That’s a wrap!

April 5 and April 26, we held our spring food shows in Kitchener and Sudbury. This annual event gives you the chance to sample new products, network with sales representatives, and experience first-hand the newest trends and industry developments.

We’d like to say "thank you" to all who participated and attended. We couldn’t have done it without our fantastic vendors and customers!

Kitchener food show guests, Kitchener food show entrance, ED Foods booth, Flanagan's Our Ontario booth.

Guests browsed the exhibits and had their taste buds working overtime sampling new products in foodservice as well as innovative approaches to traditional favourites.

Customers felt that this year’s show was very resource-focused, according to Dave Ball, Division Sales Manager for Flanagan's. “Products complemented current trends, and each booth provided great insight to menu planning,” says Ball. “Vendors didn’t just display their products, they explained how to sell it.”

Some of these trending items included the Maplehurst/Weston Bakeries doughnut wall and doughnut pops, as well as Rich’s Foodservice freakshakes.

Maplehurst/Weston's unique doughnuts can be customized to specific events, and Rich's crazy shakes are an incredibly popular menu trend. Both are sure to be posted to social media by your customers. (Take it from us—we couldn't resist getting a photo!)

From left: Maplehurst/Weston Bakeries doughnut wall and doughnut pops, Rich's Foodservice freakshakes.

This year's shows were centre-of-plate focused, featuring premium beef, fresh seafood and custom-cut poultry. As an introduction to our Carve premium Ontario beef brand, a chef greeted customers at the Carve booth with tender and delicious ribeye and striploin steaks.

“There was high interest in Flanagan’s protein products,” Ball continues, “most notably our new premium Ontario beef brand, Carve, and fresh seafood from Caudle’s Catch.”

Speaking of Ontario…

Our marketing team greeted customers at the Our Ontario booth, promoting our new local food program.   We're thrilled to introduce our customers to our local program. As a proudly Canadian company, we know the importance of supporting our economy and educating our customers on the value of purchasing local.   As guests moved through the show, they received a Canada t-shirt from the Flanagan booth, supported Friends of We Care by spinning a wheel at their booth to win prizes, and last but not least, shopped the s.t.o.p. Cash & Carry booth.

A customer favourite, the Cash & Carry booth has hot deals on a wide variety of smallwares items each year.

“I had customers tell me that this was one of our better quality shows,” says Ball.

“Our show has a unique level of energy,” adds Amber Recchia, Event Coordinator for Flanagan’s. “Flanagan vendors love the level of engagement they receive from our customers.”

We take pride in inviting our customers to the shows. We recognize their busy schedules, and greatly appreciate the time they take to spend with us.

Our goal for each show is to delight, educate and feed our guests—we've done just that for another successful food show season.

Thank you!

Each spring, thousands of people gather at the Flanagan Food Show to visit, sample unique new products, network with industry leaders and get exclusive show deals on a selection of products.

It was our 37th year hosting the show, and this year's was amazing. There was a buzz of excitement in the air as members of the industry came together to celebrate and learn about all things foodservice.

Because there is so much to see and taste (everyone’s favourite part) in just one day, we’ve recapped highlights of the show for you.

We sampled new products, learned new trends from each presentation, and had the chance to chat with vendor reps about what’s new and exciting in the world of Canadian foodservice.

Food Show Products

By Jackie Oakes

I’m Jackie, Senior Marketing Manager at Flanagan’s. I was able to visit many booths on show day and wanted to share some of my favourite discoveries:

Tamper-Evident Carry Out Bags Flanagan code: 504489   These bags protect food from being tampered with when being delivered.   Recently I heard a story where a third party delivery driver was helping himself to some of the food he was delivering. I am sure most drivers aren’t—but this stuck in my head so I was very pleased to see these bags at the show. It is a large bag that permanently seals when the food is packed. Once delivered, the customer simply removes a perforated area of the bag and takes their food out.

It has a write-on block allowing operators to identify the customer or order number.They also offer custom print the bags; minimum case order is 250 cases.

McCain Avocado Wedges and Root Vegetable Medley

Flanagan codes: 199024 and 193039

McCain actually had four new products that I enjoyed sampling, but I forced myself to choose my two favourites to share with you:

Avocado Slices

YUM! Menu penetration for avocados are up 32% over the past four years and this breaded avocado is a great appetizer or addition to a burger. This provides operators an easy way to handle avocado, which can be rather temperamental.

Root Vegetable Medley

A tasty, unique twist on a traditional fry.  Carrots, parsnips and beets are cut and lightly battered.  Presentation is beautiful on the plate!

Carole’s Cheesecake on a Stik

Flanagan codes: Matcha Green Tea – 107921 California Almond – 107919 New York Classic – 107933 Belgium Chocolate – 107934   Well HELLO, cheesecake on a stick! Delicious, only 190 calories each, and available in four flavours: Matcha Green Tea, California Almond, New York Classic, and Belgium Chocolate.

This is the perfect product to allow your guests indulge, while not breaking the calorie-bank. Today’s consumers are time strapped and want convenient foods that are easy to snack on. This product would work great in a location marketed as an afternoon snack.

Mini Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza Appetizer and Chicken Quesadilla Appetizer

Flanagan codes: 187791 and 187785

Brom Mise en Bouche was not a company I was familiar with before the show, and I was eager to try their appetizers. With more than 20 years’ experience in food manufacturing, their line of hors d’oeuvres and canapés were delicious!

My favourites were the pizza-style mini tartlet with pepperoni and cheese and the tortilla dough cone filled with chicken, strong cheddar, peppers and onions.

Strawberry Peanut Stick, Raspberry Chocolate Danish and Sweet Potato Bun

Flanagan codes:

Strawberry Peanut Stick – 107549
Raspberry Chocolate Danish – 107565
Sweet Potato Bun – 126150

The Bridor story began in the 1970s, when Louis Le Duff moved from France to Quebec and couldn’t find a pastry to equal that in France. He opened in his first bakery in 1980 and has been developing high quality breads and pastries for over 30 years.

Bridor just launched a Strawberry Peanut Stick to mirror the attributes of a peanut butter and jam sandwich, which was scrumptious!

I am hard pressed to pick between that and the chocolate raspberry Danish. I was very excited about the sweet potato hamburger bun. The taste is very subtle, making this bun ideal for a pulled pork sandwich.

MadeGood Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip and Sweet and Salty Granola Bars

Flanagan codes: 

Chocolate Chip – 364538
Sweet and Salty – 364539

Made Good has a great story, leaning on healthy food as well as being an inclusive company. Half of their employees—from management to production—are women. Newcomers to Canada and people from under-represented groups enjoy a sense of belonging at MadeGood.

With one full serving of vegetables from six different sources, the vegan granola bars are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which can help contribute to a healthy digestive and immune system. 

Wings' Uncooked Ramen Noodles

Flanagan code: 119450

What is great about this traditional ramen noodle is that the product comes pre-portioned in a case of 24. Each package is 100 grams. It can be used in soups or as a cold noodle salad.

Here is a Ramen Chicken Noodle Soup recipe using the product:

Ingredients

4 bundles Wing’s Ramen Noodles
5 L chicken broth
1 inch ginger
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. Wing’s Soy Sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
1 carrot cut into match sticks
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut in half lengthwise
2 green onions, chopped
4 tsp. sesame oil

Preparation

In a large pot, bring chicken broth and ginger to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice chicken thighs.

Heat canola oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and add chicken.
Once chicken pieces are fully cooked and have a nice sear, add Wing’s Soy Sauce and sugar. Continue frying until chicken evenly coated.

Boil Wing’s Ramen Noodles in lightly salted water. Drain, and portion into serving bowls.
Add chicken broth to noodles, and arrange chicken, carrots, egg, and green onions on top.

Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.

Serves: 4

I’m Katrina, Marketing Specialist at Flanagan’s.   There were so many delicious new products showcased on April 10 at our Kitchener show that I had trouble keeping my summary concise. These were my favourites:

Beyond Sausage by Beyond Meat

Flanagan codes:  Original Brat – 177000 Hot Italian – 177002 Sweet Italian – 177004   Walking into the show, the Beyond Meat booth was high on my list of vendors to visit. I was so excited to try the Beyond Sausage and it did not disappoint.   Though I’m not vegetarian, the Beyond Burger has been my A&W go-to order since it was released. The Beyond Sausage has the same attributes as the burger in that it has a similar texture and taste to that of its animal protein counterpart. Beyond delicious.

Wow! Factor’s Sangria Cake, Reese Peanut Butter Blondie, and Vegan Chocolate Torte

Flanagan codes: 

Sangria Cake – 104169
Reese Peanut Butter Blondie – 104154
Vegan Chocolate Cake – 104175

Wow! Factor was another booth I didn’t want to miss. I featured the Reese Peanut Butter Blondie in an issue of our New Product Newsletter shortly before the show, and I had to try it for myself.

Wow! Factor has released five unique new products for spring 2019, and these products were three of them.

The Reese Peanut Butter Blondie tastes exactly as you’d imagine a Reese candy would taste in cake form. In other words, decadent.

Their Vegan Chocolate Cake is comprised of mostly plant ingredients, and the Sangria Cake is heavenly, fresh, and chock-full of summer berries.

Cavendish DeliverCrisp™ Fries Flanagan code: 193130 This year, Cavendish debuted their DeliverCrisp™ fries; a skin-on, straight-cut fry that maintains its crispiness for 30 minutes while en route to your customer’s door. 55% of restaurant delivery occasions are incremental orders, and right now French fries are the fastest growing food item in delivery. No matter what serving container these are packaged in, DeliverCrisp™ fries are designed to provide an unprecedented hold time.

Fully Cooked Chicken Wings

Even better: this product qualifies for Brand Points Plus, and until June 30 you can earn 5 bonus points for each case purchased!

Flanagan code 164494 Reuven International featured their new Fully Cooked Wings (exclusive to Flanagan!), and they were incredibly tasty as is, without any seasoning.   These wings are prepared straight from your freezer to the fryer and ready in less than five minutes. Because they’re fully cooked, you eliminate any food safety concerns and minimize fryer oil degradation.

KIND Bars

Flanagan code: 164494 Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate – 177000 Almond Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate – 177002 Almond & Coconut – 177004   Kind, indeed. KIND bars are all about simplicity. With no artificial sweeteners or added sugars, these bars are nutrient-dense without compromising flavour.   Speaking of flavour, the three that were featured at the show were delicious; Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate, Almond Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate, and Almond & Coconut.

The Deals

Once again, we had a Truckload Deals section in the centre of the show floor that featured one-day-only deals on select products. Flanagan customers placed their orders on the spot, and saved anywhere from $0.50 to $18.00 per case (or portion, depending on the product).

Products with deals included Grille & Galley Gourmet steak, Redpath sugar, Gay Lea salted and unsalted butter, High Liner seafood, and a variety of smallwares.

Though the Truckload Deals were one-day-only, show pricing applies for six weeks past show date; reach out to your Territory Manager for more information or call Customer Relations at 1-855-FLANAGAN.

Thank you to all guests, vendors, presenters and staff for another wonderful show season. We look forward to seeing you in 2020!

Each year, our spring trade shows aim to inspire guests with exciting menu suggestions, new cooking techniques and more. Walking the show floor this year, I was inspired by all the products and presentations. Truly outstanding!

Enjoy this recap video of our 2018 show; thank you to all customers and suppliers who made this show another fantastic event.

(Below the video, I've highlighted a few of my favourite new products from the show. (Fair warning—I have a sweet tooth!)

Flanagan's annual Food Show has thousands of products from over two hundred National Brand vendors, great deals, and fresh ideas—all in one place.

1. Menu Ideas

Indulge in fresh and fabulous flavours on display to get new ideas for menu planning, plating and garnishing.

2. Hot Trends

Experience first-hand the newest trends and industry developments, with new product launches, unique recipes and leading-edge product demonstrations.

3. Big Deals

Just by attending the show, get exclusive pricing on more than 1,500 featured products.
 

4. Networking Opportunities

Network with sales representatives and other operators in an interactive environment for new insight, ideas and innovations.

5. The s.t.o.p. Cash & Carry Booth

Pick up high-quality products at rock-bottom prices while speaking with vendor representatives about which products work best for your operation.

6. Sample Food and Beverage

Take the opportunity to sample and savour mouthwatering products that exhibitors have to offer. (A treat for your tastebuds!)

7. Over 150 Vendors

Enjoy live demonstrations from over 150 vendors, while having the opportunity to meet the innovators behind the ideas.
 

8. A Fun Event for All

Eat, drink, and be merry—one booth at a time!