PEOPLE SELLING THE INDUSTRY

PEOPLE SELLING THE INDUSTRY WITH CARY MILLER This month I am proud to be pictured with Catherine GilmoreLawless, owner of the Gage Hospitality Group based in Chicago. Each of their restaurants is known for offering genuine hospitality, fine service, generous cocktails and passionate employees. Their restaurants include Acanto Restaurant + Wine Bar, Beacon Tavern, Coda di Volpe, The Dawson and The Gage. If you are headed for a night on the town, be sure to check out one of their restaurants.

Steve Theofanous is the owner of Around the Clock Restaurant & Bakery and also the Chairman of the board of GARC, the Greek American Restaurant Cooperative. He is joined by GARC COO, Christine Simms. Together they strive to help restaurants harness the power of many working as one. The deliver savings to members by negotiating discounts with suppliers. Contact them to learn more. You can find GARC listed in our buyers directories under Buying Groups.

Amy Falk is a Public Relations and integrated marketing specialist who helps chefs, restaurant owners, food and beverage companies to increase their visibility, brand awareness and top of mind awareness. Amy’s company, Falk PR is DBE, SBE and BEP Certified. If you are looking for a person to help you build your brand in the public mind, contact Amy today. You can find her listed under Public Relations- Marketing Services. Mike Mallory is the Vice President of the Midwest Region for St. George Spirits, a company with a fine collection of premium artisan products including Terroir Gin, Botanivore Gin, Dry Rye Gin, Dry Rye Reposado Gin, California Citrus Vodka, Green Chile Vodka, Absinthe, St. George Single Malt, Baller Single Malt, B&E American Whiskey, Fruit Brandies, Coffee Liqueur, Bruto Americano, California Shochu and others. To inspire more liquor sales consider creating interesting cocktails from St. George Spirits. You’ll love their products.

Pastry Chef Omar Martinez is a partner in Chicago based Dessert Concepts. Omar is posing in front of a chocolate werewolf he recently created for one of his clients. In addition to Chocolate sculptures and showpieces, Omar’s company produces outstanding cakes, macaroons and pastries. Omar specializes in fine natural, organic and gourmet products that look and taste far too good to pass up.

Game Changer Offers Flameless Pellet Smoking

The Game Changer Smoker is the first allelectric smoker for commercial kitchens of any size. Its revolutionary, flameless design makes it the safest, most versatile, and easiest-to-operate smoker on the market. This machine paves the way for kitchen efficiency by requiring less power, less floor space, and less manpower, all while increasing your current cooking capacity, consistency, and food quality. Now that is changing the game of smoking.

The Game Changer Smoker is truly a oneof a kind piece of equipment, combining fully electric technology with flameless pellet smoking to add just the right flavor to any meal. This patented smoke generator provides the most consistent smoke at any temperature. You will be able to make tender hot-smoked ribs, delicate cold-smoked cheeses, perfectly dried jerkies, and everything in between with just one machine. The GAME CHANGER commercial smoker has an easy to use control system you set your cook time, temperature, and smoke time, then walk away. The consistency that the GAME CHANGER delivers means peace of mind for chefs, as they know that this machine will deliver winning results cook after cook. See their ad on page 42

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McCloud Services 21st Annual Pest Invasion Seminars McCloud Services announced that its 21st Annual Pest Invasion Seminar has expanded to two locations and two days in 2020. The seminars will be held May 20-21, 2020 at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pennsylvania and June 18- 19, 2020 at the Hilton Chicago Oak Brook in Oak Brook, Illinois. Both seminars will focus on pest management for the modern world. This year’s two-event two-day seminar will feature valuable session topics from top industry professionals, including: ■ Top Pests that Can Impact a Food Facility ■ Roles and Responsibilities: Panel Session ■ Risk Assessments: A Critical Component for every IPM Program ■ Changing the Dynamic: Evolution from Trap Checking to a Risk Based Program ■ Consider the Structure: It’s Not Just 4 Walls and a Roof ■ Food Safety Update: Where It’s At and Where It’s Headed ■ Pest Exclusion: The Good, Bad and the Ugly ■ Understanding Pest Management Records and Data for Root Cause Analysis ■ The Future of Pest Management: New Advancements and Technologies Early bird discounted registration is now open until April 1, 2020. Sponsorship and Exhibitor Information Pest Invasion 2020 provides a unique environment to promote the top brands, products and services as this seminar hosts the most influential buyers and decision-makers in food safety, bringing attendees face-to-face with prospective and existing clients. Eighty percent of Pest Invasion 2019 attendees were C-level executives of major food supply chain companies, including processors, manufacturers, distributors and suppliers. McCloud Services is a leader in integrated pest management solutions, serving the food supply chain of custody, health care, hospitality, property management, retail industries and residential markets. With a foundation of over 100 years of industry and market experience, McCloud Services carries out its mission to protect health, food, property and the environment while ensuring the safety of its employees and the public. McCloud Services is a regional service provider with locations in 11 states. See their ad on page 45.

DFA Wants to Buy Dean Foods

Dairy Farmers of America announced that it has agreed to buy Dean Foods, America’s largest milk producer, for $425 million.

The dairy co-operative will also assume Dean’s liabilities as part of the deal to acquire 44 of the company’s facilities, as well as other assets.

Dean filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November as the business struggled to attract consumers who have instead turned to nondairy milk or private-label products. At the time it filed for bankruptcy, Dean had reported a net loss in seven of its last eight quarters.

If approved by the bankruptcy court, the agreement would make the Dairy Farmers of America the stalking horse bidder, meaning that the transaction would be subject to receiving higher or better offers while the company is in bankruptcy. The company is also talking with other buyers interested in plants and assets not included in the deal with the co-op. The deal would also need approval from the Department of Justice, which has reportedly begun probing the merger, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A quantum leap, in physics, is when one particle takes a sudden jump from one energy level to a higher one. Much like the inept son-in-law of the boss becoming a comSany officer.

How Can You Measure the ROI of Fleet Graphics?

So, how can you measure the ROI (Return on Investment) of fleet graphics? There are several ways to accomplish this. I’ll share a few of them.

In a study by The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), Advertising, such as billboards and fleet graphics, reach 95% of Americans who are on the road. The question is, how can any business know if their fleet graphics are effective? How can they know the ROI?

A white paper shared by the ATA (American Trucking Association) Vehicle Branding: Is there Hidden Value in Your Fleet? discovered that 75% of people developed a first impression about a company and its products from truck advertising. Furthermore, an impressive 91% of people stated that they not only noticed adverts on the side of trucks but could also remember them days later. Most importantly, however, the survey revealed that almost a third of people would base a buying decision on the impression they got from vehicle advertisements.” Chose Where Prospects Land

This is a modern version of the dedicated phone number. Create a landing page that is only listed on your fleet vehicles and once again track leads and sales. Create a Call to Action

Share a special offer such as first-time buyer discount, BOGO, or a free service. Track the response from inquiry to sale.Vehicle graphics should promote action, through effective calls to action. Entice them, tell them what you do, and solve their problems. When you do this, customers will come calling. They’ll take action. Use a Dedicated Phone Number

This is old school, but it still works. Use a phone number on your fleet vehicles that isn’t used anywhere else, and then track the calls, leads generated, and sales from this phone number. Ask Prospects How They Found You

Asking a prospect how they heard of your business is the least accurate of these tracking methods because someone might see your truck, write down the web address, and then when asked how they found your business answer that it was the website. It was the website, but

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they saw the fleet vehicle to learn of the website. Having said that, it does no harm to ask prospects how they heard of you. Check the Stats

Checking statistics won’t inform you how your fleet graphics are faring as far as a marketing device, but it will give you an idea of what to expect. For example, impressions are the number of times an advertisement is seen, whether it’s a TV ad or fleet graphics. The stats can give you a good idea of how many people see your fleet graphics and the cost per impression. Here are some stats on impressions (Statistics courtesy of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America): ■ A 30-second primetime spot in the top 100 television markets costs $17.78 per thousand impressions ■ A 60-second drivetime ad in the top 100 radio markets costs $8.61 per thousand impressions ■ A one-third b/w page ad in the top 100 newspaper markets costs $22.95 per thousand impressions ■ A four-color onepage ad in the top 23 magazine publications costs $9.35 per thousand impressions ■ The average for all forms of billboard ads costs $2.18 per thousand impressions ■ Vehicle wraps cost $.77 per thousand impressions So, Can You Measure ROI in Fleet Graphics?

Yes, you can. It may not be perfect. However, if you use a dedicated phone line, create a separate landing page, promote a call to action, and ask prospects how they found you – you’ll have a pretty good idea.

If we can answer any questions or be of any service, Contact Us (888)774-6270. We’ll keep track of you. Andrew Noteman | Owner | American Graphics, LLC

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