Formulating for Foodservice

[Foodservice] Vol. 20 No. 2 February 2010 ww Formulating for Foodservice

By Charlie Baggs, Contributing Editor

The market for manufacturing products for foodservice is dynamic and full of opportunities. A product- development team has many areas to focus upon, including flavor building, nutritional management, cost and operational limitations. And although each foodservice client will pose unique challenges, with a dedicated and targeted approach to product development, the process can be very efficient.

Initial steps

Regardless of whether a food will be cooked in a A Formulating for Foodservice Case Study: manufacturing facility or in the back of the house, Strongbow Solutions formulators need to start with a gold standard that should Strongbow Inn, Valparaiso, IN, has many great menu be mirrored in the finished product. This might be a items, but the restaurant is best known for its turkey current menu item that the operator wants to streamline dishes. When Strongbow put in new ovens to cook their preparation for, or it might require the development of a turkeys more efficiently, the chef, Dave Hemdel, found completely new concept to pique interest. But for any that the turkey drippings produced in these new ovens product, it is critical that the product-development team didn’t match the flavor profile and appearance of the understands both the manufacturing and operator drippings that were coming out of the old ovens. He capabilities. With this knowledge, you can design a contacted us to see if we had a turkey base that he could product that delivers on flavor and key culinary touch use in place of the pan drippings. We sent a couple of points, as well as one that synergizes with what the our core turkey-base products for him to try. After trying operator can accomplish in the back of the house. them, he decided they didn’t have the flavor and appearance that he needed―a base that was more of a We typically begin by conducting a tasting at the client’s turkey consommé rather than a stock or broth. The restaurant. This helps us evaluate many key jumping-off original turkey drippings were clear, with an intense roasted-turkey flavor, while the base we had sent was points for R&D. If we are working on an appetizer for an cloudy. He sent us samples of the original turkey dripping operator, we will taste and dissect each appetizer liquid, as well as samples of the restaurant’s famous currently on their menu. We will look for how well the Strongbow turkey noodle soup that greatly relied on the product delivers on the intended flavor, size or value, drippings’ flavor. color, flavor, authenticity, and presentation. It took several weeks and sample trials to formulate a As we develop products for any market, including base that would work for Hemdel, but in the end I was foodservice, we have to determine any and all able to formulate a product that would work. The opportunities to affect specific areas where we can add accepted base—used exclusively by Strongbow for its to or enhance the product. Product developers have a soup—was centered on a reaction flavor manufactured to wide range of ways to differentiate a product, such as mimic the clear turkey drippings in a highly concentrated stock. It had a very intense roasted turkey flavor with through flavor or via a cooking process, or perhaps a delicate mirepoix undertones. combination of both. Cooking techniques like caramelizing, braising, marinating, smoking and battering —Peter Hargarten, Director of Research and in a finished product that’s ready for back-of-the-house Development, Integrative Flavors speed-scratch preparation can save restaurants a great deal of time and money—and deliver a consistent product every time. Every aspect of the product needs to be taken into consideration. For instance, if a product is marinated, you will have to consider how it will affect the ultimate color of cooked product. If there are any www.foodproductdesign.com Page 1

[Foodservice] Vol. 20 No. 2 February 2010 sugars in the pump, then the product will get darker as it cooks from the carbohydrates caramelizing or the sugars and protein participating in Maillard browning.

Sometimes a manufacturer will work with a foodservice client to determine the best way to execute a cooking technique at the operator level. In those cases, the goal is to set up the best operational procedures to execute consistent cooking every time. Developing a familiarity with the operator’s back-of-the-house capabilities is of utmost importance.

Many foodservice products—particularly at the chain level—are value-added, and the finishing touches are applied at the operator level, such as distributing a heat-and-eat center-of-the-plate protein, its sauce and garnish separately, and then retherming and assembling them just prior to service. These speed-scratch items may be easier for operators to deliver consistently and save preparation time, but will tend to cost a bit more. So the food cost may be higher with a speed-scratch product. However, the labor cost in the back of the house will be lower, perhaps balancing the equation.

A matter of taste

The ultimate flavor of a product will directly affect its quality, and its perception and cravability—attributes that will help get consumers back in the door. When developing the gold standard—and later, matching it— determining the right acidity, saltiness, flavor and texture, color, and sweetness are all important and require balance.

A food’s acidity can brighten up the taste experience. Several acidic ingredients are useful in recipes, including lemon juice, lime juice and various vinegars, like rice-wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, apple-cider vinegar and malt vinegar. The idea is to allow the flavor to come through in a recipe while highlighting the balance of taste to stimulate the palate.

Sweet ingredients, like granulated or caramelized sugar, agave nectar, honey, apple- or pear-juice concentrate, and molasses, to name a few, will help control the impact of bitter taste and maximize flavor.

Texture comes into play in a formulation in various ways. The food can be homogenous, such as when blended, or texture can be altered via a garnish. A distinctively chewy texture is great in a muffin, for example.

Finally, salt is necessary in most every application—whether sweet or savory. Salt often works with all other ingredients to maximize the combined flavors.

A healthy perspective

When developing a product for foodservice, it’s vital to consider any and all on-trend nutritional guidelines for trans fats, saturated fats, sodium and calories. These areas are currently under the watchful eye of the consumer.

In an increasing number of municipalities and states, use of hydrogenated trans fats is limited or banned. Generally, any new foodservice R&D projects should not use any trans fats.

The type of frying oil can also affect the flavor of product—whether via the actual flavor of the oil or in a negative fashion via off flavors that may develop as the oil loses its stability over time. For both frying and sautéing, I like to use low-linolenic (high-stability) soybean oil or high-oleic/low-linolenic (high-stability) canola www.foodproductdesign.com Page 2

[Foodservice] Vol. 20 No. 2 February 2010 oil, or a blend of these oils. These nonhydrogenated oils have a neutral flavor and are quite versatile, with no trans fats.

We have to develop products to meet each client’s nutritional parameters and labeling requirements. Having the precise balance of ingredients in the formula is challenging and takes a keen effort. Computer software helps us every step of the way to assure we meet the project’s nutritional requirements.

Some foodservice accounts are specific about the types of ingredients used to develop products—particularly these days as foodservice labeling continues to come under scrutiny. Therefore, it’s vital to make sure you know the requirements or any limitations you may have when working with an operator. Keeping the label clean—not using artificial preservatives, additives and/or flavors, etc.—will keep you in the clear for most accounts.

Controlling cost

Foodservice product development needs to be regimented. However, allowing chefs to be innovative is how great new products come to light. In order to really succeed, a foodservice manufacturer must also understand the proper way to develop a positive and beneficial relationship with vendors or purveyors, maximizing the use of each ingredient and finished product that comes through the door, minimizing the need for on-site ingredient and product storage, and so on. One valuable way to formulate new foodservice products for a particular operator or chain is by utilizing the current pantry list—discovering how ingredients and products commonly used by the operator can come into play in new menu items.

We always estimate the food cost initially when creating a product specific to a foodservice account. To remain within budget, sometimes the portion size will need to be adjusted, and at other times we will select less- expensive ingredients. However, our focus is always heavily weighted on the ultimate flavor and integrity of the product.

Calculating the food cost also includes taking into account the projected menu price to get a food-cost percentage. This is valuable for the operator to help solidify potential margins.

Operational challenges

At times, restaurants pose operational limitations. For example, some restaurant concepts don’t have stoves in the back of the house or on the line. In such cases, something like sauces would generally need to be brought in as a manufactured product, and then rethermed via microwave before service. You want the sauce to have a “fresh” flavor, served at the proper temperature and perfectly complementing the product it was designed for. This can be accomplished with a creative use of natural flavors, minimally processed ingredients and/or textural components. For instance, herb particulates and easily identifiable pieces of vegetables in a sauce for pasta will come across as fresher than one that appears homogenous.

Or perhaps the fry station is already at maximum capacity. In such cases, if you want to introduce a fried item, it may have to be cooked in the oven or microwave—but it would need a specially formulated coating that mimics the textural and flavor attributes achieved in the fryer.

Also, some restaurant kitchens don’t have any knives. In such scenarios, everything needs to be pre-sliced or chopped to size. This seemingly small amount of processing can affect freshness of some ingredients, like www.foodproductdesign.com Page 3

[Foodservice] Vol. 20 No. 2 February 2010 onions, carrots, garlic and herbs, affecting their texture and flavor over time. Using modified-atmosphere packaging can also help cut herbs and vegetables retain their freshness.

Foodservice items that will be kept warm until service, such as under heat lamps or in steam tables, will need tolerance built into the product. Sauces cannot break and may require stabilizers, and breaded items need to maintain their coating. Soups that will be kept warm for hours also require stability so that degradation doesn’t occur during holding. Evaporation can also affect the quality and flavor of a held soup. Manufacturing soups and sauces in pouches sized to meet the turnover needs of the operator can help prevent waste.

It is helpful to know as much as possible about the menu—what sells and why, what does not sell and why, and the margins on menu items. Are there trends in the menu mix that represent a favored section of the menu? The menu mix can also show you where there are poorly performing items on the menu, and possibly an area that could be developed with better, on-target products.

Designing and formulating products for foodservice is challenging. The many challenges can be approached with specialized attention to details: streamlining products for each operation’s back-of-the-house system, staying within budget, and delivering the best quality possible. The goal is for the consumer to come back for more. Manufacturers need to focus design efforts on quality products with memorable, craveable flavor.

Charlie Baggs is president and executive chef of Charlie Baggs, Inc., Chicago, a company specializing in product and flavor development, as well as marketing support. He is a member of the Research Chefs Association.