Published November 3, 2015
Sriracha was arguably the first spicy food to go viral. The distinctive bright red sauce in the rooster bottle took America by storm, and consumers expressed their love for the sauce with memes, merchandise, social media posts, and (most importantly) their spending money.
Sriracha’s ascendance awakened a previously-dormant thirst for fire in American consumers. Food manufacturers and restaurants have responded to customer demand by producing spicy products in all categories, from snacks and main dishes to beverages and alcohol.
The most popular chile pepper on American foods is the jalapeño, followed by its smoked equivalent, the chipotle. Cayenne chile powder, which first began being used in health beverages for its purported cleansing properties, is now appearing in drinks solely for its spicy kick. In the alcoholic beverage sector, the huge popularity of spicy Fireball cinnamon whiskey has inspired manufacturers to create more spicy liquors flavored with cinnamon and chiles.
There seems to be no limit to the growth potential for spicy foods and beverages, since Americans’ spice tolerance just keeps going up. If you haven’t adjusted your menu accordingly, you may be playing with fire!
Read the full article here: Sriracha’s Spark Kicked Off Consumer Craze for Hot and Spicy Flavors
Published November 3, 2015
Today is a time of rapid change in the world of hospitality and restaurant technology. Point-of-sale systems in particular have been undergoing their most dramatic change since the shift from old-school cash registers to computers decades ago. All this change can make deciding which technologies to invest in confusing for restaurant operators. Two free eBooks from Starfleet Media help demystify restaurant tech and show operators a path to success.
Read the full article here: Everything You Need to Know About Upgrading Your Retail and Restaurant Technologies
Published November 3, 2015
A new e-learning system from DiscoverLink and the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance aims to help restaurant operators develop better relationships with African-American coworkers and guests. The course is the first part of what the companies hope will be a multi-part series that covers how to serve and interact with a multicultural community. People who take the course will engage in interactive activities in familiar hospitality settings.
Read the full article here: E-Learning Collaboration Helps Restaurants Boost Business With Multicultural Guests
Published November 2, 2015
The federal government’s new chain restaurant menu labeling regulations are scaring a lot of restaurant operators. Operators are afraid that having to post nutritional information on menus may turn away customers, and that adjusting to the regulations will be difficult an expensive. However, the new regulations also have some advantages for operators.
One distinct advantage for franchise operators is that every single franchisee will have to exactly recreate the same recipe every time to ensure that the food served actually has the nutritional content listed on the menu. This will encourage flavor consistency between different branches of the same chain, enhancing that chain’s brand. This consistency will also lead to more predictable food costs because every time a dish is prepared it will contain the same exact amount of each ingredient.
Another advantage of the federal regulations is that they are one rule that everyone has to follow. Previously, different states and municipalities had different menu labeling requirements, and national chains had to adjust their menus accordingly.
Read the full article here: 5 Reasons to Love Menu Labeling
Published November 2, 2015
It’s no secret that gluten-free diets are trendy right now, and many Americans are looking for gluten-free versions of their favorite foods. Panera Bread, the fast-casual chain that specializes in baked goods, is testing its first-ever gluten-free roll at fifteen Detroit-area locations. While the chain has been slower to respond to the gluten-free trend than some of its competitors, Panera says that it took a long time to develop a gluten-free roll that met their taste and texture standards.
Read the full article here: Panera is Testing Gluten-Free Bread Options
Published November 2, 2015
The New York City Department of Health has announced a new rule that mandates that sushi chefs must wear plastic surgeon’s gloves while preparing food. Anthony Bourdain commented on the new rule at a party promoting his comic book Get Jiro: Blood and Sushi. The chef told Eater that the glove rule would be “the destruction of sushi as we know it” because the sense of touch is so important for top-level sushi chefs, but the DOH says that if brain surgeons can wear gloves sushi chefs can too.
Read the full article here: Anthony Bourdain Slams the DOH Glove Rule
Sriracha Sparked a Wildfire of Spicy Desire in Consumers
Sriracha was arguably the first spicy food to go viral. The distinctive bright red sauce in the rooster bottle took America by storm, and consumers expressed their love for the sauce with memes, merchandise, social media posts, and (most importantly) their spending money.
Sriracha’s ascendance awakened a previously-dormant thirst for fire in American consumers. Food manufacturers and restaurants have responded to customer demand by producing spicy products in all categories, from snacks and main dishes to beverages and alcohol.
The most popular chile pepper on American foods is the jalapeño, followed by its smoked equivalent, the chipotle. Cayenne chile powder, which first began being used in health beverages for its purported cleansing properties, is now appearing in drinks solely for its spicy kick. In the alcoholic beverage sector, the huge popularity of spicy Fireball cinnamon whiskey has inspired manufacturers to create more spicy liquors flavored with cinnamon and chiles.
There seems to be no limit to the growth potential for spicy foods and beverages, since Americans’ spice tolerance just keeps going up. If you haven’t adjusted your menu accordingly, you may be playing with fire!
Read the full article here: Sriracha’s Spark Kicked Off Consumer Craze for Hot and Spicy Flavors
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