SUSTAINABILITY

Why you should be championing Aussie produce: the benefits of supporting local

The plethora of food and cooking shows on our TV screens, along with social media posts and YouTube videos, have driven home to Aussie consumers the simple truth that locally sourced ingredients not only tend to taste better – they’re also a better choice in terms of economic and environmental sustainability. 

And with market research conducted by the US’ National Restaurant Association, Nielsen and others consistently showing that sustainability is a top of mind focus for millennials, it makes sound business sense to choose and support Aussie-grown produce and ingredients produced in accordance with sustainability principles.

That’s because, as the largest living generational group, millennials comprise a large chunk of your potential customer base – and online studies have shown that not only are they willing to pay extra for sustainable food (almost three out of four in the latest findings), they also prefer to spend their money with food businesses which support these values.

So by not choosing and actively promoting local Aussie produce on your menu, you may well be missing out on business.

There are other good reasons to champion Aussie produce. Not only does buying Australian benefit our national economy, it also increases community cohesion – especially in regional centres where food production is a major source of employment. 

This is certainly the case for many of the extensive range of quality frozen vegetable and potato products available from Edgell, one of the key brands brought to you by Simplot Australia, which are grown and processed here in Australia. True to its motto of “Bringing Earth’s Resources to Life”, Simplot Australia works with more than 300 potato and vegetable growers around the nation, some of whose families have been supplying to us for generations.

Simplot has always been proud to support local farming communities and sustainability remains a core focus for the business. We believe Australia should be able to produce our own food and take this responsibility seriously – from growing seeds through planting and cultivation to processing and marketing the produce, we’re involved at each step of the supply chain.

This commitment helps reduce the ‘food miles’ our produce has to travel – resulting in lower transport costs and reduced environmental impact from fuel – and it also keeps hardworking Aussie farmers and growers in business, providing ongoing employment across numerous regional centres throughout the country.

Keeping our Australian food sector sustainable in this manner also reduces reliance on imported products, which are subject to price fluctuations due to changes in the exchange rate as well as supply chain issues – as the events of the past 18 months have clearly demonstrated.

So take a fresh look at your choice of produce and ingredients – remembering also that food which has travelled fewer miles to reach you tends not only to be cheaper, but taste better too!

LISTEN

The Bottom Line | Centralised Kitchens, Gary Johnson

We speak to National Executive Chef for ALH, Gary Johnson about the many benefits including time saving, portion control, food safety, 100% yield, as well as quality & consistency across multiple outlets.

FEATURE PRODUCT

TRENDING

Delivering the optimal eating experience: strategies to ensure effective home delivery

With the latest round of lockdowns having once again pushed foodservice businesses in the affected areas to rely on home delivery as their key source of income, it’s clear that delivery is not only more important than ever but is here to stay.

And if your business is one of the many who rely on third party order platforms and delivery drivers – from Uber Eats through to Menulog or Door Dash – you’ll already be aware that not being able to control the actual delivery process can be frustrating for yourself as well as your customers.

While the length of time deliveries take is to a certain extent out of your hands, there are some strategies you can employ to ensure your food reaches customers in the best possible condition and provides them with the optimal eating experience they expect. Here are a few tips to follow:

1. Your food needs to be able to withstand the rigors of the delivery process

Not all food on your regular menu will stand up to being transported and delivered, especially if the timeframe for deliveries blows out to 30-40 minutes, as is becoming commonplace during busy periods like Friday and Saturday nights. So pare back what’s on offer and make sure that everything available on the delivery menu is food which will travel well and won’t spoil over an extended period.

Avoid meal choices such as those with hot sauces which will make the food go soggy in time or pasta dishes which will keep cooking once served. Alternatively, you can offer meals which are par-cooked and give customers the option to finish them at home – using instruction cards which are packaged with the delivery.

2. Take advantage of products which have been specifically designed for home delivery 

A great example is Edgell Delivery Chips, which are coated with a special delivery-style batter to ensure they’ll retain their heat and crunch even during extended delivery periods of up to 40 minutes.

They’re also microwavable so that if they reach the customer a little cold, 20 seconds in the microwave can restore heat and maintain crunch without compromising quality.

3. Ensure all packaging is doing its job of keeping food hot (or cold)

Customers these days expect their home delivered food to be packaged in materials which will insulate appropriately while also keeping food hygienically sealed. It’s also a wise choice to utilise packaging with tamper-proof security seals – these can’t be easily removed without damaging the packaging, reassuring customers that their food has been delivered in pristine condition. Think of this as an extra investment which is ensuring the integrity of your brand.

4. Provide contactless payment options

You can utilise third party order platforms such as Uber Eats or Door Dash for purchase transactions, but there are also contactless options available which can be integrated within your own website or mobile order app. Whichever you use, the focus should be making it easier for the customer at all times – convenience is key, so look for a solution which is easy to use and doesn’t require the customer to spend any longer than with an in-person purchase.

5. Ask customers for instructions as to where to drop off orders

Contactless delivery just doesn’t apply to payment – many customers will want to avoid contact with delivery drivers, and you can make sure there’s no unnecessary contact by getting clear instructions from customers as to where their order is to be dropped off. This could be leaving the food at the front door after ringing the bell, delivering to a side or back door or a foyer – but whatever your customer’s preference is, you need to make sure you have the instructions so the delivery driver doesn’t have to rely on guesswork. As long as lockdowns are still with us, everyone has a role to play in staying safe.

WATCH

Find out why Steve Sidd, of Catering HQ uses Edgell Sweet Potato Chips

SERVING SUGGESTION

OPERATIONS

Tricks to a limited menu – maximise your offering through multi-use ingredients

With staff shortages now commonplace and physical distancing restrictions set to continue limiting kitchen staff numbers in line with Covid Safe Workplace Principles, foodservice businesses have had no choice but to pare down their menus.

And with these menu changes here to stay - at least for the foreseeable future - the trick is to make the best use of your limited labour resource by offering menu options which can be prepared quickly and easily, and and which will work as delivery items as well as dine-in meals (for those areas not currently in lockdown).

At the same time, it's more important than ever to try to differentiate your food offering from that of the competition, to encourage customer loyalty and generate repeat business.

But how can you do that when you’re operating with fewer resources and ingredients?

The key is to utilise what's on your shelves across the entire menu - by focusing on ingredients which have multiple applications. Anything you buy in needs to be usable across more than one dish - you need to stretch your ingredients as much as you can. Think of it as a way of utilising your creativity - focusing on menu planning rather than cooking.

For example, many seafood products can be utilised in a variety of ways, such as I&J Hoki Fillets which are popular served as fish tacos or tortillas, in wraps or rolls, or as a centre of plate fish with Edgell chips.

Another example is I&J Salt & Pepper Squid, which can be used for finger food platters, snacking plates, in seafood baskets, as an entrée or main, or as a takeaway/delivery item.

You can also use soups as the base for risottos or otherwise extend them through the addition of ingredients such as sweet chilli, sour cream and pesto.

Curry pastes can be used across multiple dishes through the addition of different fruits, spices or yoghurts. It's all about how you dress the meal up and finish it off - this is also where you can create unique signature dishes which set your food apart from the crowd.

So take a good look at what's in your pantry or storeroom and see how you can use your existing ingredients more effectively - assuming you've chosen good quality products to start with, their consistency and stability means it shouldn't be difficult to find new applications for them on the menu.

Remember, the cost of running any foodservice operation has never been higher, yet profit margins are still tight. That means it's more important than ever to be proactive in making the maximum use of your ingredients.