DELI STAR
NEWSLETTER
January, 2017
A Busy Year at SLIC It’s hard to believe a year has passed since we opened our St. Louis Innovation Center – Deli Star’s R&D and customer engagement hub where collaboration and creativity collide. From hosting Deli Star University workshops for our customers, to welcoming reporters from the top industry trade publications for a peek at our menu ideation sessions, the SLIC had quite a busy 2016.
Celebrating
30 Years
of Innovation We’re 30 and thriving! On August 30, 1987, Dr. Dan Siegel founded Deli Star, and three decades later his dedication to innovation, food safety and quality remains at the heart of the company’s purpose.
Celebrating 30 Years of Innovation
Some things have stayed the same, including our proprietary post-pasteurization process that sets us apart from our competition; while many other aspects of our operation have changed, including our growing portfolio of products, which now features more than 50 meats, salads and dressings. Deli Star has also physically grown, and now calls two places home: our 65,000-square-foot state-of-the-art meat processing facility in Fayetteville, Illinois, and our new St. Louis Innovation Center (SLIC), the hub of our research & development initiatives. Please plan to join us in commemorating our 30th anniversary throughout 2017 with new
product launches, community service events, special promotions and fun social media giveaways. Mark your calendar for Friday, September 29, as we’re celebrating the big 3-0 with an outdoor concert for our customers, the community, and friends and family. Be on the lookout for event announcements on our updated website, which will launch early this year, and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DeliStarCorporation) and LinkedIn (search “Deli Star Corporation”) for more anniversary news, updates and special content. We are eager to continue to innovate and bring you fresh ideas in 2017 and beyond. Cheers to the next 30 years!
#GivingTuesday We’re all familiar with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. In 2012, another popular designated day was born. #GivingTuesday was created to kick off the charitable season with a global day of giving on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. Deli Star was proud to become a #GivingTuesday partner this past holiday season and offered a matching gift to double our employees’ contributions toward the charity of their choice.
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Together with our generous employees, we donated a combined total of $2,000 to four charities: Heartlands Conservancy, The Bob Emig Foundation, Esophageal Cancer Awareness Association, and 22 Too Many. Our thanks go out to everyone who contributed – it was a very successful #GivingTuesday, indeed. To find out more about #GivingTuesday, visit www.givingtuesday.org.
For More Information Visit delistarinc.com
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Deli Star Employees Shine We continuously recognize our employees for their accomplishments and accolades, and for ensuring that Deli Star remains the premier meat processing choice for our customers. We capped off 2016 by celebrating the successes of a few hard-working individuals deserving of our company’s highest honors.
Deli Star St. Louis
CENTER
2016 ST. LOUIS INNOVATION CENTER RECAP Grand Opening Celebration 2nd Annual Deli Star University Class Hiring of Executive Chef Jared Case
Tony Foushee Award Established in remembrance of our beloved employee Tony Foushee, this award honors the employee who best follows in Tony’s footsteps by exhibiting qualities of loyalty, hard work and determination. Their great personality and outgoing nature benefit each and every member of the Deli Star family – employees and customers alike.
Meat + Poultry Publication Visit
Recipient: Allen Eastman
Independent Processor Publication Visit
Rising Star Award Deli Star’s Rising Star honoree – our employee of the year – is a team player who exhibits commitment to quality in their work. Dependable and punctual, the Rising Star takes initiative and completes assignments that are beyond the realm of their daily job responsibilities. They are not only an asset to their department but to the good of Deli Star.
20 Customer Visits 5 Deli Star University Product Training Sessions 5 Ideation Sessions 46 Product Cuttings
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Star Guest (Fourth Quarter) Each quarter, Deli Star employees nominate a coworker who exemplifies the 5 Ps of Deli Star Standards: positive attitude, professionalism, pride in facility maintenance and appearance, product and industry knowledge, and Proper & Effective Communication. Our Star Guest for the fourth quarter of 2016 received the most nominations from their fellow Deli Star employees during this period. Recipient: Flor Marler Star Guest of the Year As the employee who had the most nominations throughout the year, the Star Guest of the Year goes above and beyond in leading Deli Star’s employees and exemplifying exceptional customer service. Their positive attitude coupled with their continual willingness to help Deli Star’s guests make them an invaluable member of the Deli Star team. Recipient: Ricky Hart
Recipient: Brett Hanvey
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Meat Industy Trends 2017 While some industries face uncertainty in the upcoming year, the outlook for the meat industry remains positive due to one simple fact: Americans will continue to eat, reports the National Provisioner. Here are the trends they foresee being big in 2017: Americans love meat. The USDA predicts that the production of beef and pork will steadily increase between now and 2025. More so, chicken consumption will also rise (consumers currently eat a whopping 92 lbs. a year). Grass-fed trends. A study by The Wall Street Journal found that sales of grass-fed products were $400 million over a year-long period ending July 2, 2016, a 50.1 percent increase from the year prior. This year more Americans will buy grass-fed and humanely raised meats to keep in line with their desire for a cleaner and healthier diet that coincides with environmentally friendly products. Snacking isn’t lagging. Research from the Interna-
tional Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association found that 83 percent of consumers are snacking daily, up from 76 percent in 2014. Meat snacks are looking to be a more popular option this year, as they contain less sugar and more protein than candy and give consumers a longer source of energy to keep them fueled before their next meal. Case-ready packaging on the rise. Consumers want packaging that works with their on-the-go lifestyles and includes freezer-ready, leak proof and resealable options. In a new study by Midan’s Power of Meat, 60 percent of their study respondents consider case-ready packaging to be equal in quality to meat cut in the store, while 23 percent believe pre-packaged meat is superior in quality. As a partner to food service companies across the country, Deli Star remains committed to producing high-quality, innovative products that work for the American lifestyle. Keeping these trends in mind, we look forward to creating products that our customers expect and deserve in 2017.
Chef’s Corner: Rotisserie-Style Chicken Breast
Deliciously flavorful and exceptionally versatile, Deli Star’s Rotisserie-Style Chicken Breast is an all-star in its own right. Part of our Chef’s Edge premium line, its whole-muscle texture allows it to be easily sliced, chopped, chunked or shredded
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for inclusion in salads, soups, toppings and fillings. The meat’s superior natural flavor combined with its ability to be featured in a variety of recipes make it an ideal product for restaurant chefs.
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