News

Bone marrow, server training among US Foods offerings

September 20, 2016

US Foods is taking a pro-active approach to gaining restaurant buy-in for its fall line-up of food service products, not only offering a server training program to clients, but also some pretty on-trend foods, including everything from bone marrow and grass-fed beef, to flavored compound butters and "natural" chips and fries, according to a news release. 

"Product innovation is at the core of our business," said Product Development and Innovation Vice President Stacie Sopinka. "With this Fall Scoop, we continue this tradition with must-order items, like beef marrow bones and pumpkin spice latte ice cream, as well as business solutions that address everything from inventory management and food cost control, to server training."

The entrees in this wave of products revolve around beef and include natural canoe-cut beef marrow bones that are pre-brined and cut, as well as natural grass-fed ribeye and sliders. Other options this fall include yellowfin tuna and shrimp and grits, among others. 

Side items offered this fall include a Parmesan-peppercorn compound butter, which the company said can be used at any cooking stage for entrées and sides. Other side item offerings include fire-grilled artichokes, all-natural chips and fries. 

Dessert offerings are all about those warm, spicy flavors of autumn, including a sweet potato tart, praline-pecan streusel and Devonshire campfire s’more lava cake with toasted marshmallow topping. 

Aside from food offerings, US Foods is taking this as an opportunity to help restaurateurs help their wait staff make more money and provide better customer service. The company’s new Tipping Point program trains servers in sales techniques that drive up check totals, raise tips and build engagement.

The company said in a news release that the program is designed to give independent restaurants — which according to a study released yesterday are struggling in the current economy—  the same type of top-notch, specialized server training that has typically been the exclusive domain of larger chains.