FOOD VANS DRIVING BUSINESS GROWTH FOR SMART
Transcription
FOOD VANS DRIVING BUSINESS GROWTH FOR SMART
!2-/29?-#?" MAY 2012 Once again your customers can indulge in pleasures of the flesh. McCain’s Cream Flesh Fries are back. !VAILABLE IN BOTH MM AND MM STRAIGHT CUT -C#!).lS#REAM&LESH&RIESFEATUREAWONDERFUL GOLDEN YELLOW COLOUR CREAMY TEXTURE CONSISTENT LENGTHANDPRESENTČUFFYONTHEINSIDEANDCRISP "UT NOW THANKS TO A QUALITY CROP OF THE UNIQUE ONTHEOUTSIDEWHENFRIEDCORRECTLY )NNOVATORPOTATOTHAT-C#!).lS#REAM&LESH&RIES 3O NEXT TIME YOUlRE ORDERING FRIES MAKE SURE ARE MADE FROM PRODUCTION HAS RECOMMENCED THEYlRE THE WICKEDLY GOOD #REAM &LESH &RIES FROM-C#!). ANDTHESESUPERIOR&RIESAREAVAILABLEAGAIN Ah McCain... you’ve done it again! $UETOTHEDEVASTATINGEFFECTLASTYEARSČOODSHAD ON POTATO CROPS -C#!). TOOK THE DECISION TO SUSPEND PRODUCTION OF THEIR #REAM &LESH &RIES RATHERTHANCOMPROMISEONQUALITY &ORMOREINFORMATIONTALKTOYOUR-C#!).3ALES2EPRESENTATIVECALLOUR.ATIONAL3ALESOFüCEONORVISITWWWMCCAINFOODSERVICECOMAU ISSUE 1 TAKE UT A NATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TAKEAWAYS, PIZZA, CAFES, DELIS NEW FAST FOOD REPRESENTATIVE GROUP IS HERE TO HELP YOU! FOOD VANS DRIVING BUSINESS GROWTH FOR SMART OPERATORS THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTORE PRESENTATION TAKE UT A NATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR TAKEAWAYS, PIZZA, CAFES, DELIS CONTENTS 4 A Grade Fries Keep Customers Coming Back 6 Foodservice Australia 2012 Preview 7 Quality Cooking Oil = Superb Seafood 8 New Fast Food Representative Group 10 Perfect Italiano Cheese Masterclass Squeeze- n more profit! 12 Instore Presentation Makes All The Difference 14 Food Vans Drive Business Growth 16 The Case For Automatic Coffee Machines 17 Product News For extended stories, past articles and more information about the products featured in this issue, visit www.foodservicegateway.com.au and click on articles. Publisher Lorraine Lovelock Creative Director Lindsay Yeomans Editor Alex Paige Assistant Editor Alayna Walsh Communications Manager Dean Parr Communications Assistant Stephanie Littlewood Design Martine Vanderspuy Finished Art Carole Stewart The Armory Pty Limited ABN 48 000 530 423 Level 7, 53 Walker Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Tel: 02 9954 4300 · Fax: 02 9954 4547 Email: info@thearmory.com.au If you’re serving bulk sauce it’s probably costing you about $10 per 100 serves. product customers love. In fact, 77% of customers prefer MasterFoods Squeeze-On. With the MasterFoods® Squeeze-On range of portion controlled sauces, you’ll not only save money – you’ll make it. At least $30 per 100 serves. So don’t give your sauce away – sell it. You know it makes cents. You’ll also enjoy the added benefits of serving a trusted brand and a safe and hygienic, easy to use For more on these and other quality MasterFoods, Dolmio and Uncle Ben’s products contact your MARS Foodservice Account Manager or call our Customer Service Team on 1800 806 684 or visit www.marsfoodservice.com.au Foodservice Rep Inside Brief contains advertisements from various third parties. The publisher does not take responsibility for the content or information contained within these advertisements. The authors and publisher of Foodservice Rep Inside Brief are not responsible for any actions taken on the basis of information contained herein nor for any error or omission contained herein. The publisher and authors expressly disclaim all liability in respect of anything done or not done in reliance upon all or any part of the contents of Foodservice Rep Inside Brief. Copyright in this publication is vested in the publisher The Armory Pty Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher The Armory Pty Limited. Copyright © 2012 The Armory Pty Limited. PRIVACY NOTICE: This issue of Foodservice Rep Inside Brief may contain offers which require you to provide information about yourself or your company if you choose to enter or take part in them. If you provide information to The Armory Pty Limited it may use information to send you details of other products, services or offers. The Armory Pty Limited may also give your information to other organisations that are associated with The Armory Pty Limited. Unless you tell us not to The Armory Pty Limited may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you about other products, services or offers. If you would like to gain access to the information The Armory Pty Limited holds about you please contact our Privacy Officer at The Armory Pty Limited, Level 7, 53 Walker St, North Sydney NSW 2060. ABOUT OUR COVER Our cover this issue features Bamboleo’s new 10mm Gourmet Chargrilled Diced Vegetable Mix. This latest exciting addition to the extensive Bamboleo range has been marinated in herbs, chargrilled, then preserved in canola oil in 2kg resealable containers. You can store it safely in the fridge until required. Bamboleo Gourmet Chargrilled Diced Vegetable Mix is the perfect choice for a wide range of takeaway market applications. You’ll find it ideal for sandwiches, in burgers and baked goods and as pizza topping. As a trusted supplier of quality chilled antipasto and pesto to the food service sector, Bamboleo uses traditional recipes and natural preserving techniques, aiming always to provide taste, quality and convenience to foodservice professionals. All products in the extensive Bamboleo range feature high quality vegetables conveniently packaged for ease of use and versatility of application. For more information contact John Lochery on 03 93576288. O TA K E O U T 3 Australians love it. Shouldn’t you be serving it? TAKE UT AT A GLANCE NEWS & EVENTS FOODSERVICE AUSTRALIA TRADE SHOW STARTS MAY 27TH The organisers of this year’s Foodservice Australia trade show say it’s set to be more exciting and relevant than ever for the takeaway, cafe and restaurant market – with a new venue, new features and broader selection of exhibitors. Full story on page 5. NUTELLA NOW IN FOODSERVICE This much-loved favourite is now available to foodservice in sizes to meet your needs – a 20g individual serve portion control pack and a 5kg bulk pack that’s ideal for use behind the counter. Read more on page 18. NEW BUYING GROUP IS BORN Independent fast food operators will soon have their own representative organisation designed to help reduce costs and increase profit – but only if everyone gets behind it and lends their support. Full story on page 7. MCCAIN CREAM FLESH FRIES ARE BACK Drought affected potato supplies last year causing a shortage of McCain Cream Flesh Fries, but they’re back on the market again and demand is set to be strong among foodservice operators. Check them out on page 18. SERVE UP A GRADE QUALITY TO KEEP CUSTOMERS COMING BACK! From now until 29 June Inghams is giving you the chance to win a share of $12,000 worth of cash prizes by purchasing any two cartons of five of their popular chicken products. You can find the entry form on page 11. Made with premium ingredients, Nutella’s unique taste has made it the number one Bottom of the Harbour boasts a huge amount of takeaway trade, offering fresh barramundi, snapper, rainbow trout, flathead and silver dory, prawns, scallops and a large selection of salads. It attracts a strong clientele that’s a mixture of regulars and the tourists drawn to one of Sydney’s most popular beaches – and Ben says the key to its success is the committment to A Grade quality at all times. Ben Ahearne of Bottom of the Harbour Seafood at Sydney’s famous Balmoral Beach knows the importance of serving only the best to keep his customers coming back. Established in 1989, Bottom of the Harbour has built up a loyal customer base over the years it’s been in business. It started out as a tiny corner shop but has since expanded across the two adjacent properties to become an iconic part of the Balmoral beachside scene. Ben attributes this success to the business’ mission statement, which is proudly displayed out front of the shop: “Since our inception in 1989 we’ve INGHAMS “WIN A CASH PRIZE” PROMO KICKS OFF It’s true, Australians just love Nutella. remained true to our original philosophy: we only buy the freshest fish and crustaceans, all of which are sourced from sustainable fisheries. Our tuna is line caught, our salmon organically reared, our scallops are landed by divers, and all are selected daily by our expert buyer from Sydney Fish Markets.” hazelnut spread in the country.* And now it’s available to pizza professionals in the form of the iconic shaped, 5kg tub. With high viscosity and ease of spreading, Nutella is ideal for making dessert pizza. You can spread it liberally on its own, add strawberries, bananas and chopped nuts, or So it’s no surprise that for the past 22 years, Bottom of the Harbour has chosen McCain A Grade Fries to serve with its seafood. let your imagination run wild to create your own range of sensational dessert pizza. “For the first year of operation, we made our own hot chips, but quickly found that was too labour and timeintensive,” Ben explains. “So the decision was made to go with McCain A Grade Fries. “They’re a superior product – they stay crispy on the outside with a nice soft centre inside, and have plenty of flavour, with good texture and mouthfeel. So spread the love and add Nutella pizza to “We use McCain A Grade Fast Fries and they’re terrific because they cook quickly, which is important when you’re using large volumes – we run eight fry baskets at a time so we go through a lot!” O your menu, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to deliver mouth-watering dishes that your customers will keep coming back for! Also available in 20g Portion Control Packs. EXTENDED STORY click ARTICLES foodservicegateway.com.au For more information please contact Ferrero Customer Service on 02 9409 8807 *Source: Nielsen Grocery Scantrack value sales and value share %. MAT 25/12/2011 TA K E O U T 4 Armory FA1 INDUSTRY EVENTS SUCCESS STORY emphasises. “The exhibitors are all relevant and able to supply them directly. You won’t need to hunt through thousands of exhibitors to find someone who supplies foodservice operators.” Set to be more exciting than ever Organisers of the 2012 Foodservice Australia trade show, scheduled for 27-29 May at the Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park, promise that this year it will be even more exciting and relevant for the takeaway, café and restaurant market. Show organiser Timothy Collett says Foodservice Australia has been relaunched with a new venue, new range of features and a broader selection of exhibitors. “Takeaway operators should visit this show because they will discover new food, drink and equipment specifically for their business,” he Visitors to the show will be able to sample the latest food trends, try out all the new equipment, talk to industry experts and much more. There will be more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest food, drink and equipment, including big names such as Boema, Farm Pride, Fonterra, Goodman Fielder, Kraft, Lindt, Mars, Kwik Lok, Nespresso and Stoddart to mention just a few. Free industry workshops will be conducted across the show’s three days, with experts talking and debating on how to make your business better. Topics include how social media can be used to generate business; effective ways to manage staff; and what independent fast food operators can learn from the chains. And to make the show even more exciting, there will be a series of cooking competitions on the show floor. These will run in purpose-built kitchens so visitors can watch all the action, cheer on their favourites and take away ideas for their own businesses. All up some 120 exhibitors and 5000 trade buyers are expected for the show, entry to which is free but restricted to genuine foodservice operators. The easiest way to register is to visit www.foodserviceaustralia.com.au and click on the registration button. O EXTENDED STORYclick ARTICLES foodservicegateway.com.au Your customers will relish every mouthful. Quality seafood depends on quality cooking oil Billing itself as “Australia’s cooked seafood specialist”, Barnacle Bill is a South Australian success story – a franchise operation that currently encompasses 19 seafood shops throughout the garden state. The brainchild of George Leonida who opened the first Barnacle Bill in 1970, it is currently overseen by George and General Manager Angelo Karakousis. George attributes much of Barnacle Bill’s current success to its decision to use only top quality products - including premium high-oleic sunflower oil. “All our stores over the past twelve months have experienced growth of between 10 and 30 per cent – even in this current tough environment,” George says. “The reason for the success is our decision to go with the very best products so the customer gets the best quality – and that’s certainly paid off.” George says he decided to go with a superior quality cooking oil after he was approached by a Goodman Fielder rep to trial higholeic Crisco Sunola. “We have always used Goodman Fielder products – it’s a longstanding relationship going back at least 30 years,” George explains. “We use ETA Mayonnaise as the base for our tartare sauce which we make inhouse and we go through tons of it.” Sweet Chilli Relish Tomato Relish with Red Pepper Cranberry & Red Onion Relish Beetroot Relish With the heat of the chillies perfectly balanced with a delicious sweetness, our Sweet Chilli Relish is just the thing for chicken wraps and rolls. Created with the ripest and sweetest tomatoes, and adding a contemporary twist of juicy red peppers, this relish is perfect for any Aussie beef burger. The classic accompaniment to turkey balances the tartness of plump cranberries with the sweetness of caramelised red onion. Both delightful and convenient, our special Beetroot Relish recipe is a delicious way to add rich, succulent flavour to sandwiches. Crisco Sunola is high in monounsaturated fat and lower in saturated fats, virtually trans-fat free, and naturally cholesterol free. O EXTENDED STORYclick ARTICLES Because taste matters. Treat your customers tastebuds to flavours they’ll simply love and stock up with Baxters premium relishes. For more information, call 03 9357 6288. Available at all good foodservice distributors. The decision to switch from cheaper palm oil to high-oleic sunflower oil initially met with resistance from franchisees due to the higher price – until they tried it and realised that not only did it boast superior nutritional properties, but it was also a lighter oil which produced a better result in both taste and presentation. foodservicegateway.com.au foodservice ARMORY_BF5 INDUSTRY NEWS ATTENTION INDEPENDENT FAST FOOD OPERATORS New fast food representative group: “we’re here to help you” tive to encourage early sign-up, a discounted first year membership of only $200+GST applies to those who join before July 1 – equivalent to less than $4 a week. with very strong experience of the Australian foodservice marketplace to ensure the group can provide much-needed support services to fast food operators. Australian independent fast food operators will soon have their own representative organisation – with the announcement of the imminent launch of the Independent Fast Food Group (IFFG). The primary aim of the new commercial entity is to enable independent operators to reduce costs and increase profit – but its success is entirely dependent on the number of businesses which sign up for membership, as director Tony Judd points out. “It’s very important for fast food business operators to understand that a venture like this can only be a success if enough people get behind it and lend their support,” Tony explains. “The more members we get, the stronger position we have from which to negotiate with suppliers on their behalf.” Tony is speaking from experience – he has worked as a consultant to major Australian companies such as BHP and Suncorp on how to effectively reduce their operational costs, and will be bringing this same expertise to bear in the fast food sector. In addition to Tony’s knowledge, the IFFG will also be drawing on the skills of people “Historically the Australian fast food market has been a highly fragmented one,” Tony emphasises. “Unlike many other sectors of the foodservice industry, there has been no representative body you can join. A restaurant can join the Restaurant & Catering Association, a hotel can join the Australian Hotels Association, a club can become part of Clubs NSW or Clubs Australia – all groups that represent those outlet types in a range of different areas. “But the independent fast food channel has had no representation, and operators within it have been isolated and neglected. This hard working group are usually time-poor and often struggling with costs. They need help and support.” Tony explains the IFFG will give independent fast food operators the opportunity for representation across a whole range of services. “Given enough industry support, we will be able to negotiate on behalf of members for savings in insurance, energy, waste disposal, fuel, equipment and product costs,” he says. “And we will also offer advice and direction in operational matters in a way which will help enhance profitability for fast food operators.” The standard membership rate has been set at $250 +GST per year, which works out to less than $5 a week. But as a further incen- And as a second incentive to help build membership in the crucial early days, the IFFG is also providing free booklets of cash-back coupons featuring leading fast food brands and products to those outlets who become members. “The cash-back coupons are still being finalised but already we have major suppliers like Inghams, Tip Top and Unilever confirmed to participate,” Tony says. “The coupon booklet will have a total cashback value of around $300 - this combined with the first year $50 membership discount means operators who sign up before July 1 will receive for their $200 membership about $350 worth of up-front value – that’s got to be a good deal!” As the IFFG can only succeed with the support of its members, Tony is urging all independent fast food operators to register their interest in joining at www.fastfoodgroup.com.au. “Once we have your contact details, we’ll send out more information and start collecting the relevant data we need from potential members,” he says. “And remember, the discount membership rate works out to less than $4 a week – and that money goes to pay for the marketing programs, legal compliances and support services that we will be providing. “We’re aiming for between 500 and a thousand member sign-ups in our initial push – that would be wonderful – but frankly, the more the better! It’s only through the support of the membership base that we can make the group a force to be reckoned with in the industry – so it’s imperative that all interested operators visit the website and register their support just as soon as they can.” Call Tony on 0411 375 144 for more information. O We’re for the little guy 5PUNTILNOWTHEREHASNlTBEENANYONELOOKINGOUTFORYOUTHE LITTLEGUYTHEOWNEROFTHEINDEPENDENTHAMBURGEROUTLETüSH CHIPSHOP""1CHICKENSTORESMALLCAFÀPIZZABARORANY ONEOFTHEMANYOTHERTYPESOFFASTFOODBUSINESSES "UTNOW!USTRALIANINDEPENDENTFASTFOODOPERATORS WILLHAVETHEIRVERYOWNREPRESENTATIVEORGANISATIONINTHEFORM OFTHE)NDEPENDENT&AST&OOD'ROUP)&&' Benefits of being an IFFG member )&&'lSMAINAIMISTOHELPITSMEMBERSREDUCECOSTSAND INCREASEPROüTBYPROVIDINGAWIDERANGEOFINITIATIVESSUCHAS oGROUPBUYINGPOWERONTHINGSTHATFASTFOODOUTLETSUSE EVERYDAYSUCHASINGREDIENTSPACKAGINGINSURANCE ENERGYWASTEDISPOSALANDMORE oINDUSTRYSPECIüCBUSINESSADVICEANDSUPPORT oPROMOTIONALANDNEWPRODUCTOPPORTUNITIES o MARKETINGADVICEACCOUNTINGTIPSANDMORE oABIMONTHLYFASTFOODOUTLETNEWSLETTER All this for less than $4 per week "ECOMEAFOUNDATIONMEMBERANDJOINBEFORE*ULYAND YOUlLLRECEIVEOFF THE'34MEMBERSHIPRATETAX DEDUCTIBLEOFCOURSE0LUSWElLLGIVEYOUAPAGE#!3( "!#+BOOKLETTHATHASAPPROXIMATELYWORTHOFOFFERS Don’t delay, find out more today for your chance to WIN $500* !SWITHANYINDUSTRYGROUPTHEMOREMEMBERSWEHAVETHE MORECLOUTWEHAVEWITHSUPPLIERSANDTHEMORESERVICESWE CANOFFERYOURBUSINESS 4OüNDOUTWHYYOUSHOULD BECOMEAN)&&'MEMBERCALL 4ONY*UDDONOR TOREGISTERYOURINTERESTANDHAVE THEOPPORTUNITYTOWINVISIT WWWFASTFOODGROUPCOMAU #ONDITIONSAPPLYSEEWWWFASTFOODGROUPCOMAU/PENTOAUTHORISEDREPRESENTATIVESOFAN!USTRALIANBUSINESSAGEDYEARSOROVER3TARTSCLOSESPM!%34-AXENTRYPERPERSON!2-/29?&3 TA K E O U T 8 INSIDE INFORMATION WIN CHEESE MASTERCLASS Sponsored by Perfect Italiano A ROASTIN’ HOT CASH PRIZE A SHARE OF $12,000 And the best way to ensure they do is to present them with great-tasting pizzas of consistent quality. With the major pizza chains constantly price-cutting and offering a whole range of special meal deals, many independent pizzamakers are finding it increasingly difficult to compete on price. But when it comes to quality and consistency, it’s a different story. Those two factors can make all the difference in building up a regular repeat trade. If your customers know they can rely on you to serve a pizza which presents and tastes just as good every time they order it, you’ll get plenty of regular business along with word-of-mouth recommendations. But how can you ensure that kind of consistency? To start with, you need quality ingredients. And that brings us to one of the most important staple ingredients of pizza – the cheese. There are so many different cheese types and styles available that working out which is your best choice may seem a little daunting at first. Do you choose a block or shred, and should you choose a branded mozzarella or ‘pizza cheese’? TA K E O U T 1 0 If you’ve already experimented with different types of cheese, you may have realised that there’s a wide variation in quality out in the marketplace. Some cheeses when used on pizza will burn easily or shrivel up and dry out. Those are definitely ones to avoid. Cheddar doesn’t have the necessary browning quality or stretch characteristics when melted, and your pizza may end up with an unsightly ‘crusty’ look and pools of unappetising oil from the melted cheese – a real turn-off for some customers. Your best choice is a pre-shredded mozzarella like Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Shred. This will ensure consistent melt, stretch, cheese flow and blistering. Of course you can combine Mozzarella or SIMPLY PURCHASE ANY 2 CARTONS OF THE BELOW PRODUCTS AND ENTER TO WIN! Pizza Cheese with other cheese types – for example a soft cheese like fetta – to create CODE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 0009814 0009811 0009810 5586800 0020460 Ingham Sliced Roasted Chicken Breast Strips Ingham Short Sliced Roasted Chicken Meat Ingham Diced Roasted Chicken Meat Ingham Crumbed Chicken Drumsticks Ingham Sweet Chilli Tenders interesting flavour combinations which will HUGE CASH PRIZES UP FOR GRABS 1 x $5000 2 x $2000 3 x $1000 complement your pizza toppings. When doing so it’s imperative to balance the Your best bet is always to choose an authentic pasta filata pre-shredded cheese amount of each different cheese type so that the cheese doesn’t burn or oil off in excess. Different cheese types can also work well in combination with the other topping ingredients. For example, if Business Name ______________________________________________________ you’re making a vegetarian pizza, the Contact Name ______________________________________________________ amount of moisture in your vegetable inHigh quality Mozzarella like that available from Perfect Italiano is what’s known as a ‘pasta filata’ or stretched curd cheese. Cheese of this type offers a particular type of stretchiness and pleasantly soft mouthfeel which is best suited for pizza and other Italian-style meals. In contrast, you should avoid cheddar-style cheese as your main choice for pizza topping – it won’t give you the same taste and performance as a genuine ‘pasta filata’ cheese. Business Address ____________________________________________________ gredients – especially juicy ones like bell peppers – can compensate for less moisture in your cheese. In all cases a commercially shredded cheese will deliver the most consistent results when melted. So when it comes to choosing your cheese, remember that your best bet is always to choose an authentic pasta filata pre-shredded cheese – like Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Shred! O ENTRY FORM If you’re one of Australia’s many independent pizzamakers, you know how important it is to keep your customers coming back. _________________________________ State _____ Postcode _______________ For terms and conditions please visit www.inghamsfoodservice.com.au Entry only open to foodservice businesses & school canteens operating within Australia that purchases Ingham products through an authorised Ingham Foodservice distributor. Authorised representative aged 18 years or over may only enter on behalf of foodservice business/school canteen. Starts at 9am AEST on 1/5/12. Entries close last mail received (for mail entries) & 5pm AEST (for phone & online entries) on 29/6/12. Retain original purchase receipt(s)/invoice(s) for all purchases. Draw at 3.30pm AEST on 2/7/12 at L4/448 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004. Prizes: 1 x $5,000; 2 x $2,000; 3 x $1,000. Prizes awarded as bank cheque made payable to company name of winning businesse(s)/school canteen(s). Winners published in The Australian on 5/7/12. Promoter: Inghams Enterprises Pty. Limited of 203-209 Northumberland St. Liverpool, NSW 2170. ABN 20 008 447 345. See www.inghamsfoodservice. com.au for Terms and Conditions. NSW Permit No. LTPS/12/3056 VIC Permit No. 12/870 ACT Permit No. TP12/1400 SA Permit No. T12/695 Phone _____________________________________________________________ Email ______________________________________________________________ Please send your entries to: Win a Roastin Hot Cash Prize, 3/780 Darling Street, Rozelle NSW 2039. OR - Call Beyond the Square Communication on (02) 9810 8522 and quote your order number, full name, phone number and valid email address, and name and address of the Eligible Customer before 5pm AEST on Friday 29 June 2012. Individuals must call during business hours: 9am – 5pm AEST Monday to Friday. Standard call costs apply. OR - Visit www.inghamfoodservice.com.au follow the prompts to the online entry form, input the requested details including your full name, phone number and valid email address, and name and address of the Eligible Customer and submit the fully completed entry form so it is received by 5pm AEST on Friday 29 June 2012. *You must keep your original invoice/receipt as proof of purchase. A trusted brand from Fonterra Foodservice PRESENTATION MATTERS Simon Best Keeping up appearances Customer expectations of food presentation have evolved in recent years. Popular TV programs have influenced the way food is presented across all sectors of the foodservice industry, including takeaway operations. As the success of seafood retailer and takeaway business Penrith Seafood shows, the instore presentation of food can make a big difference to your business’ bottom line. Penrith Seafood was a single store at Penrith Plaza when Paul Papacosta took over his father’s stake in the business in 1996. He immediately began making changes to the shop layout, creating a successful model for a second location, which opened at Wetherill Park in 2002, followed by a new venture - Sydney Fresh Seafoods, a partnership with Harris Farm Markets. “Customer knowledge of seafood is a lot better these days,” Paul explains. “All the cooking shows have made a big difference. People have gone back to a market style of shopping. It’s not enough to have fresh produce. Your customers need to see that it’s fresh for themselves.” The layout of each store appeals to modern tastes, with fish displayed market-style on large, open beds of ice. The takeaway side is more traditional, with salads and seafood dishes in trays behind glass, but in both cases the focus is on catching the customer’s eye. “I always tell my managers that 80 per cent of the sale is presentation. If you can make the food look good, you’re already halfway there,” he says. “Compared to the seafood display, the takeaway side is a much ‘drier’ environment. We dress up the seafood dishes and salads with a lot of garnishes. For example our Portuguese salad is decorated with slices of fresh chilli, and our Teriyaki Salmon is piled with fresh shallots.” No matter how busy it gets, Paul and his staff never compromise on presentation – he says that's what sets his stores apart from the competition. TA K E O U T 1 2 Fonterra Global Pizza Challenge Champion 2010 “I always tell my managers that 80 per cent of the sale is presentation. If you can make the food look good, you’re already halfway there.” The Perfect topping for the Best pizza “I’ve visited a lot of busy takeaway shops and I’ve found that when people get busy they don’t focus on presentation. No matter how busy you are, nothing should change in the customer’s eye. We’re never too busy to keep our displays tidy and the glass clean. “It comes down to staff training and it starts at the top. When we open a new store the manager works at our main store for at least a year to learn our system. I don’t just tell them what to do – I explain why we do it. “All of our stores are run exactly the same way. The presentation and the cleanliness is the same. For example, no matter how busy we are the staff know to clean the glass and tidy the tables on the hour, every hour. When they serve a salad, they only use the tongs for that salad and put them back in the same spot every time. “You need to set standards and make sure they’re met. Eventually they become habits.” Paul believes his high standards and commitment to staff training are essential to the success of his business. “Because there’s no apprenticeship or formal training in our industry, no one thinks ‘I’m going to go work in a fish and chip shop when I finish school’. So when you find people who have the attitude and commitment to do the job you need to train them properly.” “I would like to see more takeaway operators lifting their standards because it’s better for the industry as a whole. It might seem like an advantage to be way ahead of your competitors, but the slack operators give takeaway a bad name, which hurts everyone. “Presentation might be the last thing on your mind when you’re busy but it matters. Your reputation can’t be built on the quality of your food alone. Things have changed, and you need to build a strong reputation with your customers if you want to survive.” O To run a successful pizza operation a good cheese simply doesn’t cut it. It has to be perfect! flavour, consistency and performance I’ve always looked for in a pizza cheese. Simon Best, winner of the Fonterra Global Pizza Challenge and owner of Augello’s explains. And a better cheese means better pizza, and better pizza means more customers... and that’s what it’s all about, pure and simple.” “I’ve used some excellent cheeses in my time, but now it has to be Perfect Italiano. Perfect Italiano Shredded Mozzarella has the ARMORY_FB12 For some great Perfect Italiano pizza recipes visit www.clubperfect.com.au and become a Club Perfect member. A trusted brand from Fonterra Foodservice BUSINESS PROFILE Food vans drive business growth for smart fast food operators nearby. “The convenience of us calling at the same time every day means we attract a loyal regular customer base.” The range of food on offer is larger than what you might expect – each van has in excess make its own distinctive yoghurts with passionfruit and raspberry coulis. They’re a common sight in many city streets – mobile food vans are fast becoming a popular investment for entrepreneurs and foodservice professionals alike. Alistair Wright’s Tasty Trucks has 66 vans operating throughout Melbourne and at the beginning of this year acquired another 18 in the NSW beachside town of Newcastle – bringing his fleet total to 84 so far. Last October Alistair launched Tasty Trucks’ franchise system and now the business includes 11 franchisees, which he describes as “another way of driving business growth.” Alistair describes the business as a “mobile café service” – each truck follows a prescribed daily route, visiting the same customers each day at the same time. The earliest stop is around 6.30am and the latest at 1.30pm. “It’s a short selling period, but it’s pretty intense,” Alistair emphasises. “Essentially we’re doing a stop every five minutes. With the 84 vans we’re servicing about seventeen and a half thousand customers a day across about 2,700 businesses. We largely service the industrial areas of Melbourne, so our customer base is primarily blue collar workers, but we are now also visiting more offices and attracting a growing white collar segment too.” While some businesses on the vans’ routes are worksites without a canteen or nearby food outlet, thereby attracting a ‘captive audience’, Alistair says it’s also not uncommon for them to service areas with multiple cafes onsite or of 250 SKUs. The core selection is produced at Tasty Trucks’own production facility, where a team starts work each night at 9.30 and begins loading the trucks around midnight. “We produce all our own bakery products – cakes, pies, pasties, sausage rolls, scrolls and cakes,” Alistair says. “We also do all our sandwiches, rolls, wraps, salads fresh daily and assemble our own snack packs with a range of cheeses, biscuits, condiments and so on.” Apart from the food which Tasty Trucks produces itself, the company also assembles finished products from pre-sourced ingredients – for example, it sources yoghurt from Bulla to Tasty Trucks’ own product lines are also supplemented with a select range of well-known Australian brands. “We stock Ingham chicken products like chicken nuggets, Chicken Munchies, Wing Dings and finger food, and in addition to our bakery line we offer products from Patties Pies, Herbert Adams and Four ‘n’ Twenty. We’ve found that while the customer base enjoys our own products, it’s very important that those major brands are represented in our offering as well – they have strong brand heritage and there’s a great deal of loyalty out there in the marketplace, so we really can’t afford to do without them.” O EXTENDED STORY click ARTICLES foodservicegateway.com.au Concerned about using ‘prepared’ soups or the time and skill required to make winter soups from scratch? Anchor Cooking Cream can help. It’s easy to use, versatile across the menu and has been specifically developed to save you time and money. Anchor Cooking Cream won’t split or separate in acid or at high temperatures. It has a 40% higher yield than ordinary thickened cream. And as it’s already reduced, it reaches an excellent TA K E O U T 1 4 ARMORY_FB13 consistency quickly. With a high fat content which is particularly good for making thick, hearty soups, Anchor Cooking Cream makes offering great tasting winter soups easy. So this winter add something special to your menu, soup made from scratch. All it takes is a little help from Anchor Cooking Cream. EQUIPMENT Automatic coffee machines ensure consistent quality coffee without expense of hiring baristas MADE SPECIALLY FOR BARISTAS Making coffee is cleaner The smart fast food and takeaway operators seeking to capture the breakfast trade know the importance of offering a good coffee. Without it, customers who want coffee with their muffin, toast or wrap will simply go elsewhere – and you’ll lose that potential business. Even at lunchtime, coffee is increasingly important – how many people who want to buy a coffee with their lunch will go to your outlet to buy their food if you don’t serve it? Yet many takeaway businesses have shied away from serving coffee due to the cost of hiring a barista – those coffeemaking experts who can be paid $25 - $30 an hour. The alternative – using untrained staff to operate a traditional group head espresso machine – can result in inconsistent or poor quality coffee, which is neither going to impress your customers nor keep them coming back. The good news for fast food and takeaway operators is there IS an alternative: invest in an automatic or even ‘superautomatic’ coffee machine which will grind the beans, make the coffee and even heat the milk to the correct temperature – all at the touch of a button. These types of machines have been popular in the UK for many years. In Australia they’ve been slower to make inroads – although the major fast food chains such as McDonalds (with their Espresso Pronto coffee offer) and Hungry Jacks have benefited from their introduction. But with baristas proving prohibitively expensive for many smaller operators, an automatic machine can be a great solution to the problem of serving a good quality coffee each and every time. Alan Coleman can attest to the truth of this. As owner of Artos Café, located in the lobby of a Sydney CBD office building, Alan serves about 250 to 300 coffees a day, going through around 3kg of beans. Most of his customers are office workers in the building, and the breakfast trade is very important. TA K E O U T 1 6 “About 70 per cent of our coffee business is takeaway,” Alan explains. “We do have an eat-in area but because we’re in a building lobby, our food offering is limited – we can’t cook, we can only serve muffins, melts, wraps, toast and soups and so on – light meals and snacks. Coffee is very important to us but there’s also a lot of competition from nearby cafes, so it’s essential that our coffee offering is consistent from one pour to the next as well as being satisfying enough to keep the customers coming back.” with colour-coded CHUX Espresso Café Superwipes. Developed specially for the daily grind of cafes, bars, restaurants, clubs and hotels, HACCP approved CHUX help to make your coffee making easier. When he bought the business Alan knew he needed to serve good coffee – “but I didn’t want to go through the whole process of using a traditional espresso machine, making 300 cups a day from scratch. The whole business of grinding the coffee, putting it in the group head, tamping it down, getting rid of the grinds – I’m too lazy for that!” Alan solved the problem by investing in a automatic Thermoplan Black & White 3 machine from Tiger Coffee – which features an automatic coffee pour to ensure a consistent shot of coffee every time, plus an automatic temperature wand to heat the milk at the correct temperature for each coffee. There’s no coffee grinds to clean up at the end of the day and the machine itself can be cleaned in ten minutes by inserting two cleaning tablets. It’s easy to use and what’s more, Tiger Coffee technicians are only a phone call away to provide ongoing service and maintenance when required. “Before I made the decision to buy the Thermoplan machine, I had to pay a barista to make the coffee,” Alan says. “But now I make the coffee myself and employ one other staff member. It cost about $18,000 but it easily paid for itself within six months.” Alan spent considerable time in investigating his options before making the decision to go with the Thermoplan machine – “I went to the Fine Food expo and took my coffee supplier along and tried all the machines Continues on page 18 phone: 1800 240 502 www.cloroxcommercial.com.au HACCP Australia Pty Limited endorses CHUX® Wipes (PE-197-CA-03) as a food safe cleaning aid for use in food manufacturing, processing and handling operations that are conducted in accordance with a HACCP based Food Safety Program. EQUIPMENT Continued PRODUCT NEWS What the switched-on takeaway operator should stock! Here’s a rundown of some of today’s most popular products which savvy takeaway and fast food operators across the country are stocking up on! BULLA DOLLOP CREAM PORTIONS Boost your profit opportunities by offering new Bulla Dollop Cream Portions in a single-serve portion control pack to accompany cakes or sweet treats. Continued from page 16 that were on display. We looked at the quality of the coffees they made, the crema that was produced, and we gave the Thermoplan the thumbsup.” Alan was particularly impressed with its automatic temperature wand which can steam the milk to the precise required temperature. “I really think the coffee now is just as good as the traditional manual group head machines. You wouldn’t be able to pick the difference in a blindfold taste test.” Alan’s comments are echoed by Ashley Meddings, Managing Director of Tiger Coffee which supplied him with the Thermoplan machine. “There are thousands of takeaway and independent fast food operators out there who don’t realise how easy it can be to make really good coffee without having a ‘rock star’ barista working for them,” Ashley says. Each Bulla Dollop Cream Portion is a 22ml serving of rich double thick cream in a hygienic and convenient PC pack. They’re delivered frozen for extended storage life – store in the freezer until ready to use for up to six months. Once thawed, they’ll keep for a further five days. Convenient, hygienic and simple to store and serve, Bulla Dollop Cream Portions are Halal approved and gluten free. MCCAIN CREAM FLESH FRIES CATTLE COUNTRY BEEF AND LAMB PART-COOKED BURGERS AND RISSOLES Here are three terrific products from Cattle Country that are ideal for takeaways, cafes and other foodservice establishments. Gourmet Quality Meatballs are available in 18g portions or 5 x 1kg bags; Gourmet Beef or Angus Beef Burgers are available in 85g pieces, 100g bulk packs, 120g and 180g pieces (Gourmet Beef Burgers) and 180g pieces (Angus Burgers). Beef or Lamb Rissoles are available in 70 piece, 110g bulk packs. All products in the range are part-cooked, Halal approved, low fat and gluten free. More information: contact Harry Peters at marinepm@marineproduct.com.au quality coffee. But there are so many takeaway sandwich shops, chicken shops or businesses selling snacks or light meals where coffee is not the core product and they can’t really afford a barista. The point is that their coffee still needs to be of a consistently good standard to keep customers coming back – and that’s where an automatic machine can make all the difference. Our philosophy is that if you can consistently offer a good or above good coffee, you’re going to win out”. “The average consumer these days is very time-poor, especially in the cities. So they don’t want to queue at one place to get their food and another to get their coffee – that’s why it’s so important to offer good, consistent coffee, especially if you’re trying to capture that breakfast or lunchtime trade. And if you don’t, you’re missing out on a lot of potential revenue – when you probably have staff on hand anyway, preparing food for serving later in the day.” O TA K E O U T 1 8 Par-fried in 100 per cent vegetable oil, McCain Cream Flesh Fries will fry quickly from frozen. And like all McCain A Grade Fries, they’re part of the My McCain Fries Advantage Program, which rewards foodservice professionals for rewarding their customers with the best quality fries on the market! Visit www.mymccainfriesadvantage.com.au for more information and to register. McCain Cream Flesh Fries in 10mm and 13mm Straight Cut are available in 3 x 5kg bags to a carton. More information: contact your McCain Sales Representative, call our National Sales Office on 03 8561 4860, or visit www.mccain.com.au. NUTELLA HAZELNUT SREAD Did you know Nutella is the third-largest selling branded spread in Aussie supermarkets? Now this much-loved favourite is available to foodservice in pack sizes to meet operators’ needs. More information: contact Scott Haywood on 0407 829 795 or email scott_haywood@regalcream.com.au. You can serve Nutella in a 20g Individual Serve Portion Control Pack that’s ideal as an on-table spread. “Smaller operators have become very reliant on their baristas because their casual staff can’t consistently make coffee to the required quality using a traditional group head espresso machine. But with an automatic or superautomatic machine that’s no longer an issue. “Obviously an Italian coffee shop whose whole focus is coffee won’t buy one of these machines – they’ll want to use a barista for exceptional Highly regarded for their superior presentation, flavour and quality, McCain Cream Flesh Fries in 10mm and 13mm Straight Cut feature a golden yellow colour, excellent appearance and consistent, creamy texture, presenting fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside when fried correctly. Their consistent appearance and size ensures fantastic plate coverage. Nutella also comes in a 5kg Bulk Jar for back of house. Its high viscosity and ease of piping makes Nutella 5kg a terrific choice for use as an ingredient in desserts, as dipping sauce or as a sweet filling or topping for bakery items, cakes and snacks. MASTERFOODS SQUEEZE-ON PORTION CONTROL RANGE “If you’re serving bulk sauce it’s probably costing you about $10 per 100 serves,” say the folk at Masterfoods. “With the Masterfoods Squeeze-On range of portion controlled sauces, you’ll not only save money – you’ll make it. At least $30 per 100 serves.” The Masterfoods Squeeze-On range also features the added benefits of serving a trusted brand and a safe and hygienic, easy to use product that customers love. In fact Masterfoods says market research shows 77 per cent of customers prefer its Squeeze-On range. More information: contact your MARS Foodservice Account Manager, call our Customer Service Team on 1800 806 684 or visit www.marsfoodservice.com.au. INGHAM ROASTED CHICKEN MEAT Made from 100 per cent Australian chicken, Ingham Roasted Chicken Meat is already fully cooked and cut – eliminating the food safety risks associated with raw chicken, and removing the need to waste time and effort cooking and preparing it for serving. Available in three different cuts – Sliced, Short Sliced and Diced – Ingham Roasted Chicken Meat is quick and easy to prepare: just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or even use frozen – the product will defrost quickly, keeping the sandwich, roll or salad in which it is used fresh and cool. More information: www.inghamsfoodservice.com.au. Even pizzamakers have been quick to recognise the benefits of using Nutella – it’s highly regarded as a featured ingredient in dessert pizzas at some of our most popular pizza restaurants! In recognition of this, Nutella is sponsoring the ‘Best Dessert Pizza’ section at the 2012 Global Pizza Challenge (Australian + global finals) to be held in Sydney at the end of May – offering a $1000 cash prize for the section winner of this prestigious competition. So if you haven’t yet tried Nutella as an ingredient, do so today – you may be surprised to learn how much its distinctive hazelnut flavour can enhance a wide range of the items you prepare and serve! More information: Ferrero Customer Service on 02 9409 8807. TA K E O U T 1 9