Who's News in Catering for September 18, 2021

Upcoming Events

The best of the best of talented culinary skills will come together at the 12th annual Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival presented by United Airlines. The culinary skills of celebrity chefs from all over the globe will participate at this yearly event at venues located on the Las Vegas Strip as well as Tivoli Village and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton. The sponsors this year include Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, along with world-class, James Beard Foundation Award-winning chefs, including Chef Katsuya Uechi, Chef Todd English and Chef Francois Payard, just to name a few.  Tickets range from $100-$250, which include a special tasting of world-class wines, beers, spirits, and delicious food. Individuals interested in attending are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible due to popular demand. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit VegasFoodAndWine.com.  

EnGenius, a high-profile multinational wireless networking company, known for delivering future-proof hardware and software solutions for businesses of all sizes for over two decades, is pleased to invite you to the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference in Dallas. The show will be taking place in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas starting Mon, Sep 27, 2021 to Thu, Sep 30, 2021. The Costa Mesa, CA based company will be showing off the latest and greatest in the voice and data equipment industry and will provide you with a unique opportunity to preview the company’s first SIP hospitality-friendly solution that will be launched in Q4. This new long-range voice communication solution will finally allow hospitality staff to move about the property without losing contact with guests, customers and other staff. This unique non-DECT and non-Wi-Fi voice communication system requires minimal infrastructure, decreasing costs and improving productivity. You are cordially invited to be one of the very first people in the world to experience the new offering by EnGenius at the company’s booth during the world's largest hospitality technology show.  

Products on the Market

With its snacks full of flavor and protein, Veroni makes ‘back-to-school’ easier, fun, and healthy. The brand-new line of the beloved Italian cured meat maker is inspired by the traditional Italian “merenda”. It comes in four pairing variations that combine Italian salami (mild and spicy), Provolone cheese, breadsticks, and dry fruits such as dried cranberries and dried apricots. The portable snacking trays can be easily packed in lunch boxes for kids, served as an after-school snack, or while on-the-go during after-school activities. Rich in protein and well-balanced, Veroni snacks are a genuine alternative to bring to the office or when you need a pick-me-up to power through your workout at the gym. 

Steeped Coffee, a Certified B Corp, was announced today as a NEXTY Awards Finalist for ‘Best New Product’ for its French Roast Fair Trade Organic Breakwater Blend. Steeped Coffee is a top 3 finalist in the ‘Best New Tea or Coffee’ category for the coveted NEXTY Award, and award winners will be announced live at the annual Natural Products Expo East, held Sept. 23-25 in Philadelphia. The Natural Products Expo East is the industry’s largest event on the east coast, featuring more than 1,500 brands. Exhibitors showcase the latest innovations shaping the future of organic and natural food and beverage, personal care and supplements. The NEXTY Awards recognize the most progressive, innovative, inspiring and trustworthy products in the natural products industry. Finalists are chosen based on the NEXTY criteria centered around innovation, inspiration, integrity, and impact.  

The launch of Savannah Bar Carts has been announced. Savannah Bar Carts is the local solution for hosts, caterers, event planners, and professional bartenders throughout the city of Savannah! From the owners of Savannah-based, Royal Restrooms, this is an extension of his original passion for serving customers with the best possible solutions when occasions call for unique and creative alternatives for bar setups.  They designed the Savannah Bar Cart for every party, from the backyard event all the way to the week-long festival.  For a wedding, a caterer can load in the bar beverages, mixers, and drink wear at the kitchen, complete with ice. Park the Savannah Bar Cart on site and be ready to serve.  Savannah Bar Carts is an all-in-one bar cart.   

Hot Off the Presses

The National Restaurant Association today named John Zimmermann, Vice President of Quality Assurance and Food Safety at First Watch Restaurants, as the 2021 Outstanding Food Safety Leader. The annual award was sponsored by Ecolab and was part of the Association’s Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) Expert Exchange digital event. The award recognizes an individual’s dedication to food safety through personal and career accomplishments such as improving food safety systems or processes, introducing innovations to manage food supplies or foodservice operations, or mentoring other foodservice professionals. This year, the award also acknowledges the extraordinary efforts of food safety leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Zimmermann has more than 30 years of experience in QA and food safety that spans food processing, distribution, and the foodservice industry. At First Watch, he is responsible for establishing standards and developing, implementing, and leading programs that directly impact food safety, quality, customer satisfaction, and innovation to ensure that only high-quality and safe food is served to all First Watch customers.  A panel of six food safety professionals, five of whom are National Restaurant Association Food Safety and Quality Assurance Executive Exchange Steering Committee members and one vice president from Ecolab, evaluated the award nominations to select a winner.    

SpotOn (www.spoton.com), one of the fastest-growing software and payments companies with comprehensive solutions for restaurants and retail businesses, today announced $300 million in Series E funding, raising its valuation to $3.15 billion. The funding will be used to acquire Appetize, a leading digital and mobile commerce platform for enterprise businesses, such as sports and entertainment venues, theme parks, zoos, college campuses, and more.