Food Drink & Franchise - January 2015

w w w.fdf wor ld.c om | Ja nua r y 2015

: 0 1 P O T ook

l Trends to 15 20 n i r o f t u o

Managing Your Seasonal Supply Chain Taphunter Courts New Markets

Division Industrial Pecuaria High Standards that reach the Consumer’s Plate SPECIAL REPORT

Wok Box: Latest project development

editor’s comment

A NEW YEAR Here we are at the start of a whole new year. Last year was one of big changes, and we’re excited to see where this next one takes us.

Because it’s always good to anticipate what consumers and figure out how to incorporate it into your operations ahead of time—and also because it’s always fun to speculate—we’re taking a look at many of the potential food trends that could be on their way to making a splash in 2015.

We’re also looking into brands who have had a big year of changes themselves, and looking ahead so stay prepared for when the next busy season rolls around.

Welcome, readers!

So read on, enjoy, and get ready to take on all the challenges and excitement of 2015.

Sasha Orman Editor Sasha.Orman@wdmgroup.com

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Features

Contents

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Toad ‘n’ Turtle Restaurant Group

Company Profiles Latin America 32 División Industrial Pecuaria (DIP)

Retail Taphunter Enters the Next Phase

52 Altamar Foods Corp.

Top 10

Food Trends to Look Out For in 2015

Canada 62 Wok Box 70 Toad ‘n’ Turtle Restaurant Group

Australia 76 Zambrero 84 Association: Australian Horticultural Export Services (AHEA)

14 Supply Chain Managing Your Seasonal Supply Chain

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52 Altamar Foods Corp.

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RETAIL

TAPHUNTER:

Enters The Next Phase

With a new design, geolocation technology, and an expansion into spirits and cocktails, TapHunter is an app on the move Writ ten by: SASHA ORMAN

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RETAIL When the app TapHunter was launched in 2009, it quickly became synonymous with the craft beer movement—with a few taps on the touch screen of a smartphone, users could keep their finger on the pulse of the brew pubs and craft breweries in their area. But the craft beer movement hasn’t stood still, and neither has TapHunter. At 2014 Beer Week, the app launched a major overhaul with some key new features including the introduction of spirits and cocktails to its menus and tracking capabilities. We sat down with TapHunter Marketing Director Kara Robinson to discuss new developments with the app Getting Started with TapHunter

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and how they can benefit both bars and restaurants and the consumers they count on.

FDF World: For those who don’t know, what is Taphunter and what does it have to offer?

Kara Robinson: Taphunter is two things, and a lot of people don’t know our other side. First we’re the mobile app to help originally craft beer lovers, and now craft beer and cocktail lovers, to find the drinks they love and the bars who are serving them. But then we also have a back end set of tools for bar owners.

FDF: If you’re a bar owner, how can these online tools help you manage your beverage program?

KR: We have a full sales team here that goes out and tries to find the right bars to not only put on our app but help them save time and sell more with our tools. So basically the short rundown of what our tools do is they input their beverage list—whether that’s just beer or spirits or cocktails.

They input it into our system and it’s going to automatically update everything. It’s going to update their

Ta p H u n t e r E n t e r s t h e N e x t Pha s e

The iphone interface for the TapHunter app

“It’s going to update their social media, Twitter and Facebook.

It’s going to update their print menu so they can just click customized print menu with one click from our platform”

– Kara Robinson, Marketing Manager social media, Twitter and Facebook.

It’s going to update their print menu so they can just click customized print menu with one click from our platform. It’s going to update their website menu. If they have digital beer boards in their location, like their beer lists on a TV, we design those and it will automatically update those.

So basically it’s just saving them a ton of time. They Input their beverage list into one place, one platform, and it will automatically update everything else for them so they don’t have to contact their social media person and say “hey, let everyone know we just put this beer on tap!” They don’t have to go into InDesign and design a 9

RETAIL Jeff “Flash” Gordon Co-Founder/CTO

Melani Gordon Co-Founder/CEO

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new menu with their new beer list on there. In this day and age of rotating craft beer lists and spirits and cocktail programs continually changing, it’s really helping bar owners save time.

FDF: Tell me about the app’s new geolocation feature, what does that offer to consumers and bar owners?

KR: Before, we used to have markets.

For example, people who live in North County San Diego lived halfway between our San Diego market and our Orange County market. A lot of them didn’t like having to switch back and forth between the markets.

Now it’s all geolocated—so the stuff your’e going to see if the stuff that’s literally around you, not just necessarily in the market you selected.

It’s also cool for the notifications. If I follow my favorite beer on the app, I’m going to get a push alert when it shows up around me. So that’s cool if I’m traveling to Phoenix and my favorite beer goes on tap around me, it’s going to know via the geolocator that I like that beer and it went on tap around me. When I’m traveling I might find a really cool place to go to.

“We really pride ourselves in listening to our customers as well as listening to our fans and taking in their feedback and their consideration”

– Kara Robinson,

Marketing Manager

FDF: And that helps business owners get that exposure that they might not have had otherwise?

KR: Exactly. We have this new feed.

So before we didn’t have an activity stream, so there was no real reason for people to open up the app unless they were thirsty or wanted to find out what their favorite bar had on. So now we have this activity stream. If you’re bored and just want to know what’s on tap around you, you can scroll through. You can choose your favorite styles and it will tell you a new beer that you might like based on your previous style preferences. Or it will tell you a new bar that opened in [your area], and it will tell you some events going on around you at your favorite bars.

RETAIL It’s really customized, so people can go in there and make their feed their own so they get this stream of information constantly about things that they might like.

FDF: What was the motivation for adding cocktails and spirits to the app?

KR: Our cofounders, Mel and Jeff—from the beginning they saw starting with beer but would love for the app to be your source for finding everything beverage. Wine is coming up next, we’ll have wine definitely within the year, and we’re looking Taphunter act on their customers requests, this lead to updating the app’s tools to be used with cocktails and spirits

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into adding kombucha and coffee so that it will be your source to find all beverages. Mel and Jeff have always seen that as their goal. They’ve even toyed around with the idea of having a Cheese Hunter, a Stogie Finder—anything craft or artisanal.

FDF: What led to the decision of adding spirits and cocktails to the app first, before implementing a wine program?

KR: The whole mixology trend going on right now is huge, and honestly we’ve just been listening to our customers. For a long time they’ve been asking for spirits tools, and with spirits comes cocktails. So that’s kind of why we went with that angle first. Then also because wine is very complex, so we wanted to make sure we got our spirits and cocktail tools down before we started into the wine world. But now all of our customers are asking for wine so we’re moving in that direction. We really pride ourselves in listening to our customers as well as listening to our fans and taking in their feedback and their consideration. That’s how we get the best changes to our tools and our app.

Another cool thing that we’re

Ta p H u n t e r E n t e r s t h e N e x t Pha s e

“We love our customers who are really stoked on our brand, because we are. Turning all of those customers into that stoked super happy customer is kind of our dream”

– Kara Robinson, Marketing Manager

proud of is that we have a 99 percent retention rate among our bar customers. So we’re super proud of our customer support team and how happy our customers really are.

FDF: That’s a great statistic, what do you attribute that retention rate to?

KR: It’s definitely our customer support. We don’t want to just give them these tools and have them freak out and not know what they’re using.

So when we sign somebody up for the tools, we will have somebody actually call them and do a screen share with

them, go through all of the tools, integrate everything for them, get everything set up for them and make sure everything is working to the best of their ability, and won’t let them off the phone until all of their questions are answered. So that’s huge.

Then we’re here 9-5 and a lot of times on the weekend just answering questions if anybody needs anything we’re really happy to help. We love our customers who are really stoked on our brand, because we are. Turning all of those customers into that stoked super happy customer is kind of our dream.

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SUPPLY C H AIN

Managing Your

Seasonal Supply Chain W ri t t e n b y: S asha O rman

Whether you are fully vertically integrated or working closely with a team of suppliers and distributors on either end, a supply chain is a complicated and delicate thing – a Rube Goldberg device with many moving parts, where a breakdown at any link along the chain could spell trouble for everything that comes after, not least of all the retailers and end users who are counting on receiving 14

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a quality product in a timely fashion.

The importance of all of this is only multiplied and put in the spotlight during the holiday season. Whether it’s fresher or frozen turkeys to roast during Thanksgiving, Pumpkin Spice syrup during PSL season, or McRib patties during McDonald’s annual McRib event, a shortage of an essential item that consumer are expecting can lead to frustrated

consumers and a breakdown of trust and brand loyalty. To avoid this, your supply chain needs to be running more smoothly than ever during this hectic time.

Use Past Data and Present Projections to Plan Ahead for Seasonal Demand For most businesses, the good thing about planning for the seasonal rush

this year is that you have survived it for several years before. Don’t take that for granted – use the sales data that you’ve collected over those years to help you moving forward. Closely analyzing your sales from previous holiday seasons – which products sold well and which products didn’t, and how many of the popular items flew off retail shelves or drive-thru windows – can give you a rough 15

s u p p ly c h a i n picture of what to expect this year.

But don’t rely solely on past data, either – the market is a fickle thing, and consumer tastes and the products that they’re looking for can change drastically from year to year. Prepare for that by analyzing sales leading up to the holidays as well as market trend reports in your

sector. Are consumers trading in the traditional turkey for alternative poultry? Are cooking shows and magazines hyping up the turducken like crazy? Now’s the time to talk to your supplier about increasing your orders for duck and chicken to make sure your customers aren’t going elsewhere to find what they need.

‘A shortage of an essential item that consumer are expecting can lead to frustrated consumers and a breakdown of trust and brand loyalty’

Stay Ahead of the Ordering Game The problem with the holiday season is that it’s not just a busy streak for you – it’s a busy streak for everyone at the same time. Unless you’re vertically integrated from raw commodities to retail, chances are you’re sharing suppliers or distributors with several other businesses who are all feeling the seasonal pressure as much as you are. This means that ordering and delivery can be a slower process than usual as those suppliers and distributors are pulled in several different directions at once.

The last thing you want is to run out of an essential product, only to be told that you are out of luck because supplies and transport have been reserved by your competitors. So don’t wait until you’re running critically low to

During the holiday season, transparency and a clearly routed supply chain can also save your business a lot of headaches

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The problem with the holiday season is that it’s not just a busy streak for you – it’s a busy streak for everyone at the same time restock. Assess the situation and, if it seems like chances are good enough that demand won’t drop immediately by the time those products arrive, take the time to order ahead and make sure there isn’t a run on what you need when you need it most.

Make Sure Transparency Remains a Key Feature Transparency throughout the supply chain is vital, and not just to consumers wanting to know where the items they’re buying have been sourced and whether the ingredients are top notch. During the holiday season, transparency and a clearly routed supply chain can also save

your business a lot of headaches. As was mentioned earlier, transportation can slow down during seasonal peaks when suppliers and distributors are dealing with increased orders and heightened demand. Whether an essential product has been lost in transit or you just need to know the status of whether or not supplies have shipped in a timely manner, having RFID or other meticulous tracking methods in place can help you trace the route of your supplies or products in real time so that, even if they aren’t in your hands or your franchisees’ hands yet, you can at least have the peace of mind that you can see they’re on their way.

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TOP 1 0

Food T to Look in 2

Written by: S

Trends k Out For 2015

Sasha Orman

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The Savory Side of Vegetables

A healthy helping of vegetables never goes out of style, but what does change is the lineup of vegetables that are on trend each year.

McCormick Foods is predicting an increase in popularity for vegetables with a savory “umami” profile—think mushrooms, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and nori. These could appear as the focal point of a dish, or as a key supporting ingredient to add some meaty richness to your meal.

Tomatoes are rich in umami components

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Food Trends to Look Out For in 2015

Spike Mendelsohn

Jose Andres

Fast Casual Sweet Dewey’s BBQ Comes To Boca Raton

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PHOTO CREDIT: BROWARDPALMBEACH.ORG

Choolaah Indian BBQ PHOTO CREDIT: CLEVESCENE.COM

Fast Casual Goes Upscale

Fast casual dining has mostly been the domain of restaurant chains and franchises, selling exactly what they promise—a quick and laid-back casual experience. But with the major success of fast casual in recent years, Baum + Whiteman predicts that those chains could be facing some stiff competition soon as fine dining personalities from José Andres to Spike Mendelsohn have started getting involved.

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The 626 Night Market, the largest Asian night market in the country, hits downtown Los Angeles for the first time (Angela N./Flickr Creative Commons)

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With over 100 food vendors, the DTLA Night Market will not disappoint dedicated foodies.

(Tofuprod/Flickr via Creative Commons)

Rise of the Night Market

Farmer’s markets have been trendy for a couple of years now, but moving into the future we’re branching out into alternative ways to bring vendors directly to consumers. One alternative that has caught the eye of many food industry experts is the vibrant and bustling night market, a popular institution in Asian countries that is gaining traction in Western culture.

We’re already seeing some significant examples of this trend cropping up in our own office’s hometown, and are looking forward to its growth.

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Food Trends to Look Out For in 2015

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Fermented Foods Increase Their Following

In 2015, a culinary passion for pickling is going a step farther: according to experts, fermented foods are going to be the hot commodity. Obviously beer is a given, but what can we expect beyond that? Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert predicts live culture-packed digestive helpers like sauerkraut, tempeh, and yogurt gaining in popularity. We could probably add fermented kimchi to the list as well, though we’d be surprised if the really niche items like natto (Japanese fermented soybeans) enter the mainstream market of Western cuisine.

Natto - Fermented Soy Beans - Whatcha Eating? #86

Pickled Eisbein served with sauerkraut

Kimchi, a very common side dish in Korea

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A Revolution in Product Labeling

In November, the FDA released a sweeping official mandate that all chain restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets, and movie theaters with more than 20 locations must offer clear and accurate calorie labeling. This is a big deal, but the big question is how it will affect the way that all of these establishments do business over the next year—for starters, we’re expecting to inspire a wider variety of lower-calorie options.

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Food Trends to Look Out For in 2015

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Charcoal as an Ingredient

We were totally on board with Burger King Japan’s charcoal-infused Kuro Burger, so we’re pretty excited about this prediction. Sterling-Rice Group is anticipating a rise in restaurants and manufacturers using Asianinfluenced “ancient styles of charcoal,” like Japanese kilned binchotan and Thai charcoal, in a range of ways—we may start to see more wood charcoal used as both as a tool to grill dishes at high heat and directly in foods as a visually enhancing ingredient.

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Increased Commercialization of “Craft”

PHOTO CREDIT: www.ab-inbev.be

When something is successful, everyone wants a piece of the pie. One of the best examples of this sentiment at work is the craft food and beverage industry, especially craft beer. Global businesses like Anheuser-Busch InBev and SAB Miller are scrambling to acquire small brands and launch smaller-batch products in an effort to play a meaningful part of the craft beer industry, to the point where industry insiders might soon have to reevaluate what exactly it means to be a “craft” producer at all before the word becomes so diluted that it loses all meaning. But don’t expect this to stick to beer alone—it’s predicted that chain restaurants could also apply this craft label to pies, pastries, and anything else with a homemade feel.

Since 1240, the know-how of Leffe has been handed down from generation to generation. Even today, Leffe beer retains the rich flavor and enigmatic aroma of an 800 year-old brewery tradition.

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Food Trends to Look Out For in 2015 Shichimi togarashi “seven flavor chili pepper”), also known as nanairo togarashi or simply shichimi, is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients.

A typical blend may contain: • coarsely ground red chili pepper (the main ingredient) • ground sansh • roasted orange peel • black sesame seed • white sesame seed • hemp seed • ground ginger • nori or aonori

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Spicy Ramen is the Hottest Buzzword

Baum + Whiteman has a lot of buzzwords to look out for this coming year, but if there’s one we’re most eagerly anticipating it’s this one: “upscaling even spicier ramen noodles, Japanese or cross-cultural.” We’re always up for spicy ramen, and new modernized or cross-cultural spins on the ramen tradition sound wildly intriguing. McCormick’s prediction of a rise in the use of spices like shichimi togarashi only seems to confirm that this trend is on its way in.

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Food Trends in 2015

Ugly Fruits and Vegetables Get a Second Chance

Studies uncovered an ugly statistic this year: a lot of food waste has come from producers preemptively rejecting and discarding less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables, anticipating that consumers only want the most aesthetically perfect selections. But today, when it comes to evoking negative consumer reactions, misshapen or blemished fruits are nothing compared to being seen as a company that wastes product and makes no efforts to improve its carbon footprint. As consumers increasingly look for less processed and more “real� traceable foods from their grocers and restaurants, we expect that many companies are going to embrace irregular produce as a hallmark of the fruit or vegetable’s authenticity and non-GMO realness.

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Food Trends to Look Out For in 2015

1. Intuitive Touch Interface Users are intimately connected to the menu, through the Presto’s lightningfast touchscreen.

2. Customized Menus Dynamic availability and pricing supports happy hour, daily specials, and out-ofstock items.

3. Ruggedized for Restaurants Prestos are designed to withstand the bumps and spills encountered in any restaurant environment.

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Rise of the Machines

Technology in the form of touch screen tablet menus and mobile ordering apps seem on the rise across a wide range of restaurants, from QSR franchises to casual and family dining chains. Meanwhile, in the grocery and convenience store retail sector, there is an increased interest in utilizing technology like beacons. More rewarding consumer loyalty programs and more sophisticated mobile apps are becoming mainstream across both sectors.

Driven by Millennials and their demand for convenience, experts are predicting that restaurants will be taking this trend even farther over the next year. Baum + Whitman thinks that restaurants might start making use of location-based technology and face recognition technology to give diners a more efficient and personalized experience. Hightech commerce strategies like Apple Pay will likely become more commonplace as well. It may not affect the way food will taste in 2015, but it’s certainly affecting the way we consume it.

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High Standards that reach the Consumer’s Plate

DIP takes advantage of its resources to optimize operations, provide commercial growth and improve customers’ solutions.

Written by: Mateo Rafael Tablado Interviewed and translated by: Rebecca D. Castrejon Produced by: Taybele Piven Interviewee: Eddy Wever, CEO of DIP Juan Pablo De León, VP of Business Developmentsof DIP

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Division Industrial Pecuaria

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ll markets are subject to global standards to regulate trade conditions in terms of competition and for the welfare of consumers, producers, suppliers and the environment. Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI), the mother company of DIP, follows this direction.

CMI is a family-owned multinational corporation with more than 36,000 employees, and a presence in three continents. CMI began operations nearly 90 years ago in Guatemala, and has since grown to eventually become one of the largest business groups in Latin America.

Juan Luis Bosch and Juan Jose Gutierrez are the company’s current Corporate Presidents.

Aliansa is a subsidiary of DIP with operations in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica

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L A TIN A MERIC A

With a total of seven divisions that work in the areas of milling, fast food, poultry and pork, operations are structured according to each of the business lines of the corporation along with the use of renewable energy and constant infrastructure developments.

Key People

In 2013, CMI acquired 40 percent of the telecommunications company Telefonica in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama.

Today Corporacion Multi Inversiones has a stronger presence in Central America and the Caribbean, with offices in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, USA, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Andorra, Spain,

Eddy Wever CEO of DIP Wever in an industrial engineering graduated in 1983 from the Texas A & M University, same institution from where he received a Master Degree in Science.

Since 1986 he started working for Corporacion Multi Inversiones (CMI), and in 2009 he was appointed Executive Chairman of CMI’s Animal Industry Division, Division Industrial Pecuaria.

Aliansa Headquarters in Guatemala, the strongest Central American company in the manufacture of food for animals w w w. c o r p o r a c i o n m u l t i i n v e r s i o n e s . c o m

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Italy, Bahrain, India Indonesia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Jamaica.

Division Industrial Pecuaria (the livestock division of CMI) depends on external factors such as the price of commodities like soy, wheat and flour to operate; CMI has also heavily invested in the transformation process to elevate each division into first-world manufacturers.

“We have changed our management model to standardize operations in the global market, this allows us the expansion and development of our business units,” said Eddy Wever, CEO of Division Industrial Pecuaria.

Before presiding as Executive Chairman of

Toledo is another leading and growing brand in the region.

Perfil de proveedor

Number of Employees: 1,167 at corporate level and employment generation of more than 13,000 employees at service station networks Founding Date: 1996 Industry: Importer and distributor of fuels, fuel oil, diesel, gasoline and bitumen; trading approximately 650 millions of gallons yearly in the different segments of the market.

Main Service: Meet the need of petroleum products in more than 1,300 service stations, commercial and industrial segments, bitumen and aviation fuels.

Recent Projects: In 2013 operations were expanded to Colombia by becoming the largest stockholder in Biomax Colombia, a major business group in the country.

Vice President: Fredy Nasser F. Webpage: www.uno-terra.com w w w. c o r p o r a c i o n m u l t i i n v e r s i o n e s . c o m

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DIP, Wever developed his expertise with more than 22 years of experience in different affiliate companies of CMI, such as Pollo Campero (a food chain in Central America).

Juan Pablo De Leon, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Management, has nearly 20 years of experience working with multinationals in areas such as logistics,

Inside the farm for Toledo brand

A Concentration of Resources Division Industrial Pecuaria is in the process of transforming its operational structure, due to recent management changes implemented across all CMI companies. One of these changes is the creation of common service

supplier profile

company name

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Website: address goes here as the last entry

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centers for all divisions while continuing to develop and grow brands.

T h e c o m p a n y ’s s t r a t e g i c u n i t s a r e : • Poultry products • Pork products • Processed food • Balanced pet food “Our drive is to strengthen our portfolio of products and develop our brands in an effort to be closer to our customer and for our products to reach the Central American market,” says De Leon.

supplier profile

Production fo the brand Pollo Rey

Sealed Air Central America

Expertise in food science and microbiology to create solutions that protect and enhance the food and beverage supply chain. Ensure food and beverages are processed, sold and prepared in a safe and efficient environment, extend product shelf life and reduce waste, and provide value added convenience benefits.

Website: address goes here as the last entry

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Compliance Through Medical Technology

Key People

Since 2012, Division Industrial Pecuaria integrated SAP and ERP systems in compliance with corporate regulations.

DIP’s automation process facilitates health standards, guaranteeing safety and quality in the handling of raw materials and packaging.

“We have strengthened quality control, extending it to our distribution network and logistics,” says Wever.

Juan Pablo De León VP of Business Developmentsof DIP De Leon is the current vicepresident of business development and strategic marketing of Division Industrial Pecuaria. He has worked for nearly 20 years in various companies dedicated to the massive consumer.

His resume includes working with multinational companies such as Pepsi Guatemala (now CBC - Central American Beverage Corporation).

The brand Pollo Rey is part of the livestock division of DIP

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Advanced Supply Chain Division Industrial Pecuaria takes advantage of corporate services, such as telecommunications advances, to optimize logistics and distribution.

“We rely on our strategic partners for updates in technology, especially the ones used inlogistics,” said Wever.

Alliances with Laboratories and Telecommunication Companies An important foothold for Division Industrial Pecuaria has been its partnerships with

“We use subproducts and cogenerate energy to be selfsufficient” – Juan Pablo De Leon, Vice-presidentof Business Developments for Division Industrial Pecuaria

Toledo supplies product for Pollo Rey, Pollo Indio, Pollo Campero, Tele Pizza, Domino’s Pizza and TGI Friday’s w w w. c o r p o r a c i o n m u l t i i n v e r s i o n e s . c o m

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laboratories and research centers, such as the Pan-American Agricultural School “Escuela Agrícola Panamericana”, who they have worked with to improve their livestock.

“We work with our research and development allies in regards to genetics and nutrition. It is important to highlight the partnership we have with Zamorano (EAP),” says vice president Juan Pablo De Leon.

Prepared Human Resource Human resources management at Division Industrial Pecuaria is certified with academic qualifications that meet HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles.

Pollo Rey has farms, hatcheries and processing plants in Central America

There are opportunities for advancement within the company based on skills and career plans, as well as management support for both professional and personal skills such as technical and academic training.

Another incentive to working at DIP is that the company offers competitive pay. In sum, these qualities have built loyalty to the corporation, and having qualified and satisfied employees as the greatest asset of the company.

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“We want for growth and development to be integral,” says Juan Pablo De Leon.

Sustainability The environment is an important aspect for Division Industrial Pecuaria, therefore the company works in collaboration with its affiliates to minimize its environmental footprint, leveraging resources such as manure, which is used as a friendly fertilizer.

The company performs a strict practice of reforestation on each farm and treated water meets green standards. At the end of 2014, DIP will complete the installment of biodigesters in pig farms.

“We use sub-products and cogenerate energy to be self-sufficient,” says De Leon.

Growth Projections DIP is currently focused on the expansion of its brands Pollo Rey in Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica; Pollo Indio in El Salvador and Pollo Toledo into new markets through investments, partnerships or acquisitions.

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Dentro de la planta de Divisi贸n Industrial Pecuaria

L A TIN A MERIC A

Additionally, it is planning for an increase in production capacity in the fields of processed foods and balanced pet food.

Company Information name

“We depend on innovation for the development of new products, and to gain quality, good content and better costs,” said Wever.

“We rely on our strategic partners for updates in technology, especially the ones used in logistics”

Division Industrial Pecuaria (Corporacion Multi Inversiones) Industry

Poultry and pork products headquarters

Guatemala, Departament of Guatemala, Guatemala founded

1960 emplOyees

10,000+ website www.corporacionmultiinversiones.com

– Eddy Wever, CEO of Division Industrial Pecuaria

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From the

ocean to your table Altamar Foods has a proven leadership in seafood quality by following global standards in aquaculture.

Written by: Mateo Rafael Tablado Interview by: Rebecca Castrejon Produced by: Taybele Piven Interviewee: Alberto Pescatore, Founder and President of Altamar Foods Corp

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A lta m a r F o o d s C o r p.

T

Mahi mahi portions

he inception, growth and success of Altamar Foods are parallel with the evolution and progress of Alberto Pescatore, current President and founder of the company, who at age 17 started operating this new business by traveling to the East Coast of Venezuela in his journey to bring quality seafood to the capital, and to what later was established as the first headquarters of Altamar in Caracas.

His first business transaction was so successful that he was able to acquire credit to buy a truck for transportation. Months later, Altamar Foods had a respectable fleet and business in the country.

Some of their milestones include: 1. A direct distribution into restaurants, hotels and hospitals.

2. An increase in its portfolio of products.

3. Becoming a well-known company, with drivers, a fleet and sales managers.

Altamar Foods currently exports to all South America and the United States with products that maintain quality and integrity. “We have personnel that have worked in other companies and have not been able to succeed in those places because no one detected or

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developed their capabilities; for me it is a pleasure to see hundreds of employees succeed�, said Alberto Pescatore, Founder and President of Altamar Foods Corp.

The Beginning of a Global Brand Shortly after the company was created, Altamar Foods became a supplier to retail chains such as CATIVEN, Madeiran and Makro, and expanded its services to hospitals, restaurants and the military, among other clients.

Pretty fish from Piura, Peru

With the growth of the company, imports to Venezuela also increased, mainly because other suppliers hardly satisfied the demand for fish and other seafood related products. It was then that Altamar Foods turned to Peru, Chile, Argentina,

Stock products of Altamar Foods in Piura, Peru w w w. a l t a m a r f o o d s . c o m

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A lta m a r F o o d s C o r p.

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Ecuador and Surinam to bring marine products and meet the needs of Venezuelan customers.

When the political conditions in Venezuela changed due to devaluations, the company moved to Peru and established a central office to export more products to the United States and around the world.

Technology and Training Altamar Food’s dedication in providing the best possible sea products manifests in its constant renewal of fishing fleet and giving employees the most modern equipment to optimize productivity.

Quality control in the production plant

Ready to export fish products w w w. a l t a m a r f o o d s . c o m

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A lta m a r F o o d s C o r p.

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Another important factor they enforce is the freezing process handled with global standards and from which they have industrial certifications.

The process starts in the fishing boat, continues in transportation by land and finalizes in processing plants.

Increasing Productivity and Sustainability Altamar Foods has taken a giant step by investing US $25 million in a processing plant located in the city of Piura, Peru. The new plant will be completely automated with a minimal margin of error, thus delivering a reliable product.

Packed mahi mahi portions

Quality control in Altamar Foods w w w. a l t a m a r f o o d s . c o m

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A lta m a r F o o d s C o r p.

Product of Altamar Foods Corp.

“We have a projected growth of 1,000 percent due to the size, freezing capacity, storage and amount of technology integrated in the plant,” Pescatore said.

Giant Squid wings

One of the most important features in the plant is the use of resources; the company uses LED lights in most areas.

“Altamar Foods depends on renewable resources,” Pescatore said.

Additionally, the company has two water treatment plants (for sanitary and industrial waste,

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and the treatment of third-party water), which produce potable quality water for use in irrigation systems.

Company Information name

Partners and Suppliers in all Processes

Altamar Foods Corp.

Altamar Foods maintains strong relationships with its logistical suppliers, providing the best equipment to the fishermen that travel to catch quality ingredients, and investing with large corporations in developments such as the construction of their new plant in Peru.

Industry

Fish / Seafood (frozen) headquarters

- Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

- Offices in Peru and the United States

Projections Based on Exports founded

Altamar Foods believes that there are still many countries left to be explored and marketed to.

The goals for the company in the next five years are high according to the future demands of the population, and the productivity and development of their new plant in Peru.

1992 employees

500 revenue

US $100 million (aprox.)

“It is important to develop the environment in which we live.

Altamar Foods depends on renewable resources”

website

www.altamarfoods.com

– Alberto Pescatore, Founder and President of Altamar Foods Corp. w w w. a l t a m a r f o o d s . c o m

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Wok Box

Wok Box Takes Fresh to a New Audience Wok Box CEO Lawrence Eade discusses fresh Asian cuisine and taking his franchise south to a new market in the United States Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Sean Bakke

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Wok Box

Singapore Cashew Noodle Box

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ok Box was founded in 2004, built on a concept of fresh, healthy, affordable and fun Pan-Asian cuisine. It’s a concept that the market needed, and Wok Box has responded to public demand with rapid growth—today the Edmontonbased franchise stands sixty locations strong. Now upon its tenth anniversary, the fast casual chain is ready to take that growth even further.

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Branching Out into New Territories Wok Box is not a franchise content to stay local—it’s intent on spreading its mission of fresh Asian cuisine far and wide, starting with spreading east into Ontario as well as crossing the border south into the United States.

“In the US, we think our product is able to fit in most major metropolitan markets,” says Eade, noting that the franchise is already in development stages in Arizona, Texas, Florida,

CANADA

WokBox-MenuBoards

and South Carolina with further deals in the works in various parts of the Midwest. “It’s just about finding the right partners.”

What does it mean to be the right partner? “With experienced multi-unit operators, we’re looking at how they run their restaurants,” says Eade. “Are they following the systems that they currently have?

How do they track and grow their own performance on their own business model?”

Because Wok Box is an entry level franchise with a 300K capital point, it also attracts entry level franchisees who may not have a proven track

record of franchise success to draw from yet. For these franchisees, it all comes down to personality.

“Owning your own business and your own restaurant is about tackling problems, mitigating issues, and following systems,” says Eade.

“So the most important trait for us in seeing success once the doors have opened, is this: are they able to take the issues they’re been presented with and deal with them, or are they going to freeze and let things overtake them and overwhelm them?

For people that haven’t had any business experience, the one trait we really look for is a can-do attitude.” w w w. w o k b o x . u s

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Wok Box Consistency and the Challenges of a New Market A major challenge for any franchised restaurant chain is maintaining consistent quality across all of your locations. Wok Box attributes much of its success in this area across its Canada locations to the strength of its supply chain and partnerships, boosted by focused tracking systems that help the company and individual franchises manage costs and supplies from location to location.

“We have a really strong Canadian established brand where everyone runs the same menu and products— so it’s just about partnering with really good vendors, whether it’s our sauce supplier or our noodle supplier or our broadline distributor Gordon Food Service,” says Eade. “They really help us get the product where we need it to go, and whenever there’s a hiccup or a hurdle to overcome, having that good partnership makes everyone jump to the bit when there’s something to solve.”

According to Eade, Wok Box’s growth into the United States has presented new challenges as the business endeavors to build a strong

CANADA

supply chain from scratch in this new territory. It’s a challenge that requires creativity and flexibility to overcome, making hyperlocal adjustments to fit the regional availability of ingredients and supplies, but this kind of flexibility plays perfectly into Wok Box’s strengths.

“That’s the beautiful thing about our brand,” Eade explains. “All our stores in [a market] run the same menu, but if [another market] has a slightly different menu, customers aren’t going to care because our commitment to our customer is providing high quality great Asian food. If there’s a slightly variant menu in different markets, that’s totally fine because customers know that the quality is going to be there.”

Social Media and the Power of Localization As Wok Box grows its presence in new markets, creating a strong social media strategy is more important than ever before. But the social media landscape is changing, and an effective strategy has to be ready to change along with it.

“Five years ago, having a website w w w. w o k b o x . u s

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Wok Box

MOUNTAIN TOP FOODS IS PROUD TO BE A BUSINESS PARTNER OF WOK BOX

Here at Mountain Top Foods we are dedicated to creating superior food products using meats and ingredients of only the best quality. From Boneless Dry Garlic Pork Ribs to our Ginger Chicken.

We know your taste buds will be more than satisfied. Our production process involves the strict production guidelines so you know that you are consistently getting a great quality product each and every time!

Phone: 403.242.0455 | Fax: 403.646.2283 www.mountaintopfoods.com

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and pushing everyone to the same Facebook page whether they’re in South Florida or Seattle was what you needed to do—but now people are only interested in what’s going on in their own market, whether it’s a new business owner looking for new businesses or a customer looking for new food,” Eade explains. “With what social media is doing, our strategy with social media is hyperlocalized content. That could be telling our consumers in South Florida: we have a new product coming out, or a new store opening in

CANADA

greater Ft Lauderdale so here’s some information about that. Or it could be reaching out to Detroit area franchisees of other systems, asking: have you considered adding to your portfolio? It’s really about tailoring the content to those local people whether it’s through Facebook or Twitter, Instagram or even Yelp.”

Company Information Industry

Asian QSR Franchise headquarters

When Trends are The Norm In the franchising industry, trends come and go.

But many recent trends sweeping the industry are just business as usual at Wok Box. Set apart by its fresh menu and fun youthful branding, Wok Box doesn’t follow trends—it sets them.

“Last year Subway made a huge splash with sriracha, and that was a massive trend—well, we’ve been using sriracha since day one since it’s a staple of Asian food,” notes Eade. “There are some things we do where they’re trends, but they’re just a part of our core menu. We’ve had gluten free dishes from day one, plus GMO free, steroid free chicken, and steroid free beef.

These are big healthy ‘know what you’re eating’ trends in our industry, and we kind of take those for granted, because that’s what our brand is.

It’s about providing really high quality freshly prepared delicious Asian products. In doing that, we’re kind of meeting those trends anyway.

“We’re all young guys in the restaurant industry, and we’ve got fun thoughts and our fingers on the pulse,” he adds. “I think that’s what sets us apart.“

British Columbia, CANADA founded

2004

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Toad ‘n’ Turtle Pubhouse and G

Toad ‘N’ Turtle Gets Ready to

From smoked meats to a quality corporate culture, owner a Tomlinson discusses what makes Toad ‘n’ Turtle Pubhouse unique and what’s in store for the future Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Sean Bakke

Grill

o Grow

and CEO Paul e and Grill

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Toad ‘n’ Turtle Pubhouse and Grill

The wood... everyone’s favorite spot to watch all the action!

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oad ‘n’ Turtle Pubhouse and Grill first opened in Calgary in 2001 with a vision to update and invigorate the traditional English pub concept. It’s a concept that’s proven successful, expanding outward to four locations throughout Alberta today. Now with plans to franchise on the horizon, Toad ‘n’ Turtle is ready to bring its quality food and friendly atmosphere to a whole new audience.

A Creative Menu That Keeps Customers Coming Back At its heart, Toad ‘n’ Turtle is a traditional pub and grill. It’s also 72

January 2015

a lot more, known as much for its award-winning hot wings as it is for its more out-of-the-box fare like Maui Ribs and “Toadstool” stuffed mushrooms. By putting creativity front and center, the chain has developed a menu that’s vibrant and exciting for both consumers and Toad ‘n’ Turtle staff.

“We have Red Seal chefs in every location, and we are constantly developing menu items throughout the year,” says Tomlinson. “We have an executive chef who works with our corporate chefs, and they’re always looking at new trends and new products and things that

CANADA

Some of the employees at the International Flavour TV shoot

customers may want.” One of its most prominent developments is the Toad ‘n’ Turtle Smoke Shack, an in-house meat and cheese smoking program that has held its ground against some of the stiffest competition at Calgary’s BBQ on the Bow, winning awards three years over and taking first place in the coveted brisket division.

Beyond its central corporate culinary team, Toad ‘n’ Turtle also allows employees at its individual restaurants to stretch their wings.

“We do weekly features, where at each location chefs are able to put forward their own ideas,” he

explains. “We track the sales of those new items and will move them from store to store to see how they do in different markets, to give us an indication of if it’s something that should be placed on our menu.”

A Corporate Culture Built on Care and Respect The trust that Toad ‘n’ Turtle puts in its culinary team is all part of its overarching commitment to a strong positive corporate culture.

One unique issue facing businesses in Alberta is employment—the province has a booming job market, which means that a restaurant chain w w w. t o a d n t u r t l e . c a

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Toad ‘n’ Turtle Pubhouse and Grill like Toad ‘n’ Turtle cannot compete on wages alone. To attract and retain high quality employees, the cultivating a more holistic strategy is vital.

“What we try to do is create an environment where the staff are empowered and respected,” says Tomlinson. With programs like weekly features, chefs are given a level of autonomy and creative license in the kitchen and opportunities to expand their areas of culinary expertise. For both frontof-house and back-of-house, Toad

Seko Construction is a Design-Build General Contractor specializing in commercial and industrial projects in Western Canada.

Calgary Office: 403.212.0800 jsavage@sekoconstruction.com 139, 808 – 42 Ave SE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2G 1Y9 sekoconstruction.com

‘n’ Turtle makes a concentrated effort to show appreciation for its employees through staff functions and support them in their personal needs and endeavors.

“It’s important for us to have a company mentality of treating our people well,” Tomlinson continues.

“Most employees aren’t truly respected by their managers or the ownership of the company, but in our case, they are. We work with them, and I think that’s a reason we keep a lot of long term staff—they

CANADA

enjoy where they’re working. A lot of people are in the industry because they like it. We try to hire those people, and then keep them motivated to stay.”

A Future in Franchising What does the future hold for Toad ‘n’ Turtle?

“We’d like to start looking at franchising in the next year,” says Tomlinson. “We definitely have a proven concept—it’s been around for 13 years, we’ve had a number of competitors come and go, but we’re still here with strong sales and a very loyal customer base. So we know that it’s a concept that can be franchised, we have that proven track record. For us, it’s a way to grow the company through economies of scale and better purchasing power for all involved.”

The company also sees a lot of opportunities in cities throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan, with demand already from Edmonton to Regina and Saskatoon, proving that there is a true place in the market for what Toad ‘n’ Turtle can offer.

“There are lots of opportunities, especially for an operation such as ours,” Tomlinson explains.

“We’re somewhere you can go on a date, or you can go out with friends, and there’s quality food and quality atmosphere. It’s not a bar, and it’s not a nightclub. You can go there have an enjoyable evening and have nice wines and stay all night. There’s no pressure, we’re not trying to flip tables—we’re trying to create atmosphere and long term customers.”

Company Information Industry

Pub Style Restaurant Chain headquarters

Calgary, AB, Canada founded

2001 employees

190

w w w. t o a d n t u r t l e . c a

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Zambrero:

Changing the World w and Good Work

Discussing healthful cuisine, humanitarian work Zambrero CEO Stuart Cook.

Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Sean Bakke

with Good Food

k, and worldwide growth with

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Zambrero

Staff members Matt & Steph

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hen Dr. Sam Prince was still a medical student, he funded his education by working at a Mexican restaurant.

It was there that he fell in love with the idea of bringing a fresher and healthier side of Mexican cuisine to Australian consumers. Out of that 78

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concept, Zambrero was born – and since then, it has been growing fast.

Today, the fresh Mexican franchise boasts more than 60 locations and is opening at a rapid pace to reach consumers with feel-good food and a feel-good philanthropic message.

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The busy Zambrero line is designed for efficiency.

A Franchise With A Cause “We want to create a global brand that stands for something,” says Stuart Cook, CEO at Zambrero.

Philanthropy has been present within the brand in some form or another since day one, and its current outlet for humanitarian work

is its Plate 4 Plate program, which works with distribution partner Stop Hunger Now to provide a plate of food to a person in need for every burrito or bowl purchased.

“Sam’s background is parents who were born to very humble beginnings – it’s only through the w w w. z a m b r e r o . c o m

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education process that he was able to have the life he has in Australia,” explains Cook. “Dr. Prince and I don’t really believe in luck except for where you’re born. Part of our goal with this business is to even the playing field by providing every child with clean water and healthy food. That’s why every time we feed somebody at Zambrero, we feed another child overseas.”

At the moment, Zambrero has provided nearly 4 million meals through its Plate 4 Plate program,

Zambrero

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so far. But Zambrero understands this, and is able to confidently stand behind its products just as strongly as its philosophies.

“Giving back, educating people — while all of these things are great, at the end of the day the customer comes to your restaurant for one reason and one reason only: because they’re hungry,” notes Cook. “You must deliver on product time and time again, and one of our philosophies is that you’re only as strong as your weakest menu item. If you go to one of our restaurants, I should be confident in every single one of our menu items.”

Zambrero has put this philosophy into action by creating a menu that is small, sharp, and to the point. “Some other restaurants feel they have to cater to everybody and will have a hundred menu items — but what happens is you get paralysed by choice, Backing Up The Cause With A and then you get food envy of the Quality Product person next to you,” says Cook.

Supporting a higher cause is always “So we’re focused on simplicity: noble — but when you’re a restaurant making burritos, tacos, and bowls, franchise first and foremost, noble and making those really well.” intentions will only get your business providing essential support to in-school meal programs and people in impoverished regions and disaster sites in need around the world. Since the one-for-one model means that the strength of Zambrero’s humanitarian work is directly tied to the strength of its sales and franchise growth, that number is expected to double in short order. What’s more: by publicizing its mission, Zambrero is able to educate consumers about humanitarian issues and inspire them to take action.

“There is definitely a feeling of giving back,” says Cook. “Aid work can be very overwhelming.

But as the saying goes: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Just by encouraging people and educating people about it, they can become aware of little things they can do to help. That is a big motivator and differentiator.”

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Zambrero

Zambrero Founder, Dr Sam Prince to celebrate the opening 82

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Taking the Cause to a Global Platform Zambrero has no intention of putting a limit on the audience it can reach or the good that it can put out into the world: next on the agenda for Zambrero is international growth. Zambrero is currently opening one new location every week, and expanding outward into New Zealand with the launch of four new locations across Auckland and Wellington. The franchise is currently looking for the right partners to move into such varied markets as the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. As it grows, the Zambrero team is also focusing on surrounding itself with experienced talent who can help guide the growing business toward international success.

“Like our product, we focus on simplicity with our store design and store build,” says Cook. “We will cater the menu to individual markets, and will accordingly make slight adjustments into each market. But because we’ve built the back end systems incredibly simplified, and our operations are already strong, we can easily work with partners to expand very quickly. So in the next five years, we do have a target of 1,000 in the next five years; probably 250 of those will be within Australia and the rest outside.” portfolio, a combination of rejuvenating existing brands and bringing to market a number of new beverages.

Company Information Industry

Food headquarters

Sydney, Australia founded

2005 products/ services

Zambrero is a fast casual franchise specializing in fresh, healthy Mexican cuisine.

Founded in 2005 by Dr. Sam Price, Zambrero is dedicated to supporting humanitarian and human rights endeavors through its Plate 4 Plate project, which works to provide good food to hungry customers and people in need around the world.

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Australian Horticultural Export Services (AHEA)

A u s t r a l i a n H o r t i c u lt u r a l E x p o r t S e r v i c e s

What does AHEA do?

Australian Horticultural Export Services (AHEA) is a national association formed to promote the development of the export and import of fresh horticultural produce.

AHEA’s Board and Members are representative stakeholders across the horticulture industry.

Why was the AHEA formed?

The beginnings of AHEA go back to the 1960’s, however, in its current form as the peak industry body for Australian horticultural exporters, it commenced in 1987, as a ‘not for profit’ organisation 86

January 2015

representing the interests of Australian horticultural exporters to both Government and industry.

Nowadays, AHEA operates under a new constitution as a notfor-profit company limited by guarantee and has incorporated imports into its company objects.

The AHEA represents over 80% of horticultural exports in Australia by volume.

Michelle Christoe is the Managing Director and has seen a reinvigoration of the AHEA profile and greater involvement in the myriad of industry issues. This AHEA commitment is of course ably

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supported by the voluntary AHEA Chair, David Minnis, and dedicated Directors who devote much time and personal resources on the behalf of the horticulture industry.

Past 18 months?

Over the past 18 months, the AHEA has conscientiously represented Member interests to Government (State and Federal) on issues such as the fruit fly strategy, HAL Review, Agriculture Competitiveness White Paper, Air Cargo Supply Chain Security protocols, Government rebate extension for industry, Country Protocol development,

market access and maintenance, DAFF/AQIS operational issues and charging (requesting extension of hours/weekend support and reducing turnaround times), as well as liaising with shipping companies on shipping services, charges and container availability. Regular correspondence and meetings have been held between AHEA and the government Departments, Ministers, Senators and supply chain stakeholders.

During this period, AHEA has conducted several well attended Market and Trade Forums in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to w w w. h o r t i c u l t u r e . c o m . a u /

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A u s t r a l i a n H o r t i c u lt u r a l E x p o r t S e r v i c e s Fresh Australian fruit and vegetables

very receptive industry participants who have also provided feedback on current issues and difficulties being experienced on the ground. These Forums have been incorporated into industry events, International Food Festivals and Asian delegation tours.

The important links AHEA has developed with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Transport 88

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& Infrastructure allows it to pursue multiple issues on behalf of horticulture that affect exports and imports.

AHEA officers are in continuous contact with DFAT with submissions and updates on the all relevant FTAs, including Korea, Japan, China, New Zealand, USA and India.

AHEA is currently undergoing

food

accreditation processes to become a Standards Development Organisation so it can develop Australian Standards for the horticulture industry. The Standards developed would form a benchmark for industry and combine various regulated audits so not to increase costs to industry.

The Department of Agriculture

are keen for AHEA to progress the development of an internationally recognised, Export Standard for Horticulture similar to NZ. The scope for AHEA will be to develop Australian export standards for fresh horticultural resources in the post harvest area which include packaging, labelling, handling, storage, cold chain, quality control, w w w. h o r t i c u l t u r e . c o m . a u /

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A u s t r a l i a n H o r t i c u lt u r a l E x p o r t S e r v i c e s

pest control, post harvest washing, treatment and presentation. The objective would be to give the Department a standard for Australia to use as a basis for discussions and assist in gaining more consistency of agreed protocols 90

January 2015

across countries, substantiated by Australia’s standard .

AHEA represents horticulture industry on the Food Imports Committee (FIC) and is currently finalising formation of a Horticulture Imports Committee (HIC) to facilitate

a u s t r al i a

valuable grass roots input to the FIC, focussing on key issues and priorities for horticultural imports into Australia.

AHEA has been successful in obtaining funding this year in the Austrade Asian Business Development Grant round which, amongst other outcomes, will allow development of an Australian Horticulture Export Portal (AHEP) to foster knowledge sharing between Australian exporters and Asian importers, revised software interface with XDocs system and workshops to train new exporters.

• Biosecurity Roundtable Meetings; • International Horticultural Congress at which AHEA hosted a Workshop attended by 55 delegates on the disinfestation treatments of fruit flies; • Asia Fruit Logistica including AHEA network event (200 attendees) and launch of Restaurant Australia in Hong Kong • Inquiry into increasing exports of goods and services from Regional Victoria • Austrade National Food Brand research

Additional AHEA Representation AHEA regularly provides feedback to the various govt and agency reviews / enquiries and also is represented in the following forums:

AHEA Executive Director, Michelle Christoe noted that “The AHEA is self funded in its activities to nationally represent the views and issues of horticulture exporters and importers to government and across the supply chain. It is necessary to have your say and get involved.”

AHEA is currently organising workshops for growers on ‘how to export’, shortly to release a new export horticulture brochure and horticulture portal…watch this space!

• Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RSCG); • HAL Export Symposium; • Malaysian, China and Thailand Bilateral meetings; • Multiple meetings with Ministers and Federal Departmental officers; • ABARES conference;

w w w. h o r t i c u l t u r e . c o m . a u /

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