Atlantic Restaurant News - June 2014

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lobster

Executive chef Erin Henry.

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

By Kristen Smith, Assistant editor, digital content CHARLOTTETOWN—At Row House Lobster Co., seafood—especially the namesake crustacean—is the star of the show. Named for its Victoria Row location, the restaurant opened May 5 at 146 Richmond St. in Charlottetown in the space formerly occupied by Castello’s Ristorante & Pizzeria. “The concept really was to take a product and a category that we think Prince Edward Island and Charlottetown should be known for, and build on that with a high-quality food ex-

perience,” owner Chris LeClair told ARN. The dinner menu for the 52-seat restaurant (which has an additional 40 seats on the patio) is organized into small plates, lobster dishes, signature mains and land and sea entrees. Executive chef Erin Henry, who studied at the Culinary Institute of Canada and has about 12 years of kitchen experience, met LeClair while running his self-serve frozen yogurt shop Berry Healthy. “We would talk all the time about food and food concepts. At one point Erin said to me, ‘It sounds like you are really interested in owning, not a

frozen yogurt shop, but a restaurant.’ I said: ‘Oh, absolutely. Would you be interested in being the executive chef in a restaurant?’ She said: ‘Absolutely.’ The conversation went from there,” recalled LeClair. “We have a lot of really great products on P.E.I,” said Henry, noting the Island has fantastic quality lobster, potatoes and dairy, in particular. “Just those three ingredients can be put together to make some pretty amazing stuff.” She said the idea behind menu creation was to showcase P.E.I. products—such as beef and chicken from farms 25 minutes away, mushrooms

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from St. Peter’s Bay, PEI, and blue mussels from Borden-Carlton— without overshadowing them. “As the weather warms up, all our produce will be [sourced] from down the road as well,” said Henry. Henry said Row House has all the staples one might expect, such as chowder and lobster rolls, which are served on Charlottetown bakery Buns & Things’ rolls, but the menu also features items such as tempura lobster lollipops and lobster tacos. Oysters Rockefeller are baked with double-smoked bacon, wilted spinach, Pernod Anise and aged cheddar crust. The artisan cheese board is served with house-made preserves. The church supper dinner is a platter with a whole lobster, a halfpound of steamed mussels and a cup of chowder, served with lemon, butter and a side dish. Henry also makes cioppino, a seafood stew with lobster, mussels, halibut and haddock in a garlic tomato and fennel broth. First cook and pastry chef Marliese McGee had a hand in creating the dessert menu, which includes vanilla bean panna cotta, served with lemon curd, berries and a shortbread cookie. Working with Ottawa-based McTavish Design and local interior designers The Ottoman Empire, LeClair said renovations opened up the 1,000-square-foot space. “The look that I tried to achieve in the restaurant is what I’m calling rustic elegance,” said LeClair. The back wall is made of horizontal barn boards, there are chocolate brown hardwood floors, honey-coloured banquettes and tables made from reclaimed wood with brushed metal bases. Continued on page 3

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Taking a bite out of Cape Breton By Jonathan Zettel, assistant editor

The Bite House location.

BADDECK, NS—A Cape Breton chef is inviting tourists and locals over to his house for dinner. On June 4, 26-year-old chef Bryan Picard opened The Bite House, an intimate, 10-seat restaurant inside his home, 11 kilometers outside the village of Baddeck, NS. “It just made sense because the house is big and I don’t need all this space,” Picard told ARN. It took four or five months to obtain all the necessary permits to open the 250-square-foot dining room inside his personal residence, which Picard said was the hardest part of the process. Guests can choose from a threecourse menu for $35 or a five-course meal for $50.

“It’s going to be kind of informal but the food will be very high top quality, which is what is important,” Picard said. “It’s more like a few people come to my house and I cook for them.” Picard said the menu will rotate and depend on what is seasonally available. For the opening menu, he prepared smoked trout, snow crab, and braised beef and served rhubarb and wild strawberries for dessert. The Bite House also offers a selection of Nova Scotian wines and craft beer from Big Spruce and Uncle Leo’s Brewery. Picard said he has no plans to open a larger restaurant someday and joked the business expansion plan might be to go from 10 to 12 tables. “I think smaller is better,” he said. “I moved out here to have a more sus-

tainable lifestyle and I think doing it in my home and growing the veggies is on the path toward self-sufficiency.” Prior to opening his own restaurant, Picard worked for two years at the Chanterelle Country Inn at the North River Bridge on the Cabot Trail. Picard studied at the l’Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Quebec in Montreal. Picard has a large herb garden, a smaller vegetable garden and some chickens for eggs, but will purchase the bulk of the restaurant’s supplies from local-area farmers. The Bite House is named after Picard’s blog, a collection of simple, home-style recipes featuring Maritime ingredients. 1471 Westside Baddeck Rd. (902) 3221436, www.thebitehouse.com.


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Russell Halifax opens house HALIFAX—Russell Food Equipment’s Halifax location held its inaugural spring open house on May 7 at its Russell Street facility. General manager Mike MacNamara told ARN that staff were inspired by the successful open house events at other locations. “We decided to give it a go and it will become an annual event,” he said, describing the results as exceeding the team’s “wildest expectations.” About 200 people attended the open house, which featured clearance merchandise, branch tours, manufacturer representative demos from about a dozen companies and a cooking presentation by Culinary Team Nova Scotia. Established in Vancouver on June 12, 1944, Russell has 14 locations across Canada.

MONCTON, NB—UNIPCO held its annual trade show and annual general meeting at Casino New Brunswick on March 25. More than 80 exhibitors set up at the trade show, which president and chief executive officer Eric Sloan said was well attended. “UNIPCO reported a very strong year both in member growth and rebate returns,” Sloan said. Restaurants Canada president and CEO Garth Whyte delivered the keynote address at the AGM speaking about the state of the restaurant industry in the Maritimes. The member-owned foodservice purchasing system awarded Bounlome “Boom” Pravong UNIPCO’s 2013 sales representative of the year and Capital Paper was named supplier of the year.

From left: Dave MacTavish, executive vicepresident of UNIPCO; Vince Mancari, national sales manager, Nikolaos Fine Foods; Bounlome “Boom” Pravong, UNIPCO Sales Representative 2013; and Eric Sloan, UNIPCO president and CEO.

Industry snapshot at restaurant summit

New lobster house in PEI

From left: Fairfax president Paul Rivett, Cara CEO and president Bill Gregson and moderator Amanda Lang.

State of the industry The NPD Group’s executive director Robert Carter outlined the key facts and figures when it comes to Canadian restaurant use. According to Carter, Canadian restaurants saw 6.6 billion visits in 2013, which is down by one per cent (72 million visits). Despite the decline in visits, total foodservice dollars rose by two per cent to $53 billion and overall, Canadians are eating more meals. During the past 10 years, traffic growth has risen by two percent while new unit growth is up by 12 per cent. According to Carter, the decline in visits shows an increased battle for profit share

among restaurants. Millennials, Carter said, are the number one source of traffic growth, adding up to 28 per cent of annual visits.

Opportunities for growth Tom Kowalski of Interbrand Design Forum identified five key growth opportunities for restaurants. • Avoid sameness. Kowalski said restaurants must have a signature ingredient or product differentiating it from competitors. • Provide a journey. Incorporating the story of where your products come from into the design of the space can provide customers with a sense of being taken on a voyage. • Know the millennials. According to Kowalski, this demographic can be elusive to understand, but is important to the overall health of the business. He said

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On the walls hang pictures from library archives dating back to the 1900’s: young children holding up lobsters on a wharf or a family out fishing after church service. “We’ve tried to capture some old, traditional island seafood history,” said LeClair. A backlit wine bar display showcases Row House’s extensive wine list, which LeClair said is upwards of 100 labels with 10 reds and whites by the glass. The building was at one point an insurance company and the bar had to be built around an old walk-in safe, which LeClair plans to use a wine cellar. “I’ve been to Niagara, I’ve been to the Okanagan and I know that some of the best

millennials want to hear a story for each product. • Seamless technology. Kowalski said mobility is the key technology driver. • Optimizing scale. Kowalski said restaurants should not overextend themselves and be mindful of their footprint.

Cara and Fairfax

TORONTO—The Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit (CRIS) brought together some of the restaurant industry’s top executives to network and discuss opportunities for growth on May 7 at the Eaton Chelsea in Toronto.

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Amanda Lang moderated two discussions: Bill Gregson, president and chief executive officer of Cara and Paul Rivett, president of Fairfax, spoke about turning the Cara brand around following Fairfax’s purchase of the company; and Peter Senst, president of Canadian capital markets at CBRE, Blake Hutcheson, president and chief executive officer of Oxford Properties and Craig Wright, chief economist at RBC capital markets spoke about Canada’s economic outlook and the real estate market. Rivett spoke about opportunities for turnaround within Cara and Prime brands. “All nine brands have some very distinct aspects to them,” said Rivett, noting the brand teams for each have been left intact. He said Fairfax and Cara believe in all nine brands, noting that some are more robust than others, with Swiss Chalet as its biggest. Gregson spoke of the recent brand renovation at The Queensway and Islington Avenue location—it created a “wow” factor, but cost $1.5 million do so. “The challenge is creating that ‘wow’ at a price the franchisee can afford. For us, that’s about $300,000,” said Gregson. Rivett said Fairfax’s plan is to go with an IPO. “I think we’ll like to see ourselves as a Fairfax restaurant company,” he said. “We’d love to do additional investments.”

Real estate People are putting too much of an emphasis on increasing interest rates, said Hutcheson

wines in the world come from Canada. We’re trying to really pay homage to local wines in three ways,” said LeClair. Row House will carry a few Prince Edward Island wines and represent growing wine industries in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. For each grape, a B.C. and Ontario product is on the list, and on the international side, Row House will focus on bringing in the particular varietal regions are known for. General manager Jeana MacIsaac was involved in creating the cocktail list, which includes an Island blueberry daiquiri and a watermelon and mint martini. 146 Richmond St., Charlottetown, 902-8923344, www.rowlobsterhouse.ca.

during the second panel. “It’s going to be measured, incremental bumps,” he said. Senst said the Canadian real estate landscape should be fairly positive. With urban and suburban markets seeing gains, Senst said the market is going to see landlords trying “pull great concepts in as amenities.” Senst suggested restaurateurs start thinking about space in 20 to 30-year-old buildings as good real estate locations because people are going to be vying for the commercial openings in new condo developments. “The old building will be crying out for restaurants,” he said.

Fast casual With a seven per cent revenue increase and traffic up nine per cent, GE Capital Canada chief operating officer Peter Ringler noted that fast casual appears to be the hot sector. “Fast casual seems to be much further along in the [U.S.],” said Warren Solochek, NPD Group vice-president. He made a note to operators: if the segment follows the path in Canada that it did in the U.S., “don’t take your eye off it.” He describes fast casual as having an average ticket of between $2 and $2.50 higher than QSR and, while the traditional quick service focuses on speed of service, that falls to number three on the priority list of a fast casual concept behind food quality and freshness and guest experience. Alex Rechichi, Crave It Restaurant Group CEO, said the fast casual segment is beginning to break out into two tiers: those focused on customization and those that feature a chefdriven menu. Over the past eight years, 17,000 fast casual units opened in the U.S. Five Star North America COO Darven Erickson said there will be more concepts entering the segment as popularity grows. “We welcome the competition but there will be a shakedown,” said Erickson.


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RestaurantNews

Comm e n t

Food or fad?

www.atlanticrestaurantnews.com Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 jzettel@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor, Digital Content Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianrestaurantnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianrestaurantnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco ext. 0 sgiammarco@canadianrestaurantnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianrestaurantnews.com

AT L A N T I C R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

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imilar to the fickle world of fashion— where trends paradoxically follow twenty year cycles, but also flow from a celebrity’s arm to the back of a suburban minivan at an ever increasing speed—food trends are careening from small independents to chains, from high end to low brow, from one culture to another and then back again. “We are living in a gold rush of food trends, mined with ladles and saucepans instead of pickaxes and dynamite,” writes David Sax in his new book The Tastemakers: Why we’re crazy for cupcakes but fed up with fondue. As operators try to make their cronut or pork bun spell commercial success, our industry spends millions of dollars a year monetizing, distilling and converting trends. What may be lost in the roar is the idea that trends are not only arbiters of taste, but may also distract us from how food actually tastes. When it comes to trends, why do we tend

or are they markers of existing ideas bubbling in our collective consciousness? Trends can make us better, more informed eaters by widening our comfort zone, but they can also send us galloping down the same taste trails in a mass herd, destined to repeat the same cycle year after year until its planned obsolescence drives a newer model forward: “Cauliflower is the new kale! Artisanal toast is the new bruschetta!” Whether you ignore them or follow them, trends are important signposts of not only how we eat, but how we think about what we eat. The irony is that although trends speak to and promote certain commonalities of mindset, operators often find success through their individuality: creating food they do well and forging their own directions. Perhaps the true value of trends lies in separating that personal sense of taste from a crowd of popular opinion.

toward categorical breakdowns rather than taste, touch or any of the senses? We are inundated by trend summaries, detailing everything from leafy greens to ancient grains, from types of cuisines to cooking methods, but rarely do we see a list broken down into what the customer experiences first and foremost: taste. Through a concept such as comfort food, the diner experiences fatty richness and salt, soothing textures and homey warmth that all fuel a sense of nostalgia. What, then, makes this trendworthy over other similar items? “Why does food have to be trendy? Why can’t it just taste good on its own merits?” asks Sax. “I often find myself just wanting to be given a grilled cheese and then left alone. Not artisanal aged cheese, mind you, or ancient grain bread. Just cheese. And bread.” Are trends the drivers of our tastebuds, manufactured by tastemakers across the globe as Sax envisions,

Leslie Wu Editorial director

How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150

Bi t s RANS education day and AGM set Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

Volume 16 Number 3 Atlantic Restaurant News is published 6 times per year by Ishcom Publications Ltd. which also publishes: Ontario Restaurant News, Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Canadian Chains Directory 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada 1 800 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada & USA: $24.95/ year or $39.95/two years Single copy: $5.95 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1702-3483 GST number R102533890

HALIFAX—The Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia (RANS) recently announced it would hold its annual general meeting in conjunction with an education day on June 26 at the Prince George Hotel in Halifax. Along with the association news and business, the event will offer a social media workshop, look at restaurant research and trends, include a food bloggers panel discussion and end with a reception.

a nd

Montreal, Farmer’s Apprentice in Vancouver and Vij’s in Vancouver rounded out the top five.

Darden sells off Red Lobster

MONCTON, NB—Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc. announced on April 28 the company will form a special committee to review strategic alternatives. According to a release, the committee will consider a merger, sale or privatization of the company, strategic alliances and other transactions. Denis Richard, Imvescor’s president and chief executive officer, will assist in the review and Yves Devin has been appointed chief operating officer and will take over daily operations and franchisee relations during the process. “Over the past three years, we established a strong financial position, streamlined our operations and invigorated our brands and franchise networks,” Richard said in a release. “We believe that now is the right time to review strategic alternatives.”

ORLANDO, FL—Darden Restaurants, Inc. is selling off its Red Lobster business and related assets to San Francisco-based private equity investment firm Golden Gate Capital for $2.1 billion in cash. The sale, announced on May 16, is expected to close in the first fiscal quarter of 2015. The move comes as part of a change in Darden’s strategic direction and is intended to help “regain momentum at Olive Garden,” as well as reduce the company’s existing debt, Clarence Otis, Darden chairman and chief executive officer, said in a release. The news comes six months after a mid-December 2013 announcement by Darden that it would spin off Red Lobster into a separate company within the year. “As a stand-alone company, we will be free to focus in a more single-minded manner on the many current and prospective guests who find what Red Lobster brings to the marketplace highly relevant,” Kim Lopdrup, Darden’s president of specialty restaurant group and new business, said in a release at the time. According to Darden, the 705 Red Lobster restaurants across Canada and the U.S. saw annual sales of approximately $2.6 billion in the 2013 fiscal year.

Raymonds voted best in Canada

Hiscock’s closes after 54 years

TORONTO—Raymonds in St. John’s Newfoundland has been ranked the best restaurant in Canada by the some of nation’s of leading chefs.“I can’t believe it,” Jeremy Bonia, Raymonds co-owner and sommelier said in a statement. “It’s exciting and humbling, especially when you know who voted for it.” More than 50 chefs from across the country including Vikram Vij and Connie Desousa were given 100 points to allocate between 5 to 10 restaurants the chef had visited within the last two years. The top 50 restaurants were published at Vacay.ca. This was the travel site’s third annual vote. Bar Isabel in Toronto, Maison Publique in

GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, NL—Hiscock’s restaurant has shuttered after 54 years in the business. Owner Marilyn Shallow told the CBC many franchises have opened up in area in the last year and, with so much competition in the area, it was difficult to survive. “It saddens me very much to have to come to this point, because this business, which I don’t consider a business—it’s my life, my home,” Shallows said. According to Shallow, her father Wallace Hiscock developed a “special formula” to create the legendary wedge fries, which were sold at

Imvescor opens strategic review

Bit e s

the restaurant and sold frozen to local supermarkets. “Many people say if they leave here and go to the mainland, they have to have the wedge fries in their suitcase to take to one of the family members—or they’re not allowed to visit,” Shallow said. Hiscock’s first opened in 1960 and was located on the main street of what was the Town of Windsor. Shallow moved the business to about a year ago to the busier downtown area of Grand Falls-Windsor.

No tipping restaurant in B.C. PARKSVILLE, BC—A Vancouver Island restaurateur opened what he is calling Canada’s only no tipping restaurant on June 2. David Jones, owner of Smoke ‘N Water, said the business model that includes tipping is broken and does not work for restaurants. “We want to be innovative, we want to create a transformational shift on the business model of how restaurants are run,” Jones told ARN. Jones said although a handful of restaurants across the U.S. have no tipping policies, no Canadian restaurants prohibit the customary practice. The practice of tipping, according to Jones, creates disparity of wages between front of house and back of house employees.“We’re drawing a line in the sand and saying it stops right here,” Jones said. “No longer will a woman working in the back of the house … for thirty years, be a single mother with an 11-yearold son and be paid $11.50 with no medical or dental. That’s not OK.” Jones said he plans on paying “a living wage” to both cooks and servers and will factor labour costs into menu prices. He said operations is budgeting the cost of labour at 30 per cent and considers his business model one of profit sharing. An additional two per cent of gross sales will go to provide dental and medical care to all employees and one per cent of sales will go into a social fund, of which the use will be determined by staff on a monthly basis.


The inaugural RFE Halifax Spring Open House is now behind us, success. Our thanks go out to all of the supplier partners who valued customers and friends for making the first effort such a big hit.

and we are happy to say it was a huge helped us pull it off, but most of all to our

Mark your calendars now with next year's date, Wednesday, May 6, 2015, and like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rfehalifax) to receive regular updates as the day draws nearer. We look forward to seeing you.

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Aaron Clouther - Dynamic Mini-Pro Stick Mixer

Francis Nardi - Chef Revival Jacket and Oven Mitts

Metro Pizza - Platina Kitchen Knife Set

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Terroir: Growing new ideas By Kristen Smith TORONTO—At one time, a chef ’s recipes were closely guarded secrets, but a new generation of Canadian chefs and foodservice professionals are sharing knowledge and working together to bolster the craft and a spirit of collaboration pervades the culinary community. Chefs, food writers, suppliers and wine experts gathered at Arcadian Court in Toronto on May 12 for the Terroir Symposium, which brought together 89 speakers. The eighth annual edition of the hospitality industry event focused on the theme “Growing Ideas: Community building and creative collaboration in the world of food.” Chair Arlene Stein said she was proud of the sense of community that has been established over the years at the event, which has grown to more than 500 attendees this year. In his opening remarks, Peter Oliver of Oliver and Bonacini Restaurants called Terroir the foodservice industry’s most important event. He noted that the average customer has shifted from one demanding consistency to one expecting change. “If you don’t change, you’ll go out of business,” he said, advocating for increased entrepreneurship and innovation. Momofuku Restaurant Group founder and chef David Chang noted that Toronto has the resources—population, diversity and infrastructure—to be a great culinary city. “On paper, Toronto should have one of the best food scenes in the world,” Chang told ARN. “It’s good, it’s growing, there’s a movement of youth, but I think that there seems to not be a real unifying goal.” Chang noted that his intention isn’t to upset anyone—he wants Toronto to thrive and a forum like Terroir is a good place to get the

discussion rolling. “I think part of that discussion is hearing things you don’t necessarily want to hear. Medicine doesn’t always taste good and I’m not the doctor, I’m just a person that’s a fan of Toronto,” said Chang. He thinks one chef “crushing it” could change the game like René Redzepi did with Noma in Copenhagen. “There is great product here, there is amazing talent here,” said Chang. “We should become our harshest critics.” Albert Adrià, chef of Tickets and 41o, shared some of his creations with attendees. He called using a fork and knife “boring” and recommended removing any elements from the environment that could detract from a dish. He said it is important to hear and smell while eating—either the experience is emotional or it’s not. Kevin Patricio, chef and restaurateur of La Madame and founder of Basqueland Brewing Projects, shared the story of creating a food community in San Sebastian, Spain. “We don’t set out to challenge the status quo—we don’t set out to build community,” said Patricio, calling these results a byproduct of the journey to accomplish a goal. Patricio identified there was a lacking vegetable culture in the Basque community and a missing connection between chefs and farmers. Along with misinformation, he said, this resulted in a lack of demand from customers and a lack of biodiversity, with farmers growing only five types of vegetables. Patricio arranged for farmers to come from nearby France once a month for a market on private property of the beach expanding the varieties of vegetables available to the community and its chefs. From there, the food culture began ex-

AT L A N T I C R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

Daniel Boulud.

Albert Adrià.

panding on the street food side of the business and then Patricio delved into education on hops. Chef Daniel Boulud encouraged collaboration between peers, staff, media, customers and suppliers. “The suppliers are our lifeboat—good cooking wouldn’t exist without them,” he noted. Boulud added that he is looking forward to seeing what the new generation of chefs will continue to build. Toronto’s Group of Seven Chefs spoke of the importance working together. “It’s so nice to be in a kitchen with different chefs,” said Bertrand Alépée, The Tempered Chef. Chris Brown, Citizen Catering, said the group has accomplished a lot since 2010. Brown said they might start incorporating an educational element into The Group of Seven Chefs’ repertoire and “show future chefs and future cooks the power of collaboration.”

Restaurants Canada calls for lift of TFWP ban CHARLOTTETOWN—Restaurants Canada’s board of directors is calling for an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to address what they are calling a labour crisis in some regions of the country. In April, employment minister Jason Kenney placed a moratorium on the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) for the foodservice industry after complaints of the program being misused. “There couldn’t be a worse time for this ban,” Garth Whyte, president and chief executive officer of Restaurants Canada, told ARN in late May. “We strongly agree with penalties for people abusing the system, but it’s hurt some members that are in dire need right now.” Restaurants Canada held a press conference on May 27 in Charlottetown where the 30-person board of directors gathered for its annual spring meeting. The group called on the federal government to end the moratorium on the TFWP, strengthen rules of the program to ensure it is not abused and allow operators to hire foreign workers for positions at all skill levels after exhausting all other options to hire Canadian workers. “This is about protecting Canadian jobs,” Brenda O’Reilly, owner of Yellow Belly Brewery and Public House in St. John’s said in a statement. “I employ 120 people, including five foreign workers, I’d have to cut back on hours, putting Newfoundlanders out of work. I’ve also turned down an opportunity to open a new restaurant, because I know I won’t be able to staff it.” Gerard Curran, proprietor of James Joyce Irish Pub in Calgary said he had to cut back kitchen hours and is operating at a 30 per cent labour shortage. The CBC reports the federal government will make the changes to the TFWP to raise the cost of using the program and promote Canadians being hired first. “Our government has been clear: Canadians must have the first chance at available jobs,” Kenney said in a statement on April 24. The moratorium put a stop to any new or pending labour market opinion (LMO) applications related to the foodservice sector. However, president and chief executive officer of Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association Dave Kaiser told ARN Service Canada has clarified that hotels operating their own foodservice do not fall under the moratorium. Prior to the moratorium, McDonald’s Canada voluntarily suspended its use of the TFWP, following reports the program was being misused at some of its franchised locations. Of the 1,400 restaurants in Canada, the company said only 268 restaurants employ temporary foreign workers. On May 28, McDonald’s Canada announced it has hired Deloitte to conduct a third-party review of the company’s use of the TFWP. The federal moratorium came on the same day the C.D. Howe Institute published a report on the TFWP stating changes made to the program between 2002 and 2012 have made it easier to hire foreign workers which has accelerated the rise in unemployment in Alberta and British Columbia.


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AT L A N T I C R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

hen it comes to trends, it’s easy for the operator to succumb to information overload. Although some themes such as local eating, consumer awareness of ingredients and sustainability are starting to emerge year after year, trends often move quickly in today’s market, driven by factors such as increasingly engaged customers and social media. “The restaurant industry is the research and development sector for trends,” says Garth Whyte, president and chief executive officer of Restaurants Canada. “We’re the ones that drive excitement to the consumer. But it’s not just a push, but also a pull: trends reflect consumer demand as well.” Staying on top of trends can be a balancing act for the operator: ensuring new customers are attracted by an up-to-date menu, while staying true to the restaurant’s identity and existing clientele. “You have to move from your strengths and know your customers,” warns Whyte. “Trying to do everything is no longer what people want. You don’t have to throw out the whole menu.” Whether you’re ready to take the plunge into the trend pool, or just want to test the waters, ARN takes a look at how operators are finding success with four of this year’s top trends.

W

By Atlantic Restaurant News staff

GLUTEN FREEDOM Olymel corporate chef Marc Laroche says restaurants are realizing they ought to be ready for requests for gluten-free menu items. According to Laroche, it is bit of a challenge for some restaurants— not due to a lack of available gluten-free products—but because logistically it can be difficult to make separate prep and cooking areas to avoid cross-contamination. “But they understand that they have to go that way because, even if it’s one per cent of the population that is gluten-free, it affects the whole family around those people,” Laroche told ARN. Laroche says gluten is very volatile and even small particles can be left inside deep fryers which results in some restaurants looking for gluten-free products that can be baked instead.

At Olymel, Laroche says the company has more than 130 gluten-free items and has produced a brochure outlining how operators should handle gluten-free products. “It’s all about training your staff,” Laroche says. Managers, servers and kitchen staff must be aware of how easily gluten can be transmitted, he says. Olymel produces its gluten-free items first thing in the morning to avoid cross contamination with other products, Laroche says. While people who suffer from celiac disease must remove gluten from their diets, Laroche says some people are avoiding gluten as a way to lose weight. In Toronto, the inaugural Gluten Freedom Week in Toronto was launched as a showcase of gluten-

THINKING LOCALLY Making connections with local producers starts with getting out in the community. John-David Jacobsen, executive chef at the Kitchener, ON, Borealis Grille & Bar, visits farmers’ markets, farms and local abattoirs and butchers. During the winter, The Neighbourhood Group, which also operates a Guelph location and The Woolwich Arrow, uses the Ontario greenhouse program. Jacobsen says the pictures of

producers that hang in the bar help share the story about where the food comes from. Borealis Grille & Bar group leader Court Desautels says there are a number of reasons to support local food, including its positive impact on the local economy. “At the three restaurants, we serve about 7,000 people a week; that’s a lot of food,” says Desautels. As the restaurant group grew, it maintained its local mandate by adjusting the menu so there wasn’t too

free meals in the city. The event saw 20 restaurants across the city offer a three-course gluten-free meal at a set price, modelled after Summerlicious and Winterlicious. “I wanted to create an event that I could attend and that others in my situation could also enjoy, where you could dine out and enjoy a three-course meal from a variety of cuisines,” co-ordinator and founder Rachael Hunt says. She says she developed a gluten allergy two years ago and decided to seek out gluten-free options in the city. She says restaurants have been very receptive and recognize there is a gluten-free trend. Hunt is currently working to organize another Toronto event in November and expand the project to other Canadian cities. much of one ingredient, being less specific about the types of vegetables, and allowing for more chef’s features and market soups and salads. Andrew Aitken is the chef at Wild Caraway Restaurant & Cafe, a 45seat restaurant in Advocate Habour, NS, on the Bay of Fundy. “We have a mandate to use as much local produce as we can,” says Aitken, who with partner Sarah Griebel, forages and grows herbs and vegetables on the property. “Obviously, we can’t grow everything we use. You would need a full farm to support a restaurant of our size,” he says, adding they keep the

Olymel corporate chef Marc Laroche.

radius for sourcing as tight as possible, but local food has to meet a certain quality standard as well. They grow a wide variety of herbs and focus on specialty vegetables that aren’t easy to find in the area, such as different types of radishes, heritage carrots and various beets. “We need to change the menu every two weeks, so we try to grow enough of one thing so it’s a highlight on the menu for two weeks,” Aitken says. He says it’s important to the customers and the people in the fishing village community they serve local food. Desautels suggests a restaurateur

who wants to start implementing local food on the menu should start by going to a farmers’ market. “Ask questions, that’s a big one, because it’s amazing how many fronts there are,” he says. Aitken also warns of farmers’ markets being fraught with people bringing in items from elsewhere, but notes it’s easy to tell when someone has a passion for the product. “Then find out what their supply is like,” says Desautels. He suggests starting with locally sourced feature items, such as one appetizer, main and dessert, to learn about the process of sourcing locally.


www.atlanticrestaurantnews.com

J U N E 2 014

GREENER RESTAURANTS If a restaurant is going to be sustainable in its food sourcing, it’s counterproductive for this not to extend to internal operations, says Paul McGreevy, corporate chef for CRAFT Beer Market, which has had two of its three locations certified by Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF). The Edmonton location is undergoing its audit process. McGreevy says sustainable operations are a part of the company’s

philosophy. “It shows that you’re not just open for business, but you care about the community you’re in,” he says. LEAF certification requires an onsite environmental audit by a local consultant, which includes inspection of the lighting and water fixtures, equipment, food and supplies: “absolutely everything that goes on within the functioning of the restaurant,” says LEAF president Janine Windsor, adding the certification re-

quires the restaurant to prohibit the use of Styrofoam. Since the organization launched in 2009, about 50 restaurants have achieved the designation. This year, 11 restaurants were certified by June. “Each year, we’re getting more and more interest, and it’s modest, yet steady growth that we’re pleased with,” said Windsor. “I think there used to be this conception that it always costs money to do anything that is green or environmentally friendly and it’s actually not true. Whenever you’re doing

things to reduce your energy, reduce your water, reduce your food waste, that’s actually putting money in your pocket,” Windsor says. “Checking for leaks is a simple thing that you can do to make sure that you’re not wasting water,” she advises. Other low cost starting points are adding low flow faucet aerators, setting up a lighting policy and determining a start up and shut down schedule for equipment. McGreevy says waste management at the three locations is dif-

| 9 ferent depending on municipal services. In Calgary, a third-party waste management company picks up waste items that are sorted by staff. “Whereas, in Edmonton, [the city] sorts it for you,” he says. McGreevy says waste reduction is becoming prevalent in the industry and in restaurant practices— CRAFT gets its deliveries in reusable containers and uses energy efficient equipment. “The choices are becoming more and more abundant,” says McGreevy.

LEARNING TO SHARE Four years ago, Michelle LeBlanc, chef and co-owner of Chinched in St. John’s, started serving charcuterie. At the time, she says, there weren’t many serving it in St. John’s, so they approached it in a very mild way. “Our charcuterie board certainly has evolved tremendously since we first opened,” LeBlanc says. Chinched started with terrines and chicken liver and country pâtés to introduce the different food items and provide exposure to charcuterie in general. As staff and customers got more comfortable, she says, the charcuterie boards became much more adventurous. LeBlanc says the kitchen spent a lot of time researching traditional methods and different curing techniques and began producing dry-cured items such as prosciutto. “Now people know us for doing charcuterie and having a variety of fresh items,” LeBlanc says. Moose, beef and seal along with many pork items are often available. LeBlanc says it is important to her to use local meat and use the entire animal—from nose to tail—“to treat it with the respect it deserves.” While charcuterie is popular with customers, she says convincing them to try sharing platters is a bit more of a challenge. “It’s hard to convince people to eat like that,” LeBlanc says, indicating people are familiar with Chinched charcuterie board. the popular Photo by Tim Corbett. appetizer, entrée and dessert progression of a meal. This past winter, Chinched introduced a seasonal dinner for two designed for a couple to share and restructured the menu to be appetizer-heavy so there are several items ideal for sharing. “It is certainly catching on and people are more receptive to it,” LeBlanc says. “It’s more of a connection to the food.” According to LeBlanc, sharing smaller portions is perfect for tourists visiting St. John’s. “We have lots of people who are here only for a day or two and they want to try several things on the menu and it gives a better overview of our food style,” she says. LeBlanc says she looks forward to a time when the entire menu is made up of one-sized plates, perfect for sharing as a multi-course meal, but notes the price must match the portion. The goal, says LeBlanc, is for people to enjoy and feel full, and to ensure that guests are not “feeling ripped off.”

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TOP 40 CHAINS

2014 Report R e s e a r c h by P e t e r E l l i o t t

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Top 10 Unit Increases nationally

he list, right, showing unit changes during the past year, tells an interesting story. Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd. and Tim Hortons led the pack. Their numbers are impressive but not surprising, since they are both huge in terms of national units. Subway grew by 140 stores in 2012, and then added 213 more this past year. Tim’s added 145 stores in 2012, and 142 last year. The surprise is number three on the list—Menchies Frozen Yogurt had just 19 units last year and has grown exponentially. At press time, the self-serve pay-by-weight frozen yogurt chain listed 84 locations on its website, with 20 more stores under development. In regional news, Grinner’s Food Systems’ frozen yogurt store, Frozu, is expanding rapidly in Atlantic Canada with six locations opening in the past six months. TCBY, another frozen yogurt company, now has 27 stores, up from 19 last year. Second Cup now has 21 locations in Atlantic region, up from 11. Mary Brown’s has grown its number of locations by 10 for a total of 50 in the Maritimes. Don Cherry’s Sports Grill is planning new restaurants for Paradise and Conception Bay South, NL. Ches’s Snacks has opened locations in Carbonear, Lewisport and Marystown, NL. Pita Pit has doubled its Atlantic Canada locations from five to 10. On the other hand, Pizza Delight is down five stores and Split Crow Pubs has lost its Springhill and Wentworth locations. Please email any changes to data for our online listings or next year’s report to lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com, subject line: Chains Report 2014 changes.

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Units 2013

Change

Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd.

3063

2850

213

Tim Hortons (TDL Group)

3578

3436

142

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt

84

19

65

Starbucks Coffee Co.

940

877

63

Dairy Queen Canada

643

583

60

Booster Juice

308

261

47

A & W Food Services of Canada Inc.

802

773

29

Pita Pit

182

156

26

Pizza Pizza Limited

629

605

24

Pizza Hut Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.)**

345

324

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TOP RESTAURANT CHAINS BY CATEGORY TOP 10 BURGER Chains, atlantic Canada sales 2014

sales 2013

($ millions)

($ millions)

Units 2014

Units 2013

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd.*

317.80

317.80

119

119

2

A & W Food Services of Canada Inc.

58.90

59.80

61

61

3

3

Wendy's Restaurants of Canada Inc.

58.00

58.00

35

33

4

4

Burger King Restaurants of Canada Inc.**

29.00

33.00

29

21

5

6

Jungle Jim's Restaurants

26.00

23.00

24

23

6

5

Dairy Queen Canada

24.50

23.50

49

47

7

8

Harvey's (Cara)

5.00

5.00

9

9

8

9

Relish Gourmet Burgers

3.00

3.50

6

4

9

N/A

WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro, The

1.50

N/A

1

N/A

10

N/A

Flipburger

1.00

N/A

2

N/A

Rank 2014

Rank 2013

1

1

2

name

Photo by Caro Leite.

TOP 6 CHICKEN Chains, atlantic Canada sales 2014

sales 2013

($ millions)

($ millions)

Units 2014

Units 2013

KFC Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.)

54.00

70.99

57

70

4

Swiss Chalet (Cara)

44.00

44.00

16

16

3

6

Mary Brown's Inc.

37.14

31.50

50

40

4

8

Jungle Jim's Restaurants

26.00

23.00

24

23

5

9

Dixie Lee Food Systems Ltd.

22.50

22.50

37

37

6

10

Rotisseries St-Hubert Ltee

5.00

12.50

2

5

Rank 2014

Rank 2013

1

1

2

name

Photo by Roger Kirby.

* Numbers from previous year. Did not respond this year.

Note: Some sales figures are estimates.**


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TOP RESTAURANT CHAINS BY CATEGORY continued TOP 10 pizza Chains, atlantic Canada UnitS 2014

UnitS 2013

61.50

71

76

49.00

48.92

18

18

Greco Pizza (Grinner's Food Systems)*

37.00

33.32

120

120

5

Pizza Hut Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.)**

11.00

11.22

14

12

5

6

Pizza Shack Holdings

8.58

8.58

30

30

6

7

Pizza Partito

8.00

8.00

16

15

7

8

Jessy's Pizza

7.50

7.50

15

15

8

NA

Papa John's

7.00

2.85

7

7

9

9

Pizza Town

4.20

4.20

7

7

10

10

Domino's Pizza

3.50

3.53

7

7

name

SaleS 2014

SaleS 2013

($ millionS)

($ millionS)

Rank 2014

Rank 2013

1

1

Pizza Delight (Imvescor Inc)

49.70

2

2

Boston Pizza International Inc.

3

3

4

TOP 8 Sub /sandwich Chains, atlantic Canada SaleS 2014

SaleS 2013

($ millionS)

($ millionS)

UnitS 2014

UnitS 2013

Tim Hortons (TDL Group)

622.24

618.95

363

360

2

Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd.

105.52

107.23

202

191

3

3

Robin's (Chairman's Brand Corp)

23.00

25.00

46

50

4

5

Quiznos Canada Restaurant Corp

9.00

10.41

18

21

5

8

Extreme Pita (MTY-Extreme Brandz)

6.00

5.78

12

12

6

9

Country Style Food Services Inc. (MTY Group)*

5.50

5.50

11

11

7

4

Capt. Sub (Grinner's Food Systems)**

4.75

4.00

38

28

8

10

Arby's of Canada

3.12

2.42

4

5

Rank 2014

Rank 2013

1

1

2

name

Photo by Daniel Duchon.

TOP 10 Coffee/pastry Chains, atlantic Canada

Photo by Eziquel Boita.

SaleS 2014

SaleS 2013

($ millionS)

($ millionS)

UnitS 2014

UnitS 2013

Tim Hortons (TDL Group)

622.24

618.95

363

359

2

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd.*

317.80

317.80

119

119

3

3

Robin's (Chairman's Brand Corp)

23.00

25.00

46

50

4

4

Starbucks Coffee Co.

17.00

17.20

17

16

5

6

Second Cup Ltd.

11.07

6.20

21

10

6

5

Country Style Food Services Inc. (MTY Group)*

5.50

5.50

11

11

7

9

Timothy's World Coffee (Threecaf Brands Canada Inc.)**

4.00

4.00

4

4

8

NA

Great Canadian Bagel, Ltd., The

2.00

2.09

4

4

9

7

Treats Canada Corporation

2.00

2.30

10

11

10

NA

Coffee Culture Cafe & Eatery (Obsidian Group)

0.50

NA

1

NA

Rank 2014

Rank 2013

1

1

2

name


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2014 Report

TOP 40 ATLAntic restaurant Chains SaleS 2014

SaleS 2013

($ millionS)

($ millionS)

UnitS 2014

UnitS 2013

Tim Hortons (TDL Group)

622.24

618.95

363

360

2

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd.*

317.80

317.80

119

119

3

3

Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd.

105.52

107.23

202

191

4

6

A & W Food Services of Canada Inc.

58.90

59.80

61

61

5

7

Wendy's Restaurants of Canada Inc.

58.00

58.00

35

33

6

4

KFC Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.)

54.00

70.99

57

70

7

5

Pizza Delight (Imvescor Inc)

49.70

61.50

71

76

Stores closed in NL, NS and ON.

8

8

Boston Pizza International Inc.

49.00

48.92

18

18

12 stores added in 2013. Six in the West, four in Ontario and two in Quebec.

9

9

Swiss Chalet (Cara)

44.00

44.00

16

16

10

18

Dooly's Inc.

39.00

21.50

39

41

11

12

Mary Brown's Inc.

37.14

31.50

50

40

12

10

Greco Pizza (Grinner's Food Systems)

37.00

33.32

120

120

13

11

Burger King Restaurants of Canada Inc.

29.00

33.00

29

21

14

15

Jungle Jim's Restaurants

26.00

23.00

24

23

15

14

Dairy Queen Canada

24.50

23.50

49

47

16

13

Robin's (Chairman's Brand Corp)

23.00

25.00

46

50

17

16

Dixie Lee Food Systems Ltd.

22.50

22.50

37

37

18

17

Montana's (Cara)

22.00

22.00

7

7

Three Ontario locations were closed in 2013—Ottawa, Sarnia and Windsor.

19

20

Starbucks Coffee Co.

17.00

17.20

17

16

Starbucks opened 69 stores and closed three across Canada in 2013.

20

21

Cora Franchise Group Inc.

16.00

16.45

15

15

Four units opened in the last 12 months (one in QC and three in Western Canada). 4 have closed also (Brampton, Edmonton, Montreal, Sept Iles)

21

22

Keg Restaurants Ltd.

15.00

14.57

3

3

Location on Thurlow St. in Vancouver has closed. A new location to replace it is opening in the summer of 2014. A third location in Quebec (Point Claire) has opened.

22

19

East Side Mario's (Prime Restaurants)

14.00

19.52

7

8

23

N/A

Smitty's Canada Ltd.

14.00

14.00

10

10

24

28

Jack Astor's Bar and Grill (Sir Corp)

13.95

9.48

3

2

25

27

TCBY Canada (MTY Group)

13.50

9.50

27

19

26

32

Second Cup Ltd.

11.07

6.20

21

11

27

N/A

Circle K (Big Stop Restaurants)**

11.00

11.00

11

11

28

24

Pizza Hut Canada (Yum! Bands Inc.)**

11.00

11.22

14

12

29

26

Don Cherry's Sports Grill Inc.

9.50

9.50

7

7

30

25

Quiznos Canada Restaurant Corp

9.00

10.41

18

21

31

29

Pizza Shack Holdings

8.58

8.58

30

30

32

30

Pizza Partito

8.00

8.00

16

16

33

31

Jessy's Pizza

7.50

7.50

15

15

34

N/A

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt

7.00

1.00

7

1

35

N/A

Papa John's

7.00

2.85

7

7

36

N/A

Ches's Snacks Ltd.

6.75

4.50

9

6

Ches has recently opened locations in Carbonear, Lewisporte and Marystown.

37

39

Booster Juice

6.40

4.04

16

16

With ongoing development in Canada and internationally the chain plans to open 34 new Canadian locations and five new international locations in 2014.

38

33

Extreme Pita (MTY-Extreme Brandz)

6.00

5.78

12

12

39

N/A

Moxie's Restaurants L.P. (NOR)

6.00

3.20

2

1

40

N/A

Country Style Food Services Inc. (MTY Group)*

5.50

5.50

11

11

Rank 2014

Rank 2013

1

1

2

name

* Numbers from previous year. Did not respond this year.

Note: Some sales figures are estimates.**

expanSion noteS

New Canadian units planned for 2014: 140-160. 168 new Canadian stores in 2013. Another 16 were closed.

Adding 20 new stores in 2014.

Opened 15 new cafes, closed 19 and renovated 22 in 2013. They opened a net of four in the first quarter of 2014.

Two new units to open in Newfoundland in Paradise and Conception Bay.

Seeking master franchise holders for Quebec, Ontario & Western Provinces.

Opened Kitchener, ON, downtown Toronto and Montreal in the last 12 months. Closed Nanaimo.


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J U N E 2 014

Products

Soup’s on Campbell’s has launched two new soups: the Korean Style BBQ Beef contains beef simmered in an Asian broth with rice, shitake mushrooms, spinach, garlic and green onions; and the Jumpin’ Jambalaya, which contains chicken, sausage, ham, long-grain rice, onions and green peppers in a tomato-infused chicken stock. Both soups are marketed under the company’s Verve Soups line. For more information visit: www.campbellsfoodservice.ca.

For the spuds The HC1 Potato Chipper and the HP25/26 Potato Peeler by Hopkins PEI boast cutting prep time and producing little waste. The chipper has a 12-kilogram hopper load and a 370-watt motor. The chip size can be adjusted by changing the blade and the overall machine is easy to clean. According to the company, the chipper can process 25 kilograms of potatoes in less than a minute. The peeler has a 25-kilogram capacity and can process 600 kilograms an hour. For more information visit: www.hopkinspei.com.

Jost toasts new offering MALAGASH, NS—Jost Vineyards launched what the winery is calling Atlantic Canada’s first frizzante-style wine Selkie in mid-May. Jost owner Carl Sparkes said it may “become the defining wine style of Nova Scotia.” Sparkes said Selkie received accolades from global wine professionals at this year’s ProWein. “People were incredulous,” Sparkes said in a release. “They commented on how we were able to get these tropical notes in our cool climate, and really embraced it. Hav-

ing those international palates confirming that this is a world-class frizzante was a real high note for us … we came away pretty pumped.” A blend of eight Nova Scotia grapes, Selkie balances sweetness and delicate fizz with tropical notes of kiwi, white peach, Bosc pear and Lily of the Valley, said Sparkes. “Most people consider sparkling wines to be celebratory, but in European culture, frizzantes and proseccos and other offsparkling wines are consumed more often than anything else,” he said.

Seagram coolers Brick Brewing Co. has launch several new coolers heading into the summer months. The Seagram 80 Mixed Berry is being toted by the company as having a third of the calories of leading coolers and is sweetened with stevia. The company also announced the release of Seagram Lemon Lime and Seagram Orange Mango, which will be distributed in a new 12-can mixer pack along with Seagram’s Iced Lemon Tea and Wildberry coolers. For more information visit: www.brickbeer.com.

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Jost owner Carl Sparkes.

C o . s e l t i b Effective. o M

Gluten-free breaded chicken After four to five minutes in the fryer Olymel’s new gluten-free breaded chicken are ready for service. The puffedrice breaded chicken come in strips or pieces. Olymel has also introduced a turkey sausage patty for use in breakfast sandwiches. According to the company the patty offers breakfast consumer’s convenience value, nutrition and variety. For more information: www.olymelsolutions.com.

| 13

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C


PE OPLE

Danny Smiles.

Chef Murray Hall.

Danny Smiles is representing Canada at the 2014 S. Pellegrino Cooking Cup held in Venice, Italy on June 13 and 14. The two-day event includes a signature dish competition with 10 chefs preparing dishes in the galley of a sailboat while crews race to make the best course times. This is the first time a Canadian has competed in the event in its 14-year history. The chef de cuisine at Montreal’s Le Bremner called the event a unique cooking challenge. “Creating a winning dish in a sailboat galley while it’s racing around a course in the Venetian lagoon is hard to imagine. But I’m definitely up for it and honoured S. Pellegrino selected me to compete as its first Canadian competitor,” Smiles said in a release.

Chef Murray Hall has won the International Association of Conference Centres’ (IACC) 11th annual Copper Skillet. This year’s Copper Skillet was held at the IACC’s 33rd annual conference at the Pacific Palms Resort near Los Angeles, Calif. Chefs were presented with a mystery basket, which included baby octopus, hanger steak, bream, asparagus, Swiss chard, peppers, green beans, tomatoes, pears, mushrooms, shallots and potatoes. Each chef was given 15 minutes to plan their dish and 30 minutes to cook. Chef Hall—who is the corporate chef for the BMO Financial Group Institute for Learning in Toronto—created a mushroom risotto, seared hanger steak with asparagus and balsamic-vinegar reduction, pan-seared bream with tomatoes and Swiss chard.

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Finalists, 2014 USA Pear Competition.

Michelle McAllen, an 18-year-old student from the New Brunswick Community College St. Andrews, has won the national finals for the 2014 USA Pears “Pear Excellence” Canadian Culinary Student Recipe Competition. The event was held on April 8 at The Dirty Apron Cooking School. McAllen competed against four other regional finalists to win with her dish of crusted pork tenderloin stuffed with caramelized pears, prosciutto cups with pear and an acorn squash and white chocolate puree. Melissa Evans, Vancouver Island University, Janine Sumner Traverse, The Paterson GlobalFoods Institute at Red River College, Samantha Katharine Hudon-Sue, LaSalle College and Joel Carta, Centennial College Progress Campus also competed.

Cathy Loblaw.

Cathy Loblaw, senior director for McDonald’s Canada, was one of five honoured at the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) Women Making Their Mark list. The other honourees included: Maureen Lynch, sales and operations leader for Rich Products Corporation; Tracy Treadwell, operations director for Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc.; Kellogg Company director of customer marketing Susan Wasco; and Felicia White, Church’s Chicken director of national field training. The list, introduced last year and sponsored by Brinker International, aims to recognize upand-coming leaders. The women were recognized in late March at the 2014 Annual Leadership Development Conference held in Dallas, Texas.

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