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December • 2010
April Specials

In This Issue:

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Ice Cream with a Twist

The appeal of truffles


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New Reasons to Season

Powerful and tasty antioxidants


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Healthy Comfort Foods

Healthy options for familiar favorites


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cheese

Don't Overlook Off-Premise Catering Opportunities

Catering represents a $33.3 billion opportunity and industry experts expect it to continue to grow at 4 to 8% yearly.

One growing, and often overlooked, segment of catering is parties at home. This is a great opportunity for almost any restaurant, regardless of menu or physical facility size. In addition, this type of catering is very profitable, introduces you to potential new customers and builds your overall brand.

As a restaurant operator, you can get your share of this extra business by meeting the customers' three main needs for this occasion – value, quality of food and convenient location.

You can provide the value and "WOW Factor" customers want by packing big flavor in smaller portions. Take traditional, simple comfort food items and provide subtle new twists that make them appealing and relevant to the modern palate. Put these together into individual and bite-size portions and you create memorable, yet affordable at-home catering options.

How to spice up comfort foods in a fun, unique presentation? For example…

Chop and cook Sysco Classic Breakfast Sausage, fold into a seasonal risotto and serve on Asian soup spoons or endive leaves.

One great shareable idea is to cut grilled Smoked Sausage into thick slices, thread onto skewers and serve with a signature dipping sauce alongside skewered vegetables.

Make a down-home brunch casserole – eggs, sausage, cheese, & some vegetables for color and flavor – and serve from small cups and saucers instead of the predictable chafing dish.

Many signature menu items can be made into bite-sized treats with a little creativity. For example, a traditional pot roast with mashed potatoes entrée can be reimagined as roasted potato slices, topped with chunks of juicy pot roast. Or take a signature sandwich from your menu – something flavorful like a pressed Cuban, muffaletta, or hot Reuben – and slice into 2-bite finger sandwiches.

Individual and bite-sized desserts are another unique, on-trend way to sell more desserts during the holiday season. For a fun dessert, scoop a decadent Sysco Imperial French Silk Pie into individual martini glasses and offer as part of a meal combo or as a light, affordable dessert. Cake, cheesecake and pie slices can be cut into smaller portions and served together as a sampler dessert platter. Thaw-and-serve individual desserts are a quick and simple way to provide your patrons with a smaller, affordable twist on traditional desserts. One simple solution is the Bistro Collection™ Individual Desserts. They come in 12 different varieties including Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Red Velvet Layer Cake, Tiramisu and even a No Sugar Added Chocolate Cream Pie.

One additional opportunity is with Prebaked Sysco Pies and Cakes To Go. Customers hosting parties at home want their dessert to make a statement. Serving restaurant- quality Sysco desserts gives them the easy prep they require and the presentation and quality they won't find at their local grocery store.

Get your catering menu in shape for the holidays and get your share of this growing opportunity.


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