The International Design of American Cuisine We experience it time and again, as it occurs very frequently in almost all areas of life. It happens in fashion; cosmetics; beauty; semantics (speech); entertainment; religion; and, yes, cuisine—from what we eat to how we dine. The “what” that is being discussed here is international influence. For instance,… Read more »
eCommerce = realCommitment
Wait before you click ‘Order Now’ on the latest technology solutions Having a successful and profitable business is the number one goal entrepreneurs hope to achieve when first hanging that “Come in, we’re open!” sign in the window. Although, even after that goal seems to be already attained, businesses must continue to make necessary updates… Read more »
Got UHT? What’s the deal with shelf stable milk
What American doesn’t recognize the tagline “Got Milk?”, a popular advertising campaign launched over 20 years ago in America that, according to research by Jeff Goodby in Adweek, “has become the most remembered tagline in beverage history.” He continues, “It is so ubiquitous, in fact, that people don’t think of it as a tagline anymore…. Read more »
I See I Want It: The Stimuli of Food Imagery
Curious, bold, and shall we say, somewhat naughty … the very daring term “food porn” is credited to an extremely insightful Coward, and more than 30 years later, social media is buzzing with the term Rosalind Coward noted in her 1984 book Female Desire. This catchy phrase relates to highly stylized images of food and… Read more »
Good Times, Good Buys
The Happy Hour Concept Turns the Tables on Time Limits The phrase “happy hour” has long been associated with the concept of businessmen and women stopping by the local bar or pub for a quick cocktail to wind down from their hectic day at the office. And, for a while, this was the only association… Read more »
5-Ways: Mousse
Five Uses for Mousses Mousse, an indulgent dessert delicacy on its own or incorporated into a variety of recipes, PreGel has three ingredients perfect for making any variation of mousse, albeit light and airy or rich and creamy. Products that are easy to use and versatile are key in the kitchen for efficiency and consistent… Read more »
Ancient Grains and Desserts
A Beneficial Union As recently as May of 2016, The Plate, a blog published by www.nationalgeographic.com, reported about a national survey which found that 84 percent of Americans throw away food based on the sell by date stamped on packages. Yet, ancient — a word partly defined as having the qualities of age or long… Read more »
Dynamic Concepts
Upgrading The Norm To Make The Unusual The New Usual Every year the National Restaurant Association surveys hundreds of professional chefs from the American Culinary Federation to collect data for its annual What’s Hot Culinary Forecast. This report predicts what the hottest trends in culinary art and menu options will be for the upcoming… Read more »
Clicking the Refresh Button on Beverages
QSRs Are Mixing Up New Ideas In 2016 For a long time, beverages have been considered the ‘side-kick’ of a meal. However, that all seems to be changing as more quick service restaurants are refreshing (pun intended) their beverage offerings. From industry magazines to the National Restaurant Association, the experts all agree, beverage options are… Read more »
MOVE OVER CONVENTIONAL DESSERT INGREDIENTS!
IT’S TIME FOR A SUPER INGREDIENT – INSECTS As humans, we are always trying to evolve and create – in the kitchen especially. The inspiration to take a dessert to the next level is always a challenge, though satisfying when the results are successful! Besides going for the usual ingredients, why not try something a… Read more »
Making Healthier Dessert Options
Utilizing Lighter Ingredients for Appetizing Dessert Options By now, many people have thought about what they would like their New Year’s resolutions to be, a lot of which likely have to do with eating healthier and changing their habits. But making the full dietary transition can be difficult, seeing as eating healthy can be more… Read more »
Liquid Nitrogen
The Vapor of Frozen Dessert Innovation When most people think of liquid nitrogen, they probably imagine a chemistry lab or a high school science classroom. However, these days, chefs and entrepreneurs around the world are imagining a new setting for liquid nitrogen—the kitchen. Liquid nitrogen is becoming increasingly popular among top chefs who are using… Read more »
The Long-Lasting Craze of Salted Caramel
A Flavorful Marriage We All Love “Pumpkin Spice Is Dead, Long Live Salted Caramel.” You might have stumbled upon this article from the Washington Post while researching flavor trends for the fall season. While it is arguable that pumpkin spice is over when looking at the many flavor offerings in existence, there is no doubt… Read more »
Product Brands Take the Leap
IN-STORE GROCERY BRANDS DEVELOP THEIR OWN CAFÉS AND RESTAURANTS You have probably noticed P.F. Changs’ frozen egg rolls or beef with broccoli in the frozen food aisles of your grocery stores. However, the Asian chain isn’t the only restaurant that has brought its specialties to your microwave. Names like T.G.I. Fridays®, California Pizza Kitchen, and… Read more »
The Explosion of Food Delivery
Food delivery is the new trend in the American foodservice industry. You might be wondering how food delivery could be a new trend with so many of this kind of service, including pizza delivery, having been around for decades. Actually, the scope of food delivery service has broadened as the evolution of technology, and customization… Read more »
Forget the Movies – Let’s Go to the Supermarket!
How In-Store Cooking Classes Are Both Profitable and Fun Nowadays, going to the grocery store can mean many things. You may go there to have lunch, pick up a party dish or even take a cooking class. This is because companies have learned that today’s customers need more than just great prices to keep coming… Read more »
Specialty Bakeries: The Rise of Sweet and Successful Niche Concepts
Niche markets are thriving in the world of sweets. Specialty bakeries are popping up and prospering thanks to their unique and creative concepts, and the evolving demand of the industry. Modern customers and dessert lovers are seeking interesting treats with personality and are also on the lookout for local and better-for-you options at the same… Read more »
What’s Trending in Restaurants Around the World
It’s common to see articles about what’s new in America and what the industry needs to do to innovate and stay ahead. Looking outside of the market is important too, as international trends are a crucial reality in every industry. The exchange of trends is truly global in nature: countries and cultures have been “trend… Read more »
Meet PreGel’s Creative Design Team: Masters of Visual Communication
“Art is pattern informed by sensibility.” – Herbert Read, poet, and art critic This quote couldn’t better describe the work produced by PreGel’s Creative Design Team – a super talented group of visual artists whose unique conceptions spawn from sensibility. Utilizing their knowledge of PreGel products, the specific goals they set for each artistic initiative… Read more »
The State of the Frozen Yogurt Industry
Is It In or Out, the Skinny on Frozen Yogurt Today Frozen yogurt is Dead! Froyo Is the Next Cupcake! Frozen Yogurt’s Future is Bleak! Endless Closings of Frozen Yogurt Shops, Who’s Next? Frozen Yogurt Is So Yesterday! Can FroYo Survive? Recent headlines on frozen yogurt are relentless and scary, but are they true? In… Read more »
Marketing to Children
The Makings of Brand Loyalty The experience of shopping with a child, who let’s face it, has all the power of purchase at their fingertips, is interesting at best. The scenario goes as follows: wondrous eyes navigate the bounty of tempting goodies surrounding them. Small, excited faces gleam with excitement in anticipation of filling their… Read more »
The Art of Playing With Food
From the walls to the plates, restaurant owners have always recognized the relationship between art and food. Restaurants often utilize art to create unique atmospheres that complement the artistic dishes prepared by their chefs. However, each year chefs with a passion for innovation and a love for the culinary arts push the basic concept of… Read more »
Ever Thought About Going Wholesale? The Reasons Why It’s Worth It.
All gelato businesses have a common dream: to be successful and make the world’s best gelato. Most independent businesses start with a small gelato shop pouring their passion and knowledge into it. Once they accomplish opening a brick and mortar store, then comes the decision on how to extend their businesses beyond the walls of… Read more »
2015 Trends Checklist
2015 is here, are you ready to serve up the New Year’s most top anticipated trends? For most of you, I am betting you are just trying to survive wrapping up the holiday season before you can even digest and plan for the upcoming year. With that in mind, we are packaging up all the… Read more »
From Shameful to Shameless … The New Face of Dining Alone
I walk through the restaurant doors and before I even have a chance to say “party of one,” I already feel self-conscious. I try not to make eye contact with patrons as the hostess leads me to my table, and I am certain that everyone is staring at me, wondering why I’m publicly eating alone…. Read more »
Food Trucks: Branding Above the Noise
Let’s admit it, having a food truck has never been cooler. Musician Kelis recently released a new album in which her very own food truck was an integral part of the marketing effort. Yes, you read it right, Kelis, whom you might recall from the hit “Milkshake” has her very own food truck. And yes,… Read more »
The Power of Snacking: The Story of Sweet & Savory Snack Attacks
A morning break, an after-lunch sweet, a midafternoon or late night occasion, the opportunities for snacking are as numerous as the treats available to satisfy any craving. While snacking used to be viewed as a weakness, it is now part of routine life and one that many nutritionists encourage for an active metabolism. This new… Read more »
Coupon Revolution: More than just the Sunday Paper
“Coupons” are often a business owner’s nightmare. Every business’s main goal is to make a profit, and thinking about lessening the margin of profit over costs is enough to make anyone wince. But discounts and coupons can help profits soar in more ways than one – the secret is to choose the right kind and… Read more »
QSRs Entering The Retail Market
Have you noticed that products from your favorite restaurants, coffee shops and donut shops are invading supermarket shelves? More and more restaurants are realizing the profit potential of selling their products in retail stores and extending their brands further into the marketplace. A win-win for brands, it’s expected this shift will only continue to gain… Read more »
Customer Q&A: International Delight Café – A Jewel of the Isle
Long Island, NY, is home to numerous major tourist attractions including the Montauk Point Lighthouse, Long Island Sound, the chic Hamptons, Nassau Coliseum, Jones Beach and some of the finest vineyards in the northeast. But located in the quaint Nassau County metropolis of Bellmore is a cozy eatery that houses one of the biggest selections… Read more »
Computers vs. People: Touch Screen Ordering
In a recent long layover at the Minnesota airport I ventured with a friend to a restaurant where as soon as we sat, an iPad awaited our order. It first asked us to swipe our card, and then we together navigated through it to order a drink, followed by dinner. For the most part it… Read more »
The Hybrid Hype: What Is It All About?
Every morning in New York City around 6:00a.m., a two-hour line forms outside Dominique Ansel’s Bakery with eager tourists and residents waiting to get their hands on the croissant-doughnut mashup that has exploded in popularity since May. The Cronut™ has become the most virally talked-about dessert item in history, and as a self-admitted sucker for… Read more »
Featured Article: Taste of Inspiration from the Kitchen: Turning Ideas into Novelties
From seasons to trends and latest innovations, dining options are being revamped as fast as consumer tastes and demands are changing. Finding inspiration to launch successful flavors, products or recipes can be a real challenge for chefs and companies that have to deal with the rapid replacement of products on the market and the logistics… Read more »
Featured Articled: Is Indulgent Still “In”?
Imagine a time when a decadent slice of chocolate cake was placed in front of you. Did you indulge? Or did you pass because that piece of cake was not organic, low-calorie or in plain terms, healthy? Most likely, you indulged. Maybe not the entire slice, but you at least took a bite. And I… Read more »
Featured Article: Dessert Bytes: Sweet Trends in Technology That Can Assist Your Business
Technology is in a constant state of evolution. The length of time between generations of technology can be as little as a year; compared to human generations, which are spread out over decades. Not to mention, between each generation of technology are software updates (something we’re all guilty of putting off a little too often)…. Read more »
Featured Article: Florals: Edible Flowers, Edible Tradition
Flowers captivate with their vibrant colors and beautiful shapes. It is usually forgotten that besides appealing to the senses of smell and vision, they also have the potential to delight the palate. Flowers as a garnish or decorative element for baking and cooking have been around for centuries in different cultures around the world, and… Read more »
Featured Article: The Hidden Side of Secret Menus
Can you keep a secret? You can try but let’s face it, sooner or later most secrets get leaked. This is precisely the point of the latest craze that has swept over the food industry – hidden offerings. This trend has been adopted by many operators across the country, bringing an array of benefits and… Read more »
Feature Article: Eating Habits and Traditions around the World
“Chi le, mei you?” is the universal question the Chinese ask when checking in with each other. It literally means “Have you eaten?” Food is of paramount importance around the world – not just because of our fundamental need to consume it – but because of the cultural and societal connotation it is given. Just… Read more »
Feature Article: Playing Dress Up With your Desserts: It Really Is All In The Accessories A Global View of Garnishes
Newsflash! Accessorizing is not only for fashionistas. Everything needs a little glitz and glamour, even in the form of dessert. After all, we do eat with our eyes. A wise person once said every dessert deserves a garnish. A garnish is widely known as anything that adds visual appeal to a plate in the form… Read more »
Feature Article: Gourmet Dining: Pairing World Cuisine with Desserts
The entire world has gone gourmet. The “foodie” movement is growing and reaching new heights in all corners of the world. More and more people are embracing the idea of making food and experience – taking note of flavors, textures, aromas, and ingredients in everyday foods and beverages. Beer microbreweries have blossomed because consumers were… Read more »