ROSEMONT, Ill.– US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE: USFD) announced today the launch of Spring Scoop 2019 (Spring Scoop), which focuses on the continued expansion of US Foods’ award-winning Serve Good program. Serve Good products meet rigorous criteria for responsible sourcing or waste reduction, including packaging standards that are designed to reduce waste, prioritize the use of recycled materials and help reduce US Foods’ environmental footprint. As part of US Foods’ “Great Food. Made Easy.” strategy and commitment to helping independent restaurants succeed, the Serve Good portfolio offers operators a competitive edge with more than 350 sustainable food and non-food products.
“Sustainability on the menu is more than just a trend, it’s a movement that has shaped how diners approach their purchasing decisions. In fact, research indicates that 74 percent of millennials are willing to pay more for sustainable products and services1,” said Stacie Sopinka, senior vice president of product development and innovation, US Foods. “Our Serve Good portfolio offers independent restaurant operators innovative and versatile products that help create real value while meeting the immediate and long-term cravings and conscience of contemporary diners.”
Each of the 24 items featured in Spring Scoop fall into one of the following Serve Good categories: agricultural practices, sustainable seafood, animal care, responsible disposables and reduced waste.
Products within the Serve Good portfolio are developed with suppliers committed to responsible practices, and many items come with the reassurance of verification by third-party certifiers.
The Organic Movement
Adding organic items to the menu helps attracts diners and allows operators to command higher prices. One of the most noticeable movements within the food industry, the word “organic” now appears on 23 percent of menus across the country2. Spring Scoop highlights several USDA certified organic products such as:
- Roseli Organic Premium Three Cheese Ravioli: Made with a creamy blend of organic ricotta, fontina and Parmesan cheeses, these raviolis contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, and pair well with a variety of sauces and complementary flavors, such as the Roseli Organic Basil Pesto.
- Roseli Organic Basil Pesto: Made with organic canola oil and Parmesan cheese. Contains no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives and is the perfect complement for sandwiches, pastas and more.
- Monarch Organic Tomato Ketchup: This front-of-the-house product contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and is sweetened with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup found in many leading ketchups.
Sustainability on the Menu
Providing assurances about how food arrives at your diner’s table is no longer a customer courtesy. It’s essential. Not only has the term “sustainable” grown by 300 percent in the past decade on seafood menus across the U.S., research also suggests that 48 percent of restaurant operators consider animal care practices important when making purchasing decisions3. Spring Scoop highlights a variety of products that feature third-party certifications and promote increased transparency. Products include:
- Harbor Banks Skinless Barramundi: Ocean-farmed and four-star certified for Best Aquaculture Practices, this Barramundi recently graduated to the Serve Good portfolio from US Foods’ Progress Check program, a program designed specifically for the seafood category to highlight vendors that are on the path toward achieving the sustainable certifications required to be a part of the Serve Good program.
- Patuxent Farms All Natural* Ground Dark Turkey Raised Without Antibiotics: The Serve Good program continues to add more American Humane Certified (AHC) products to its line-up and this product is the company’s first turkey item to hold the AHC certification.Ground turkey is an economical alternative to conventional ground beef, and this product is frozen in small pillow packs for quicker thawing.
- Patuxent Farms All Natural* Turkey Sausage Patty Raised Without Antibiotics: Also new to the AHC line-up, this patty has 75 percent less fat** than pork breakfast sausage and features Southern-style seasoning including black pepper and sage.
Agricultural Practices
Increased mindfulness in environmental and social practices has inspired US Foods to expand sustainable offerings with specific certifications that in turn help ensure workers’ rights, promote biodiversity and increase transparency. Food and non-food highlights include:
- Devonshire Passion Fruit Layered Cheesecake with Fair Trade Coconut: This dessert features tropical flavors of tangy passion fruit and sweet coconut. It is topped with shaved coconut and sugar that are both Fair Trade Certified and is made without artificial colors or flavors.
- Chef’s Line Banana Nut Muffin Made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Bananas: These muffinscontain a high fruit content that offers delicious flavor and texture without artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. This item complies with the US Foods Unpronounceables List initiative aimed at producing products with simple, more recognizable ingredients by avoiding, removing or replacing ingredients and food additives.
- Monogram 7.75″ PLA Green Stripe Unwrapped Straw and 9.5″ PLA White Wrapped Straw: These eco-friendly alternatives to traditional straws are Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certified and made from plant-based PLA. They’re also entirely compostable in commercial composting facilities. Some jurisdictions have straw restrictions; please discuss your business requirements with your US Foods account representative.
- Monogram Compostable 16 oz. Double Wall Cup: BPI certified, this item is made from renewable, sustainable materials and features an insulated, double-wall technology that helps eliminate the need for a coffee sleeve.
Helping Customers Make It
Spring Scoop also highlights a suite of CHECK Business Tools that are specifically designed to help operators drive traffic. From increasing visibility on the web to creating menus that attract diners and drive profits, these tools help operators succeed. Learn more about the tools available at www.usfoods.com/check.
For more on the Serve Good program and the full Spring Scoop lineup, visit us here. Foodservice operators interested in learning more about Scoop can also request a product demonstration at: http://www.usfoods.com/scoopdemo.
About US Foods
US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 250,000 restaurants and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With 25,000 employees and more than 60 locations, US Foods provides its customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology and business solutions. US Foods is headquartered in Rosemont, Ill. and generates approximately $24 billion in annual revenue. Visit usfoods.com to learn more.
1 CONE Communications, 2017
2 Datassential, 2019
3 Datassential, 2018
*No artificial ingredients. Minimally processed.
** Our All Natural* Turkey Sausage Patty Raised Without Antibiotics contains 4 g of total fat per 43 g serving compared to USDA standard for fully cooked pork sausage which contains 17 g of total fat per 43 g serving.
