Food & Food Equipment News

Jamba Juice Announces Refranchising Effort

Jamba, Inc. has announced a refranchising initiative that could involve up to 150 Jamba Juice store locations mostly outside the state of California. The Company expects many of the refranchising transactions to include a development agreement in addition.

“I am pleased to announce this refranchising initiative which, given the high level of interest in the Jamba brand, should accelerate our growth and presence outside of our core California markets,” stated James D. White, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jamba, Inc. “Refranchising will also allow us to better focus our operational resources to company owned stores in California to improve efficiencies and performance."

The Praetorian Group has a successful track-record with major refranchising programs which is why the group was chosen to head the Jamba initiative. The Company anticipates the added transactions and cash flow to be used to pay down its existing debt and help fund future growth.

"With a continued disciplined effort on expense reduction, a commitment to a customer-first 'operationally focused' service culture across all Jamba Juice stores, building a retail food capability across all day-parts, and enhancing our consumer products licensing platform, our revitalization is well underway,' continued Mr. White.

The Company's current research shows there are potential opportunities for at least 2,700 stores in the United States. The length of the new initiative is estimated to last between 12-18 months.

For more visit Jamba Juice and The Praetorian Group.

Restaurant Industry Outlook Improves To 11 Month High

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) announced their updated Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) and it showed a fourth consecutive month of increase restaurant activity.

“The recent growth in the RPI was driven by the Expectations component, which rose above 100 in April for the first time in 18 months, a level which indicates expansion,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of Research and Information Services for the Association. “Although the RPI’s Current Situation indicators are still in a period of contraction, the solid improvement in the forward-looking indicators suggests that the end of the industry’s downturn may be in sight.”

The RPI is based on the responses to the NRA’s monthly Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey.  The survey is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures. The Index consists of two components – the Current Situation Index (CSI) and the Expectations Index (EI).

Restaurant operators also continue to grow more optimistic about the economy. Thirty-seven percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, up from 30 percent who reported similarly last month and the highest level in three years. In comparison, only 16 percent of operators expect economic conditions to worsen in six months, down from 21 percent last month.

Along with an improving outlook, restaurant operators are also ramping up plans for capital expenditures in the months ahead. Forty-six percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up from 44 percent last month and just 37 percent four months ago.

For more information visit the NRA website.

Fisher Nuts, DOT Foods Deliver with New Partnership

Fisher, a leading processor, marketer and distributor of shelled and in-shell nuts and nut-based snacks, is partnering with DOT Foods, the largest food redistributor in the United States. Effective this month, DOT customers have been able to purchase a wide assortment of more than 300 Fisher products from their DOT Foods Sales Representative. The partnership allows foodservice, convenience, retail and vending customers as well as leading distributors to consolidate their purchases through DOT, giving them the buying power and efficiencies of bigger accounts without minimum purchase orders.

“This mutual partnership provides great flexibility for all-sized companies and service to channels that may not be able to meet minimum orders to purchase,” says Julie Nargang, Director of Corporate Marketing with John B. Sanfilippo & Son (JBSS), owner of the Fisher brand. “Our working with DOT allows companies as small as Mom ‘n Pop stores to manage their inventories and restock items as quickly as they want – the same way a much larger account is able."

Fisher, as a JBSS brand, is known as a leading distributor of its own products. “We are thrilled to team up with DOT Foods to help ensure that we are living up to the tradition of excellence, flexibility and fast service that Fisher has been known for since the 1920’s” Nargang, said.

NPD: Kids Meals Evolving At Restaurants Nationwide

It appears that today’s kids are no longer won over by a toy nestled between their chicken nuggets and fries, or with the kids’ menu, according to market researchers at The NPD Group. Though kids’ meals with toys and kids’ menus continue to be the most popular options for children younger than 13, both offerings have experienced sharp declines.

According to NPD’s Consumer Reports on Eating Share Trends (CREST®), which tracks consumer usage of commercial foodservice, for the year ending December 2008, among kids under 13, orders for kid’s meals that included a toy were down 11 percent, and orders from kids menus were down four percent, compared to combo meals down two percent and 99-cent value menu up nine percent.

“Just as adults have moved to greater use of deals and value menus, there continues to be a shift in the way kids are ordering at restaurants or, in many cases, how their parents are ordering for them,” says Bonnie Riggs, Restaurant Industry Analyst at NPD. “What has gained in popularity is the use of value menus for kids’ meals and snacks.”

Contributing to the decline in the number of kids’ meals with toys and kids menu items ordered is that fewer kids are eating out. NPD finds that traffic for parties with kids declined five percent in the quarter ending February 2009, compared to same quarter last year, after more than three years of positive growth. A not particularly surprising trend given that the average size of the party when kids are present is over twice as large as for adult-only parties, driving the cost almost $8 higher than for the typically smaller adult only occasions. Both quick service restaurants (fast food) and full service restaurants experienced traffic losses. In both cases, losses were heaviest with kids under 6 years old.

When kids under 12 do visit restaurants, pizza is far and away the most popular fast food for children, according to NPD CREST data. On the flip side, fries and chicken nuggets are also popular, but beginning to fall out of favor. Up and coming items include hamburgers, tacos and pasta for older kids, with fruit and ice cream gaining in popularity for younger kids. While pizza dominates for kids at supper in a quick service restaurant, pasta takes over that spot at full service restaurants.

“Kids’ tastes and preferences’ are changing. There is more to the shift away from kids’ meals and menus than the economy and saving money,” says Riggs. “Kids today want more choices and sophisticated fare.”

SBA to Open New Loans for Restaurants, Small Biz

ARC loans help qualified small businesses struggling because of economy

There's a new kind of loan available to small businesses starting next month. The Small Business Administration is moving forward with "America's Recovery Capital" (ARC) loans -- no-interest, deferred-payment loans to help small businesses who are strong performers but who may be struggling with debt repayment because of the tough economy. The loans are available for up to $35,000 and can be used to pay non-SBA debt.

The ARC loans are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the stimulus bill Congress passed and President Obama signed in February.

How ARC loans work:

• Eligible small businesses can use the loan to pay principal/interest on existing, qualifying small-business debt, such as mortgages, term and revolving lines of credit, capital leases, credit card obligations, and notes to vendors, suppliers and utilities.
• Loans carry no fees or interest rates for the borrower.
• Loans are disbursed to the borrower over six months.
• Loans are 100 percent guaranteed by the SBA.
• Repayment of ARC loans begins 12 months after a loan is disbursed in full. The loan principal must be paid back within five years.

The SBA is working with lenders to provide guidance on ARC loans by June 8. The agency will begin accepting loan packages from lenders starting June 15. ARC loans will be available until Sept. 2010 or until the funding runs out, whichever comes first. If you'd like to apply for an ARC loan, visit the SBA's Web site to find out who is eligible and how to apply, www.sba.gov.

U.S. Foodservice, Teamsters Settle Labor Issues

The Phoenix Division of U.S. Foodservice today announced that Region 28 of the National Labor Relations Board approved a final settlement of unfair labor practice charges filed by Teamsters Local 104. The settlement relates to alleged supervisor conduct during and shortly after the union’s organizing campaign and representation election in August and September 2008. At that time, a majority of the Phoenix Division employees voted against joining the union.

“The settlement resolves outstanding issues between the division and the local union and avoids the cost and time of the formal hearing and appeals process, which could have taken years to reach closure,” said Tom Kertis, president of the Phoenix Division. “Most importantly, the settlement enables the company and its employees to devote their full attention to our top priority — helping our customers win in this very difficult economy.”

Employees were notified Monday that the division will recognize Teamsters Local 104 as the collective bargaining representative for drivers, mechanics and warehouse employees at the Phoenix Division.

“We are committed to negotiating a contract with Local 104 that is fair to our workers and competitive in the Arizona marketplace,” Kertis said. “We will bargain in good faith and with an open mind. We have a long-term obligation to our employees to negotiate an agreement that maintains our competitive advantages and allows us to continue to go above and beyond for our customers.”

Kertis said that supervisors at the Phoenix facility have completed formal training about the National Labor Relations Act and are prepared to fully comply with applicable rules and regulations.

Wireless Core Temperature Logger from T&D Makes its Debut

The RTR-61 Wireless Core Temperature Logging system, currently on display in T&D’s booth 7852, allows for reliable collection of temperature data for HACCP record keeping and food quality control purposes. Unique in today’s marketplace, the RTR-61 is a handheld temperature recording device that takes measurements through an insertion type probe and stores them, along with detailed information about the item being sampled, for subsequent download over a wireless data link. Information such as temperature, time, date, item ID and operator ID are all recorded as a single record each time the operator presses a button. Designed for commercial food cooking, preparation and service operations, the RTR-61 is the ideal tool for creating and archival storage of complete and error-free HACCP records.

As a portable handheld device, the RTR-61 can be used in commercial operations to measure the internal temperature of foods during preparation or service by using either its integrated insertion probe, or an optional probe attached via a flexible extension cable.  Complete records of the item’s condition are created and stored each time the operator presses a button. Accuracy is assured through the incorporation of a temperature stabilization algorithm, which prevents errors through premature recording.

Each measurement result is displayed on an integrated LCD display. Preset limits can be independently set for each item which will yield a G / NG result for each measurement. This is shown on the LCD and is emphasized to the operator with a pair of red and green LEDs. The G / NG judgment is also stored as a part of the data record.

Records stored in the RTR-61 can then be downloaded via a wireless data link on demand. Downloading is facilitated through a Wireless Data Collector that is either attached to a local PC or over a network. Remote data collection over a LAN, WAN or the Internet allows for management and record keeping from a centralized location. Communication range for the wireless system can be extended to accommodate almost any physical arrangement by simply adding one or more daisy-chainable Wireless Data Repeaters. Included with the system is the ability to send measurement commands over the wireless link to the operator using the device.

TandD’s RTR-61 ships with a complete suite of software tools that allow for system configuration, creation of item lists, assignment of operators, as well as viewing, archiving and printing of recorded data. The RTR-61 can store 1,800 samples over a temperature range between -13º to +455º (F) before downloading is required. The unit is powered by two user replaceable AAA batteries and is water resistant to IP-64, which facilitates easy cleaning.

If You're Not Online, You Don't Exist: Discover DashOrder.com

Brian Fitzgerald, President of DashOrder.com Inc., talks about the company's debut.

RDN: Tell us about DashOrder.

BF: DashOrder is a new company. We’re officially launching here at the show in booth 5763. We were founded with one goal in mind: to make it possible for every restaurant to benefit from the market dynamics of online ordering. DashOrder is the easiest to use, most reliable and most cost-effective product on the market today

RDN: What makes DashOrder unique?

BF: We’re the first company to make online ordering simple—for both the customer and the restaurant. Whether a restaurant has a Web site or not, DashOrder can set up easy to use and cost-effective online ordering in no time. We’re restaurant friendly and customer friendly.   

RDN: In these tough economic times, is it important to have online ordering?

BF: It’s more important than ever! Online ordering generates additional revenues. Online ordering fills more tables. Online ordering provides a competitive edge. And online ordering helps you reach a key customer—the GenY crowd [18–30 year olds].

RDN: Tell us more about the GenY customer.

BF: For quick-service and fast/casual restaurants in particular—pizza parlors, Chinese take-out and Mexican fast food, for example—the GenY crowd are key customers. This is not only a huge demographic, but it is also an Internet-savvy one. If you want to engage this customer, you need to be where they are—and they are online.

RDN: Is it easy to deploy DashOrder, and what does it cost?

BF: Unlike other products, DashOrder is not only very easy to deploy, but also there are absolutely no upfront or installation costs—none. We call it 'online ordering in a box.' The restaurant gets the 'box' in the mail, plugs the DashOrder product into the existing phone line and in five minutes, they are up and running and taking orders.

RDN: What is the ROI for a restaurant?

BF: A restaurant can expect several thousand dollars in additional sales with online ordering. As a matter of fact, one of our beta customers said she began receiving orders within hours of installing the DashOrder online ordering system.

RDN: What is your outlook for the marketplace and DashOrder?

BF: The economy will continue to be difficult for the next year or so. Thus, it will be important for restaurants to expand their sales channels and be open to new ways of doing business. We’re very excited about DashOrder. We have the right solution at the right time for the right market. We expect that every restaurant will have online ordering as a productive sales channel in the future.

RDN: Any advice for restaurateurs?

BF: One GenYer summed it up quite succinctly: If you’re not online, you don’t exist.

Activeion: The Greenest of the Green Cleaning Solutions & It Saves You Money!

Jim Wiese is CEO of Activeion Cleaning Solutions LLC, gives an overview of the company.

RDN: What can people expect when they visit the Activeion booth 5754?

JW: We’re happy to be part of this year’s show and look forward to introducing the industry to the revolutionary new Activeion Pro: a handheld device that transforms tap water into a powerful cleaner, creating the safest, most sustainable way for owners to keep their restaurants clean. With the Activeion Pro, restaurants will use advanced water technology instead of harsh chemicals to clean and sanitize. This process that activates tap water is a time-tested, award-winning technology involving electrolysis, nano-bubbles and ionization. What we’ve done is taken the technology and integrated it into the size of a cleaning bottle, thereby freeing restaurants from the impacts of traditional cleaning chemicals. By cleaning without chemicals, their guests are safer, our environment is greener and their profits are healthier.

RDN: Wow, so diners can now eat 'chemical-free' in addition to smoke-free?

JW: We like to think so. Most people don’t realize that when you clean with glass cleaners and general-purpose chemicals, you get the dirt, but leave chemicals behind—either through chemical overspray from the misting or from the residue on the cleaning surface. So when tables, counters, deli glass or any of the many surfaces in a restaurant are cleaned, there’s a fine film of chemical residue left behind. With the Activeion Pro, there’s no chemical residue and any overspray is simply activated water.

RDN: Will all cleaning chemicals one day be gone then?

JW: We’re working on it, but for right now, no. The Activeion Pro is an outstanding cleaner and sanitizing device, but it’s not a miracle cleaner. Highly versatile, it’s ideal for use on glass, stainless steel, wood, stone, marble, carpets and clothing. When used as directed, it’s an effective sanitizer as well, removing greater then 99.9 percent of the bacteria from hard surfaces [non-porous]. It’s also NSF-certified safe for use in food preparation areas. But while that list of cleaning achievements is long, it’s not comprehensive. Restaurants will still need disinfectants and heavy-duty degreasers. However for the majority of cleaning done in kitchens, dining areas and bathrooms, the Activeion Pro will perform as well as or better than traditional chemical detergents.

Better still, we like to say that cleaning with the Activeion Pro is 'greener than green.' That’s because while popular 'green cleaners' still contain harmful chemicals, the Activeion Pro relies on water—activated water, to be sure—but water nonetheless. There’s nothing greener. We commissioned a study by the University of Tennessee and EcoForm to look at the carbon footprints of using traditional chemicals versus the new Activeion Pro. They found that switching to just one Activeion Pro to clean your restaurant will save 93 gallons of gas and two barrels of oil. If you switch to using two, you’ll be offsetting one metric ton of coal. So for restaurants that care about environmental sustainability, we believe there’s no simpler, quicker or cheaper way to go green than by switching to cleaning with the Activeion Pro.

RDN: What's the cost?

JW: Most restaurants use primarily glass, stainless steel and general-purpose cleaners and together these items can average upwards of a thousand dollars per year. The Activeion Pro is $299 plus freight, and we find that most people will repay the investment in six to nine months. After that, there’s only savings as you’ll never need to buy those chemicals again.

Activeion Cleaning Solutions is located at nra booth 5754. You can learn more outside the show by visiting www.activeion.com or calling 866-950-4667.

Vilore Brings Flavor of Mexico to U.S. Market

By Carol Schliesinger

For nearly three decades, consumers across the country have delighted their palates with some of the best Mexican jalapeños, juices and beans thanks to the behind-the-scenes work of Vilore Foods Company, a national food distributor and marketer of Jumex, La Costeña and other recognizable brands.

Seeking to satisfy the need for authentic Hispanic food products among consumers in the U.S. and Canada, Vilore covers the nation from coast to coast through its regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston, and distributes its goods from its 470,000-square-foot distribution center in Laredo, Texas and its 150,000-square-foot distribution center in Imperial, Calif.

Attendees here at the show can preview Vilore’s latest product line, Princesa, to be introduced to the U.S. market in 2009. The new line of bottled concentrates just needs water added, sugar is already in the mix, and comes in traditional Mexican flavors, including Horchata, Jamaica and Tamarindo.

The Vilore exhibit features new and established products in a variety of non-traditional dishes to show how Hispanic products can appeal to a broad range of customers. Visitors can taste the products, find recipes, learn about the company’s history and watch a Discovery Channel program on the high-tech manufacturing process of its suppliers south of the border.

As the market leader of jalapeño peppers in the U.S., Vilore markets a variety of products from La Costeña and Clemente Jacques.

La Costeña is the largest jalapeño canning company and a global market leader in sales of Mexican canned food products. Clemente Jacques peppers, the first Mexican brand of canned goods, a pioneer in the Mexican canned goods market, selects its raw ingredients using the latest manufacturing technology to ensure its strict quality control standards.

Vilore’s management has its sight set on growing its business through non retail channels. Already an established distributor among traditional retailers, the San Antonio-based firm is working with several national convenience stores and food service companies to expand its availability and variety. Through strategic partnerships with customers, Vilore aims to increase its market share in food ervice and C-store channels. 

Founded in 1983, Vilore was named after the founder of Conservas La Costeña, Vicente Lopez Resines. But its product line extends well beyond La Costeña products. Vilore is the exclusive marketer of Jumex fruit nectars in the U.S. and Canada.

Jumex, the largest producer of juices and nectars in Mexico, became a favorite among Hispanics and general market consumers soon after Vilore introduced the nectars to the U.S. in 1983. Today, Jumex products reach consumers in Central and South America, Europe and Asia thanks to high quality packaging and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies.

From jalapeño peppers to mango smoothies, Vilore Foods is synonymous for Mexican foods in the U.S. marketplace. With a new bottled concentrate product line coming soon, do not miss this opportunity to visit Vilore’s booth at the NRA 2009 show to learn about and sample some of these products.