Sponsored by Idahoan® Foodservice
As the economy continues to struggle and operators face challenges with labor, shortages, soaring food costs – and demands from consumers for continuous variety, increased focus on health and wellness, and lingering effects from COVID-19 – operators must keep things fresh while relying on versatile pantry hero products and speed-scratch ingredients.
At the same time, manufacturers, operators, and guests alike are feeling the effects of inflation – necessitating the use of speed-scratch products to capitalize on lower costs as prices for raw materials continue to increase.
Big and bold flavors are in, as consumers look to travel through their food, making it essential for operators to find creative way to promote exciting dishes that incorporate global flavors. Even as consumers lean toward healthier options, they still crave comfort foods and exciting flavors.
At the heart of it all lies menu optimization – the key to the success of every operation. Here are a few creative tips to keep guests happy while keeping costs low:
Showcase & Innovate Popular Menu Items
If customers are consistently coming back for certain dishes that aren’t cost effective, innovate!
Take the classic and delicious steak and potatoes dish. Preparing mashed potatoes from scratch can be resource intensive, but they serve as a staple on many American menus with 27.9% menu penetration.[1] Replacing scratch-mashed potatoes with a more cost effective and time-saving option, like speed-scratch options, can be an operator’s saving grace. Fresh-Dried™ Mashed Potatoes maintain scratch-made taste and quality, but are ready in a matter of minutes – significantly reducing the time and labor costs on classic meat and potato dishes. Speed-scratch potato ingredients allow operators to showcase their most popular dishes more conveniently and consistently, so that front-of-house staff can push signature items with confidence.
With easy ingredient swaps like this, operators can continue to serve signature dishes while saving time and money.
Lower Costs with Versatile Ingredients
Speed-scratch and shelf-stable ingredients that can be used for many dishes are essential to keep kitchens stocked at low cost.
Speed-scratch ingredients, from prepared sauces to pre-cooked proteins and perfectly chopped vegetable medleys, can be used in a myriad of appetizers, sides, entrées, and desserts – making them a vital ingredient in commercial kitchens. Available in a variety of formats – from fresh, to frozen, refrigerated, dehydrated, and even Fresh-Dried™ – these ingredients are versatile across a variety of dishes and cuisines.
Use them on their own in traditional menu applications or get creative with refreshing salads, hearty bowls, gluten-free replacements, and exciting happy hour appetizers. Value-add, speed-scratch ingredients are great as traditional sides, but can be used as the base to craveable and creative dishes that will wow guests.
As the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated consumer behavior continue to linger, delivery has become ingrained in consumer habits. According to Datassential, 53% of consumers are interested in having their meals delivered.[2] Using versatile ingredients that also travel and reheat well – such as pre-made sauces, pre-cooked grains, and Fresh-Dried™ mashed potatoes – is of continuing importance.
Making these ingredients even more important are the impacts of rising inflation. In today’s foodservice world, it is essential for operators to seek products that offer higher yields, labor savings, menu versatility, and convenience. Using versatile ingredients such as these helps operators cut costs while still offering plenty of variety on their menu.
Embrace Trends with On-Hand Ingredients
Big and bold flavors are in as consumers look to both ramp up travel and travel through their food, and operators are looking to promote exciting new menu items that incorporate global flavors.[3]
While it can seem crucial to chase menu trends and immediately adapt to them, it’s not always what guests are craving. Constantly adapting to keep menus on-trend can lead to increased costs, labor, and food waste. Instead, focus on classic dishes that keep customers coming back, while finding ways to introduce seasonal dishes and LTOs that embrace trends and give menus a fresh feel.
Consumers are leaning toward healthier options, even as they look to comfort foods. 39% of all consumers plan to increase healthy food purchases, opening the door for creative twists on menu favorites and better-for-you takes on popular LTOs.[4]
Find creative ways to embrace trends with versatile on-hand ingredients. Doing so using speed-scratch ingredients can help operators remain efficient while tailoring their menus to current favorites, trendy foods, and seasonal flavors. Incorporating on-trend or seasonal ingredients as mix-ins, toppings, and dips is an easy way to spice up on-hand speed-scratch ingredients as exciting LTOs. Try keeping a rotating seasonal dish to utilize lower costs on in-season produce while keeping the menu fresh.
At the core of menu optimization lies high quality, versatile ingredients – and efficient ingredients lead to efficient operations.
For more information on using speed-scratch ingredients to inspire your culinary creativity, visit www.idahoanfoodservice.com.
