This is a special message from Smithfield Foodservice.

Bacon, breakfast sausage, eggs and other beloved breakfast fare are not just for morning anymore. Some restaurant customers crave breakfast so much they order it at various times throughout the day. Operators who offer breakfast all day appreciate its wide popularity, especially among patrons who are cutting back on pricier meals in this difficult economy.

Breakfast in general has given operators a much-needed boost, accounting for 60 percent of restaurant business growth over the past five years, according to The NPD Group, a research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y. A surprising amount of breakfast-oriented food is eaten outside usual breakfast hours.

In fact, 12 percent of the 10.3 billion servings of breakfast foods in commercial foodservice in a given year occur at dayparts other than breakfast, noted Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant industry analyst. The breakdown is 6 percent at lunch, 4 percent at dinner and 2 percent for snacks. “That is a lot of volume being eaten in other dayparts,” Riggs said.

Also testifying to the strength of the off-hours breakfast trade is Robert Ritchie, corporate executive chef of Smithfield Foodservice. “It is not unusual for consumers to order breakfast sandwiches, wraps or platters any time of day,” said Ritchie. “We are seeing them offered later in the morning, early in the afternoon and into late night.”

Why are consumers so fond of breakfast at off-peak times? According to Ritchie, many are seeking the comparatively good value of typical breakfast dishes. Another factor is the convenient and portable nature of breakfast sandwiches. He also pointed to the improved quality of many breakfast items, due to a greater focus on research and development and upgraded ingredients like hardwood smoked bacon and better breads. Bacon in particular has become a hugely popular addition to all sorts of items, including dessert. “It is just getting better all around for the consumer,” said Ritchie.

Smithfield Naturally Hardwood Smoked Bacon and Smithfield Breakfast Sausage patties and links have the quality operators need to satisfy the breakfast customer at any time of day.

For instance, Smithfield bacon has a well-balanced mix of sweet, smoky and salty flavor blended with an ideal ratio of lean to fat for superior meatiness and overall eating quality. It is naturally smoked with applewood or hickory wood, never treated with liquid smoke. The care that is taken in the curing and smoking of the bacon is evident in the presentation of the finished product. “When you put a piece of Smithfield bacon on the griddle, you will see it doesn’t shrivel up,” said Ritchie. “It stays flat and cooks through, which is very important.”

“If you are building a premium gourmet breakfast sandwich with a wonderful new flatbread, you want to use thick-cut Smithfield bacon,” added Ritchie. “This enhances the quality of the sandwich and assures consumers that they have made a good choice.”

There is similar attention to quality with Smithfield Breakfast Sausage patties and links. They have a pleasing balance of spices and juiciness for outstanding flavor plus a desirable lean-to-fat ratio for ample meatiness and less shrinkage after cooking.

Although traditional breakfast dishes are popular at all hours, some operators like to tweak certain items for later service. They may vary the bread carrier on a breakfast sandwich, switching from a toasted plain bagel to ciabatta bread or add unique ingredients and create a breakfast pizza. “This makes it feel more like an afternoon or evening meal,” Ritchie said.

Looking ahead, Ritchie predicts the breakfast category will continue to evolve and improve. Snack wraps in particular will drive breakfast business in other meal occasions. “I expect to see some creative extensions to snack wraps, combining certain value-added proteins with ethnic ingredients and breads,” said Ritchie. “Overall, there is a lot of life left in this category.”

For more information about Smithfield breakfast products, visit www.smithfieldfoodservice.com or call 1-87-SELL-PORK (1-877-355-7675).