FSR August 2023

SPONSORED BY BEL BRANDS USA

Are there other versatile Bel Brands SKUs that unlock innovation? BAER: “Merkts Cheese Spread is another great example of this. It is amazing on a smashburger, or any type of burger. But you can also whip it up, aerate it, squeeze it out, and use it as part of a queso dip. “Price*s Pimiento is no different: you can use it on a sandwich on the lunch or dinner menu, or put it on an egg-and-cheese biscuit on the break fast menu. All of these spreadable ingredients work across different day parts and menus and help chefs inno vate and become more profitable.” Which other spreadable-cheese trends are worth noting? BAER: “Plant-based items are such a big thing right now. That’s not just true of cheese, but the industry as a whole is being pushed toward more sustainable, plant-based products. Boursin Dairy-Free has found a lot of success for this reason. “Chefs really like the fact that Bour sin Dairy Free has that great taste and mouthfeel, and it also has a lot of the same versatility that you find with other cheeses from Bel Brands USA. It’s a great way to appeal to all differ ent types of diners—not just those looking for dairy-free options—and again, you can find a lot of innovative uses with it.” Any final thoughts on how Bel Brands USA can help chefs innovate? BAER: “We have a lot of fun as a com pany. We’re bringing in the right peo ple and there’s really no limit to what we can accomplish here. I think chefs feel that—we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take the indus try very seriously and we’re here to be resources to restaurant operators who are looking for the best ways to tackle menu development despite ongoing challenges.” ❖ For more information, visit belbrandsfoodservice.com.

The Versatile Portfolio Sparking Culinary Creativity Q&A: R&D expert discusses innovating in the face of headwinds. What are some innovation trends you’re seeing?

BAER: “One of the things that makes this industry so special is that chefs almost seem to be at their best when things are stacked against them. Right now, the challenging part is: ‘How do we innovate with what we have or by just adding one or two SKUs?’ Once a chef has that part fig ured out, they can rely on a solid base to go multiple directions. “Obviously, this requires versa tile ingredients. For example, Bour sin Garlic and Fine Herbs—it’s some thing you can use in a sauce, a pasta, on top of a burger. You can spread it on bread, on sandwiches, or put it in grits. It’s ingredients like that that open up this world of innovation.

PANTRIES HAVE SHRUNK, but con sumers expect exciting dishes when they go out to eat: This is the para dox chefs live with every day. Infla tion requires careful considerations in the research and development phase that were not as necessary prior to the pandemic. FSR sat down with an innovation expert, Jack Baer, product develop ment manager OOH with Bel Brands USA, to discover some of the ways that chefs are tackling ongoing chal lenges in order to remain innovative.

BEL BRANDS USA

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FSRMAGAZINE.COM

AUGUST 2023