Thursday, December 16, 2010

Beverage Consultants Can Increase Profit



There are many times that a business owner may know how to effectively implement marketing strategies for their company, however hiring food or beverage consultants may also be beneficial to maximizing profit also.

Some business owners do not want to hire a food or beverage business consultant because they feel as if they are letting someone else run their business that they have supplied the investment in. Business owners also often worry about how much it will cost to hire an efficient industry consultant, this worry is especially increased when the profit margin is already at a minimal standpoint. However, hiring a knowledgeable consultant can bring many benefits to a company and its profit levels.

Since many business owners find it hard to be objective in some areas of their business, especially in areas where they lack expertise, hiring a food and/or beverage consultant can supply phenomenal amounts of objectivity and knowledge in the food and beverage areas because these areas are what they specialize in. These consultants are also essential because many business owners realize after starting their business that there are so many areas within the operation of their business that are more complex than initially thought.

So what areas of business can a good food industry consultant assist in?

An experienced and knowledgeable consultant can aid in the opening up and operational processes involved with starting a business. They can even advise where the correct location of the business would be most profitable. Project management and financial planning are other areas of expertise to most food and beverage consultants, along with operating systems, assessment of profits and even staff training and kitchen management.

One of the most key elements that a food and/or beverage consultants can provide is operational assessments. Many business owners can correctly notice that at times their business is not operating well; however, a food and/or beverage consultant can help identify problem areas and suggest ideas that should be implemented so that the business begins operating on an efficient level.

Friday, December 10, 2010

More Essential Facts About Healthy Food Recipes



Healthy lifestyle is indeed what you need. A nutritious balance in planning of your meal is important. You want to be satisfied of the kind of foods you want to prepare wherein you will be able to achieve the nutritional requirement needed by your body. There are times that you already forgot to eat your dinner because you are already tired from work all you want to do is to have rest. It is essential to have simple healthy food recipe for dinner in order for you to have the chance to eat a guaranteed foods that are good for your health.

At home you have your cookbooks that you feel like these are already ornament. Foods are great and pretty cool to look at that you want to try to know how to cook and prepare it but actually these are now useless if you try to pick a meal that was being served on the table. To think, with your hectic schedules you cannot even do it at all. With little time you can find or try other ways on how to make it simple and fast for you to cook food. Healthy food recipes that are great can be compiled that would be easy to do for friendly dishes, simple suppers and family meals.

One of type of healthy food recipe that is really a nutritious one is a veggie meal. You can have this as a source of protein that will give you more idea to know more other recipes with regards to a healthy diet. Why not try a vegetable lasagna recipe. This is a kind of vegetarian lasagna that is best once you have tasted it. This can be done by placing the vegetables into the oven for it to be roasted and bring out smoky, rich flavors and this dish is much appealing. It is a good choice for everybody or guest on dinner time.

Ingredients to be prepared are lasagna sheets, 2 zucchini, 1 eggplant, 1 red pepper, 1 white or red onion, small bunch of fresh basil, 2/3 cup/75g/30z grater mozzarella, 1/3 cup/50g grated parmesan, 3 cups/600g of cottage cheese, olive oil, and 500g/pound or fresh potatoes. Method in doing this begins by having the vegetables roasted, and then tosses the courgette and eggplant in the roasting container with the, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and pepper. Add olive oil 3 tablespoons and then season it with salt pepper and you must stir it well.

Next thing to do is for you place it in a hot oven in the degree of 200c/400F in one hour until the vegetables are starting to brown and very soft. You then remove the cooked vegetables from the oven and stir in the basil and olives. After doing so you can now start the vegetarian lasagna. Put one-third mixture of the vegetable at the base of a baking dish, with one-third of mozzarella being covered and now the lasagna sheets then add a layer of cottage cheese. Just repeat this layer pattern and finish it with a layer of cheese together with Parmesan to be sprinkled. Lastly baked it for thirty minutes until it becomes golden you then now can enjoy the healthy food recipe.

www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages. A large number of products like: alcohol, beverages, bread & biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices & seasonings etc. are included under the category of Food & Beverages in the exclusive directory of www.made-from-india.com

Monday, December 6, 2010

Improve Your Product Campaign With Promotional Food and Beverage Products



Most people like getting treats. Food and beverages are some of the types of treats that they cherish getting. You can prove this by looking at people in groceries and supermarkets who like to line up for a costless taste of recent products or samples. It makes for instant gratification and is a good tool for introducing a new service or item. That's why corporate logo food and beverage products are great branding instruments.

If you're a prospective entrepreneur and you're thinking of ways to advertise your product, you might wish to start by giving away free logo imprinted food and beverage items on your next product launching day. You can show them in your booth and watch your future customers and clients flock around them. What's wonderful about them is that they have maximum stamping space for your advertising details like your company name and logo.

Here are more of their benefits that can hopefully convince you of their great marketing potential. Customizable food and beverage items can just be your next big displaying hit:

Satisfies the Palate - There are many different choices for food and beverage products and all of them are sure to gratify your customers' and clients' food yearnings. You can be clear that they will appreciate consuming these goodies.

Attainable in Attractive Packages - If you're in need of a nice client gift, you can make use of these commodities. They come in highly attractive containers that are optimal for client and even employee presents.

Do you like to give these imprinted food and beverage items a try? You definitely won't regret doing so! Here are some shopping pointers first before you hurry to the stores:

Take Note of the Expiry Date - It is fundamental for you to check the date of expiry of these food and beverage items so as not to conceivably harm or poison your target audience.

Allow for Variety - Consider ordering different kinds of food and beverage merchandise so your customers and clients will have more options. Just make sure that the products you choose are the ones that have the most likelihood to be consumed by all classes of people.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Food and Beverage Gadget Essentials - Disposable Glass Cylinder



Soda siphons, cream whippers, and disposable gas cylinders like CO2 cartridges and nitrous oxide cartridges are basic necessities for those in the food and beverage business. These kitchen and bar essentials would be your key to creating mouthwatering desserts not to mention exotic mixed drinks and other favorites. Starting your own business is quite challenging because you would have to be creative and imaginative in what you will serve in order to capture the interest and ensure the loyalty of your customers. You would have to come up with something more special and more delicious than what your business competitors are serving to entice their loyal patrons to your place.

You would need to stock your kitchen and bar with the right liquor, beer, wine, and mixers like fruit juice, club soda, tonic water, etc. You should not forget the garnishes like olives, maraschino cherries, and lemons. As for your club soda or soda water, you need not buy it from the store. In fact, it would even be better if you would not use store bought water sodas, as it could go flat if not used right away. It would be better to make your own soda water with your soda siphons and disposable CO2 cartridges. You would be pleasantly surprised at the taste, crispness, clarity, and effervescence of your carbonated beverages. It would make your special creations or mixed drink favorites better than the usual.

It is important to note that when you are looking for soda siphons and disposable gas cylinders like CO2 cartridges, you should make sure that what you are getting are of the highest quality and has met the strictest of standards to ensure quality of your drink. It should be able retain the freshness and effervescence of your soda water in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. There are different brands and kinds of soda siphons or seltzer bottles from aluminum to stainless steel, which would mean that the prize would differ too. These would be a nice investment since you are going to be using it a lot. You would be better off buying something that is durable and of superior quality.

When it comes to creating "foamed" desserts, creamy soups, sauces, purees, and appetizers, you would need a cream whipper and its accessories as well as nitrous oxide cartridges. You could also make your own whipped cream that would be ideal toppings for your desserts, ice cream, coffee, and mixed drinks. It would be best if you can get a multifunctional whipper that comes in a thermally insulated bottle that would be ideal for preparing hot and cold foams, creamy soups, sauces, etc. It should be able to keep your mixture cold or warm for long hours.

The cream whipper accessories like the decorator tips and injector needles would be great for making delectable looking concoctions and desserts as well as for making tortellini, cream puff, and the like. Freshly made whipped cream makes a big difference to the taste and quality of your wonderful creations and concoctions. High grade cream whippers and nitrous oxide cartridges would ensure quality for every serving or for every use.

www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages. A large number of products like: alcohol, beverages, bread & biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices & seasonings etc. are included under the category of Food & Beverages in the exclusive directory of www.made-from-india.com

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Food and Beverage Gadget Essentials - Disposable Glass Cylinder



Soda siphons, cream whippers, and disposable gas cylinders like CO2 cartridges and nitrous oxide cartridges are basic necessities for those in the food and beverage business. These kitchen and bar essentials would be your key to creating mouthwatering desserts not to mention exotic mixed drinks and other favorites. Starting your own business is quite challenging because you would have to be creative and imaginative in what you will serve in order to capture the interest and ensure the loyalty of your customers. You would have to come up with something more special and more delicious than what your business competitors are serving to entice their loyal patrons to your place.

You would need to stock your kitchen and bar with the right liquor, beer, wine, and mixers like fruit juice, club soda, tonic water, etc. You should not forget the garnishes like olives, maraschino cherries, and lemons. As for your club soda or soda water, you need not buy it from the store. In fact, it would even be better if you would not use store bought water sodas, as it could go flat if not used right away. It would be better to make your own soda water with your soda siphons and disposable CO2 cartridges. You would be pleasantly surprised at the taste, crispness, clarity, and effervescence of your carbonated beverages. It would make your special creations or mixed drink favorites better than the usual.

It is important to note that when you are looking for soda siphons and disposable gas cylinders like CO2 cartridges, you should make sure that what you are getting are of the highest quality and has met the strictest of standards to ensure quality of your drink. It should be able retain the freshness and effervescence of your soda water in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. There are different brands and kinds of soda siphons or seltzer bottles from aluminum to stainless steel, which would mean that the prize would differ too. These would be a nice investment since you are going to be using it a lot. You would be better off buying something that is durable and of superior quality.

When it comes to creating "foamed" desserts, creamy soups, sauces, purees, and appetizers, you would need a cream whipper and its accessories as well as nitrous oxide cartridges. You could also make your own whipped cream that would be ideal toppings for your desserts, ice cream, coffee, and mixed drinks. It would be best if you can get a multifunctional whipper that comes in a thermally insulated bottle that would be ideal for preparing hot and cold foams, creamy soups, sauces, etc. It should be able to keep your mixture cold or warm for long hours.

The cream whipper accessories like the decorator tips and injector needles would be great for making delectable looking concoctions and desserts as well as for making tortellini, cream puff, and the like. Freshly made whipped cream makes a big difference to the taste and quality of your wonderful creations and concoctions. High grade cream whippers and nitrous oxide cartridges would ensure quality for every serving or for every use.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Your Restaurant Menu is the First Line of Sales



For any food and beverage establishment, the primary feature - obviously - is what is being served on the menu. Every other facet that a restaurant features is in support of this primary point. In this, not only is it important that the food is delectable, but the dishes must also be well presented to guests. As such, restaurant menus decided by restaurant manager are the first line of advertisement for a food and beverage operation.Restaurant menus target two specific areas of representation: the guest and establishment itself. Each of these two areas of representation has inherent menu characteristics.

For the guest, the menu is the first line of sales. The menu is the practical advertisement that markets the primary function (food and beverage) of the restaurant. As such, the menu should be not only be functional (i.e. easy to read), but it should be reflective of the quality services of the Restaurant and highlight the motif expertly.

For the Restaurant, the menu represents inventory requirements and advertising opportunities. The menu can be a basis in which a restaurant manager determines their inventory needs and categories. The menu will also point to staffing demands in terms of delivering services. Finally, the menu as noted earlier; is a prime means of advertisement. By placing pictures and other graphics of meals and beverages on the menu, the establishment positions itself for return business and increased sales.

As one can see, the menu concept goes beyond just being a list of the available food and beverages that an establishment offers. As food and beverage management prepare menus for their establishments, a restaurant manager should consider the following content in regards to fulfilling the aforementioned outlined purpose of a menu.

The first area of concern for a restaurant manager is the actual content of the menu - the language. The language, both in style and nationality, can depend on the theme of the establishment. They should definitely match. The primary consideration within this framework, however, is that the guest shouldn't have any trouble reading or otherwise understanding the menu.

Accuracy is the next facet that a restaurant manager should be concerned with. There is nothing more frustrating to a guest than to have inaccurate listings and prices on a menu. This causes confusion and is unprofessional; both issues that impact negatively on a business.

Pricing is the final component that demands attention with an establishment's menu. Not only should the pricing be accurate, but they should be reflective of the quality and types of services offered. Competitive and reasonable pricing is imperative if an establishment wishes to remain a viable business entity.

In short, the menu of a food and beverage operation is a vital part of the overall success of the establishment. More than a list of available food and beverages, the menu provides establishments with numerous benefits ranging from advertisement to inventory assessment. It is therefore of paramount concern that a restaurant manager not only compile effective menus, but that they continue to monitor and update menus in order that they remain current.

www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages.

How to Choose Food and Beverage Consultants For Your Restaurant



Your new restaurant has been well received by your customers. But now that the honeymoon period is over, sales have leveled off. Customers are coming in, but there is no increase in numbers. You find that handling the kitchen is still a nightmare. Food and labor costs are high and you are unable to streamline the business to make it operate in an effective manner. The worst part is that you know that business will pick up with some efficient marketing. But marketing is not your expertise in addition to the fact that you are working almost 70 hour weeks. So, even if you knew exactly how to go about marketing your restaurant, where are the resources- Does it sound like you need to look for food and beverage consultants-You bet.

Most businesspersons do not like the idea of hiring food development consultants for their restaurants. After all, the restaurant is their investment and they do not want to hand over the business to someone else. There is also concern about the expenses involved. When your business is running on thin margins, it is hard to invest in something that does not bring immediate returns. Nevertheless, there are advantages for you in investing in a goodfood consultant. The first and the most obvious is the measure of objectivity they bring. Most businesspersons find it difficult to be objective about their own business.

Many restaurant operators who are new to the food or hospitality business realize that running a restaurant is a lot more complicated than they thought. When owners begin to realize that they do not know enough about their business, hiring food development consultants becomes inevitable. At this point, owners need help from someone who has done it all before.

Food and beverage consultants can help you in the different areas of your restaurant business, including:

-Selection of site
-Development of brand, design and conceptualization
-Startup
-Project management
-Financial planning
-Recipe development and design
-Operations
-Assessment of profits
-Operating systems
-Staff training
-Accounting systems
-Kitchen management

How do you choose the right people in the food consulting business?

- First, identify your problems and define the role of the consultant. For instance, climbing food costs may be due to the lack of proper kitchen management, poor systems or even lack of trained staff. It could also be the result of your pricing strategy. If you believe that your pricing is wrong, you need your consultant to have experience evaluating your prices and comparing them with market prices. Some restaurant consultants may not have sufficient experience in kitchen systems and even if they have some, you need to find out whether they have the specific expertise that you need.

- At times, a restaurant owner is unable to identify their problems, even though they know that the business isn't running as well as it could. In this case, you need a restaurant/food consultant who has the expertise to undertake an operational assessment.

- You may opt to take the temporary services of a food consulting firm in order to expand your business or even branch out in a new way.

- Before you select the restaurant consultant, review their background thoroughly. It's not enough to find out about the jobs they have done. You also need to know how much time the consultant has actually spent in the industry. You can find this out through a personal interview.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Food Plant Sanitation Using Ozone



In the food industry, an important aspect of the manufacturing process involves cleaning and disinfection of the process equipment. This has become an increasingly visible aspect of the food processing due to recent incidents involving food related illnesses. The cleaning process in the food industry involves the removal of food or beverage soils from the surfaces prior to the disinfection process. If the surfaces are not cleaned properly, disinfection will not be effective.

Several factors affect the cleaning process: Time, the longer a cleaning solution remains in contact with the equipment, the more material that is removed. Temperature, most food materials become more readily soluble as the temperature is increased. Chemical concentrations of cleaners will normally be reduced as time and temperature are increased. Mechanical force helps remove soil and can reduce time, temperature, and concentration requirements.

Clean in Place (CIP) systems clean the interior surfaces of tanks and pipes by circulating the cleaning/disinfecting solution through the system. This method eliminates the need to disassemble the equipment. Other advantages of the CIP method are the process can be automated and workers are not directly exposed to the cleaning agents. Clean Out of Place (COP) requires the disassembly of equipment and placing the equipment is a tank with a circulating cleaning solution. Mechanical systems can be as simple as a worker with a brush and cleaning solution to scrub the equipment. This article will focus on the CIP process.

The CIP process of cleaning food equipment usually includes the following steps: pre-rinse, cleaning, rinse, acid rinse and disinfection. The type of chemicals used and the exact process employed will depend on the properties of the food soils, amount of soil typical left behind after the process and the nature of the surface. It should be noted that these processes often involve large volumes of water. The primary aspect of the process covered in this paper is sanitation, i.e. the reduction of micro organisms to levels considered safe for public health.

Two methods are employed, thermal or chemical disinfection. For chemical sanitizers, time, concentration and temperature are the most critical factors. Chemical sanitizers are sometimes affected by pH and water quality. The application of chemical disinfection will also depend on the specific organisms being targeted since different organisms respond differently to various chemical agents and concentrations. Typical agents employed include chlorine based chemicals, iodine, quaternary ammonium compounds, acid-anionic sanitizers, fatty acid sanitizers, peroxide type compounds (e.g. PAA) and ozone.

Chemical disinfection in a CIP system takes only 10 to 30 minutes and uses cold water versus hot water for thermal disinfection. The thermal process can take up to 60 minutes to complete. So the advantage of the chemical disinfection versus thermal disinfection process is lowers energy costs and shortens cycle times.

In terms of ozone versus the other sanitizing chemicals, ozone is a broad spectrum biocide that works against virtually all pathogens found in food processing environments. Ozone is generally faster acting versus other agents which means shorter cycle times or lower dosages. The rate of action can be measured as the product of concentration of the disinfectant (C) multiplied by the exposure time at that concentration (t) to achieve a certain reduction in a particular micro organism. This is known as Ct. A faster acting agent will have a lower Ct. This means less agent is needed or the time of exposure can be shortened.

Ozone Ct value (1.9) for 99.9% reduction of giardia lamblia (3 log reduction) is significantly better than chlorine (122), chloramine (2,200) and chlorine dioxide (26). Ozone's Ct (1.2) is also superior for a 99.99% reduction of virus (4 log reduction than the same compounds chlorine (8), chloramine (1,988) and chlorine dioxide (33).

As the data show, the Ct values for ozone are anywhere from 6 to 1,000 times better than alternative disinfectants. Unlike other disinfectants, ozone is not significantly affected by pH. Chlorine becomes much less effective as the pH of the solution increases. The FDA also recognizes ozone as an indirect food additive. Because it is very short lived in aqueous solution, half live of about 20 minutes or less, it quickly dissipates on the equipment surface further reducing potential issues with its use.

Ozone is in commercial use for the washing of fruits, vegetables and fish. It is also used for the fumigation of grains and mushrooms. Numerous studies are being carried out to extend its applications to nuts, meat and eggs. The use of ozone will also not create toxic byproducts or leave a residual in the spent wash water. This is because ozone breaks down to oxygen after use. Chlorine based chemicals can form chlorinated organic compounds such as trihalomethanes or haloacetic acids. Both groups have been regulated as possible carcinogens. Since ozone does not form byproducts and its breakdown product is oxygen, a final rinse may not be needed, reducing total water use in the process.

Another important advantage of ozone is that it is generated on site. Only as much ozone as needed is produced. So, there is no need to purchase or store chemical biocides. In addition, since the machines are built with interlocks to ambient ozone monitors, leaks of ozone result in a shutdown of the machine before the levels reach concentrations of concern. The US Occupational Safety and health Administration sets a limit of 0.1 ppm of ozone for 40 hour per week, 50 week per year exposure. Monitors can detect this level and shut down the machines. So, the process is inherently safe.

Combining ozone with the CIP process allows for a high degree of automation and quality control in the disinfection step of the process. Ozone generators, as part of an integrated ozone water treatment system, can be paced to deliver the precise amount of ozone required. Data on ozone concentration levels and time of exposure can be tracked for quality control and reporting requirements. The process advantages of using ozone for CIP along with its efficacy in destroying micro organisms should make ozone use increasingly important in the food and beverage industry.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

How to Keep Food Fresh in the Pantry



A kitchen pantry can help you store and organize food, provisions or dishes while freeing up available cupboard space. Storing your food properly extends the shelf life and foods stay at their peak of freshness and taste better. To keep food fresh in the pantry the first thing should be to select the appropriate location for the pantry. The most preferable location should be humidity free and quite dark. Keep the pantry away from the sink and the stove and avoid direct light. The perfect location for keeping pantry foods fresh is in a dark corner.

Dry foods such as crackers, canned goods, flour, cake mixes and seasonings should be stored in the original packaging or tightly closed airtight containers below 85°. Humidity levels above 60% can cause foods to absorb moisture, which will leave your products stale, or cause cans to rust and leak. Cans that are rusted, badly dented, leaking or swollen should be discarded. Always keep food separate from items such as household cleaners, insecticides and paper products as these can cause contamination. If products are marked with a "best if used by date" it means that they are not the best quality after this date, but can still be used safely for some period of time. In order to keep pantry foods fresher, keep your pantry organized and create sections for various types of foods and stack items together. Try to avoid overstocking and only purchase what can be eaten within a reasonable amount of time.

A set of airtight storage containers will be extremely useful, they allow you to see what is on hand and they keep out air which in turn will keep pantry foods fresh. Always reseal packages once opened, either by using a sealer or by adding a clip to the top, in fact some packages come with a zip top or stickers to reseal the bag. Shelf life is extremely important and it greatly depends on the following storage conditions:

Oxygen in the air can cause enhanced growth of microorganisms and cause vitamins, flavors, fats and food colors to deteriorate.

Food storage can be impaired by high temperatures, some vitamins will be destroyed, proteins breakdown, and flavor, odor and color may be affected. Food in the pantry should always be stored at room temperature or below.

Moisture can create an environment in which chemical reactions may take place and microorganisms can thrive.

Light exposure can result in the deterioration of proteins, vitamins and fats, vitamin loss, discoloration and off-flavors.

Testing conducted at Brigham Young University has determined that many foods stored in sealed cans at controlled temperatures can last for years after their expiration dates, some of them for instance; rolled oats for 20 years, powdered nonfat dry milk for 13 years, pinto beans or baking soda for 24 years, white flour for 12 years, pasta for 17 years, potato flakes for 16 years and sugar, salt, white rice and wheat for an impressive 30+ years!

The following are examples of the kind of things commonly found in pantries:

Canned or bottled; tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, grated cheese, anchovy paste, evaporated milk, kidney beans, mustard, whole tomatoes, peanut butter, corn syrup, honey, bouillon, soup, pie fillings, canned fruits, assorted pickles and olives.

Spices; nutmeg, salt, dry mustard, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, ground cumin, celery seed, ground turmeric, pickling spice, caraway seeds and ground cinnamon.

Dry goods; sugar, cornmeal, rice, baking powder, yeast, chocolate, flour, soup mix, cornstarch, vegetable shortening, oatmeal, regular and whole grain pasta, crackers, breadcrumbs, beans, cereal, dried corn, peas, baking soda, barley and lentils.

Oils; canola, peanut, olive, extra-virgin olive oil as well as cooking oil spray and olive oil spray.

Vinegars; balsamic, cider, red wine and white distilled.

Dried herbs; garlic powder, thyme, parsley, dill seed, marjoram, oregano, chives, cilantro, onion powder, basil, minced garlic, rosemary, tarragon, bay leaves and rubbed sage.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Paintings on Food and Beverage Items



Maybe you have seen a number of pictures in different styles and design. You have found the futurism art, religious paintings, and expressionism art and so on. All these painting themes are more or less complicated. However, did you come to see any picture which was based on natural fruits and vegetables or beverage items? Are you thinking why I am asking this question? OK in actuality I prefer to purchase many good paintings on food and beverage items because I am compelled to offer the paintings to restaurants and hotels. The restaurant owners collect the pictures which are painted to display different food items and wine.

They actually buy the pictures from me and I earn lot by making commercial dealing with them. Recently, I handed over a beautifully designed painting to a martini bar owner. What is that painting? It was Pop Olive painting and I sold it to the martini bar owner. He showed his extreme pleasure and happiness by getting such magnificent painting. I sold another world famous painting under the title of Olives Gone Wild. I gave it to the martini bar owner. He was very joyous and ecstatic after getting such wonderful painting.

The painting is always much effective to influence the human nature. A good painting which prominently displays the various items on food and wine will attract the customers to the bar and restaurant. The more glamorous the picture will be the higher chance of popularity of the bar to common persons. Therefore the painting has the major role to play in the commercial world. It is a new way to entice the customers to the bars and restaurants. For this reason, I prefer to purchase the beautiful paintings on the food and beverage products and I like to sell them back to bar or restaurant owners.

Of late, I have sold a nice picture which has showcased a big sized apple. After getting the painting on apple, the pie shop owner was very much enamored to see the nice apple which is very colorful and natural. In this connection, I have also collected a wonderful and mind blowing acrylic picture from a painter who has created a number of paintings which are collectively called Passion Splash. These pictures and paintings have prominently displayed various types of food items and wine. I purchased many pictures from this painter. Again I sold another eye catching picture which was painted by Marie M. Vlasic. In actuality, a fish shop owner was searching for an excellent painting on fish and I was very happy to offer that picture to him for the decoration of his fish shop which had been set up for the upscale consumers.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Food and Beverage Gadget Essentials - Disposable Glass Cylinder



Soda siphons, cream whippers, and disposable gas cylinders like CO2 cartridges and nitrous oxide cartridges are basic necessities for those in the food and beverage business. These kitchen and bar essentials would be your key to creating mouthwatering desserts not to mention exotic mixed drinks and other favorites. Starting your own business is quite challenging because you would have to be creative and imaginative in what you will serve in order to capture the interest and ensure the loyalty of your customers. You would have to come up with something more special and more delicious than what your business competitors are serving to entice their loyal patrons to your place.

You would need to stock your kitchen and bar with the right liquor, beer, wine, and mixers like fruit juice, club soda, tonic water, etc. You should not forget the garnishes like olives, maraschino cherries, and lemons. As for your club soda or soda water, you need not buy it from the store. In fact, it would even be better if you would not use store bought water sodas, as it could go flat if not used right away. It would be better to make your own soda water with your soda siphons and disposable CO2 cartridges. You would be pleasantly surprised at the taste, crispness, clarity, and effervescence of your carbonated beverages. It would make your special creations or mixed drink favorites better than the usual.

It is important to note that when you are looking for soda siphons and disposable gas cylinders like CO2 cartridges, you should make sure that what you are getting are of the highest quality and has met the strictest of standards to ensure quality of your drink. It should be able retain the freshness and effervescence of your soda water in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. There are different brands and kinds of soda siphons or seltzer bottles from aluminum to stainless steel, which would mean that the prize would differ too. These would be a nice investment since you are going to be using it a lot. You would be better off buying something that is durable and of superior quality.

When it comes to creating "foamed" desserts, creamy soups, sauces, purees, and appetizers, you would need a cream whipper and its accessories as well as nitrous oxide cartridges. You could also make your own whipped cream that would be ideal toppings for your desserts, ice cream, coffee, and mixed drinks. It would be best if you can get a multifunctional whipper that comes in a thermally insulated bottle that would be ideal for preparing hot and cold foams, creamy soups, sauces, etc. It should be able to keep your mixture cold or warm for long hours.

The cream whipper accessories like the decorator tips and injector needles would be great for making delectable looking concoctions and desserts as well as for making tortellini, cream puff, and the like. Freshly made whipped cream makes a big difference to the taste and quality of your wonderful creations and concoctions. High grade cream whippers and nitrous oxide cartridges would ensure quality for every serving or for every use.

www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages. A large number of products like: alcohol, beverages, bread & biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices & seasonings etc. are included under the category of Food & Beverages in the exclusive directory of www.made-from-india.com

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Statistics About the Food and Beverage Packaging Industry



Australia is one of the top generators of household waste in the world. Indeed, this country places among the top ten of OECD, or Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, countries when it comes to household waste productions. Interestingly enough, the food and beverage packaging industry helps to mitigate and lessen those numbers by a considerable degree. Indeed, packaging suppliers do their own part to help improve the health of the planet each and every day.

Waste In Australia -

In order to get a handle on the contributions that are made by the food packaging industry when it comes to waste in Australia, it helps to have a basic understanding of the numbers. Approximately 2.2 million tonnes of food waste is produced in this country each year. Were it not for food packaging suppliers, it would be considerably more. Each family in Australia generates about 400 kilograms of waste per year. These numbers definitely put Australia's role in waste production into perspective.

Why Reducing Waste Is Important -

Most people realise that reducing waste is an important way to help save the planet. Reducing the amount of organic waste that's found in waste streams is extremely critical, since doing so could reduce Australia's greenhouse emissions by up to three percent. Additionally, reducing the waste could help reduce the size of landfills around the country. Unquestionably, waste reduction is extremely important - and the Australian food and beverage packaging industries are doing as much as they can to help.

What Is Saved Through Recycling?

Recycling is a core part of the food packaging industry's philosophy. Considering all of the good that is accomplished by every household that recycles, it's plain to see why this industry places such an emphasis on it. For every household that actively recycles, enough energy is saved to run a 40-watt light globe for about 72 hours. Over 90 litres of water are saved per week through such efforts, and about 3.6 kilograms of solid waste are saved per week as well. Every little bit definitely helps, which is why food packaging suppliers make sure to do their own part.

How Packaging's Been Reduced -

As more and more emphasis is placed on waste reduction, the Australian food and beverage packaging industry have adapted numerous changes in order to help. For instance, the soft drink industry - that at one stage consumed approximately 453g of packaging in order to manufacture just one single litre of soft drink - has cut back considerably. Today, that industry only requires about 150 grams per litre of soft drink; that marks a 67% reduction, which isn't an inconsiderable sum. As more and more changes like that occur in the packaging industry, waste reduction should accelerate by a very large amount.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Advantages to Computers in the Food & Beverage Industry



Computers have revolutionized the food and beverage industry as they have nearly every other industry. Computers have had positive, measurable effects on the front end and back end of hospitality operations. Computers systems have improved employee performance, and food and beverage quality and consistency. Within the food and beverage industry there is no longer a question of should technology be used, but rather a question of which technology to use? In the food and beverage business, computers are here to stay.

In the hospitality industry, customer service is an absolute critical factor for success. Computers are helping in this area in several ways. In many restaurants, the wait staff can process various forms of payment at guest tables, which allows guest to leave directly from their table without the need to stop at a centralized checkout station. This has removed long unsightly lines, which annoy customers, and disrupt the flow of traffic in food and beverage businesses. This service is made possible by either small hand held computers which handle credit card transactions using wireless technology, or via remote point of sale systems that interact with a central computer system. This improves the customers dining experience, which should be the goal of any food service business.

A key management concern of any food and beverage business is the profit margin. In this vital area of business, computers have also proven to be an indispensable tool. Computer systems help manage the entire food service process from ordering the ingredients needed to produce menu items, to forecasting the amount of items to prepare for each dining period based on historical patterns. This helps to reduce wasted food, which is very expensive and comes out of the businesses profit. It also helps in preparing menu items before hand, which reduces customer wait time. Computer can also forecast with high accuracy rates the volume of business to be expected which allows managers to properly staff their business. This is vital because having too much staff on hand can consume unnecessary amounts of payroll, and not having enough staff on hand will cause customer service problems.

Computers are also being used in very innovative ways by some food and beverage businesses. For instance, Darden Restaurants that owns and operates the Red lobster and Olive Garden chains uses computers to help choose new building sites. This computer system uses a software program called the Darden Site Analyzer. The software gathers critical information needed to select a site, such as demographics, distance to other restaurants and customer information specific to the Darden business model. The program then analyzes the site and provides a series of reports to help Darden make the final decision. Darden plans to improve the software so that it can evaluate things such as whether a new Darden restaurant will negatively effect other Darden restaurants in the same area.

Computer systems have become a vital part of all aspects of the food and beverage industry, they help with purchasing decisions, inventory control, employee scheduling and training, and customer acquisition and retention. A leading indicator of this growing trend is the fact that many hospitality training programs now include computer and technology courses in the curriculum.

Each year innovators are creating more unique ways that technology can be used to enhance the overall commercial dining experience. Computers make out of home dining a more enjoyable experience for the consumer and a more profitable manageable experience for business managers and owners.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Are Plastic Food and Beverage Containers Safe?



During the film's graduation party in THE GRADUATE, Mr. McGuire pulls Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) aside to offer sage advice for his future. His future would be one word: "plastics."

Of course, we all know Mr. McGuire's advice and prognostication was correct. Plastics can only be made by man in his infinite wisdom, hence they are patentable. The profit in the manufacture of plastics has been huge. Plastics are everywhere. Plastic manufacturing now uses 4% of the world's oil production annually. Automobiles are now 9% plastic. It is of my special concern that more foods and beverages are being put into plastic containers. Plastics are ubiquitous now. They persist and accumulate in our society as their production exceeds their chemical degradation rate. Harmful chemicals from plastics are now commonly found in groundwater, waterways, and drinking water.

While standing out in the summer heat in Phoenix, Arizona in 1981, my girlfriend asked me what was causing the film to form on the inside of the windshield of her new Mazda 626. She said that she had to wipe it off every morning so she could see to drive to work. I didn't know then. I do now! It was phthalates, the chemical that was added to the plastic dash cover to soften it and prevent cracking. I'm sure by now most of the phthalate has evaporated into our atmosphere and the Mazda is in some junkyard with a cracked up dash.

Phthalates are EDC's (Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.) They are chemicals found in recycle codes #1 through #6 plastics. Another EDC (Bisphenol A) is in recycle code #7 plastics. All of these types of plastic EDC's interfere with the function of sex hormones receptors. In THE GRADUATE Benjamin was quite a stud. I wonder if he's now taking one of the popular drugs to treat erectile dysfunction, a disorder that has become one of the many epidemics in our new plastic world.

In 2003 a group of Croatian scientists reported that phthalates in plastics dissolved in various solutions. They used a variety of plastic items, including plastic food containers. After 10 days of sitting in distilled water, an average of 55.4 mg/ of phthalates from each kilogram of plastic "migrated" into the water. To a lesser degree the phthalates from plastics dissolved into acetic acid 3% (44.4 mg/kg) and 10% ethyl alcohol (32.3 mg/kg).

The Croatian study shows what Benjamin would suspect, if he took chemistry in college: Water is the universal solvent; and it dissolves even the primarily fat soluble phthalates. The more that you filter water to remove other toxic solutes, the more aggressive water becomes in its power to reach osmolar equilibrium by dissolving its non-inert containers.

What is also obviously missing from the Croatians' controlled, static testing model are the temperature variations that the plastic bottled water product goes through to get from bottling point to the mouth of the consumer. Transport trucks probably reach a very high temperature in the non refrigerated cargo areas that carry PETE (recycle code #1 plastic) bottled water in the summer. Heat facilitates the dissolution of phthalates into the water. Then the bottles may be stored for a much longer time than 10 days prior to consumption. Furthermore, freezing the containers produces micro-fissures in the interior surface of the plastic bottle container as the water expands, exponentially exposing more solute surface area. Traumatic handling or any motion of the package will further enhance diffusion. Applying the laws of physics, all of these factors clearly by extrapolation will increase the water dissolution of the plastic containers.

Fatty foods in plastic containers are even more problematic, as fats are absorbed differently and carry their phthalate solvents into our bodies more easily. Phthalates bio-accumulate because of their fat solubility. Phthalates concentrate in such fat organs in our bodies such as brains, prostates, testicles, ovaries, breasts and, unfortunately, breast milk. (The other popular food alternatives for infants are worse. Commercial baby formulas are loaded with the manmade phthalates.)

I think the worst example of food containment in plastic is milk. All milk except non-fat milk contains fat. Cow milk itself represents a major source of the fats ingested by the public, especially children. Cattle concentrate these chemicals by bioaccummulation because EDC's from plastics are ubiquitous in water and most animal food sources. Meat and dairy products are therefore a major contributor to this group of human food chain derived toxins, regardless of their containment. It is now irresponsible to add more phathalates to the products by putting the milk products in plastic containers that add MORE EDC's.

Cattle have intentially been "fattened up" by adding hormones AND unintentially "fattened up" more by the contamination of cattle food and water by EDC's. The combination of these chemicals passed on to the consumers in concentrated form in milk products will most likely exacerbate obesity in humans that consume them as well.

www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages. A large number of products like: alcohol, beverages, bread & biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices & seasonings etc. are included under the category of Food & Beverages in the exclusive directory of www.made-from-india.com

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

How to Choose Food and Beverage Consultants For Your Restaurant



Your new restaurant has been well received by your customers. But now that the honeymoon period is over, sales have leveled off. Customers are coming in, but there is no increase in numbers. You find that handling the kitchen is still a nightmare. Food and labor costs are high and you are unable to streamline the business to make it operate in an effective manner. The worst part is that you know that business will pick up with some efficient marketing. But marketing is not your expertise in addition to the fact that you are working almost 70 hour weeks. So, even if you knew exactly how to go about marketing your restaurant, where are the resources- Does it sound like you need to look for food and beverage consultants-You bet.

Most businesspersons do not like the idea of hiring food development consultants for their restaurants. After all, the restaurant is their investment and they do not want to hand over the business to someone else. There is also concern about the expenses involved. When your business is running on thin margins, it is hard to invest in something that does not bring immediate returns. Nevertheless, there are advantages for you in investing in a goodfood consultant. The first and the most obvious is the measure of objectivity they bring. Most businesspersons find it difficult to be objective about their own business.

Many restaurant operators who are new to the food or hospitality business realize that running a restaurant is a lot more complicated than they thought. When owners begin to realize that they do not know enough about their business, hiring food development consultants becomes inevitable. At this point, owners need help from someone who has done it all before.

Food and beverage consultants can help you in the different areas of your restaurant business, including:

-Selection of site
-Development of brand, design and conceptualization
-Startup
-Project management
-Financial planning
-Recipe development and design
-Operations
-Assessment of profits
-Operating systems
-Staff training
-Accounting systems
-Kitchen management

How do you choose the right people in the food consulting business?

- First, identify your problems and define the role of the consultant. For instance, climbing food costs may be due to the lack of proper kitchen management, poor systems or even lack of trained staff. It could also be the result of your pricing strategy. If you believe that your pricing is wrong, you need your consultant to have experience evaluating your prices and comparing them with market prices. Some restaurant consultants may not have sufficient experience in kitchen systems and even if they have some, you need to find out whether they have the specific expertise that you need.

- At times, a restaurant owner is unable to identify their problems, even though they know that the business isn't running as well as it could. In this case, you need a restaurant/food consultant who has the expertise to undertake an operational assessment.

- You may opt to take the temporary services of a food consulting firm in order to expand your business or even branch out in a new way.

- Before you select the restaurant consultant, review their background thoroughly. It's not enough to find out about the jobs they have done. You also need to know how much time the consultant has actually spent in the industry. You can find this out through a personal interview.

To explore business into this widely expanding industry, www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages. A large number of products like: alcohol, beverages, bread & biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices & seasonings etc. are included under the category of Food & Beverages in the exclusive directory of www.made-from-india.com

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Three Ways to Save Money on Beverages



Having food is the necessity of human being and taking various kinds of beverages is today’s fashion, more than the necessity. This gives food & Beverage industry a high level of market segment, a variety of products, and a number of companies. Food and Beverage Industry represents fresh, frozen, chilled, and long shelf-life food and beverage products. These are manufactured and distributed, imported and marketed to consumers, retailers, catering services and other manufacturers too. This industry has become a centre point of attracting revenue in many different countries. Indian made food and beverage is famous into the entire world.

I'm a coffee drinker, and my wife and kids drink lots of juice and soda. Juts stopping at the convenience store because one of the kids is thirsty can easily cost us ten dollars as everyone always wants a drink. We decided that was a waste of money, and there were better ways to spend our hard earned cash. Here's what we do to save money on beverages.

First, coffee. I'll still grab the occasional cup at the coffee shop, but usually only if I want a place to hang out for a while. I don't mind spending the two to three dollars if I'm meeting someone there, taking a break and relaxing, or working on the laptop in the shop. If however I just want coffee and not a place to hang out, I make coffee in the office. It's far les expensive, the coffee is just as good if not better, and it's more convenient.

In the family car we always carry soda and bottles of water now. If someone just needs a drink we always have one handy, even if not cold. The kids don't mind much, and on all longer trips we bring cold drinks and fill the car cooler.

We also bought each child a water bottle from the local discount shop and wrote their names on them. The kids love to fill and drink from their bottles.

Now, none of this is difficult or requires much planning, but the money adds up. We figure we'll save at least a thousand dollars a year, and spend the money on something everyone can enjoy!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Alkaline Food and Ph Balance - Making the Right Choices for a Balanced Diet



Energetic people who cycle, run, hike, play tennis, golf, build muscle up, or do any physical activity and want to perform at peak levels of fitness, have a choice to make. It's a choice many never consider, but one of the most important choices for overall health and fitness. It stares you right in the face every time you eat, drink or consume anything. The choice to consider is whether or not a food or beverage is going to help you maintain proper ph balance, or is it going to throw that delicate balance off and leave you vulnerable to health problems.

In order to maintain suitable ph balance, nutritionists suggest 80% of dietary intake should be alkaline and 20% acidic. What exactly does that mean? I'll explain. The alkalinity or acidic properties of a food or beverage come into play when your body burns them for fuel. Consuming too many acidic foods, drugs, tobacco, sodas, cocktails, and coffee cause the Ph level of the blood to become overly acidic, therefore, out of balance. It's kind of like a swimming pool that has an overly acidic Ph level, it's out balance, and as any pool owner knows, that can cause problems.

Here is a short list of foods that are acidic when the body burns them for fuel:

· White flour, refined sugars

· Dairy products

· Meat, fish

· Peanut butter

· Chocolate

· Nuts (not all of them, but most).

· Plums, prunes and cranberries (surprising, but true, even some healthy fruits and vegetables can form an acid ash, especially over- cooked vegetables)

Here are some good choices for alkaline food to help maintain proper ph balance:

· Almonds, Apples, Avocados

· Bananas, Beans, Brazil nuts

· Broccoli, Cantaloupe, Carrots

Most people have this alkaline/acid ratio upside down, which means the body has to find a sure source of calcium in order to correct the acid/alkaline imbalance. A human being's blood Ph level is meant to stay at 7.4, so the body is constantly working to maintain that level, no matter what you consume. Your body is naturally engineered to sustain that delicate Ph balance at all costs, because if it goes too far off, cells begin to die. If you are forcing your body to work harder in order to preserve that Ph level, how hard can it work for you when you are doing physical activities? If the body has to neutralize more acid that it is designed for, where do you think it finds a readily available supply of something alkaline to do that? Our bones. Yes, when the consumption of alkaline food and drinks is insufficient to do the job, then the body has to pull calcium from bones in order to neutralize excess acid in the bloodstream.

To explore business into this widely expanding industry, www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages. A large number of products like: alcohol, beverages, bread & biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices & seasonings etc. are included under the category of Food & Beverages in the exclusive directory of www.made-from-india.com

It is a nutrition fact that too many acid forming foods and beverages such as meat, coffee, alcohol, sugar, dairy, and refined flour products can cause a body's Ph balance to be too acidic. This can lead to all sorts of health problems, not the least of which is bone weakness. A calcium supplement may help. However, if the calcium is not from a whole food source, the body does not absorb it as efficiently due to the lack of live enzymes, but more about that in a future article. The best whole food sources for calcium are broccoli, green leafy vegetables, and other alkaline foods.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Bag Sealers Are an Easy Way to Preserve Your Food and Beverages



The packaging industry has some of the most complex equipment that some feel it involves rocket science. Machines have to be extremely precise when filling bottles that only have a half inch opening or making sure no to fill a bag so much that it bursts.

It is common at the last stage of this complicated process that we find the products bundled together in plastic or boxes. This makes it easy to ship bulk quantities to local buyers or buyers around the world. Most packaging companies prefer to ship their products bundled together using plastic rather than in boxes because they are much lighter and take up less space.

There are many types of bag or plastic sealers that are used for different purposes. To understand which type of bag sealer is best for a specific function listed below are 7 different categories these seals fall into.

Standard Bag Sealers. These types of bag sealers are for sealing pre-made, open mouth heat sealable bags. Once the product is dispensed into the plastic bag the open end of the bag is pressed with a heated clamp that melts the plastic together sealing the contents inside. These standard sealers may seal up to 500 bags per minute depending on the size.

Industrial Sealers. This is used for applications that require more sealing power and/or higher speeds than normal. Found in many large packaging companies these plastic sealers are perfect when mass producing bagged products. For example, Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese that we find in every grocery store.

Validatable Bag Sealers. These machines are perfect for packaging medical or pharmaceutical products. These machines make it simple to change out parts of the machine to accommodate for different size bags that are continually interchanged.

Semi-Automatic Sealers. If you want to have multiple people loading your sealer or if you need to automatically load your sealer, these sealers are perfect for the job.

Portable Sealers. If you need a portable sealer, or a low production sealer that may be used occasionally the portable bag sealers are perfect. These machines are small weighing on average about 15 lbs.

Hot Air Sealers. If the product you are packaging is extremely dusty and air borne and is pillow shaped a hot air sealer is the right machine. For example bags filled with seed or dirt is commonly sealed in this manner. The bag is sealed in an upright position where the top of the bag is guided through the hot air sealer.

Vacuum Sealers. This machine is used to create an air tight package which is best for preserving products. These types of bag sealers have been made available for household usage to keep meats and perishables fresh longer.

Competitive advantage is important in this industry due to the large selection of bag sealers. Some bag sealers may even be good for multiple purposes so once you understand the intention of the bag sealer, find out which fits your needs.

www.made-from-india.com gives you trade directory of Food & Beverage product , Indian Food & Beverage supplier & manufacturers, Food & Beverages exporters, Food & Beverage Traders, Food & Beverage Distributors, food manufacturers in India, Food & Beverage Factories, Food & Beverage Producers, wholesalers. Manufacturers and suppliers of bottles & cans of beverages. A large number of products like: alcohol, beverages, bread & biscuits, frozen food, saffron, snacks, spices & seasonings etc. are included under the category of Food & Beverages in the exclusive directory of www.made-from-india.com