Make your menu pop with COLORFUL, FRESH BERRIES.
Invested in the industry. Tuned-in to trends. Committed to quality.
Retail, foodservice, corporate, and restaurant chefs are invited to demonstrate their skills and compete in the 4th Annual California Giant Chef Invitational for the title of California Giant Berry Farms Top Chef!
Chefs are asked to submit a delicious main dish that creatively features fresh berries as a star ingredient. A panel of judges will narrow down the submissions received to a group of Semifinalist Chefs (round 1). The winners of this will advance into the Top Chef Finalists (round 2) showdown on California’s Central Coast!
Recipe submissions must be submitted to California Giant in the online portal by June 24, 2022.
Retail, foodservice, corporate, and restaurant chefs are invited to demonstrate their skills and compete in the 4th Annual California Giant Chef Invitational for the title of California Giant Berry Farms Top Chef!
Chefs are asked to submit a delicious main dish that creatively features fresh berries as a star ingredient. A panel of judges will narrow down the submissions received to a group of Semifinalist Chefs (round 1). The winners of this will advance into the Top Chef Finalists (round 2) showdown on California’s Central Coast!
Recipe submissions must be submitted to California Giant in the online portal by June 24, 2022.
Booze-free Beverages are Booming
One of the biggest food and beverage trends of the past year is alcohol-free beverages, with sober curious consumers driving demand for sophisticated soft drinks. This category is expected to continue its massive growth in the new year, with Baum + Whiteman, The Takeout, Whole Foods Market and the Specialty Food Association all including booze-free beverages in their 2022 trend predictions.
Several chefs surveyed by Food & Wine mentioned the growing popularity of zero-proof cocktails with flavor profiles that can hold their own against drinks made with liquor. “These new drinks are no longer simply a mix of fruit juices but feature an elevated eye appeal with fresh, seasonal ingredients,” said Fernando Soberanis, executive chef of Laurel Brasserie & Bar in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Looking to grow your non-alcoholic beverage menu? Try this Sparkling Coconut Water Raspberry Lemon-Verbena Mocktail!
What’s Trending on K-12 Breakfast Menus
Certain trends gain steam with students depending on their grade level. Younger students, for example, are drawn to items such as breakfast pizza and flatbread, while students in middle and high schools gravitate towards bowls, both sweet and savory.
What Consumers Want for Breakfast
A bit of a kick: 31% of consumers say they would like eateries to offer spicier ingredients and flavors at breakfast.
Convenience remains key: 42% of consumers age 18–34 say they would likely take advantage of breakfast delivery if they had the option.
Changes ahead: While 38% of overall consumers say their consumption of breakfast won’t change post-pandemic according to Technomic, 28% of consumers age 18-34 say they will choose different types of breakfast items when COVID-19 is in the past.
Total restaurant sales are up 41% year over year: The “post-vaccination” rebound for the restaurant industry has so far fueled restaurant growth. Restaurant sales as measured by gross merchandise volume (GMV) on the Toast platform on a same-store basis increased 41% from 2021 compared to 2020.
Dining out is back: Diners are once again enjoying their favorite meals at restaurants. On average, on-premise dining sales rebounded from the beginning of the pandemic and increased 70% in Q4 2021 from Q4 2020 and grew 55% in the full year of 2021 compared to 2020.
Takeout and delivery are here to stay: The convenience of ordering out is not going anywhere – takeout and delivery sales increased 59% from Q4 2019 to Q4 2021 and remain elevated.
Full-service restaurants (FSR) outperform: Diners are ready to enjoy the full restaurant experience again. Full-service restaurants (FSR) total sales grew 55% from Q4 2021 versus Q4 2020, while quick service restaurants (QSR) grew 30% over the same period.
Source: Toast Restaurant Trends Report
Restaurant App Downloads are on the Rise
App downloads remain strong. Nearly 6 out of 10 consumers downloaded at least one new restaurant app in the last three months.
Top reasons consumers download restaurant apps in 2022: fast and easy to order food (52%), earn and track loyalty points (49%), exclusive deals or coupons (48%), to bypass a long line (47%), ease of payment (42%).
Nearly half of consumers will delete an app if their order is cold upon arrival. For the first time, consumers ranked cold food upon arrival (48%) as their top reason they would delete a restaurant mobile app overtaking missing menu items (45%).
Restaurant apps continue to reign supreme over third party apps. The majority (57%) use all or mostly all restaurant apps over third-party apps.
Source: State of What Feeds Us and Produce Blue Book
Robots and Digital Dining
Throughout 2021 due to staffing shortages and an interest in decreasing in-person human interaction, food delivery services and restaurants turned to robots as AIs became baristas and servers. It seems like both the staffing shortage and our aversion to being face-to-face are continuing into 2022 and technology is only getting more and more advanced.
Technology Solutions for Pickup and Delivery
Technology-enabled pickup solutions
With increased mobile and pickup orders, foodservice establishments have turned to technology to keep lines short. Starbucks launched a new pickup order board for its new pickup store in New York City to eliminate congestion and confusion when a long line of customers come in to grab their pre-ordered coffees. Taco Bell also launched pickup cubbies for its new flagship store in New York City. More cubbies and pickup order boards are predicted, but with temperature controls to keep food fresh.
Quality control technology for off-premises food
On the note of keeping food fresh, with complaints growing over soggy food, cold meals and foods of variant temperatures being placed near each other, expect packaging technology to be prioritized to keep the growing percentage of restaurant delivery customers satisfied and not dealing with cold, mushy french fries.
CULINARY CALENDAR
Unleash your culinary creativity with the versatility of fresh berries.
There are plenty of reasons to celebrate!
CHEF’S CORNER
Chef Sam Blackburn
Sodexo
2020 Chef Invitational Winner
As the snow starts to melt (depending on where you live), springtime is the perfect time to incorporate berries into your menu. When I think of spring, my mind immediately turns to creative applications of berries (like pickling) in dishes with fresh seafood that can provide a much-needed break from heartier, fall/winter-focused dishes, and ease any menu fatigue diners may be experiencing. Pickled berries are easy to make, store well for days, and add tang and excitement to the plate. In this Seared Seabass with Arugula Salad recipe, I’ve seared a seabass filet and placed it on top of an arugula salad chock full of pickled strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, and tossed it all in a delicious lemon ginger vinaigrette.
Chef Luis Reyes, CEC
Sysco
2018 Chef Invitational Winner
Now that spring is upon us; let’s think berries to dress it up! Incorporating berries into salads is very popular on spring menus across the country. One way to elevate your salad menu is by incorporating berries not only as a fresh ingredient, but also as part of the dressing. These dressings are simple to prepare and packed with flavors. For example, using a creamy Italian dressing as a base, you can elevate a salad with three different dressings. Simply blend the ingredients in a bar blender and season with salt and pepper to taste. Be creative, use the berries in combination with other vegetables to change the flavors and complexity of your dressings and sauce – enjoy!
3 Ways to Berry Vinaigrette:
- Blackberry-Cucumber Vinaigrette: 1 cup Italian Dressing, 1 cup fresh black berries, ½ cup chopped seedless cucumber
- Spiced Strawberry and Raspberry Dressing: 1 cup Italian Dressing, ½ cup Fresh Strawberries, ½ cup Raspberries, ½ red chile (more or less depending on heat level desired).
- Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette: 1 cup Italian Dressing, I cup Fresh Blueberries, 2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
Chef Travis Peters
Chef/Owner, The Parish Gastropub
& The Delta
2019 Chef Invitational Winner
2022 started with an exciting bang! I opened my newest concept, The Delta, on January 1 and we have been incorporating house preserved and pickled berries since day one in both our culinary and cocktail programs. We have blueberry pickled onions all over the menu; the sweetness and intense color help create an amazing flavor combination with the red onion. We also invented a fun dessert that is both sweet and tangy called Pickleberry Pie, which incorporates sweet-pickled blackberries and blueberries topped with a tarragon and goat cheese whipped cream. The combination is a rich, sweet, and tangy flavor explosion that our guests love!
Spring is an exciting time for fresh berries. California Giant Berry Farms berries are versatile and can be used for savory and sweet recipes. We plan to continue incorporating different preservation methods such as pickles and jams, but also fresh preparations for our spring cocktail and culinary menus.
Berry Storage and Handling Best Practices
Unload all berries immediately into a cold room, roughly 32°F. Never allow a shipment to sit outside of a cold atmosphere.
Check for maturity, ripeness level, quantity, packaging, size, count, weight, and grade. Report any discrepancies immediately.
Store unwashed, in clamshells away from sources of moisture; moisture will cause rapid breakdown of the berry.
Don’t wash berries until ready to serve and use a gentle spray of cool water.
Don’t remove green caps from strawberries until after rinsing. This helps to retain flavor inside the berries.
PACK SIZES THAT FIT YOUR NEEDS
Strawberries
1 lb. • 2 lb. • 3 lb. • 4 lb.
Blueberries
6 oz. • Pint • 18 oz. • 24 oz. • 2 lb.
Raspberries
6 oz. • 12 oz.
Blackberries
6 oz. • 12 oz.
Sustainable packs available:
Ask your sales representative about our sustainable offerings
