Rich Wolverton

As operator's attempt to appeal to varying consumers, Gen Z remains top of mind for many. Read the article below for tips on appealing to this group of young purchasers!  #Idahoan #FoodserviceIndustry #GenZ #DemographicTrends

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Taste the Evolution: Cajun Steamer’s Fresh Take on Deep South Flavors Cajun Steamer’s new menu update is a perfect example of how even iconic cuisines like Cajun/Creole need to evolve to stay relevant. 🍤 While deeply rooted in tradition, this subtle revamp shows how paying attention to trends can keep a brand fresh and engaging for today’s consumers. It's not about abandoning heritage, but about finding the right balance between authenticity and innovation. And in case you were not aware, the 2025 World Soccer Championships are being held in the USA. There are 12 host cities and 6 of them are in the South.🎣🔥 #CulinaryTides #SuzyBadaracco #FlavorInnovation #CajunCuisine #TrendSpotting #DeepSouthDelights Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ecFncMTD

As part of its mission to celebrate organizations that strengthen the foodservice equipment and supplies industry, FEDA publishes Q&As with member companies. This week's newsletter features PASMO America, a manufacturer of soft serve, yogurt and ice cream machines based in Calabasas, California. Who is your customer base? Joel Cinnamon, chief operating officer: Quick service restaurants, frozen yogurt and ice cream stores, cafes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, hot chicken restaurants, Mexican restaurants and burger joints, chains, food trucks, convenience stores, theme and water parks, K-12 schools, universities, corporate offices and more. What sets PASMO’s soft serve and frozen beverage machines apart in the industry? Our technology is modern when compared to our competitors using older belt and pully technologies. Our machines are also one of the quietest, have minimal service issues, use fewer parts, fewer electrical components and put out less heat; which leads to an overall lower cost to own and operate. How is your equipment keeping pace with ever-increasing energy consumption requirements? We are much more efficient than competing models due to our power inverter/sequencers, as well as energy-efficient motors that allow most of our machines to operate with air cooled technology versus water. Less parts, less heat and less need for internal and external cooling help our customers consume less energy. How has the company innovated in recent years? There are several ways PASMO has innovated: We moved from belt driven to motor to direct drive technology. We were the first to have agitators in the hoppers as a standard feature. We have a new pump that allows us to introduce particulates (or inclusions) directly into the mix using a pressurized system. Our machines are available in a variety of sizes to replace legacy Taylor, Electro Freeze and Stoelting machines to avoid reconstruction or change existing build outs. We have recently announced whipped cream/cold foam and robotic vending soft serve machines. How is your company incorporating new technologies into its products? We are utilizing smart technologies/automation (the iCream machine for example) as well as more efficient designs, new materials and easier cleaning capabilities that allow our operators to reduce the cost of operating our equipment. Can you explain your machine program? Operators can get PASMO machines with no upfront costs. This program is offered by one of our dealers, not from PASMO itself. Machines are offered to the operator at no cost with a minimum requirement of product ordered monthly. Read the full Q&A: https://ow.ly/whsc50Si7wh

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Is 1 cfu the right threshold? The economic impact to the industry will be substantial.

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Dipper wells are one of the most wasteful pieces of equipment in foodservice. According to Board of Water Supply in Hawaii, conventional dipper wells can use over 200,000 gallons per year in commercial food service operations. 200,000 gallons of water per year to rinse spoons for stirring cocktails?!!! That's completely absurd! But restaurant operators have been fooled into thinking that they need dipper wells in their equipment lineup. I say that's complete bull💩! And a major operator agrees with me. How do I know? Let me tell you a story. When we were doing a site visit for this major operator, I noticed that most of their bars had multiple dipper wells in them. And they were all running, CONSTANTLY--even when there was nobody in their bars. Here's why dipper wells are so horrible for bars: ❌ they waste ungodly amounts of water ❌ cocktail strainers don't fit in them properly ❌ they're basically used to rinse spoons and muddles that don't even get dirty enough to warrant a dipper well So as we were doing the walk through, I pointed out how much water their dipper wells were wasting. Not in an accusatory way, but matter-of-factly. Well, the next time we visited their restaurants, ALL OF THE DIPPER WELLS WERE TURNED OFF! Why? Because they saw the obvious waste that was happening. You might be asking, "how do you keep your spoons, muddles, and strainers clean?" Well, for spoons and muddles, just keep a 28oz. tin of cold water or sanitizer in your bar station, and keep your them in there. If you have to use a bar spoon to stir something like an ice cream drink (once in a blue moon), put it through the dishwasher. Simple. All of your other tools can be rinsed in Auto-Rinse™, our patented bar tool rinsing station. It even rinses strainers. If you're serious about workflow efficiency and water-savings, consider implementing Auto-Rinse™. It's the best solution because we built it from the ground-up, instead of cobbling together existing equipment and calling it a day. We went the extra mile to provide the optimal solution. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/et9MuYD #bars #restaurants #savingwater #cocktails #foodservice

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Over 10,000 jobs lost in the QSR/fast food space in California alone according to the California Business and Industrial Alliance (CABIA) Operators needed to raise prices and lay off workers to avoid shutting down Some still shut down These 10,000+ workers need to be repositioned in the workforce because QSR/fast food operators will turn to automation to stay afloat Food/beverage operators can't fight economics and math with heads in the sand Any job or repetitive task that can be automated will be so let's focus on how we can leverage workers in other roles that can't be automated #automated #repetitivetasks #workforce #operations

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Rubix Foods has its finger on the pulse of the hottest flavor trends and brings those trends to life for roughly 70% of the top QSR and FSR restaurant brands in the nation. On the newest episode of Forktales, we’re joined by Shannon O'Shields, VP of marketing for Rubix Foods, for a sneak peek at how the company helps restaurants stay one bite ahead of the competition. FULL EPISODE: www.forktales.co #marketing #marketingpodcast #branding #brandingpodcast #restaurantmarketing #restaurantbranding #restaurantstrategy #restaurantgrowth #advertising #marketingpodcast #forktales #forktalespodcast #vigor #FlavorTrends #RubixFoods

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https://lnkd.in/gkU_Gnsw RTD coffee. This subcategory enjoyed an excellent 52 weeks ending July 14, with dollar sales ripping higher by 7% year over year (YoY) to $1.2 billion, while unit sales rose a healthy 3% YoY to 218.5 million, according to Chicago-based market research firm Circana. Big category with a lot of opportunity. Icon Foods is here to help you tap into the beverage category with sweeteners, sweetening systems, fibers, and sweetness modulators, all designed to make deep clean cuts to #addedsugar

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Chain Restaurant Business Model is Broken #FoodserviceSolutions #GrocerantGuru #Food #Beverge #Pizza #Coffee #Burgers #Steak #Restaurants #Foodservice #Takeout #Delivery #Technology https://lnkd.in/g3h4d7NX

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https://lnkd.in/g3nV9P4K California has become the first state to ban “sell-by” dates on food labels, replacing them with standardized terms like “Best if Used By” and “Use By” to reduce confusion and food waste. This shift is expected to save 70,000 tons of food annually and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. As a dietitian, and a former Director of Food and Nutrition Services I support this policy for its potential to prevent unnecessary waste and improve sustainability in our food systems. What are your thoughts? How do you think surveyors will view this? Do you think it could potentially help your establishment save some food from being discarded away prematurely? #FoodWaste #Sustainability #Healthcare #Dietitian #California #FoodPolicy #ClimateAction #PublicHealth #HPSI #Menu2u

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Interesting role and opportunity

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Now is the time to examine retail seafood programs. Grocers should be able to substantially increase their share of food service seafood…if they can adjust to the realities of the current market http://ow.ly/rWAG105u9Ln

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The American People Are Hungry for a New Farm Bill By Grant Colvin Executive Director of the Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   As lawmakers return to Washington after a month back home with their constituents, they have a golden opportunity to address the top voter priority of lowering food costs by passing a bipartisan farm bill.   Extensive ongoing coverage and polling prove that Americans are frustrated with stubbornly high grocery bills. The fact that both presidential campaigns have placed food prices at the center of their economic policy proposals speaks to the potency of this issue for voters in all corners of the country and across the political spectrum.    How can the sugar program be reformed to lower food costs? In short, our outdated sugar program restricts domestic sugar production and imports, which in turn creates unnecessary ingredient shortages and cost increases for American food manufacturers. Given the prevalence of sugar as an ingredient in many grocery store staples—peanut butter, pasta sauce, bread, yogurt, and so many more—these same outdated policies also weigh down the budgets of families and small businesses.   This bipartisan, problem-solving action by Congressional agriculture leaders is commendable and should be recognized as the most promising momentum for sugar program modernization in decades. Notably, the emerging consensus on this package of reforms is backed by both sugar producers and food manufacturers. With that key support locked in, lawmakers are now positioned to land a defining blow in the country’s fight against high food costs. But they need to pass the farm bill in the weeks ahead.   That’s why food manufacturers and farm groups from across the country have been imploring lawmakers to pass a farm bill that delivers targeted reforms and provides relief for consumers. Manufacturers, small businesses, and families deserve the certainty of a five-year farm bill reauthorization, rather than falling back on yet another short-term extension that falls short on much-needed changes to the sugar program and other key areas.   Days may be running short for the 118th Congress, but there’s still time for lawmakers to bring food price relief to the overwhelming number of Americans yearning for Washington to come together and focus on this issue. To do so, let’s get the farm bill over the finish line.   Grant Colvin is the executive director of the Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy, a large coalition of food companies, trade associations, consumer groups, free market organizations, and many others united in pursuit of a fairer, simpler U.S. sugar program.  

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Check out the latest buzz at Semper Foods with our very first blog post by the talented Laura Zinger! 🌟 Dive into the insights and updates straight from the heart of our team. Click here to read: #SemperFoods #BlogLaunch #TeamUpdates #IndustryInsights

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Why choose “all natural” beef? There’s less truly “all natural” beef produced than “prime.” “Prime” beef is only a measurement of the marbling, or fat content. It doesn’t tell you anything about the quality, the breed, or the conditions in which the animal was raised. I can tell you more about it, but the proof is in the pudding: Taste our all natural beef vs. prime and see for yourself! Interested in learning more? DM me for details! #DARTAGNAN #FortuneFish #AllNaturalBeef #SustainableFarming #QualityMeat #TasteTheDifference

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We discussed this on our latest episode of CPG Vibes, BIG BIG news from KeHE Distributors on 11/22, a new program dubbed 'AAP' (administrative allowance program). A flat 2 % off-invoice allowance for specific fees including New item intros, extra performance fees, MCBs, new item set up fees, and lumping fees. My quick thoughts: This is a step in the right direction for sure. UNFI implemented SSI which is a similar program to help brands budget for costs and fees associated with doing business with large national distributors. With all that said, these categories are pretty large and encompassing, so for all the other fees associated with Kehe that can chop down a brand's margin, will this program truly cover it? Likely not, but at least it covers some. What are your thoughts?

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🎙 Fresh From The Field Fridays Podcast Sneak Peek! 🎙 We’re just a week away from Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁 As we prepare for the season of gratitude, this week’s podcast episode is one you won’t want to miss. Dan and I are joined by Michael from Golden Star Citrus Inc to discuss the California citrus crop 🌟🍊. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we also took a moment to reflect on what we’re most thankful for. 💬 "Anytime produce gets tough—which is inevitable—we’re always there to help each other out. I’m very thankful for my network of support around me." – Michael Chavez Tune in this Friday for an episode of Fresh From The Field Fridays full of insight and appreciation, part of The Produce Industry Network! 🎧. Be sure to subscribe and review! What are you most thankful for this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇 #ProduceIndustry #Thanksgiving #CaliforniaCitrus #FreshFromTheFieldFridays #GoldenStarCitrus #Gratitude #FreshProduce #ProduceIndustry #OrganicProduce #WholesaleDistribution #RetailIndustry #GroceryStores #GroceryRetail #FoodBusiness #EatFresh #EatYourVeggies #EatHealthy #FruitsAndVegetables #FreshFruits #People #FreshVegetables #LoveWhatYouDo #ProduceLife #ThankAFarmer #RossTheProduceBoss #Distribution #Food #Fruits #Veggies #FoodSafety #PolicyInfluence #FarmToTable #HealthyEating #SustainableFarming #ProducePower #Nutrition #Innovation #Farming #Freshfood #Marketing #Consumer #Video 

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What value can be unlocked by focusing on digital natives Gen Z and Millennials #Food #FoodserviceSolutions #2024RestaurantShow #RestaurantShow2024 #SUJ #USF #UCLA #UW #WSU #NationalRestaurantAssociationShow #FoodSales #GrocerantGuru #Technology #FoodMarketing https://lnkd.in/gcTp8Y2c

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