ADS Fall 2008 Newsletter
Heads UP!

2008 Annual Meeting

Driving Growth & Sustainability Through Innovation
October 5 – 7, 2008
Naples, Florida
Naples Grande Beach Resort

The 2008 Annual Meeting is just around the corner.  The meeting, themed “Driving Growth & Sustainability Through Innovation” will be held at the beautiful Naples Grande Resort & Club in Naples, Florida, October 5 – 7. If you have not registered for the meeting do so today.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in small group discussions on Monday with a focus on sustainability and a targeted Hot Topics session on Tuesday. Topics will be determined based on feedback from you, so be sure to include suggested topics when you register.

In addition to providing an extensive offering of speakers and topics specially tailored for your industry, the ADS Annual Meeting also includes many networking opportunities for you to become better acquainted with your fellow ADS members or to get together with long-time colleagues. Mark your calendar now to attend one of the two open committee meetings on Saturday - the Consumer Awareness Committee or the Portion Control/Flexible Packaging Committee. Some of the fun, networking activities available to attendees include golf, fishing, Bocce ball, tennis and an Everglades outing. Register today! 

Plan to stay for Tuesday night’s dinner, as we enjoy the fabulous fun of the fifties at the Bowl-a-Rama. On Tuesday evening, you’ll be transported back in time as we gather at beautiful Woodside Bowling Lanes for a fun night of bowling, karaoke, pool, milkshakes and ice cream sundaes! Woodside is an upscale facility featuring 32 lanes that are fully automated with the very latest in computerized scoring and graphics. 

In Nemo’s Sports Cafe, a lively D.J. will be spinning tunes from the 50’s to the 90’s and inviting the undiscovered “stars” of your group to step up to the karaoke machine to entertain. Nemo’s also features dartboards and televisions with live sporting events.

Barrels of beverages will be awaiting your arrival as well as a sumptuous dinner buffet.

New Members

ADS Welcomes Its Newest Members!

SUPPLIERS
Freshchange Foods Group Ltd.
Primary Contact: Brian Mirsky, President
182 Dunvegan Road
Toronto, ON Canada
M5P 2P2
Phone:  (416) 356-5645
E-Mail:  bamirsky@freshchangefoodsgourp.com
Products:  Marketing and sales strategies advisor

Milliken Packaging
Primary Contact: Scott Schwasnick, Sales Manager
920 Milliken Road
Spartanburg, SC 29303
Phone:  (864) 503-6499 
Fax:  (864) 503-6186  
E-Mail:  scott.schwasnick@milliken.com 
Products:  Packaging

This just in... the most popular flavors of salad dressing!

1. Ranch
2. Italian (Separating)
3. Blue Cheese
4. Caesar
5. Thousand Island
6. Balsamic Vinaigrette
7. French
8. Asian
9. Honey Dijon/Mustard
10. Red Wine Vinaigrette

* These numbers are averages of the top three national brands as reported by a nationally recognized database for the 52-week period ending May 9, 2008.

** Asian category includes sesame and ginger varieties.

Check out the NEW "Light" Claim Reference Values for Salad Dressings, available now on ww.adsmembers.org,
under “Reports & Publications.”

ADS Bucks Program - Rewards for New Member Referrals

In the Know

Foodservice Shifts Towards Small Portions

Given today’s economy, everyone is looking for value in their purchases. Restaurant expenditures are no exception - the price/value relationship in foodservice has always been a critical factor in an operation’s success.

The June 2008 Prepared Foods article titled “Foodservice Shifts Towards Small Portions” states value is in the eyes of the beholder and can be very subjective. To many, a large portion represents a second meal, and that makes the menu price a very good value. To others, all of the “hype” about sensible eating and health issues has made them more conscious of their food intake. For years, dietitians have been preaching about asking for a doggie bag for half the meal, before it is served. But consumers have not exactly followed their words of wisdom. They also seek out nutritional information at restaurants of all types.

The Economy of Health Trends
According to the article, when considering the economy and current health trends, a logical conclusion is that smaller portions will translate into smaller prices and make consumers feel good about their eating habits. Various QSRs have found that snack wraps are a popular way to attract consumers. The price is attractive and can often include the purchase of two wraps as a single meal.

Many restaurants have been observing customers ordering appetizers rather than entrées for several years. Small portions are definitely on-trend today.

Dining Dilemmas
Eating out is a way of life in most people’s lives. In leisure times, the entertainment aspects of dining lead to experimentation and sharing. And choices are a necessity. If one person wants steak, another may want crab or shrimp. Someone may want a spicy dish, while someone may want a bland meal; the variations are endless. So what do they do? They share. When diners experiment together, they create lasting memories and a bonding effect. Many people enjoy discussing the last meal they shared together, along with the latest movie. Smaller portions such as tapas, finger foods, snacks - whatever the name - create interest. There is also usually little risk involved.

Portion Proportion
The article states that if a portion size is reduced, then the price can be lowered; this is becoming an attractive alternative for many operators. Many chains and independents are offering smaller portions, often through the afternoon, but not at dinner. Smaller entrée salads are popular, especially with women. And mini-dessert portions are all the rage, due largely to the inexpensive price tags. A small indulgence does not hurt the wallet or the waistline.

Small portions of anything are great for smaller appetites, but they also allow for sharing and experimentation. Just as tapas started a hot trend a few years back, small plates allow patrons to try new things. Often, this can lead to higher check averages, as consumers will try two or three items, because they are comfortable with smaller prices. Particularly with larger parties, sharing and socialization play important roles.

Reasons to Dine Out
Foodservice usually drives food trends, and smaller portions are among the hot trends right now. Overall, the tight economy, customers’ perception of value, their emphasis on health and eagerness to experiment are the drivers of this trend.

According to the article, most economists view the foodservice industry as a “FIFO” (first in, first out) industry. When dollars become tight, people cut back on eating out. When the economy relaxes a bit, consumers will be more willing to spend their disposable income on food-away-from-home. 

To access the entire June Prepared Foods article, click here.

Greece is the Word

Greek cuisine is one of the oldest, most classic cuisines known to Western society. Greek cooking is also very diverse. Some dishes can be traced back to ancient Greece (such as trahanas, skordalia, and lentil soup), while others represent the Hellenistic and Roman periods (like loukaniko). As such, a full list of representative dishes is difficult to present. Greek influences on modern cooking are plenty and probably incalculable. In the June 2008 issue of Prepared Foods an interview with chef John Matchuk, R&D manager at Grecian Delight in Elk Grove Village, Ill offered an insight into classic Greek cooking as well as an glimpse at the future of ‘Greek fusion’ cuisine.

According to the article, the cuisines of the Mediterranean overlap at the countries’ borders resulting in various cooking techniques and/or ingredients. Typical Greek cuisine uses olive oil, oregano, Feta cheese, olives, phyllo dough, cucumbers and eggplant, and garlic and lemon juice. The recipes tend to utilize simplicity (as in so many Mediterranean cuisines).

According to Chef Matchuk, an example of Fusion is taking a classic dish, such as melitzanes mousakka (layers of seasoned ground [or minced] lamb or beef, sliced eggplant and tomato, topped with white bechémal sauce), and using an Asian eggplant rather than Greek eggplant. Or, it could be a new spice profile. It is the fusing of a new technique with old, classic ingredients. Avgolemono (‘egg-lemon soup’ traditionally consisting of chicken, red meat, vegetable or fish broth thickened with eggs, lemon juice and rice) might be given a ‘fusion update’ by using lemongrass instead of lemon. This would add more intense lemon flavor with other spice notes to create a trendier, Greek fusion dish.

Grilling, braising, stewing and roasting are the most common techniques used and legend has it that the classic, Greek slow-cooking technique originated from the Klephts, who would steal lambs or goats and cook them in a sealed pit to avoid the smoke being seen. As such, the Greek word Kleftiko translates roughly into ‘stolen meat.’

Chef Matchuk noted Greek food has excellent health benefits. “It fits in squarely with the Mediterranean diet and studies in the 1950s found that residents of the Greek island of Crete had one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world. This, of course, led to Mediterranean cuisine being almost synonymous with ‘heart-healthy.’”

Popular Greek seasonings and ingredients include the following:

• Anise – Breads, biscuits
• Bay leaves – Sauces, meats, stews, baked fish and poultry, seasoning, dried fruits
• Cinnamon – tomato and meat sauces, stews, cheese piece, sweets
• Coriander/Cilantro – Fresh leaves, in bean and vegetable dishes; dried seeds, in sausages, pork, dried beef
• Cumin – white and red sauces, sausages, meat stuffings for vegetables
• Dill – sauces, stuffings, pickles, salads, soup and stews
• Mahlepi – Easter bread, holiday cakes and cookies
• Mastic – Easter bread, cakes, pastries, sweets, liqueur
• Mint – Red sauces, meatballs, rice stuffings, cheese pies, tea
• Oregano – Meatballs, lamb, salad, fish, sauces, seasoning, dried fruit
• Paprika – Lamb and beef skewers, dried beef
• Rosemary – Roasted and grilled meats and fish
• Rosewater – Sweets
• Orange flower water – Sweets
• Sumac – Grilled meats, stews, pita wraps
• Thyme – Lamb, rabbit, fish, potato dishes

Source: Gilroy Foods and Spicetec.

Click here to read the article in the June issue of Prepared Foods

Healthy Growth

According to a June 23 article in Supermarket News titled “Healthy Growth,” a new study found a strong interest among consumers in buying and eating healthy foods offers significant opportunities for the food industry to create new products to meet that demand.

Consumers indicate they are willing to pay a premium for healthy foods. The Nutrition Business Journal consumer research study recommended that the industry market such products as a way for consumers to manage their health conditions: offer more private-label and prepared-food solutions in the healthy foods category, and make more locally grown and natural products available at the supermarket.

More than half of consumers are buying grocery items to address one or more specific health problems or concerns. Take a look at additional information from the study:

Favored Attributes

Source: Nutrition Business Journal consumer research study

Favored Attributes

Source: Nutrition Business Journal consumer research study

Favored Attributes

*Other includes sodium aluminum phosphate; gelatin, malitol; and bisphenol A in plastics.
Source: Nutrition Business Journal consumer research study

Read more in the June 23 issue of Supermarket News.

Multicultural Marketing: Cinco de Mayo is Just the Start

According to Progressive Grocer’s July 1 article titled “Multicultural Marketing: Cinco de Mayo is Just the Start,” the famed quinceanera party is the most expensive birthday celebration an average Hispanic American family will plan and carry out. Imagine parents spending from $10,000 all the way up to $80,000, to see that their daughter's 15th birthday is the social event of the year, and you've got an idea of the significance of this event in Hispanic social life.

For some families this can easily become a financial hardship, so extended family members pitch in to assure that the party is an unforgettable success. There's also a potential key role for grocers in this celebration as well, since food is central to the quinceanera. It's a prime opportunity to develop your Hispanic strategy beyond the Cinco de Mayo basics.

The article states that currently, in the United States, quinceanera is celebrated from coast to coast, including in cities that aren't widely considered large Hispanic population centers. The quinceanera includes elaborate components such as stretch Humvees, rented reception halls, formal wear, live music with a DJ (or mariachis, if you're Mexican), friends and family, possibly a church service--and, of course, plenty of food and beverages.

The centerpiece of the party is the cake, and not just any cake. In Los Angeles, for example, some mainstream grocery stores sell the quinceanera cake for up to $750. It's a great ticket for a grocer, but the icing on the cake, so to speak, is the cross-shopping that benefits the store with other purchases such as meat, dairy, beverages, produce, paper products, party favors, and even invitations.

Hispanic strategy for retailers should be twofold: how to increase spending of non-Hispanics who are crazy for Latino food, and Mexican food in particular, and how to maximize the basket size of Latino shoppers.

To read the entire article in Progressive Grocer, click here.

Save the Dates

The Association for Dressings & Sauces
1100 Johnson Ferry Road
Suite 300
Atlanta, Georgia 30342
(404) 252-3663
www.dressings-sauces.org   www.saladaday.org   www.crazyforcondiments.com

The Association for Dressings & Sauces is managed by the Kellen Company (www.kellencompany.com), in Atlanta, Georgia, with offices also in New York, New York, Tucson, Arizona, Washington, D.C., Brussels, Belgium and Beijing, China. Kellen Company is an employee-owned company providing association management, meetings and exhibition management, public relations, crisis management, Internet services, government affairs and other professional services to associations as well as individual companies.

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