Become a Winter Pro

Cascades PRO conducted a survey to find out what consumers expect in terms of hygiene and cleanliness in 2023. Now they are sharing the results and discoveries to help companies respond to their customers' needs.

While hand washing is important in every season, the recent survey reveals that good hygiene is considered more important during the infamous cold season. 

So how do you keep your washroom clean and comfortable during winter? We’ll give you all the tips and tricks you need to become a winter pro!

Cleanliness: a Sign of Trust

Being a winter pro means understanding users and their behavior during the winter season. The better we understand them, the better equipped we’ll be to meet their expectations and needs in terms of washroom hygiene. For example, 97% of people surveyed believe that washroom cleanliness reflects how much businesses care about their employees and clients.

So how can organizations demonstrate the importance they place on the cleanliness and comfort of their washrooms? By offering something that people closely associate with cleanliness. We're talking, of course, about paper towels. 

In fact, many of the survey results reveal why consumers prefer paper! 

Winter Pro, pro Good Habits

Winter is the season for chapped hands. Especially with the freezing temperatures drying them out, our hands could do with a little relief during these few months. Cascades PRO may not offer a moisturizer, but it does offer the solution for people who prefer to dry their hands with paper - 73% of those surveyed. 

Their Tandem line of dispensers makes paper dispensing easy with their No-Touch technology, perfect for those who have their hands full (hat, scarf, gloves, etc.) after washing. 

This interest in paper may be explained by the fact that 61% of people surveyed use paper towels to open the door when leaving public washrooms. As a result, people have a better chance of avoiding potential viruses that could be found on door handles. This explains why 58% of people surveyed believe that paper towels are even more hygienic than other drying options. 

The Washroom Environment

Though there is no doubt about their hygienic virtues, the environmental impact of paper towels can be a concern for users. Indeed, according to some popular beliefs, the use of paper in this situation would be harmful to the environment. That's why, as an environmental leader in the industry, Cascades makes sure that positive and always greener actions are put in place. 

For example, their dispensers are designed to avoid waste and more than 70% of  tissue products are made from 100% recycled fiber. This means that every consumer can leave the washroom with peace of mind. 

Whether it's a question of hygiene, good habits, values or environmental protection, Cascades PRO is a sustainable solution for time spent in the washroom. A solution that can be applied to all seasons!

Celebrate the Christmas Season with Gift Cards from Your Restaurant

If it is in fact true that it is better to give than receive, then gift cards must be at the top of a restaurateur’s wish list. These simple plastic cards could be an important marketing tool—and revenue generator—at this busiest of commercial periods on the calendar. Let’s explore why gift cards have become significant for restaurants’ success and why they make perfect presents for the upcoming Christmas holidays.

The Significance of Gift Cards

1. Flexibility for the customer: Gift cards provide recipients with the freedom to choose their dining experience. Whether it’s a cozy dinner for two or a family celebration, gift cards allow customers to enjoy a meal at their preferred time.
2. Boosting cash flow for restaurants: Selling gift cards injects immediate cash flow into a restaurant’s operations. This influx of funds can help cover expenses and support the restaurant during quieter periods.  We have found people will spend more on a gift card than they will on a gift. While they might buy a $50 present, they will likely raise the stakes and buy a $75 or even a $100 gift card at a restaurant.
3. Boost your slower season: Add yet another gift beneath the tree: if the cards are purchased as festive and holiday presents in the hustle-bustle of a busy December, the delay when people redeem them could prove to be a boon to the restaurateur who might see a bump in sales later in January and February when business is typically slower. Patrons often find themselves using the full amount of their gift card—and then some. Customers generally buy additional food and more expensive dishes than they might otherwise; compound that with the potential for increased sales of beverage alcohol, and the result can be some healthy extra revenue in winter’s gloomier months.
4. Increased brand exposure: When customers purchase gift cards for friends or family, they are essentially promoting the restaurant to new potential patrons. This word-of-mouth marketing can lead to increased foot traffic and loyal customers in the long run.

Special Offers and Unique Options

Several restaurants have gone the extra mile to make their gift cards even more enticing for customers. Some establishments offer exclusive discounts, complimentary items, or bonus gift cards with the purchase of a certain value. Here are a few examples to consider:

• [Restaurant A]: Purchase a $100 gift card and receive a complimentary appetizer on your next visit.
• [Restaurant B]: Buy a $50 gift card and receive an additional $10 bonus gift card.
• [Restaurant C]: Enjoy a 20% discount on all gift cards purchased online during the holiday season.

Remember, gift cards not only make wonderful presents but can also contribute to supporting local businesses.

Unlocking Success: How QR Codes Are Revolutionizing Marketing

With changing times, technology has become a crucial aspect of our lives. It has played a significant role in transforming several industries, including foodservice (in case you missed our show coverage, check out this blog post to read about iAssist). One such technological invention that has gained immense popularity in recent years is the QR code. QR codes or Quick Response codes are two-dimensional barcodes that store information, such as website links, menus, and contact details, which can be easily scanned by smartphones. In this blog post, we will share how you can use them to enhance your business.

Contactless Menu and Order Placement:

The pandemic has brought significant changes in the way people perceive dining out. People are more conscious about hygiene and safety protocols. QR codes enable contactless menu and order placement, thereby reducing the use of physical menus and reducing the risk of contamination. That being said, CNN reported that 88% of people still prefer hand held menus and it would be wise to offer printed menus and a QR Code. It’s important to keep in mind that your menu is your number one marketing tool, if you’re going to use a digital menu – ensure it offers the same experience as your regular menu.

Feedback and Review Collection:

Providing the best dining experience is crucial. QR codes can be utilized to collect customer feedback and reviews quickly. All you need to do is create a QR code that redirects customers to your feedback and review page, and customers can provide their feedback in a matter of seconds.

Loyalty Programs and Discounts:

It's a well-known fact that customers love rewards and discounts. QR codes provide a unique way to drive people to your programs, simply create a QR code that redirect customers to your loyalty program and discount pages where customers can quickly scan the codes and redeem the offers.

Marketing and Promotion:

The rise in mobile technology and smart devices like smartphones and tablets, QR codes offer a new opportunity for businesses to target their customers more effectively. Create QR codes to redirect customers to your social media handles, prompting them to follow your pages and keep them engaged with your brand.

There are many websites that produce QR Codes. Take a look at Adobe, which states it is free forever and no credit card is required.

Bowl Craze: The Rise of Bowls on Restaurant Menus

Whether it’s Salad, Breakfast, Buddha or Poke, bowls are now one of the more popular options in menus, and some say it may have taken over the once reliable, classic sandwich format. Packed with protein, greens and grains, bowls not only promote wellness, they also mix international flavours from various cultures into beautifully eye-appealing meals. This format is easy to make and offers flexibility for operators; already on-hand ingredients can be prepared in advance, and meals are easily customizable for customers. Bowls also offer healthy, filling alternatives, a convenient takeout option, and are usually presented in eco-friendly packaging.

Now, the question is: Are bowls just a passing trend, or are they a sustainable staple that will continue to shape the culinary world? Let’s find out.

Around 2016, the popularity of poke and acai bowls emerged and quickly gained popularity in North America. Since then, operators started experimenting with unique flavour combinations and incorporated variations of this concept such as grain bowls, burrito bowls, noodle bowls and many others onto their menus. Datassential[1] reports that “consumers have pushed for customization in foodservice, choosing everything from bowl formats to burritos to the ingredients that go into each of those that fit their individual lifestyles”. Additionally, Tecnomic Ignite [2] states that since the end of 2020, bowls have skyrocketed in terms of operator penetration. Continuing in 2021, veggie bowls became one of the leading vegetarian entrees on Canadian menus, rivaling veggie burgers, veggie pizza and salad options.[3] Bowls have been trending mostly in traditional CDR (Casual Dining Restaurants), quick service, and fast casual restaurants since 2020.

In 2022, Foodservice Equipment and Supplies also reported that bowls are “found on 34.8% of menus, up 9% over the past four years”.[4] As of today, 42.8% of operators have bowls on their menu! The top three types of bowls in the US are currently Curry bowls, followed by veggie bowls and then protein bowls. Although these types of bowls seem quite different from each other, they all have one common ingredient: vegetables.

According to Technomic Ignite, vegetables are the dominating ingredient in the growth and mainstream stage that are paired with bowls in operators’ menus.[5] The most popular ones (in the US) are onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables such as edamame, and chickpeas. Although popular, these vegetables take time to wash, peel and cut, and chefs cannot ignore major challenges hindering their efficiency such as labor shortages or product availability. With growing demands of ingredient customization from consumers, this makes vegetables harder to incorporate to create a colourful, nutritious dish. How can fast-casual operators take advantage of this trend while maintaining productive operations? Frozen vegetables!

Arctic Gardens provides just the solution for chefs to create unique, flavourful bowls. Our Frozen Fresh vegetables are pre-cut, and pre-washed to save substantial preparation time, and cut down labor costs as well as waste. Additionally, they are available year round, and have a long-lasting shelf life ranging from 18 to 24 months. The Arctic Gardens products come in single blends (i.e diced onions, edamame, diced red and green bell peppers) as well as blends which can help operators build protein-packed bowls. Our vegetables are individually frozen at their peak of freshness, locking the perfect texture and nutrition customers demand. Arctic Gardens helps operators make veggie-bowls rapidly:  operators can just portion out what they need, and store the rest in the freezer for later use.

An example of an easy-to-build bowl is Artic Gardens Brussel Sprouts, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Bowl. Made with our delicious pre-seasoned roasted brussel sprout blend, this bowl is loaded with grains, silky vinaigrette, and with a hint of crunch! Discover this great recipe here.

Article submitted by:

[1] https://datassential.com/resource/heres-what-healthy-means-now/

[2]https://ignite.technomic.com/searchResults/menu/?&search=Bowl&id=8026®ionCountry=US&searchType=Preparation#topDishesLinkMenuWow

[3] https://www.ktchnrebel.com/bowls-and-food-trends-2023/

https://www.food-management.com/food-beverage/10-ways-bowls-are-totally-taking-over-foodservice-menus

[4] https://fesmag.com/topics/trends/20680-food-trends-the-all-in-one-bowl

[5] https://ignite.technomic.com/searchResults/menu/?&search=Bowl&id=8026®ionCountry=US&searchType=Preparation#topDishesLinkMenuWow

2023 Food Show Product Review

At this year's food show, we were proud to showcase hundreds of incredible products. With so many amazing options, it was difficult for us to pick only a few favourites - but here are some highlights from the event!

The Flanagan Food Show is where the foodservice industry gathers to look ahead into what’s new, exciting and trending in Canadian cuisine. This year was particularly special with over one thousand of people in attendance - all buzzing with anticipation! Even Elvis popped by to entertain our guests. There were exclusive deals, delicious samples and learning opportunities for attendees.

That’s a wrap for this year. We share our heartfelt thanks with everyone who came to celebrate with us. We were thrilled to have you join us!  As Elvis would say, “thank you, thank you very much.”

Explore Our Food Show through Photos: