THEChicago INSIDE CUT Meat Authority, Inc.
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A u t h o r i t Chicago Meat
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WINTER NEWSLETTER
CHICAGO
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1120 W. 47th Place
Chicago, Il 60609
s w e N e In Th Blue Plate Special Take a step back in time and find out more about the revival of America’s original value meal. Page 2
Lean Protein Lean beef and pork are an important part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Discover more about heart healthy cuts of lean beef and pork on page 3
LDI Check Up ear CMA Friends, Customers, Suppliers, and Employees,
As a mild Chicago winter is winding down, things are heating up at Chicago Meat Authority as we are hard at work in 2012. We’ve set ambitious goals for ourselves and we have the vision and resources to achieve them. Some of our initiatives for this year include a proactive focus on safety in the work place, a review of our portion control items, innovation in our product lines, increased product breadth across our boning divison and the continued investment and development of our LDIs and tenured employees.
We are excited to announce we recently hired Ed Frizelis as Director of Technical Services. Ed’s background is strong in Quality Assurance and Research and Development. His passion for ingredients and dedication to product quality are a valuable asset
in making sure that you, our valued partners are getting your needs fulfilled. We are making strides in continuing our focus on improved customer intimacy. Strengthening our valued partnerships and investing in our employees allows us to deliver the quality and service that makes CMA a preferred customer and supplier in the industry. On behalf of everyone here at Chicago Meat Authority we wish all of our partners and friends a warm greeting as we anticipate the arrival of spring.
See what’s new with our LDIs and find out who else has joined the CMA team on page 4
New Product Guide Have you seen our new product guide? You’re just a click away from new, inspiring offereings from Chicago Meat Authority. page 5
Karen’s Corner Check in with Karen, our Director of HR and Organizational Development for exciting CMA career opportunities on page 5
/Chicagomeat For questions or comments about any of our featured material please contact us at: marketing@chicagomeat.com
Blue Plate Special
The original American value meal.
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he Blue Plate Special was the preferred value meal for over three decades feeding millions of hungry Americans starting in the 1920’s and beyond. Its name stemmed from a restaurant’s “special” meal changing daily at a lower price. Sometimes these budget friendly dinners were served on blue plates. I was determined to relive and experience a piece of our American food culture and in the process found so much more.
If you’re looking for parking, it’s your lucky day, there isn’t any. In an “it’s hip to be square” attitude, there was the Depot American Diner. It features no bright lights, no flashy signs, no two for $20, just a beat up wooden door so
Maybe it was the three Chicago detectives sitting at the counter discussing the day’s events, or the eclectic mix of patrons coming and going, or even the faint smell of bacon grease from that morning’s breakfast rush but this no frills experience was exactly the change of pace I needed from the fast paced city of Chicago that I know and love.
The Revival of the Blue Plate Special The Depot American Diner has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives; it’s Zagat rated (best of Chicago restaurant ranking) and has a slew of other local awards and positive reviews. The experience took me back to a time when food marketing was young and new. Things were simple and that was a great feeling of comfort, much like the food.
The Depot - American Diner In an area on the Westside of Chicago, tucked into an unassuming neighborhood with Hispanic, Irish and Polish cultural influences lies a Diner so hidden you have to squint to find it.
Specials”. It was good food made from scratch by cooks taking the time to prepare it; a total and complete dedication to serving high quality Blue Plate Specials at a value price -- the way it should be.
underwhelming you had to take a step back just to make sure you were, in fact, heading into the right place.
As I stepped through the door, I experienced something that is hard to explain: authenticity. The gentle murmur of conversation, kitchen utensils being banged on the flattop grill, the high top counter with red vinyl topped stools and a smell so intoxicating I immediately became twice as hungry.
A small chalkboard informed me of today’s Blue Plate Special: Grilled Pork Chops. I took a booth to the right and plucked a menu tucked neatly between the salt and pepper shakers taking in my surroundings. What made this place so different from others was its imperfections and lack of commercialization. It boasted no high graphic logo, no fancy menu, no flare or shiny buttons, no funny names, no flat screen TVs, no catchy jingle, just a simple slogan: “Home of the Blue Plate
Driving home I found myself thinking about our own Blue Plate brand here at Chicago Meat and have found a new appreciation in the culture and experience that lies behind it. While it comes in an unassuming box, much like the Depot American Diner’s front door, the product inside is deep rooted in tradition and deserves the attention and care of cooks everywhere to unlock the potential of good, made from scratch, American eats.
Ke e ping H e althy w ith L e an Pro te in ( hat comes to mind when you ( think "lean meat?" Chicken? Turkey? They're all good choices, but you might be relieved to know they're not your only options when eating lean! While skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets may qualify as lean meat, pork and beef are recognized as healthy alternatives and an important part of a well balanced diet.
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Through changes in feeding and Even more good news for the “Other breeding techniques, pork has White Meat,” Pork tenderloin has become a leaner meat. been given another stamp of approval. A study released by the USDA Recently, the American Heart reveals six common cuts of pork that Association certified pork as a lean and are now 16% leaner, have 27% less healthy meat by giving it the iconic saturated fat than they did fifteen Heart Checkmark which distinguishes years ago and do not contain artery it as a heart-healthy protein. clogging trans-fat.
What’s more, pork tenderloin is now To start eating lean, buy cuts with the as lean as skinless chicken breast; in words “loin” or “round” in their name fact it is slightly leaner. A USDA such as pork tenderloin or loin chop study found a 3 ounce serving of • B vitamins which help the body's pork tenderloin contains only 2.98 for pork, and top round or top sirloin for beef. Another simple tip is to buy metabolism, aid in red blood cell grams of fat, whereas the same “choice” or “select” grades rather than formation and play a vital role in our serving size of skinless chicken “prime” as they have less fat content. nervous system breast contains 3.03 grams of fat. Learning to eat healthier may seem overwhelming at times but it really can • Iron, found particularly in red meat, be quite simple CMA can help. helps maintain energy and carry Lean* pork and beef cuts are packed with important nutrients like:
oxygen through the bloodstream
Regardless of what you’re in the mood for, Chicago Meat Authority offers many products from all three of our product lines that are a great source of lean protein.
• Magnesium, which is vital for building bones • Zinc which is essential for our immune system.
Protein • Pork •
Chefs&Cut
Great&Sources&of&Lean&Protein& CMA
Rib$Cut$Chop Porterhouse$Chop
Blue&Plate&
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Pork$Tenderloin
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Boneless$Center$Cut$Chop
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Bone5In$Center$Cut$Chop •
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Sliced$Pork$Loin$Cutlet
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Pork$Flat$Iron$Steak$&$ Strips
Beef
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Ranch$Steak Flank$Steak
Chicken
• • • •
Chicken$Tenderloin$Cubes
Beef$Strips Chicken$Strips
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Boneless$Center$Cut$
Extra Lean Meat has less than 5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated Bone5In$Center$Cut$Chop fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol (USDA).
Chops •
*Lean Meat is defined as any 3 ounce serving of meat with less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol (USDA).
Bone5In$&$Boneless$Ends$ &$Pieces$
At CMA People Make the Difference.
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( s you may remember from our ( Fall edition of ‘The Inside ( Cut’, Chicago Meat Authority has been hard at work developing its LDI program. When we last checked in, Keely Sibbald and Bill Duncan were the only two members of the program and about a third of the way through their six-month Leadership Development Initiative. Since then, CMA has brought on two more LDI team members; Matt Cyr and Joe Welnhofer bring valuable knowledge from different backgrounds in finance and operations. While Bill and Keely are a month from finishing their LDI training, Matt and Joe are actively filling the voids left when the other two switch departments. Matt and Joe began the program on October 31st and have spent much of the last four months in our North and South plants. They have been learning and contributing to CMA operations, while at the same time using their new observations to develop quality and safety based projects that will help us exceed our annual goals. They have experienced nearly every facet of our plant operations, even the most technical jobs like trimming and cutting meat products. On February 21st, Keely, Bill, and the CMA marketing department visited Purdue University Career Fair to recruit soon-to-be graduates for the LDI program. We are always searching for young professionals to enter into the LDI roles and we thought there was no better way to explain the program than face-to-face contact with the people that have experienced the Leadership Development Initiative program. We look forward to welcoming new recruits later this Spring.
2012 Platinum Ring & Burgundy Circle Congratulations to our Burgundy Circle (5 years) and Platinum Ring (10 years) honorees. We are very proud of your dedicated service and expertise!
From left to right Matt Cyr, Joe Welnhofer, Karen Gates (HR director), Keely Sibbald, Bill Duncan.
Our LDIs were recently featured in Meat & Poultry magazine! Click here to read more about how we’re developing tomorrow’s leaders.
CMA Product Guide CMA has recently revamped its Product Guide book. The eyecatching layout includes product descriptions and high resolution images of cooked and raw products for a# three of CMA’s product lines: Chefs Cut, CMA, and Blue Plate.
To view our complete product guide click on the image below!
Chicag omeat. com
Karen’s Corner Through intentional talent acquisition efforts, Chicago Meat is on the path of strategic expansion within the industry. CMA’s growth is attributed to the succession planning strategies and comprehensive H.R. Model of Karen Gates and the Human Resources department. Recently we have welcomed seven new faces to the CMA family, two of which are a part of the innovative LDI program, and we are always looking to bolster our ranks with top talent. For current opportunities here at CMA visit our website at www.chicagomeat.com and click on the Career Opportunities link under the Careers tab.
Por k Te nd erloin Ste w • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each), cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 can (14.5 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 cup sliced fresh carrots 1 cup sliced celery 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup fat-free milk 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook pork in batches in oil until no longer pink; remove and keep warm. In the same pan, sauté onion until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the broth, vegetables, vinegar, sugar, tarragon and salt; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Combine flour and milk until smooth; gradually stir into vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add pork and heat through. Reduce heat; stir in sour cream just before serving (do not boil). Yield: 8 servings. This recipe is: Healthy Diabetic Friendly