SUPED-UP SANDWICHES: MAKING PREMIUM PROFITS A DAILY SPECIAL
By Blake Davidson
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Since 1999, the sandwich market has grown 70 per cent to more than $120 billion, representing 25 per cent of all food service sales. In the U.S. alone, the average American eats 200 sandwiches yearly, totalling more than 45 billion sandwiches nationally.
With patrons willing to pay more for sandwiches made with specialty breads, premium meats and bold, unique flavour enhancers, operators can take their sandwich sales to the next level.
The public has become extremely aware of the health benefits of certain foods. Words like organic and antioxidants are now commonplace. Foods like pomegranate, goji berry and varietal green teas are sought after for their health benefits.
The demographics of society have changed dramatically creating a mosaic of culture and race. Along with the influx of immigration has come a plethora of new tastes – Asian, Indian, Latin American, Mexican and South American to name a few.
Innovative manufacturers of sauces, dressings and marinades have been quick to develop numerous alternatives that meet the needs of today’s health conscious consumers and more diverse population. These new offerings can be used to transform typical sandwiches into top moneymakers. Molés, salsas, sambals, hot sauces, chimichurris, vindaloos, pestos, chutneys, gourmet mustards and regional barbecue sauces are but a few options that can transform a normal, blasé sandwich into an exciting, premium priced masterpiece.
For instance, companies like Litehouse have recognized the growing influence of Latin Americans south of the border – this group currently makes up 15 per cent of the U.S. population – and have developed new salad dressings, such as sofrito, sangria and cilantro cream, that can be used as marinades to enhance the taste of proteins or simply as spreads on sandwiches.
A slight twist to a traditional recipe can result in a unique menu offering that becomes a signature dish driving foot traffic through the door and enhancing an operator’s profit margin. For example, take a standard BLT made with white or whole wheat and topped with mayo. This sandwich can be transformed by upgrading any or all of the ingredients. Substitute the regular fare with a sun-dried tomato ciabatta bun, heirloom tomatoes, thickly sliced peppered bacon, local red leaf lettuce, avocado mayo and crema di balsamico – a syrupy reduction of balsamic vinegar and grape juice – to create a bold flavour experience that demands higher price points and a larger contribution margin.
Today, most manufacturers have user-friendly websites that offer recipe ideas (utilizing their products) to help operators meet consumer demand for unique sandwich options. Also, with the advent of instant messaging and social networking sites dedicated to ‘foodies,’ such as Food Connect, recipe ideas and methods of application can be shared freely and easily. These sites also serve as educational and marketing resources, providing information on new ingredients, foreign flavour profiles and consumer demands providing operators the opportunity to tweak recipes to meet or exceed guest expectations.
Blake Davidson is vice-president of business development for International Pacific Sales Ltd. International Pacific Sales is a food service marketer representing 27 brand name companies, including French’s Foodservice, Litehouse Inc., Smucker Foods of Canada Co., Mars Canada Inc. and Original Cakerie Ltd. For more information, contact Blake at 604.273.7035 ext. 315 or blaked@intlpac.com.
CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH WITH CRANBERRIES
3 cups shredded skinless chicken breast
3 tbsp dried cranberries
3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 cup chopped apple (with peel)
1/2 cup Litehouse Honey Mustard dressing
1tsp curry powder
2 cups spring mix lettuce or fresh spinach
8 slices multi-grain bread or 4 whole wheat pita pockets
Toast pine nuts by heating them over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan, stirring often until golden. Set aside.
Whisk together dressing and curry powder until smooth. Set aside.
Mix chicken, cranberries, pine nuts and chopped apple in a medium mixing bowl. Spoon dressing over the chicken apple mixture and toss to blend.
For Pita: Cut pita in half. Fill each half with 1/2 cup chicken mix and 1/4 cup lettuce.
For sandwich: Place about 1/2 cup of lettuce on the bottom slice of each sandwich, then top with 1 cup of chicken mixture per sandwich. Top with bread and cut to serve.
Serves 4.
Recipe courtesy Litehouse.
