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Soups, Sides, Sauces, Entrees and More from a 5th Generation Company.
Once a nice-to-have, menu transparency has now become a must-have for any restaurant, as more consumers demand to know what’s inside their food and where it came from. Savvy operators know that serving up clear, concise information about food sourcing and ingredients has the power to build consumers’ trust, grow awareness of food’s health, safety and freshness, and drive traffic and sales. Transparency is also crucial to building brand loyalty.
In this interactive guide, you’ll explore transparent menu practices, learn about the consumers who demand them, and find menu inspiration and solutions you can easily execute at your restaurants.
Benefits
Food transparency is all about being proactively honest about what’s in your food and where it comes from. It can be as simple as listing calories and calling out allergens on menus, or more specific like identifying the farm a cow grazed on before making its way into your entrees.
Ways to be transparent.
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List ingredients on your menu.
If there’s no room to list ingredients for every item, do it just for your most popular menu items. Be sure to make a larger, more complete list available upon request.
Clearly call out allergens (common allergens include nuts, dairy, gluten and shellfish); avoid cluttering your menu with too many words by using symbols, if necessary.
Create a detailed nutritional facts sheet; provide upon request.
List ingredients on your menu.
If there’s no room to list ingredients for every item, do it just for your most popular menu items. Be sure to make a larger, more complete list available upon request.
Clearly call out allergens (common allergens include nuts, dairy, gluten and shellfish); avoid cluttering your menu with too many words by using symbols, if necessary.
Highlight local or ethically sourced ingredients. Do this on your menu, but also create additional signage to generate awareness, inspire trial.
Add disclaimers to LTOs, where needed, that explain all ingredients are natural or local, etc.
Note any natural colors/flavors used in your cocktails and other beverages.
Keep your website current with all of the above info; a restaurant’s website is where consumers go first to learn more about a restaurant and decide to visit, or not.
Highlight local or ethically sourced ingredients. Do this on your menu, but also create additional signage to generate awareness, inspire trial.
Note any natural colors/flavors used in your cocktails and other beverages.
Add disclaimers to LTOs, where needed, that explain all ingredients are natural or local, etc.
Build
Connections
By making your food and brand practices more transparent, you can:
Consumer
Who demands transparency?
No question about it: More consumers want to know what they’re eating. All signs — and much research from leading market research firms — indicate the growing demand for transparency and its importance for the future of foodservice providers.
While nearly all ages and demographics seem to be increasingly demanding food transparency, a recent report for Label Insight highlights some of the groups who value it most.
Be a Triple Threat
Transparent, convenient and on-trend.
Consumers want transparency in their foods, but they are also time-pressed, so convenience and speed of service are also top priorities. In fact, trendwatchers say that no matter the food or beverage or the time of day they eat it, the no. 1 need state of today’s consumers is the desire for convenience.
Whether eaten on-premises or at home, restaurant menu options also need to be meet other consumer demands, such as a desire for comfort foods and the growing interest in plant-forward foods.
Running a transparent operation can build a personal connection between you and your customers. It communicates that you get it, you care about your customers wants, needs.
Keep your website current with all of the above info; a restaurant’s website is where consumers go first to learn more about a restaurant and decide to visit, or not.
Want to reap some of these benefits?
Try some of these small and simple ways to incorporate transparency into your menu:
64% of consumers want companies to communicate what’s in a food or beverage product, according The Hartman Group.
Women value label transparency more than men.
Gender
Seniors
Millennials
Blount's Fine Food's Commitment to Transparency
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Increase Visits and Loyalty
Increase
Sales
Once consumers begin to trust that your food is what you say it is, that your brand promise is authentic, they’ll be more likely to spend more of their dollars at your establishment.
56% of consumers have stopped visiting a foodservice location or chain because of something they discovered that reflects negatively about sourcing of food ingredients, according to Hansen/Technomic.
40% of consumers say natural claims on menus would make them more likely to purchase food at fast casuals, according to Technomic.
88% of women value access to in-depth product information, compared to just 79% of men.
76% of women are more likely to consider the full list of ingredient information before purchasing a brand’s product, versus just 65% of men.
Women ranked healthy ingredients as the top factor influencing loyalty, while men ranked price.
Menu Solutions for Restaurants
Restaurants with options that are transparent and on-trend and that can be served conveniently — on-premises or off — will be able capture the greatest share of consumers dollars.
Blount Fine Foods offers an array of premium heat-and-serve products that meet consumers’ most pressing need states, including options that are Gluten-Free, Organic, Wheat-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free and Low Fat. All of which are packed in convenient four-pound bags with eight eight-ounce servings to minimize kitchen shrink, and maximize flexibility.
Get Inspired
Explore menu options that will excite — and meet the needs of — your consumers:
Comfort foods — items that evoke nostalgia, memories, pleasant feelings — continue to be popular with consumers.
Half of consumers have bought a plant-based food recently, according to The Hartman Group.
A fifth-generation family owned and operated prepared food company, Blount Fine Foods is committed to — and has a long history of — answering foodservice operators’ call for high-quality prepared foods.
Blount knows firsthand the importance of telling the story behind food, as it has its own proud seafood story to tell. Deeply rooted in the New England seafood industry, the first family members came to work the Narragansett oyster beds just after the Civil Was. In the 1880s, Eddie B. Blount started an oyster packing firm in West Barrington, Rhode Island. Ever since then, Blount has been evolving and growing to offer premium quality, convenient-to-prepare foods that are as authentic as they are delicious.
In addition to delivering the highest-quality prepared foods, we’re also dedicated to helping our customers succeed. Whether it’s collaborating to create menu pairings, creating customized programs to increase check averages, or supporting marketing efforts, Blount is here to guide our customers every step of the way.
Inside Blount Fine Foods
We stand by our commitment to:
For more information:
Visit Blount Fine Foods
Ancient Grain Minestrone
A modern classic: Everything you love about minestrone, plus a dash of healthy, hearty quinoa, farro and barley.
Seasonal Soups
33% of consumers say seasonal flavors create feelings of comfort, according to a recent Mintel report. Try menuing items that extend favorite flavors, like these fall/winter soups:
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Chunky Beef Chili
Warm up in winter with a hearty chili.
Chunks of beef, kidney and black beans, bell peppers with a blend of tomatoes and spices.
Quality
From the home kitchen
to restaurants, our products are distinguished by their taste and consistency. Our best products start with a commitment to creative, culinary expertise, to the highest standards of quality and, of course, to premium ingredients.
Clean Label
Even before consumers demanded it or Food and Drug Administration began regulating it, Blount was creating products made with as few ingredients as needed and without artificial flavors or artificial colors. We continue that tradition, creating the same wholesome foods for our customers that we would feed our own families.
Sustainability
We are dedicated to protect our natural resources and we employ significant Three R (reduce, reuse, recycle) programs, which are directed by our engineering “Green Team”, and are supported by associates at every level of our company.
Convenience
Our customers buy into a whole lot more than just America’s best soup. We provide flexible yet efficient ways to dish up The Ultimate Customer Experience.
11% of consumers say convenience is most important in products they eat, up from just 7% in 2013, according to The NPD Group.
53% of all eating occasions include a desire to avoid spending the time and energy it takes to cook, according to The Hartman Group.
13% of consumers buy ready-to-eat foods from foodservice, according to The NPD Group, exposing an opportunity for restaurant operators.
79% of consumers over 60 consider a full list of ingredients when making purchase decisions, compared with 65% of adults 18 to 29.
Older consumers may value transparency more, in part, because they can afford to. As younger consumers grow their purchasing power, food transparency may become more important in their decision-making.
29% of consumers over 60 listed healthy ingredients as their top factor compared with only 17% of younger consumers, who say they weigh price more heavily.
Consumers Over 60 value label transparency more than younger consumers (for now).
They want to know where their food comes from and understand the backstory of the brands they buy from, but they also want proof.
Restaurants that go above and beyond to be transparent are well-positioned to capture the interest of and build loyalty with Millennials.
Millennials research information more than any other generation. Brands that dish out surface transparency will be found out and dismissed.
Millennials, aka the “prove it” generation.
This trend-setting generation made of up of adults born between 1981 and 1996, the oldest of which is now nearing 40, the youngest just 22, has high expectations when it comes to their food.
Gender
Seniors
Millennials
Super Sides Will Travel
49% of 18 to 34 year olds are more likely to order food to go than three years ago, according to Technomic. Try these menuing items that hold up for the journey, like these sides:
Creamed Corn with Bacon
Classic creamed corn, made better with bacon.
Sweet corn, butter, smoky uncured bacon and spices.
Dill Pickle Inspired Mac and Cheese
All the comfort of classic mac and cheese with a tangy twist. Elbow pasta, creamy white cheddar sauce, with the taste of tangy dill.
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Limited Time Offers
Millennials and Gen Xers like to be the first of their friends to try an LTO item, according to Technomic research. Try menuing unique, on-trend items for a limited time, such as these singular soups:
Cream of Turkey Soup
Celebrate the feel and flavors of Thanksgiving all month long. Made with diced white turkey meat, wild rice blend, cranberries, cream and a touch of sherry wine.
Lasagna Soup with Turkey Sausage
Make it a December to remember with this comforting classic in soup form. Made with: Turkey sausage, onions and garlic simmered with tomatoes and mini lasagna noodles accented with a blend of cheeses.
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When you’ve earned a customer’s trust, you increase the likelihood they’ll visit, and open the door for long-term loyalty.
Once consumers begin to trust that your food is what you say it is, that your brand promise is authentic, they’ll be more likely to spend more of their dollars at your establishment.
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When you’ve earned a customer’s trust, you increase the likelihood they’ll visit, and open the door for long-term loyalty.