Vol 86 No 5 | Wintertide 2012
Inside this issue:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Chef Steve Corry of Five Fifty- Five in Portland offers his take on "new New England" food at his Congress St. restaurant. (p4)
FOODTRAK: Ed Schoenfeld and Joe Ng bring a significant shift in Chinese/ Asian offerings to New York's West Village at their Red Farm. (p6)
OTHER STORY: 2012–What can the foodservice industry expect? (cover story)
Guest Column: Growing Dairy-Free Market Creates New Opportunities for Dairy-Free Food Producers, Restaurants and Grocers
David Mintz, founder, chairman and CEO of Tofutti Brands, introduce the now famous dairy-free ice cream in 1981 and still seeks to raise the bar for dairy-free foods to provide healthy alternatives for the growing numbers of lactose-intolerant. A former restaurateur, he knew millions of Americans were allergic to dairy products but craved their taste. At the time, dairy-free alternatives had a hard time passing that taste test.
Mintz experimented with tofu and after creating dairy free alternatives to sour cream and cheese dips, after nine years, was able to develop a dairy-free ice cream which he initially test marketed in his own restaurant in 1979. Customers responded positively and he set up a freezer display for the product as demand began to grow.
Demand grew and today, Tofutti's line includes more than 80 dairy-free products sold not only in the US but around the world. Mintz, however, has not slowed down. "If it's dairy," he says from his test kitchen in Cranford, NJ, "I can make it dairy-free."
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Nearly 75 percent of the world's population lacks the enzymes necessary to process lactose, which means lactose intolerance is the new norm, according to the National Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse and the Journal of American Dietetic Association. This finding underscores the need for more dairy-free foods worldwide, which are also favored by health-conscious and allergy-prone individuals concerned about diseases associated with dairy consumption, as well as by vegetarians and vegans.
As restaurants and entertainment centers worldwide increasingly recognize the importance of accommodating this dairy-free market, one New Jersey-based dairy-free food producer is readying to meet their needs: Tofutti, a leading producer of non-dairy food and frozen desert products, produces a wide variety of the nutritious and delicious dairy-free foods currently sold in all 50 states in in 30 countries abroad.
Walt Disney World, one of Tofutti's clients, was one of the first entertainment centers to service the special dietary needs of lactose-intolerant and dairy-free customers in 2005, in both its fast-food and themed restaurants. Today, most theme parks and fast-food chains, including McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Subway, Domino Pizza, Carl's Jr. and others, offer dairy-free alternatives.
A growing number of supermarket chains and independent grocers are also stocking more dairy-free products than ever before, and Tofutti executives believe grocers will soon label select aisles and freezer shelves as "dairy-free" in the same way that many today indicate where customers can purchase "gluten-free" and "kosher" products.
According to United States Department of Health and Human Services, there are currently more than 40 million lactose intolerant men, women and children in the U.S. In addition, there are millions of undocumented cases of dairy intolerance. Findings also show that lactose intolerance tends to increase with age, thereby affecting the fastest growing population.
The National Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse and the Journal of American Dietetic Association define lactose intolerance as "the inability to digest the milk sugar, 'lactose'" due to a "shortage" of lactase enzymes, which three-fourths of the world's population loses after weaning. This causes gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals who lack the adequate lactase enzymes to process lactose—a condition that is now regarded as "normal."
According to the Food Allergy Organization, milk is listed as the first of eight foods that account for 90 percent of all allergic reactions to food, which affect an estimated nine million adults and six million children. In addition, food allergies may be the trigger for other allergic conditions such as atopic dermatitis and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, the organization says.
The medical community agrees that dairy-free and cholesterol-free alternatives may prevent and improve certain medical conditions including asthma, kidney dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease.
According to the Vegetarian Times, which caters to vegetarians across the U.S. (three percent) and Europe (one to six percent), there is "an abundance of scientific research that demonstrates the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet" and "an estimated 70 percent of all diseases—including one-third of all cancers—are related to diet."
Despite the growing demand for dairy-free foods, the number, quality, and variety of products available to this market has remained limited and restricted for far too long. Manufacturers such as Tofutti remain committed to this population and hope, on behalf of dairy-free consumers worldwide, that the company's continued success will foster a healthy competition within the marketplace.
Tofutti Brands Inc. currently services this market with a full line of nutritious dairy-free food options including: Tofutti Ravioli®, filled with their revolutionary new dairy-free Better Than Ricotta Cheese®, their delicious Pizza Pizzaz®, made with dairy-free mozzarella & ricotta cheeses, and the ever-popular Better Than Cream Cheese® in 6 assorted flavors of dairy-free cream cheese spreads, dairy-free Sour Supreme®, a thick, rich sour cream, as well as the ever-popular Mintz's Blintzes® available in a variety of flavorful options. Imagine leaving 40 million Americans out of the cold….cold, delicious taste of ice cream! Tofutti Brands Inc. offers the best- to the rest- of these Americans with their flavor-packed variety of dairy-free ice cream cones, called "Yours Truly" ® which are "made with all our love…for your optimal enjoyment," their classic Tofutti Cuties®, a dairy free mini-sandwich frozen treat in six flavors, distributed worldwide, their "Marry Me" ® dessert bars, a vanilla bar dipped in decadent Belgian chocolate, along with a full and complete assortment of other dairy-free frozen treats.
RECIPE: 555 LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE
For full recipe, please see the current issue's "Food for Thought" section. Download issue now!
PRODUCTS ON PARADE
Authentic breads from Bridor
Bridor's new bread menu, "Les Cartes des Pains," respects artisanal French baking traditions yet ensures a simple product process with only 10 to 15 minutes of baking in all types of ovens at 200 to 220 C. The golden-crusted breads have good texture, are crispy and crusty with light, smooth, airy texture, and have a long shelf life. Make baguettes, country batards, ciabatta, small rolls, and more.
For more information, www.bridor.com.
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