The BRITE Conference , taking place on March 4 & 5 at Columbia University, brings together 400-500 leaders from business, technology, media, and marketing to discuss how technology and innovation are transforming the ways that companies build and sustain great brands.
S’MAC: MAC AND CHEESE MADE-TO-ORDER ENTERPRISE
February 28, 2013 by 1 Comment
157 E 33rd St. Between Lexington and 3 Avenues (Murray Hill) • 212.683.3900
S’MAC
Their Success…Multiple combinations drive repeat business at a single-product enterprise. This single-product, multi-unit enterprise has managed to take a simple childhood classic of mac and cheese and turn it into a thriving business.
S’MAC offers 12 different pre-selected combinations of macaroni and cheese, plus a sampler mac and cheese skillet of 8 combinations. Guests can also build their own creation, choosing from 15 cheeses and 22 mix-ins. The diverse menu items include Masala, with a tomato-based cheese sauce and Indian spices, Alpine with Gruyère and slab bacon, and Parisienne, with Brie, shiitake mushrooms, rosemary, and roasted figs. S’MAC is conscious of the varying health concerns of guests with offerings of gluten-free pasta, whole-wheat pasta, or reduced lactose sauce upon request.
S’MAC certainly draws tourists looking for a one-time experience, but the sustainability of their concept stems from their ability to become a part of their guests’ regular lunch, dinner, or late-night routines – to create a menu to which neighborhood residents and those who work near their stores will want to return time after time.
What We Learned…Single-product doesn’t have to mean single-flavor. Running a single-product enterprise can be a great way to create buzz and interest, as well as make your kitchen production and internal operations seamless for replication while offering a fun, engaging guest experience.
Take Aways…When developing a single-product enterprise, think about your target market and the target location. Innovate and expand upon your product so that it can become a part of that market’s day-to-day routine, giving you a core of regular guests.
Whole Foods Markets Makes #19 on Fortune’s Most Admired Companies List
February 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Whole Foods Market ranks No. 19 on FORTUNE magazine’s 2013 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list. The only grocer on the list, the company is also named as the Most Admired Company in the food and drug store industry, leading the top ten list of retailers in the category.
“The health-food pioneer continues to rack up record sales, and has plans to nearly triple U.S. its store count,” reported the magazine, noting that Whole Foods Market “earns high marks from customers (and analysts) for quality that keeps its patrons loyal…”
Whole Foods Market is ranked in the top ten for innovation, social responsibility, employee retention and product quality. The only company from Austin to make the list, Whole Foods Market is one of three Texas-based companies included in the top 50 this year.
The list and related stories appear in the March 18 issue of FORTUNE.
To complete the survey, Fortune’s survey partner, Hay Group started with approximately 1,400 companies: the Fortune 1,000 — the 1,000 largest U.S. companies ranked by revenue and non-U.S. companies in Fortune’s global 500 database with revenue of $10 billion or more. Hay then selected the 15 largest for each international industry and the 10 largest for each U.S. industry, surveying a total of 687 companies from 30 countries. To create the 57 industry lists, Hay asked executives, directors, and analysts to rate companies in their industry on nine criteria, from investment value to social responsibility. A company’s score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be listed.
To arrive at the top 50 Most Admired Companies overall, the Hay Group asked the 3,800 respondents to select the 10 companies they admired most, from a list made up of the companies that ranked in the top 25% in last year’s survey, plus those that finished in the top 20% of their industry. Anyone could vote for any company in any industry, which is why some results may seem anomalous.
Noshlist Launches Mobile Waitlist App: Allows for Multiple Devices
February 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
What the Minimum Wage Increase Could Mean for Foodservice
February 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Nation’s Restaurant News reports on several restaurant brands’ response to a possible federal minimum wage price hike.Though there has been little discussion, industry insiders say the proposal will “likely cause labor pains for foodservice companies if it becomes law.”
Sugary Beverage Regulations for Food Service Establishments, With Fines
February 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The New York Hospitality Alliance sent out an alert this morning with more information regarding the Mayor’s Soda Ban.
Quick Facts about the Regulation
- Takes effect on March 12th, 2013.
- Failure to comply can result in a notice of violation and a $200 fine. Only one violation will be cited at each inspection.
- Violations of this rule are not scored when determining a restaurant’s letter grade.
- Health Department will not seek fines for violations until June 12, 2013.
Members of The Alliance may contact them with questions, comments or to seek additional clarification on these rules.
Leske’s Bakery Opens in Park Slope
February 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Leske’s, a Scandinavian bakery with solid Brooklyn history, has opened in Park Slope. Serious Eats takes a first look at their expanded offerings.
Soda Ban Takes Effect March 12: End of 16 ounce Drinks
February 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Mayor Bloomberg’s soda ban takes effect in three weeks. After March 12, any food establishment that has a letter grade will have to comply with the new rule, which prohibits the sale of sweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces. (Diet Sodas and Smoothies are excluded)
The NY Post highlights some of the changes:
· No more 2-liter sweetened sodas with deliveries
· No more pitchers of sweetened soda at pizza parties
· No more pitchers of sweetened soda (or juice) with bottle service at clubs
· No more pitchers of sweetened soda at bowling alleys
· No more pitchers or 20 oz glasses of sweetened soda
Hudson River Park Restaurant and Beer Garden Request for Proposals
February 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Hudson River Park Trust is currently seeking proposals from operators for the development of a 6,000 sq ft space overlooking the river at 22nd Street, on Pier 62. Applications are due April 1.
City’s First Natural-Gas Food Truck Now Serving Pizza Near You
February 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Dnainfo.com reports Neapolitan Express, New York’s first food truck fully powered by natural gas, was in City Hall Park yesterday to give Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Texas energy mogul T. Boone Pickens a taste of the freshly made pies.
“Every slice comes with a breath of fresh air,” Bloomberg said before biting into a margherita slice.
paigepapers.com 