SugarCreek: Brandworthy Food Solutions

Sous Vide Protein Choices Make Fast Casual Service Even Better

Posted by Jeff Cowles

Nov 21, 2016 11:30:00 AM

In an era when fast casual growth is beginning to slow and the segment faces increased competition from QSRs, convenience stores and ready-to-eat grocery brands, fast casual restaurants must find new ways to regain their competitive advantage. Sous vide protein choices could be the answer.

Incorporating sous vide prep gives fast casual chefs and managers the time they need to focus on food quality, value, and overall dining experience — 3 areas fast casual outlets must get right to outperform their less expensive competitors.

Today, let’s take an in-depth look at how sous vide cooking can help your restaurant in each area.

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Topics: Sous Vide, Food Service, Fast Casual

2 Ways to Use Sous Vide Protein Choices in the Restaurant Kitchen

Posted by Olga Bitsakis

Nov 7, 2016 11:30:00 AM

QSR and fast casual restaurants face increasing competition from convenience and grocery stores. That’s because customers are increasingly drawn toward food they can buy and eat fast. Modern consumers are constantly on the go; they need meals ready to eat right out of the package. And quick-marts and convenience stores have learned the language that attracts them, according to QSR Magazine contributor Daniel P. Smith.

“Forget your grandfather. These aren’t even your father’s convenience stores,” Smith wrote. “There are menus touting spicy chorizo and smoked Gouda on ciabatta, baked tilapia and arabica coffee. There’s signage broadcasting terms like artisanal, organic and free range.”

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Topics: Sous Vide, Food Service

Sous Vide Protein Choices Could Help Struggling Restaurants

Posted by Steve Shutte

Nov 4, 2016 11:30:00 AM

Realistically, there are only so many proteins available to a restaurant, and so many ways to prepare those proteins in the time and space afforded to a busy commercial prep kitchen. So, what's an innovation-starved — pun intended— restaurant industry to do to woo jaded consumers? Believe it or not, the answer is actually outsourcing. When your kitchen is small, your protein choices are limited, and your prep time grows shorter as lines grow longer. The answer is to utilize the work of your suppliers to add value to your own plates.

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Topics: Sous Vide, Food Service

Streamline Kitchen Operations With Sous Vide and Other New Technology

Posted by Jami Edgington

Oct 14, 2016 11:30:00 AM

The equipment you buy, the ingredients you source and even the energy your kitchen consumes all have an impact on both your bottom line and the efficiency of your operation. You can streamline your kitchen operations in a variety of ways, from making the most of the latest in appliance technology and ensuring that your pieces “talk” with each other and share data to eliminating complexity in your menu items — without sacrificing customer experience or end quality.

Some of the latest innovations in technology can be tailored to seamlessly integrate into a QSR or casual dining kitchen, while others are specifically designed with the industry in mind.

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Topics: Sous Vide, Food Service, QSR

Sous Vide Can Be Your Secret Weapon in the Fast Food Breakfast Wars

Posted by Steve Shutte

Oct 7, 2016 11:30:00 AM

Want to serve up perfectly prepared, slow-cooked brisket sandwiches or meaty, flavorful breakfast tacos to your customers during the morning rush? The tenderness and flavor that come from hours of slow cooking may sound like a pipe dream, but Ready-to-Eat (RTE) sous vide proteins can give you an edge when it comes to breakfast. With more fast food locations than ever catching on to the breakfast trend — and the most significant (and sometimes only) area of growth coming in the morning hours — offering quality proteins in the morning can give your brand a much-needed edge.

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Topics: Sous Vide, Food Service, QSR, Breakfast

Why Sous Vide Proteins Are the Best Choice for the Fast Food Industry

Posted by Alan Riney

Oct 3, 2016 11:30:00 AM

French is not normally a language that enters into the QSR menu conception and delivery process — unless, of course, you happen to be stopping by a location in Canada or France. Often associated with fine dining, and the high prep costs that come with it, protein preparations like sous vide are an unlikely source of inspiration for an industry bent on speed and consistency.

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Topics: Sous Vide, Food Service, QSR

Will a Sous Vide Label Perk the Interest of American Consumers?

Posted by SugarCreek

Oct 2, 2015 11:00:00 AM

Grocery shoppers are changing. They want foods that are quick and convenient, but they demand high quality, as well. One quarter of shoppers say that their top priorities in food are short ingredient lists that only include ingredients that they recognize. Sous vide is a great way to give them what they want and keep them coming back to your brand.

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Topics: Sous Vide, Retail

Sous Vide Helps Brands Win Big with Home Cooks

Posted by SugarCreek

Sep 18, 2015 1:00:00 PM

If you’ve ever watched Bravo's Top Chef, you’ve likely seen the sous vide method of cooking in action. There’s a reason why professional chefs all over the world rely on this European method when the aim is precision cooking: sous vide ensures that food is prepared to optimal “doneness” with no sacrifice of flavor, juiciness or nutrition. And while sous vide may have once been the exclusive domain of trained master chefs, it is now making its way to fast food, industrial and home kitchens, where enterprising chefs are making the most of this precision technique. Let’s take a closer look at the sous vide trend and what it means for you.

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Topics: Sous Vide

Will Consumers Pay a Premium for the Convenience of a Healthy RTE Meal?

Posted by SugarCreek

Sep 11, 2015 1:30:00 PM

Families’ and individuals' households are changing, and their needs are changing with them. During the recession, a lot of consumers put low-cost at the top of their list of food priorities. But, as we ease back into a financial upswing, more people are working more hours. These consumers are more likely to add convenience to their list of needs, and they are willing to pay more for it. When you offer customers sous vide recipes, you give them the chance to get foods that are quick and easy while still offering taste and healthful nutrition profiles.

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Topics: Sous Vide

Sous Vide: The Secret to the Healthy Indulgence Your Customers Crave

Posted by SugarCreek

Sep 9, 2015 11:00:00 AM

American appetites today are driven by two desires that are frequently at odds with one another: we want food that is more healthful and nutritious. But, we also want meals that are delicious and indulgent. Upwards of 40 percent of American consumers say that they are more likely to eat at a restaurant that features healthy alternatives on the menu, even if they don't wind up eating a healthy meal once they get there.

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Topics: Sous Vide