CLUB PERFECT – the foodservice industry’s one stop online resource for the pizza and pasta channel – now has a bold new look and is easier than ever to read and navigate.

Whether you own or work in a pizzeria, café, restaurant, club, pub or bistro, if you have pizza and pasta on the menu, then you can benefit from the practical, business-oriented information and advice that you’ll find on clubperfect.com.au.

Club Perfect is for everyone who wants to offer quality, innovative pizza and pasta to keep customers coming back. The website is packed full of useful content - from recipes and videos telling the success stories of foodservice professionals who have built their businesses by putting pizza and pasta on the menu, to useful tips and business advice.

Content is regularly updated with new, informative articles on the latest trends, innovations and business insights including interviews with leading professionals. And it’s not limited to pizza and pasta but also encompasses complementary menu items drawn from the exciting world of Italian style cuisine.

As a member of Club Perfect, you’re also invited to sign up to receive our free e-newsletter which alerts you to the latest content posted to the site including recipes, videos, articles and other exclusive information.

And thanks to Club Perfect’s new design and presentation, it’s easier than ever to watch and read this content wherever you happen to be – on your phone, your ipad or tablet, laptop or desktop computer.

If you’re not a member of Club Perfect yet, there’s no time like the present to sign up – just point your web browser to clubperfect.com.au and start reaping the benefits of Australia’s only dedicated one stop foodservice resource for the pizza and pasta channel!

Insights
Digital menus: Imagery is king

IN THIS DIGITAL AGE, the old adage that a picture paints a thousand words has certainly proven true. Having become increasingly commonplace in the US, digital menus in the form of touchscreens are now set to impact Australia.  

With the costs of implementing such technology becoming rapidly more competitive, cafes, pubs, clubs and QSRs are recognising the benefits of digital menus in attracting customers. The advantages are obvious: a dynamically changing digital display captures the customer’s attention far more dramatically than a static menu board - some suppliers claim by as much as 400 per cent. Digital signage boosts brand awareness and creates greater customer engagement and can increase in the door traffic and hence sales.

There are also real business advantages for the foodservice operator. Today’s digital menus are driven by smart analytics and data capture which provides insights into customer behaviour. The technology also enables you to make menu adjustments in real time as required by changing stock levels or customer demand. You can promote specials, adjust pricing downwards or upwards as required, add or subtract menu items – all remotely via a digital app.

These systems typically allow you to schedule content in advance and program different ‘zones’ (ie different touchscreens within your premises) independently of each other, or synchronize them all to display the same content at the same time as desired. Different displays can be scheduled for specific times of the day – i.e. automatically displaying brunch, lunch, mid-afternoon and evening menus as required.

Many also incorporate increasingly sophisticated analytic tools and smart data analysis which can map your customer traffic flow and hence optimise the in-store positioning of your digital menus and other POS equipment, as well as analyse purchasing patterns. For example, they can help you identify which are the most popular sides and beverage accompaniments to particular menu items so you can then offer these as combo deals.  

Increasingly designed to be both flexible and easy to use and a ‘complete solution’ which will integrate with your existing back end POS system, they typically offer a choice of standalone installation, remote Cloud server backup or link in to your business’ computer network. Of course, access to technical support is always important when you’re implementing new technology for your business – so be sure to check whether free tech support is offered by the provider, and that this includes the opportunity to talk to real people should you have a problem, not just a computer!

CUSTOMERS TELL THEIR STORIES
As social media continues to evolve, your customers are set to take more advantage of these platforms to share their dining out experiences with friends. Facebook Live and Instagram Stories are likely to generate more and more of these customer stories, which means that food presentation, staff knowledge and overall service is more important than ever.

WHEN IT COMES to pizza, cheese is one ingredient it’s hard to do without. A good quality mozzarella like Perfect Italiano Traditional or Ultra Mozzarella is essential for holding your toppings together and ensuring an attractive presentation to your pizza.

 The subtle flavour of quality mozzarella ensures it won’t overpower the taste of your other ingredients. This also means you don’t need to be shy about adding other cheese types to enhance the overall flavour. Cheeses such as parmesan, feta and ricotta will complement the mozzarella without making the pizza taste too ‘cheesy’.

It’s best not to use more than two different varieties of cheese per pizza – but even that gives you a lot scope. For example, a good quality parmesan contains many elements of umami – the fifth taste sensation alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter – and can be sprinkled over the pizza once it’s been cooked and just before serving.

Parmesan is also a useful ingredient in Italian style dishes such as chicken parmigiana and its flavour profile makes it a great accompaniment for greens such as asparagus and spinach. Perfect Italiano Parmesan is available in shaved, shredded, grated and block varieties to meet all your pizza and pasta requirements.

Ricotta has a distinctively light flavour and smooth, creamy texture, making it ideal for dessert pizzas, but it can also be used in savoury pizzas as well as Italian style desserts such as cannoli, cassata and crostata.

Feta, which has a higher salt and water content than most cheeses, has a tangy, sharp mouthfeel making it the ideal complement for many savoury ingredients used in pizza toppings, such as olives, artichokes, sundried tomatoes and cured meats like prosciutto and salami. As it’s a fast-melting cheese with very strong flavour, you’ll find a little will go a long way to enhance your pizza.  

Both Perfect Italiano Ricotta and Mainland Special Reserve Creamy Feta have the full flavour and consistent quality you need to ensure the perfect pizza and pasta dishes that will keep customers coming back.

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