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You can now request a cutting at your location of any one of our unique, high quality provisional products! Simply visit
PeddlersSon.com/Cutting and complete the form. Select as many vendors as you like and provide us with any
additional
details that may be of benefit to the planning of your cutting. We'll take it from there and contact you with options based on your schedule and that of our vendor ride-along calendar.
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A POSITIVE CULTURAL SHIFT IN THE WAY WE EAT
Contributed By: Rj Johnson
Local & Organic Curator; Peddler's Son Produce & Provisions
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Organic, Local & Seasonal items can no longer be considered trends, they are all part of a cultural shift in the way people are choosing to eat...
First off, I know it's been a while since my last post, but I want to say, "wow!" The food show was an incredible success and thank you to all our amazing vendors and wonderful clients and guests. I feel like I talked to 1000 people and learned something from each. One thing I was struck by though is the number of people that knowing what I do still don't understand and/or believe in organics. Several mentioned that they don't see a market for organics yet. That little bit of info blows my mind so, let me share with you some info of my own.
- Organic food sales are setting records as more Americans fill their shopping carts with everything from eggs to gummy fruit snacks.
- Having shed its hippy-dippy image, organic food is among the faster-growing categories in supermarkets.
- Sales of organic food hit a record $43 billion last year, up 8.4% from the previous year, according to the Organic Trade Association, based in Washington, D.C.. Compare that to the 0.6% growth rate in the overall food category.
- Organic food now represents 5.3% of total retail food sales in the U.S.
- Rupesh Parikh, investment bank Oppenheimer's senior analyst for food, grocery and consumer products, predicts continued double-digit annual growth. "Consumers are really looking more into what they're eating."
- Organic produce sales grew at more than twice the rate of total fruit and vegetable sales. Almost 15% of veggies and fruit consumed in the U.S. is now organic.
- 44% of shoppers would pay an additional 20% or more for organic fresh vegetables, and 37% are willing to hand over that much more cash for organic poultry, found a study by the Hartman Group, a food and beverage research firm in Bellevue, Wash.
- General Mills' organic-only portfolio has grown more than 350% over the past five years. Natural and organic sales were $1 billion this year, growing at a double-digit clip since 2000.
Secondly, I wanted to share a few tips we came up with at our local / seasonal menu planning seminar at the show.
- Plan ahead. The best way to work with local items is to look to the next season and research. By May, you could start preparing and brainstorming for June summer menu items. In July, look to fall dishes for September and so on. You may even choose to work further ahead. I used to plan a year out, freezing fresh ingredients throughout the year for the winter season.
- Learn from each season. Take note of which dishes worked best and for what time periods. Use what you learn from each season to plan for the year ahead.
- Produce isn't the only way to incorporate local ingredients. We stock amazing local provisions like honey, locally produced peanut butter granola etc. There are amazing locally roasted coffees, locally distilled essential oils, infused sugars and salts, the list goes on and on.
- Use customization. Just because you're a QSR, fast casual or corporate food service establishment, local menus can still work for you through customization. Why not feature local seasonal ingredients that diners can opt to add to their dishes.
- Think of it as research and development. Local dishes are an opportunity to try new methods and dishes that can help to improve your core menu.
- Make it easy for your staff. Give your staff time to get acquainted with any new dishes and make sure they can easily describe it to curious diners.
- Roll it out. Use the right combination of social media, your website, in restaurant signage, menu inserts, notations on menu boards and your staff to spread the excitement about new local menu items.
- Get some input. Take the time to ask your staff what they look for each season. Making it fun and involving everyone in the process, suddenly gets everyone energized and re-committed to the business and to marketing it.
- Have fun with it. Not only is a new season a new start, but the changing of the seasons also evokes fond memories and aromas for nearly everyone. Play with these familiar flavors and work to develop a menu that will help create new memories for your diners.
- Shout it from the rooftops. However, you decide to incorporate local ingredients on your menu, make sure your customers know they're there. Using local ingredients can be a great marketing strategy if you're open about it!
- Don't forget about booze. Alcohol is one of the easiest ways to go local. We are incredibly lucky here in Arizona with an amazing group of craft brewers, wineries and distilleries. The other great thing about these local businesses is that while you're supporting their business they will likely support your restaurant too, and most of these local guys are wonderful marketers!
- Start small. It can seem overwhelming to think about totally overhauling things. So, start small by offering a Local Foods Night or a prix fixe menu with local produce and meats that can attract customers and be a good way to test out the local food waters. You don't have to jump in with both feet, dip a toe first! If you're still on the fence on whether or not to try a local menu, remember that it will allow diners to discover new flavors and ingredients at their peak. It's also temporary, so there's no harm in trying something new. If anything, a seasonal menu change will hopefully inspire new creations and keep things fresh and exciting for both your staff and your patrons.
- You don't have to have 15 local things on the menu, pick a few and make them the glue, the items that makes your menu cohesive.
- Getting fresh. Speaking of fresh; fresh does not have to mean seasonal, but seasonal most definitely has to mean fresh. Sticking to this rule always reinforces the credibility of your menus, and of course, allows passion and quality to shine through.
- Given the added cost of local foods, be more careful in watching food cost. When planning your menu items with local ingredients, pair them with less expensive components to keep the overall cost of the dish down.
Once again, thank you to everyone that attended our 3rd annual food show and if you were not able to make it, we will see you next year!
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