From Oregon Chai, we added their Original Chai Tea Latte, Bag-in-Box. This signature flavor boasts a harmonious blend of black tea, honey, smooth vanilla, and traditional chai spices, delivering a sweet and mildly spiced experience in every sip. Crafted with natural ingredients and packaged in a convenient 1.5 gallon bag-in-box, this concentrate is designed for ease of use. Simply mix equal parts concentrate and milk or soy,  heat it up or serve it over ice for a rich, creamy indulgence that your customers will love. With an easy-pour spigot, serving up delicious chai lattes has never been simpler. It’s time to elevate your beverage offerings with the timeless taste of Oregon Chai’s Original Chai Tea Latte.

From Minh®, we added two versions of their 1.5 oz Egg Rolls – a delightful fusion of quality ingredients and authentic flavors in a convenient snack-sized package. Crafted with the same attention to detail as the full-size egg rolls, these mini delights are perfect for snacking, appetizer plates, or as a delicious addition to any Asian-inspired meal. Available in two varieties – Vegetable and Pork & Vegetable – each bite sized egg roll features a crispy exterior and savory filling bursting with flavor. Pre-cooked for convenience, these mini egg rolls are ready to heat and serve, making them an ideal choice for busy kitchens and on-the-go consumers.

From Revel Eats, we added Cinnamon Cream Cheese Horchata Bites – a Latin-inspired indulgence that tantalizes taste buds with every bite. Crafted with creamy cream cheese and infused with traditional horchata flavors like rice flour, cinnamon, and vanilla, these delectable morses are encased in a crispy oat breading, creating a wonderful mix of texture and taste. Perfect for both appetizer plates and dessert offerings, these Horchata Bites provide a versatile addition to any menu. Serve them hot for a satisfying crunch or chill them after frying for a refreshing twist. Pair with a sweet dipping sauce to enhance the sensory experience and delight your patrons. Conveniently packed in 6 bags – 2 lbs each, these Horchata Bites are ready to fry straight from the freezer.

From InnovAsian Cuisine, we added Thai Yellow Curry Sauce – a vibrant blend of ingredients that brings authentic Thai flavors to your dishes. With rich yellow hue and aromatic profile, this curry sauce is perfect for creating both vegetarian and meat-based curry dishes that will delight your customers. Packaged in 8 bags of 2 lbs each, this ready-to-use curry sauce is a versatile addition to any kitchen. Experience the exotic flavors of Thailand with InnovAsian Cuisine’s Thai Yellow Curry Sauce – a convenient and delicious way to spice up your menu offerings.

And from Colvard & Company, we added bulk packages of Chorizo Sausage – a flavorful blend of chili, smoked paprika, chipotle, and a hint of cinnamon that adds a bold kick to your culinary creations. Made with all-natural pork, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar, this sausage boats a robust taste profile that’s perfect for elevating your sides. This sausage features a large grind, making it ideal for cooking in hashes or breakfast burritos. Whether your preparing hearty breakfasts or savory dinner entrees, Colvard & Company’s Bulk Chorizo Sasuage delivers exceptional flavor and quality with every bite.

New Item Details:

Dennis Food Service delivers thousands of foodservice products and supplies to restaurants and food operations in Maine and New Hampshire. If you have a question or are interested in becoming a customer contact us or call 1-800-439-2727

First a Stouffer’s Tuscan-style Vegetable Lasagna that consists of layers of delicious hand-placed noodles, layered with spinach, kale, artichoke and a blend of cheeses. Next from the Nestle Vitality line, three new drink concentrates. Hibiscus Passion Black Tea, a passionfruit and tea flavor flavor with a subtle hibiscus tone. Next a Hibiscus Watermelon Lemonade, a once seasonal drink, now being enjoyed all year round with a splash of watermelon and a hint of hibiscus. And a Wild Berry Lemonade, a smooth blend of wild berries mixed in with a classic lemon flavor. Next from Dial, a hand sanitizer pump that is fragrance free and kills 99.999% of pathogenic germs in as little as 15 seconds. From Fabuloso a Lavender scented disinfecting multi-purpose cleaner wipe, with a formula that provides a powerful clean. It kills 99% of viruses & bacteria and can disinfect any surface area. Next from Amoy, an Asian vegetarian staple, these spring rolls are filled with large pieces of vegetables, vegan, vegetarian, fully-cooked, hand-made. Good for party reception, appetizers, salad or buffet applications. From Portion Pac a Hot Sauce packets, perfectly portion for your consumers who are looking to add a burst of heat on the go. From Kraft, two more packets. A Honey Mustard Dressing pouch, delivers great flavor without the hassle of large or messy containers. And a BBQ Sauce packet, both available 200/12gr. Next from Costanzo’s a new Everything Flavored Tuscan Hoagie Roll 8″. With everything seasoned baked into the roll, not topped. From Klondike a new Choco Taco Ice Cream. Vanilla ice cream with fudgy swirls wrapped in a crunchy sugar cone taco, then drenched in a thick, chocolatey coating and sprinkled with peanuts, the perfect warm weather treat! Lastly from Georgia Pacific, a Hand Sanitizer Pump. Kills 99.99% of many common bacteria without water, infused with aloe and glycerin to help keep hands moist.

Dennis Paper & Food Service delivers thousands of foodservice products and supplies to restaurants and food operations in Maine and New Hampshire. If you have a question or are interested in becoming a customer contact us or call 1-800-439-2727.

Stock status subject to change. Posted 3/12/20.

When compared with coffee, tea is arguably as interesting and complex in its sourcing, flavors, formats and health benefits. Operators who know more about tea and the art of tea can differentiate themselves by providing insights and expertise.

Today’s consumers are moving away from sodas and soft drinks to healthier beverage options. This has made operators ask, “What now?” Experts are predicting that because of the serious innovation in the tea category, the tea market will experience significant growth*.

Millennials appear to be leading the growth. In fact, 87% of Millennials are tea drinkers**. Consumers tell us that the health benefits of tea play an influential role in their choice of tea over other options. In fact, dieticians in particular foresee tea sales continuing their ascent. In today’s food and beverage culture, it’s common for consumers, and especially Millennials, to pay close attention to the ingredients and craftsmanship that goes into everything they consume. Today’s tea drinkers know a good thing when they see it. And taste it.

Eighty-five percent of tea consumed in America is chilled***. And while many consider iced tea a warm-weather beverage, it’s actually evolving into a year-round favorite. Iced tea’s all-season popularity is do in part to consumers are wooed by iced tea’s health benefits and fresh, crisp flavor, regardless of the time of year.

Consumers are increasingly seeking iced tea options that are more than just something to drink, but that meet their increasingly selective palates. Now more than ever, serving a top-quality iced tea that provides a crisp, clean flavor can be a valuable addition to your beverage menu.

Offering familiar and unique flavors, from peach and mango to mint green tea or your own signature house-made concoctions, gives your customers more options and your beverage program more sales power.

Dennis stocks a variety of hot and iced tea products from New England Coffee, Bigelow, Lipton and Maxwell House.

*Beverage Daily, 2016
**Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc.
***Washingtonpost.com

Source: GreatMenusStartHere.com

It’s hard to imagine a beverage menu without coffee and tea. These hardworking staples can be served hot or iced, no matter the season or weather, throughout the day from breakfast to between meals and after dinner.

Coffee

It’s no surprise that the overall coffee market is growing. Driving this growth is the quality of coffee and the options for customization available to customers. New formats and varieties are emerging as coffee continues to resonate with consumers. Read more in our Coffee Break-Down.

1) Offer “flavor shots” of syrup or creamer, for any hot or cold coffee or espresso-based coffee beverage—such as lattes and cappuccinos—either à la carte or as part of a customization program.

2) Provide alternative sweeteners and lighteners—including honey, agave, and plant-based milks, such as soy and almond—for those avoiding refined sugar and dairy.

3) In addition to the familiar latte and cappuccino, experiment with next-level espresso-based beverages, such as:

• Macchiato (espresso “marked” with a small amount of foamed milk)
• Americano (espresso diluted with hot water)
• Cortado (espresso “cut” with warm milk)
• Shakerato (espresso shaken with sugar and ice cubes to chill it)

4) Get serious about iced coffee by making it available year-round—not just during warm weather. Iced latte and iced cappuccino are also growing in popularity, according to Datassential.

5) Consider getting in on the fast-growing cold-brew coffee trend; according cold brew has experienced explosive growth over the past few years.

6) Upsell iced or cold-brew coffee with such add-ons as:

• Specialty flavors (for example, maple-pecan, salted caramel, vanilla)
• Whipped cream
• Frozen coffee ice cubes

7) Use coffee in cocktails, such as an espresso martini or Irish coffee and other coffee-based after-dinner drinks. (Listen to Episode 18 of Dennis Knows Food for more.)

Tea

Specialty Tea is a fast-growing segment in beverages sales, from breakfast tea to spiced chai to classic sweet tea, there’s a tea for every time and place.

8) Step up tea service with a selection of different teas, including not only traditional black tea, but also herbal tea, green tea, and premium specialty teas such as jasmine or Rooibos.

9) Experiment with globally inspired tea concepts:

• Serve hot tea as the Russians do: with a side of cherry preserves or another sweet jam that the customer can stir in to taste
• The spiced, sweetened milk tea from India called chai can be served either hot or cold, or turned into a blended beverage
• Moroccan mint tea consists of green tea steeped with sugar and lots of fresh mint
• Make a tea latte with extra-strong brewed tea and hot steamed milk, sweetened to taste

10) Offer iced tea year-round, not just during the summer; according to Datassential, iced tea is now more likely to be consumed than hot tea.

11) Mix iced tea with sweetened condensed milk as a variation on Vietnamese iced coffee.

12) Combine iced tea 50-50 with lemonade or fruit juice to create a refreshing specialty beverage.

13) Infuse iced white, green, or black tea with flavors such as ginger, pineapple, strawberry, and more.

14) Use hot or iced tea in cocktails, such as a hot tea toddy or black tea punch with rum.

Cocoa

Hot chocolate is the last piece of the classic beverage puzzle. Although 47% of customers love it, according to Datassential, hot cocoa/chocolate is only featured on 16.7% of U.S. restaurant menus, representing an opportunity for renewed growth. One way to boost sales of this cold-weather favorite is by marketing it as an indulgent treat.

15) Topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle or sprinkles.

16) Flavored with mint or peppermint.

17) Laced with mocha and ancho or cayenne chile.

18) Offered in dark or white chocolate.

19) Paired with a biscotti or churro for dipping.

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