Compare the media reported trend of consumers buying frozen to save money with what’s happening in foodservice and you might be surprised; at least if you look at the frozen rice category! Mark Lyddy, Tilda's Head of Foodservice says, "The foodservice market that buys into frozen rice does so because of its convenience, not its price. It is after all bought at a premium compared to dry rice yet we have been seeing growth in this area."
Mark continues, "In these times of recession, the large casual dining and pub restaurant groups are aggressively targeting the consumer on the high street with meal deals to generate additional sales and maintain their market position. Many of their menus include dishes which are easy to prepare, such as chilli and curry, and the benefits they reap by buying frozen rice are many; low skill required in the kitchen, ease and speed of preparation, consistent delivery of quality, portion control and no / low wastage."
Tilda's range of frozen rice is extensive and covers a wide variety of cuisines; plain Basmati, Spicy Cajun Basmati, Piri Piri Basmati, Basmati Pilau or Basmati & Wild, to mention just a few, and they are easily cooked in a microwave or in a steamer. Tilda continues to offer the same great quality at a beneficial cost to the operator as all of these varieties are made using the best quality added value ingredients and have been developed in partnership with chefs.
At the other end of the scale...
On the other hand, there are those pubs whose food offerings are worthy of a place in any five star restaurant; the award winning, 15th century Bell at Horndon-on-the-Hill is one of them. Stuart Fay, head chef, serves an average of 700 covers a week, with 70% of total sales coming from food!
The Bell's modern, European menu changes regularly and Stuart looks for suppliers that offer him quality and consistency, making the most of produce sourced both locally and nationally. Stuart uses Tilda as his rice brand because of the versatility of the range. For instance, he has always used Tilda's Basmati & Wild Rice to serve with seafood dishes but has more recently added Tilda's Pure Basmati, Brown Basmati, Arborio and Thai Jasmine to develop some more, exciting dishes. He says: "I love to use rice in other dishes, beyond curry. It is a great alternative to potatoes and can add different textures and flavours to my menu." Among dishes that have been a big hit with Stuart's customers are Brown Basmati rice with pecans in a Savoy cabbage parcel on creamed butternut squash, wild mushroom arancini, paupiette of sea bass stuffed with a korma flavoured Basmati and Basmati 'scotch' eggs. He also has created a mango Basmati tart and a crème brûlée made with Tilda Thai jasmine rice to offer customers some exciting dessert options too.
So, there is a big opportunity for all pubs to maximise profitability on menus using rice and Tilda, the number-one rice brand in foodservice, has the range to help, no matter what size of pub, kitchen skill level or style of menu.
Stuart adds, "If you are looking for quality then I would definitely recommend Tilda. It is an excellent product that offers great consistency and confidence. I used to just use rice as a garnish, as opposed to utilising it in main dishes, but there are lots of great ways to use it across the entire menu."
Variety is the rice of life!
Either way, Tilda knows that the consumer understands the difference between Basmati and Long Grain as the rising dominance of Basmati, known as ‘The Prince of Rice,’ continues in the retail market. Mark adds, "Basmati commands a premium price on menus because consumers are aware of its superior quality and taste. By offering rice such as Basmati as an optional side option with a main meal, you can increase sales, which means greater profits. Think of it like this, if you sell 25 side portions of rice a day, with one portion returning a GP of £1.20, you could return a profit, after 365 days, of £10,950, and you can increase this further by offering speciality gourmet rice such as Basmati & Wild." |
