The Bottom Line Magazine, December 2022

1 Prologis Blvd., Ste. 400, Mississauga, ON, L5W 0G2 519-668-3396

May your holiday season be all wrapped up with cheer and filled with celebration for the New Year.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful new year filled with abundance, joy, and treasured moments. Our members and partners are important to us, and we look forward to sharing another year with you.

May 2023 be your best year yet!

Christos N. Kyriakopoulos Vice President

Rich Hsu General Manager

Peter N. Kalantzis Senior Director of Sales

Mandy Ouellette

Account Manager - Foodservice

Kiran Thandi Account Manager - Foodservice

Rahul Patel

Account Manager - Foodservice

Victoria Lange Account Manager - Foodservice

Gerardo Damore Account Manager - Foodservice

Nancy Rasic Associate Account Manager

Susan Batsford Marketing Manager / Graphic Designer

Troy Taylor VP Strategic Development

Food for thought In-season

Here’s three fresh in-season ingredients you can incorporate into your menus right now plus some interesting food fodder to feed your brain

GRAPEFRUIT

• China is the world’s largest producer of grapefruits. Florida leads grapefruit production in the U.S., followed by California and Texas.

• The name for the grapefruit was created by a Jamaican farmer when he noticed the fruit grew in clusters similar to grapes.

• Up to 25 grapefruits can grow in a cluster.

• Grapefruit has 92% water — more than most other fruits.

• Grapefruit comes in several colors including pink, red, white and golden.

• Dark pink and red grapefruits are slightly more nutritious than yellow or white grapefruits.

• Grapefruit tastes best at room temperature.

CLEMENTINES

• Clementines are usually only available during the Christmas season, nicknaming them the “Christmas orange”. Their harvest time is from November to January.

• While clementines are similar to mandarins, they have less calories and much more Vitamin C.

• Clementines are hybrids between mandarin oranges and sweet oranges.

• Clementines are seedless (or have very few seeds).

• Clementines are noticeably sweeter than most other varieties of oranges. There’s almost no bitterness or sour flavor.

• Store clementines in a cool place but don’t refrigerate them. As with all citrus, don’t store clementines in plastic, either. It will make them sweat and spoil much quicker than they would when just left out to breathe at room temperature.

• Most clementines are grown in China, though Spain, Morocco, and California are famous for growing them as well.

BLOOD ORANGES

• The red color of blood oranges is the result of anthocyanin, which develops when these citrus fruits ripen during warm days tempered with cooler nights.

• Anthocyanins are uncommon in citrus and much more common in berries and flowers.

• Blood oranges tend to be easier to peel than other oranges, often have fewer seeds, and have a sweeter taste.

• Their season is typically from December through April.

• It’s believed that blood oranges were a mutation of the tangelo and pomelo.

• There are 15 different varieties. Tarocco, Sanguinello, Moro are the three most common.

• The ‘Moro’ is the most colorful of the blood oranges, with a deep red flesh and a rind with a bright red blush. The flavor is stronger and the aroma is more intense than a normal orange.

• Blood oranges thrive in Mediterranean climates such as Italy, Spain and Malta. California produces the majority of the U.S. crop.

~R.I.B.A.

TIP:

Clementines are not particularly juicy—it would take a lot of them to yield a significant amount of juice—so they are best used as whole segments.

TIP:

Grapefruit can react with certain medications, so be sure to clearly state it as an ingredient in any prepared dish.

TIP:

Blood oranges have a raspberry like flavor. They pair well with leafy greens, especially bitter varieties, as the sweetness balances the flavors.

Back Row, left to right: Louie Papadakos, Sr Director of Business Implementation; Chris Kyriakopoulos, VP RIBA/Foodbuy Foodservice; Andrew Neilson, Business Development Manager; Chris Delaney, VP Growth

Seated, left to right: Troy Taylor, VP of Strategic Development; Mel Harder, Sr Director, Category Development; Tracey Macisaac, Sr Director, Category Development; Kerstin Fulford, Senior Director of Implementation; Lalita Saulite, Sr Director, Sourcing; Ashley Mabee, Channel Director

Celebrating our Team

Our Foodbuy Leadership Team recently had the pleasure of attending the 2022 Compass Annual Conference in Toronto. The conference celebrated the accomplishments of Compass Canada and all of it’s divisions, including Foodbuy, and its many members who share in the leadership commitments of We Care, We Share, We Dream, We Deliver.

Compass Group Canada is the country’s leading foodservice and support services provider with over 25,000 associates working in more than 2,200 locations throughout the country. The company specializes in providing foodservices and support services across the core sectors including leading sports and leisure venues, executive dining rooms and cafes, schools, universities, seniors’ residences and hospitals as well as remote camps and off shore oil rigs.

Giving old trends

A NEW LIFE

Make 2023 a break out year for your menu and LTOs.

In the coming year, vow to be brave, daring and adventurous in your kitchen when it comes to creating new menu items. It’s time to start breaking the rules and turning the box inside out. Your customers want to be adventurous when it comes to foods. New foods will draw in the curious eaters.

Scratching your head and wondering where to start? Here’s six tips to get you started that include everything from changing up the ingredients you use to the prep methods you choose. So don’t stick with the tried and true — shake it up a bit (or bake it, or fry it, or chill it.....)

of consumers say they look forward to trying new food and beverage trends

51% 49%

Among all generations, Gen Z consumers are most willing to take a leap of faith with new and experimental dining experiences will try a new food just because it sounds exciting will only try a new food if they think it will taste good

~Source: Datassential

1SWAP LIKE FOR LIKE

Switching up the ingredients in a recipe is easy way to create a new flavour profile. Swap like for like, such as pineapple for coconut, or chocolate for caramel. Cocktails are often doing this to give a new twist to an old classic.

PLAY WITH THE PREP METHODS

If your menu item is usually fried, can you bake it? and vice-versa? Somebody was once innovative enough to deep a fry a Mars bar, and look what happened...

CHANGE THE FORMAT

Put it in a packet, make it bigger, make it smaller. Who said pizza has to be round and cut into slices to eat? Try rolling it for an easyto-eat street food format. Serve your taco in a cone-shaped shell. Turn your hamburger into a calzone...There’s ample opportunities for new ‘packaging’ of your food.

TAKE IT TO ANOTHER COUNTRY

SWAP INGREDIENTS

Switch one of the main components of your dish for something unexpected. A sandwich doesn’t have to have bread on the outside (remember KFC’s double down sandwich that used the chicken as the bun?) Lasagna can be made with zucchini noodles for the healthier side. And pizza toppings can be put on nacho chips instead of crust. Pizza nachos anyone?

Fusion cuisine is cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions that originate from different countries, regions, or cultures. Tex-mex and is a good tried and true example of this, but you’ll need to go further outside the box if you want the wow factor. What would your menu look like if it was created in India or Asia? Mexican hot dogs? Sushi-pizza? Italian tacos? The possibilities are endless.

RIP IT APART

Deconstruct it. Reconstruct it. Take one food item from your menu. Pull all the ingredients apart, and put them back together in a new format. It’s harder than you might thinks, but the results can be stunning.

Marketing

When it comes to LTOs, the best ingredients are...

Not all limited-time offers are created equal, according to Technomic’s menu experts Lizzy Freier and Katie Belflower.

Consumers were asked to rank LTOs as to how likely they would be to purchase that menu item by using only the menu name and description, without seeing or tasting the food.

The results were tabulated and it was clear that certain ingredients, flavors and cooking styles were favoured.

Apple desserts, bacon and steak all drew high marks.

Apple was clearly the favoured pie flavour and desserts such as apple cobbler and caramel apple pie crisp drew high

Technomic also measures an LTO for its draw (which can translate to incremental traffic) and its craveability (which translates to incremental sales).

Seafood scored high for draw because consumers would rather order it from a restaurant than cook it at home. (Think Lobster Thermidore , shrimp scampi or crabcakes).

As far as craveability goes, items that scored the highest tended to be comforting, indulgent foods such as steak and mushrooms and chocolate peanut butter treats.

Digging deeper into the results shows that gender and age play a part in what is preferred.

If you want your LTO to appeal to men, use the words “bacon,” “steak” or “meat” in the name or description.

If you want to appeal to women, try an LTO that involves cookies. Berry breakfasts also scored high.

Baby Boomers tended to go for dishes with seafood, fruit and sweeter flavors.

Gen X wants generous portions.

Gen Z goes for Tex-Mex items, carb-loaded foods like fries and mac ‘n cheese, and dessert-breakfast mashups.

Millenials seem to prefer healthier eating. But they also love a good steak.

~R.I.B.A.

Celebrate with new LTOs...

When it comes to getting ideas for new LTOs, just take a look at the calendar. There’s plenty of food days, food months, special days and national days that can be used to market new food offerings.

January

National Tea Month

National Soup Month 1: New Year’s Day 1: National hangover Day 22: Chinese New Year 31: National Hot Chocolate Day

February

Potato Lovers month 2: Groundhog Day 14: Valentine’s Day 21: Mardi Gras 21: Shrove Tuesday 21: Family Day

March

Maple sugar month 8: International Woman’s Day 12: Daylight Saving Time starts 17: St. Patrick’s Day 20: First Day of Spring

April 1: April Fool’s Day 7: National Beer Day 9: Easter Sunday 26: National Pretzel Day

May National Hamburger month

Cinco de Mayo

July

National Hot Dog month

Celebrate summer month 1: Canada Day 7: World Chocolate Day 19: National Hot Dog Day August 1: Civic Day 1: Food Day Canada 4: International Beer Day

September

Pumpkin Spice season begins 2: International Bacon Day 4: Labour Day 18: National Cheeseburger Day 16: Oktoberfest 19: Talk like a Pirate Day 29: National Coffee Day

October

National Seafood month 1: World Vegetarian Day 1: International Coffee Day 9: Thanksgiving 21: National Apple Day 31: Halloween

Movember

Men’s health issues

June

Graduates month

World Milk Day

Chocolate Ice Cream Day

National Martini Day

Father’s Day

First Day of Summer

Nat’l Indigenous Peoples Day

National Peanut Butter Lovers month 1: World Vegan Day 5: Daylight Saving Time ends 6: National Nachos Day 11: Remembrance Day

December

National Egg Nog month 21: First Day of Winter 25: Christmas 26: Boxing Day 31: New Year’s Eve

For 125 years, our people, our customers, our suppliers, our partners and our communities have worked together for good. We conduct good business and bring good people together over good food.

Our shared experiences are what create the Gordon Food Service® story. Every order, every delivery, every meal.

Here to serve you at gfs.ca.

Enjoy the convience of creating meals with Premier Meats. Our meats are already cooked sous-vide, so they save you valuable time in the kitchen. These products only take a few minutes to heat and you’ll have consistent flavours and textures every time. Aand with the addition of a few extra ingredients, you’ll be able to get creative with these great tasting main protein dishes that will satisfy every diner in your restaurant.

Protect yourself from fraud

While fraud is an unsettling topic, you’ll feel more empowered when you know what to look for and how to firm up your security measures.

From hiring professional mitigators to strengthening your online operations to reporting fraud to the proper authorities, there are a number of ways to secure your business and fight fraud. Remember, too, that large, trusted financial services companies can also help you protect your small business against fraud.

7 types of fraud small business owners need

to watch for

1 | PAYMENT AND BANKING FRAUD WITH CUSTOMERS, SCAMMERS, OR SUPPLIERS

This type of fraud could appear in a few different ways. For example, it could be as simple as a customer paying with an unauthorized credit card, or as complex as a perpetrator pretending to be someone from your bank who calls and asks you to submit your account information over the phone. These types of activities can hurt your finances and cause headaches for your company.

2 | EMBEZZLEMENT

Employee embezzlement is, unfortunately,

a potential reality in business. If bills aren’t paid correctly or your books aren’t adding up properly, it’s worth investigating. If your small business has employees with a lot of access to the money side of the operation — perhaps they accept payments or handle accounting on the processing side — you need to put protections in place to keep your finances in order.

3 | POINT-OF-SALE SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN TAMPERED WITH

POS systems are susceptible to criminal attacks, too, as hackers will try to access customer data and payment information. This may show up as failed login attempts or slow service. Keep on top of updating and strengthening your platforms and online network so you decrease your risk. You also need to protect your POS systems from physical tampering. Some criminals might try to use a recording device or card skimmer to steal credit card numbers.

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The latest method is called a shimmer, which is a microchip inserted into a card reader. Regular physical and technological security checks can save small businesses time and money in the long run.

4 | CHARGEBACK OR GIFT CARD FRAUD

A chargeback occurs when a customer disputes a charge on their debit or credit card. During the dispute process, the issuer will typically credit the cardholder. Some chargebacks are legitimate, such as if the customer never received a service or product, and therefore, the person is entitled to receive their money back (here’s chargeback information for merchants from Visa). Unfortunately, some users file erroneous chargebacks. For example, they may receive a product and still challenge the charge on their account. On top of lost business revenue, frequent chargebacks can sometimes put your business account in jeopardy with certain payment companies.

Gift card fraud can happen in a few different ways. On the consumer side, a scammer might pretend they’re a family member or representative from a business and request payments via gift cards. Some junk emails and websites also offer “free” or discounted gift cards that are not legitimate.

These cards offer fewer consumer protections and can be hard to link to the perpetrator, so these scams are rampant. In fact, in just two months in 2021, 23 people in the Waterloo region were targets of gift card scams. The victims lost a combined total of $57,430.

On the business side, gift card scams can negatively affect your operation in a couple of ways. For instance, if a scammer hacks into someone’s credit card account and purchases several gift cards to your store, the victim may be able to successfully file a chargeback. This leaves you on the hook for those losses. Additionally, this type of activity could ding the reputation

of your business, fair or not, if someone experiences fraud through you.

5 | FAKE ORDERS

This type of scam has several varieties. Scammers can replicate legitimate-looking order emails or text messages that ask recipients to click on a compromised link or ask them to verify payment information.

In another fake order scam, your business might receive an official-looking invoice that’s actually fraudulent. It could be for office supplies that you never actually ordered or received. Because it appears legitimate, however, it’s possible that your finance team would mistakenly pay it.

6 | STOLEN CREDIT CARDS

Whether someone loses their card and fails to report it missing, or a business throws out paper with sensitive information on it, there are numerous ways for a credit card to end up in the wrong hands. As such, almost 39% of people said they refuse to use their credit card with certain merchants and establishments, according to a CPA Canada 2019 fraud survey.

While consumers are typically protected from credit card fraud, the merchant or bank could be on the hook for these illegitimate purchases. With that in mind, pay close attention to unusually high charges or irregular payment activity.

7 | HACKED WEBSITE

Like hacked POS systems, hackers target websites for businesses or stores in an attempt to collect sensitive data and information. For example, if your website loads too slowly or goes offline entirely, that could be a sign of a Distributed Denial of Service (DdoS) attack. These attacks threaten businesses of all sizes worldwide and can cost upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars to remedy. It’s imperative to secure your website and regularly monitor for malicious behaviour.

1. Hire attentive employees who can catch inconsistencies. Train employees on what fraud is, what to look for, and who to notify if they spot it. Do your due diligence when hiring, too; run background checks and vet personal references for all potential hires.

2. Conduct surprise audits. Bringing in an outside consultant to review your compa ny’s financials is a good way to make sure everything is running smoothly — and alert you to anything that doesn’t add up.

3. Work with a professional accountant. It’s essential to keep good financial records and have a professional review them regularly. On top of helping you find ways to save money, a professional accountant can also help you devise internal policies.

4. Maintain a secure website. Make sure your website has a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which establishes an encrypted link between a server and a client. Invest in software that monitors for potential cyberattacks.

5. Protect your POS system. Implement measures to keep your POS system safe from both hardware and software fraud. Routinely check your physical equipment for evidence that someone tampered with it. From a software standpoint, use an account verification system, CVV2 and CVC2 codes, password protection, and other methods to ensure transactions stay secure.

Also, keep a close eye on physical mail and all other paper trails. Check invoices to make sure they’re legitimate before you pay them, and develop routines, such as paper shredding, when it comes to documents that contain sensitive information that are no longer needed.

ARGENTINIAN STEAK SANDWICH

Serves: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes (+ 1 hour standing time)

INGREDIENTS

Chimichurri Sauce:

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) red wine vinegar

1 tbsp (15 mL) salt

12 cloves garlic, minced

4 shallots, minced

1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup (125 mL) each finely chopped fresh parsley and oregano

2 tsp (10 mL) hot pepper flakes

2 cups (500 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

Peppers:

3 Red bell peppers, seeded and quartered

2 Yellow peppers, seeded and quartered 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable oil

1 tbsp (15 mL) each kosher salt and pepper

Beef:

3 lb (1.5 kg) Carve Premium Ontario Beef AAA Teres Major 1 tbsp (15 mL) each kosher salt and pepper

1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable oil

Assembly:

12 Demi baguettes

24 Slices Provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS

Chimichurri Sauce: Stir together vinegar, salt, garlic and shallots. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, parsley, oregano and hot pepper flakes; whisk in olive oil. Let stand for up to 1 hour or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Peppers: Toss together red and yellow peppers, oil, salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until skin is blistered; let cool for 5 minutes. Slice very thinly. Peppers can be made up to 1 day in advance.

Beef: Season steaks all over with salt and pepper; brush lightly with oil. Grill over medium-high heat for 10 to 12

minutes or until instant-read thermometer reads 135°F (57°C) when inserted into center of steak. Let stand for 15 minutes; slice thinly.

Assembly (1 portion): Arrange 1/3 cup (75 mL) peppers on bottom half of demi baguette. Top with 3 oz (85 g) sliced beef and drizzle with 1/4 cup (60 mL) Chimichurri sauce. Lay 2 slices of cheese on top and cap with top half of baguette. Grill in panini press for 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through.

TIP: Skip the panini press and toast the cut sides of baguettes on the grill or under the broiler before assembling sandwiches.

PROUDLY CANADIAN OWNED Canada’s third largest foodservice distributor, with distribution centers in Kitchener, Sudbury and Whitby. We proudly serve Ontario food operators with service that represents the warmth and tradition that Canadians are famous for. With over 10,000 products listed, Flanagan Foodservice can supply and equip every aspect of your restau rant: from fresh meat and seafood to a full line of smallwares and equipment. Contact us today at 1-855 Flanagan or visit us at www.flanagan.ca to learn more.

2022

CARVE IS AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT FLANAGAN FOODSERVICE Produced

Recipe provided by Flanagan Foodservice. For more recipes, visit Flanagan.ca

with support of the Ontario Beef Market Development Program

This artisan steak sandwich, garnished with grilled peppers, provolone cheese and house made chimichurri sauce, will steal the show.

Six provinces — Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador — hiked their minimum wages effective October 1, 2022.

These increases come as the cost of living soars, with Canada’s annual inflation rate reaching a nearly 40-year high in recent months.

Labour advocates say the increases are long overdue, but are still falling short. “We’ve been calling for a $15 an hour minimum wage for so many years now it’s no longer enough,” said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

“It really needs to be $20 an hour or more when we look at inflation and the cost of food and housing.”

Only three other parts of Canada have a higher minimum wage. Nunavut set its minimum wage to $16 an hour on April 1, 2020. Yukon’s minimum wage was increased to $15.70 on April 1, 2022, and B.C.’s rate got bumped to $15.65 on June 1, 2022.

The lowest minimum wages in the country are $13.60 in Nova Scotia, $13.50 in Manitoba and $13 in Saskatchewan.

On the flip side of advocating for higher wages, business owners are still struggling after COVID shutdowns, with many saying the higher wages that have to be paid are really tough to handle. Business are responding with shorter opening hours and increased selling prices.

Know your sandwich priorities

According to a survey from Technomics, when it comes to sandwiches, Canadians want fresh ingredients first. Natural ingredients and premium ingredients round out the top three most important features. Low-fat and low-calorie were at the bottom of the list. So go ahead and load up that sandwich! Operators looking to improve sandwich perceptions can use this data to focus their strategy on promoting freshness and premium/natural ingredients.

Supplier notices

GEORGIA PACIFIC SMARTSTOCK CUTLERY

Due to the looming Single Use Plastics ban in Canada, Georgia Pacific will not be able to support their SmartStock cutlery dispensers for the foreseeable future. As a proprietary dispensing system, no other manufacturers cutlery is compatible with these units.

The cut off for distributor orders for current SmartStock cutlery is December 9th, 2022. This deadline allows Georgia Pacific to fulfill and deliver orders to Distributors by the December 20thimportation deadline set by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

After this date, Georgia Pacific will not have product to support these dispensers in Canada.

ECOLAB PRICE INCREASE

Effective December 1st, 2022, Ecolab will impose an overall price adjustment of 9.00% on all applicable contract pricing. Ecolab is the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that help protect people, planet and business health. We deliver comprehensive science-based solutions, data-driven insights and world-class service to advance food safety, help maintain clean and safe environments, optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers throughout the world.

Contact your R.I.B.A. representative for details

VERSATILE | The Southern Style Alaska Wild Wings™ can be leveraged as a snack, in a basket, as an add-on, and can also drive sizzle as an LTO.

CONSISTENT | Although the shapes are unique, each piece is consistently about 23.7 g / 0.8 oz. This consistency aids with repeatable preparation with chefs and helps in managing food costs.

QUICK PREPARATION | The Southern Style Alaska Wild Wings™ have a 4-5 minute deep fry preparation time from frozen.

CUSTOMIZABLE | Chefs have the ability to serve the Southern Style Alaska Wild Wings™ as is and/or personalize with their favourite sauce. This Southern Style coating is perfect paired with sweet, savoury, or even the hottest of sauces!

SHRIMP FOR THE LOVE OF

At High Liner Culinary, we’re completely smitten with seafood, and we want to share the love. We have our fingers on the pulse of the tastes today’s customers want most. And we will continually innovate to help you make meals so memorable that customers keep coming back, again and again. We’re High Liner Culinary and we believe that Seafood is Better™.

GARLIC & HERB SHRIMP ALFREDO INGREDIENTS

24 High Liner Pan Seared Garlic & Herb Shrimp - Frozen

8 cups Fettuccine Pasta - Cooked Al Dente

1 liter Prepared Alfredo Sauce

2 cups Broccoli Florets - Blanched ¼ cup Parsley - Chopped

1 cup Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

Cook pan sear garlic herb shrimp according to box directions

Heat alfredo sauce in a suitable sized pan and add in Parmesan and broccoli

Refresh fettuccine in boiling water, add to alfredo sauce and toss until noodles are well coated

Serve immediately by garnishing with fresh chopped parsley and topping each serving with 3 pieces of pan sear garlic and herb shrimp.

VIDEO RECIPE:

APPLE & BEET SALAD WITH PAN SEAR GARLIC & HERB SHRIMP INGREDIENTS

24 High Liner Pan Seared Garlic & Herb Shrimp - Frozen

3 Sliced Gala Apples

3 Large Beets - Peeled and Sliced

1 cup Pecan Halves

½ cup Crumbled Goat Cheese

2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

3 cups Baby Arugula

2 Gala Apples - Peeled and Diced

1 Shallot - Diced

3 tbsp Honey

1 tbs Fresh Thyme Leaves

1 cup Olive Oil

½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Cook pan sear garlic herb shrimp according to box directions

For salad dressing, sweat shallots and apples with a touch of oil and thyme leaves for approx. 5 min. Cool and then place into a bar blender with apple cider vinegar and honey. While blending on high speed, slowly add in the olive oil. Season and reserve

Assemble salad by placing arugula into a bowl with apple slices and tossing gently with salad dressing. Place dressed arugula and apple slices into a serving vessel and add beets, pecans & goat cheese. Top with cooked pan sear garlic herb shrimp and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

VIDEO RECIPE:

VIDEO RECIPE:

Carve into a Classic

Savor the flavors of the sea

When you think of seafood dishes, only a few types of fish and shellfish may come to mind. For years, many diners were only inter ested in tuna, salmon, shrimp, and scallops, give or take some regional or cuisine-specific options. Now, as diners begin to diversify their protein sources, foodservice providers can incorporate a wider variety of dishes. This not only gives your chefs an opening to explore new options but creates an opportunity for you to improve your procurement strategy.

IS OCEAN FARE ON TREND?

According to an International Food Infor mation Council study, diners are exploring new protein sources with 23% of those polled saying they’re trying to eat more seafood.

Seafood is being touted by health gurus as a lean source of protein, preferable to red meat from a health standpoint. It’s also seen as having less of a detrimental impact on the environment than other animal proteins.

The above-mentioned study showed that 42% ranked meat and poultry in the top three foods having the greatest negative effect on the environment, compared to 27% ranking seafood as the worst for the environment.

AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR ANY ENTERPRISE

So, how can foodservice providers stay on trend while dealing with inflation? It may be easier than you think. While prices for seafood are increasing alongside other protein sources, their cost-per-portion is still lower than items like steak. Plus, sourcing from local and regional fisheries for in-season options can decrease spend even further.

Maybe you’re interested in using a more cost-effective fish in your menu to add variety and save money. Experts from Foodbuy Food service’s culinary solutions team recommend getting creative. You can easily elevate a dish by crusting or garnishing fish with crab

or lobster sauce. Your guests will be more impressed by your cod or pollock dish when it’s presented in style.

WHAT’S IN SEASON RIGHT NOW?

Foodbuy Foodservice has a wide range of programs for you to choose from when adding more seafood to your menu. If you’re interested in seasonal fish and shellfish, our regional and local suppliers can provide you with numerous options for high-quality specials sure to delight your guests. Not sure which fish and shellfish to buy right now? These species are good options to buy in the winter months

Mussels Oysters Clams Scallops Halibut Crab

Arctic Char Bluefish Lobster Shrimp Tilapia

STOCK UP ON SEAFOOD

Here are some recommended seafood products that deliver high rebates and have great quality and taste.

Talk to your R.I.B.A./Foodbuy foodservice rep to see if you are maximizing your rebate potential on seafood products.

Manufacturer Item description Pack size

High Liner Tilapia Fillet Crusted Coconut 5-6 Oz 1/4.54 Kg

High Liner Pollock Fillet Battered Alaskan English Style IQF 3-4 Oz 1/4.54 Kg

High Liner Cod Fillet Battered Beer Big Bob Frozen 1/4.54 Kg

High Liner Salmon Loin IQF Pacific Wild 4 Oz 1/4.54 Kg

High Liner Haddock Loin IQF 3 Oz Raw Chemical Free 1/10 Lb 1/4.54 Kg

High Liner Haddock Fillet Battered Big Bob 8.5 Oz 1/4.54 Kg

Export Packers Mussel Cooked Blue 26/29 Count 10/1 Lb

Macgregors Salmon Portion Atlantic Farm Raised 26/6 Oz 1/9.75 Lb

Macgregors Tuna Yellowfin Saku Block AA Sea Delight 10 Oz IVP 1/10 Lb

Foodservice providers can take advantage of a variety of fish and shellfish options available as diners want more offerings

BEST MEMORIES START WITH THE BEST BEEF.

LES MEILLEURS SOUVENIRS COMMENCENT PAR LE MEILLEUR BŒUF.

Your guests deserve the very best beef this holiday — and you deserve customers raving about how great your food is. Serve them Certified Angus Beef ® steaks and roasts hand cut by Macgregors’ artisans.

Vos clients méritent le meilleur bœuf qui soit pour leurs repas des Fêtes… et vous méritez bien que vos clients vantent la qualité de vos produits. Offrez-leur des biftecks et rôtis coupés à la main par les artisans de Macgregors.

Scan here to learn more about your opportunities with Macgregors. Balayez ce code pour en savoir plus sur les produits Macgregors.

It’s time to amp up your cheesecake game

Wow your customers this holiday season with this rich and creamy peanut butter cheesecake covered with a decadent hazelnut-chocolate. One bite of this and they won’t be able to put their fork down.

Our Kraft peanut butter and Kraft hazelnut spread pair up to make this decadent showstopping dessert for your dessert menu. And the best part — it’s so easy to make and only takes 20 minutes prep time.

Dessert and Kraft Peanut Butter are fast friends, thanks to nostalgia, familiarity and a whole host of sweet flavour partners that love peanut butter. Here are a few ways to make desserts stand out, leveraging the power of Kraft Peanut Butter while bringing in unique flavour touches, too.

KRAFT PEANUT BUTTER

INGREDIENTS

1-1/4 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

500g  Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened

250 g Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter

100g sugar

1/4 container of  thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping  85g Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

160g Kraft Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 cup Richardson’s Chocolate Syrup

1/4 cup Richardson’s Caramel Topping

DIRECTIONS

Combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate 10 min.

Prep 18 G x 200 GTIN 10068100066163 Sysco 2266989 GFS 1219258 Flanagan

Beat cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Whisk in Cool Whip; spoon over crust. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Microwave semi-sweet chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir until melted. Add hazelnut spread and salt; mix well. Spoon over cheesecake; spread to evenly cover top of cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 min. or until firm.

A Canadian classic. With its signature delicious, nutty flavour and irresistible, creamy texture, Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter is made with high quality dry-roasted peanuts to bring out the best flavour and aroma.

KRAFT HAZELNUT PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE

Enjoy this delicious spread made with real roasted hazelnuts, skim milk, and cocoa. Rich and creamy, made with no palm oil and low in saturated fat.

Cream cheese is a soft, mild, uncured cheese product. It is one of the most versatile cheese products. Ideal as a spread or ingredient for sandwiches, crackers, hors d’oeuvres, bagels and desserts. Description GTIN

PHILLY CC BRICK REGULAR 10068100015314 1.5 Kg 6 KRAFT PEANUT BUTTER 00068100897623 10 Kg 1 KRAFT HAZELNUT SPREAD WITH COCOA 10068100903321 3 Kg 1

BAKER’S SEMI SWEET SQUARES 10066188076357 10 Kg 1

RICHARDSON EASY CHOC SYRUP 00060730101163 1.5 L 8

RICHARDSON CARAMEL TOPPING 00060730101446 1 L 8

time: 10 KG x 1 GTIN 00068100897623 Sysco 3881051 GFS 1279251 Flanagan 403437

35378

Premium Butcher’s Reserve™ Burgers

PRODUCT DATA NFT

Butcher's Reserve™ Halal Beef Burger

Beef, mustard, salt, spice, garlic powder

35368

35366

Butcher's Reserve™ Sirloin Beef Burger

Beef, salt, natural flavour, beef powder, dextrose, maltodextrin, spice, glucose solids, spice extractives

Beef, water, sea salt, spice

15” x 10.5” x 4.25”

Portion Size 4oz (113 g) Burgers Per Case 40 Case Weight10.6 lb / 4.8 kg SCC 100 60597 35378 8 Case Dimensions (L x W x H)

Portion Size 5oz (142 g) Burgers Per Case 32 Case Weight10.6 lb / 4.8 kg SCC 100 60597 35368 9 Case Dimensions (L x W x H)

15” x 10.5” x 4.25”

Portion Size 5oz (142 g) Burgers Per Case 32 Case Weight10.6 lb / 4.8 kg SCC 100 60597 35366 5 Case Dimensions (L x W x H)

15” x 10.5” x 4.25”

35370

Butcher's Reserve™ Beef Burger, Raised Without Antibiotics

Beef, sea salt, spice

Portion Size 5oz (142 g) Burgers Per Case 32 Case Weight 10.6 lb / 4.8 kg SCC 100 60597 35370 2 Case Dimensions (L x W x H) 15” x 10.5” x 4.25” 38542

Portion Size 5oz (142 g) Burgers Per Case 32 Case Weight 10.6 lb / 4.8 kg SCC100-60597-38542-0 Case Dimensions (L x W x H) 15” x 10.5” x 4.25”

Butcher's Reserve™ Angus Beef Burger

Turbo-charging your growth when labor

is scarce

Simplifying your operations and food procurement strategy is key

Every business, at its core, is run by people. If you aren’t meeting your labor needs, you could be struggling to find ways to grow your business and improve profits.

While post-pandemic labor shortages are being seen across industries, no sector has been affected as significantly as commercial foodservice. Partially due to concerns around safety and job stability, this trend has left many restaurants scrambling to match 2019 numbers.

While employee retention and hiring techniques are at the forefront of many restaurant owners’ plans, it is also critical to examine business model inefficiencies – it could be what saves your bottom line. Here are several ways to increase profits without hiring more staff.

CAPITALIZE ON COMMERCIAL FOODSERVICE TECHNOLOGY

The rise of online ordering sites and apps can work in your favor, while limiting the need for front-of-house staff. Your guests can place their order online from their phone, computer or a kiosk within your location.

Then, all your staff needs to do is prepare the dish and alert the patron that their order is ready.

Data tracking technology is also a great addition to ensure your units are purchasing the right items to maximize both quality and profitability. Foodbuy Foodservice programs include some of the most advanced data tracking options on the commercial foodservice purchasing market. Ask your account manager for more information on these options.

REFINING PRODUCT OFFERINGS

A smaller staff can restrict your ability to serve multiple dishes with different preparation needs. Streamlining your menu can help you increase your throughput by decreasing the different types of ingredients and supplies you need to order, ultimately saving you money and simplifying your procurement process.

Easy-prep options can also allow you to save time on training. Suppliers like High Liner, Sara Lee and Impossible Foods all offer

top-of-the-line items that require minimal preparation. Your staff can easily incorporate these options into impressive dishes that your guests will love.

IMPROVING FOOD PROCUREMENT PRACTICES

Are you wasting money on overlapping order plans? Identifying inefficiencies in your food procurement strategy could benefit your bottom line by leaps and bounds. Reach out to your Foodbuy Foodservice team for custom solutions to common back-of-house challenges. We can help you:

• Develop high-performing menus with dishes that are cost-effectively made

• Identify high-quality products that will better fit your offerings and budget

• Increase your buying power and reduce costs by reducing SKU proliferation

• Create customized managed order guides (MOGs) for your organization

• Educate your staff on practices that will reduce your overall food waste

iCombi Pro. iVario Pro.

Do more with less.

They require less labour, space, and energy than conventional equipment because of their broad spectrum of cooking applications, ease-of-use, and intelligent functions. Helping you to produce more than ever before with less.

Register for a demonstration. Online or in-person. rational-online.ca

Credit card surcharges: What you need to know

Restaurants and other businesses are now allowed to pass on fees of up to 2.4% to consumers.

As of October 6, 2022, restaurants and other businesses now have the option of adding a surcharge to credit card transactions (except in Quebec due to its consumer protection laws).

Previous card agreements forbade merchants from passing on fees to consumers. But that’s changed since Visa, MasterCard and other card providers settled a long-running lawsuit on the issue in Canada — agreeing to rebate merchants $188 million for what are known as interchange fees that merchants were charged in the past decade.

The new surcharge option comes with both pros and cons. Businesses could recoup some of their costs associated with the cards to help with some financial pains. On the other hand, getting consumers to accept paying a surcharge that they have never had to pay in Canada before may be a challenge. They may opt to go to another store that isn’t charging the fee, or some may just opt to switch to other payment methods.

Is it worth the change for your operation? Here’s some facts to help you make an informed decision:

• Visa and Mastercard have placed a 2.4 per cent cap on the fee, preventing businesses from surcharging more than the processing cost.

• Surcharges are not applied to Visa Debit or Debit MasterCard cards.

• Merchants must clearly disclose the surcharge to customers and that it is being applied by the merchant, not the credit-card companies before a transaction is completed. The charge must be disclosed to the customer at the point of interaction (POI) and on the cardholder’s receipt.

• In order to add a surcharge on MasterCard payments, you must notify both MasterCard and their “acquirer,” (the bank or financial institution that processes the credit card payments) at least 30 days in advance. For Visa credit cards, you only need to provide written notice to your acquirer at least 30 days prior.

FACTS

• In many parts of the world, including the European Union, Israel, the United Kingdom, China and Australia, interchange fees have been capped at less than one per cent.

• Canada has some of the highest interchange fees in the world, with the average being 1.4 per cent.

SURVEY SAYS

According to a recent survey of CFIB members (Canadian Federation of Independent Business):

19% of merchants intend to implement the new surcharge

26% said they will do it if their competitors or suppliers do 40% said they are not sure yet if they will surcharge

15% said they don’t intend to do it

Businesses that often sell to other businesses (B2B), like construction, manufacturing and finance/insurance, were most likely to report they will surcharge for credit card usage, while businesses that serve consumers were less likely to say they will do it.

Among consumer-facing sectors, those that intend to surcharge are:

19% of hospitality (such as restaurants)

17% of personal services businesses (such as salons)

12% of retailers intend to surcharge.

Make

kitchen more cost efficient

Chefs, restaurateurs, and catering managers may play different roles within the foodservice industry, but they’re all driven by the same question: how do you make the kitchen more efficient and optimize costs? Here at RATIONAL, we’ve been consumed by that question since day one. We believe our combi-steamers can lower energy and personnel costs, without sacrificing quality.

REDUCE ELECTRICITY COSTS

The biggest cost driver in professional kitchens is electricity. 70% of all costs are related to electricity, of which 40% are incurred through cooking alone. Industry professionals agree that combisteamers provide immense savings potential in terms of both electricity and gas consumption. Short pre-heating times, effective cooking temperatures, and short cooking times are a few of the combi-steamer’s most outstanding features. Our tests have shown that using a iCombi Pro requires up to 70% less energy than cooking in conventionally equipped kitchens without combi-steamers. And thanks to triple-pane glass doors and LED lighting, our newest models even save as much as an extra 10% over their predecessors. That adds up to real savings. And thanks to the iCombi Pro’s energy consumption indicator, users can keep an eye on gas and electricity usage at all times, and thus actively incorporate these figures into budget calculations.

SAVE ON WORKING TIME

Working time is another major cost driver. Our two most important solutions: rolling batches with iProductionManager, and eliminating routine tasks like checking and turning food. The iCombi Pro’s intelligent cooking processes can reduce working time by up to 50%. This represents valuable time that kitchen staff can use for other important activities - but time savings are a resource rarely included in cost-effectiveness analyses.

SAVE ON RAW INGREDIENTS

Following a detailed comparative cook, we understand that precise regulation and technical equipment such as iCookingSuite saves an average of 20% in raw materials compared to standard cooking methods before. So there are savings to be made in terms of meat, fish and poultry with the iCombi Pro. In a restaurant serving 200 meals, this can quickly amount to up to over $25,000 CAD a year just in food cost savings.

OPTIMIZING CLEANING

The fourth cost driver we considered was cleaning: since all of RATIONAL’s units are equipped with fresh steam generators, they eliminate the need for the expensive water filters required in combi-steamers with injection functions. Unlike those models, the iCombi Pro automatically descales itself as part of the cleaning process, which can quickly save thousands of dollars a year.

ROI CALCULATOR

To calculate concrete savings for your own business, visit our cost-efficiency calculator today.

You can either enter your own budget figures directly into the calculator or run sample calculations for hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, or casualdining operations. The calculator is a quick way for you to discover what your own total savings might look like. While RATIONAL will help you increase your savings, there are two things you will never have to “save” on: quality and hospitality.

GTIN CODE 10056800863847

DANONE CODE 186384

DISTRIBUTION CODE

Nutrition Facts

Valeur nutritive

Pour 3/4 de tasse (175 g) Per 3/4 cup (175 g)

Calories 140

% valeur quotidienne * % Daily Value *

Lipides / Fat 3 g 4 % saturés / Saturated 2 g 11 % +trans / Trans 0.1 g

Glucides /Carbohydrate 22 g 0 % Fibres / Fibre 0 g

Sucres / Sugars 16 g 16 %

Protéines / Protein 6 g rotein

Cholestérol / Cholesterol 10 mg

Sodium 90 mg 4 %

Potassium 225 mg 5 %

Calcium 225 mg 17 %

Fer / Iron 0.2 mg 1 %

Vitamine D / Vitamin D 1 μg 5 %

* 5% ou moins c’est peu, 15% ou plus c’est beaucoup

* 5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot

DANONE BULK YOGURT

GTIN CODE 10056800863854

DANONE CODE 186385

DISTRIBUTION CODE

Nutrition Facts

Valeur nutritive

Pour 3/4 de tasse (175 g) Per 3/4 cup (175 g)

Calories 140

Lipides / Fat 7 g 9 % saturés / Saturated 5 g 27 % +trans / Trans 0.3 g

Glucides /Carbohydrate 12 g Fibres / Fibre 0 g 0 % Sucres / Sugars 8 g 8 %

Protéines / Protein 9 g rotein

Cholestérol / Cholesterol 25 mg

Sodium 100 mg 4 %

**Nutritional information subject to change. / Danone®/MD used under lic., © 2022 Cie Gervais Danone. All rights reserved.

ClubProcure is a liated with over 400 manufacturers and 150 companies. This extensive list of

for nearly any product or service your club needs, from the 1st tee box to the 19th hole.

We don’t just stop at the kitchen – our contracts also include non-food suppliers to help you save in all areas of your clubhouse and on the course. Whether you’re looking to receive better pricing on linens, smallwares, furniture or even turf equipment – our supplier portfolio covers front and back of the house and beyond.

If you’re in the market for capital purchases or are currently renovating your kitchen or dining area, we have contracts to cover all of your needs.

With ClubProcure, you can save in every area.

Equipment quotes are available, as well as cost comparisons, and programs for complete remodeling or just a facelift. Your needs are vast, and your savings will be as well.

Course Equipment & Supplies

Purchasing Power

You could be losing out on money.

Are you doing business with, switched to or added one or more of the distributors below?

Have you let the R.I.B.A. office or R.I.B.A. representative know your new account number?

If not, you’re missing out on money.

We cannot process your manufacture rebates without knowing your distributor account numbers. Your account number aligns you to our program for the sake of retrieving your velocities needed to invoice the manufactures for your entitled money.

Noteworthy

No matter how you slice it...

A recent Instagram post by Deb Perelman, a cookbook author who writes the popular blog Smitten Kitchen, has blown up the internet — because she cut her sandwich HORIZONTALLY! (see the post here)

The comments ensued: “Oh hell no...that sandwich needs to be cut in triangles!”, “Not even just that… I’ll cut it in half the long way sometimes but she cut it so one half was all bottom crust and one half all top!”, “I audibly gasped when you cut the sandwich not diagonally.” and “Clearly, you are a monster” So is there a right and wrong way? No, but people clearly think the diagonal cut is the proper way to go according to this poll from Smart Brief.

Best robot bartender

A good bartender knows his craft and can pour good drinks. A great bartender comes with personality and the ability to talk to and connect with customers.

But does a great bartender have to be human? Not according to researchers at Italy’s University of Naples Federico II who are developing a bartending robot, called BRILLO, that can not only whip up a cocktail but can also remember your favorite drink and have a conversation.

BRILLO (short for “Bartending Robot for Interactive Long-Lasting Operations,”) is being taught to interact with human customers — gauging whether the tone of a conversation is serious or playful, asking appropriate questions and even offering up a joke or two.

The team was able to build from existing research into AI algorithms that are already used to mimic human speech patterns. With more training, Brillo could be taught to recognize a customer, remember their favorite drink, and even ask them relevant questions based on details they’d previously shared.

The team also wants to train an AI algorithm to study a customer’s face and speech patterns in order to learn what sort of interaction they might prefer to have, such as chatting or being left alone.

They aim to perfect the robot’s ability to start off conversations with a wide range of innocuous topics — pleasantries about the weather, for example — before determining from the customer’s reactions whether it is appropriate to delve into more specific subjects, from politics to sports.

TRIVIA: PLUM PUDDING

The recipe for Christmas pudding, often referred to as ‘plum pudding’, never called for plums at all. The word “plum” in it actually refers to raisins. It is traditionally composed of thirteen ingredients, symbolizing Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, including many dried fruits held together by egg and suet, sometimes moistened by treacle or molasses and flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and other spices. It is often decorated with a sprig of holly to bring good luck.

The best new restaurants

1. Restaurant 20 Victoria (Toronto, ON) (Montreal, QC) (Toronto, ON) (Kimberley, ON) (Toronto, ON) (Calgary, AB) (North Saanich, BC)

10. Restaurant Alentours (Quebec City, QC)

Happy New Year!

Some tidbits of info if you are going to toast your New Year with champagne:

• A champagne bottle should only be kept in the fridge if it’s going to be consumed soon after. Otherwise, it should kept in a dry place.

• Serve your champagne in a champagne tulip glass. With a narrow top, a wider bowl, and a sharp curved edge that leads down to the stem, this champagne glass gives off an elegant look with more room for the bubbles to aerate and aromatics to flow through.

Pickleball anyone?

Pickleball’s popularity is spurring on new eatertainment/dining concepts. Punch Bowl Social founder Robert Thompson has unveiled a new eatertainment concept called Camp Pickle that aims to take advantage of the popularity of pickleball. The first location, which will feature a restaurant as well as indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, is set to open next year in Huntsville, Ala., joining other new US concepts focused on the sport including Chicken N Pickle and Electric Pickle.

And being as pickleball is becoming a favoured new sport among Canadians, we hope to see the trend continue it’s way north some time soon.

Season’s eatings

According to Technomic’s Season’s Eatings – Winter 2022/2023, cinnamon, cranberry, gingerbread, hazelnut and mint have all increased in consumer appeal YOY since 2021. Trending applications include cinnamon in waffles, increasing 41.2% in menu penetration over the last two years; cranberries in pancakes, increasing 7.7%; and gingerbread in cakes, increasing by an impressive 200% within the same time frame.

“Don’t go outside the box when you’re still not very good inside the box.”

~ Chef Alvin Leung

For the quote of it..

Reference Numbers

Supplier Listings

Belmont Meats

Call the R.I.B.A. Office

Burnbrae Farms Call the R.I.B.A. Office

Canada Bread Consumer Centre 1-800-465-5515

Canadian Linen 1-855-326-0940

Chase® Merchant Services Call the R.I.B.A. Office Ecolab 1-800-35-CLEAN

Erie Meat Products Ltd. Call the R.I.B.A. Office Export Packers (905) 792-9700

Fresh Start Foods 1-800-563-5033

Macgregors Meat & Seafood 1-888-383-3663

Pepsico Foodservice 1-800-387-9546

Rational Call the R.I.B.A. Office Saporito Foods (905) 944-0505

Selectpath - Benefits & Financial Call the R.I.B.A. Office Sofina Foods Call the R.I.B.A. Office

Distributor Contact Listings

Flanagan Foodservice Inc. (Kitchener) 1-800-265-6550

Flanagan Foodservice Inc. (Whitby) 1-800-265-6550

Flanagan Foodservice Inc. (Sudbury) 1-800-565-5850

Gordon Food Service 1-800-268-0159

Kronos Food 1-800-739-9921

Mercury Foodservice (905) 546-5554

Morton Food Service 1-800-265-5663

Multi Plus 1-866-745-8881

Pratts Food Service - Manitoba (204) 949-3017

Pratts Food Service - Saskatchewan (306) 546-5444

Pratts Food Service - Alberta (403) 476-7728

Stewart Foodservice Inc. 1-800-461-4473

Sysco Central Ontario 1-800-461-6543

Sysco Southwestern Ontario 1-855-373-4555

Sysco Tannis 1-855-736-6000

Sysco Toronto 1-888-440-2524

Equipment Service Numbers

Pepsi Sudden Service

1-800-387-6683