The New DoughXpress Bread Slicers
Leave a CommentThe New DoughXpress Bread Slicers
– October 2009
Discuss this article on the community forums…
Here at DoughXpress it is our goal to make your kitchen more productive and cost efficient. That is why we are once again expanding our Commercial Food Equipment line.
We would like to introduce BakeryXpress to our current online product catalogs. With this new line comes the addition of Bread Slicers to our expanding product line.
The DXSM-270 and DXSM-270C slicers are easy to use and will slice a multitude of products including French Bread, Bagels, Hamburger Buns, Hoagies, Biscuits, and Bread Sticks to name a few. It can completely slice or hinge as quickly as the product can be feed into the chute.
These units feature the following capabilities; ability to cut product up to 6″ wide by 3″ thick, variable width cutting, ease of use with repeatable accuracy, and tool less chute removal for safe, easy access cleaning.
The DXSM-270 & 270C are ideal for use in Supermarkets, Bakeries, Schools, Delis, Sub Shops, Hospitals, Restaurants, Bagel Shops, Caterers and much more.
Please visit BakeryXpress for additional information on our Bakery line of products.
http://www.doughxpress.com/insiderxpress/article/the_new_doughxpress_bread_slicers
CiCi’s Pizza Introduces Rustic Pizza to Menu
via doughXpress forums: COPPELL, Texas, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ — CiCi’s Pizza announces that they have introduced The Rustic Pizza, a thin, rectangular, flat-bread crust, topped with fresh rustic tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and savory Syracuse style sausage. This new pie is cut into squares for serving and topped with CiCi’s signature Parmesan Oregano shake. Having tested in several markets with resounding positive feedback from guests, and notably women, the new Rustic pizza joins 17 different signature pizzas on CiCi’s buffet line – all for five bucks and change. The addition of The Rustic on CiCi’s endless buffet deepens the variety of guests’ choices in high-quality ingredients and fresh flavors. CiCi’s will be working with radio stations across the country to introduce the new product nationally.
“If the Rustic was anymore Italian, we would have called it “Tony” with its rich flavor and traditional Italian toppings,” said Kyle Smith, V.P. of Operations. “This addition is about giving guests unique, craveable flavor, available exclusively at CiCi’s all for an unbelievable price. We are excited to expand the buffet variety which already features 17 different pizza choices, pasta, salad and desserts – or simply create your own pizza of choice.”
Pizza lovers not only can enjoy The Rustic while dining in-store, but they can also take a piece of Italy home. So add The Rustic to your To-Go order today!
Founded in 1985, CiCi’s Pizza is a family-oriented restaurant serving guests fresh pizza, pasta, salad and dessert, all you want for about five bucks and change. CiCi’s mission then and now is to exceed each guest’s expectation in food, service and cleanliness at an affordable price. Since opening its first restaurant in Plano, Texas, CiCi’s has grown to almost 650 restaurants in 32 states. In 2006, CiCi’s introduced the carry-out only To-Go restaurants with 13 operating in Texas, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma and California.
Industry professionals have taken notice of CiCi’s Pizza’s continuous growth and success. In 2009, Restaurants & Institutions Consumers’ Choice in Chains recognized CiCi’s Pizza as a top pizza chain in America. Nation’s Restaurant News has ranked CiCi’s number one for sales and unit growth in the pizza chain category for the past three years. In its recent 2009 ranking, Entrepreneur magazine’s Annual Franchise Top 500 issue, ranked CiCi’s Pizza as number one in the Italian restaurant industry category an honor the company also received in 2007. Men’s Health recently included CiCi’s Pizza in it’s list of America’s Healthiest Restaurants. StartupJournal.com, The Wall Street Journal’s guide for entrepreneurs, ranked CiCi’s as one of the top 25 highest-performing brands in the nation and Franchise Today placed the company in the top 200 of all franchise concepts. Other honors include “Best in Value” award among national pizza chains in Restaurants and Institutions. For more information visit www.cicispizza.com.
The DoughXpress Forums – The Industries Community
Don’t forget to join us on the DoughXpress Forums – The Industries Community… http://forums.doughxpress.com
You Get What You Pay For, The Exception To The Rule
Discuss this article on the community forums…
Don’t Let Our Competitors Break You, doughXpress The Exception To The Rule
"You get what you pay for", definitely the statement made by the guy with the biggest price tag. Not always the case – Doughxpress has made it our goal to provide a quality product at an economical price as well as being the number one choice in customer care.
Doughxpress carries a product line of Pizza, Tortilla, and Meat Presses to fit any customer’s needs both big and small. With a network of Product Representatives nationwide, I am sure we can accommodate any of your "pressing" needs.
Please take a few minutes and browse our product line and find a representative in your area. Questions, suggestions, or comments, please take advantage of our online forum. Our customers are our #1 priority, and we will continue to keep the customer needs foremost in our minds. We look forward to hearing from you…
Minimum-Wage Increase Hits Restaurant Chains on Friday
Minimum-Wage Increase Hits Restaurant Chains on Friday
The new federal minimum wage takes effect on Friday, July 24. The restaurant industry’s lowest paid workers–except those who are tipped–will receive $7.25 an hour, a rate 11 percent higher than the current $6.55. This is the third increase since 2007 and the last mandated by the Fair Labor Standards Act passed that year.
The increase is a done deal, but the arguments continue. Here is a look back at some discussions and solutions for minimum-wage issues.
Restaurant, Consumer Survey Predicts Doom for Many Chains
A new study by the global business-advisory firm AlixPartners LLP shows that, given the current economy plus current conditions-including federally mandated pay increases-up to 40 percent of America’s restaurant chains could face severe crises within the next 12 months.
Teamsters Protest Against National Restaurant Association
Teamsters rallied outside National Restaurant Association to support U.S. Foodservice workers; workers, labor leaders tell U.S. Foodservice and NRA to stop anti-worker lobbying.
Do You Want Living Wages with That?
Given the financial crisis, it seems odd that someone would argue against the "living wage" issue, at least in print. Sure, most businesses opposed raising the bottom-most wage during the last round of Congressionally mandated increases. But that was then.
New Parameters for Payday
Wage and hiring trends remain a subject of abiding concern among restaurant executives, who are adjusting their companies’ compensation practices to absorb the impact of the slowdown.
Invest in Recruiting and Retaining General Managers
One of the most important and profitable steps any restaurant should take to maximize performance is effective labor management. No matter the size of the chain or how fast it is growing, controlling labor can help offset increases in minimum wages.
McDonald’s Skinner on Looming Labor Crisis
"I don’t have to tell you times are tough," McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner declared at the 2008 National Restaurant Association Show. "We’re facing a perfect storm in many ways. We face a tightening labor market, minimum wage, mandated health care and immigration regulations."
Professor Jerry Newman Finds Committed Workers Behind QSR Counters
The problem with raising the minimum wage is that it rises across all industries so QSRs are in the same competitive position as before. The real question is whether you can find ways to use labor dollars more effectively.
Editorial: Minumum Efforts
A minimum-wage increase may not be the solution, but we need to help our own working poor.
British Hospitality Association Asks for Tip Code
The British Hospitality Association is urging all restaurants to adopt a new Code of Practice on how to distribute service charges. The Code has been developed in conjunction with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to back up new legislation banning the practice of topping up minimum wage with service charge.
TOP PIZZA RESTAURANT CHAINS
Segment sales: $25,259,000,000
Share of Top 400 sales: 8.1%
Segment units: 37,341
Concept 400 Rank Sales $MM
Pizza Hut 6 10,400.0
Domino’s Pizza 9 5,505.6
Papa John’s 26 2,262.4
Little Caesars 42 1,170.0**
Sbarro 56 715.3
Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza 69 585.0
CiCi’s Pizza 70 580.0
Chuck E. Cheese’s 84 444.0**
Round Table Pizza 98 388.0**
Godfather’s Pizza 105 330.0**
Hungry Howie’s Pizza 129 265.0
Peter Piper Pizza 168 196.0**
Donatos 180 177.0
Papa Gino’s Pizzeria 195 152.2
Noble Roman’s Pizza 198 150.0**
Gatti’s Pizza 201 148.8
Pizza Inn 206 139.0**
Fox’s Pizza Den 208 137.0**
LaRosa’s Pizzeria 213 134.0**
Jet’s Pizza 231 116.0**
Rosati’s Pizza 232 116.0**
Giordano’s Pizza 242 103.0**
Pizza Ranch 246 101.4
Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza 248 101.0**
Marco’s Pizza 261 93.3
Imo’s Pizza 278 84.0**
Ledo Pizza 286 79.0**
Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen 295 76.0**
Mountain Mike’s Pizza 298 75.0**
Pizza Pro 317 66.0**
Vocelli Pizza 326 62.0**
Shakey’s 329 60.0
Monical’s Pizza 349 54.0
Me-N-Ed’s Pizzeria 354 53.0**
Pizza Factory 371 50.0**
Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream 387 45.0**
Simple Simon Pizza 389 45.0**
# Sales data for chain restaurants are for calendar year 2008 or for a fiscal year ended between July 1, 2008, and April 1, 2009. Exceptions are noted in the ranking pages.
# As with the main ranking pages, chain restaurants are defined as restaurant concepts with more than five locations operating under the same name. In a few instances, concepts with two or more brand names but a single management team (i.e., Checkers Drive-In/Rally’s Hamburgers) are considered to be one chain.
# Unless noted, chain restaurant sales are worldwide totals (company-owned, franchised and licensed) and are in U.S.$ millions.
The Changing Role of the Manufacturer’s Rep
Occasionally, the most challenging of situations can help two parties emerge stronger than before. Such is the case today with foodservice consultants and manufacturers’ reps as the two seem to be working closer together in light of the unique economic climate.
Indeed, the challenging business environment has forced most every member of the foodservice industry to re-think their organizational structure, value proposition and the way they interact with customers and channel partners alike. And, unfortunately, some organizations have had to downsize a little, too.
"As a result, we have to rely on each other more than we did before because some companies don’t have the resources to do the work they might have done themselves in the past," says Bill Kelly, principal at Kelly-Mincks, a manufacturers’ rep firm in Woodinville, Wash.
Product education represents one opportunity for consultants and manufacturers reps to work more closely together. Despite the economic downturn, factories continue to introduce new and innovative products that are more sophisticated than their predecessors. Examples of these developments include combi-ovens with Bluetooth technology that syncs recipes and photos of food with cooking instructions; faster toaster ovens that can melt cheese on breakfast sandwiches and keep their middles soft, while simultaneously crisping the outer layers of the bread, and any bacon that might be tucked inside; and the countless energy efficient or green features on the market today.
To help keep abreast of these developments and better understand how these features can help meet their clients’ needs, consultants are turning to manufacturers’ reps. Seeing this opportunity, one manufacturers’ rep firm, Preferred Marketing Group, has launched a special consultants’ section on its website.
"We tried to give consultants one spot where they could go to get all the information they need, from getting all the spec sheets for the different brands we represent, to Cad drawings, and links to FCSI and other resources," says PMG principal Jeff Couch. Dubbed "Consultant’s Corner, this section of the PMG site features a tab with drop-down categories for different foodservice operator segments to help consultants pinpoint the resources they need.
As the manufacturer landscape continues to change through mergers and acquisitions, consultants are turning to their reps as a conduit for information. Reps continue to prove helpful in providing updated information about specific product lines and detailed product specifications.
At the same time, as consultants continue to work on more build-out projects, and as projects become more customized, the nuances behind specifying continue to grow, and as that process becomes more complex. Again, manufacturers’ reps can offer guidance in completing this process.
The pursuit of LEED certification from the USGBC represents another opportunity for manufacturers’ reps and consultants to work more closely together. In Kelly’s case, his company has traditionally worked with the"hot side" of the foodservice equipment industry; however, he recently picked up a line of ice machines. Being in Seattle where so many new construction foodservice projects are seeking LEED certification, it was important to the consultants he worked with that Kelly knew his stuff when it came to how his line of ice machines fit into the energy-efficiency and water-saving requirements under the new LEED guidelines. Kelly spent hours researching this area just so he could work efficiently with the other team players on projects involving his products. "There’s so much changing right now that if you don’t stay tuned into it you can really miss the boat," he says
At the same time, a growing number of consultants continue to earn LEED Accredited Professional status, meaning they qualify to assist or head up LEED projects. As a result, their level of knowledge and expertise when it comes to energy- and water-saving and other green/sustainable equipment features has grown exponentially in just the last year or two. Whereas now this knowledge may just be an added plus for many consultants, it could become a requirement in the future. As this need evolves, manufacturers’ reps can help consultants understand how available equipment can help meet restrictive guidelines.
Any dichotomies that existed in the past between manufacturers’ reps and consultants seem to be slowly melting away as the two parties find ways to work together more closely to fill their needs. From streamlining forms online, to supplying each other with green product information, it seems as if, in this case, a staggering economy has been paving the groundwork for a better supply chain relationship in the short and long-term.
Pizza Hut Installs TV Net
As Pizza Hut explores rebranding its stores as The Hut, an integral part of the effort is an in-store digital video network designed to engage customers.
Called Hut TV, the new video net has already been installed in 20 stores in Jacksonville, Fla., and four in Dallas. The chain plans to roll out the network to more locations into 2010.
The largest player in the fast-food pizza category, Pizza Hut is looking to offset stagnant same-store sales by positioning itself as a solution for home meals with new menu items such as lasagna and WingStreet-branded wings, and enhancing the in-store experience for the customer.
"We’re in the middle of the transformation of the Pizza Hut brand, both in terms of how our store looks and creating a different consumer experience we’re calling The Hut," said Bob Kraut, vp of marketing for Pizza Hut. "Hut TV is a way to engage and entertain customers and make those who own our stores feel better about Pizza Hut."
Hut TV’s video content is designed to enhance the in-store experience by entertaining customers, decreasing perceived wait time, increasing frequency of visits and promoting specials. Split into three sections, the largest section features entertainment (trivia or games) or short customized segments from CBS-produced brands such as Wheel of Fortune or Entertainment Tonight. CBS also provides a news ticker at the bottom of the screen. The right-hand portion of the screen is devoted to Pizza Hut’s menu, from information about ingredients to special promotions. Eventually, Pizza Hut may sell ad space to its suppliers, but for now Hut TV is all about engaging the customer.
DoughXpress Welcomes New Team Member
We have strengthen our team on the Sales side adding Cathy Edwards to the Team.
Cathy will be at the NRA Show, stop and introduce you & your group to our newest team member.
As everybody cuts back on personnel we are showing growth…
Bakery Using Twitter to Inform Customers
Bakery Using Twitter to Inform Customers
A London bakery has started using the Internet messaging system Twitter to inform customers when the latest fresh batches of bread hit the shelves.
The bakery and cafe manager says his customers wanted the freshest baked breads and rolls as soon as they were ready.
He says the system is working really well. They’ve been selling out of the fresh-out-of-the oven goodies within minutes.
DoughXpress 