Simply Rooted Magazine by FIREHOUSE COMMUNICATIONS

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CONTENTS SIM PLY ROOTED • S P RING 2017

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A NOTE FROM PAUL’S DESK

A message from our President and CEO

OUR NEW FOOD PHILOSOPHY Simply Rooted

BOMBAY FUSION CULINARY COMPETITION Meet our Chefs

WELCOME TO THE WHITSONS FAMILY Welcoming our newest accounts

DID YOU KNOW?

About our local food sourcing

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NEW CULINARY CENTERS Open in Massachussetts and New Jersey

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WHITSONS FAMILY FOUNDATION

Spring 2017 Quarterly Update

WHITSONS NEW WORKPLACE WELLNESS PROGRAM

Learn all about our new wellness program

CULINARY TEAM HIGHLIGHT Celebrity Chef Emily Peterson

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DINE CENTRAL

A successful rollout

A NOTE FROM PAUL’S DESK As I reflect on the 38 years Whitsons has

been in business, two things clearly stand out as consistent throughout the years: food and family. Our direction has always centered on family values and providing freshly prepared, wholesome meals to our customers at an affordable price. Whitsons is unique in that we innovate what we do, while remaining true to our traditions. So it is time that we share the story of our journey in the ingredient revolution with the world as we move along the path to an even more transparent and natural food experience for all of our customers. Our story is deeply rooted in food and family. What does that mean? It means that our foundation is set on strong family values, while our future remains focused on sustainable, real food. This era began simply rooted in quality, wholesome food that was served to uplift and nourish all those who ate it. It means that we are going back to simpler times, when personal interaction meant more than a quick-reply text, and companies authentically communicated and honored their promises. The unique structure of our family business places a strong emphasis on teamwork and entrepreneurial spirit, which lives on in our company’s culture today. This has always been the Whitsons way – and it is time that we share our story. Our mission of Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time™ still holds true, and our promise to Treat Everyone Like Family, Serve Wholesome Foods that Taste Great and Nurture Authentic Communication, is what defines the Whitsons team. All of these elements link together as what we stand for. We can see these in action in the accounts that we serve; in our extended family of talented team members; in the new

programs that we are developing; and in our Simply Rooted food philosophy, which drives our future while connecting us to our past. Our new wellness program is designed to give our team members a strong foundation of good health in order to carry out our mission. Our new culinary centers in Boston and New Jersey are enhancing the communities we serve by expanding our local business partnerships, as well as creating new job opportunities. Our farm-to-school and vertical garden programs at the schools are providing enriching education to students and connecting them to food in a new way. Our culinarians, our new onsite teams, and all our outstanding team members highlighted in this issue are just a few examples of the caliber of team members who reflect our philosophy and culture out into the world. Our new Simply Rooted magazine is one of the ways that we will communicate and connect all of our team members to each other, and to all of the exciting developments going on within the company that further demonstrate our commitment to being Simply Rooted. We are making a difference in the lives that we touch with everything that we do. By remaining true to our promise to be deeply committed to family values and personalized service, we can only continue to grow as a company, and as individuals. Thank you for all that you do, and for playing an important role in Whitsons story.

In good health,

Paul Whitcomb

President and CEO Whitsons Culinary Group S I M P LY R O O T E D

OUR NEW FOOD PHILOSOPHY W H E N Y O U T H I N K O F W H I T S O N S , W H AT C O M E S TO M I N D ?

What “food philosophy” do you think of? At our roots, our story is not just one of dining services. It’s also about a family that is deeply passionate about wholesome foods that nourish the body and mind while also nurturing the spirit. Just like our story evolves over time, so do our core philosophies; however, at the root of all of our growth and expansion is a tradition based in wholesomeness. Whitsons has a long history of enhancing life one meal at a time™, which is why we were one of the first companies to require our manufacturers to remove ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors from their products to allow us to provide the most wholesome meals to our customers. In commitment to continuing our innovative leadership in the food industry, we must strive to better not only our services, but the quality of our food... from the ground up.

Wholesome food is much more than just the ingredients found (or not found) within our meals.

Whitsons’ new Simply Rooted philosophy addresses the industry’s expanding definition of clean ingredients. Wholesome food is much more than just the ingredients found (or not found) within our meals; it considers the methods used to grow, farm, and handle our ingredients as well. It is important to us to work with manufacturers and local vendors who take pride in the farming, production, and handling of their products – their story is part of ours, and together, we are able to offer customers the most natural, wholesome ingredients. We have the ability to write our “food story” and the next chapter has arrived. We are going back to our roots. Whitsons recognizes the importance of offering organic and non-GMO ingredients, and our goal is to increase their availability to our customers whenever possible. We are using our buying power to partner with farmers, manufacturers, and distributors to supply affordable organic and non-GMO products for our clients and customers. This upcoming year, our customers can expect to see an expansion in the local and organic ingredients offered through their programs, such as new local fruits and vegetables, organic pretzels, hummus, and more!

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Our new Simply Rooted food philosophy drives our future and connects us to our past. We are rooted in nutritious food and family â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this same philosophy that made our family meals so uplifting generations ago nourishes our customers and consumers today. We are

We are now taking our commitment to wholesome foods to the next level by returning to a simpler time...

now taking our commitment to wholesome foods to the next level by returning to a simpler time where food was even fresher, healthier, and more natural.

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DID YOU KNOW? T H AT W H I T S O N S S O U R C E S A N AV E R A G E O F 5 2 % O F O U R TO TA L PRODUCT MIX LOCALLY

Sourcing food from local vendors and farmers

has helped Whitsons remove ingredients like trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial colors and flavors from its food and has also helped us to reduce sodium content ahead of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act requirements. At Whitsons we purchase locally harvested produce whenever it’s seasonally available. We also extend the season by flash freezing produce to serve in the colder months when fresh produce is not available. Flash freezing seals in the vitamins and nutrients when foods are at the height of their nutritional value. We also partner with local produce grower co-ops who

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in turn work with a group of farmers within a region. These local farmer networks have the ability to flash freeze produce right on the farms within hours of harvesting. This process locks in freshness, allows farmers the ability to harvest entire fields quickly, and also supports the local economies where the produce is harvested. Whitsons purchases and flash freezes over a million pounds produce each year! In keeping with our commitment to local food sourcing and food education, our Greenleaf Cuisine® initiative was developed to promote the local farms where our produce is harvested from. We fully support Farm-to-School initiatives and partner with the National Farm-to-School Network. In fact, we were one of the first companies to partner with the Massachusetts Farm-to-School Project on its statewide “Harvest of the Month” campaign, which is incorporated into our nutrition education programs. The Farm-to-School campaign promotes a different locally grown food each month in schools in an effort to increase student consumption of fruits and vegetables, encourage healthy food choices, and increase students’ exposure to healthy, nutritious foods. Whitsons’ Elmer Organic Garden is another initiative that was developed as a means to connect students to the foods they eat through school gardens. School gardens enable students to taste fruits and vegetables that they have

grown themselves and make the farm to plate connection in their school cafes.

Additionally, we work with the schools that we serve to apply for Farm-to-School grants... Indoor vertical gardens are also a part of this program to bring the garden experience indoors for students during the entire school year. The vertical gardens are custom made by local artisan, Roberto Gesmundo from Long Island, New York, who specializes in furniture, cabinets, and accent pieces. The vertical gardens were developed together with Whitsons’ Director of School Gardens, Bill Whitcomb, Jr. They are made from an aromatic and naturally decay resistant cedar. It features a chalkboard picture frame for fun and easy labelling for students. The units are portable and can be kept indoors and placed either standing or mounted so students can observe the vegetables growing. Best of all, vegetables grown from the units can also be incorporated into school meals. “The Elmers Organic Vertical Garden is a great interactive indoor program for students,” said Mary Mills, Whitsons’ Food Service Director for Pelham School District. “Our Middle School and

High School students love the idea that they can eat and taste something that they have grown from start to finish. They don’t need to go outside, they can see the herbs growing every day and it’s wonderful.” Additionally, Whitsons works with the schools they serve to apply for Farm-to-School grants to assist districts in further implementing farm-toschool activities such as: student samplings of local produce, farm school trips, school garden activities, and additional efforts to incorporate local produce in school meals. York Suburban Middle School recently hosted an award event to honor Farm-to-School grant receivers in Pennsylvania, including Whitsons’ Food Service Director, Helen Heidler. York Suburban School District was among 30 awardees receiving grants of up to $1,000 to implement farm-toschool activities. Purchasing locally grown food benefits everyone. It looks and tastes better so students enjoy it. The food is fresh, all natural, and organic when possible, so schools and parents can feel good about what their children are eating. And it helps support local families and businesses and builds community connections. Keep up the good work team Whitsons!

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NEW CULINARY CENTERS NEW CULINARY CENTERS OPEN IN B O S TO N , M A A N D E L I Z A B E T H , N J

We are continuing to expand our presence

in the Northeast with the opening of two new, state-of-the-art, FDA- & USDA-approved culinary production facilities this spring.

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In Boston, MA our new culinary center, formerly the home of Katsiroubas Produce, will allow Whitsons to provide fresh meals that are locally made and locally sourced to the Greater Boston area. The new Boston building boasts 32,000 sf of culinary production, storage, and distribution space and will also bring approximately 45 jobs to Boston. In Elizabeth, NJ our new culinary center has 24,000 sf of culinary production, storage, and distribution space and brings approximately 35 jobs to Elizabeth.

Chefs at our culinary centers prepare meals using wholesome, natural, and organic ingredients... On a daily basis, chefs at our culinary centers prepare meals using wholesome, natural, and organic ingredients, including many items that

are sourced from local food vendors and farmers. Menu items consist of hand crafted hot entrees, sandwiches, salads, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. The new facilities will ensure that our customers receive fresh, high quality, nutritionally balanced meals each and every day.

These centers will stimulate the surrounding communities by providing employment opportunties. These new culinary centers will stimulate the surrounding communities by providing employment opportunities and also enabling us to partner with small, local businesses. Whitsons is committed to supporting the local economies in which we serve and continually improve services for our clients, while focusing on providing fresh meals featuring high quality, wholesome ingredients.

CULINARY TEAM HIGHLIGHT MEET CHEF EMILY PETERSON,

W H I T S O N S ’ N E W E S T C H E F & A M B A S S A D O R F O R H E A L T H Y E AT I N G

Whitsons has partnered with Chef Emily Peterson

Emily is a food writer, media personality, and

in creating unique, healthy, and flavorful lunch

professor of food studies at NYU. Her work has been

recipes exclusively for Whitsons, which includes:

featured in Edible, Modern Farmer, Martha Stewart,

Chef Emily’s Quinoa Bowl, Apple Cider Chicken

Robb Report, The New York Times, The Village

Sammies, Spinach Basil Pasta, and Egg Tortilla Pie.

Voice, Time Out NY, Huffington Post, CBS, NBC, FOX,

She has been busy visiting our cafés and preparing

Food Network, and Vegetarian Times. Chef Emily

her delicious menus for our customers.

hosts the podcast Sharp & Hot, and also manages a

“I am very excited to cook for both adult customers and students in schools”, said Chef

5-acre farm where she raises honey bees and freerange chickens.

Emily. “It is so important for the public to be

“We are pleased to be partnering with Chef Emily”,

informed about clean eating and the sources of

said Kelly Friend, COO-Contract Management at

our foods so that they are empowered to make

Whitsons, “she is a passionate culinarian and a

good eating choices and practice living healthy

great ambassador for our food philosophy. Chef

lifestyles.”

Emily compliments our goals of providing more organic, local, and sustainable agriculture.” S I M P LY R O O T E D

This year, Whitsons hosted its first annual Culinary Competition where Whitsons’ chefs competed “Iron Chef” style for the title of Flaves Champion 2017. The Flaves Bombay Fusion Culinary Competition took place at Sysco in Central Islip on April 12th, 2017. Three Whitsons chefs competed, Chef Sean Arnold of York Suburban School District in Pennsylvania, Chef Joseph Stango of Fairfield and Newtown school districts in Connecticut, and Chef Matt Lacombe of Lexington School district in Massachusetts. The prize for the winning chef was announced to be a feature in Whitsons’ January 2018 FLAVES Bombay Fusion promotion, which is part of the new Fooditude Promotions Program for schools, along with their winning entrée offered on secondary school lunch menus.

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MEET THE BOMBAY FUSION CHEFS Chef Sean Arnold is our Chef for York Suburban School District. Chef Sean is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and Green Mountain College with a Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems. He is a forward-thinking and multi-talented food service leader with more than 15 years of experience driving teams to success while promoting sustainable and environmentally-conscious initiatives. Sean has built upon his years of experience creating flavorful food masterpieces, while also serving as Director of Dining Services for several schools. Sean looks forward to continuing his passion of learning, and educating others on the importance of local sustainable food. Chef Joseph Stango is our Executive Chef Manager for both Fairfield School District and Newtown Public Schools in Connecticut. Chef Stango has over 10 years of culinary experience. He began his career while working as a Sous Chef at Carmen Anthony Restaurant in Wallingford, CT. Chef Stango began his long term relationship with Whitsons Culinary Group, joining the team at Canton Pubic Schools as High School Lead, and then moving up to a management role as Food Service Director. His love of the culinary arts and the excitement in getting positive feedback from students upon tasting delicious lunch meals, brought Chef Stango back to his craft and his current role of Executive Chef. Promoting healthy eating and creating delicious and healthy meals are what motivate this chef! Chef Matthew Lacombe brings over 30 years of experience in the culinary industry as a chef and kitchen manager. As an Executive Chef at the Lexington Public Schools, Matthew has been a valuable asset to the management team by infusing excitement into dining services. Matthew has held a range of positions, including Executive Chef of multi-million dollar upscale establishments, as owner and caterer of his own business, and public school management, demonstrating exemplary culinary talents, professionalism and leadership skills. Chef Matt began his career in sous chef positions at various restaurants, including La Gavrcohe in London, where he honed his culinary and management skills and coordinated all kitchen functions.

::View highlights from the competition::

After a morning of competing, THE

WINNER WAS ANNOUNCED TO BEâ&#x20AC;Ś JOE STANGO from Newtown and Fairfield school districts with a score of 9.06 out of 10.

Congratulations Joe! And, congratulations to the rest of our contestants, your meals were all delicious! A big thank you to all involved!

The FLAVES Bombay Fusion Culinary Competition sets the launch of new upcoming Fooditude promotions programs in schools this year.

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WELCOME TO THE WHITSONS FAMILY W E A R E CO N T I N U I N G TO G R OW O U R B U S I N E S S T H R O U G H O U T T H E N O R T H E A S T A N D A R E E XC I T E D TO A N N O U N C E T H E A D D I T I O N O F O U R N E W E S T ACCO U N T S !

We expanded our business in Connecticut

“I want to thank you all for… confirming our

with the addition of Newtown Public Schools,

confidence that we have selected a top rate

serving close to 2,400 students throughout

company to partner our food services with.”

seven schools, with two cafés in the high

Whitsons is proud to be a part of the Newtown

school. According to Food Service Director

community as well.

Luiza Emery, students and faculty alike have

been raving about the increased variety, higher

People for People Charter School, located

quality ingredients, more diverse selections,

in Philadelphia, PA, serves approximately

and expert chefs we bring to the table. Our

1,000 students at its onsite cafe. Seeking

client, Ron Bienkowski, Director of Business,

a provider that could bring higher quality

recently commended us at a recent Board

meals to its community, People for People

meeting presentation of our services, citing,

selected Whitsons for our method of serving

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Students and faculty alike have been raving about increased variety, higher quality ingredients, more diverse selections, and expert chefs...

Our school nutrition continues to grow in New Jersey with the addition of the Spotswood School District, located in Middlesex County. At Spotswood, managed by Food Service Director Said Ali, we provide a full service café to the high school, and a satellite

good, wholesome foods, made from scratch

program to the middle and two elementary

daily. “People for People has become a great

schools in the district. Some of the exciting

opportunity for us to share Whitsons’ values

new enhancements to the program include

through food, making sure that inner city

a new cook-to-order station and Teacher

children in Philadelphia have the opportunity

Meal program, both of which have received

to receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch

positive reviews from the students, faculty, and

meal,” says John Koutras, District Manager. Our

administration.

recently promoted onsite Food Service Director, Sheron Thornhill, has done an incredible job

Whitsons welcomed a unique opportunity with

building a fast community relationship with the

the addition of North Star Academies, where

school. We also provide service to the day care

we provide a hybrid solution of delivering

program, offering breakfast, lunch, and snack

pre-plated meals managed by an on-site

almost 365 days a year.

Whitsons director, Ronnell Simmons. Based

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in Newark, NJ, our director coordinates daily

Laura Gaglione and Food Service Director Diane

deliveries with the Operations Directors in each

Melendez for their ongoing dedication and

of the 13 schools to ensure the timely, safe,

exemplary customer service.

and maintained quality of our meals. “North Star Academies is such a distinctive account, allowing us to showcase our expertise in both the Prepared Meals and Management Services markets. We get to differentiate ourselves further

Whitsons has made a very good first impression with the students and staff at Southold Schools.

as a provider with the expertise and resources to both deliver pre-plated meals and provide

In New York, the addition of the Southold

the management oversight for complex, hybrid

School District has been met with positive

accounts such as North Star Academies,” says

reviews from the community. Here’s a note

Mark Simkiss, Regional Vice President of Sales.

straight from the desk of Superintendent

“I anticipate this market trend to grow in the

David Gamberg: “They say that you only get

future.”

one chance to make a first impression. If that is the case, then Whitsons has made a very

Success Academy Charter Schools, located in

good first impression with the students and

New York, is another new, unique service hybrid

staff at Southold Schools. As our new food

opportunity for Whitsons. We currently operate

Service contractor, I am pleased to report that

three of Success Academy Charter Schools’ –

I have received this positive feedback since the

one in Queens and two in Brooklyn – serving

start of the year. We very much look forward

grab and go breakfasts, individually plated

to a continued positive relationship to help

meal (IPM)-style lunches and snacks. Our

provide quality, nutritious meals to everyone

onsite manager oversees our daily operations

in Southold Schools.” Kudos to Food Service

to ensure our meals remain top quality – and

Director Mildred Jimenez and our Southold

our service uninterrupted. In fact, Whitsons

team for making such a great impact with the

delivered on our promises when a winter

students!

storm threatened to delay service, which was recognized with much appreciation by our

We recognize our success is because of the

client, Lindsay Gavin, Manager of Network

hard-working efforts of our dedicated and

Operations. “I just wanted to take a moment

talented district managers, directors, chefs,

and express our sincere gratitude for the

and onsite team members, and we thank you

effort and continued support you provided

all for showing up each day passionate about

our schools today. We recognize that today’s

what you do, and committed to serving your

inclement weather provided some hurdles

customers.

and additional work. However, your services continued without interruption and our scholars received their meals in spite of the snow.” A special thank you to District Manager

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WHITSONS FAMILY FOUNDATION S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 Q U A R T E R L Y U P D AT E A B O U T T H E F O U N D AT I O N The Whitsons Family Foundation was created by the Whitcomb family and Whitsons Culinary Group to support Whitsons Culinary Group team members and their immediate families with temporary emergency financial assistance and/or grants for college education. All Whitsons team members in good standing (good standing is defined as not being on probation and free of verbal or written warnings the last six months) who have been employed for six months or longer, and who are regularly scheduled to work are eligible to apply.

TOTAL TEAM MEMBER GRANTS SINCE 2012 $259,976 Need assistance? Simply ask your manager for an application,

FROM THOSE WE HAVE HELPED THIS PAST QUARTER “Thank you for helping my family. First I want to say that it is an honor for me to work here. Your kindness and caring play such a big part in lifting the spirit and touching the heart. The warmest of thank yous can’t even express what a wonderful blessing this has been.” SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE “Thank you so much for the scholarship money. It will pay my deposit for the school of my choice so I can be set up for a bright future. I am extremely grateful.” “My daughter just

or contact the Foundation. To make your donation today,

received her $500 Whitsons

please ask your manager for a payroll form, or contact the

Scholarship! She was

Foundation for a copy.

overjoyed! My husband and I would like to thank you for

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your very generous gift.”

NEW WORKPLACE WELLNESS PROGRAM SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES WE WILL OFFER THROUGH THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE:

Whitsons recently introduced a voluntary workplace wellness program companywide. This program is designed

• Health fairs and health screenings

to help our team members explore fun ways to eat

• Discounted rate at select gyms

healthier, improve our collective level of physical fitness,

• Company physical activity programs, such walking groups, 5K events, and team challenges

and provide information on health-related topics. Much

• Seminars and wellness literature • Contests and incentive programs • Smoking cessation assistance

of our company’s strength and success depends on our team members, and this begins with solid, healthy lifestyle practices. We strongly believe that the everyday choices we make can help us live healthier and happier lives, both at work and at home. As part of our wellness offerings, we have partnered with the American Heart Association to provide invaluable health assessments and information to help our team members make better diet and lifestyle choices. As more team members become involved and the program continues to grow, we look forward to introducing additional resources and services to our wellness program. Together, we’re making our own health a priority, so that we can make a bigger difference in the lives of others. S I M P LY R O O T E D

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Culinary. Redefined ! Some of the benefits of Dine Central include the matching of created menus (customer demand) against available inventory (supply constraints) and ensuring accurate purchases, inventory levels, and reduction of waste.

Dine Central (DC), Whitsons’ new technological platform, available

exclusively for Whitsons clients, that integrates separate Contract Management systems into one integrated system has successfully launched its web-based version to 29 school districts in April 2017, and will launch an additional 45 school districts in May 2017. Additionally, five schools within the Hauppauge, NY school district are piloting the full mobile device version of the system. Whitsons’ Information Technology department is set to continue the mobile device portion of the rollout to all food service directors during the 2017-2018 school year. “Dine Central is a powerful tool and a major technological advancement for Whitsons,” said Kevin Laing, Vice President of Information Technology. “The launch of the Dine Central project has been very successful so far. Our team has worked hard to develop the solution and make the transition of the program a success. DC has streamlined antiquated processes, and now team members can work more efficiently which will greatly impact the company in a positive way.” “This is a first step in delivering a scalable solution that will grow as our company grows, and there is more to come,” continued Laing. “Overall, it’s an exciting time to be at Whitsons.” With the web-based system, menus will display more accurate nutritionals and allergens because recipes will reflect what users are actually purchasing and using instead of a generic recipe. Recipes are also easier to follow and able to be scaled to real kitchen units. Food Service Directors will use Dine Central to: • Review & place vendor orders based on total purchase recommendations inputted by the kitchen staff • Review total inventory counts in each district, make corrections & review final value before posting to the general ledger • Create & design menus, access marketing materials, & produce signage • Manage production records • Scale recipes & update order guides

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Kitchen Team Members will use mobile devices to: • Update production records • Recommend menu items that need to be purchased • View scaled recipes & pick lists • Match inventory receipts to purchase orders & invoices • Conduct monthly inventory counts to ensure inventory accuracy

DINE CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM: Business Team: Chris Fautas, Laura Gaglione, Kim Lastuvka, Melinda Rotsheld, Jolivette Robles, Robin Fontana, Christine Drago, Sheila Shea, Michael Marinaro and Katherine Barfuss IT Team: Christine Rota, Abilash Krishnaswamy, Blair Rafuse, Phong Nguyen, Larry Passaro and Pradeep Pandey

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until our next issue of

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be sure to follow us

and visit us online at whitsons.com

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