REINVENTING THE EXPERIENCERESTAURANT TOP WAYS TO KEEP NIMBLEMENUS CONNECT INCUSTOMERSWITHNEWWAYS TRACKERTECHNOLOGY SUMMER 2022 15 RULE THE ROOST withdifferentiatetoopportunitiesEmbraceinnovate&chicken.
p.28 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 | SUMMER 2022 | SHAMROCKFOODSERVICE.COM 3 WELCOME LETTER 5 TRENDING NOW PIZZA TRENDS Update your pizza menu and get a bigger slice of the pie. 9 TRENDING NOW WAKE UP TO NEW OPPORTUNITIESCOFFEE Better beans, blends, roasts and flavorings produce premium cuppas. 11 OPERATOR INSIGHTS REINVENTING THE RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE Creating experiencesexceptionalisessential to competing in the crowded foodservice marketplace. 15 CULINARY INSIGHTS RULE THE ROOST Embrace opportunities to innovate and differentiate with chicken. 19 PARTNER CELEBRATION CELEBRATING 100 YEARS WITH EL CHARRO Working together, Flores Concepts and Shamrock Foods aren’t resting on their laurels during this Centennial celebration. 23 OPERATOR INSIGHTS TOP WAYS TO KEEP MENUS NIMBLE Be ready to navigate fast-changing conditions in today’s foodservice environment. 28 GET THE WORD OUT CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS IN NEW WAYS Events and exceptional efforts get people talking about your operation. 30 INDUSTRY INTEL TECHNOLOGY TRACKER Advances in technology are opening up opportunities for operators and consumers alike. p. 15
Remember, the inspiration continues online at shamrockfoodservice.com or on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, where we constantly share strategies for creating flexible menus, spotlight industry experts and introduce trends as they happen so you can make the most of every moment. How are you achieving success? Tell us all about it. Email us anytime. We’re listening.
The restaurant industry is facing new but familiar challenges, making now the time to focus on evolving consumer habits. Inside this issue, we examine the most powerful trends and identify ways to innovate with new products, ideas and recipes to stay ahead of these challenges.
What’s Ahead
Consumers are craving experiences and connection, even while facing inflation. Chicken continues to shine – poultry is the most popular protein today. Small-batch coffee roasts and new takes on classic pizza are today’s hottest trends. As always, our experts delve into each of these topics, sharing insights for capitalizing on this information within your own unique operation.
You’ll also learn more about today’s technology and the must-have advancements, including AI, contactless ordering/paying, QR codes and more. It’s an interesting juxtaposition that even as diners crave familiar comforts, they are demanding tech like never before. The idea of tech can be overwhelming, but we help make it manageable for any operator to embrace. We can all learn something from one another – whether you’re a new concept or have 100 years of business under your belt – and we do our best to tell the industry’s most inspiring stories here.
“We can all learn something from one another.” Contact: kitchentelligence@shamrockfoods.com 3900 E. Camelback Road, Suite 300 Phoenix, AZ 85018
WELCOME LETTER MAGAZINE | 3
Sincerely, Ann Ocaña, Shamrock Foods Company Chief Marketing Officer
Ann Ocaña
Learn more about our XTREME product line up Contact your Shamrock Foods representative to find out how we can help make your kitchen a healthier, more cost-effective place to cook. jensenfoodsco.com GET MORE FRY LIFE FOR YOUR MONEY
With labor costs constantly rising and skilled workers harder to come by, you can’t afford to clean and fill a fryer every 2-3 days. All Aspen Gold XTREME® cooking oils have a longer fry life than conventional oils, lasting up to 7 days. Those extra days save you valuable time so you focus on your bottom line and keeping guests happy. You can count on our entire lineup of Aspen Gold XTREME oils to fry foods golden and crispy with zero trans fats, high levels of unsaturated fats and no flavor transfer among foods. Whether you’re deep frying battered fish, chicken wings, French fries or tempura – or all of them one after the next – there’s an XTREME oil to help you save time and money. HERE
Over-the-top toppings. Whacky combinations of comfort foods like spicy mashed potatoes, chicken fingers or poutine toppings are still wildly popular. Leopard-pizza crust. This extra-crispy crust is baked until well-done; the bottom is slightly charred and the top crust has blistered spots. Stuffed crust. 56% of all consumers say they’re extremely or very interested in pillowy, stuffed-crust pizzas filled with flavorful cheese or meat.
While its origin story is Italian, countless region-specific sequels have been — and are still being — written. In New York, immigrants recreated Neapolitan pizza. A Detroit operator made good use of some blue-steel automotive pans when he needed more baking gear. Chicago pizza makers loaded up deep-dish pies that sustained meat packers and others through grueling workdays. Resourceful pizza makers everywhere leveraged local and seasonal ingredients in ways that cut food costs and enhanced flavor. Create your own pizza story – one that conveys your brand. Let diners know that your place is where they can find the enhanced experience they’ve been craving, including premium Italian ingredients from Bella Bello by Shamrock Foods.
UPPER-CRUST CREATIVITY
TRENDING NOW
MAGAZINE | 5
TRENDSPIZZA
PIZZA IS A PEOPLE-PLEASER.WORLDWIDE Regional spins.
Pizzas spiced with the peppers that are hot stuff in the locale – Hatch green chile, chiltepin, serrano.
CALIFORNIA-STYLE PIZZA. Craft coastal comfort food into fresh pies with seasonal superfoods — kale, arugula, avocado, glugs of new-harvest, antioxidant-rich organic California olive oil — and even sushi.
| SUMMER 2022 | SHAMROCKFOODSERVICE.COM6 TRENDING NOW: PIZZA
EVERYWHERETHEY’RE Stuffed crusts. Dessert pizzas. GROWINGRAPIDLY FlatbreadMashups.pizzas. CATCHINGON Regional gluten-freeAlternative/pizzas.crusts.Breakfastpizzas. EMERGING ItalianPlant-forwardtoppings.streetfood. MENU-ADOPTION CYCLES
DETROIT-STYLE PIZZA. Tune in to the Motown spirit of innovation. Put some Detroit hometown-favorite toppings down — think chicken shawarma, lamb kofta or bits of fried pierogi and kielbasa for crunch — under a fresh coat of sauce.
NEW YORK-STYLE PIZZA. Keep the size big (20 inches) but the toppings minimal to preserve the thinness and crispiness of the foldable crust. Slather on garlicky white sauce or pungent puttanesca and stinky cheese to get customers in a sensory-rich, New York state of mind.
AMERICAN PIES
CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA. Go for ramped-up mouthfeel in this crispy-bottomed, deep-dish bake. Instead of the usual meats and cheeses, add house-made meatballs, fried gnocchi, flash-fried veggies and even cheese curls to create a sort of pizza treasure hunt in those depths.
Source: Datassential 2021, 2022
MAGAZINE | 7 TRENDING NOW
Dion’s Dion’s has won a loyal following throughout New Mexico, Colorado and Texas with their Gourmet Pizzas cooked on a tray with olive oil to achieve a thin, crispy crust. Home chefs can pick up (then rave about) #DionsPizzaKit.
Krazy Karl Pizza Krazy Karl Pizza, with multiple locations in Colorado, offers truly “Krazy” specialty pizzas, like “The Mac’d Up” – with white cheddar cheese sauce, Mac ‘n cheese and bacon – and “The Mile High” – ranch base topped with chicken tenders, waffle fries, bacon and green chilies.
CUSTOMER
Big Cheese Pizza Big Cheese Pizza in Gallup, New Mexico, may seem like a regular family pizza joint, but their specialty pizzas like their “Fire Eater” – beef, pork, pepperoni, jalapenos, onion – or their “Navajo Taco” – beef, whole beans, cheddar cheese, onion, lettuce, diced tomatoes – set them apart.
SPOTLIGHT
Flatbread Pizza Idaho-based Flatbread Pizza is so committed to the original Neapolitan pizza, they had theirs certified by Vera Pizza Napoletana. They also offer their own unique local favorites – like the Pepperoni & Chive or the Chopped Veggie, featuring goat cheese and squash.
Four Leaf Roasters™ is premium, small-batch roasted coffee with single origin coffees and blends that are available in light, medium, and dark roasts. Our proprietary, 100% Arabica recipes vary in flavor, but never in quality. All our coffees have a cupping score of over 80, classifying them as specialty coffee, and making them 100% on trend with customers. The beans for our blended recipes are always roasted separately in small batches so they retain their individual characteristic tasting notes. Then, they’re carefully combined in exact ratios to achieve just the right balance of aroma and flavor. The end result is the ultimate cup of coffee every Contacttime.your
Shamrock Foods Sales Representative to learn more about our master-roasted coffee today.
Roasted By The Best, With The Best
GROWINGRAPIDLY Roast specified, house blend, country of origin, macchiato, organic, flavored (Irish cream,saltedpeppermint,caramel,marshmallow).
CATCHINGON Fair trade, small batch, single origin, pour over, French press, cortado, Americano, coffee cocktails, flavored (apple, dessert-inspired).toffee,
MAXIMIZE THE COFFEE MOMENT
coffeecraving—worldbrewingSomething’sintheofcoffeeconsumersareelevatedexperiences.
EMERGING Micro roasting, tasting flights, coffee mocktails, ristretto, Turkish, turmeric golden latte, flavored (coconut cream, avocado, brown sugar, ginger, citrus).
WAKE UP TO NEW COFFEE OPPORTUNITIES
COFFEE ON MENUS
TRENDING NOW
Source: Datassential March 2022 Emphasize quality.
Let guests know you’re serving a premium brew. Four Leaf Roasters™ sources only select 100% Arabica beans from trusted partners around the globe, then uses remarkable roasting techniques to bring out the nuances of flavor. Each of these master-roasted coffees has a cupping score of 80 or higher, which classifies them as specialty coffee – and makes them 100% on-trend with customers.
Offer variety. Feature a selection of brewing and serving techniques — pour over, French press, cold brew, whipped coffee, iced, etc. Upsell. Suggest specialty coffees when taking beverage orders. And be sure to suggest a dessert from Brickfire Bakery® to go with the coffee. G ive coffee lovers something to chew on. Menu entrees and desserts that use coffee from Four Leaf Roasters as a key ingredient.
EVERYWHERETHEY’RE Espresso,flavoredbrewed,cappuccino,iced,(pumpkin,vanilla,caramel).
DIVE INTO NEW TRENDS THIS SEASON Summer is here and the warmer air means customers are craving lighter fare. Be sure your menu is ready with Pier 22 Seafood CO.® From #1 Ahi tuna to Chilean seabass; premium oysters to Hokkaido scallops and caviar. Let the changing season inspire your summer menu and reel in new customers for a tantalizing menu of unique oceanic experiences. Pier 22 Seafood CO. has the premium assortment and experienced personnel to help keep your seafood selection on the forefront of seasonal trends. Contact your Shamrock Foods Sales Representative to build your specialty seafood summer menu.
OPERATOR INSIGHTS REINVENTING THE EXPERIENCERESTAURANT In today’s treat-forward culture, people are looking for consistent and reliable indulgences. Providing them is essential to competing successfully in today’s crowded and intensely competitive foodservice marketplace. CUSTOMERS COME TO RESTAURANTS FOR MORE THAN JUST THE FOOD —THEY WANT SPECIAL EXPERIENCES.
mostexperiencetheir“ConsumersConsulting.willspendmoneywherethewillbetheoutstanding.”
OPERATOR INSIGHTS: REINVENTING THE RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE
Make sure that lighting, seating and tabletops are in order. That everything is clean, bright and shiny inside and out.
| SHAMROCKFOODSERVICE.COM
Serve qualityexceptional.
THE ELEMENTS OF EXPERIENCESEXCEPTIONAL
Find your POD.
“Having a point of distinction (POD) is essential,” says Jeff Pivin, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Arizona. “Something that’s familiar but not ever seen before, so guests don’t know how to attach a price to it.”
Maintain the highest standards for ingredients and finished-dish quality throughout the menu.
Create a environmentwelcoming.
HERE ARE 10 WAYS TO EXPERIENCES.DISTINCTIVECREATE
Genuine hospitality is the foundation of a great experience —and it goes beyond a warm greeting and an invitation to visit again. It’s all about creating an overall sense of well-being and belonging that makes guests feel that your place is their special place.
“There’s a reckoning,” notes Michael Stevens, Shamrock Foods Vice President, Emerging Accounts and Business
MAGAZINE | 13 OPERATOR INSIGHTS
Deliver notable value. Never cheapen the experience. Offering more bang for the buck comforts customers who are making choices about where to spend their disposable income in inflationary times.
Communicate caregiving. Extend hospitality and set expectations about what to expect from your operation’s experience even before guests visit. Post information on social media about typical wait times, parking considerations — and even whether waiting areas might be warm or chilly.
Be an oasis.
“Remember that your restaurant is a place for fostering human interaction — a place to get away from the stress of everyday concerns,” Pivin says. Make comfort and lack of distractions a priority. Keep the comfort coming. The resurgence of comfort food over the last two years shows no sign of slowing down. Research firm Datassential reports that over half of consumers seek comfort in their food choices.
— Jeff Pivin, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Arizona
“ Having a point of distinction is essential. ”
Stay on brand. Your brand’s culture is what attracts customers to your operation in the first place. “Create a relatable experience that’s on brand — whether it’s a smiling face at the door or a thank-you note in the takeout bag,” Maness advises.
“Create a translatable type of experience that’s on brand and also infuses hospitality away from the restaurant,” Hargrove says. Offer exceptional, non-traditional services, such as adding an on-site mini-market with wine, bread, packaged goods, grab-and-go items and/or frozen/ refrigerated food. These set your operation apart from the pack, offer convenience and are a way to capture additional revenue while you have guests’ attention.
Facilitate affordable indulgences.
Transforming luxe entrees into lower-priced small-plate items encourages splurging. Include other forms of indulgence in the experience you offer.
Offer memorable convenience. Busy consumers appreciate convenience that frees up the “me time” that’s a top priority for them these days. Streamlined online ordering, subscription services, premium meal bundles and dinner kits offer convenience and make an impression.
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Ditto for takeout and delivery customers.
“Think tableside service, product presentation and product education,” says Tim Maness, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Colorado.
“Make it easy to use your brand — easy to find things, easy to order, easy to be seated, easy to pay,” advises Jim Hargrove, Shamrock Foods Restaurant Consultant.
“ Consumers will spend their money where the experience will be the most outstanding.”
— Michael Stevens, Shamrock Foods Vice President, Emerging Accounts and Business Consulting
CULINARY INSIGHTS “ Chicken is America’s favorite protein.” — Tim Maness, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Colorado Chicken is hot on today’s menus. From Nashville hot chicken sandwiches to chicken shawarma to chicken katsu, operators are getting creative with this protein. RULE THE ROOST
Grounded in taste.
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For example, use thighs to make fried-chicken sandwiches, cut breasts into tenders and replace chicken wings with frenched drums. Apply traditional methods to nontraditional cuts — rotisserie-roasted legs and red-adobo chicken thigh under a brick. These are all great ways to keep your familiar favorites present on a menu. Dark meat is an abundant option that’s moist, rich and intensely flavorful with no sacrifice in quality.
“It’s true that the supply chain is pushing popular cuts out of reach,” says Vigil. “Yet chefs are continuing to find new ways to serve America’s favorite protein.”
The bottom line?
Chefs are turning to dark meat as a way to keep high-margin – and highly consistent – items on their menu.
Additionally, “Ground chicken is finding homes in items like chickenmango breakfast sausage, friedchicken patties on biscuits with honey and chicken-enchilada omelets,” notes Chef Tim Maness, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Colorado.
There are many ways to create distinctive and indulgent signature chicken dishes.
Custom portions of Regal Crest Farms® chicken from Gold Canyon Meat CO.® make it easy. Go flavorforward by pairing chicken with signature condiments and sauces easily prepared using simple combinations infused with spices and seasonings from Katy’s Kitchen®.
“Make chicken offerings fun and current,” advises Chef Thomas Vigil, Shamrock Foods Branch Chef, Colorado. “When it comes to familiaritychicken,isbest.”
CULINARY INSIGHTS: RULE THE ROOST
CULINARY INSIGHTS
Examples: chicken shawarma and waffles; Sicilian chicken Calabrese with Castelvetrano olives; Mexican tortas. Pastas. Example: mac and cheese with crispy chunks of Nashville hot chicken.
Center-of-the-plate entrees.
Examples: crispy chicken sandwiches with boneless fried or grilled-chicken thighs as the carriers; signature fried or grilled chicken-andbiscuit all-day breakfast sandwiches. Small plates.
Examples: Indian butter-chicken poutine; Korean fried-chicken tacos; Moroccan-spiced skinless chicken thighs served over raisin couscous. Sandwiches.
“Use chicken thighs for ‘wing-style’ dishes that satisfy consumers who must have bone-in chicken,” says Maness. Other examples: seven-layer Buffalo chicken dip; chicken Alfredo pizza. Pulled chicken.
“Chicken skin is breaking into the scene in a big way — and it’s cost-effective and abundant,” Vigil says. Examples: pasta toppings; salad ‘croutons’; standalone fried appetizers with dipping sauces.
Innovate and differentiate. Global flavors.
Examples: steamed bao buns with pulled chicken; chicken-enchilada omelets; pulled chicken and grits. Skin in the game.
“The chicken-sandwich wars are real and likely here to stay for a while,” says Bo Bryant, Shamrock Foods Restaurant Consultant. learn more Ask your Shamrock Foods Sales Representative about custom portions of Regal Crest Farms® chicken from Gold Canyon Meat CO.®
| SUMMER 2022 | SHAMROCKFOODSERVICE.COM18 friedsandwicheschicken nashville hot Buttermilk popcorn bowls +56% +47% +45% +46% +27% MENU-INCIDENCE GROWTH OF CHICKEN OVER FOUR YEARS Source: Datassential, 2021 CULINARY INSIGHTS: RULE THE ROOST CHICKENCYCLES:ADOPTIONMENU- They’re everywhere Sandwiches, pot pies, tacos, lettuce wraps, burritos, chicken and dumplings, pastas, quesadillas, pizzas, chicken parmigiana. Emerging Butter chicken, katsu, Filipino-fried. Rapidly growing Sliders, chicken and waffles, handbreaded, battered, char-grilled, pulled/shredded. Catching on Chicken meatballs, Korean fried, adobo, tinga, empanadas.
MAGAZINE | 19 PARTNER CELEBRATION
A valued customer of Shamrock Foods, both sharing the same birth year and place, the special connection between FLORES CONCEPTS and Shamrock Foods Company goes beyond a foodservice partnership. It’s about shared roots, likeminded beliefs, and the true grit it takes to survive and thrive for 100 years and counting.
RAYMON FLORES, Flores Concepts President, exudes a contagious energy and leadership quality from the moment he starts sharing about his heritage. Ray is quick to credit today’s success – spanning eight restaurant concepts and a foodservice product line – to the two “Charro Family” women who began it all with EL CHARRO, the nation’s oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family.
CELEBRATING
100 YEARS WITH
MONICA FLIN
“We grew up in that building. I had my high school prom at that building. All walks of life have come through our doors,” said Flores. “My mom made it the second coming of El Charro, and along the way she’s perfected her craft in Tia Monica’s name and taken it to the next level.”
PARTNER CELEBRATION: 100 YEARS WITH EL CHARRO
Carlotta’s culinary genius, combined with her family’s commitment to every aspect of the business is what’s transformed El Charro into the culinary leader it is today. Ray spearheads innovative branding, mutually-beneficial collaborations and thoughtful growth. His brother is the owner/manager of the El Charro Café, and his sister Candace oversees the extensive catering and events side of the family business. Among Flores Concepts consumer story-sharing and recipe contests, the family is celebrating its Centennial milestone with the recent launch of its most recent concept – THE MONICA OPEN KITCHEN + BAR. The fresh, fast and madewith-love menu of this hybrid restaurant and market also features artisan breads by three-time James Beard nominee Don Guerra. In addition, this new Downtown Tucson hot spot is just a few blocks from where the original El Charro shop was located.
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CARLOTTA FLORES
Monica was born in Tucson to French immigrant parents. Jules, her famous stonemason father, was commissioned from France to build the frontier town’s first Catholic church – the St. Augustine Cathedral – among other historic Tucson buildings. In her teen years, Monica began cooking for her father’s workers, many of whom were native to the land. She was intent on learning Mexican cooking traditions local to the area, but had a gift for incorporating her family’s own French methods – adding ingredients like oils, peas and radishes, which continue to be Charro Family staples today. In 1922, Monica officially opened her own little shop and named it El Charro. Monica welcomed all walks of life through her doors. She pushed on through war, the depression, racial conflict and more until developers ultimately drove her to relocate. Monica moved El Charro into the family home, but now in her 70s, it took a toll on her health.
LIVING THE LEGACY
Enter Ray’s mom, Carlotta Flores. In her youth, Carlotta would spend memorable afternoons in El Charro helping sun dry meat and pan frying tacos. When her great aunt left part of the new El Charro building to her, she was filled with an intense desire to carry on the family legacy created by her Tia Monica.
Throughout Carlotta’s 40 plus years as a chef, she’s been an innovator and originator, harmoniously incorporating culinary trends of today while always paying homage to yesterday’s favorites. Her secret is using great and simple food in everything she creates.
HEALTHY INNOVATION
There’s no doubt Tia Monica is also proud of The Monica Open Kitchen + Bar’s local vendor relationships and University of Arizona’s Community and School Garden Program partnership as well as the restaurant’s “Tucson Tuesdays” event series highlighting local businesses and community groups.
“ Tia Monica is loving the victory of being back downtown where it all began, ” said Flores. product star
PARTNER CELEBRATION
“Charro Steak and Del Rey will likely be one of the brands we grow, and Shamrock Foods was with us from the start on this,” said Flores. “Getting access to fresh fish and sustainable seafood in the middle of the desert is only possible thanks to Shamrock’s Pier 22 Seafood CO.®”
CHARRO STEAK AND DEL REY is Tucson’s only 100% grass fed, mesquite grilled, steak and sustainable seafood restaurant. CHARROVIDA, partly inspired by Ray’s own battle with thyroid cancer, marries heart-healthy Mediterranean foods with native Sonoran cuisine and features recipes using only sustainable proteins and natural resources. They’ve even created a concept for on-the-go consumers with BARRIO CHARRO, a quick-serve concept in partnership with Don Guerra featuring local Arizona wheat, tortas and sandwiches.
And while the family business is growing through the creation of new concepts like this, Ray and his team have also had great success by evolving the original El Charro into concepts hyper focused on individual consumer wants and needs.
Much like the McClelland family, the “Charro Family” believes they can do anything as long as they find the best people to do it with.
NO FLASH IN THE PAN
PARTNER CELEBRATION: 100 YEARS WITH EL CHARRO
Monica Flin invented the chimichanga in the 1920s when an El Charro ground beef burrito she was making slipped into a frying pan and she spontaneously shouted “chimichanga,” in replacement of a Spanish swear word starting with “ch.” But as the loved and respected matriarch of her family’s 100-year-old business, “Tia Monica’s” legacy reaches far beyond this claim to fame. Flores Concepts’ partnership with Shamrock Foods is as diverse as its restaurant concepts and includes everything from navigating today’s supply chain issues to making the most of our UA partnerships to providing refrigeration trucks for the annual turkey drive for El Rio Foundation.
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TWO OF A KIND Flores feels an incredible connection to Shamrock Foods and is grateful for the unwavering top-down support.
“We look for people with passion, ambition and personality,” said Flores. “Working with the best people is what it takes to move forward.”
“The Flores and McClelland families went through the same process. We’ve both been in business 100 years, in the same industry and markets, and overcoming the same challenges. That’s an incredible accomplishment, and an odd and amazing connection.”
“Whatever it is, I know I can count on Shamrock to make it happen,” said Flores. “We aren’t just an account. We celebrate live moments together and are invested in each other’s personal and business success.”
Top Ways to Keep Menus Nimble The foodservice landscape is a highly changeable one right now. Being able to adjust menus quickly is critical to satisfying customers and maintaining profitability. “ If your menu is subject to a lot of change, be ready to change quickly. ” — Tim Maness, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Colorado OPERATOR INSIGHTS 23MAGAZINE |
FOSTER FOMO
“Create an ‘ABC List,’” advises Bo Bryant, Shamrock Foods Restaurant Consultant.
“Position the countdown to 86 as an opportunity,” says Rodney Estrada, Shamrock Foods Chef, New Mexico. “It’s all about the spin. Let guests know that, once certain dishes are gone, they’re gone. Tell them, ‘You gotta get here early to get it.’ The fact that it may run out is a badge of deliciousness.”
| SHAMROCKFOODSERVICE.COM
MAGAZINE | 24 OPERATOR INSIGHTS: TOP WAYS TO KEEP MENUS NIMBLE
HERE’S HOW TO MENU-RESPONSIVE.BE
Accentuate the positive. Call attention to reworked items as new items and emphasize how very good they are.
“Get speaking points in the mouths of customer-facing employees,” says Jim Hargrove, Shamrock Foods Restaurant
“HaveConsultant.servers say, ‘Here’s something fun we’ve added,’” Hargrove advises. “Don’t wait for them to ask.” Set priorities.
“Outline your hard specs as A = Absolute, B = Basic Need and C = Commodity Level. Then determine what you have to do to protect the ‘A’ items.” In other words, what are the non-negotiables of your plate, and what do you have to do to protect those elements?
Stock up.
“If your menu is subject to a lot of change, be ready to change quickly,” says Tim Maness, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Colorado. “You’ll know when to change if you do your ABC list. Create more flexible menu executions such as a chalkboard and QR codes for menus that are erratic.”
Items like Bountiful Harvest® frozen fruits and vegetables are essential to a preparedness inventory.
“Build something in the same flavor profile to replace what’s missing,” advises Art Ortiz, Shamrock Foods Restaurant Consultant, California. In other words, if a signature item’s flavor profile hinges on acidity, but you’re out of the vinegar that’s the key ingredient, substitute a citrus juice that delivers acidity and brightens the taste.
Use one that allows for easy updates in-house. “You need to be able to remove, change or add items on the fly,” Estrada advises.
“With their consistent quality, longer shelf life and low-labor requirements, top-quality frozen foods can help you ride out supplychain fluctuations and smooth out operational efficiencies,” says Estrada.
Use comparable flavors.
OPERATOR INSIGHTS
Create a flexible template for your menus.
“ Get speaking points in the mouths of customer-facing employees. ”
— Jim Hargrove, Shamrock Foods Restaurant Consultant
OPERATOR INSIGHTS: TOP WAYS TO KEEP MENUS NIMBLE
“Pre-cut, pre-prepped products with zero waste and guaranteed yields take the guesswork out of ingredient swaps and make it quick to adjust as needed,” Estrada says. Products like Ready-SetServe® by Markon, or pre-portioned and custom cuts from Gold Canyon Meat CO.® and Pier 22 Seafood CO.® can be real labor- and menu-savers.
LEARN
YOURDefineCHECKLIST:YourDish:What are the non-negotiables of your plate and how do you protect that element?
Join The Family: Shamrock Foods exclusive brands are sourced and delivered with consistency in availability and pricing.
Suggested Alternatives: Find helpful swaps in ShamrockORDERS
Create An ABC List: Outline your hard specs as A = Absolute, B = Basic Need & C = Commodity Level Search for Swaps: Identify 2-3 alternative ingredients for your core product list.
“Social media can put your culture front and center and get everyone excited,” says Ryan Elmore, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, New Mexico.
Supply chain irregularities due to labor demand, transportation challenges, material shortages and unpredictable consumerdemand are affecting restaurant operators across the globe. It’s never been more important for operators to shore-up inventoryand menus to navigate product availability challenges. This quick guide helps outline strategies you can take to lessen theimpact of the supply chain and put the control back into your kitchen.
Back In Stock Notifications: Turn on notifications for your must have products in ShamrockORDERS
Use social media to put a positive spin on menu changes.
MENUKeepBUILDING:ItSimple,Still: A smaller, easy to execute menu will reduce waste and labor needs. Less Is More: Look for ways to consolidate your ingredients or use them in multiple ways across your menu. Shift Your Labor: Precut vegetables means more prep time for meaningful labor, like breaking down a single protein source.
The 240 Group (https://240group.com/shamrock), a trusted Shamrock Foods Partner, can help with website design, social-media solutions and online-review management services. MORE
MANAGING YOUR MENU THROUGH SUPPLY CHAIN UNCERTAINTY Our Supply Chain Checklist outlines strategies for lessening the impact of irregularities and putting control back into your kitchen. Find it here: Checklist_EN_FINAL.pdfuploads/2021/11/Supply-Chain-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/https://1j41k26aw6m28dlxa3a4qe3eAsk your Shamrock Foods Sales Representative how our consultants and specialists can help you navigate supply-chain issues and collaborate with you on menu development. | SHAMROCKFOODSERVICE.COM
Stock Up: What nonperishables can you stock up on, and what perishable items need to be ordered as needed?
Set guests’ expectations and communicate about how you’re keeping the menu exciting. Emphasize the importance you place on providing true hospitality and convenience-focused services.
Advocate For Change: Build a promotion around change, like a seasonal menu centered around available products.
The LTO: AKA the “Limited Time Offer”, take some of the pressure off of the current high demand items. Talk to your rep aboutabundantly available products to try.
TOOLS:Market Outlook: Keep track of the market with our reports published weekly in My Shamrock
Build Your Alternative Order Guide: A substitutions order guide with pre-vetted alternatives will help smoothly navigatea supply chain issue.
With flexibility and innovation, restaurants can flourish in this time. Your Shamrock Foods Sales RepresentativeShamrock Foods Sales Representative, Shamrock Foods consultants and specialists are ready to help younavigate supply chain issues and collaborate on your menus to find what works best for you.
Tap Into Our Insights: Share your plan for your key items as well as alternatives with your Shamrock Foods team. We have accessto new and innovative ways to work around the same problems everyone else is having – why not tap them for their insights?
Employ labor-saving value cuts.
Reinvent The Wheel: Look at food trends and turn them on their head with available products. Our team can help you thinkoutside the box.
Check Your Inventory: It’s never been more important to have an accurate up-to-date inventory of your kitchen.
BISON ® ®
Our Bison is high in protein and has more iron and less fat than chicken. It’s more tender than beef with about half the calories, so is a smart alternative for flexitarians looking for novel protein options. Our ranchers raise the livestock humanely – with no added stimulants, growth hormones or antibiotics. These strict protocols result in clean, satisfying flavor in every cut, every time. Contact your Shamrock Foods Sales Representative for more information.
Tame your health-conscious guests’ craving for wild game with Gold Canyon® Premium Bison. Raised on the open range by family ranchers who adhere to strict ethical treatment guidelines, this lean protein is naturally tender, rich in beefy flavor, and will add a taste of adventure to your unique menu.
GET THE WORD OUT Connect with CUSTOMERS in New Ways “Do what guests want and enhance the experience in ways that nobody else is delivering in the marketplace.” — Tim Maness, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Colorado It takes a lot of touchpoints to engage with new customers and keep relationships with current ones strong.
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MAGAZINE | 29 GET THE WORD OUT
OFFER TEACHABLE — AND PROFITABLE — MOMENTS.
CREATE MEANINGFUL DIFFERENTIATION.
Naturally, you provide superior service to dine-in, takeout, curbside and delivery customers — and you promote your menu and offerings via social media, advertising and promotions. That’s your foundation. But it also pays to weave buzz-worthy events into the mix to get noticed.
“Do what guests want and enhance the experience in ways that nobody else is delivering in the marketplace,” says Tim Maness, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Colorado. “Over-promise and over-deliver.”
“Offering a scaled-down menu of what you typically serve brings people in the door and helps them get to know who you are.”
“ Get involved in community events, such as Restaurant Weeks. ”
“Get involved in community events, such as Restaurant Weeks,” says Rodney Estrada, Shamrock Foods Branch Chef, New Mexico.
“Surprise and delight” is more than just a marketing strategy. Menuing dishes based on unexpected ingredients and techniques as well as providing exceptional hospitality generate loyalty.
public’s increasing comfort with using them — virtual classes are an easy sell. Logistics are uncomplicated, and cleanup is minimal. Sell ingredient kits for pre-class pickup in order to offer convenience for attendees and to generate additional revenue for your operation. The virtual classes are fun, educational and entertaining — and they create personal connections with your restaurant.
“Virtual classes provide the opportunity to build revenue beyond the walls of your operation — and they get people talking,” says Jeff Pivin, Shamrock Foods Business Review Specialist, Arizona.
PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY EVENTS.
Leverage the opportunity to make a memorable first impression. Give first-time guests a sincere greeting, seek opt-in for future communications, thank them sincerely for their business and convey how eager you are to welcome them back. Tell returning guests how much you appreciate their support for the event.
Moreover, research firm Datassential reported earlier this year that consumers want them. And, thanks to video-conferencing apps such as Zoom — and the HERE ARE THREE WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY GENERATE THE KIND OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND WORDOF-MOUTH THAT BUILDS SALES, REVENUE AND PROFITABILITY.
— Rodney Estrada, Shamrock Foods Branch Chef, New Mexico 3
operators
More than of are
exploring automation to increase sales. The achanginglandscapetechnologyisanever-one,sohere’squicklookatwhat’shappeningnow. Technology TRACKER INDUSTRY INTEL Technology provides a power assist that helps operators improve efficiencies, ride out staffing gaps, reduce waste and enhance customer service. | SUMMER 2022 | SHAMROCKFOODSERVICE.COM
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Customer-facing technologies QR codes for ordering and paying aren’t new, but more consumers are using them for the sake of convenience or as no-contact options. They also allow staff to spend more time focusing on hospitality.
Once a novelty, more and more robots with AI are in use at foodservice operations. In the back of the house, ’bots are hard at work.
Sometimes called “autonomous kitchen assistants,” ’bots with jaunty names such as Chippy, Wingy and Flippy operate deep-fryers, flip burgers and place toppings on pizzas. Sophisticated bartender ’bots mix cocktails. Barista ’bots can customize beverages and even draw designs on the foam. Front-of-the-house “Servi” ’bots work as runners and bussers. Fully automated ’bots working from recipes downloaded from an operation’s cloud-based database do all the cooking at some ghost kitchens.
These technologies are designed for employee redeployment, not replacement. They free up time for staff to refine dishes and ramp up hospitality in ways that enhance the restaurant experience.
Sources: Datassential 2021 and 2022; Nation’s Restaurant News ; Shamrock Foods’ The Defining Foods Flavor Trends of 2022.
INDUSTRY INTEL 31MAGAZINE |
Foodservice-industry research from last year showed that 85% of consumers use or want to use mobile and digital apps in foodservice and usage of QR codes has recently doubled. Expand your QR-code offerings by making them easy to understand and use.
Robotics are often sold as a service option paid for via monthly fees so operators don’t have to make hefty outlays for equipment purchases.
An app that reduces food waste Sustainability efforts and opportunities for exceptional value are near and dear to today’s consumers — and to Shamrock Foods. The online app Too Good To Go offers both. It notifies consumers when an operation has surplus food slated to be discarded and offers options for purchases at a discounted price.
Lots of ’bots
We welcome your suggestions and comments. Material chosen for publication may be edited for clarity and fit. Please direct all correspondence to: Shamrock Foods Company MAGAZINE – Reader Feedback 3900 East Camelback Road, Suite 300 Phoenix, AZ 85018 kitchentelligence @ shamrockfoods.com MAGAZINE is published by Shamrock Foods Company and is designed and intended to be used as a reference tool for the reader. COPYRIGHT ©2022 SHAMROCK FOODS COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SUMMER 2022
