Ontario Restaurant News - June 2013 by Ishcom Publications

I S H C O M P U B L I C AT I O N S S I N C E 19 8 6

estaurant News R June 2013 Vol. 28 No. 5

C O V E R A G E

To everything, there is a season

Marco Petrucci (left) and Michael Pataran (right).

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By Leslie Wu, editorial director TORONTO—Chef Michael Pataran is very clear that the Cool City Oyster Yard, set to open in early June at 99 Sudbury St. and run as long as weather permits, isn’t a pop-up. “It’s more of a tease,” he told ORN in late May. “It’s like the musical Brigadoon—you go one day and the next time it might be gone.” Pataran, who has been executive chef at The Prince of Wales Hotel’s Escabèche, Taboo Resort and The Windsor Arms Hotel, is teaming up with Marco Petrucci, co-owner/partner of Porzia restaurant and the El Mocambo, which is set for an ambitious relaunch later this year. The 74-seat, outdoor space will include two cocktail/dining bars, and casual seating at newspaper-lined picnic tables with cutaways in the centre

for garbage, wine barrel cocktail lounge tables and ottoman/bench seating. “It’s off the main strip; somewhere where you can come and just disappear,” said Pataran. Evoking a Florida/South Carolina feel, much of the furniture elements were made with recycled skids, such as the backshelving on the bar. Although the 1,300-square-foot restaurant includes an inside section, which will be used only for overflow, the focus will be on the outdoor dining. “It’s a little al fresco, with really fresh, light items without a lot of heavy sauces,” said Pataran. A daily picnic basket and “hillbilly bucket” will be available, as well as an oyster exchange, where domestic and premium oysters will range from $2 to $6 per shuck. Almost 80 per cent of the items will be cool, with an outdoor kitchen and two cooks handling shucked to order

restaurant

oysters, live scallops, ceviches and gaucho-style escabèches. The menu is divided into sections such as “shell game” for the crustaceans, “chop chop” for the ceviches and tatakis at $8 to $15, and “slippery when wet” for noodles, seaweed and rice dishes such as e-fu lobster noodles and Peruvian rice dishes. A “sea plus” section will encompass seafood with items that come from the land, like meat-based selections. The goal, said Pataran, was to keep all menu items under $20. Supplied from local purveyors such as Diana’s Seafood, Daily Seafood, and Rodney’s wholesale division, Pataran is also looking to bring in Bahamian stone crab on Mondays. The restaurant, open Sundays through Fridays, will have theme nights each week, such as a “Piss ’n Spuds” beer and oyster night (the term

R E G I O N A L

F O C U S

comes from the similarity of oysters and clams to potatoes when dug up from the sand), and a “Paella Sundaze” brunch with six types of sip and shuck caesar and oyster pairings, and later in the day, tequila and paella offerings. Conch salad made to order and giant vases on the bar for fresh crush options are also in the works. The Oyster Yard will also focus on cocktails, including items like smoked clam caesars, Indian Pimms cups and bincho-tan charcoal filtered fish-fin “hire-zake” sake martinis. Pataran, who is a certified sake professional and a member of the Sake Education Council, will focus on a list of 10 domestic and foreign sakes to complement the menu. The wine list, overseen by sommelier John Szabo, will include 20 whites and 15 reds from boutique producers, and there will also be five beers on tap. Although the Cool City Oyster Yard is due to wrap up when winter comes, Pataran and Petrucci are already planning their next opening, revamping the El Mocambo Tavern into a live music and dining venue. The top two floors are set to open by the end of the year, with a “rock and roll” space on the first floor and a “dinner and a show” concept on the second floor, an idea that Pataran wants to revive in Toronto. Although the original space is being shut down and torn apart, Petrucci and Pataran want to preserve a sense of the history of the storied tavern. “We’re going to reach out to the original acts that have performed there over the years,” said Pataran. The pair also has plans for a rooftop smokehouse barbeque beer garden the following summer at the El Mocambo. Cool City Oyster Yard. 99 Sudbury Street. coolcityoyster.com. @CoolCityOyster. El Mocambo. 464 Spadina Ave. elmocambo.com. @ElMocamboTavern.

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Oakville gets an izakaya OAKVILLE—The downtown strip of Oakville heard cries of “irrashaimase” (“welcome” in Japanese) with the opening of Fin Izakaya’s second location. The 40-seat, 1,500-square-foot location, which had its official opening on May 26, is based on the concept of a kakurega, or hidden place, owner Akiko Masuda told ORN. “I wanted it to feel like a secret cave or hideout,” she said. The space is designed to mimic a fisherman’s house, a nod to the restaurant’s seafood orientation. Drift wood on the walls and custom lighting imported from the U.S. evoke a nautical feel. At half the size of the original 100-seat, 3,000-square-foot location at Yonge and Eglinton in Toronto, Fin Sake Bar targets a demographic between mid 30s and mid 40s. Offering both raw and cooked seafood and meat izakaya-style dishes, the Oakville location’s menu features items such as wagyu beef cooked on imported lava stone from Japan for $23, and a variation on pork kakune, traditionally cooked

A double take on Reds

Reds’ Grand Bar.

TORONTO—A second location of the Financial District’s Reds Wine Tavern will open in the College Park neighbourhood this fall. The new restaurant will keep the Reds title with a tweak in the name to reflect the new concept, marketing manager for Signature Restaurants, Service Inspired Restaurants (SIR Corp.) Martha Danobeitia told ORN. Construction has begun on the location at the

Fin owner Akiko Masuda.

with pork belly, cooked instead with braised pork rib that is finished on 100 per cent bincho-tan (white charcoal). The bar offers 18 types of sake such as Mizubasho Junmai Ginjo, as well as a small selection of red and white wines. Average check ranges from $30 to $40, not including tax, tip and alcohol, said Masuda. Unlike the Eglinton location, which serves dishes in small izakaya-style servings designed for sharing, Fin Sake Bar also gives diners the option of a larger portion of one item meant for a solo diner. Although currently open only for dinner, Masuda hopes to offer donburi rice dishes for a limited lunch selection by summer. 211 Lakeshore Rd. E, Oakville. (905) 842-1196. @FinIzakaya. bottom of the 78-storey Aura condominium tower at Yonge and Gerrard, said Danobeitia. The location will house three restaurants under SIR Corp.’s portfolio, including Reds, which Danobeitia said will be the first to open. “Each will have very different unique brands and different feels,” she said. SIR Corp. has not released the name of the third restaurant to take up space in the new location, but the second will be an urban version of cottage country’s Duke’s Refresher —SIR Corp.’s fast casual restaurant and bar concept in Minett, ON near Port Carling with upscale burgers, milkshake and fries. “We may end up changing that name because it was built initially for ‘up there’,” said Danobeitia. Although SIR Corp. uses a menu engineering team, Danobeitia said the yet-to-be-named chef of the Reds outpost will have a strong influence on the menu that will reflect the new neighbourhood. The menu will have a focus on shareables and fresh fish, similar to the Adelaide location. “It’s an important core focus of our menu up there,” said Danobeitia. She said that much effort has been put into making dishes flavourful but not heavy, with a range of options. Danobeitia said there is still work to be done on recipes for the new concept, and though it won’t be far off from the Adelaide location, that menu will also see significant changes this summer with the installation of chef Michael Hunter, as reported by

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ORN in May. Prices will stay within $50 to $60 for a starter, main and dessert, a structure that Danobeitia said they are seeing less people order, hence the focus on shareable plates. In July and August, Danobeitia said, they will be reaching out to people in the community to get their input on the new Reds. “Yonge and Gerrard is a really interesting intersection of people. There’s a lot of foot traffic,” said Danobeitia. “What we found in that area, doing our research, is that there are few places providing a comfortable, warm and a bit more upscale environment for people to come for lunch or after work, given the amount of office towers, Queen’s Park, and professionals in the area.” As well as a working community, the location is seeing more than 800 suites built in the tower above the restaurant, the Delta Chelsea Hotel is situated across the street, and the Eatons Centre is minutes away, driving traffic in from outside the city. The décor of the 200-plus seat, College Park location will have a similar feel to the Adelaide location, but Danobeitia said that the nature of the eclectic design is to use one-off pieces that can’t be replicated, such as the Adelaide location’s three large library tables from McMaster University. With a lengthy wine list, the College Park location will also have more of a beer and bourbon focus, said Danobeita. Reds will be testing out a new line of beer, Goose Island, in the Adelaide location to bring over to College Park. The Chicago-based microbrewery will supply two beers, Sofie and Matilda, to the restaurant. “Of course there will be a well-curated, interesting list for wine lovers, but it will not be as extensive as what we have on Adelaide,” she said.

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To cook, perchance to eat

hen it comes to eating, do you need to be able to cook in order to fully appreciate what’s on your plate? In today’s food conscious era, there’s a certain virtue ascribed to the person who can cook: healthy, cost-aware, and capable of producing both sustenance and pleasure. Somehow, society’s fascination with the celebrity of the chef has translated to the idea of celebrity in the act of cooking itself. The mantra has moved beyond the idea that through cooking, you can become a better person into the idea that by cooking, you are inherently a better person. But what does this shift mean for the noncooks in our midst? In the defense of non-cooks on Minnesota Public Radio, cookbook author and host of radio program “The Splendid Table” Lynne Roseto Kasper says that this new food awareness

leads to additional pressures that go beyond the kitchen and into our value systems. “We cook to save our identities, culturally, our traditions,” she says. “We cook to strike out against the forces we feel are evil – you name them. We cook because it shows how cool we are.” With these values ascribed to the nature of cooking food, why is it that in the act of eating – unlike sports or music, where you can be a passive observer rather than participant – there lies the idea that cooking makes you a better eater? For all that recent years have seen cooking transformed into a visual medium through food media, there’s a growing divide between the idea of cooking and the act of cooking. “This is peculiar,” writes Michael Pollan in his latest book, Cooked. “After all, we’re not watching shows or reading books about sewing or darning socks or changing the oil in our car, three other domestic chores we have been only

BITS Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Mickey Cherevaty Executive Vice-president, Moyer Diebel Limited Neil Vosburgh President, Imago restaurants Inc. Marvin Greenberg Consultant Jack Battersby President, Summit Food Service Distributors Inc. Barney Strassburger Jr. President, TwinCorp Paul LeClerc Partner, Serve-Canada Food Equipment Ltd. Michael Stephens Director of Retail, Inventory and Wholesale, LCBO Ralph Claussen Director Food and Beverage Operations Woodbine Entertainment Group Adam Colquhoun President, Oyster Boy John Crawford Director of Sales-Canada, Lamb Weston Tina Chiu Chief Operating Officer, Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation Matt Johnston Vice-president, Marketing, Moosehead Breweries Martin Kouprie Chef/Owner, Pangaea Restaurant Joel Sisson Founder and president of Crush Strategy Inc. Leslie Wilson Vice president of Business Excellence Compass Group Canada Chris Jeens Partner W. D. Colledge Co. Ltd. Volume 28 No. 5 Ontario Restaurant News is published 12 times year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., which also publishes: Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, Atlantic Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Ontario Chains and the ORN Buyers’ Directory. 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada 1 800 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada: $52.33/year or $78.57/2 years, $102.67/ 3 years; U.S.A.: $58.85/year or $84.85/2 years, $108.70/ 3 years. Single copy: $5.95 (Plus taxes where applicable) Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 0834-0404 GST number R102533890

too happy to outsource.” This disconnect between the concept of cooking and the act itself manifests itself in many ways: most notably, through the fact that while we spend more time focusing on food itself, the amount of time that the average home cook spends in the kitchen actually producing food has been in decline over the years. And although this is creating a breed of diner who can’t roast a chicken to save their lives, it’s also a group that is supporting the restaurant industry either due to desire for convenience or curiosity about new experiences. “The non-cook is someone who generally can be a great food lover,” says Kasper. “You fulfill a role that has not been acknowledged yet in this country. But you are a great supporter of all of the other folks who like to cook.” At the end of the day, non-cooks pay for a restaurant’s overhead by not eating at home, and that, in an era where margins is slim and food costs are high, is something the restaurant industry can certainly appreciate.

C OM M E N T

www.ontariorestaurantnews.com Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor Elaine Anselmi ext. 226 eanselmi@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor, Digital Content Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianrestaurantnews.com National Sales Manager Dave Bell ext. 230 dbell@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianrestaurantnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianrestaurantnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco ext. 221 sgiammarco@canadianrestaurantnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianrestaurantnews.com

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Ontario wines celebrated NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON—Malrize Beyers of Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery was awarded winemaker of the year at the May 10 Ontario Wine Awards. The annual awards have been celebrating excellence in the province’s winemaking industry since 1995 and this year saw 496 wine submissions from 79 wineries. “The entries to the Ontario Wine Awards definitely reflect the trends in consumer tastes,” said awards founder Tony Aspler in a release. “Sparkling wine grew exponentially and blended reds with Bordeaux varieties keep surging ahead.” The awards recognized quality in 26 categories at gold, silver and bronze levels. Red wine of the year was awarded to Pillitteri Estates 2010 Exclamation Cabernet Franc Reserve. Exultet Estates 2011 Chardonnay “the Blessed” received white wine of the year.

An unimpeachable study DINUBA, CALIFORNIA—A new study claims that canned fruit can have the same or more nutritional value than fresh. The study, performed by Bob Durst of Oregon

TORONTO— More than 500 members of the Pizza Nova family – franchise owners, staff, suppliers, friends and, of course, founding family, the Primuccis – gathered at the Liberty Grand on May 22 to wish the

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State University and the Linus Pauling Institute, tested fresh freestone, cling and canned peaches for vitamins A, C and E, folate, antioxidants, total phenolics and total carotenoids to see how these nutrients were affected by the canning process and storage. According to Durst, the results showed higher levels of vitamin C, antioxidants and folate in canned cling peaches versus fresh freestone.

Great Lakes Brewery named Brewery of the Year VICTORIA—Breweries of all sizes put their best brews forward at the 11th annual celebration of Canadian brewing excellence held at the Inn at Laurel Point from May 9 to 11. Ontario’s Great Lakes Brewery was named Brewery of the Year at the Canadian Brewing Awards. It picked up hardware in the category of wood and barrel-aged beer with its Bourbon Barrel Aged Robust Porter and the wood and barrel-aged strong beer with its 25th Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout. Great Lakes Brewery also earned gold with Harry Porter and Karma Citra IPA. The brewery also brought home silver with its Crazy Ca50-year-old business “felice anniversario.” The franchise has grown from its first location at Kennedy Road and Lawrence Avenue, which opened in 1963 under the ownership and management of four brothers. “Pizza wasn’t well-known to the Canadian population. It was considered more of a latenight snack than a meal,” vicepresident of marketing StephSam Primucci anie Angelone told ORN. Very few places in Ontario made pizza when Mike Primucci brought the idea of opening a shop to his three brothers Sam, Vince and Joe, she said. “It was never meant to be what it is today,” Angelone said of the family-run business, which opened

Pizza Nova celebrates 50 years

Leslie Wu, Editorial Director

BITES

nuck Pale Ale in the North American-style pale ale (bitter) category. Vancouver’s Powell Street Craft Brewery took home Beer of the Year for its Old Jalopy Pale Ale. The beer earned the B.C. brewery a gold medal in the North American-style pale ale (bitter) category. Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded in a variety of styles and categories after 25 certified beer judges considered entries for aroma, flavour, appearance, mouth feel, and overall impression. For a list of gold medal winners, see the Ontario Restaurant News website.

McDonald’s all-day breakfast? OAK BROOK, IL—The idea of all-day breakfast at McDonald’s has been getting buzz after CEO Don Thompson said he was entertaining the idea in a late April interview with CNBC. Thompson said the company is aware of the demand for its breakfast items outside current breakfast hours and would consider serving up hash browns and sausage burritos all day. McDonald’s hinted at all-day breakfast in 2006, already offered at some locations overseas. its second location in 1967 and now has more than 130 units in southern Ontario. “We are very proud of our beginnings and heritage and where we come from,” co-founder Sam Primucci said in his speech. He shared a story with the crowd of how eight years ago, he and his son, Domenic, agreed to a complete brand redesign in an effort to align the stores’ atmosphere with its product. While they both favoured the same concept everyone was skeptical about the change. Pizza Nova president Domenic Primucci said the business has grown and been successful for 50 years because of its attention to detail and consistency. John Wilson, CEO of Variety – The Children’s Charity, was on hand to receive a donation of more than $76,000 to the organization, which offers integrated sports and life skills programs.

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O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Simcoe ORHMA hosts first hospitality awards By Colleen Isherwood, senior contributing editor RAMA, ON—Municipal Leaders, hospitality professionals, educators and students gathered on April 25 to celebrate the stars of Simcoe County Hospitality and to raise scholarship funds for Hospitality and Tourism students at Georgian College. Simcoe County includes the towns of Collingwood, Midland-Penetang, Orillia, Barrie, Borden, Alliston and Bradford. “Creating the Simcoe Hospitality Awards spoke to a need to bring us together as an industry, and raise scholarships, and recognize people in the industry,” ORHMA Simcoe Branch chair, John Cunningham of Georgian College, told ORN. The celebration attracted 160 people, cost $150 a plate, and raised $15,000 in scholarships. Chef Greg Rennet at Painters Hall Bistro.

The Silver Nightingale Ballroom at Casino Rama was the setting for the inaugural awards presentation, with Shawn Turner from Barrie radio station CHAY Today 93.1 FM as the master of ceremonies. The celebration started with a cocktail reception, and the meal featured seven serving stations with seven top local chefs. Guests voted on their favourite station for the Silver Plate award, which was won by Marco Ormonde of The North Restaurant in Barrie. The award candidates were nominated and voted on by both the public and industry peers through a web and social media campaign. Over 3,000 ballots were cast this year. “The ultimate goal is for the region to have a voice and identity for hospitality and tourism,” said organizer Daniel Clements of Georgian Col-

lege. Plans are already afoot for future Hospitality Awards dinners, moving the venue around the region to keep it inclusive, Clements added. The candidates for these awards are selected and voted on by the public: Favourite Server, Melaine Barrett, Groovy Tuesday’s, Barrie; Favourite Bartender, Brandon Clark, Kenzington Burger Bar, Barrie; Favourite Restaurant, Painters Hall Bistro, Barrie (see below). Industry-chosen winners included: Manager of the Year, Frankie Emerson, F&B, Nottawasaga Inn Resort, Alliston; Chef of the Year, Dylan Tulloch, Horseshoe Resort, Craighurst; Industry Recognition, Patrick Cappa, Casino Rama, Orillia; Food Supplier, Jim Richards, Gordon Food Service, and Judy Benzies was given the Legacy Award for 37 years of service at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort.

Co-chairs Sylvia Biffis, Nottawasaga Inn and Daniel Clements, Georgian College.

Dessert provided by Casino Rama pastry chefs.

Painters Hall Bistro: Three-day onion soup By Colleen Isherwood, Senior contributing editor BARRIE, ON—At Painters Hall Bistro in downtown Barrie, making onion soup is a three-day process. On day one, chef Greg Rennet cures the onions in salt, sugar and spice. On the second day, he marinates them with apples, water, port, red wine, brandy and sherry. On day three, he caramelizes the onions for a couple hours, and adds them to a veal and chicken stock reduction. The soup is served with Gruyère and crostini, and costs under $10. The last few months have been exciting ones for Painters Hall. Chef Rennet represented Barrie at Soupstock last fall; he prepared the meal for the Georgian College Winemaker’s Dinner on May 24; and in late April, Painters Hall received the ORHMA hospitality award as number one restaurant in Simcoe County.

Painters Hall has been open for four and a half years. Originally it consisted of a long hallway featuring the work of local artists, leading back to the restaurant and bar. Two and a half years ago, the owners took over the part of the building fronting on Clapperton Street, adding another 45 seats. Today, the restaurant can seat 79, with room for 18 seats on the sidewalk patio. Rennet, 33, grew up in Oakville, ON. He credits his grandmother for his love of cooking. He started at 16 as a dishwasher at a Don Cherry’s in Oakville, ON, and worked in hospitality during high school. After high school, he went to Glen Abbey Golf Course, where he met his mentor, chef Derek Mayes. He worked for three years under Mayes, and obtained his two-year culinary management certificate from George Brown College, where chef/ instructor John Higgins was a big influence. “I saw him when I was cooking at Soupstock, and was

humbled by him saying, ‘good soup,” Rennet told ORN. Having found his passion, Rennet spent the next seven years moving around. “I worked in various places: Bermuda, Whistler—for the Olympics, Ottawa, Toronto, Langdon Hall, Millcroft Inn, Muskoka and finally Barrie,” Rennet said. He is enjoying his role as head chef at Painters Hall and plans to stay for a while. Rennet’s cooking philosophy is “let simple ingredients speak for themselves.” He uses local suppliers such as Cookstown Greens, where he can choose what he’d like to plant for the year. He gets his heirloom beets from Cookstown Greens, perch from Lake Huron, and trout from Springhill Farms near Chatsworth. Painters Hall, 17 Clapperton St., Barrie, ON. (705) 797-8844.

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Rock Lobster pops up again Matt Dean Pettit

By Elaine Anselmi, assistant editor TORONTO—After a one-month whirlwind of renovations, Rock Lobster Co.—the Ossington strip’s pop-up restaurant turned brick and mortar in December—opened its doors on June 1 to the Queen West neighbourhood. “When I started, I knew that I wanted to make other restaurants in Toronto or other parts of Canada,” owner Matt Dean Pettit told ORN. “I didn’t think it would ever happen this fast.” Less than one year after Rock Lobster Co.’s first location took root at 110 Ossington Ave., its second incarnation will take over the Shanghai Cowgirl space at 538 Queen St. West. One of Pettit’s partners in Rock Lobster Co. is Darryl Fine, owner of the former Shanghai Cowgirl and neighbouring Bovine Sex Club. “Shanghai Cowgirl has seen its day, and had a great run,” said Pettit. “Darryl Fine approached

me about this and I thought about it for three months.” The new restaurant will pay homage to the Queen West locale of 13 years with the 1930’s diner-style bar top that will remain in the restaurant. The new space will be bigger, accommodating 75 diners inside and an 80-seat patio out back. “[The patio] is in the sun all day from 10 a.m. on,” said Pettit. “It’s a bit of an Atlantic oasis.” The patio’s enclosed fencing is whitewashed with a mural painted by his father, Donald Pettit, who also created the Ossington location’s signature lobster mural. As well as carrying on the hunter and angler themed décor that is reminiscent of the original location, Pettit said some of its staple menu items will remain features, such as the lobster roll, lobster poutine and lobster macaroni and cheese. The new location will offer an expanded menu that Pettit sums up as “Canadiana, seafood and booze,” with land-based fare such as bison, venison and other game meats as well as a classic peameal bacon sandwich. “We’ve developed signature items for this location,” said Pettit. “Ossington and Queen West have similar properties and demographics but I’d never take a restaurant and drop it into another location. You have to take a restaurant concept and adapt it there.” Special menu items will also nudge at the restaurant’s Shanghai Cowgirl past, including a grilled cheese sandwich and perhaps pierogies,

which will likely include lobster, said Pettit. As well as offering longer hours and being open seven days per week, the Queen West location will house a fresh seafood market at the front of the restaurant, fishmonger and all. Pettit will continue to source from one lobster-fisherman in Nova Scotia and his network of suppliers, as ORN reported on Rock Lobster’s first opening. “I started as one of his smaller customers, now I’m one of his largest, getting in orders four to five times per week.” A sustainable fish market option could increase those orders to Nova Scotia. Customers are given a postcard-shopping list at the end of their meal where they can select salmon, Digby scallops, fresh lobster, snow crab, haddock and more, as well as sauces and the lobster bisque from the retail counter, to be added on to their check. “It’s a true market set up,” said Pettit. “You can taste it on the menu, then buy it and bring it home.” Pettit said he will be doing a lot of steam pots at the new location, particularly on the back patio. “The cedar tables are meant to play and have some fun,” he said. “We’re going to cover the table in paper and spread out the crab boil.” Priced between $12 and $14, the boils will pair well with the $1 per ounce wine on tap, assortment of craft beer or lobster caesars that Pettit said are ordered by the majority of diners at his first restaurant. The patio will also have a fully operational bar serving up Tequila Tromba slushies. “I want people out here enjoying a margarita, seafood or beer, whether it’s lunch or a late night,” he said. Pettit is frequently being asked why he isn’t doing brunch or lunch service at the original location, and this second outpost will be an opportunity to add that component. “I didn’t want to bite off more than I could chew,” said Pettit. “I’m a true believer of ‘you have to walk before you run.’ You won’t see another one for a while.” Rock Lobster Co., 538 Queen St. West, Toronto. www.rocklobsterfood.com. @rocklobsterfood.

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New milk class changes cheese designation in Canada OTTAWA—As of June 1, the Canadian Milk Supply Management Committee (CMSMC) has approved a new milk designation for Canadian mozzarella cheese used specifically on fresh pizza. “It was a 15 year journey,” said Garth Whyte, president and CEO of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) to ORN. “We’ve done everything, such as go to court, appeal to the trade tribunal, appeal to the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC), and put out ad campaigns over this because of the inequity between frozen pizza and fresh pizza, using the same mozzarella.” Whyte said there is, on average, a 30 per cent difference in the price paid by frozen and fresh pizza makers, for the same mozzarella. The Dairy Farmers of Canada and the CRFA have been collaborating with the CMSMC for over a year on this specific designation, said Whyte. “What we try to do is try to find a win-win-win scenario,” he said. This includes lower prices for the customer, getting more dairy on restaurant menus to benefit industry members and helping Canadian farmers by selling more of their product. The classification will cover Canadian mozzarella cheese used only for fresh pizzas by CDCregistered establishments. Whyte said more details on what registration will entail will come from the dairy commission, but “basically you have to prove you’re a restaurant. Grocery stores need not apply.” He said they hope to make it an easy, 15-minute process, where restaurateurs show that they operate a registered restaurant and report the amount of mozzarella used. “The mozzarella has to be in two and a half kilo blocks, diced or shredded and used for pizza,” said Whyte. A fresh pizza maker will see a reduction of up to 70 cents per kilo in their mozzarella cheese cost, he said. For a small pizzeria these savings could be up to $3,000 a year, for larger ones, up to $100,000. “It’s unprecedented, really, to give a new classification to an entire sector – it’s a big deal,” said Whyte.

All’s fair in food and drink TORONTO—Toronto recently earned the right to be called a fair trade city. On May 10, Fair Trade Canada anointed Hogtown with the designation at a ceremony at city hall. Toronto is the 16th municipality to earn the title under the Fair Trade Towns program through Fair Trade Canada—an arm of certification and audit body Fair Trade International. The program aims to garner awareness and municipalities must demonstrate product availability and education. In Toronto, the designation efforts were led by a 10-person volunteer group and the final feather in its cap was an April council motion to only purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee, tea and sugar for city services, such as shelters and long-term care homes. There are currently at least 273 stores and 155 cafés across the city selling fruit, artisanal wares, coffee and syrups bearing the Fair Trade Certified symbol, according to Nadia Berger, executive director of Fair Trade Toronto, the steering committee. “What it means for Toronto, I would say, is that Torontonians care about being global citizens and they know that their everyday choices can actually make a difference overseas,” said Berger. Educational institutions can also achieve the fair trade designation, said Berger, noting Fair Trade Canada and the Canadian Fair Trade Network are resources to find suppliers. Currently, there are active campaigns across the country, including in Ottawa, Montreal, Guelph, ON, St. John’s, Edmonton, Calgary, Halifax and Hamilton, ON.

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10 |

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

DEC ODI NG TH E D ATA

Bridging the gap: Millennials vs. Boomers By Ian Wilson

rowth in the restaurant industry has remained relatively flat over the past five years. In today’s environment, restaurants need to “steal share” from the competition in order to grow and be successful. To gain share, it is important for operators to target specific consumer groups. Two of these groups are the millennials and boomers, who account for nearly 63 per cent of restaurant patrons. Millennials represent 35 per cent of consumers, while boomers account for 28 per cent. While there are similarities amongst these cohorts, millennials and boomers are different in many ways including consumption habits.

Consumption patterns per cohort Currently, millennials visit a restaurant 225 times per year on average, versus 200 for boomers. However, boomers have increased their consumption patterns over the last five years, while millennials have declined. These cohorts represent two opportunities for restaurants. The boomers are significantly increasing their restaurant visits (13 per cent)

and represent an opportunity for operators to grow, while millennials represent the future of the restaurant industry (six per cent) and long-term success. These cohorts should be targeted in very different ways.

Distinguishing differences between the millennial and boomer markets So how should you target millennials and boomers distinctively? One important point to note is the difference in food consumption. While boomers typically stick to more traditional eating patterns around the core dayparts, millennials tend to eat smaller meals more often throughout the day. In fact, boomers consume 32 per cent of their restaurant meals in the morning, while 29 per cent of millennials visit restaurants during the afternoon snack daypart. Specialty coffees and smoothies are menu items which appeal to millennials during snacking occasions, while breakfast sandwiches are popular with boomers. Adapting an operator’s menu to accommodate both clienteles could attract more traffic throughout the various dayparts. A second distinguishing factor between millennials and boomers is loyalty. Boomers

are much more likely to find a restaurant that they enjoy and develop a connection with the establishment. This is important for operators in developing repeat business and a core clientele. Millennials tend to be more adventurous and seek out different restaurants and food types. Millennials surpassed boomers for selecting a restaurant based on wanting to try a different or new place, and having a specific craving. While millennials may not be easy to convert into loyal customers, it is important they enjoy their experience at your restaurant. Opinions will be shared with other millennials who like to explore different restaurants via social media and word of mouth and this could generate significant trial business. With this cohort, it is important to continually innovate to keep the menu fresh, as well as ensure dishes cannot be made easily at home. A third important differentiating factor is disposable income. Boomers tend to have more of it and are less price-sensitive than millennials. More than 22 per cent of millennials list “good price” as the top factor in deciding which restaurant to visit compared to only 18 per cent of boomers. As well, approxi-

mately 21 per cent of restaurant visits from boomers are to the more affluent FSR segment compared to 15 per cent for millennials. Millennials are more likely to frequent the more affordable segments of QSR and retail. While each cohort favours certain channels, it is important to note that both frequent all channels. Strategies to target millennials and boomers should be developed for each operator. In a marketplace that has remained relatively flat over the last five years, successful operators have provided value to their customers. Two key groups, millennials and boomers, will be important to the success of most restaurants, and understanding the similarities and differences of each cohort will significantly benefit most operators’ bottom line. Ian Wilson is a director of client development in the foodservice industry for the NPD Group. The NPD Group has more than 25 years’ experience providing consumer-based market information for the foodservice industry. For more info, visit www.npd.com or contact ian. wilson@npd.com.

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12 |

n Canada, fast casual is a fast growing segment of foodservice, and operators are paying attention. Targeted towards a different consumer experience, some fast casual chains are using drivers such as health and international flavours to bring people in the doors. This month, ORN takes a look at how some operators are taking their restaurants for a drive in the fast lane. “The fast casual model targets a customer who understands and is willing to pay more for the customer experience and quality of products,” says Scott Strickland, senior director of marketing, foodservice for Maple Leaf Consumer Foods, which offers a wide variety of products to the fast casual market. There is little margin for error with these attributes. He identifies speed of service, specialty ingredients and globally-inspired flavours as trends. “Canadian consumers have adventurous palates and are willing to try bolder flavours. Chefs are able to scale back on high-end menus to demonstrate quality, flavour and unique preparation with only a few ingredients,” he explains. Fast casual is just beginning to emerge in Canada, says Alex Rechichi, president, CEO and co-founder of Extreme Brandz, which offers the Extreme Pita, Mucho Burrito and Via Cibo brands in the fast casual sector. “It is successful because it raises the experience and food quality to a level the customer has only experienced previously in casual dining. With fast casual, you get chef-driven offerings at the speed of QSR but in a more upscale environment. I think we will begin to see variations of fast

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casual models start to evolve in Canada over the next three years,” he says. “What makes the fast casual segment successful in Canada is customization or ‘build your own,’” says Brittany Sovak, marketing team leader for JL International, which offers more than 25 manufacturers’ products to the market. “This segment gives customers the increased ability to customize their food from the type of carrier to all the toppings they could dream of, even if offered at an added cost. Customers are willing to pay for the added value from this segment.” The challenge for an operator, Sovak says, is ensuring menu items are priced appropriately and that more expensive or gourmet toppings are priced at a premium level to reflect costs. “From our vantage point, the fast casual segment is growing for a few key reasons,” says Joseph Di Maria, business development manager for JL International. “Economics are forcing people to trade down, however, they still want to eat out. Growth in fast casual is an indication that people want to sit down for meals but don’t have the time to stay for an extended period.”

Indulgent versus healthy One operator who has no doubts about where he sits on the health continuum is Ryan Smolkin, founder and director of Canadianbased Smoke’s Poutinerie, which has 50 units and is on the cusp of expansion. “We have a guarantee that we are below 20,000 calories per serving and can hit all four food groups if you choose the right item!” he laughs. Smolkin does half his business from midnight to 4 a.m., Thursdays through Saturdays. “While we do have five vegetarian options with veggie gravy, people order Triple Pork Poutine with veggie gravy, too. We don’t try to pretend we’re a health craze. French fries are the base of my product. People still want to indulge when midnight cravings hit,” he says. Smolkin says the reason his concept is popular with consumers is the value of the product, including a three-pound “Wow” size.

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

astCasual

A fast mover

“We’re selling way more than fries, curds and gravy. And that’s what brings them back,” he says. On the other side of the health spectrum lies Freshii, which was started in Toronto as a healthy eating option. Founder and CEO Matthew Corrin “didn’t want people to have an excuse not to eat healthy,” explains public relations manager (and former nutritionist) Mia Jacobs. “We’ve created a new fast casual segment— health casual. People are realizing their health is in their hands and they want healthier choices. It’s our job to show them that it can be quick and delicious, but doesn’t have to be a bowl of plain lettuce,” says Jacobs, who adds that the chain of 70 stores (with 22 in Canada and more than 100 in development worldwide) buys organic and sources locally depending on availability. She sees super foods as a current trend and Freshii has introduced fresh-pressed juices to stores to capitalize on that. Kale as a substitute for lettuce is selling well as is the chain’s recently introduced gluten-free Green Wrap.

Buying into burritos Halifax-based Burrito Jax is making a name with its imaginatively flavoured, customizable burritos. President and CEO Gordon Delano visits Mexico several times a year with Eleanor, his wife and co-founder, for flavour inspiration. He says their concept is “close to a health food store.” “We believe our ingredients and spice profiles offer incredible flavours with no excessive salts and no commodity sauces except the mole. Everything else is store made,” he says. Delano looks forward to a Korean-Mexican fusion – which he calls one of the big food trends in California – which will be reflected in one of the chain’s monthly features, a Korean burrito with kimchi. “Gourmet burgers and Mexican are very trendy right now,” agrees Morgan Van Horne, vice-president of foodservice for Amca Sales and Marketing, whose Mexican-inspired ED Smith Saucemaker Sauces (Baja Chipotle and Pepitas Mole) are popular. Amca is also selling a lot of “Guaranteed to Separate” flour tortillas from Solis Mexican Foods. Rechichi of Extreme Brandz says that when they brought Mucho Burrito to the Canadian

By Marni Andrews

market six years ago “everyone thought Mexican was $0.69 tacos. We came in with a $7 burrito and grew the chain to 70 restaurants in a short span.”

Building identity The Ghost Pepper Burrito, a Mucho Burrito creation, and the taco trip promotion celebrating Cinco de Mayo surrounding it, were cutting edge and used social media in a way that captured its consumer base and enhanced the chain’s identity, according to Hayes of JL International. Chains that are building identity by offering a unique, limited-menu selection have successfully built consumer loyalty because people know what to expect, says Michel Houle, sales director, foodservice for Berthelet Food Products, which offers 28 categories and nearly 1,000 SKU’s to the fast casual market. Rainer Mueller, CEO of Williams Fresh Café with 37 locations in southern Ontario, understands the power of building a brand through events. In February, Mueller hosted a 21st birthday celebration at his Waterloo location for twins attending school, away from home. “Their mother in Colombia contacted us about wanting to buy her daughters a piece of cake for their birthday. We decided to treat them to a free surprise dinner for four and we got mom on Skype to talk to her daughters on their birthday,” says Mueller. For some chains, catering can help create identity. Fast casual chains are leading growth in catering with almost one-third of consumers now catering this way, according to Advertising Age. Rechichi of Extreme Brandz says catering makes up a significant percentage of system sales. Panera Bread has also grown its catering business significantly. In addition to its wellpublicized practice of donating leftover baked goods at the end of each day, it also introduced a so-called “secret” menu on a trial basis in New York last November. This type of menu, which is generally promoted only through word of mouth, is one of the cheapest marketing tools around and has the cachet of exclusivity since not everyone knows about it.

J U N E 2 013

Panera’s “secret” menu – offered only in the U.S. – is listed on its website but the items (all of them lower-calorie and low-carb) are not described.

Looking at labour Labour is always a key issue in the restaurant industry, says Houle. When you combine this with the fact that the breadth of the fast casual menu is larger than a QSR restaurant, it becomes difficult to manage. While labour shortages are not unique to the fast casual category, Mueller of Williams Fresh Café notes a problem that is prevalent. “We require a team member with a higher level of emotional maturity because they are dealing with almost a full service environment at times. One differentiator between us and fast food is that we have to recruit people who can think of themselves as the guest in every single experience,” he says. “Our focus is helping franchisees hire the right people. Recruiting is a big focus, because you can’t turn a porcupine into a peacock.” Gord Delano of Burrito Jax notes that since Halifax is a university town, he decided to offer

| 13

www.ontariorestaurantnews.com very flexible shifts and employee discounts. On weekends, he offers six-hour shifts so work won’t affect study time or friend time. “We have staff who have been with us all through college and still work with us part-time,” he says. Alex Rechichi, of Extreme Brandz, suggests foreign labour should be allowed in all provinces. Organizationally, his company is focused on creating a strong culture with a concentration on people development and helping team members identify a career path early on. “The more people realize this is more than a part-time job and they see where they can end up in three to five years, the more they stay committed,” says Rechichi. On the other hand, Gerry Docherty, chief operating officer of Calgary-based Good Earth Café, says that labour problems are practically a non-issue at Good Earth. Most of their recruitment is done through word of mouth from current employees. “We attract employees who are like-minded and live their lives with many of the values that our brand represents. In addition, we offer an upscale, relaxed environment where employees are encouraged to be themselves and cultivate relationships with their customers. Great coffee and music doesn’t hurt either,” he says.

Who: Smoke’s Poutinerie How Many: 50 from St. John’s to Vancouver. Started: 2008 in Toronto Philosophy: “Taking traditional poutine to the next level with 30 varieties and clogging arteries since 2008.” Average Footprint: 1,000 square feet. Average Check: $8.80 Best Seller(s): Pulled Pork Poutine from day one. Notable Comments: I source everything direct with top-notch suppliers. We custom seed our own potato fields. We use our own brand of potatoes, a premium yellow flesh variety, and Yukon Gold. Who: Panera Bread How Many: Nine in Ontario (1,673 bakery cafes under Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Café in total elsewhere). Started: 1981 Philosophy: Artisan bread, fresh baked daily and free Internet. Antibiotic-free meats, calories posted on menu boards. Unsold bread and baked goods donated at the end of each night. Average Footprint: unavailable Average Check: would not disclose Best Seller(s): “You Pick Two” combos. Notable Comments: A Panera social media campaign called Food Chain Reaction urges individuals to create online circles of five friends on Panera’s Facebook page. For every circle formed, Panera will provide a bowl of its Low-Fat Vegetarian Black Bean soup to a person in need through its alliance with Feeding America to a total of 500,000 bowls.

Fast Casual

Concept Snapshots Who: Extreme Brandz, a group of privately-held Canadian companies with brands including Extreme Pita, Mucho Burrito and Via Cibo-Italian Street Food. How Many: 375+ in North America Started: Extreme Pita, 1997; Mucho Burrito, 2006; Via Cibo, 2013 Philosophy: Extreme Pita is fresh, healthy sandwiches. Mucho Burrito is fresh, handmade gourmet Mexican food. Via Cibo is inspired by Italian street food. Average Footprint: Extreme Pita: 1,200 to 1,300 square feet. Mucho Burrito: 2,200 to 2,400 square feet. Via Cibo: 2,500 to 3,000 square feet. Average Check: Extreme Pita, $9. Mucho Burrito, $14. Via Cibo (estimated), $17 to $20 Best Seller(s): Extreme Pita, grilled Chicken Pita. Mucho Burrito, Med. Pollo Burrito. Via Cibo (not yet established). Notable Comments: Talking about your products using social media is today’s word of mouth. Getting [customers] exposed to new and interesting combinations and creating a food mantra for your brand is more relevant than it has ever been. Guests want to know what you and your food stand for. When that is clear it makes it easier for them to connect with the brand and talk about it. Who: Williams Fresh Café How Many: 37 from Barrie to Windsor, ON (24 traditional street cafés, 13 non-traditional, mostly in colleges and universities) Started: 1993 in Stratford, ON Philosophy: A local café with soups, salads, artisan sandwiches, desserts and coffee. Average Footprint: 3,000 square feet (new cafés about 2,400 square feet); university locations can be 100 up to 1,000 square foot kiosks. Average Check: $6.50 Best Seller(s): Chicken Pesto Panini and Turkey Apple Cheddar Wrap Notable Comments: Introduce technology, whether online or tablet ordering. There’s an opportunity to upsell items at the end of the experience especially if they’re enjoying conversation with friends. We’re investigating table service where we walk out with a tablet to offer guests a refill of their specialty coffee. Who: Freshii How Many: 22 in Canada (70 worldwide with more than 100 in development). Started: 2005 in Toronto Philosophy: Making fast food healthy. Average Footprint: 1,200 square feet. Average Check: $8.60 Best Seller(s): Green Wrap (made with collard greens). Notable Comments: Customers love to feel empowered by what they’re eating. It makes a huge difference if they can read about ingredients they may not know about, so we recently put up a Periodic Table of Fresh with all ingredients and their health benefits including disease prevention. Photos: Page 12: Top: Customers at Good Earth Café. Bottom: Periodic Table of Fresh from Freshii. Page 13: Top: Baked goods from Williams Fresh Café. Bottom: Chicken Rice Box from Williams Fresh Café.

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14 |

PROD U CT S

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Rubbermaid is keeping it clean Rubbermaid Commercial Products has expanded its line of skin care products with Health Canada approved soaps and sanitizers. Killing 99.99 per cent of germs, the scented and fragrance-free options are fit for restaurants, food courts and other public spaces. The products come in various dispensing options such as manual foam with a push bar, spray dispensing, and auto foam which offers a touch-free dispenser with a battery life of three years and eliminates cross contamination. Products are also available both with and without alcohol. For more information, go to: www.rubbermaidcommercial.com.

What comes first, the chicken or the bun? Sausages are getting their wings with Premium Meats & Cheeses brand Dietz &Watson’s new line of All Natural Chicken Sausages. Made with all fresh chicken and according to traditional family recipes in small batches, the sausages contain no fillers and are MSG, gluten and pork free. The fully cooked sausages come in Buffalo style, Jamaican jerk, asiago and spinach, Italian, tomatillo salsa Santa Fe style, andouille and Oktoberfest, and black forest chicken brats. Sausages come in 12-ounce packages, each containing four sausages. For more information, go to: www.dietzandwatson.com.

More gluten-free goodies from Luda Aliments ED Foods’ gluten-free and reduced sodium Luda H line has two new flavours available to foodservice operators. The tomato sauce offers a homemade-style texture sauce with a balanced herb flavour. The rotisserie chicken dipping sauce is a sweet-tasting sauce for dipping or accompanying chicken products. The Luda H line has more than 25 soup, sauce and base options that offer a healthier choice than traditional products. The line contains 74 per cent less sodium, and no gluten, trans-fats, MSG or artificial colours or flavours. All products are steam table and freeze thaw stable. For more information, go to: www.ed.ca/our-products/ our-brands/luda-h.html.

A bigger cut off the old potato Nemco Food Equipment’s Monster FryKutter offers restaurants a fast option for fresh-cut fries. A step up from Nemco’s Easy FryKutter, the Monster uses fulcrum leverage to make potato cutting an easy task. The stainless steel blades slice through even the biggest potatoes. The Monster cuts potatoes into three options for square-cut fry sizes and alleviates worker fatigue and inefficiency. The compact machine can be mounted on a wall or countertop and can also be used for various vegetables. For more information, go to: www.nemcofoodequip.com.

Dare to try a cracker instead of a chip? Dare Foods Limited has introduced a new line of betterfor-you snack options under its Breton label. Breton Popped is a cracker-chip hybrid made with air-popped whole grain “supergrains”. The “supergrains” include fibre and protein-rich grains such as quinoa, amaranth and millet. Available in 25g servings, Breton Popped portions are made with 12g of whole grains and contain only 110 calories. Breton Popped come in two flavours–barbecue and cheddar–and contain no artificial flavours, colours, cholesterol or trans-fats. For more information, go to: www.facebook.com/Breton/.

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16 |

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

TOP 50 CHAINS 2013 Report Research by Peter Elliott

hain growth was relatively healthy in 2012, faring better than independents on the whole. According to NPD Group’s Recount 2012 report, chain restaurant concepts increased annual unit development from 11,316 units to 11,530 units between 2007 and 2012. Comparatively, independents declined from 17,160 to 15,868 restaurants during the same time period. Although consumer habits are changing, with breakfast and snacking dayparts remaining as strong segments, the Canadian chain restaurant landscape continues to transform. The move of American-based companies into Canada continues with fast casual chains such as Panera and Qdoba Mexican Grill, which made its entry into Canada with a Brandon, MB location and plans to expand 70 to 85 locations across the country in 2013. Canadian chains also explored this space, such as Extreme Brandz’ its upscale street food Via Cibo concept in Ontario and Alberta. Customization also continued to be high on consumer priorities, and some chains like Bento Nouveau released new concepts to attract these diners, such as the recently opened mysushi choose-your-own location. In terms of promotion, companies such as Jack Astors and Swiss Chalet moved into the food truck realm by using them as unique promotional vehicles to distribute food samples to passersby. This year, the listings reflect a new positioning, replacing fastest rising chains by sales growth with a new measurement: the top five chains by units, nationally, giving a snapshot of how Tim Hortons, Subway, McDonalds, Starbucks and A&W are progressing across the country. We’ve also included a new listing of international flavours, showing the top 10 chains in this category, and a breakfast breakdown by units and sales. In terms of category breakdown, the top chains listings include only companies where the primary mandate of the company is involved in the list where it appears (for example, those companies appearing in the top burger chains list must have burgers as their primary offering). Thank you to those companies that provided us with their sales and unit information, helping us to offer accurate numbers. Where necessary, some estimates or numbers from last year’s rankings have been included.

TOP 5 CHAINS BY UNITS, NATIONALLY S ales 2013 S ales 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

N ame

Units 2013

Units 2012

C hange

Tim Hortons

5907

5564

3436

3291

145

Subway

1600

1500

2850

2710

140

McDonalds

3750

3550

1404

1408

-4

Starbucks

943

920

877

836

851

831

773

754

13051

12365

9340

8999

341

17522

17690

-168

26862

26689

173

A&W

Total for the Top 5 All the rest

Total Notes for Top 5 Chains chart

This number is for Starbucks stand-alone locations only. Sales are estimated. There are about 477 restaurant chains in Canada currently. A chain is any organization with two or more stores. 1 2

Please email any changes to data for our online listings or next year’s report to lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com, subject line: Chains Report 2013 changes.

TOP 50 CHAINS 2013 Report

TOP RESTAURANT CHAINS BY CATEGORY

ONTARIO BURGER CHAINS R ank R ank 2013 2012

* Numbers from previous year. Did not respond this year.

Note: Some sales figures are estimates.**

N ame

S ales 2013 S ales 2012 Units 2013 Units 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd. **

1364.60

1288.39

453

511

Wendy's Restaurants of Canada Inc. **

320.68

193

A & W Food Services of Canada Inc.

178.00

171.41

187

176

Harvey's (Cara)

159.00

149.10

185

182

Burger King Restaurants of Canada Inc. **

146.62

137

Lick's Franchising Inc.

34.00

40.00

WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro, The

30.00

24.40

Hero Certified Burgers

21.00

15.00

South St. Burger Co.

11.70

11.00

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

11.00

6.50

Union Burgers (Obsidian Group)

4.50

3.60

Fast Eddie's

4.30

4.50

Big Smoke Burgers

3.00

Gilligan's Fire Grill

2.50

The Gourmet Burger Co

2.50

| 17

www.ontariorestaurantnews.com

J U N E 2 013

ONTARIO PIZZA CHAINS R ank R ank 2013 2012

S ales 2013 S ales 2012 Units 2013 Units 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

N ame

Pizza Pizza Limited

369.74

360.02

531

Boston Pizza International Inc.*

242.07

232.32

108

107

Pizza Hut Canada (YUM!)**

128.44

137

Pizza Nova **

90.00

84.00

131

125

Domino's Pizza **

68.04

135

Little Caesar of Canada Inc.

45.50

37.50

241 Pizza (Chairman's Brand Corp)

42.00

Pizzaville Inc. **

30.00

26.27

Gino's Pizza Inc. **

26.52

New Orleans Pizza (Chairman Brands)

25.00

Vanelli's Restaurants Limited (MTY Group) **

21.00

Double Double Pizza and Chicken

18.00

25.11

Godfather's Pizza

18.00

14.00

Topper's Pizza Canada **

17.50

18.00

Panzerotto Pizza Ltd.**

14.00

Mamma's Pizza**

13.20

Gabriel Pizza

13.00

Papa John's

12.35

Pizza Depot

11.50

13.00

Square Boy Pizza & Subs

11.50

ONTARIO CHICKEN CHAINS R ank R ank 2013 2012

N ame

S ales 2013 S ales 2012 Units 2013 Units 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

Swiss Chalet (Cara)

402.00

416.16

163

159

KFC Canada (Yum!)**

293.30

314

Wild Wing Corp. **

35.00

86.00

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

29.35

Double Double Pizza and Chicken

25.11

Mary Brown's Inc.

20.50

Buffalo Wild Wings*

15.00

Dixie Lee Food Systems Ltd.

8.00

Nando's Flame Grilled Chicken

7.00

Wings Up!

4.50

Rotisseries St-Hubert Ltee **

3.00

2.50

Wacky Wings

2.50

2.00

ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL FLAVOURS R ank R ank 2013 2012

* Numbers from previous year. Did not respond this year.

Note: Some sales figures are estimates.**

N ame

S ales 2013 S ales 2012 Units 2013 Units 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

Mandarin**

110.00

107.00

ExtremePita

39.50

28.50

Teriyaki

39.00

40.50

ThaiExpress

30.00

23.00

Jimmy the Greek

18.50

16.00

VillaMadina(MTY)

12.50

12.00

LoneStar

9.50

Mrs. Vanellis

9.50

10.50

Pitaland

9.00

5.00

Mr. Souvlaki(MTY)

6.50

www.ontariorestaurantnews.com

18 |

R ank R ank 2013 2012

ONTARIO SUB/SANDWICH CHAINS

R ank R ank 2013 2012

N ame

S ales 2013 S ales 2012 Units 2013 Units 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd. **

618.67

581.13

1102

1051

Country Style Food Services Inc. (MTY Group)* **

213.00

427

Coffee Time Donuts Inc. (Chairman's Brand Corp.)

88.00

176

Quiznos Canada Restaurant Corporation **

84.50

84.75

171

MR. SUB (MTY Group)** *

127.50

255

266

Williams Fresh Cafe Inc.

36.20

Arby's of Canada

35.62

Coffee Culture Cafe & Eatery (Obsidian Group)

30.05

Extreme Pita (Extreme Brandz) **

21.95

Druxy's Inc.

16.00

18.90

Baker's Dozen Donuts Corp. **

14.70

Robin's (Chairman's Brand Corp)

14.50

Select Food Services Inc.

12.00

14.03

Bagel Stop, The

10.57

Treats Canada Corporation **

10.35

Great Canadian Bagel, Ltd., The

8.00

8.78

Cultures (MTY Group) **

7.50

Michel's Bakery Cafe (Threecaf Brands Canada Inc.)

7.00

La Prep **

6.25

Java Joe's Inc.

5.00

S ales 2013 S ales 2012 Units 2013 Units 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

N ame

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Tim Hortons (TDL Group)

2998.00

2859.01

1744

1692

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd. **

1364.60

1288.39

453

511

Country Style Food Services Inc. (MTY Group)* **

213.00

427

Starbucks Coffee Co.*

302.91

347

Second Cup Ltd. **

106.40

98.48

190

Coffee Time Donuts Inc.(Chairman's Brand Corp)

88.00

176

Williams Fresh Cafe Inc.

36.20

Timothy's World Coffee-Threecaf Brands Canada Inc. *

34.80

29.20

Coffee Culture Cafe & Eatery (Obsidian Group)

30.05

25.13

Druxy's Inc.

18.90

16.59

Baker's Dozen Donuts Corp. **

14.70

Robin's (Chairman's Brand Corp)

14.50

Select Food Services Inc.

14.03

Bagel Stop, The

10.57

Treats Canada Corporation **

10.35

ONTARIO COFFEE/PASTRY CHAINS

ONTARIO BREAKFAST CHAINS R ank R ank 2013 2012

* Numbers from previous year. Did not respond this year.

Note: Some sales figures are estimates.**

N ame

S ales 2013 S ales 2012 Units 2013 Units 2012 ($ millions ) ($ millions )

Cora Franchise Group Inc.

42.00

Sunset Grill Restaurants Ltd.

38.00

32.00

Williams Fresh Cafe Inc.

36.20

38.16

Wimpy's Diner Restaurant

29.00

28.31

Eggsmart Corp. (Chairman Brands)

15.00

Perkins' Restaurant & Bakery

13.23

Denny's

11.00

10.00

Michel's Bakery Cafe (Threecaf Brands Canada Inc.)

10.50

Eggspectation Canada Inc.

2.00

International House of Pancakes

4.00

| 19

www.ontariorestaurantnews.com

J U N E 2 013

ONTARIO RESTAURANT CHAINS WITH GROSS SALES IN MILLIONS R ank 2013

R ank 2012

S ales 2013 ($ millions )

S ales 2012 ($ millions )

Units 2013

Units 2012

Tim Hortons (TDL Group)

2998.00

2859.01

1744

1692

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd. **

1364.60

1288.39

511

Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd. **

618.67

581.73

1102

1051

Swiss Chalet (Cara)

402.00

416.20

163

159

Pizza Pizza Limited

369.74

360.02

527

531

Wendy's Restaurants of Canada Inc. **

320.68

193

Starbucks Coffee Co.*

320.00

302.91

347

Planning to open 50 new stores across Canada in 2013.

Boston Pizza International Inc.

242.07

232.32

108

107

7 new stores added in 2012.

KFC Canada (YUM!)

293.30

288

Country Style Food Services Inc. (MTY Group)* **

213.00

427

Keg Restaurants Ltd.

189.40

A & W Food Services of Canada Inc.

178.00

171.41

187

176

Harvey's (Cara)

159.00

149.10

185

182

Kelsey's Restaurants (Cara)

147.00

163.10

Kelseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closed 18 stores across Canada recently.

Burger King Restaurants of Canada Inc. **

146.62

137

10-15 new locations per year throughout Canada, focusing on primary markets in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Expansion will be considered in secondary markets upon market reviews. Newfoundland has great expansion possibilities.

East Side Mario's (Prime Restaurants)

138.76

Pizza Hut Canada (YUM! Restaurants International (Canada) Company)**

128.44

137

MR. SUB (MTY Group)**

127.00

255

266

Jack Astor's Bar and Grill (Sir Corp)

118.55

N ame

E xpansion Notes New Canadian units planned for 2013: 160-180.

Aggressively seeking franchisees in all areas of Canada.

Continuing to expand across Canada.

Planning to open 5 new locations in 2013.

Montana's (Cara)

114.00

113.60

Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation

107.00

Second Cup Ltd. **

106.40

98.48

190

Dairy Queen Canada

101.50

130.00

203

204

Milestones (Cara)

97.00

88.90

Pizza Nova **

90.00

84.00

131

125

Planning to open 10 additional units in Ontario.

Coffee Time Donuts Inc.(Chairman's Brand Corp)

88.00

176

Expanding in the USA.

Quiznos Canada Restaurant Corporation **

84.75

171

30 new units planned for 2013.

Red Lobster (Darden Restaurants) **

76.77

Moxie's Restaurants L.P.* **

70.40

3 units in Ontario opening soon, 2 units in western Canada opening soon; pursuing expansion into eastern Canada.

Domino's Pizza (Canada's Pizza Delivery Company) **

68.04

135

Plan on opening 25 more units across Canada, specifically in Ontario and western Canada.

Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants

65.00

Casey's Grill & Bar (Prime Restaurants)

60.12

Crabby Joe's Tap & Grill (Obsidian Group)

60.00

Taco Bell of Canada (YUM! Restaurants International (Canada) Company**

56.74

Baton Rouge (Imvescor) **

54.03

Yogen Fruz Canada Inc. (MTY Group) **

50.50

101

Worldwide expansion of 57 units outside of Canada.

Firkin Group of Pubs, The **

50.00

Expecting to expand sub-franchise systems in Ottawa, south western Ontario and western Canada, Newfoundland.

Little Caesar of Canada Inc.

45.50

39.00

Expanding across Canada.

Turtle Jack's*

45.00

Lick's Franchising Inc.

44.30

Lone Star Restaurants*

42.30

Stores opening in Ottawa and London, ON shortly.

241 Pizza (Chairman's Brand Corp)

42.00

New locations in 2011 in Ontario and western Canada.

F.A.B. Concepts Inc.

42.00

Cora Franchise Group Inc. **

41.67

11 new units in western Canada and 3 in Ontario in 2012. 8 locations closed in Quebec in 2012.

St. Louis Franchise Limited

40.00

2 to 3 units per year in Ontario, Canada. Looking for expansion to east and west coast.

Sunset Grill Restaurants Ltd.

38.00

15 new stores in development.

Williams Fresh Cafe Inc.

36.20

5 to 7 per year (2013-2014).

Arby's of Canada

35.62

Wild Wing Corp. **

35.00

Timothy's World Coffee-Threecaf Brands Canada Inc. **

34.80

* Numbers from previous year. Did not respond this year.

Note: Some sales figures are estimates.**

Opened 18 new cafes, closed 17 and renovated 19 across Canada in 2012.

20 |

www.ontariorestaurantnews.com O

O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

BeverageNews A MONTHLY REPORT ON THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

A made in Canada collaboration

New Zealand Wine Fair visits T.O.

Photo by Scott Turnbull, courtesy of TAPS Magazine.

VICTORIA—In true Canadian spirit, 26 breweries from six provinces – British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Ontario – got together at Phillips Brewing on May 10 during the annual Canadian Brewing Awards to create the Red and White Imperial Wit. “As far as we know, it’s the first Canadian collaboration beer of its kind,” co-ordinator Matt Lockhart of Phillips Brewing, the brew site and driver of the Great Canadian Craft Beer Collaboration, told ORN. Lockhart said a fellow ale maker pitched the idea to join forces while in town for the Canadian Brewing Awards. “We thought ‘why not open it up to everybody? There’s such a strong brewing community across the country’,” said Lockhart. He said it didn’t take long to determine – through a giant email dialogue – that the brewers would create an imperial wit. With some Ontario red fife wheat on offer, it got its name—a nod to the national colours. In the interest of creating something with a true collaborative nature, breweries were invited to bring local ingredients, said Lockhart. “There are a lot of local honeys involved and local grains

and even some locally grown hops,” he said, adding that a recipe was created from the sourced ingredients. The draught will be released in Victoria and Vancouver and Lockhart said it should be ready in early June. He said Phillips is going to try to get some of the beer to the participating breweries and all proceeds will go to a charitable cause, such as a brewing scholarship. Lockhart suspects the wit will have a sweet quality, noting he is not entirely sure what effect the orange peel and Tofino, BC elderflowers will have. The brewers tried to keep it balanced. “It’s an animal entirely on its own, ” said Lockhart. “It’s going to be a big beer, that’s for sure.” He said it would be quite a challenge, likely impossible, to recreate the brew.

Winemaker Kate Radburnd from Pask Winery and Robert Ketchin, marketing manager, Canada, for New Zealand Winegrowers.

TORONTO—“Without a doubt, sauvignon blancs and pinot noirs are such embedded styles in the Canadian consumer consciousness,” said Kate Radburnd, winemaker at Hawke’s Bay’s Pask Winery at the New Zealand Wine Fair, held in midMay. “It’s really time to look at other varietals.” Held this year at the Toronto Reference Library, the 2013 New Zealand Wine Fair was part of a road show that took 40 New Zealand wine producers to Vancouver, Toronto, Quebec and Montreal. All 419 wines poured across the four shows were 100 per cent sustainable – both in ingredients and facilities – as certifited by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand or recognized organic or biodynamic certifications including Biogro, Demeter and AsureQuality, said organizers.

Icons of Wine TORONTO—The inaugural Family Wine Merchants (FWM) Portfolio tasting, Icons of Wine, brought together international producers at Arcadian Loft on April 15. The independent, St. Catharines-based company represents producers of wine, spirits and beer from around the world. Representatives from more than 30 wineries and countries including Australia, Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and Thailand poured more than 150 wines.

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J U N E 2 013

| 21

www.ontariorestaurantnews.com

SIAL 2013

Top left: SIAL show floor. Top right: Entries in the Olive D’Or. Bottom left: The team from Viau Meats. Bottom middle: Tastes of Morroco. Bottom right: Chef Rod Bowers.

TORONTO—SIAL Canada (Salon International de l’Alimentation) came to Toronto for the second time, filling the 230,000 square foot main show hall at the Direct Energy Centre with retail and foodservice products from around the globe. 770 exhibitors from 44 countries showed their wares to 12,825 visitors from 61 countries between April 29 and May 2. Spotted on the show floor were chefs Christine Cushing and Rod Bowers (who was doing a sandwich demo at the Boulart booth), as well as Francois Gendron, deputy premier and minister of agriculture, fisheries and food. Equipment companies were also part of the show this year, with SET (Salon National des Equipements et Technologies en Alimentation/ Equipment and technology in food exhibition) returning to Toronto in conjunction with SIAL.

Mississauga, ON-based Barocco Coffee took home two awards in the blend section of the Coffee Cup competition: the Gold Bean for L’Espresso and the Silver Bean for Appian. Smoked Atlantic Salmon pâté from A Acadien Atlantic took home the top prize for the SIAL innovation awards, an annual, juried competition. The Golden Drop award in the Olive D’or 2013 competition went to Deprado, Portugal (Light), Igp Toscano Frantoio Franci from frantoio franci, Italy (Medium); and Venta Del Baron from Almazara de muela, S.L., Spain (Intense). Other winners at the show included Town and Country’s chef jacket draw, with six winners taking home a prize: Joanne Schmidt, Port Hood, NS, Julie Austin, Peterborough, ON, Risa Barkin Worth, Toronto, Eric Frenzel, Toronto, Maria Martins, Toronto and Bill Macy, Ottawa. The 2014 edition will return to Montreal.

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PEOPLE

Chefs and other members of the foodservice industry turned out to honour the memory of chef Josef Raymond Vonlanthen on May 11. Vonlanthen, who passed away on May 3, served as a mentor to many chefs in Canada during his time as executive chef at the Regal Constellation Hotel in Toronto, including Mike Shapiro, owner of Sweet Angel Chocolates, Glen Gardner, executive chef, Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel, Peter George, executive chef, 360 Restaurant, CN Tower, and Mark McEwan, chef and owner of the McEwan Group. Gardner estimates that there were “over 300 apprentices and countless professionals, cooks, and

chefs who worked at ‘the Connie’ over the 30 plus years that Vonlanthen was there. “He was a real professional with whatever he did,” Shapiro told ORN. “‘Make it perfect,’ that was his motto.” Whether in the kitchen or at his cottage in Campbellford, ON, where he sometimes invited apprentices to stay, Vonlanthen was always willing to share his knowledge about cooking. “He didn’t keep secrets,” said Shapiro. For the last 10 years, an annual Constellation Hotel reunion has gathered chefs to reminisce. The next reunion will include golf and fishing tournaments in honour of Vonlanthen’s interests in those activities, said Shapiro.

Left to right: Glen Gardner, executive chef, Sheraton Parkway, Grant Carson, executive chef, Lionhead Golf & Country Club, Ana George, Peter George, executive chef, C.N.Tower, Mark Jachecki, chef, Barik Consulting, Hans Christian, executive chef, Mike Shapiro, CEO Sweet Angel Chocolates Ltd, Tony Andrady, executive chef, Terrace on the Green.

F L AG S H I P LO C AT I O N D OW N T OW N T O RO N T O 4500 sq ft 15 ft ceiling Front patio potential Great street presence Unique space Directly across from AGO

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N

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Mary D’Alton

Jeff Dueck

Anne Yarymowich

Marc Caira

Mary D’Alton is the new chair of the board of Smart Serve Ontario. D’Alton is the president and managing director of the Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel, and has served on the Board of Smart Serve Ontario for more than a decade. She has 25 years of experience in the hotel industry, including the Valhalla Inn, and has also worked on food and beverage at events such as the Montreal Grand Prix. Her experience also includes roles as chair of the Ontario Hotel and Restaurant Association, chair of the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, chair of the OSSA (now the Workplace Safety Prevention Services, WSPS) and vice-chair of Wilfrid Laurier University’s board of governors. “I’m very honoured to be the second chair of the board,” said D’Alton to ORN in late May. She said that her

goals with the board include strengthening Smart Serve’s products, as well as ensuring that the organization is broadening its scope. “The game is changing out there and we all have a real sense of responsibility because we are licensees. It’s an important role we all play,” she said. “I’m proud to be a part of an industry that has such good corporate citizens.” Joining D’Alton on the board are three new members: Steve Monuk of Ottawa’s York Entertainment, Harry Oshanski, CEO of Casino Rama, and Tom Pazianos, owner of the Keg and Caribou Restaurants in Thunder Bay. The Art Gallery of Ontario has a new executive chef, Jeff Dueck. The gallery’s foodservice – which includes Frank Restaurant, the Baillie Court Event Centre and caféAGO – will see the reins handed over from Anne Yarymowich, who

will retire after 17 years with the establishment. Dueck has more than 30 years’ experience in kitchens across Toronto including Canoe, Bistro 990, Scaramouche and The Windsor Arms. As well, Dueck has catered various notable events such as Luminato, Toronto Jazz Festival and TIFF. After joining the AGO team in 2008, Dueck worked alongside Yarymowich on launching Frank Restaurant and various foodservice operations at the gallery. He is also a faculty member at his alma mater George Brown College. “Having worked shoulder to shoulder with Jeff for the past five years, I am thrilled to name him as successor to the culinary legacy that we have co-authored,” Yarymowich said in a release. “He is a friend, a colleague, an exceptional culinarian and a stand-up guy. I know he will be amazing in this new role.”

Yarymowich will retire as of June 14 with a number of accolades including 2009 chef of the year from the Ontario Hostelry Institute, and a bronze medal in the 2010 Gold Medal Plates competition.

George Brown celebrates FIRSt anniversary

tors, and creates a partnership between industry members and students. “They’re doing amazing things; working, listening and innovating and that’s so crucial in the world of food,” Cushing told ORN.“I really think that it’s a great thing to encourage small businesses and entrepreneurs to get their feet wet and for students to see the ever-changing world of food.” In its one year of practice, FIRSt has seen more than 50 students take part in projects and apply more than 6,000 working hours, said Lorraine Trotter, dean of the Centre of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. She said FIRSt not only offers a resource to industry leaders looking for research, but also a way to spot up-and-coming talent on the culinary scene.

Students volunteer or are recruited for their specific skills and abilities, said Paul DeCampo, manager, business development for FIRSt, and are also paid for their work. “We have a few restaurant

partners looking to expand their range of sales and see if their signature items could work as retail products,” said DeCampo. “We’re applied research. We’re able to take ideas and turn them into saleable goods.”

By Elaine Anselmi TORONTO—Chefs, educators and members of the food industry celebrated one year of bridging the gap between ideas and product development with George Brown College’s Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt). The first anniversary was marked on May 22 at the Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts at the college’s St. James Campus. The event saw speakers, including keynote Christine Cushing, chef and television personality, discuss the importance of creating a space for innovation in the food industry that breaks down barriers for small and medium-sized opera-

Marc Caira has been appointed president and CEO of Tim Hortons Inc. As of July 2, Caira will replace Paul House in the top position, who will become non-executive chairman of the board of directors. Caira’s last posting in the foodservice industry was global CEO of Nestle Professional. He was also a member of the executive board at Nestle, where he led 10,000 employees in approximately 100 countries. Prior to his 2006 appointment at Nestle, Caira was president and CEO of Parmalat North America and chief operating officer of Parmalat Canada.

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