Line-up features 18 products that help operators expand menus while keeping labor and inventory costs down
US Foods announced today the launch of Spring 2022 Scoop. Themed “Do More with Less,” Spring Scoop features 18 versatile and innovative products combined with a variety of inspiring menu ideas developed by US Foods product innovation and culinary experts. Nearly 60% of restaurants adapted to pandemic constraints by reducing their menus.1 Today, operators must ramp up the number of menu offerings to attract diners returning to pre-pandemic dining routines, all while continuing to manage labor shortages and other operational challenges. To help operators meet these demands, Spring Scoop delivers products designed to help operators easily expand their menu while maximizing labor costs and inventory efficiencies.
“As part of our promise to help foodservice operators ‘Make It,’ we value the opportunity to provide the most innovative products to attract and retain diners while solving a variety of pain points shared across kitchens,” said Stacey Kinkaid, vice president of product development and innovation for US Foods. “We understand the challenges operators face as they aim to bring new options to the menu, and Spring Scoop makes it easy to expand menus with versatile products that can be used across many recipes on an operator’s menu. The items reduce prep time back-of-house, save pantry space by creating inventory efficiencies and help operators drive profitable menu solutions.”
FUNCTIONAL & FLAVORFUL
Diners are looking for creative and flavorful offerings that can add a subtle twist to the traditional. Spring Scoop delivers a variety of flavorful, differentiated and versatile solutions for newly inspired or existing menu offerings. Products include:
- Monarch Green Chickpeas: Vibrant color and a touch of sweetness to enhance hot or cold applications. The green chickpeas can be used to create colorful hummus, roasted for a healthy snack or added as a salad topping.
- Hilltop Hearth Cilantro Chickpea Wrap: A wheat flour wrap made with garbanzo bean flour. The wrap offers approximately 4 more grams of protein per serving than traditional white flour tortillas.2 Seasoned with cilantro, the wrap is ideal for quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas and fusion dishes, or thinly sliced and fried as a garnish for a salad or protein bowl.
- Del Pasado Mango Peach Salsa: This product adds bright acidity with a bit of heat and sweetness to any dish and eliminates the preparation required for homemade salsa – saving up to 30 minutes of labor per case. With uses beyond just chips and dip, the salsa can be used for soup, ceviche, salad, marinades or sauces in hot or cold applications.
- Chef’s Line Korean Barbecue Sauce: The popularity of Korean barbeque in the U.S. has grown 40% in the last four years and continues to rise.1 This sauce’s bold, umami-rich flavor means a little goes a long way, extending the life of each bottle and eliminating 20 minutes of labor per case compared to creating a sauce from scratch. Endlessly versatile, the sauce can be used as a glaze, dip, marinade or finishing sauce for meat and veggie dishes alike.
- Hilltop Hearth Pub Grain Hamburger Bun: Made with spent grain flour – an ingredient derived from beer brewing – this bun is the company’s first item certified by the Upcycled Food Association. Upcycled products help prevent food waste by transforming food intended for landfills or non-food uses into new applications, enabling operators to offer diners more sustainable options.
APPETIZING ALTERNATIVES
With the number of vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diners rising, Spring Scoop showcases several new items that can help operators accommodate alternate diets and diner preferences across a variety of menu offerings. Additionally, these products provide upsell opportunities for the operator.
- Chef’s Line Black Bean Burger: Patties made of fiber-rich black beans give a Southwestern flavor to any dish. They can be used as a vegan burger patty, formed into a meatless meatball, or fried for a unique take on falafel. Each case eliminates 45 minutes of labor compared to creating a similar offering from scratch.
- Glenview Farms Vegan3,4 Mozzarella Style Shreds: This vegan, plant-based alternative is perfect for chefs and diners looking for a delicious mozzarella substitute with an authentic taste. This alternative cheese browns like a traditional dairy cheese in the oven and can also be baked to make an alternative cheese crisp or used on pizzas, omelets, salads, burgers or pasta to give diners enhanced vegan choices.
- Glenview Farms Vegan3,4 Cheddar Style Slices: A vegan, plant-based alternative to cheddar cheese that appeals to any diner looking for a flavorful addition to their sandwich or burger that mimics the real thing. The alternative cheese slices work for both hot and cold applications and can be used for sandwiches, plant-based burgers, paninis or cheesy sauces like a creamy vegan queso or vegan mac and cheddar.
- Glenview Farms Organic Chocolate Peanut Butter Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert: Made from only five simple ingredients, including USDA-certified organic coconut milk, which provides a decadent mouthfeel and a subtle flavor. Serve in a sundae or sandwiched between two cookies, this vegan dessert offers an upsell alternative to traditional ice cream.
In addition to finding tips and inspiration in Spring Scoop, operators can also book a consultation with US Foods chefs and Restaurant Operations Consultants at usfoods.com. The experts are industry veterans with decades of restaurant experience and are available as an operator’s schedule allows. Operators can also register here to participate in the company’s “Make More with Less” webinar hosted on the company’s website on March 22, 2022, at 2 p.m. CST.
Learn more about Spring Scoop on the company’s website at usfoods.com/springscoop.
1 Datassential.
2 Compared to flour tortilla in USDA FoodData Central data base.
3 No ingredients of animal origin. Reasonable efforts to avoid cross-contact with animal-based ingredients.
4 Made with ingredients derived from plants, fungi and algae; no animal-derived ingredients. Reasonable efforts to avoid cross-contact with animal-based ingredients.
