Buffalo Business First’s Post

Kraft Heinz has introduced a new product line, Signature Shreds, aiming to elevate home-cooked meals to gourmet standards. This thick cut, restaurant-style cheese comes in three varieties: Cheddar Blend, Mozzarella Blend, and Mexican Blend, all packaged in 8oz reusable bags. This launch is Kraft's first new product since its acquisition by Lactalis American Group. Elena Umanskaya, VP Marketing of Lactalis Heritage Dairy, highlighted the high brand awareness of Kraft Natural Cheese in the U.S. and the collaboration with Lactalis’s manufacturing expertise to create Signature Shreds. She emphasized the rise in home cooking, which peaked at 88% during the pandemic, as a significant factor in developing this product. The R&D for Signature Shreds began shortly after Lactalis's acquisition and took two years to perfect. The product caters to the growing trend of at-home cooking and increasing cheese consumption, which remains a strong market despite the pandemic's end. Cheese consumption per capita and overall sales continue to rise in the U.S., with shredded cheese alone generating close to $7 billion in sales in 2023. In mid-May, Kraft launched the product with an official debut featuring brand ambassador Shawn Johnson East, former Olympic gymnast. The brand chose to collaborate with Johnson East due to her loyal fanbase and authentic depiction of modern family life and relatable experiences. Johnson East appreciates that this partnership allows her to make mealtime as family-friendly as possible. #Dairy #FoodScience #Innovation #HomeCooking #Development #NewProduct #Marketing #WeKnowDairy

Where to Buy Shropshire Blue Cheese – A Cheese Lover’s Guide To Sourcing And Savoring Shropshire Blue, with its creamy texture and sharp, tangy flavor, is a true delight for cheese enthusiasts. But finding it can be a bit of an adventure. Here's your guide to sourcing and savoring this delectable cheese: #cheesecurating #gourmetfood #internationalcheese

In a recent Flavor Forecast webinar by CSP sister research arm Technomic, it was revealed that 41% of consumers who order food from restaurants want more restaurants to offer food with a combination of flavors. In addition, 41% of consumers who order food from restaurants agreed it’s important that restaurants offer local flavors based on their location.

One of the main reasons shoppers like to visit farm shops, delis, food halls and specialist cheese stores is for the knowledge their staff impart. Being able to explain how and where an item was made - the people behind the packaging - is a specialist's superpower. As is giving guidance on one of fine food retail's most coveted products - cheese. Consumers love listening to cheese stories, to pick retailers' brains about how to store their purchases so they're served at the peak of perfection, and to be enlightened by new, exciting, inventive pairings. Need a bit of inspiration? Head to the article below to read what some of the UK's finest cheesemongers and best cheese experts and judges have to say on the topic of what to eat and drink alongside a slice of blue, a wedge of Cheddar, washed rinds and more.

In Baking & Snack’s 2024 Trends in Commercial Baking Industry Product Innovation & Development study, Cypress Research surveyed 111 #BakingIndustry professionals — including R&D and operations professionals and corporate level executives at a wide range of companies — to understand exactly how prolific product development currently is, the challenges R&D professionals face and where their focus is when it comes to new products. Learn more: https://ow.ly/ya1w50TtV4k #GroceryIndustry #FoodRetail

What Is the Difference Between White and Yellow American Cheese: White Vs. Yellow American Cheese People love its smooth feel and mild taste, making it perfect for burgers and sandwiches. Let’s dive into why American cheese is such a hit and why some are yellow while others are white. #cheeselover #cheeseplatter #cheeseboard #americancheese #cheesefacts #foodiefacts #cheesehacks #lunchideas

If you are not taking your bacon category serious as a distributor, you should. The category in foodservice has been stale and not exciting, until now. Tender Belly brings the opportunity to feature a high quality yet cost effective product to the market. Maybe you aren't even offering bacon yet or you just haven't curated the category like you would want to. Here are a handful of reasons to evaluate it a bit further. Bacon consumption in the U.S. has increased by 25% over the past decade, demonstrating its growing popularity among consumers. Approximately 70% of bacon is consumed during breakfast, but its versatility makes it a valuable addition to lunch and dinner menus, increasing opportunities for sales throughout the day. The average American consumes about 18 pounds of bacon annually, indicating a strong, consistent demand for this beloved product. Studies show that menu items featuring bacon can see up to a 30% increase in sales, as bacon's flavor and appeal often drive customer choices. Offering premium bacon options, such as heritage breed or specialty flavored varieties, can command up to 50% higher prices, significantly boosting overall revenue. Having sold bacon in distribution, I can assure you that as a produce distributor, seafood distributor, gourmet distributor, any distributor. You can sell bacon. This can add 7 figure revenue growth to your business. This is a top spend for many hotels, country clubs, restaurants and beyond. Offering something that stands out will help you stand out.

Is Co-Manufacturing your Beverage right for you? So many of our distilleries, craft breweries, and breweries-in-planning members are discussing 'capacity' and 'contracting'. Great article from Jamie Valenti-Jordan on how organizations can start to consider the alternative go-to-market for of co-manufacturing, especially when it comes to craft beverages. https://lnkd.in/gE2jJ4S9

Menu Tasting Prep, Plant Based Concept

🔍 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 In the late 1970s, Keystone Foods founder Herb Lotman came up with the idea for a game-changer in fast food – 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗰𝗡𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘁. 𝗠𝗰𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗳, 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱, brought this vision to life in 1979 by crafting a small, portable, and flavorful fried chicken nugget that quickly became a sensation. However, this innovation faced challenges. 🔸 McNuggets were so popular that McDonald's struggled to meet demand. By 1983, after overcoming significant supply chain issues, Chicken McNuggets were launched nationwide in the U.S. and later in Canada in early 1984. To ensure consistent cooking and maximum “dipability,” the nuggets were made in four distinct shapes bell, bow-tie, ball and boot. This design aimed for both fun and safety, ensuring even cooking times. 🔹 Fred Turner at McDonald's transformed the onion nugget concept into a chicken nugget, but deboning chicken slowed production. This led to the creation of the “𝗠𝗰𝗡𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗧 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺,” led by Bud Sweeney, who worked tirelessly to develop a quick deboning process. In just five months, they created a scalable system that turned chicken paste into the now-famous McNuggets, perfectly sized for dipping into specially developed sauces – a novel concept at the time. McDonald's didn’t stop at the nugget. They also innovated with 𝗱𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀, another first in fast food. The combination of fun, portable nuggets and new sauces helped McNuggets account for 20% of McDonald's sales. The success of the Chicken McNugget wasn't just about a new food item; it was about 𝗠𝗰𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, from perfecting deboning to creating scalable production and new eating experiences. 🍗💡 #Innovation #Leadership #fastfood #learningcurator