Dole Foodservice at the Forefront of Change and Innovation
Over 150 years ago, a visionary named James Dole arrived in the Hawaiian Islands. Inspired by an idea of making pineapple available to every family in America and dedicated to satisfying customers with unparalleled quality, his venture took root. Today, Dole Food Company, Inc. continues to uphold James Dole’s founding principles. First to market with Tropical Gold® Pineapple, DOLE Fruit Bowls®, DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts and other innovative fruit products, Dole never stints on quality or flavor.
In this issue, you’ll read about change and innovation on an individual level, as Chef Roy Choi leads the charge to return flavor to the status of culinary building block. On the east coast, with support from Dole, Chef José Andrés re-imagines American cooking (including DOLE Pineapple Upside-Down Cake) at a pop-up restaurant.
To help you reinvent your own menus, we introduce you to new DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Pineapple Spears, Chef-Ready Cuts Diced Apples, and DOLE Fruit Crisp. Check out the recipe column
for menu applications that will add seasonal appeal and value to fall menus.
Sincerely,
Chris Lock
Vice President Foodservice Marketing & Sales
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC
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Introducing DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Tropical Gold® Pineapple Spears
With new DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Pineapple Spears, Dole expands the line of Chef-Ready Cuts to 7 styles, adding ready-to-use pieces of luscious, ripe Tropical Gold® pineapple. Developed with convenience and versatility in mind, new DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Pineapple Spears can enhance both hot and cold menu items – from grilled appetizers and entrees to sides, salads, wraps and sandwiches to desserts and beverages – with fresh fruit taste and appeal.
Packed in 5-pound, resealable pouches, new DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Pineapple Spears start saving time and labor when you open the bag. Operators can rely on consistent quality in every bag, plus a 75-piece (approx.) product count and spears that average 2½" in length. DOLE Chef-Ready Cut Pineapple Spears are 100% real fruit and ready-to-use in boundless applications.
Easy Does It with DOLE Chef-Ready Cut Diced Apples
Earlier this year, Dole added DOLE Chef-Ready Cut Diced Apples to the product line, so chefs can capitalize on apple popularity, creating appetizers, sauces, toppings, baked goods and desserts with a flick of the wrist. Only new DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Diced Apples offers 100% all natural fruit, peeled, diced and frozen without sugar or stabilizers, ready-to-use in a 5-pound resealable bag.
For more information about new DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Pineapple Spears and to view the entire Chef-Ready Cut line (Mango Cubes, Pineapple Cubes, Diced Peaches, Diced Strawberries, Diced Apples and Sliced Strawberries), visit www.dolefoodservice.com. While online, be sure to watch the DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts video product tutorial, and tap into the Dole recipe database.
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How Schools Can Win $1,000 and 10 Cases of DOLE Fruit Bowls®!
December 31st is the last day for school foodservice directors and their staff to enter the DOLE Fruit Flash Mob National School Contest, an innovative and fun competition where students, fruit and a healthy lifestyle are the stars of a video or photo. The reward for the most creative entry is a grand prize of $1,000, plus 10 cases of DOLE Fruit Bowls. Two first place entries win $500, plus 10 cases of DOLE Fruit Bowls. Three second place entries take away 10 cases of DOLE Fruit Bowls. DOLE Fruit Flash Mob rules and the official entry and release form can be downloaded from the Dole school foodservice website at www.dolefoodservice.com/fruitflashmob.
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Roy Choi Advocates For Menu Change
Dole Sponsors Innovative Chef ’s Keynote Remarks
Food truck and celebrity chef Roy Choi (Kogi BBQ, A-Frame and Chego) delivered a keynote address to chain restaurant marketing and R&D executives and other industry luminaries at the 2011 Flavor Experience conference. Despite his industry experience (CIA graduate, kitchen positions at Le Bernardin, and the Beverly Hills Hilton), when the opportunity presented itself, Choi decided to return to his culinary roots in LA’s Koreatown. Taking gourmet food straight to the streets, Choi and his partners started serving Korean BBQ tacos from food trucks and never looked back.
In his remarks to industry colleagues, he reviewed the history of American cuisine, pointing out critical changes in the nation’s eating patterns that have led to a dining culture dominated by highly processed, convenience foods. At the beginning of the 20th century, Americans ate whole and natural foods that were harvested locally and prepared simply. More elaborate preparations were introduced in the Roaring 20’s (Waldorf Salad and Chicken a la King), but the culinary turning point came in the 1950’s, when every home installed reliable refrigeration and corporate brands began invading grocery shelves. By the 1970’s, national advertising had established its influence over consumer preference for and purchases of prepared foods.
Choi fast-forwards his focus to 21st century consumer tastes and habits, which he laments are dominated by foods “rounded out” with salt, sugar, corn syrup and fat. It’s an unfortunate and detrimental food trend that, he says, can be reversed with a focus on pure, exciting flavors. For examples, Choi lists the immigrant groups whose richly spiced food traditions have entered the US with them, bringing complex flavor profiles that satisfy appetites with vibrant taste combinations (versus huge portions) at an affordable price. At his own restaurants, Choi uses DOLE Pineapple to craft exciting fusion dishes like Bonecrusher Burrito with Grilled Pineapple, Pineapple Pork Kimchi Quesadilla, and Grilled Pineapple Chicken Torta with Coconut Lime Mayo.
Choi offers a simple three-step plan to preparing “happy food” to please “happy customers” and create “overwhelming demand.”
- Break the Round Cycle (salt, sugar, corn syrup, fat)
- Respect Ancient Immigrant Cultures
- Discover Real Flavor
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Trend Spotting at the 2011 NRA Show with Mintel
It’s been over 35 years, but the slogan of “having it your way” now really means having it your way. Customization was the new reality at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago this past May.
D-I-Y Foodservice
With today’s technology providing information at the touch of our fingers, it’s not unreasonable that customers want more control when dining out. According to Mintel, there was an increase of suppliers exhibiting self-ordering kiosks, tablets, smart phone apps and online pre-ordering systems, all of which put the diners in control of service style, portion size and flavor combinations.
As Mintel points out, self-serve is a double win in foodservice – consumers get what they want and operators benefit from greater efficiencies.
On the Go
Food trucks started out as low-budget conversions and have evolved into deluxe, made-to-order, specially equipped, on-the-go kitchens. These transient pop-up chefs and culinarians now compete against their trucks as the star of the road.
Food Allergy Solutions
With the increase awareness in food allergies and preferences, it wasn’t always easy to provide a varied menu to meet everyone’s needs. However, this year, special dietary foods (particularly gluten-free baked goods and grab-and-go snacks), got the lion share of the floor space and attention. Vegetarians, vegans and halal foods were also represented in force, targeting every segment from C-stores to bakery cafes.
Social Bee
While the Millennials are driving social media, the foodservice segment is taking steps to learn how to harness the trend and optimize its effectiveness. Educational sessions included social media marketing and promotions, guest relations, coupons/Groupon, pre-ordering, and test marketing. It’s a brave new world for delivering marketing messages, testing menu R&D, and making or breaking a brand.
Source: Mintel Foodservice Insights from the 2011 National Restaurant Association Hotel-Motel Show
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Dole Chequed In School This Summer
Dole took refresher courses this summer, meeting customers and serving up product samples at the National Association of Colleges & University Food Service (NACUFS) and the School Nutrition Association (SNA) trade shows. For top grades, Dole surprised some lucky winners in the daily drawing for the $100 American Express Gift Cheques.
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Learning History by Eating American Food
Dole Food Company and American Express joined forces with celebrity chef extraordinaire José Andrés to sponsor his new, Washington DC pop-up restaurant. America Eats Tavern takes its menu inspiration from American cuisine from the 1600s to present day. The restaurant was designed and “realized” in conjunction with a National Archives exhibit, “What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam?”, which documents the U.S. government’s impact on the American diet.
Culled from historical recipes and stories collected through research, the National Archives, and an advisory council of chefs and scholars, the Tavern’s menu reflects the history of America. Dishes range in origin from New England clam chowder, pickled oysters (a dish dating back to 18th Century New York City), shrimp and grits (which researchers traced back to the first U.S. colony of Jamestown, VA), to pineapple – which was first canned in 1903 for export by James Dole. By 1925, pineapple cake became so popular, it was featured in the Joy of Cooking as the Pineapple Skillet Cake – Upside Down.
Dole Food Company and José Andrés will be teaching Americans food history at America Eats Tavern from July 4 through January 3, 2012.
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The Grilled Hawaiian
Yield: 75 servings
- 1 pkg. (5 lb.) DOLE® Chef-Ready Cuts Tropical Gold® Pineapple Spears, thawed and drained
- 75 (6-inch) Wooden skewers
- Peanut or vegetable oil, as needed
- BBQ Rub (recipe below)
- Pancetta bits, cooked well and drained
METHOD
1. Poke each pineapple spear halfway on wooden skewer. Lightly brush each pineapple spear with oil and sprinkle with BBQ rub on all sides.
2. Grill over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes, turning once or until lightly browned with grill markings.
3. Dip one side of cooked pineapple spear with pancetta bits. Serve warm.
4. Prepare wraps; divide chicken-spinach mixture on warmed tortilla. Fold in sides and roll up. Cut in half, if desired.
BBQ RUB
- 1/3 cup Kosher salt
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ground red pepper
- ¼ cup Ancho chili powder
METHOD
1. Mix in a bowl.
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For online product training videos and innovative recipe ideas, visit www.dolefoodservice.com or call 1-800-723-9868.
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©2011. ™ & ® Dole Food Company, Inc.