The Bottom Line

BOTTOMLINE THE

SEPTEMBER 2023

CELEBRATING FOOD INDUSTRY WORKERS

• Chef appreciation week

• National Food Service Workers Day

PLUS: Pepsi rebates Ontario Hospitality Conference details

Fall flavours

TRENDS: OPERATIONS:

Need an easy, affordable digital ordering platform?

In-season

Fresh in season

USES:

Cherry tomatoes are perfect for stuffing, adding to salads, tossing in pasta, on grilled skewers with meat and/or other vegetables, roasted with olives, grilled with other veggies, caprese skewers with mozzarella, paired with basil

SEEDLESS WATERMELON

• Seedless watermelons aren’t really seedless. They have small white seeds in them.

• A seedless watermelon is a sterile hybrid which is created by crossing male pollen for a watermelon, containing 22 chromosomes per cell, with a female watermelon flower with 44 chromosomes per cell. When this seeded fruit matures, the small, white seed coats inside contain 33 chromosomes, rendering it sterile and incapable of producing seeds.

• Watermelon is 92% water.

• Grilling watermelon enhances it’s sweetness and adds a touch of smoky flavour.

• The longer a watermelon stays on the vine the sweeter it will be.

• Watermelon is pairs well with feta cheese.

• Watermelon is grown in 96 countries.

• There are more than 1,200 varieties of watermelons, some with orange, green, yellow or white flesh.

• To pick the best watermelon, look at the fieldspot (the big, light coloured area where it laid on the ground). Look for one with a large, dark yellow colour.

CHERRY TOMATOES

• Cherry tomatoes get their name because they’re the size and shape of cherries. These little round tomatoes are juicy, sweet, and have thin skins.

• Cherry tomatoes taste similar to other fresh tomatoes, but because of their small size, the flavour can be a little more concentrated.

• These tomatoes are great for hollowing out and stuffing.

• Cherry tomatoes can be red, yellow, or orange in color.

• Cherry tomatoes are sweeter than grape tomatoes and have a thinner skin, making them less transportable than grape tomatoes.

• Keep cherry tomatoes at room temperature for the best flavour and to avoid the mealy texture that can result from putting them in the refrigerator.

• Two notable varieties: Sungold tomatoes are popular due to their lovely gold color, juicy flesh, and bright flavor. Black cherry tomatoes have a dramatic hue and can have a smokier flavor.

USES:

Watermelons can be used in salad (pairs especially well with feta), pureed for drinks such as margaritas, grilled for dessert, made into salsa, added to lemonade, made into fruit leather. The rinds can be pickled and used in coleslaw, in salsa, or as a side dish with poultry.

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

Chef Appreciation Week

September 10th - 16th, 2023

Ten years ago in 2013, Donald and Lisa Crutch co-founded Chef Appreciation Week to honour, recognize and appreciate the hard work of all those serving in the culinary industry. In 2018, Compass Group USA partnered with the Crutch family to celebrate Chef Appreciation Week in their cafés and restaurants nationwide. Compass Group is the parent company of Foodbuy. When Donald Crutch unexpectedly passed away in 2019, Compass Group pledged to carry on his legacy with a commitment to make it a global campaign.

Today, Chef Appreciation Week is the largest celebration of chefs and culinarians globally, supported across 30+ Compass countries as well as externally by other food and hospitality businesses. In addition to celebrating and saying thank you to chefs all over the world, Chef Appreciation Week also encourages restaurant owners and chefs to participate in programs that can make the world a better place. From running a kitchen in a more environmentally sustainable way to preventing food waste with creative recipes, the opportunities for chefs and culinary teams to collaborate are exciting!

“Our people – especially our great chefs – are the heart of our company and our industry. Chef Appreciation Week is the perfect opportunity to recognize and thank all of the people behind the food.”

— Gary Green, CEO Compass Group North America (the parent company of Foodbuy)

Great people inspire great food!

Chef Appreciation Week Profile Chef Wayne Nichols

At Foodbuy, we have a team of dedicated culinary experts who provide insight and guidance to drive operational improvements and deliver strong financial results for Foodbuy members and corporate sectors. The Culinary Solutions team is overseen by Chef, Wayne Nichols. The team is committed to improving product quality while lowering costs to our members and corporate sectors.

Chef Nichols works closely with other culinary leaders on the team to better understand business needs. Leveraging this knowledge, they are able to align with stakeholders to drive positive results through rationalizations, optimizations, rigorous product testing and sharing best practices. Culinary Solutions provides insight to our sourcing and category efforts addressing business needs across the board in order for Foodbuy to deliver quality ingredients and maximize savings.

As a graduate of Humber college, Chef Nicols completed the Culinary Management program with honours. He has practiced in renowned hotels across the nation and had the privilege of cooking for prime ministers, many dignitaries, and royalty from around the world while publishing articles and appearing on TV as a guest chef. Midway through his career, Nichols had the opportu nity to fulfill one of his dreams by working on a cruise ship, the Nordic Empress, with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in Miami Florida.

Chef Nichols began his culinary career in his grandma’s kitchen, where he developed a passion for cooking that he has carried with him. He says, “Your ingredients can sense your love and passion, which are the building block for culinary excellence and great food.” Nichols brings a love of culinary innovation and leadership to his role. He promotes a standardized approach to menu planning inspiring culinary creativity and cultivating sustainable practices. Chef Nichols has been an integral part of Foodbuy since 2004.

From all of us at Foodbuy, thank you Chef Nichols and all the chefs working in our industry! Let’s take the time to show our appreciation of our industry heroes in September and all year round.

Making digital smooth, one order at a time

Are you paying high commissions to 3rd party delivery systems? Want to increase your average monthly orders and average basket size?

Smooth Commerce can put you in control of your own platform, increase sales while fostering stronger customer relations.

With a focus on enhancing productivity and optimizing supplier relationships, Foodbuy’s innovative procurement solutions help streamline procurement operations, making them more efficient and cost-effective. This, in turn, paves the way for sustained growth and success in today’s dynamic business landscape for our members. Foodbuy takes pride in partnering with top industry service providers, to help solve the business needs of our members, simply and quickly, at the best price.

This month, we highlight one of our many Professional Services partners, Smooth Commerce. Smooth Commerce is a digital commerce and engagement platform providing white-label mobile and web ordering, customer marketing with built-in loyalty for restaurants, hotels, c-stores, arena’s and more. The platform also directly integrates with Delivery-as-a-Service (DaaS) providers such as DoorDash Drive, SkipGO and Uber Direct, providing operators with a delivery solution outside of the 3rd-party marketplace model. The DaaS integration puts brands back in control and allows operators to provide their customers with delivery, at a fixed rate, versus high cost commission and low control 3rd party marketplaces. Putting the brand back in control, and owning the customer (and their data) is key for hospitality brands to be able to target, segment, and drive loyalty, which leads to increased frequency, basket size and revenue.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Established in 2013, Smooth Commerce offered a comprehensive platform that addressed a host of digital pain points, surpassing any other competitor in the market.

Brian Deck, CEO of Smooth Commerce, set out the vision: “A significant challenge faced by restaurants today is the high cost of marketplace ordering. Businesses pay up to 30 percent for each delivery order. At Smooth Commerce, we offer a far more cost-effective solution that can save operators tens of thousands of dollars monthly in delivery fees. Moreover, we assist them in effectively engaging their customers by having them on their own platform, fostering stronger

customer relationships, increasing repeat visits, and boosting average spending.”

Their mission is to help businesses LIFT sales through increased customer frequency and larger basket size, SHIFT transactions to the more cost-effective platform, and THRIVE using data-driven insights to enhance customer experience and satisfaction.

Embracing innovation and fostering collaboration is the company’s focus. Smooth Commerce continues to enhance its platform capabilities to meet the ever-changing demands of the restaurant and food service industry.

ADDRESSING A RANGE OF RESTAURANT CHALLENGES

By providing personalized marketing and engagement tools, and loyalty built-in, Smooth Commerce puts Foodbuy members back in control of their customer’s digital ordering experience. It can help to:

• Reduce reliance on 3rd party delivery with direct white-label mobile and web ordering solutions

• Increase ordering efficiency and accuracy to save staff time

• Take back your customer’s data to help make better business decisions

• Boost customer frequency with loyalty built-in

• Segment and personalize your customer experience with marketing and engagement tools

• Add delivery as a revenue channel with DaaS (delivery-as-a-service) integration

• In-store scan to pay, collect offers and loyalty

Brian further adds, “We are recognized for our expertise in working with multi-unit restaurants and large venues. The platform has been in operation for more than 10 years now and integration with various well-known service providers, including gift card and payment systems, coupled with our focus on delivering highly profitable results for our clients through a tailored brand experience, ensures unparalleled customer engagement.”

With Foodbuy and Smooth Commerce as your partner, operators have profited and the numbers speak for themselves:

• 288% increase in revenue off the platform

• 13% increase in average basket size

• 239% increase in average active customers

• 244% increase in average monthly orders

• Over 20% cost savings on delivery commissions

• 2x purchase frequency

“Many businesses spend substantial amounts annually on delivery fees per location. By optimizing these costs, we help businesses achieve greater financial efficiency which is especially important in this economic climate. Simultaneously, our platform empowers restaurants to cultivate long-term customer satisfaction, improve retention rates, and enhance basket sizes,” shares Brian.

By leveraging advanced technologies and data-driven strategies, Foodbuy supports its members to gain a competitive edge in their industries. Foodbuy’s tailored solutions cater to the specific needs of each member, providing them with greater control, transparency, and flexibility in their procurement journey. With Foodbuy on your side, you can find solutions to every challenge you face.

“Our platform empowers restaurants to cultivate long-term customer satisfaction, improve retention rates, and enhance basket sizes.”

Brian Deck, CEO, Smooth Commerce

Flavour trends

Beyond pumpkin spice

Pumpkin spice - the oh-so-familiar fall flavour trend - has been saturating the autumn market for years now. While it’s still the hot, go-to comfort taste that many yearn for as the weather gets cooler, there are new trends emerging this year that consumers are craving. Here’s three trends that have been identified by the Food Institute that will be appearing on fall menus this year and are worth taking a closer look at if you’re wanting to shake up your fall menu.

CARAMEL

Caramel ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to satisfying consumers’ tastes. It brings a feeling of indulgence and satisfies the sweet tooth, it’s loved by the young and the old, it brings feelings of nostalgia, and it’s decadent. Caramel drinks are trending right now, such as salted caramel mochas or lattes. Or try pairing it with chocolate in desserts or with salty baked goods and nuts.

DYNAMIC PAIRINGS

There’s a shift happening from one flavour being the focus to dynamic pairing profiles. How about trying the combo of maple, bacon and brown sugar — where the comforting taste of Canadian maple sugar pairs with salty bacon then gets an added sweet boost from brown sugar. Sandwiches, especially those for breakfast, adapt well to this combo. Or for a hot drink, such as a latte, pair the maple syrup with cinnamon and sugar. Move over pumpkin spice, you’ve met your match.

APPLE

Apples have been a fall seasonal favourite for decades. Apples bring back a feeling of nostalgia, make us feel warm and cozy and can satisfy our sweet tooth. Apple pie and apple crumble are two mainstays that should be on fall menus. But really, any menu items or LTOs made with apples this time of year will be sure to draw in the customers.

The apple’s versatility makes them perfect for savoury dishes with pork or chicken. And their juices makes them perfect for warm apple-cinnamon flavoured drinks.

Peace of Mind

Elevate your business with Flanagan Foodservice, the largest Canadian owned food distributor. Whether you’d like to refresh your menu or give it a complete overhaul, we have the insight, experience, and products to support you and help your business thrive.

From farm-fresh produce to premium meats and everything in between, Flanagan Foodservice offers

a wide variety of affordable and high-quality products to meet your unique needs. We aim to simplify the process, providing peace of mind as we help drive your business forward.

Contact us today and talk to one of our foodservice experts who will help spark creative ideas and collaborate with you toward achieving your success.

Scan to learn more or visit flanagan.ca

1-800-265-6550

Ontario Hospitality Conference 2023

October 2-3, 2023

Sheraton Parkway Conference Center

Richmond Hill

Registration:

ontariohospitalityconference.com

Use discount code FOOD50

For registration prior to Sept. 15th

Need help?

For help with registration, contact Victoria at vmarcelle@orhma.com

The Ontario Hospitality Conference is put on by the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) and provides hospitality owners, managers and company leaders with valuable and actionable information related to the Ontario Hospitality market and the top issues facing those in the industry.

This year’s conference is being held October 2nd and 3rd at the Sheraton Parkway Conference Center in Richmond Hill, conveniently accessible from highways 7, 404 and 407. Last year’s conference was a great success and completely sold out so please consider registering soon to avoid disappointment.

As supporters of the conference and in recognition of the work that ORHMA does on the industry’s behalf, we encourage you to attend and would like to share a discount of $50 off the already low conference rate. To take advantage of this discount, please use discount code FOOD50 during the registration process prior to September 15th.

Unlocking Success

How QR codes are revolutionizing marketing and service strategies

With changing times, technology has become a crucial aspect of our lives. It has played a significant role in transforming several industries, including foodservice. One such technological invention that has gained immense popularity in recent years is the QR code. QR codes or Quick Response codes are two-dimensional barcodes that store information, such as website links, menus, and contact details, which can be easily scanned by smartphones.

So how you can use them to enhance your business?

CONTACTLESS MENU & ORDER PLACEMENT

The pandemic has brought significant changes in the way people perceive dining out. People are more conscious about hygiene and safety protocols. QR codes enable contactless menu and order placement, thereby reducing the use of physical menus and reducing the risk of contamination. That being said, CNN reported that 88% of people still prefer hand held menus and it would be wise to offer printed menus and a QR Code. It’s important to keep in mind that your menu is your number one marketing tool, if you’re going to use a digital menu – ensure it offers the same experience as your regular menu.

FEEDBACK & REVIEW COLLECTION

Providing the best dining experience is crucial. QR codes can be utilized to collect customer feedback and reviews quickly. All you need to do is create a QR code that redirects customers to your website’s feedback and review page, and customers can provide their feedback in a matter of seconds.

LOYALTY PROGRAMS & DISCOUNTS

It’s a well-known fact that customers love rewards and discounts. QR codes provide a unique way to drive people to your programs, simply create a QR code that redirect customers to your websites loyalty program and discount pages where customers can quickly scan the codes and redeem the offers.

MARKETING & PROMOTION

QR codes offer a new opportunity for businesses to target their customers more effectively. Create QR codes to redirect customers to your social media handles, prompting them to follow your pages and keep them engaged with your brand.

~ Flanagan. ca

Content supplied by Flanagan Foodservice

Happy Show your appreciation for food service employees

FoodNationalService Workers Day

National Food Service Workers Day is on September 25. Make sure you thank them for all they do.

Food service is an important and growing sector in the Canadian economy.

According to figures from Statistics Canada, the food service industry employs more than 1 million workers across the country. Sales in food service and drinking places totaled $8 billion in January, 2023. That’s up 52% from the previous year when the industry was still struggling to overcome the hardships of COVID-19.

September 25 is National Food Service Workers Day.

This day is meant to appreciate, recognize and thank the staff that work in the food service industry. Waiters, hosts, chefs, cleaners, managers and many more are all vital components that ensure food establishments run smoothly, and guests are happy. Staff shortages in the restaurant industry have been running deep the last couple of years. Employee retention has seemed even dismal at times. So this year, make a point of letting those that work on your team know they are appreciated and their work is valued. It’s often the little things that you do that can make or break an employee’s happiness at work.

SAY THANK YOU

So easy to do but often overlooked. “Thanks for helping with that”, “Thanks for putting out some great plates today”, “Thanks for a great shift today”, and make it heartfelt.

RESPECT

Employees want to be treated with respect. That means treating them with dignity, compassion and care. Treat your employees the same way you would want someone treating you. Acknowledge that as individuals, they may have different needs, different backgrounds, different perspectives.

CELEBRATE

Celebrate milestones, such as work anniversaries, their birthdays, or when they hit professional goals. It could be as simple as buying a card and having all the staff sign it, or buying them a free dinner. It lets them know that you are thinking about them and that you care.

CREATE A SHOUT-OUT BOARD

A small gesture can raise worker morale and just make people feel awesome. Seeing their name on a board with some words of gratitude can elevate their mood and their willingness to work, and it can mean so much more when everyone else sees it too. Recognize those that have helped on a project, received positive customer feedback or gone out of their way to help other team members.

“Thank you for all you do!” from the Foodbuy team.

It’s time to shake up your holiday menu

With Thanksgiving around the corner, and Christmas close behind, it’s time to think about turkey dinners and all the trimmings. If you’re looking to add some festive LTOs to your lineup that tantalize customizers, these will do the trick. Each recipe features flavours of the season, but go beyond the basic dinner plate.

Reach out to your Foodbuy Account manager for more information on the featured products and suppliers in these recipes and how you can maximize your rebates.

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE LATTE

Makes: 3 (1 cup) Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons canned pumpkin

½ cup strong brewed coffee

2 tablespoons McCormick® All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract

½ teaspoon McCormick® Pumpkin Pie Spice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring milk, sugar and pumpkin to simmer in medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

2. Carefully pour mixture into blender container. Add coffee, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. With center part of blender cover removed to let steam escape, blend on medium speed until smooth and frothy. Pour into mugs. Serve immediately.

TIP: For a dairy-free latte, use coconut milk in place of the whole milk.

ROASTED TURKEY AND STUFFING CASSEROLE

Makes: 25 servings

INGREDIENTS

3.3 lbs Maple Leaf turkey, cooked, diced 1/2”

3 quarts poultry stuffing mix, prepared

¼ cup margarine

2 cups white onion, fresh, diced

2 cups celery, fresh, diced

3.5 quarts prepared poultry gravy

1 1/3 cup cranberry sauce

METHOD

2. Preheat oven to 325F/165C. Grease a 2” deep full-sized insert pan with cooking spray.

3. Prepare poultry stuffing mix according to directions.

4. Heat margarine in a skillet on medium heat. Sauté diced onion and celery for 5 minutes or until tender. Mix in the prepared stuffing.

6. Arrange half of the stuffing in the bottom of the prepared insert pan. Sprinkle the diced cooked turkey on top of the stuffing. Spread half of the gravy on top.

7. Repeat the layers. Place dollops of cranberry sauce on the final layer of gravy.

8. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until an internal temperature of 165F/74C is held for at least 15 seconds. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

ASIAN VEGETABLE STIR FRY INFUSED WITH GREEN TEA AND GINGER

Makes: 25 portions INGREDIENTS

For infusion:

12 cups water

6 bags Green tea

3 tbsp ground ginger

¼ cup mirin

¼ cup soya sauce

2½ oz sugar

Yield: 50 servings of 60 ml (¼ cup)

For cooking:

4½ lbs (2kg) Arctic Gardens Stir Fry Mix

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pot, bring water to a boil, then add all of the infused ingredients. Reduce heat and infuse on low heat for an hour.

2. Remove tea bags from the infusion and keep warm (may be cooled and stored in the fridge).

For serving:

1. In a wok, bring the infusion to a boil (ratio: 60 ml of infusion for 80 g of vegetables).

2. Add garlic and frozen vegetable mix. Cook on medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes or until al dente.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste.

TURKEY PARMESAN OMELETTE

Enjoy all the flavours of your favourite Italian Bistro dish any night of the week!

Makes: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs

¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 cup Burnbrae Egg Creations Fat Free Original, well shaken

3 cloves of garlic, minced

¼ tsp black pepper

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 cup thinly sliced cooked turkey breast

2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup pasta sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the broiler to high. Meanwhile, toss the breadcrumbs with the mozzarella cheese and basil; set aside. Whisk the eggs with the garlic and pepper.

2. Lightly coat a medium, nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and set over medium heat. Pour half the egg mixture into the skillet. Cook, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes or until set on the bottom.

3. Arrange half the spinach, turkey and Parmesan cheese on one side of the omelette. Fold the other side over to enclose the filling; cook, covered, for 1 minute. Slide the omelette onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture, spinach, chicken or turkey and Parmesan cheese to make a second omelette.

4. Spread an even layer of pasta sauce on the top of each omelette and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Broil for 2 minutes or

• Fully Cooked

• Cooked Sous Vide

• No Pump Added

• Versatile Product

• Low in sodium

• High in protein

• 100% usable product

• Serve as is or as an ingredient to a simple semi scratch recipe

• Burlodge Tested

• Rational Tested with heating instructions available

Pumpkin Spice is more popular than ever and the season starts earlier every year. - In 2022 there were 217 Pumpkin LTOs between July-December, a +23% increase vs 2021, and almost 20% were in July and August!

Featuring

Pumpkin

Open Face Pie

Pies

A classic Fall favorite that starts with a tender golden flaky crust, filled with a lightly spiced pumpkin filling that’s full of flavor Pre-baked and ready to serve!

Open Face Pie 10"

Pre-Baked Pumpkin 6ct/43oz

Feeding Gen Z through your food & beverage purchasing

Get to know your youngest target consumers

No matter what kind of restaurant you operate, whether it be quick service, dine-in, food truck or anything in between, it’s important to know your customers.

Gen Z’s, those born between 1997 and 2012, account for approximately 17% of Canada’s population — that’s roughly 6.7 million people. That translates to around $15.4 billion in buying power. If you’ve been ignoring the youngest consumers in the country, you may be missing out on profits.

WHO IS GENERATION Z?

Today’s Gen Zs are aged 11-26. They are growing up with technology and with social media. Access to instant information has shaped their development, making them a curious and versatile group, always interested in the next trend or cause.

OFFERING FOOD THAT FITS NEW FOCUSES

Gen Z’s are growing up around discussions of climate change and social justice. Consequently, sustainability and diversity are topics many of them feel strongly about. How does this factor into your food and beverage purchasing process?

According to a survey done by Deloitte, protecting the environment is the top concern of Gen Z. Plus, a study from the NPD Group

reported that 73% of Gen Z participants said that they believe their generation is more concerned about the environmental impacts of their food choices than other age groups.

All this means that marketing sustainably sourced products is a great way to garner these diners’ interest. That can mean adding plantbased entrees to your menus, looking into regional product options, and choosing your suppliers based on their environmental policies.

Gen Z tends to lean more towards side dishes than other generations – especially Boomers. Younger diners enjoy customizing their mealtime experiences by ordering multiple sides, from fruit and vegetables to carb-based dishes. Offering a la carte options on your menu could help you increase sales.

BALANCING THE NEEDS OF MANY DEMOGRAPHICS

Because different age groups tend to have different preferences, planning a food and beverage purchasing process can be complicated. Reaching out to a procurement expert is a good solution. Foodbuy Foodservice account managers have the intel needed to create purchasing plans that satisfy multiple consumer audiences. Reach out today to see how they can help you.

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Case study

Helping our members every step of the way

Member turns to Foodbuy to overcome the challenge of product shortage

THE CHALLENGE

The Lunch Lady Group, a Foodbuy Member, is a meal service provider for children in an education and childcare setting, and has been trusted to provide children with wholesome and affordable food since 1993. Their meal program uses SKUs that are certified under the Policy/ Program Memorandum 150 (PPM 150), which sets nutritional guidelines for food and beverages sold in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. The Lunch Lady Group is responsible for ensuring that all food and beverages sold on school premises meet these nutrition standards. Therefore SKUs are carefully selected to meet the criteria set out in these guidelines and are not always easily replaced.

An issue arose when one of the key SKUs this Member used was unexpectedly discontinued by their preferred supplier. This product gap forced the The Lunch Lady Group to use a substitute product which received much backlash from the parents.They were eager to re- establish access to their original, PPM 150 and parent-approved product.

THE SOLUTION

Foodbuy conducted a comprehensive national assessment of product usage, collecting the combined purchasing volumes from other Foodbuy Members and Compass Group units. Foodbuy presented the aggregated sales volume for that SKU and worked with the supplier to make a data-based decision regarding this particular SKU.

THE RESULTS

• Based on the sales insights provided by Foodbuy’s data collection systems and industry expertise, the supplier was able to make a factbased decision to continue to produce the desired SKU.

• After having faced disruption to their procurement processes and operations, The Lunch Lady Group was then able to once again provide their customers with the desired and PPM 150 approved menu item.

• Foodbuy was able to demonstrate true partnership with their Members and supplier partners for the success of both parties.

Facing your own challenges?

Foodbuy is always here to help you. Whether you are a quick service restaurant, fine dining, food truck, caterer, snack shop owner, or anything and everything in between, we’ve got your back.

No matter what your needs are — from distributor problems, to finding the perfect price points for food products, to staffing solutions and beyond — we can help solve your problems. Foodbuy is the largest Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) in North America, tracking more than 2,000 leading suppliers with over 36,000 contracted products. Reach out to your account manager with whatever your needs are and see how we can help you today.

Prep your payment systems for the winter season

Canada is a top destination for domestic and international winter travel, and why wouldn’t it be? The Great White North has everything from popular winter sports like skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling to uniquely northern-hemisphere attractions like safaris to see polar bears and trips to see the northern lights. There are also festivals and fairs that bring visitors and tourists from near and far. Top it off with Christmas and New Year celebrations and you’ve got a busy season ahead!

If your business depends on holiday festivities and winter tourism to boost your annual revenue, you’re not alone. One way to stand out from your competitors this season is to invest in robust payment technology and processes. Providing secure, fast, and convenient payment options can improve customer satisfaction and help you serve more customers in less time.

Mobile and connected payment systems can help you stay agile and organized no matter where business takes you.

OFFER CONTACTLESS PAYMENT OPTIONS

The majority of Canadians prefer to pay with a credit or debit card, and contactless payments have quickly become one of the most popular ways to pay for everything from restaurant bills to souvenirs to transportation. In fact, 42% of Canadians reported avoiding establishments that don’t accept contactless payments.

There are multiple ways you can implement contactless payments.

Credit card tap readers

Your point-of-sale system should have a

Content supplied by Chase

tap reader so you can take payments in a secure and popular way and encourage business. In 2020, both MasterCard® and Visa® increased their tap-to-pay limits in Canada, and that difference can really add up over the season.

Retail shops and restaurants where diners order and pay at the counter can benefit from having fast, convenient tap readers. Updated equipment can keep lines from growing while providing a great payment experience for your customers.

Mobile wallet payments

Canada hosts many popular winter festivals, including Ottawa’s Winterlude, the Québec Winter Carnival, and the Yukon Rendezvous. For small businesses, festivals mean lots of planning in preparation to serve a surge of visitors for just a few days. Taking payments efficiently is critical for maximizing your earnings and ensuring your hard work pays off.

Forty percent of Canadians use mobile wallets to make purchases. Wearable payments alone, such as using a mobile wallet on a smartwatch, were used to initiate 18.5 million transactions, an increase of 115% from 2020. On top of that, customers are spending more per transaction, too.

QR codes

A lesser-known contactless payment method is the use of quick response (QR) codes. These square, unique images turn a customer’s smartphone camera into a barcode reader. By scanning the QR code, your customers can quickly access a website that helps them start or complete their transactions. In 2020, 5% of Canadian businesses used QR codes, and they’re growing in popularity.

Sit-down restaurants may benefit the

40% of Canadians use mobile wallets to make purchases. Wearable payments alone, such as using a mobile wallet on a smartwatch, were used to initiate 18.5 million transactions, an increase of 115% from 2020.

most from this technology. In their simplest form, QR codes can be used to guide diners to digital menus, leaving them with one less item to touch during their meal. At their best, QR codes can guide customers to an e-commerce site where they can shop, order, and pay all in one contactless place. This method may shorten a server’s time at each table, allowing you to serve more customers amid potential staffing shortages.

STAY CONNECTED FOR EFFICIENT PAYMENT PROCESSING

Contactless payment technology has the added benefit of speed, but it’s not the only way to increase efficiency. No matter how your customers pay, you need a strong Internet connection and cloud-based technology to process transactions.

Invest in high-speed Internet

By 2026, 98% of Canadians will have access to high-speed Internet. That’s good for your business because slow, unreliable connections can make it hard to process payments.

Internet comes in many forms. Fibre is the fastest, most reliable method, but most businesses do just fine with cable or even DSL connections for payment processing. Fixed wireless and satellite Internet can be less reliable, especially during winter storms, but in remote areas, they may be your only options. Also have a back-up plan for taking payments when you don’t have an Internet connection.

Use cloud-based payment processing software

With reliable, high-speed Internet, you can boost your efficiency further by investing in

cloud-based payment processing software that helps your employees take payments on the go while aggregating data in one place. Businesses with multiple storefronts, for example, can sync inventory and sales automatically.

Cloud-based software is also ideal for small businesses that need to make payments to their vendors on the go. For example, caterers and restaurateurs can quickly restock supplies for a festival booth or on-site event with ease.

CHOOSE PAYMENT TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSORS YOU CAN TRUST

A Canadian winter is unpredictable, and your payment technology and processes need to be able to carry your small business through a busy season. Your payments provider needs to be an expert in Canadian small businesses and should be available to help your business when you need it. After all, if you can’t get immediate help from your processor, you could lose sales.

As you prepare for the next busy winter, ensure your payment technology and processes are reliable, secure, and ready to weather whatever happens. Winter tourism is critical for many Canadian small businesses, no matter if you serve travelers directly or support the businesses that do. Stay competitive this season with robust payment technology and processes, and you’ll have happier customers, a healthier bottom line, and improved success in the long run.

~ Chase.ca

As a leader in seafood, we’re big on everything you crave – easy prep, sustainability, menu innovation, creativity, and flavour. With a huge variety of delicious breaded and battered shrimp in our extensive portfolio, the possibilities are as endless as the seas themselves.

WHY HIGH LINER FOODSERVICE SHRIMP?

EASY PREP

TASTY & HEALTHY

CHEQUE DRIVER

Connecting you to the services you need

Searching for the right support to tackle your key business challenges?

Wasting too much time searching for quality suppliers?

Foodbuy has searched and evaluated high-quality suppliers that can help support your needs. From staffing and scheduling to marketing and insurance. It’s all part of Foodbuy’s Professional Services.

Experts include:

Food & Beverage

Bar inventory consultants

Beverage alcohol marketing programs

Draught beer services

Technology Reservation systems

Delivery support systems

Digital media support

Financial

Restaurant equipment financing

Insurance and staff benefits

Automated field audit reporting

Human Resources

Temporary staffing solutions

Scheduling tools

Training and education programs

Other

Restaurant concept development

Brand development

Music services

Waste Solutions

And more….

SURVEY RESULTS

Gen Zs want to celebrate

There’s a saying that you should ‘know your audience’. In restaurants, that translates into knowing your diners.

If a good percentage of your diners are Gen Zs (those born between 1997 and 2012, or those currently aged 11-26) then you should know they want to celebrate!

Survey results recently shared by Technomic reveal that the most popular reason for Gen Zers to visit a restaurant was for a planned celebration of a special event. That could include celebrations related to their schooling, family and friends or holidays.

Market yourself as a destination for this type of splurge spending. Promote a festive, lively setting that’s willing to cater to bigger groups. Offer filling menu options that highlight quality ingredients, creative flavours and preparations with a flare that are not easily replicated at home — a reason to celebrate outside of their own kitchen. Have shareable app items on your menu that are good for larger crowds.

MEAL OCCASION FOR GEN Z’S DURING MOST RECENT RESTAURANT VISIT

Birthday trivia

July through October are the busiest birth months, with August typically having the highest number of births.

(Note to restaurant owners: stock extra cake and sparklers in the summer.)

Be Cleaner, Safer and Healthier

Our business is taking care of your business. We are equipped to help you build a healthier, cleaner and safer environment, even during challenging times.

We have operational protocols and processes in place that you can trust. Our products and services can deliver peace of mind to you, your customers and employees.

HOW THE SERVICE WORKS

For a flat weekly rate, your Customer Service Representative will:

INSPECT

Check your first aid kit every week for inventory

Extra Requirement Modules

To meet specifi c provincial requirements, some workplaces may need additional products. Module contents can vary by province

Disclaimer -Every business location is unique and our customers’ needs will differ based on the specifi c work environment and hazards. It is the customer’s responsibility to determine what first aid supplies are adequate and where first aid supplies should be placed.

National Insurance Program

POWERED BY

Powered by Navacord and Selectpath, Foodbuy is proud to facilitate a series of comprehensive insurance programs to protect organizations in the food service, hospitality and recreational industries.

As one of Canada’s leading insurance brokerages, Navacord is committed to meeting the needs of its clients by delivering expert advice. Backed by this national strength, Selectpath provides a local touch, helping its clients navigate ‘The Right Path’ to success through a personalized approach.

MINIMUM ORDER FEES

Did you know that suppliers have minimum order fees?

If you aren’t reaching the minimum order amount, you could be incurring unwanted costs.

Reach out to your R.I.B.A./Foodbuy Foodservice representative and ask what the minimum order is and if you are reaching it.

SCAN TO SHOP EV ERLIGHT ™ I Men’s GIA I Women’s RE D ROC K 6” CT CSA I Men’s

MIGHTY MAT!™

INTERLOCKING STYLE | 46 [Mid-Section]

Dimensions 3'x3'

Thickness 9.5 mm ST YLE | 45 [End Section] with finishing end piece

MIGHTY MAT!™

CLASSI C

STYLE | 20 Dimensions 3'x5' Thickness 6.5 mm / ¼”

CR EWGUARD® CHILL STYLE G2101 | Black XXS, XS, S, S+, M, M+, L, XL, XXL, XXXL

MIGHTY MAT!™

MAX II

STYLE | 40

Dimensions 3'x4'

ANTI-FATIGUE CR EWGUARD® SOFT TOE STYLE 50 | Black XXS, XS, S+, M+, XXL, and XXXL

CrewGuard® Slip-Resistant Overshoes 200+ STYLESEXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT PRICING FAST, FREE EXCHANGES

LET’S TALK PROTEIN.

Upgrade to a protein supplier that provides unwavering quality and consistency, with unmatched national distribution. Our experienced craftsmen leverage a chef-driven mindset to deliver tailored protein products that address your specific needs.

LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW OUR MEAT & SEAFOOD PRODUCTS WILL:

• Differentiate your menu

• Expand profit margin

• Remove operational pressure.

LET’S TALK PROTEIN TODAY. Get in touch with a protein expert by visiting bit.ly/letstalkprotein

Vice President

Christos N. Kyriakopoulos

Chris.Kyriakopoulos@foodbuy.ca

General Manager

Rich Hsu

Rich.Hsu@foodbuy.ca

Senior Director of Sales

Peter N. Kalantzis

Peter.Kalantzis@foodbuy.ca

Senior Account Manager - Foodservice

Mandy Ouellette

Mandy.Ouellette@foodbuy.ca

Account Manager - Foodservice

Kiran Thandi

Kiran.Thandi@foodbuy.ca

Account Manager - Foodservice

Rahul Patel

Rahul.Patel@foodbuy.ca

Account Manager - Foodservice

Panagiotis Roumbas

Panagiotis.Roumbas@foodbuy.ca

Account Manager - Foodservice

Jason Mcmillan

Jason.Mcmillan@foodbuy.ca

Account Manager - Foodservice

Laura Pauli

Laura.Pauli@foodbuy.ca

Account Manager

Nancy Rasic

Nancy.Rasic@foodbuy.ca

Member Engagement Manager

Sindy Dierken

Sindy.Dierken@foodbuy.ca

Marketing / Graphic Designer

Susan Batsford

Susan.Batsford@foodbuy.ca

VP Strategic Development

Troy Taylor

Troy.Taylor@foodbuy.ca

and over 60 additional Foodbuy employees supporting this channel

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

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

Kronos Food

1-800-268-0159

1-800-739-9921

Mercury Foodservice (905) 546-5554

Morton Food Service

Multi Plus

1-800-265-5663

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

Sysco Toronto

Equipment Service Numbers

Pepsi Sudden Service

1-855-736-6000

1-888-440-2524

1-800-387-6683

Ecolab 1-800-35-CLEAN

Chase® Merchant Services Help Desk 1-800-265-5158

Canteen* (For coffee related inquiries) 613-294-4083

Toll free: 1-866-292-8363

email: Info.Canteen@Compass-Canada.com