In June, Taco Bell locations in California offered “a free seasoned beef Nacho Cheese Doritos® Locos Tacos” to anyone who provided proof of vaccination. The company said it was offering the promotion because there are “still plenty of young people who need to get vaccinated.” The company said that it was important to “increase vaccinations” to keep everyone safe. But if you stop in for a Chalupa today, the odds are that your cashier still won’t be vaccinated. A new study found that, as of November 2021, just 46% of Taco Bell workers have received a vaccine. The same study found low vaccination rates at many of the nation’s most popular casual restaurants — including Subway (43%), IHOP (47%), Waffle House (50%), Burger King (51%), Domino’s (51%), Chick-fil-A (53%), and Wendy’s (54%). Frontline employees at these establishments are at high risk because they are exposed to large numbers of people in enclosed spaces. Yet their vaccination rates lag well behind the overall adult population (72%). The study was conducted by The Shift Project, which is jointly run by the Harvard Kennedy School and the University of San Francisco. The Shift Project regularly surveys frontline employees in a variety of sectors about working conditions. The study suggests that the low vaccination rates at Taco Bell and other chains are partially due to the failure of these companies to provide support to their employees. Companies that provided time off to receive a vaccine, provided an opportunity to be vaccinated at the workplace, or provided time off for side effects generally had much higher overall vaccination rates than companies that provided no support. Starbucks, for example, provides “two hours of paid time off” for each dose of the vaccine. The Shift Project found Starbucks employees have a 79% vaccination rate. The Shift Project concluded that “employer supports can help move the needle on vaccination.” Some workers, however, are unlikely to be vaccinated voluntarily. 56% of unvaccinated workers say they “don’t trust the vaccine.” Employees who “don’t trust the vaccine” or who are “not worried about COVID” are unlikely to be vaccinated unless it is mandatory. The Biden administration has issued rules requiring all workers at businesses with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated or submit to regular testing. The rules, slated to go into effect in January, would cover many workers at casual restaurant chains. But these chains, through their trade association, the National Restaurant Association, are trying to prevent the mandate from going into effect.

Protecting executives, not the public

Corporate executives understand that to stay safe, the people around them need to be vaccinated. At Taco Bell, for example, all corporate employees will be required to be vaccinated by January 3, 2022. Taco Bell is instituting a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for health and safety reasons. Effective January 3, 2022, Taco Bell requires that corporate employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. There is no such requirement at Taco Bell restaurants, including company-owned locations. This is the case even though those who work at restaurants are at higher risk and interact much more frequently with the public. McDonald’s has had a vaccine requirement in place at its corporate offices since September 27 —  but not its restaurants. According to the Shift survey, 56% of McDonald’s frontline employees are vaccinated.

National Restaurant Association opposes vaccine mandates

Vaccine mandates in other sectors have been proven to increase vaccination rates, specifically among “hesitant or resistant workers.” In September, after a mandate imposed in California required all healthcare workers to be vaccinated, “major health systems reported that the mandate had helped boost their vaccination rates to 90 percent or higher.” In New York, “thousands of hospital and nursing home workers” were compelled to get the vaccine after a mandate came into effect. The Shift Project survey also found that when CVS required “corporate staff and patient-facing workers such as nurses, care managers, and pharmacists to be vaccinated,” vaccination rates reached 86 percent. Despite this, the National Restaurant Association, which “represent[s] and advocate[s] on behalf of more than 500,000 restaurant businesses,” including both Subway and Taco Bell, has made it clear that it opposes vaccine mandates. After the Biden administration issued the rule requiring employees at businesses with 100 or more workers to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing, Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced a resolution to “overturn President Biden’s mandate to force private businesses to require COVID-19 vaccines for their employees.” The Senate voted 52-48 to approve the resolution, which was co-sponsored by all 50 Republican Senators, and it now requires House approval. The effort to overturn the rule, which described the vaccine mandate as “a highly inappropriate invasion of what should be a personal medical decision for every American,” was supported by the National Restaurant Association. In November, the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate was blocked by a federal court in November but was reinstated by a different federal court last Friday. Republicans are now asking the Supreme Court to intervene before the mandate goes into effect on January 4. If a national vaccine mandate is upheld, the National Restaurant Association plans on exploiting a loophole that would allow many employees to remain unvaccinated. The National Restaurant Association released a statement stating that “if each franchise location is independently owned, the franchise counts its own employees only. For multi-unit franchisees, they may be regarded as a ‘single company’ if they ‘handle safety matters as one company.’” Since many franchisees have less than 100 employees, this approach could allow Taco Bell and other chains to avoid the vaccine mandate at some locations. Source: Popular Information.

There is no shortage of pizza lovers . . . .

Pizza Still Delivers any Way you Slice it

There is no shortage of pizza lovers, and recent polls show it still ranks as America’s favorite comfort food. The category’s significant innovation is driven by the newer brands. Crust innovation is centered on gluten- and grain-free alternatives, as well as the introduction of gut-friendly sourdough options. Traditional sauces and toppings are top favorites, while producers play with new styles and varieties. Overall consumption remained stable since 2018, with more than 44% of consumers enjoying pizza at least once a week, and certain demographics exceeded that number, according to Technomic’s “2020 Pizza Consumer Trend Report.” For example, a whopping 64% of millennials reported eating their favorite pies weekly. With consumption high and growth steady, pizza could be an increasingly expanding market, making differentiation even more important as competition intensifies, according to the Technomic report. Differentiation will come in the form of new flavors, formats, convenience, portion control, and the ability to cater to eating occasions. Marketing to different eating occasions throughout the day engages consumers, and many pizza producers have not yet capitalized on the evolving at-home occasions. Determining which products meet these occasions will create incremental opportunities to drive growth. “It’s all about engagement. There are so many ways to change your portfolio. But if producers are limited to supply chain issues, then they can just change the marketing. There are untapped opportunities,” said Sally Lyons Wyatt, executive vice president and practice leader, IRI. Innovation with flavors and ingredients increases variety within brands and creates products that can be tailored to differing tastes. Milwaukee-based Palermo Villa Inc. responded to the need for attention-grabbing varieties with a beer-infused crust for its indulgent, heavily topped Screamin’ Sicilian line, Za’Brewski Pizza, made with Leinenkugel’s Original. “As far as toppings and sauce, we are pushing the envelope with new dessert items and unique fun flavors,” said Nick Fallucca, chief product, and innovation officer for Palermo Villa. Palermo stepped outside the pizza box, offering its Orange Chicken Overload and Totally Taco Screamin’ Sicilian Pizzas, as well as two dessert pizza flavors, Smores and Cookie Brownie. Consumers are choosing more authentic sauces and garlic sauces with bold, classic flavors. Fifty-one percent of consumers preferred tomato marinara, with 41% enjoying garlic parmesan sauce on their pies, according to Technomic. When comparing pizza sauce options, most consumers preferred a balance of sauce characteristics leaning a bit toward heavy (30%), savory (37%), and chunky (27%) sauces. Sixty-two percent prefer pepperoni, and it is growing in appeal as the protein topping of choice on menus across segments. However, vegetable-forward pizzas are trending and can be positioned as a way for consumers to reduce meat consumption or as a unique dish, according to Technomic. Mushrooms and onions were the top two vegetable toppings preferred at 56% and 53%, respectively. Producers can also look to global or international inspiration for flavor variety innovation. “Better quality ingredients, such as organic pepperoni, vegetarian and plant-based toppings are growing in popularity,” said Alex Corsini, founder and chief executive officer, Alex’s Awesome Sourdough, San Anselmo, Calif.

Pizza crust innovation

There are many different preferences in taste, texture, and style of pizza crusts, and offering a wide range of styles and alternative ingredient bases helps producers reach a wider market. Many consumers are looking for a thicker crust and more indulgent toppings vs. a thinner crust and value brands. Deep dish is the favorite at 50% with thin crust preferred by 44%, according to the Technomic report. “It absolutely starts with the crust,” said Anne Cookson, vice president of sales and marketing, Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts, Waukesha, Wis. “The base of the pizza defines a good versus bad pizza no matter what sauce, cheese and toppings are used. The key is to develop different styles of pizza dough while maintaining high quality and high standards.” Ease of use and quality are significant drivers for pizza crusts. However, producers must consider other factors when innovating with both the refrigerated dough and frozen pizza crust products. For example, does the consumer want thick or thin, chewy or crispy, and how much work are they willing to do themselves? “It simply comes down to taste, texture, and preference. Doughballs make an absolutely fantastic pizza, but they require a more hands-on approach and time management,” Mrs. Cookson said. Los Angeles-based Caulipower’s cauliflower crust pizza created a popular category in 2017, paving the way for gluten-free pizza crusts. The brand launched its artisanal cauliflower crust pizzas earlier this year. The new stone-fired crust offers a thin, crispy, restaurant-style experience made with cauliflower as the first ingredient. Sourdough has gained acceptance among gluten-sensitive consumers and others because of its digestive benefits and distinct taste. Alex’s Awesome is committed to offering pizzas with naturally fermented crusts made with organic flour and topped with organic ingredients. Like many health-oriented brands, Alex’s Awesome uses grassroots marketing, such as partnering with Moms Meet, a membership program for health-conscious moms to test products. “We are building awareness and interest by expanding distribution in better grocery retailers, participating with our retailer partners on pizza-specific promotions, and using the Moms Meet sampling program to build local store awareness and trial,” Mr. Corsini said. Palermo’s Urban Pie pizzas use 100% rBST-free cheese and meats raised without antibiotics, and they are free from artificial ingredients. Urban Pie was first to market, introducing a hemp seed crust in 2020. “The product features an artisan crust baked with hulled hemp seeds, delivering a great taste that has a functional purpose for consumers who are cognizant about their food choices,” Mr. Fallucca said. “Urban Pie also has a line of vegetable crust pizzas, including Sweet Potato Crust BBQ Chicken, Broccoli Cheddar Crust Bianco, and Cauliflower Crust Margherita.” New York-based Banza’s chickpea-based pizza brand offers another alternative to traditional wheat flour-based crusts. The line consists of five ready-to-eat options and a plain crust to customize at home featuring portion-sized nutritional values on the packaging.

Health claims influence premium

It isn’t just one health attribute, but multiple claims influencing pizza’s appeal. All-natural, gluten-free, and plant-forward ingredients are resonating. Portion control and calories per serving are also emerging as a popular health claim for consumers. “The portion-control attribute, outside of the crust alternatives, is playing out with pizza,” Ms. Lyons Wyatt said. “Calories per serving is appealing if they are trying to be more health-minded, and it gives them permission to indulge in a pizza knowing that the calorie count will not sabotage health goals for the day.” For example, Alex’s Awesome Sourdough Mushroom Pizza includes the calories per half of the pizza on front of the package, along with other nutrition values per portion size. The brand’s sourdough pizzas also feature other popular health claims, including increased protein per serving and no added sugar. Palermo has seen a resurgence in the popularity of single-serve options and introduced a line of Connie’s Single Serve pizzas in May. Similar to its Screamin’ Sicilian I’m Single line, Connie’s is heavily topped and uses all-natural ingredients. “Connie’s is a favorite of consumers across the Midwest. We felt there were very few high-quality microwave single-serve options available and wanted to provide a better solution,” Mr. Fallucca said. For pizza, producers can charge a premium for higher-quality ingredients and for those that boost health claims. Offering a veggie crust, gluten-free, plant-based alternative, or reduced-fat cheese creates a higher dollar premium product. “Gluten- and grain-free crusts represent approximately 30% of the premium market,” Mr. Corsini said. “While gluten-free is the largest segment, grain-free and sourdough continue to experience increases in demand. We see this trend continuing as manufacturers seek to improve the nutritional considerations as well as the taste of these crusts.” Palermo’s tapped into the alternative crust appeal with its Italian Stone Baked line. However, for Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts, a clean label is most important. “There is a place for gluten-free, plant-based, and organic in the category, but we are in the pizza business after all. Pizza is for pleasure, gatherings, fun nights out, and keeping the kids happy,” Mrs. Cookson said. “However, there is always room for improvement and adaptation to further quality, and we focus heavily on a clean label to make our products with the best quality ingredients.” IRI data has shown that consumers were buying premiums over the past 18 months, despite income level, for several reasons. Premium products gave consumers an outside/in experience at home. They also chose to splurge on premium food products to treat themselves and their families to something that was just a little better than what they would have normally purchased. Finally, IRI found that consumers purchased more national brand name products because they trusted their quality. “These three drivers were key as consumers looked in-store or online,” Ms. Lyons Wyatt said. “However, with pending inflation, it remains to be seen whether those with a shrinking food budget will continue to buy premium or instead look for more value.”

Channels and value

Consumers’ return to the in-store deli, perimeter bakeries, and restaurants has positively impacted pizza sales for these channels. E-commerce is growing, and it’s going to drive growth throughout the store, but the rate of growth will slow down slightly. “We’ve seen very large growth this year as consumers have become more optimistic about getting back out,” Mrs. Cookson said. “We have experienced great sales on our e-commerce Crustology pizza kits, and we believe that will continue as it’s a good complement to dining out.” As more consumers get back to in-person dining, there has been a shift in frozen pizza sales, Ms. Lyons Wyatt said. “Frozen pizza sales figures are waning a bit right now, but only when compared with the double-digit increases of 2020,” she added. “Growth is still elevated versus 2019. It may be troubling to producers right now, but there are still a lot of consumers eating pizza at home, both fresh and frozen.” Shoppers trying to stretch their food dollar understand pizza purchased in the store can feed more for less. “As inflation kicks in, you’ll see consumers opting back to buying pizza from the stores and more pizza eaten at home. The quality of frozen and in-store fresh pizza has evolved over time, so it’s not quite the tradeoff that it was in the past,” Ms. Lyons Wyatt said. “Time will tell.” Going forward, the price will be the focus. National brands will likely continue to do well, and private label will pick up market share as cost begins to influence a purchase. These potential shifts in consumer purchasing tie into the importance of attributes and what is included on product packaging, because producers can charge more for specialty claims. “We continue to monitor trends and offer innovative pizzas in the better-for-you space and ultra-indulgent offerings as well,” Mr. Fallucca said. “We like to push the envelope with flavor innovations, so consumers can try something new and different while enjoying their favorite comfort food.” Banza expanded its pizza footprint after only a year on the market, announcing its first foodservice partnership with Oath Pizza and increasing its pizza line from four to six SKUs, including a Plant-Based Cheese Pizza with Follow Your Heart Mozzarella and a Supreme Pizza with Beyond Meat Sausage. “For Banza, the equation is less about claims and trends and more about the enduring need to eat more chickpeas and beans,” said Brian Rudolph, chief executive officer and co-founder of Banza. “We’re playing the long game.” Differentiation across channels is the key to creating opportunities. If pizza producers can figure out how to tailor products online or in-store to meet different consumer needs, they will generate significant growth potential. “The sky is the limit if pizza producers can get really creative with differentiation and daypart,” Ms. Lyons Wyatt concluded. – Source: Food Business News.

Explore Dom’s Kitchen & Market, Chicago’s Massive New Grocery Emporium

The line separating restaurants and grocery stores further blurred during the pandemic. Without dining rooms full of customers, many restaurants embraced the general store model and began selling gourmet items, produce, and sauces. Meanwhile, traditional grocers enjoyed record profits with the general public cooking more at home after doctors told them to avoid restaurants to be safe. But still, stores face stiff competition from online retailers like Amazon, and that’s something the brain trust behind Dom’s Kitchen & Market wanted to address even before COVID-19. The owners of Dom’s combine grocery store experience with venture capital and hope to open 25 locations in the Chicago area and beyond. The first location opened Tuesday morning at the corner of Diversey and Halsted on the border of Lincoln Park and Lakeview. The space is meant to be experiential with Instagram-friendly lighting so shoppers can snapshots of dishes like the Fresh Prince of Chicago, a callout to Will Smith’s TV show that combines Chicago’s Italian beef with a Philly cheesesteak (skirt steak, pickled sweet peppers, fontina, giardiniera aioli). There are four restaurant stalls inside the space with a coffee bar that also serves wine and beer. A room with a skylight feels like a West Loop restaurant and there are patio seats in front and a pickup window along Diversey marked by a loading zone where customers can hop out of their cars and quickly pick up special party orders like whole porchettas, charcuterie trays, and more. Dom’s co-founder Bob Mariano raves about grilled cheese with tomato sauce: “It’s the best-grilled cheese I’ve ever had,” the 71-year-old says with a smile. Here’s a rundown of the restaurant stalls customers will find inside:

The Brew: Coffeeshop and wine bar with cocktails

Plant Butcher: Made-to-order salads

The Stackup: Sandwiches

The Hearth: Bonci pizza and rotisserie meats

Gohan: Sushi, Asian rice bows, and katsu sandwiches

Mariano’s experience comes from founding his namesake grocery chain and working at Roundy’s. Dom’s is smaller, the Lincoln Park location is deceptively large taking over a former strip mall, but it’s still at 17,800 square feet. Mariano, along with co-founders Don Fitzgerald and Jay Owen say they want to draw customers by offering items that they can’t get anywhere else. They’ve struck a deal with Tortello, the Wicker Park pasta shop, to carry fresh noodles. Owner Dario Monni will be on hand for pasta-making demonstrations, much like he had at Time Out Market Chicago before the food hall temporarily closed during the pandemic. The Dom’s deal is advantageous for Tortello, introducing him to new customers wherever the new would-be chain opens its next store. Fitzgerald says they want to give chefs a platform and are willing to bring in talent that’s not established, perhaps giving an Instagram culinary phenom a licensed space to sell food. Like Time Out, Dom’s is meant to remind customers of a European market. That’s one reason they brought in Bonci’s, the famous Roman-style pizza maker that opened its first U.S. shop in West Loop. Bonci USA’s Rick Tasman says teaming up with Dom’s gives him a low-risk way to expand into new markets without about lease or other overhead costs. It might be Bonci’s new expansion strategy if it works out. Owen says Dom’s competition isn’t Jewel or other grocery stores. It’s restaurants and coffee shops, including Starbucks. They want to attract lap toppers who can grab a breakfast sandwich in the morning, a pressed panini for lunch, and to stay for a glass of wine at night. A customer also has an option to grab a steak from Meats by Linz and a veggie side to cook at home. Gohan is the store’s Pan Asian option with sushi and rice bowls. There’s also a katsu sandwich with Japanese-style milk bread from Chicago’s Turano Bakery. For Turano’s, a city icon for French loaves (often used for Italian beef), first attempt at milk bread. Customers will also notice there’s no self-serve salad bar or prepared food station. Mariano says salad bars were on their way out before the pandemic and that contamination worries from the last year drove the final nail in their coffins. Instead custom salads are available from a stall called Plant Butcher that also offers fresh juices. Dom’s isn’t the first grocer with food stalls, but Owen points out the stations are often on the sides. For Dom’s, the food stalls are the center of attention inside and the engine that makes the rest of the concept hum. That wasn’t always the case as initial designs called for Dom’s to feel, well, more like a grocery store. New York-based Rockwell Group, the same firm that designed Tao Chicago and RPM Seafood, altered those plans to make it feel more like a restaurant. Executive Chef James Klewin worked at HMSHost, the food service provider at O’Hare International Airport that lured names like Rick Bayless (Tortas Frontera) and Paul Kahan (Publican Tavern) to the concourse. Rollo sees a parallel at Dom’s as he had to convince vendors like Bonci and Meats by Linz that Dom’s was the right partner. He had to sell vendors on Dom’s commitment to quality. The grocery store also provides a soft landing for former restaurant workers tired of working late nights. Dom’s closes at 10 p.m. and that provides a stronger work-life balance for those burned out in the hospitality industry. Rollow says having these workers bring valuable experience to ensure Dom’s foodservice operation runs smoothly. About 60 out of Dom’s 150 workers serve the kitchen side. Starting wage is $15.50 per hour. Eventually, Dom’s will offer delivery, but Owen says they want to focus on establishing high standards. Some point to a dip in quality at Mariano’s after the Kroger acquisition in 2019. That won’t be the case at Dom’s, ownership ensures. They’re striving for consistency, hoping that their market modernization will resonate with Chicago and beyond. – Source: Eater

A number of regulations affected the meat and poultry processing industry in 2021 including many that impact labor in the industry . . . .

Year in Review: Legislative Hurdles

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced two months ago that it was launching a stronger effort to reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products. “We’re doing this because for 20 years there has been a decrease in production contamination, without a corresponding decrease in illnesses,” said Sandra Eskin, deputy undersecretary for food safety. She said more than 1 million consumer illnesses occur yearly, with 23% due to consumption of chicken and turkey. The agency will get help from the National Advisory Committee for Microbiological Criteria in Foods. USDA has been petitioned by consumer groups to make some Salmonella strains adulterants. She said FSIS will hold a series of roundtables and discuss approaches like pre-harvest performance standards with USDA and the Food and Drug Administration working together on the issue. The pork industry says it is “cautiously optimistic” about defeating Proposition 12, a new California law that would prevent pork from being sold in the state if pork producers don’t meet the criteria for animal confinement outlined in the law, which takes effect at the beginning of 2022. That is because, on Sept. 27, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the American Farm Bureau Federation petitioned the US Supreme Court to take their case against Prop 12. “We’re asking the Supreme Court to consider the constitutionality of one state imposing regulations that reach far outside its borders and stifle interstate and international commerce,” explained Michael Formica, NPPC’s general counsel. Beginning next month, sows would need a minimum of 24 square feet of space to rest, walk-in or turn around per animal. “Farmers would each have to make a $15 million investment in a new barn, which for pork producers would total billions of dollars,” Formica predicted. “They would have to reduce their production of pork.” Jan. 7 is the deadline for the Supreme Court to decide whether to take the case. “There is no pork industry in California,” Formica added. “The court will want to see the harm brought upon farmers who raise pork outside California. Our pork producers are in limbo right now. We’re trying to get a year delay.” Five to 6 million pigs a year come into the United States from Canada, which is also expected to act against the law. To help fight animal disease, USDA committed $500 million this year to help prevent African swine fever (ASF), according to Jen Sorensen, NPPC president. America is free of ASF right now.

Headwinds strengthened

Labor issues continue to make things difficult for the meat and poultry industry. “Chicken processors are grappling with a tight labor market,” said Tom Super, senior vice president, in communications with the National Chicken Council (NCC). He said the American chicken industry is heavily affected by America’s immigration policy. NCC’s wishes for immigration reform include border security, a very simple improvement to the E-verify system, clarity in anti-discrimination laws, and an occupational visa category the industry could use that could be tied to local or regional employment. “North American Meat Institute members tell us sometimes the workforce is down by about 20%. In some states, the combination of federal and state unemployment benefits provided a higher wage than working in a meat or poultry plant,” said Sarah Little, vice president of communications for NAMI. “To be clear, COVID-19 exacerbated the labor issue. Meat and poultry processors must have access to an expanded year-round agricultural guestworker program. The current program is seasonal and does not include the meat and poultry industry,” she said. “A labor shortage has certainly affected small and very small plants,” said Chris Young, executive director of the American Association of Meat Processors, representing those plants. “There has been a fear of losing employees, even as much as 25%. Then there was the extra federal unemployment, which went up to Labor Day. That made it harder for people to go back to work,” he said. “Our small plants have been so busy this year and last year. They needed more workers, and it was just difficult. If you lose employees, it affects small businesses more than larger ones.” “Most members of the Meat Institute have encouraged their employees to receive the (COVID-19) vaccine,” Little said, as the Biden Administration and courts fight over an OSHA rule requiring vaccinations of workers in larger companies. She said a year ago, NAMI, livestock organizations and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union urged the Administration to prioritize meat and poultry workers for vaccination, after health care workers. “Masks and other PPE are one of the many protections used by companies to prevent infection among employees,” Little said. At the beginning of the pandemic, changes were made to poultry processor workplaces, and then more changes were made as the industry learned more about the virus, Super said. “Plants’ already rigorous cleaning was enhanced even further,” he said. Handwashing was increased, physical distance when feasible, temperature checks were done, employees were asked to stay home if they didn’t feel well without pay penalties, and other safeguards. Masking mandates in meat and poultry plants have created issues for plant workers, Young said. “We certainly take COVID-19 seriously. When masking mandates came out, we opposed it because there was no wiggle room, no compromise. USDA said – no masks, no inspection – which would shut down plants. It is difficult to deal with masks in small plants and on kill floors – especially in the summer when it is so hot. USDA’s reaction was: ‘It is what it is.’”

Speed trap

Operating line speeds in both the pork and poultry industry were important issues this year. When the New Poultry Inspection System rule was finalized several years ago, FSIS set the maximum evisceration line speed at 140 birds per minute. FSIS then started a line speed waiver program to allow plants to operate 175 birds a minute if they met strict food safety standards and history. The idea was to find out if the agency could increase the line speed. But last year, FSIS stopped issuing waivers. A new rule was withdrawn by the Biden Administration, with no new waivers. “It’s unfortunate that the new administration chose to ignore three decades of science, data, and court decisions, that has hamstrung the US poultry industry globally,” Super said. Last spring, a federal judge blocked the USDA’s New Swine Inspection System rule. Then the Biden Administration decided not to appeal, and line speeds for plants that participated in NSIS have been slowed since July, even though some of the plants have been running at elevated speeds for 20 years and showed they could do so safely, according to NAMI. “It is beyond past time for USDA to issue the criteria for line speed waivers; especially for plants operating under NSIS,” said Julie Anna Potts, president, and chief executive officer of NAMI. “The NSIS plants, specially configured and staffed to operate under NSIS – have been operating at a competitive disadvantage since July 1, and hog slaughter capacity has been reduced. The slowdown due to slower line speeds is a self-inflicted wound by the administration.” While four US senators introduced the American Beef Labeling Act, which mandates the reinstatement of beef and pork into the existing Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL), NCBA opposes the plan. “Right now, there is a $1 billion judgment against the US from Canada and Mexico, because MCOOL didn’t comply with World Trade Organization rules, and made it harder for their cattle to get into the US,” said Kent Backus, international director of Trade Market Access for NCBA. “We oppose MCOOL, it violates our trade commitments,” he said. Earlier this year, NCBA petitioned USDA to eliminate the generic “Product of USA” label. “This label is a disservice to American cattlemen and consumers,” Backus said. “We support the use of a voluntary source of origin claims to benefit cattlemen.” The NCBA also opposes the Optimizing the Cattle Market Act of 2021, introduced by US Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) intended to help the market be more transparent and provide greater price discovery. “We think this would be government intervention in the cattle industry,” said Tanner Beymer, NCBA director of government affairs and policy. “We would prefer a voluntary solution, to incentivize higher participation in the markets without mandating it. We don’t think the government should be telling cattlemen and women how to market their cattle.” Beymer said NCBA supports parts of the bill, including setting up a cattle formula contracts library and expanding the reporting window from seven to 14 days. Last year, NCBA approved a voluntary price discovery policy. But it opposes USDA setting up regionally sufficient levels of cash and grid trade. The regulation of plant-based “meat” remains confusing and up in the air. Four years after it was petitioned by a cattle association to define beef and meat as the flesh of food animals, USDA says it has no authority over the labeling of plant-based “meat” or “alternative meat.” That is the Food and Drug Administration’s bailiwick. Cell-cultured meat labeling will be a joint USDA-FDA project. – Source: Food Safety Monitor.

What the Future May Bring . . . .

Food and Restaurant Trends for 2022 Include Robots, Sustainability

As 2021 draws to a close, food and restaurant experts are making their predictions for the trends that will shape the way we eat in the coming year. This past year was another difficult one for restaurants as the pandemic continues to stir up uncertainty around everything from safety protocols to supply chains. Some of the top trends on the horizon for next year are reactions to how the pandemic has affected foodservice and consumer habits, while others are continuations of movements that have been steadily growing since before the pandemic. Here are five of the most-talked-about trends that you can expect to see playing out in restaurants and on grocery store shelves in the year to come:

Robots in restaurants

The pandemic sparked a surge of technology investments among restaurants as they ramped up digital ordering capabilities and touchless payment options, and 2022 will see many restaurants go even more digital. “Accelerated adoption of robots and other forms of automation in the restaurant industry will be the #1 trend for 2022…and for years beyond,” food and restaurant consulting firm Baum + Whiteman said in its 2022 trend prediction report. The Takeout also included robots on its list of 2022 trends, noting that automating certain tasks can help alleviate some of the strain restaurant operators are feeling from being understaffed, as well as reduce the spread of germs by minimizing person-to-person contact. Jim Balis, managing director of CapitalSpring’s Strategic Operations Group, also noted the benefits of robots for restaurants in his recent remarks to FSR, saying that robots can allow restaurants to reduce staff hours and minimize liability when it comes to safety and sanitation. Many restaurants are already using robots to assist with flipping burgers, bussing tables, and taking orders – an area where Balis sees particular potential for growth. He predicts thousands of restaurants may add voice artificial intelligence capabilities to drive-thrus by the end of next year.

Streamlined menus

Supply chain challenges brought on by the pandemic are forcing many chefs and restaurant operators to change menus on the fly and get creative with whatever ingredients they are able to get. The new year will likely bring sweeping changes to menus to accommodate rising food costs and focus on local ingredients that are more reliably available. “2022 dining menus will see a streamlined, localized approach that will keep in line with what is locally fresh and readily available, forcing chefs to innovate their menus with ingredients and products already on hand due to the current state of industry hurdles,” RJ Cooper, owner, and chef of Nashville, Tenn., restaurant Saint Stephen told Food & Wine during the magazine’s survey of chefs. Downsized menus also showed up on Technomic’s list of 2022 trends as well as the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot 2022 Culinary Forecast, which put “streamlining menus” as the No. 6 trend for the coming year.

Booze-free beverages

One of the biggest food and beverage trends of the past year is alcohol-free beverages, with sober curious consumers driving demand for sophisticated soft drinks. This category is expected to continue its massive growth in the new year, with Baum + Whiteman, The Takeout, Whole Foods Market, and the Speciality Food Association all including booze-free beverages in their 2022 trend predictions. “The low- and no-alcohol trend is booming and one new area within it is dealcoholized wine,” said Kara Nielsen, a member of the Specialty Food Association’s Trendspotter Panel. Several chefs surveyed by Food & Wine mentioned the growing popularity of zero-proof cocktails with flavor profiles that can hold their own against drinks made with liquor. “These new drinks are no longer simply a mix of fruit juices but feature an elevated eye appeal with fresh, seasonal ingredients,” said Fernando Soberanis, executive chef of Laurel Brasserie & Bar in Salt Lake City, Utah. The continuing popularity of alcohol-free beverages may also spark new types of drinking occasions. Pinterest predicts that “afternoon tea will be the new happy hour” in its trend report. Marketing firm AF&Co also sees more tea parties in store for 2022, as the tea service at Thaimee Love in New York City, which features the color-changing butterfly pea flower tea.

An eye on the environment

Another movement that will continue growing in 2022 is a focus on foods, packaging, and business practices that minimize damage to the environment. Many experts foresee continued growth for plant-based foods, which made a strong showing in the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot report, with plant-based burgers, sandwiches and breakfast sandwiches among the top trends in the dinner, lunch, and breakfast dayparts, respectively. Among the 350 professional chefs surveyed for the report, plant-based foods were predicted to be the second-hottest trend in 2022, coming in behind sustainability. Sustainable packaging ranked as the top trend for 2022, according to the report, and it’s likely that many restaurants will make efforts to offer recyclable or reusable packaging in the coming year as consumers continue to rely on off-premises dining. In addition to plant-based foods and sustainable packaging, The Takeout predicts the rise of more alternatives to products that have a large environmental impact, such as coffee, while Whole Foods sees a bigger future for “grains are grown via agriculture practices and farming processes that help address soil health.”

Food with roots

While growing concern for environmental issues has consumers focusing on the future, they’ll also be looking to the past to seek out dishes with ancestral roots, some experts predict. “Questions about where our food comes from have gotten much more complex as chefs and artisan food producers of color have started to dig deep into very specific culinary traditions,” according to AF&Co, which included “food with history” on its 2022 trend forecast. The marketing firm predicts more chefs and food makers will bring back “ingredients and techniques that have been misappropriated or all-but disappeared.” Baum + Whiteman also mentioned heritage cooking as a top trend for 2022, predicting the coming year will bring “deep explorations of narratives, histories and roots of cultures and cuisines hitherto neglected by mainstream media,” with a focus on African American foodways as well as the cuisines of Thailand, Korea and the Philippines. Pinterest’s forecast of a growing trend around “ancestral eats” supports this theory. Searches on the social media platform for ‘authentic’ and ‘heritage’ recipes have been on the rise, with searches for “Filipino recipes authentic” up 35% and “South African recipes traditional” up 150% between October 2019 and September of this year. – Source: Smart Brief/Food and Travel.

Breakfast-Lunch Restaurant Visits Increased in Fall, NPD Reports

Breakfast and lunch restaurant visits showed signs of improvement in the September-November period after suffering from restrictions on schools, workplaces, and other activities during the COVID pandemic, according to new U.S. data from the NPD Group. NPD said Wednesday that In the three months ending November, online and physical visits to restaurants for breakfast increased by 11% compared to a 10% decline in the same period in the prior year. “From a pre-pandemic view, breakfast traffic is now at the same level as the September through November period in 2019,” NPD noted. The morning snack daypart improved visits in the three-month period by 6% compared to a 7% decline last year and down 1% for the same period in 2019, NPD said. Lunch improved by 4% in the reported period compared to a year ago when visits were down by 11%. However, NPD’s continual tracking of the U.S. foodservice industry found lunch was still 7% below pre-pandemic levels. “The increased mobility this fall contributed to year-over-year gains at key restaurant dayparts, although visits are not fully back to pre-pandemic levels,” said David Portalatin, NPD’s food industry adviser and author of “Eating Patterns in America,” in a statement. “We’re in a steady-state for the next several months, perhaps with a bump up or down here and there, but we expect to lag pre-pandemic traffic levels through 2022 slightly,” Portalatin said. On-premises visits were also recovering, NPD said, but the data was collected before the COVID omicron variant’s impact in December. Visits for dine-in at breakfast increased by 51% in September through November this year compared to the same period in 2020, when on-premises traffic was down 55%, the data company said. Morning snacks also increased dine-in visits by 51% compared to the reported period last year when on-premises traffic declined by 48%. Lunch also improved on-premises traffic by 44% this September through November compared to the 60% decline in the same period in 2020. “Despite these substantial gains in recent months, traffic levels for all dayparts at on-premises remain well-below pre-pandemic levels,” NPD said. – Source: NRN.

Taco Bell’s chicken wings will be available in all its US restaurants from January 6 . . . .

Taco Bell is Adding Chicken Wings to its Menu for One Week in January

The fast-food chain said in a press release that was shared with multiple news organizations that the dish will be available from 6 January for one week after 2 p.m. local time at all its US restaurants. The $5.99 dish includes five bone-in crispy chicken wings, which are coated in Mexican Queso seasoning, and are served with its spicy ranch dippy sauce, CNN reported. Insider reached out to Taco Bell for more details but did not immediately hear back. Taco Bell joins a crop of major fast-food chains gradually adding new items to their menus – even if for a limited period – after scaling back in 2020. Taco Bell cut more than a dozen items last year, including its seven-layer burrito, potatoes, Mexican pizza, and breakfast menu. Despite backlash from its fans, these cuts ultimately paid off, Insider’s Mary Meisenzahl reported. In the third quarter of 2020, Taco Bell served 30 million more customers than in the whole of 2019, and each order was completed 17 seconds faster. The introduction of chicken wings to the menu could give the chain a nice boost to kick off the year. This popular dish has been growing in demand in fast-food, resulting in new players entering the market such as DJ Khaled with his new online delivery venture, Another Wing. But rising demand for chicken wings, along with industry-wide supply chain challenges, led to shortages and price hikes earlier this year with some restaurants complaining of suppliers jacking up prices by as much as 99%. Source: Insider.

De-escalation training should be updated regularly . . . .

6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Professional Security to Protect Your Restaurant

Hiring a security firm can help protect your restaurant from disgruntled customers and crime, but which firm do you hire and what should you look for in a security team? When trusting someone else to protect your restaurant, it is important to find the right firm for the job. There are a lot of choices in security firms but not all may be the right fit. Having worked in law enforcement for over 25 years and as Director of Operations at LionHeart Security Services here are some questions I suggest asking before hiring a security firm.

Ask for references and experience

Make sure the security company you plan to work with has the knowledge and experience with your industry, and the processes needed to keep your business, employees, and customers safe. Additionally, if you are interested in working with a particular company, you should ask to receive ample references. Ask fellow restaurateurs and local business owners about their experiences with different security firms before deciding.

Security firm licensing

It is important to check if the security firm you are considering is legally licensed in your state. Legally licensed security firms ensure that you’re hiring a professional, capable of protecting your property and patrons. This does not mean an individually licensed guard but a licensed security firm.

Emergency response

Having a procedure in place to deal with someone trying to break into your property, or a medical emergency is critical in getting law enforcement on the scene as quickly as possible. The security firm’s strategy should include response time, responsibility, and security equipment. Having a well-planned procedure in case of an emergency will help put your mind at ease and hopefully damages can be minimized. These procedures need to include protecting customers and employees from danger, calling law enforcement or EMT’s, escorting people from the area, and being a good witness for the police.

Training and of professional security guards

When interviewing a security firm ask if they have well-trained guards so you know they are experienced to do the job in the right way. Ask the security firm if the guards are trained with weapons? Do they know how to execute a perimeter search? Do they know how to tell if someone is acting suspiciously? How do they deal with unruly guests who may have had one too many drinks? Trained guards will be able to perform these tasks and provide better security for your property.

De-escalation procedures

Ensure the security guards you hire know de-escalation procedures in case a situation with a guest arises where they are getting out of control. This will help calm the situation and keep the surrounding customers and staff safe. Security professionals de-escalate situations by using a three-step process: assess the situation, adapt to the state of the situation, and attend to the situation. Training your staff in these techniques can also help if an event like this takes place. De-escalation training should be updated regularly and held yearly to ensure all staff knows how to give the best customer service, even in a tough situation.

Ask about security guard payment

When hiring a security firm, you also want to make sure the guards are paid well. Asking this question about the guard’s pay will give you a sense of how motivated the guards are. As in any job, the more a person is paid the more motivated they will be to do their job and do it well

These guidelines can help you when hiring a potential security firm so you can make the right decision in keeping your property, employees, and customers safe. – Source: fsr.

How Will Americans Eat in 2022? The Food Forecasters Speak

They see a new interest in mushrooms, a rethinking of chicken and coffee, a resurgence of 1980s cocktails — and, believe it or not, a return to civility.

Trend forecasters say that laksa, a slurpable noodle soup served across parts of Southeast Asia, may rise in prominence in the United States in 2022.

Last year at this time, optimistic trend forecasters predicted that the cork would burst from the bottle by summer. With vaccines in arms, food culture would vibrate in a robust economy. American menus would be full of innovation driven by waves of international travel, and a new generation of digital-native cooks would rewrite the rules.

Clearly, the prediction game can be a losing one. But so what if things didn’t turn out like everyone thought they would? Trying to forecast food trends is still fun, and sometimes even accurate. (Kudos to those professional prognosticators who in recent years nailed the mainstream rise of quesabirria, soufflé pancakes, delivery-only restaurants, and CBD. And a special citation for those who saw early on that those ripples of veganism would become a plant-based tsunami.)

So how are things looking for 2022? Not great. The year is starting with a surge of a highly contagious variant of Covid-19 that is only adding to the economic uncertainty. Social-justice concerns remain top of mind for many, as does pressure from a fast-changing climate. All of it will affect how food is grown, cooked, and packaged.

But don’t despair. “Constraint breeds innovation,” said Anna Fabrega, a former Amazon executive who recently took over as the chief executive at the meal subscription service Freshly. She and other food industry leaders in the United States say 2022 will be another pragmatic, roll-up-your-sleeves kind of year, shaped by the needs of people working from home and by the culinarily-astute-but-fickle Gen Z, whose members want food with sustainable ingredients and a strong cultural back story, prepared without exploitation and delivered in a carbon-neutral way — within 30 minutes.

With that in mind, here are some potential developments, big and small, that could define how we eat in the new year, based on a review of dozens of trend reports and interviews with food company executives, global market researchers, and others who make it their business to scour the landscape for what’s next.

Ingredient of the Year

Cooks can expect to be using more mushrooms grown inside urban warehouses.

Mushrooms have landed on many prediction lists, in almost every form, from psilocybin mushrooms (part of the renewed interest in psychedelics) to thick coins of king oyster mushrooms as a stand-in for scallops. The number of small urban farms growing mushrooms is expected to bloom, and mushroom fibers will start to proliferate as a cheap, compostable medium for packaging.

Drink of the Year

Party like it’s 1985, with drinks such as the Long Island iced tea.

Even in the age of no-alcohol cocktails, all those 1980s drinks you can barely remember (for obvious reasons) are coming back. Look for Blue Lagoons, Tequila Sunrises, Long Island iced tea and amaretto sours re-engineered with fresh juices, less sugar and better spirits. “We all need things that are sweet and colorful and joyful and playful, especially now,” said Andrew Freeman, president of AF & Co., the San Francisco consulting firm that for 14 years has published a popular food and hospitality trend report. (A corollary to the cocktails: the rise of ecospirits, made with ingredients from local farms or food waste, and packaged and shipped using climate-friendly methods.)

Chicken, Re-hatched

Among the chicken trends being predicted: the continued rise of vegan substitutes.

Among the chicken trends being predicted: the continued rise of vegan substitutes.Credit…Kelsey McClellan for The New York Times

Meat grown in laboratories from animal cells is on its way to winning federal approval as soon as the end of 2022, and chicken will be one of the first products to become available. But plant-based chicken from companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have recently arrived in groceries and restaurants, and the battle is on to determine which substitute will dominate the market. And in the real-chicken world, a shortage of wings has restaurants trying to persuade the masses to love a different part of the chicken. The Wingstop chain, for instance, has expanded its brand with Thighstop.

Seaweed to the Rescue

The farming of kelp is catching on in Maine.

The farming of kelp is catching on in Maine.Credit…Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press

Kelp grows fast, has a stand-up nutritional profile and removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and nitrogen from the ocean. As a result, farmed kelp will move beyond dashi and the menus at some high-end restaurants and into everyday foods like pasta and salsa.

Candy Nostalgia

The popular Netflix show “Squid Game,” from South Korea, made ppopgi — dalgona candy — a star.

The popular Netflix show “Squid Game,” from South Korea, made ppopgi — dalgona candy — a star.Credit…Sang An for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Nostalgic childhood favorites from China (White Rabbit candy and haw flakes) and South Korea (the honeycomb-like treat ppopgi, a.k.a. dalgona candy, and Apollo straws) will work their way into American shopping carts and recipes for desserts and drinks.

Robusta Rising

Move over, arabica, and make room for hearty robusta coffee, above.

The third-wave coffee movement was built on arabica, the world’s most popular coffee. But climate change is threatening production and driving prices up, said Kara Nielsen, who tracks food and drink trends for WGSN, a consumer forecasting and consulting firm. Enter robusta, the bitter, heavily caffeinated workhorse that is less expensive and easier to cultivate. It is the predominant bean grown in Vietnam, where coffee is made with a metal filter called a phin and sweetened with condensed milk and sometimes an egg yolk. A new style of Vietnamese coffee shop is popping up in many American cities, promising to take the robusta right along with it.

Tasty Tableware

Edible wafer cups stay crunchy (and cool) long enough for you to finish a morning coffee.

The quality of edible spoons, chopsticks, plates, bowls and cups is going up and the price is going down, signaling the start of a full-fledged edible-packaging revolution aimed at reducing single-use containers and plastic waste.

Sugar and ‘Swice’

The marriage of sweet and spicy flavors has birthed a new adjective: swicy.

Mash-ups like “swicy” and “swalty” will join the linguistic mania that brought us unfortunate nicknames like char coot and Cae sal (charcuterie and Caesar salad, that is). The new phraseology reflects an even wider embrace of flavor fusions that marry savory spices and heat with sweetness. Nene, a South Korean-based fried chicken chain that is just starting to move into North America, has even named a sauce swicy. Its flavor profile mirrors what would happen if gochujang and ketchup had a baby.

Flavor of the Year

Hibiscus, a traditional ingredient in tea in many cultures, is moving into new territory.

Yuzu has its fans, but the even money is on hibiscus, which is adding its crimson hue and tart, earthy flavor to everything from cocktails and sodas to crudos and yogurt.

A Focus on India

Chicken kofta stuffed with an egg is one of the dishes served at Dhamaka, in New York, where the menu features regional Indian cooking.

With Covid limiting international travel in 2021, cooks in the United States explored regional American food. In 2022, regional foods from India will get a lot of attention, with deep dives into dishes from Gujarat, Kerala, Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and the Awadh area.

Vibe of the Year

After a year of shortages and scuffles, 2022 should be a time to be kind and patient.

With the supply chain in tatters and restaurant staffs stretched nearly to the breaking point, demanding shoppers and diners are out, and patience is in. A growing interest in the historical and cultural nature of food and its impact on the climate will only add to what forecasters (optimistically) say will be a new emphasis on kindness and understanding.

As Jennifer Zigler, the associate director of food and drink at the research firm Mintel, put it: “We’ve all gone through this stressful, anxious couple of years, and there’s that willingness to have some empathy and understanding.”

A Buffet of Other Bites

Baijiu cocktails are showing up at bars in New York and San Francisco.

Beyond the big trends are a long menu of smaller ones: the growing popularity of Koji bacon, the Chinese spirit baijiu, and the noodle soup laksa. Jollof rice will appear on menus and in the frozen-foods section. Seeds will muscle in on nuts as an alternative protein source, in products like butters and ice creams. And look for a burst of new interest in animal-free cheese, potato milk, moringa, Taiwanese breakfast dishes, high tea, and olives. Source: New York Times