to include more than 85 locations in 14 states. The rest of Tuesday will be packed with convention information to help you start your business, grow your business, add locations, and expand your product offerings.

Wednesday November 11, 2020 We will be treated with the 150-year history of Greater’s Ice Cream by 4th generation Richard Greater. After learning how Greater’s has succeeded for 150 years we will learn how to market our businesses, expand, and balance our flavor and product selections, improve the quality of our products, and do it all while making a profit.

Thursday November 12, 2020 Kenny Moore kicks off the final day of our convention. Kenny founded Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes, & Fries in 1991 and now has over 135 locations. After Kenny tells us his story our sessions will focus on standard operating procedures, listeria, intellectual property, fudge making, cake decorating, labeling and nutritional laws, Keto ice cream, popsicle making, and how to sell your business when you are ready.

Tuesday November 10 – Thursday November 12, 2020 The NICRA tradeshow floor will be open with virtual access to over 100 NICRA suppliers. “Visit” their booths to learn about all of the products and services available to NICRA members.

Overall, I hope you can see that we have 4 days full of great speakers, and a wide variety of seminars for all of us to learn more about our industry and how to improve our businesses. In addition to everything mentioned above, the NICRA traditions of the Best New Flavor Contest, The Bryce Thompson Scholarship Live and Silent Auction, the Ice Cream Clinic, and the Awards Ceremony will of course be part of this year’s virtual convention.

So go to NICRA.ORG right now to sign up for this year’s virtual convention. It will be well worth your time and investment to help you critically analyze your business and prepare for next year. See you at convention!

Cheers, Dave

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A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The NICRA elves are very busy this coming week.Each registrant for the upcoming NICRA Virtual Convention and Trade Show is going to receive a big pink box filled with convention goodies.

What’s in the box??

Great question and probably a good premise for a game show. In your Registration Box you will find: Your CONECON2020 Convention Guidebook Your 2021 NICRA Yearbook Your 2021 NICRA calendar Your 2021 Door Decal Your Virtual Convention T Shirt A NICRA Pint cooler A NICRA Stress Cone Some NICRA Merch Refreshments A Guide to the NICRA Game competition A Coupon Card with up to $2000 in supplier discounts A NICRA Magnet and Post it pad And other goodies Now, you may think that you can wait until convention starts to register, however we need time to get this box out to you. Registration boxes have started to be packed and shipped all over the country.

AND REMEMBER, the recordings of the presentations, breakout sessions and the exhibitor booths will be available for 30 days after the show. If you cant make the sessions live, or want to watch another session that ran concurrently, you can log in until the 10th of December.

All in all, this will be a unique and interesting way to meet, learn, network and rub virtual shoulders with fellow ice cream people.

Just don’t leave it too late.

Steve Christensen

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Executive Director NICRA

The National Ice Cream Retailers Association Welcomes our New Members Rhonda Schmitz Hattie Jane's Creamery Murfreesboro,Tennessee

Maryann Barnsley M ‘n M Scoops Plymouth, New Hampshire

Kylie McPherson Frozen Parts Fultonville, New York

Reuben BenJehuda 123 Gelato New York, New York

Lou Riiff Scoopy Lou's Linenwold, New Jersey

Amber Khan MOKIPOPS Atlanta,Georgia

Darin Alpert Ice Cream Caddie Raleigh, North Carolina

Jennifer Misomali Goody's Sweet Treats Lilongwe Four Season Center

Talema Rice Rice's Ice Washington District of Columbia

Rebecca Stoffs Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Madison, Wisconsin

Vicky Little Sip And Scoop California Brentwood, California OMAR MIKHAIL Krisp San Diego California

Kristine and Amy Twisted Sisters Fife Lake, Michigan Dianne Tunison Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream Ludington, Michigan

FOOD SAFETY SUPPORT HOT-LINE FOR

SMALL/ARTISAN DAIRY 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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NICRA VIRTUAL CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW All times listed are Central Standard Time Agenda topics and times are subject to change.

Monday November 9, 2020 9:00am - 10:00am 10:30am - 11:30am 1:00pm - 2:00pm 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Virtual Coaching Session HACCP/GMP Virtual Coaching Session on Allergens & Inclusions Virtual Coaching Session on Environmental Monitoring Ask the Food Safety Experts

Tuesday November 10, 2020 9:00am - 5:00pm Virtual Exhibits Open 10:00am - 10:30am Main Stage- Convention Overview and Kickoff

10:30pm - 11:30am Keynote Speaker – Growing the Family Business Andy Kuntz – Founder and CEO - Andy’s Frozen Custard 12:00pm - 12:45pm Lunchroom Roundtable Covid Operational Discussion Looking to get into the business First Timers Session Farmstead Creameries.

1:00pm - 2:00pm DAY 1 SESSION 1

Daily Operations and Employee Management Working With your Chamber of Commerce How to Sell your Pints in Retail Stores 2:30pm - 3:30pm DAY 1 SESSION 2

Opening an Ice Cream Business Community Collaborations Packing and Shipping Ice Cream 4:00pm - 5:00pm DAY 1 SESSION 3 My first 2 years - Growing your New Business How the SBA / Score can help you Your Own Home Delivery Service Starting my first Franchise

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6:00pm - 6:30pm 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Collaboration Video - My Biggest Mistake Best New Flavor Contest Celebrity Judging - Store Tour Videos

Wednesday November 11, 2020 9:00am - 5:00pm 9:00am - 9:30am 9:30am - 10:30am

Virtual Exhibits Open A message from our Executive Director Keynote Speaker – 150 years of Graetness Rich Graeter – President and CEO, Graeters Ice Cream

11:00am to 12:00pm DAY 2 SESSION 1 Using Video to market your Business How to Create a Successful Website for your Brand Social Media Musts Navigating Digital Marketing in 2021 12:15pm - 1:00pm Lunchroom Roundtable West Coast Businesses North East Businesses Midwest Businesses South Businesses

1:15pm - 2:15pm DAY 2 SESSION 2 Following Flavor Trends Vegan and NSA Frozen Dessert Production Unusual and Trending menu Items Improve the Technical Quality of your product 2:30pm - 3:30pm DAY 2 SESSION 3 Pricing Your Products for Flavoring and Wholesale Reduce your Food and Labor Costs Getting most out of your Tax management 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Main Stage Creating an Environment for Employees and Customers with Disabilities & Mental Health Concerns

6:00pm - 6:20pm

Collaboration Video - My Best Idea Ever

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Bryce Thompson silent and live auction

8:00pm - 9:00pm

Online Trivia Game w prizes

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Thursday November 12, 2020 9:00am - 5:00pm 9:00am - 10:00am

Virtual Exhibits Open Main Stage Kenny Moore CEO Hwy 55 Burgers and Fries Adding frozen desserts to your menu

10:15am - 11:15am DAY 3 SESSION 1 SOP Development and Execution Safe Ice Cream - Website and Free Course Demo What is Listeria and How to Prevent it

11:30am - 12:30pm DAY 3 SESSION 2 Intellectual Property and Your Business 10 Legal Documents You Should Have Live Demonstration - Cake Decorating Live Demonstration - Fudge Making 1:00pm - 1:30pm

Main Stage Ice Cream Clinic Report and Results

1:45pm - 2:30pm

Main Stage Labeling and Nutritional Laws

2:45pm - 3:45pm DAY 3 SESSION 3 Getting the most out to the NICRA Website Preparing your business to Sell Keto Ice Cream Popsicle Making Demo 4:00pm - 5:00pm Main Stage Experts Panel Q and A with Industry Experts from all fields.

5:30pm - 6:00pm

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First Timers Wrap Up Session

6:30pm - 9:00pm Main Stage NICRA ORIGINAL VIDEO PRODUCTION – From the Cow to the Cone NICRA Awards Ceremony Presentation of Scholarships Presentation of Awards Close and handover

PRE-CONVENTION FOOD SAFETY TRAINING This year we are continuing our tradition of the pre-convention workshops covering all aspects of your food safety plans. Last year these sessions over sold and were at capacity.

Learn from our food safety experts in four sessions that cover everything you will need to start or fine tune your food safety plan, and ensure you are complaint with the Food Safety Modernization Act and other federal and state legislation.

These four sessions will cost registrants $45 and tickets will be sold separately to the general event registration.

Session 1 - Virtual Food Safety Coaching Session HACCP/GMP This is the first session in a four-session food safety module. Join a 60-minute session on two core areas of producing safe food. During the session, Kim Bukowski, Extension Support Specialist at Cornell University, will share information on HAACP and GMPs and what ice cream makers need to know to get started safely. Access to resources, templates, upcoming workshops, and one-on-one coaching support will be offered in addition to Q&A. A brief pre-session primer will be sent out ahead of this session to help you become familiar with the terminology being discussed and ensure time for your questions.

Session 2 – Virtual Food Safety Coaching Session on Allergens & Inclusions This is the second session in a four-session food safety module. Join a 60-minute session on allergens and inclusions and their importance to producing safe ice cream. During the session, Dr. Tonya Schoenfuss, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota, will share best practices for dealing with allergens and inclusions in ice cream. Access to resources, templates, upcoming workshops, and one-on-one coaching support will be offered in addition to Q&A. A brief pre-session primer will be sent out ahead of this session to help familiarize yourself with the terminology being discussed and ensure time for your questions.

Session 3 – Virtual Food Safety Coaching Session on Environmental Monitoring This is the third session in a four-session food safety module. Join a 60-minute session on environmental monitoring, what it is, how to get started, and answers to commonly asked questions. During the session, Dr. Sam Alcaine, Assistant Professor at Cornell University, will help participants increase their knowledge of environmental monitoring, how to identify how much is ‘too little’ or ‘too much’ for ice cream makers when managing risks and ensuring the safety of their products. Access to resources, templates, upcoming workshops, and one-on-one coaching support will be offered in addition to Q&A. A brief pre-session primer will be sent out ahead of this session to help familiarize yourself with the terminology being discussed and ensure time for your questions.

Session 4 – Ask the Food Safety Experts This food safety session is the fourth in a series of coaching modules during which food safety experts from across the country will discuss best practices and answer your questions. In this 60-minute virtual Q & A wrap-up session, Dr. Sam Alcaine, Assistant Professor at Cornell University, will moderate the panel as they discuss the most common struggles that ice cream makers may encounter when developing and implementing a food safety plan. Come prepared with your questions for this panel. They will be happy to share their knowledge and experience with you.

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KEYNOTE ADDRESSES Rich Graeter, President and CEO, Graeters Ice Cream.

Since 1870, four generations of the Graeter family have remained committed to handcrafting only the most indulgent ice cream available. From humble beginnings serving ice cream from a cart in Cincinnati to the nationwide presence of Graeter’s Ice Cream today, the family has stubbornly held to ideals and processes of the founding generation. Members of the 3rd, 4th and 5th generation continue to work in the business, every day, ensuring that their customers get truly the best ice cream they have ever tastedAs a member of the fourth generation of the Graeter family to own and operate the business, Richard Graeter is dedicated to the family tradition of making ice cream, while embracing new opportunities and technology to grow the business.Learn from Richard the process of growing a multi-generational business into a name and brand that is widely recognized and loved the country over.

Andy Kuntz, CEO Andy's Frozen Custard Andy’s has always been fanatical about custard and has served it with pride since March 19, 1986. For more than three decades, only the freshest ingredients have been used for a frozen custard experience you can’t get anywhere else.The Andy’s Frozen Custard tradition started in Osage Beach, Missouri when John and Carol Kuntz embarked on a new frozen custard endeavor. Their treat quickly became a legend at the lake, and soon took nearby Springfield, Missouri by storm.It was at the original Springfield location where John and Carol’s son Andy (and his wife Dana) worked long hours learning the business from the ground up.

Their fanaticism for a supreme product and unmatched customer service never wavered. Always striving to expand and improve Andy’s Frozen Custard, they have taken the brand to new heights, with locations throughout Missouri, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.In his session, Andy will share some of his thoughts and experiences about working and growing the family business.

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KEYNOTE ADDRESSES Kenney Moore – CEO Highway 55 Burgers and Fries.

Kenney Moore opened the very first Hwy 55 in a mall in smalltown North Carolina in 1991. It was called Andy's Cheesesteaks & Cheeseburgers at the time, and its beginnings were humble: Kenney cooked every burger by himself from morning 'til night.

And this was in full view of his customers. He couldn't afford a traditional restaurant kitchen. But Kenney soon realized something. When you’re manning an open grill, you can greet everyone who walks in. You can chat with guests sitting at the counter. You can cook a family their meals fresh right in front of them, and they can watch the care you put into doing so. Kenney and his team rolled out a systemwide frozen dessert menu to increase their offering to their customers and help increase sales. Kenney shares his business philosophy, experiences, and his love of helping others become successful.

NICRA members have helped us give out more than $300,000 in scholarships to employees in need!

To donate an item for this years auction

These funds are raised through our yearly charity auction with items donated by members like you!

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Contributing to this Year's Virtual Convention This year's virtual convention opens a realm of possibilities! Not only do we have wonderful keynotes, and presenters we have the opportunity to hear from you!

Please submit your video to the following link:

The biggest piece of feedback we hear from our members is how wonderful and helpful our association is. In the spirit of Ice Cream people helping Ice Cream People we are putting together several video compilations with videos starring you!

Please feel free to film these videos on your phone or camera, we only ask that they are filmed horizontally to allow for easy viewing on the screen.

These videos will be compiled and played over the three day event.

My Store Tour Love the flow of you customer area? Have a display cabinet to rival all others? We want to see it! Please upload a video tour of your store for our store tour compilation.

This by no means has to be a full store tour.

We are looking for a horizontal walk through of your favorite and maybe not so favorite store features. Feel free to tell us a bit about them too!

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My Best Idea Two words.... Sundae Kit. Earlier this year we had a member post about their Sundae Kits on the NICRA Member Facebook page. This lead to subsequent Sundae Kit success and helped a lot of our store owners increase sales during the early months of 2020.

We want to hear about your best idea or success story! Upload a horizontal video of you talking about your best idea for our best idea compilation video.

Videos can be submitted through the link below:

My Biggest Mistake and How I Overcame it I'm sure you have heard the phrase what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Tell us about your learning curve and how you overcame it.

Upload a horizontal video of you talking about your biggest mistake and how you turned it into a stepping stone.

Videos can be submitted through the following link:

If you have any questions or need help please reach out to the NICRA office at info@nicra.org or 636.778.1822

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Considerations for Farmstead Ice Cream Businesses

By Anika Gianforte, Dairy Processing Specialist, Cornell University

There are many examples of successful value-added businesses on dairy farms and the numbers have increased over the last 5 years. Consumers trust farmers, like to buy local, and are more interested in where their food comes from than ever before. This represents exciting opportunities for new businesses, streams of income for farmers, and delicious ice cream!

One of the first questions entrepreneurs ask is how much capital is needed to start a farmstead operation. While this is a critical question when starting a business, what many people do not consider is the costs associated with operating a direct to consumer business safely. Areas to consider are as follows: Food Safety As A Top Priority E-coli in lettuce, increased focus on allergens (cross-contact and labeling), huge stories illustrating that Listeria monocytogenes can survive under frozen conditions – these are the type of food safety concerns that keep business owners up at night. Food is not getting less safe; the reality is that detection tools are allowing public health officials to connect outbreaks with their sources much more efficiently and effectively. We are now identifying and removing risks the industry was previously unaware of. DNA fingerprints of bacteria from critically ill patients can sometimes be matched to samples taken from food facility environments and/or finished products.

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While this is a strong public health tool, it also means that food processors of all sizes need to be more vigilant than ever to prevent problems before they happen.

Facility-specific food safety plans are required for most facilities under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Even if you are legally exempt due to the type or size of operation consumers still expect the same level of diligence. Food Safety Plans are living documents that take time, diligence, and effort.

FSMA’s “Preventive Controls for Human Food” regulation requires facilities to adopt current good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and build a food safety plan with preventive controls in place to prevent food safety issues. The four types of preventive controls are Process, Allergen, Sanitation, and Supply Chain. If a facility identifies the need for any of these preventive controls (which is almost always the case), then they must also have a written recall plan.

As each food processing facility is different, each food safety plan should reflect that facility and its products. For example, facilities that are close to animal housing need to be mindful of developing food safety protocols and GMPs that prevent food safety issues associated with manure, dust, and personnel movement between one area of the business to another.

Likewise, facilities with multiple allergens may need to develop customized programs to prevent allergen cross-contact. We know that ice cream, if not handled properly, can cause significant public health issues. Therefore it would be very reasonable to have each of the four above-mentioned preventive controls in a food safety plan. For example, a facility’s process control could be a pasteurization step. Allergen controls are likely to come into play since many popular inclusions (nuts, wheat, soy, etc.) are allergenic. Milk itself is also an allergen and needs to be declared on packaging. Cleaning and sanitation are of the utmost importance for preventing contamination issues post heat treatment and ingredients and finished product should be labelled and stored appropriately.

Supply chain preventive controls come into play as well. For example, if you add cookie dough to ice cream at the end of your process, you are completely relying on your supplier to provide you with safe cookie dough. An example ‘supply chain preventive control’ would be using only approved suppliers that can document and ensure they are controlling for hazards.

Regardless of size, your operation needs to have a written good manufacturing practices and food safety plan. Food safety plan development resources can be found at https://www.nicra.org/page/foodsafety or https://dairyextension.foodscience.cornell.ed u/ Time Spent Not Making Product This sounds obvious, but the time it takes to get things done on a value-added dairy operation is often underestimated. Between processing product, conducting marketing and distribution activities, and handling documentation, time becomes a precious commodity. This being said, at the end of the day, producing a safe product is what keeps your business’s doors open.

Appropriate staffing to conduct both operational activities and implementing food

safety inspections and precautions is critical for ensuring safe product. Maintaining GMPs, executing proper cleaning and sanitation, and creating documentation are just a handful of examples of activities that need to be focused on daily for the longevity of a value-added business.

Hidden Operating Costs Sanitation is a key component of producing safe, high quality ice cream. Procuring chemicals that are intended for dairy food processing application is important to ensuring adequate cleaning and sanitizing is done. Titrating chemicals before sanitizing to verify the chemical concentration is correct is required and using ATP swabs before start-up to verify surfaces are clean may also be helpful. These chemicals and materials all have costs associated with them.

One program a food processor implements (and are sometimes required to implement) to prevent food safety issues is Pathogen Environmental Monitoring (PEM). This means that processors will swab locations throughout the facility and send the samples off to a certified lab using approved methods to test them for bacteria such as Listeria or Salmonella.

The goal of a PEM program is to seek, find, and destroy any harmful bacteria before it ends up in product. There have been instances of facilities implementing a PEM program, but in an effort to save money, samples were sent to labs that were not certified or using appropriate methods for detecting pathogens. Result: they never knew they had an issue until it was too late and the error cost them even more to remedy. If a facility is found to be irresponsible, it can be catastrophic to consumers, the business, and its owners. Food safety planning and monitoring take time, effort, and investment and should be built into a company’s operating budget.

Successful business operators dedicate time and money toward training themselves and their

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employees on both production know-how and all the nuances of the value-added dairy business.

Do not plan or run your value-added dairy business without considering these food safety related factors. We wish you all the success in the world in your businesses, and if you need additional help please visit www.safeicecream.org or call 315-7872600 for one-on-one technical support.

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Anika Gianforte Cornell University

What Cocoa Powder Should I Use for the Best Tasting Chocolate Ice Cream?

Cherish Mathews -Forbes Chocolate This is a question that we receive quite often at Forbes Chocolate. As a company that has been in existence since 1901, we’ve tasted, formulated and helped to create some of the best chocolate ice creams anywhere. We have all probably chosen a favorite chocolate ice cream. One that stands out above all others.

What is it about that chocolate ice cream that makes us prefer it over other chocolate ice creams? Is it the color or the rich flavor? The inclusions? What’s the secret behind creating the best chocolate ice cream? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that might make one chocolate ice cream better than another.

Anyone that has studied this subject knows that cocoa solids influence the structure, color and flavor of chocolate ice cream. These ingredients can be blended into the mix in cocoa powder form or in chocolate syrup form. They can also be introduced as an inclusion like a fudge ribbon or chocolate flake.

If you’ve ever shopped chocolate flavoring options for your ice cream, you know the possibilities are seemingly endless. While there are many chocolate flavor options available, this article will focus simply on cocoa powder and the factors that may help you choose one cocoa over another.

Let’s start with the features that differentiate cocoa products.

The biggest differences between cocoa powders are color, flavor, fat content, pH level and whether the cocoa is alkalized or non-alkalized In addition to the physical differences in cocoa powder,

one could also look at price as a way of differentiating cocoas. We will also briefly explore the factors that can affect the price of cocoa powder and chocolate.

Cocoa powders with different colors, flavors and fat content are created and modified through the production process illustrated below.

Factors Affecting the Color and Flavor of Cocoa Powder Cocoa powder in its natural state (prealkalization) has a low pH level. “Natural” cocoa powder will have a lighter color and a somewhat acidic, tart taste.

Alkalized or “Dutched” cocoa powder comes in a wide variety of colors and typically has a more pleasing chocolatey flavor. Alkalization of highquality cocoa usually occurs when the cocoa beans are in the nib state but can also

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occur further along in the production process.

The nibs are treated with alkaline substances such as potassium or sodium carbonate. This process allows cocoa manufacturers to produce cocoa in a wide range of colors varying from light brown to dark red or even black. The alkalization process can be used to modify flavor by rounding out acidity and providing a milder flavor. Alkalizing also increases the pH level of cocoa. Typically, the higher the pH level of the cocoa, the darker the cocoa powder will appear.

Factors Affecting Fat Content in Cocoa Powder As the production process continues, nibs are eventually ground and pressed. The grinding of the nibs is a multi-stage process that changes the nibs from a solid state to a fluid mass of cocoa particles suspended in cocoa butter. The fluidity of this substance is due to the high “fat” or cocoa butter in the solution.

The fat content of cocoa nibs is about 50% and the grinding process releases that fat.

The resulting solution is known as chocolate liquor. As you can see from the chart, this is where chocolate production and cocoa powder production part ways. Chocolate liquor can go on to be processed as chocolate or can be further processed into cocoa powder by continuing to press the cocoa butter out.

The pressing of the chocolate liquor is performed by hydraulic presses. Depending on the pressing time and the setting of the press, the resulting cocoa cake will have a fat content of 10-24%. Cocoa manufacturers will typically only produce cocoa powders with two different fat contents. The first and most popular cocoa powder contains between 1012% cocoa butter. This is typically referred to as a 10/12 powder. The second contains between 22-24% cocoa butter – Referred to as a 22/24 powder. The fat content of the cocoa powder can affect the color of the powder as observed by the eye.

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This is known as external color. Once the cocoa powder is incorporated into a finished product, such as ice cream, the external color is no longer relevant. The color of a cocoa powder in a finished product is known as its intrinsic color. When selecting a cocoa powder for its color, intrinsic color and not external color should be the determining factor.

Factors Affecting the Price of Cocoa Powder Fat content can influence not only the external color of cocoa powder but also the price of the powder. Remember, the content of a cocoa bean is around 50% powder and 50% cocoa butter. The most desirable finished product from the cocoa bean is chocolate. Of all the products produced from the cocoa bean, chocolate contains the highest concentration of cocoa butter. Because of that, the price for cocoa powder containing a larger concentration of cocoa butter may be higher than a lower fat cocoa. You might ask: If a high-fat cocoa powder is usually more expensive, why would anyone choose to use a higher fat cocoa powder in their ice cream?

For the same reason someone would want to use a higher fat dairy mix to create their ice cream. Fat in cocoa also contributes to the mouthfeel of the finished product and can improve the overall experience of eating the ice cream.

Available supply obviously affects the price of cocoa powder as well. Sadly, you can’t grow cocoa in your backyard. Cocoa plants thrive within 10 degrees North and South of the Equator. This limits the locations where cocoa can be grown and harvested. A poor crop yield can lead to low supply and higher cost.

So, what will you choose?

We’ve tested many products over the years and have our own opinions about which cocoa powders provide the best flavors for chocolate ice cream. Our best recommendations for producing pleasing chocolate ice cream are lightly alkalized cocoa powders, in the brownto-red color range, with a pH level of 6.5 – 7.3.

For the purpose of producing a darker chocolate ice cream, other cocoa powders with higher pH levels and darker color may be used.

We recommend using them in conjunction with brown-red cocoas.

For example, a black cocoa with a pH level of 8 may produce a grey color in ice cream, if used as the primary cocoa source. Therefore, to produce a darker chocolate ice cream, it would be best to use this type of cocoa alongside a brown-red cocoa powder instead of on its own.

The ideal fat content for cocoa powder in ice cream production is up for debate.

While the additional cocoa butter in high-fat cocoa powder can contribute to mouthfeel, the same effect may be produced with additional butter fat from the dairy mix itself.

The butterfat is usually a more economical choice.

We hope this brief overview of available cocoa powder options will help you to choose the right cocoa powder for your chocolate ice cream. There is a whole world of chocolate options out there! Sample, experiment, taste test and have fun!

Cherish Matthews Forbes Chocolate

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Creating a Hashtag Strategy Target Market When it comes to using hashtags for increased engagement there are certain strategies to follow. You may find yourself asking the following questions: Are hashtags really effective? Where should I use them?

Where can I find successful hashtags for my industry? The list goes on!

If you’re not so sure how this little guy works, let’s explore some helpful steps to take in implementing an effective hashtag strategy to help grow your brand and increase business.

Why You Should Use Hash Tags Hashtags are used on many social platforms for networking, gaining followers, and building engagement. The hashtag has become one of the most popular means of making your content discoverable and categorizing your business on social media.

The more specific your hashtag is, the more successful and targeted it will be for your audience. You should have a hashtag for your own business to help engage your followers and increase traffic. If you are creating your own branded hashtag then keep it short, as longer hashtags are not as successful. They can be harder for people to read and most users avoid typing in that many characters, especially when using a smartphone. You’re better off with something short and to the point. So keep it simple.

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Why They Aren't Relevant on Facebook The platform itself does practice the use of hashtags. Are they useful? No. I know… you may be shocked. Think about it this way; when you go through your newsfeed the information and interests you have liked show up regardless. The things you are interested in “come to you” in your feed.

The probability of you surfing through various pages at a time is slim. When using Twitter, your feed will include hashtags of your favorite things. When clicking and scrolling you are jumping through pages and making connections with groups that also like that subject. During this process you tend to surf and make some new connections!

What Are The Most Popular Hashtags?

When searching for hashtags, using the most “popular hashtags” may not always be the best strategy to follow for your industry.

Understanding your audience and relating your hashtags to your content is key. There are different types of hashtags to use in an effective way. In addition to using your branded hashtag, you want to include those that bring interest into building a community.

According to later.com, “Community hashtags are hashtags that connect like-minded users around a specific

subject. They’re a great way to connect with others, improve the searchability of your posts, gain followers, and grow your own community.” When creating your list, don’t forget to include any holidays or campaigns you are launching. Add in any special events, new products, partnerships, or giveaways. For some additional ideas, take a look at what your followers and audience are already using.

Places to Find the Best Hashtags For Your Account Marketers have found success by using hashtags that are “trending” to increase reach. One of the best places to find daily hashtags is Twitter itself. The only negative to Twitter’s trending hashtag list for the day is that it is limited to the top ten trending.

Find existing hashtags to include that are relevant to your brand, your story, and photos. Using local hashtags and tagging products will show support and engage you in conversation with people of interest.

Search your company’s competitors and neighbors for useful tips and the best practices to help you achieve connections.

Some helpful sites and tools to check are RiteTag, Hashtagify.me, Tagboard, Hashtracking, Tagdef, and Tweetbinder.Not sure what hashtags to use or don’t have the time to target your specific audience to bring in traffic results? Request a social media audit and let us do the work for you!

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WHAT MAKES ICE CREAM PERFECT? Stephen Christensen

There are a lot of questions people ask about ice cream. One of the most common questions that come from both those who simply love ice cream and those in the industry is a considerably basic one.

What makes a great ice cream?

Well, that’s a tough question to answer in a short sentence or two. I think that there is a multi-layered answer that covers a wide variety of technical and non-technical elements.

Here’s my take on it.

Appearance Have you ever looked into a display case or dipping cabinet and been bedazzled by beautiful ice cream, gelato, or frozen dessert products? You might think that the appearance of ice cream has nothing really to do with the quality of that ice cream, but I beg to differ.

If you can conjure up a desire for the ice cream product before you even put the spoon in your mouth, then this is the first step to an awesome ice cream. Creating that expectation of deliciousness with a clean, ice cream display cabinet is really the first step in the process of making and tasting excellent ice cream.

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I was standing in an ice cream shop in the US when the business employee rotated the old chocolate bucket in for a new one. She took the old crusty lump of chocolate left in the bottom of that bucket and dropped it on top of the fresh newly deposited bucket of chocolate.

When the gent standing beside me saw that, he sighed a little. When it was his turn to order he said, and I quote “I would like two scoops of chocolate, but I don’t want that dog turd on the top. I want the fresh stuff underneath.”

Not a good impression.

Color Again, we are not at the tasting yet, and you may think that color has more to do with appearance, but I would like to keep it separate if you don’t mind. There is an expectation that the color of the frozen dessert you want to order should match the expectation in flavor that you or your customer has.

An ice cream maker might like to keep things “al a naturale” and only use a fresh strawberry puree to flavor his strawberry ice cream, but that may not meet the visual expectations of the customer. Strawberry puree or blended strawberries don’t really leave great impact of color when used in a white ice cream or frozen dessert base, in fact, without some flavor and/or visual enhancement, this strawberry ice cream may end up an insipid off-pink color.

Not a great representation of the fresh and crisp flavor that you are trying to impress your customers with. Many customers may look at the off pink color and decide that this flavor doesn’t have the “punch in the face” of strawberry they usually like and may order something else.

There needs to be a seamless passion for your product as it is scooped from the case or cabinet into the container your customer will be handed. The ice cream product, regardless of whether it is a couple of scoops or a sundae, should sit comfortably in the cup with a little room to spare for extra toppings or condiments.

Similarly, you may be a purist and determine that your mint ice cream will remain a brilliant white color and opt not to have a green coloring to the product.

That may be well and good, however when you are featuring your “mint Oreo” flavor, most kids will peer down into the case and assume that a white ice cream with Oreos in it will be cookies and cream. Imagine your surprise when you are expecting vanilla ice cream with cookies and are confronted with a sharp flavor of mint.

Too much room left over in the cup implies that the customer should have received more which may leave them feeling they were slighted in their portion size. Always ensure the cups you place your products in are sized appropriately. You may need to order differently sized cups or tweak the size of the serving to suit that cups you already have.

Again, color impresses upon the mind what the flavor of that product will be whether you like it or not.

Flavor Ok, now the spoon is engaged and deposited in the mouth and the taste buds are doing their stuff. Depending on who you talk to, you have between 2000 and 4000 taste buds on your tongue, and they are replaced pretty rapidly, although as we get older they are not replaced as much and we start to lose the ability to experience flavors as acutely as we did as children and young adults.

The Container it is Served in No, we are not at the taste buds yet, so just hold your horses.

Let’s talk about the container you are serving your ice cream in. Again, if the appearance of the product is important, so is the container that you are scooping, spading, or drawing your product into. It is almost like the packaging of a gift.

If you are one of those folks that love to beautifully wrap gifts at Christmas, you will know what I am talking about. You cant expect your customers to be totally engaged in your ice cream experience, and select a flavor from a beautifully displayed case, only to drop a scoop or two into a white foam cup that is two sizes to big for the size of portion you are giving them.

And please, for heaven’s sake, don’t serve a beautifully crafted banana split in a foam clamshell hot dog container. Yes, I’m talking to you.

So, in order to get all of those tastebuds firing, you need to have great tasting ice cream.

Remember that the flavor of your liquid ice cream base dissipates during the manufacturing process.

Most ice cream makers taste the liquid base mix with its flavor added before it goes into the batch freezer custard machine or soft serve machine to ensure it has the adequate amount of flavor. But remember that the final frozen product will have a much more muted flavor profile for two reasons.

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The first is that the cold mutes the flavor of the product. A very cold ice cream can freeze down and numb the taste buds after a couple of licks. Also, the process of churning and freezing dairy ice cream bases produces air in the finished product call overrun. Higher fat products such as premium ice cream (14%-16% fat) can produce higher levels of air or overrun which will also dissipate flavor.

If the flavor of the liquid mix is nearly perfect before it is frozen, you may want to add a little more flavor so that the baseline flavor profile will be reached in its frozen form.

Mouthfeel So, there is much conjecture as to who invented cookies and cream ice cream, and many other ice cream products containing cookies, cake, chunks, chips, ribbons, ripples and all other types of particulates and variegates.

Regardless of who invented what, many ice cream aficionados now expect what I call “a party in your mouth”. A strawberry ice cream doesn’t seem to be enough anymore unless it had shortcake or other pieces of “something” in it.

So now there needs to be a balance of flavor with a balance of mouthfeel or other “pieces” in it. In some cases, the particulates and variegate play the part of the main flavor profile, with the base providing a muted background flavor. A well balanced “peanut butter cup” ice cream has a subtle peanut butter background flavor, with chucks of peanut butter cups and a chocolate ribbon.

If the background flavor is too “peanut buttery” the whole experience can be a little “too much” and customers end up not

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finishing the portion because of the intensity of the entire

flavor experience.

Mouthfeel also covers imperfections in the freezing process, problems encountered with storage and tempering products and water freezing in the ice cream from scoops that are not tapped out properly. Any imperfections in the ice cream or frozen desserts that your customers experience should be eliminated or minimized through proper recipe development, freezing, tempering, and serving.

Sweetness Not all ice cream and desserts need to be overly sweetened. Many ice cream flavors now balance the profiles or salty or tartness with the sweetness. Formulations need to be balanced in order to cater to taste profiles and its freeze-ability.

For many years, salted caramel was a favorite flavor in many frozen dessert shops. It was really one of the first mainstream flavors that offered a salty or savory note to the traditional sweetness of ice cream.

Remember too, that sugar is an anti-freeze similar to salt, so over sweetening an ice cream will make it harder to freeze and stay frozen in a dipping cabinet or display case.

Aftertaste It’s not just the way the ice cream or frozen dessert tastes in the mouth or going down, but the residue or aftertaste of the dessert is just as important as the first taste.

An overactive stabilizer blend may cause the feeling of popping or zinging on the tongue. Using a strong blend or “fold strength” of vanilla can also complicate the aftertaste of an ice cream product that has been “over vanilla-ed” The amount of alcohol in vanilla extract can affect the overall experience of frozen desserts.

Vanilla is considered a flavor enhancer, kind of like salt. The correct about of vanilla in the right blend can bring out the beautiful nuances of flavor in the base and other existing flavors. Many ice cream makers use vanilla extract to provide a base flavor or to enhance other flavors like chocolate, banana, and butter pecan. A half measure of vanilla extract can make banana, more banana-ier, chocolate for chocolate-ier and cheesecake more cheesecake-ier.

BUT, you can have too much of a good thing.

Aroma Most ice cream products are served too cold to have any aroma. Generally, frozen dessert products are served at a temperature of about 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 Celsius). That’s not the temperature most ice creams come out of the batch freezer. Most soft ice cream and frozen desserts are extracted at about 18 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 Celsius).

At this temperature you can smell the aroma of vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate.

It’s actually a shame that most ice creams that are served so cold that you can’t smell the flavor profiles. There is always a tough balancing act when you store ice cream in a display case.

The warmer the product, the more pliable it is and easier to scoop, however the warmer the product is, the quicker it deteriorates.

So, keeping it cold keeps it longer. Keeping it warmer helps it taste and smell better. That’s a tough balance to maintain, so many case manufacturers advise scoop shops to hold their products colder, which diminishes the ability the enjoy the aroma of ice cream Meltability Most customers don’t really care about meltability. Usually a good ice cream product doesn’t usually get left long enough to melt.

But the way an ice cream melts says a lot about its formulation and its stabilization.

Food scientists in ice cream labs and creameries all over the world can easily formulate an ice cream that simply does not melt. Over stabilization can affect the way an ice cream can melt but creating such a product would sacrifice all of the other attributes that have been mentioned previously.

You don’t want an ice cream that melts quickly. Kids get a little upset when dads have to make a few emergency licks in order to keep drips from hitting the car seat. But over stabilizing ice cream to make it last longer has an adverse effect as well.

Here again is the delicate balancing act of recipe, formulation, and the consumption experience.

So, that is a long answer to a short question. I know that doesn’t make it any easier and those of us in the industry can have a very detailed opinion of what makes a great quality ice cream and what does not.

I guess if I had to sum it up in a couple of words – As long as it tastes good – I generally eat it.

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MARKETING CALENDAR OCTOBER 2020 Daily Holidays International Coffee Day: 1 Willy Wonka Day: 1 World Smile Day: 2 National Taco Day: 4 Pickle Day: 4 (See also Nov. 15)Vodka Day: 4 World Teachers Day: 5 National Noodle Day: 6 Chocolate Covered Pretzel Day: 7 National Salmon Day: 8 National Family Bowling Day : 9 National Cake Decorating Day: 1 Father-Daughter Day: 11 National Farmer's Day: 12 National Chess Day: 13 Emergency Nurses Day: 14 National Fossil Day: 14 Take Your Parents To Lunch Day: 14 National Cake Decorating Day: 15 National Cheese Curd Day: 15 National Grouch Day: 15 Get to Know Your Customers Day: 16 Global Cat Day: 16 Boss's Day : 16 National Pasta Day: 17 National Chocolate Cupcake Day: 18 Evaluate Your Life Day: 19 Pay Back A Friend Day: 2)

National Nut Day: 22 IPod Day: 23 Food Day: 24 Mother-in-Law Day: 25 Champagne Day: 28 National Chocolate Day: 28 International Bandanna Day: 30 National Candy Corn Day: 30 Books For Treats Day: 31 Halloween or All Hallows Eve: 31 Magic Day: 31 National Caramel Apple Day: 31

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MARKETING CALENDAR NOVEMBER 2020 Daily Holidays Cinnamon Day: 1 Dia de Los Muertos: 1 National Sports Fan Day: 1 World Vegan Day: 1 Cookie Monster Birthday: 2 Election Day: 3 National Candy Day: 4 National Nachos Day: 6 National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day: 7 Pumpkin Destruction Day: 7 (First Saturday) Sesame Street Day: 10 Veteran's Day: 11 Domino Day: 13 Diwali: 14 National Pickle Day: 14 Steve Irwin Day: 15 Teddy Bear Day : 16 National Entrepreneurship Day: 17 Parents Day: 17 National Unfriend Day: 17 Mickey Mouse Day: 18 National Apple Cider Day: 18 National Princess Day: 18 International Men's Day: 19 National Peanut Butter Fudge Day: 20

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World Hello Day: 21 World Television Day: 21 National Espresso Day: 23 National Milk Day: 26 Thanksgiving Day: 26 Black Friday: 27 Small Business Saturday: 28 Square Dancing Day: 29 Cider Monday: 30 Cyber Monday: 30

Please find them as follows:

A NOTE FOR OUR SUPPLIER MEMBERS Hey there, Supplier Member. Hopefully by now you have seen quite a few changes in the way NICRA 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 NICRA 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 NICRA Bulletin Advertising rates for 2020.

1 issues 3 issues 1/4 page $70 $65

6 issues $60

11 issues $50

1/2 page

$90

$85

$80

$70

Full Page

$160

$150

$140

$120

DISPLAY ADVERTISING Frequency rates are based on the total number of insertions used within a twelve-month 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.

743 Spirit 40 Park Dr, Suite 121, Chesterfield MO 63005 636 778 1822 * Toll Free: 866-303-6960 E-Mail: info@nicra.org * Web: www.nicra.org

NICRA OFFICERS 2020 President George Xouris, Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream, Morrisville, NC President Elect Dave Deadman, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI Vice President Patti Otte, Sweet Firefly Gourmet Ice Cream, Richardson.

TX Secretary/Treasurer Charlie Wilcox, Marianne’s Ice Cream, Santa Cruz, CA

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Secretary/Treasurer Elect Kelly Larson, Sweet Temptations, Grand Haven, MI Immediate Past President David Deadman, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI Executive Director Steve Christensen, Chesterfield, MO Terms Ending Annual Meeting 2020 Valerie Henrici, Yummies, Warsaw, NY Andy Jones, Lloyd’s of PA, Prince Frederick, MD Sue Kloter, Kloter Ice Cream Barn, Ellington, CT Donnie Montgomery, Homestead Creamery, Wirtz, VA Jason Mandler, Carmen's Italian Ice, Rockville, MD Terms Ending Annual Meeting 2021 Bob Hearn, Hearn’s Ice Cream, St Mary’s ON Canada Zach Burton, Nielsen Massey, Waukegan IL Christine D’Amico, Over the Top, Pleasant Hill IA

2020 SUPPLIER OFFICERS

Convention Committee Dave Deadman, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI Membership Committee Patti Otte, Sweet Firefly Gourmet Ice Cream, Richardson. TX 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 NICRA is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in all of its endeavors. To that end, NICRA shall not tolerate any words or acts of discrimination, harassment or any inappropriate behavior in general against any person affiliated with NICRA, including its members and guests, with regard to race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation.

President Kyle Cameron, Joy Cone Co., Hermitage, PA Vice President Ben Keser, Novelty Cone, Pennsauken Township, NJ Secretary/Treasurer Evan Waldt, Ice Cream Equipment Spec. Reno, NV Chairman Cherish Mathews, Forbes Chocolate, Broadview Hts., OH

This Bulletin is published by: National Ice Cream Retailers Association 743 Spirit 40 Park Dr., Suite 121 Chesterfield, MO 63005 George Xouris, Chairman Publications Committee Steve Christensen, Executive Director, National Ice Cream Retailers Association.

COMMITTEES AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Executive Committee George Xouris, Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream, Morrisville, NC Nominating Committee David Deadman, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI

This issue of the NICRA Bulletin is now available online at http://www.nicra.org. Click on the Members Only button and enter your Username and Password. If you cannot find your Username and Password, call the NICRA office at 866-303-6960 or send an e-mail to info@nicra.org requesting the information.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please “LIKE” us on Facebook using your personal Facebook page (not your business Facebook page) in order to receive our comments in your News Feed.

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