By Lynn O’Neill
Nothing stimulates our craving for a serving of hot soup or a warm bowl of chili quite like the cool to downright freezing temperatures of fall and winter. But the truth is soup is a fantastic meal option any season and at any time of day.
American food writer, M.F.K. Fisher famously once said: “It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without soup or bread in it.” And the good people at Blount Fine Foods fully agree.
THE BLOUNT DIFFERENCE
Born from the rich oyster beds of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay in the 1880s, Blount Fine Foods has had a long and successful history in the foodservice industry. In that time, Blount has defined itself as one of the top privately held, customer driven, leading marketer and manufacturer of prepared foods, and is dedicated to exceeding consumer expectations with premium culinary offerings.
Blount has a large selection of products that add to a customer’s dining experience and enhance a restaurant’s sales and profits – ranging from entrees to side dishes to breakfasts and desserts. However, it’s their supply of premium-quality soups that have led to the partnership between Blount and Jordano’s Foodservice.
In its essence, soup is one of the most economical recipes to create. A combination of kitchen scrapes brought together to create a filling and satisfying meal. But when you add the passion and creativity from the culinary team at Blount, the results are nothing short of exquisite.
Blount’s line of soups are crafted with a blend of innovation and tradition, are easy to prepare, and fresh tasting. Their chefs create a wide variety of inspired recipes beginning with a commitment to creative culinary expertise, the highest standards of quality, and premium ingredients. In addition, the products are produced using advanced technologies to preserve freshness and flavor.
It has become customary for them to create recipes just like you would make at home, only in much bigger pots! As a clean label brand, every ingredient is scrutinized before it’s considered for use. Their philosophy of being a clean-label began from Blount’s inception, they just didn’t have a name for it five generations ago. When sourcing their ingredients, they ask themselves if this is something they would prepare for their own family? If the answer is “no” then it does not go into their products.
The Blount kitchen is a hotbed of ideas. It’s their mission to tune into trends and marketplace demands, and to give free rein to their chefs, nutritionists, regulatory and technical pros to develop the next culinary masterpiece that consumers didn’t even know they wanted!
THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND THE EXTRA MILE
At Blount Fine Foods, their customers and partners buy into a whole lot more than just great tasting soup. They provide flexible, yet efficient, ways to dish up the ultimate customer experience. The end product served is the result of many real people who came together to communicate, follow through and provide solutions for their customers, on time and in the quantity ordered. Each member is valuable to the team; they must each do their job with excellence because other people are depending on them.
Part of that team here in the California market includes Blount Regional Sales Representative, Kara Domann, and KeyImpact Sales Foodservice Broker, Laurie Hidalgo. Laurie has a long-standing relationship with Jordano’s, from sales team to will call – Laurie’s face is well known by the Jordano’s staff, and she is great at identifying customers that should be carrying Blount soups. Kara and Laurie happily join along on as many sales calls as necessary to get the sale to the finish line and make the customer happy. “Using our broker at KeyImpact helps to continue to grow our soup sales – it’s a great partnership for sure!” said Kara.
BLOUNT AND YOUR OPERATION
The great thing about Blount’s premium soups is that they are so easy to prepare! Dining operations can add a high-quality soup with an excellent flavor profile without sacrificing one’s labor force.
Since 2015, studies have shown an increase in soup consumption among young consumers. According to the 2018 Techonomic Soup & Salad Consumer Trend Report, 17% of young people are more likely to order soup as a snack and/or for breakfast. Even more impressive is that 39% of consumers said that they would visit a restaurant specifically because they enjoy the soup that was offered.
The key to this uptick is having soups conveniently available and ready to order. Sandwich shops and delis can increase profit margins by offering a hot-to-go variety of soups to their daily menu plans. Another great way of increasing soup sales is by offering a hot-to-go bar on its own or with a salad bar. Blount and Jordano’s will assist you every step of the way in helping you select the right soup program for your operation.
The versatility of the Blount product line doesn’t stop with simple serving and convenient to-go options. Blount pushes innovation and encourages chefs to incorporate their products into everyday recipes. Get a dose of comfort food ingenuity by combining macaroni & cheese with Blount’s turkey chili and beans (JFS #43531/MFG. #7746) for a hearty take on a classic cuisine.
The culinary team at Blount also suggest using their soup as a base when plating recipes. The variety of vegetable colors and consistency of thebroth can lend itself as a sauce for center of the plate offerings, while enhancing the visual presentation to the meal.
The possibilities are endless and operations can benefit greatly by adding Blount soups to their orders. From the customer care, to the quality of the product, you’ll see why Blount leads the market.
