Sponsored by Ventura Foods®
How do you take an already delicious appetizer, side dish, or entrée and make it even more craveable? For many operators, the solution is as simple as offering a portable, convenient cup of ranch dressing for dipping. Paying attention to details such as this will enhance the guest experience—and ultimately help drive sales and attract repeat business.
Almost all U.S. adults (94%) use dips and sauces, according to Mintel’s U.S. Trending Flavors and Ingredients in Dips and Sauces Market Report 2022. The report notes that consumer interest in dips and sauces exploded during the pandemic, partly due to people’s desire to improve the flavors of their own cooking.
Now dips and sauces have become a routine part of consumers’ mealtimes, and foodservice operators have the opportunity to emphasize how these items can improve flavors and textures of consumers’ favorite menu items. “Dips and sauces also have the potential to help restaurants rebound,” the report says, “as they offer opportunities to keep well-established menu items fresh and exciting, with minimal added labor and touchpoints.”
Salad dressings, especially fan-favorite ranch, make exceptional dips and sauces. According to research from Ventura Foods®, 70% of ranch usage occurs outside the salad bowl. So while ranch is consumers’ preferred dressing on leafy greens, it can also enhance salty, savory, fried, and dippable items.
Dipping into opportunity
Ranch famously goes well with many foods, and consumers confirm this by sampling it on virtually everything. According to Eater, ranch overtook Italian as the country’s most popular dressing in 1992. It was around that time that pizzerias began touting ranch as a delicious dip for pizza, while other establishments began offering it as an accompaniment for wings, chicken fingers, and more.
Providing customers with the flavors they crave and the brands they love is a winning strategy for operators. Hidden Valley® Ranch ranks as America’s No. 1 ranch dressing, according to IRI (now Circana) unit sales data. The brand, offered in foodservice by Ventura Foods®, is available in multiple varieties to meet operators’ needs.
One major trend that continues to impact the industry is the prevalence of takeout and delivery. And when ordering out, consumers expect the food to taste as delicious as it would in the restaurant—whether they are enjoying it at home, at work, or anywhere else.
To address this demand, operators should consider providing the same sauces and condiments with to-go orders as they offer on their tabletops. Hidden Valley® Ranch in portion control cups makes it easy to do just that.
Elevating the guest experience
Operators can boost the guest experience by offering Hidden Valley® Ranch portion control cups for customers to enjoy while dining in as well. There’s just something about dipping that makes the meal more enjoyable. And as consumers dine with friends and family, they’ll appreciate having an easy way to add the craveable ranch flavor they love. From sharable platters to individual side orders, offering ranch for dipping can make the meal more social-media worthy—and help a restaurant stand out among the competition.
Another advantage of portion control cups is how they can help operators reduce food waste and keep costs down. That’s important in the current environment of inflation and labor challenges. The portion control cups are pre-filled, saving the kitchen crew time and eliminating the risk of overfilling cups, wasting excess dressing, and spilling dressing during this process.
Whether it’s a bucket of wings for delivery or a platter of fries to share at the table, Hidden Valley® Ranch can elevate the flavor of any menu item, and portion control cups can enhance the convenience and the fun. Buy now on Amazon.
