ALIWORLDISSUE 9 | JANUARY 2021 - ZIGGI'S COFFEE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS KEY TO THIS CHAIN'S SUCCESS - Ali Group
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ALIWORLD
NORTH AMERICA
THE ALI GROUP MAGAZINE ISSUE 9 | JANUARY 2021
ZIGGI’S COFFEE LAGOMARCINO’S
SERVING UP
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS KEY FROZEN TREATS
TO THIS CHAIN’S SUCCESS AND MORE
SINCE 1908
OPERATION
BBQ RELIEF
STEPPING IN
WHEN
DISASTER
STRIKES
Welcome
Welcome to this, the ninth The articles in this issue of Aliworld show how
our clients are adapting to these changing ways
North America edition of of doing business. We’ll tell you about the latest
Aliworld. Over the past year, trends in takeout and delivery. And to help you
the COVID-19 pandemic has keep your eye on the road ahead, four prominent
consultants share their views on the state of the
affected all of us. Let me extend industry now and after the pandemic. I know you’ll
our deepest sympathies from all find their comments insightful.
We have many success stories for you, such as
of us at the Ali Group to those of the story of a young couple who had the dream
you who have suffered personal of running a coffee shop — and who are now in
charge of one of the fastest-growing coffee chains
losses due to the pandemic.
I
in the U.S. You’ll see how another entrepreneur
continues to capitalize on the CBD trend by
t’s no understatement to say that the making infused gelato. As an example of how to
pandemic has radically changed the keep going in both good and bad times, we’ll show
foodservice and hospitality business you a family-owned business that has made ice
over the past year. Like so many of cream for more than 90 years. Also, for a change
you, we at the Ali Group are taking of pace, we have the inspiring story of a group of
every possible precaution to keep volunteers who bring hope and food to the victims
our employees safe, in keeping with of natural disasters.
the mandates of local and national We at the Ali Group are following the
health authorities. This unprecedented current trend of using more digital and video
situation has put great strains on our employees but communications, so I may be seeing you on a
I’m immensely proud of the way they have adapted, Zoom screen in the near future. Looking ahead,
pulling together to keep our businesses strong and I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to reconnect with
serve our clients during these difficult times. many of you at the NRA Show, NAFEM Show or
Many of our companies have quickly pivoted HostMilano this year.
as our clients have had to rethink their businesses. These are, indeed, challenging times. But I have
Whether that meant an increased emphasis confidence that we, as an industry, are resilient
on sanitization and food safety or assisting as and will bounce back even stronger than before.
restaurants switched to a takeout-based model, From all of us at the Ali Group, my best wishes for
our companies have helped their clients survive — a happy, healthful and profitable 2021.
and hopefully even thrive — over the past year. Enjoy Aliworld.
Filippo Berti
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ali Group
1 Aliworld Aliworld 1
Contents
02 05
30
76
Trends Innovation
04
10 Accelerated and Amplified: 64 To B is to Do 76 Efficient Food Prep Helps
Key Trends in the Wake of Two Ali Group companies Position Chain for Growth
COVID-19 team up to produce an A casual chain is using a
Consultants discuss how the innovative new product. Moffat holding/warming
pandemic will have an effect
on foodservice in the future.
Success 68 YNOT Create More
cabinet to prepare food
more efficiently.
14 The Fast Track:
Stories Storage Space
Creating storage 78 Bringing Safety and
Takeout and Delivery 30 Nashville Donut Spot Distills Sweets and Fun efficiency for a growing Sustainability to the
Operators are finding Donuts and cocktails are an unusual but Italian restaurant chain. Forefront
success with expanded successful combination. Producing ice safely and
takeout and delivery 72 State-of-the-Art Products with less environmental
services. 34 Hot Pot Hot Spot’s Need for Precision Meets Victory Receive Awards impact.
At Haidilao, the traditional Chinese hot pot is at Beverage-Air and Electro
18 2021: The State of the center of the table. Freeze win 2020 Kitchen 80 High-Speed Cooking
Drive-Thru Innovations Awards. Made Easy with
A panel of experts 38 Landmark 60-Year-Old Restaurant Finds XpressChef
from Metro discuss key Modern Solutions 74 Scotsman Brings Ice ACP’s high-speed
strategies for effective How the historic Dan’l Boone Inn keeps its and Water to Almost ovens help foodservice
drive-thru programs. dishware spotless. Any Location operations trim their
Ice and water dispensers production time.
42 Opening a Healthcare Facility in the Midst gain popularity in
03
of a Pandemic nontraditional locations.
06
To deal with an influx of patients, a Louisiana
hospital reopened an underused facility in a
matter of weeks.
46 Timeless Hospitality, Modern Technology
Frozen treats star on the menu at this
113-year-old family business.
50 Where “Eats” Meets West
People
Ali Group
A Japanese-style fried chicken chain is making
comfort food healthful.
22 American Dish Service 58
Joins the Ali Group Family 54 CBD is on the Menu at Cloud Cups 82 Our Companies
4 The latest addition to the CBD-infused gelato is a growing trend. Ali Group global
01
Ali Group is a company expertise
with a rich family history. 58 Cool Concepts at Orlando’s Orange County
Cover Story 26 BBQ Nonprofit
Convention Center
Customers have a wide variety of foodservice
84 Your Global Partner
Ali Group contact
4 Building Relationships, One Cup at a Time Bridges Gap options at Orlando’s convention center. information around
A Colorado couple are the drivers behind one of the The inspiring story of the globe
country’s fastest-growing coffee chains. Operation BBQ Relief 62 Hot Pizza and Cool Gelato: A Perfect Pair
and its efforts to help A Minnesota pizza chain finds gelato to be the
people in need. perfect complement to its pizza menu. 22
2 Aliworld Aliworld 3
01
Cover Story
BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS,
ONE CUP
AT A TIME
Ziggi’s Coffee’s Co-Founders
Brandon and Camrin Knudsen
T
he original career goal of Ziggi’s Coffee’s
Co-Founders, the husband-and-wife team of
Cultivating good relationships —
Brandon and Camrin Knudsen, wasn’t to own with customers, employees and
a coffee shop. While students at Southern
Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., Brandon
suppliers — is critical to operating a
studied to become a teacher and Camrin a successful business, and that has been
nurse. “We decided very quickly that neither key to the success of Ziggi’s Coffee.
of us really wanted to do that and both of us
disliked school,” Brandon jokes.
The Knudsens were avid basketball players and while Brandon
was on the court, Camrin took a part-time job at a local coffee shop.
She was “just crushing it,” Brandon says, earning as much as $100 in
tips during an average morning shift. That success convinced them
4 Aliworld Aliworld 5
Cover Story
that they should operate a shop with them. Fortunately, Knowing the Customer According to Brandon,
coffee shop of their own. Brandon says, “we had the One of the things that making that personal
The couple moved to nicest group of elderly ladies differentiates Ziggi’s from connection is as important
Colorado in 2003, staying with who’d come in every morning other coffee shops is a focus behind the counter as in front.
Brandon’s sister, “until we and they would hold our baby. on customer service and really “I want to surround myself
figured out what we wanted They’d say, ‘Give me Elijah. You reading the customer’s needs. with people who are awesome
to do with ourselves,” he says. guys get through your rush.’ ” The chain tasks employees at what they do,” he says. The
Brandon took a night shift Around this time, the with putting the company’s business relationship with the
job at a Denver ice cream Knudsens’ coffee roaster slogan, “The best part of your Thwaites brothers has become a
manufacturing plant while presented the couple with day,” into action. “We want to friendship as well; their families
the couple spent their days what seemed like a crazy idea: look at the person coming up go on vacation together. Various
looking for a coffee shop they partnering with them on a to the counter and size them Knudsen family members work
could purchase. “We had no second coffee shop. “My wife up,” Brandon says. “One person for Ziggi’s, as do some of the
money, no credit, no assets is like, ‘Are you kidding wants me to shut up and give students Brandon coached
and no clue as to what we me?’ ” Brandon says. “I just felt them their coffee. They look at basketball. “I need to have
were doing,” Brandon says. like we could do it. I like the grumpy. Just give them their a personal connection with
After months of looking, business, and I’m hopelessly coffee and let them get out of someone or they’re not going to
the Knudsens found a small optimistic.” there — that’s the best part be part of our team,” he says.
coffee-and-sandwich shop Even though Hava Java of their day. Then you get the
for sale in Thornton, Colo., was still losing money and person who walks in and wants Finding the Right Machine
about 10 miles north of Brandon was still working at to talk about everything you When customers come
Denver. The shop’s current the ice cream factory, they can think of. So we talk to them. to Ziggi’s, they know
owners “had been running it took the opportunity and That’s the best part of their day.” they’re going to get a fresh,
for seven or eight years and opened Gizzi’s Coffee in 2004
they were ready to be done in Longmont, Colo. In late
[with] working 15 hours a 2004, Gizzi’s would become What’s in a Name?
day,” he says. With a loan from Ziggi’s Coffee. On “Wheel of Fortune,” buying a vowel can sometimes be
Camrin’s family, the couple For a few months, the the key to riches. But for Ziggi’s Coffee, buying a consonant
purchased the shop, called the Knudsens operated both — specifically, the letter “G” — was the first step to success.
Hava Java, in early 2004. “We stores but sold Hava Java late
probably only sold 10 cups of in the year to concentrate When the Knudsens and their original business partner
coffee per day; the rest was solely on building the Ziggi’s (who was also their coffee roaster) opened their first café
panini sandwiches,” he says. business. By 2010, the partners together in Longmont, Colo., in 2004, they named it Gizzi’s.
The shop only brought in were doing well enough to Six months into the partnership, there was a disagreement
about $200 in business on a open a second location — a and “it got rocky,” in Brandon Knudsen’s words. His father
typical day, not enough for the double-sided drive-thru — in stepped in to buy out the partner. But the partner decided
Knudsens to hire help. So they Longmont. Drive-thru has that he wanted to keep the Gizzi’s name. “We were totally
manned the shop during the been an important part of broke,” Knudsen says. “I was already in debt, and my dad
day, but Brandon kept his night the chain’s design from the had spent every penny he had.” A protracted legal battle to
job at the ice cream plant. After beginning: Most of Ziggi’s secure the name was out of the question.
his nightly shift, he’d drive back units have a drive-thru lane
to a warehouse club store in and many of them have two. Brothers Tommy and Tim Thwaites and their fledgling
Thornton and sit in the parking Ziggi’s opened a new unit Coda Coffee business came to the rescue. Knudsen told
One of the things that lot until it opened. “I’d go in in each of the next four years, Tommy Thwaites about the problems he was having with
differentiates Ziggi’s and buy just enough sandwich
meat and sides to get through
and in 2016 it launched an
ambitious franchise program.
his business partner — and that he was looking for a new
coffee roaster. “You’re in luck,” Thwaites told him. “We’ll be
from other coffee the lunch rush,” he says. Then it The chain’s first franchise your roaster, and we’ll pay for your signs.” That was the start
shops is a focus on was back to Hava Java to work
the breakfast and lunch shifts,
location opened in 2017 in
Loveland, Colo. Ziggi’s now has
of the successful relationship between Ziggi’s and Coda.
customer service and catch a few hours of sleep and 26 units in operation, reaching Even with outside help, “the only way we could afford to
really reading the start the process all over again. from California to Iowa. Seven change the name was to rearrange the letters on each sign,”
customer’s needs. On top of everything else,
Camrin had just given birth to
of the stores are corporate
locations and franchisees own
Knudsen says. So the Thwaites brothers kicked in $1,700 to
buy an additional “G” for the sign, the letters were rearranged,
the Knudsens’ first child, and the remaining 19. Knudsen Knudsen became the first customer for the brothers’ coffee-
since they couldn’t afford a expects to have a total of 65 roasting business, and Gizzi’s became Ziggi’s.
sitter they brought him to the franchised units open by 2022.
6 Aliworld Aliworld 7
Cover Story
delicious cup of coffee every time. And
CODA COFFEE: THE PERFECT CUP FOR ZIGGI’S that only comes from coffee machines
that are dependable, which Ziggi’s
It’s impossible to tell the story of Ziggi’s previous machines weren’t. “I knew we The Egro machine “is a huge
Coffee without discussing Coda Coffee as Like Ziggi’s, Coda Coffee believes in being had a problem,” Knudsen says. factor in keeping our labor
well. The two companies have more than just
a traditional supplier-buyer relationship. Their
a good corporate citizen. It has received
commendations for its environmental
The chain was “just dumping
money into service,” says Javier Palacio,
at less than 25% of sales and
histories are intertwined and the connections practices from the Colorado Dept. of Regional Service Manager for 9 Bar Tech giving incredible service.”
go back even before Ziggi’s was established. Public Health and Environment and is Co. in Denver. “So I mentioned, ‘Have
a Certified B Corporation. Coda also you ever taken a look at Egro?’” Palacio
Coda Coffee Co-Presidents (and brothers) gives back by doing community service did an in-house demo of the Egro ONE
Tommy and Tim Thwaites got their start in projects in their growers’ home countries. Pure Coffee fully automatic espresso
the coffee business in the Pacific Northwest “We’ve graded roads, built community machine for Ziggi’s, and Knudsen
in the mid-1990s. They worked for a coffee centers, donated money for a cupping was sold.
roaster in Seattle for about 10 years before lab and donated money for a computer The Egro ONE Pure Coffee is a high-
moving away and getting out of the coffee lab for the kids,” Tommy says. That social volume, fully automatic espresso machine
business. “In 2005, my brother and I were responsibility aligns with the community- with a touchscreen interface. The interface
both off in some other directions,” says focused way Ziggi’s does business. allows for programming of up to 48 drink
Tommy Thwaites. “I was selling subprime “There’s so many cool things they do. selections. Its iSteam intelligent steam
mortgages; my brother was selling wand automatically froths
insurance.” Both of them soon tired of what and steams milk, and a USB
they were doing and got back into the port facilitates software and
coffee game, working for a roaster based programming updates. And
in Denver that supplied Ziggi’s (or as it was it only requires 12 inches of
known then, Gizzi’s) Coffee. counter space — perfect for
small café designs.
“We didn’t like the ethics of that company,” The Egro ONE Pure
Thwaites says, and the brothers decided solved a problem for Ziggi’s,
they’d start up a coffee roasting business according to Knudsen,
of their own. Backed by some money from who says that “training a
their parents, the brothers started Coda barista to adjust a grind is
Coffee in Denver in 2005. Brandon Knudsen the worst thing ever.” With
was also branching out on his own and the Egro ONE Pure, he says,
happened to call the Thwaites brothers “it’s done.” Palacio agrees,
Coda Coffee Co-Presidents
on their first official day of operation. “He Tim Thwaites (left) and saying that “it’s really
became customer number one for Coda,” Tommy Thwaites (right) hands-off so you don’t have
says Thwaites. “He was invoice number one to do anything as far as the
They build schools, they take care of the user adjusting grinds.” BRAND WATCH
farmers,” Brandon Knudsen says. “Tommy The Egro ONE Pure produces
and Tim are the best at what they do.” consistent and delicious coffee so
that Ziggi’s can concentrate on what
As with many coffee companies, Coda is Brandon says they really specialize in: Began production of coffee machines:
customer service. The Egro machine “is
organic-certified and Fair Trade CertifiedTM.
But its Farm2Cup certification may be the a huge factor in keeping our labor at less 1934
Developed the first fully automatic
most meaningful. “It’s our own made-up than 25% of sales and giving incredible espresso machine:
certification,” Thwaites says. “We wanted a service,” he says. “It’s hard to do both but
way to denote coffees where we really felt the machine allows us to do it.” 1972
a strong relationship with the grower.” This That emphasis on customer service USA office opened:
for Coda.” From that point on, Coda has
been an integral part of the Ziggi’s Coffee
certification denotes coffees from areas,
where Thwaites says, “we’ve walked the
is what Don Berquist, Regional Manager
for Rancilio Group North America,
1999
Number of service providers:
says is integral to Ziggi’s current and
success story, providing the chain with all
its coffee. The Thwaites brothers would
fields: Omar is the guy in Honduras, Emilio
is the guy in El Salvador. When we know a continued success. “They’re doing it 600+
officially become partners in Ziggi’s when its farmer or a co-op we buy from, we like to right,” he says, “talking to customers, ranciliogroupna.com
franchise program started in 2016. build that relationship.” talking to employees and making sure
they have a great product.”
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02
Trends
Chris Bigelow, FCSI, CFSP
President
The Bigelow Companies, Inc.
Kansas City, Mo.
preordering by the
hundreds?
When you preorder from
a restaurant, they have set up
cubicles. In some cases, it’s
nothing but a shelf and they
have your name on a ticket
attached to a bag. That’s the
simplest way to do it, but half-
time at a football game may
What emerging trends in The idea didn’t start with call for different measures. Andrey Teleguz
sports facility foodservice the pandemic but it’s finally There are electronic cabinets or Principal
has the COVID-19 pandemic gaining traction with COVID lockers and you’re given a code.
accelerated? and that’s preordering food When you get to the pickup
SCOPOS Hospitality Group
The big one is the whole on your phone. In the sports spot, you punch in the code on Ephrata, Penn.
idea of cashless facilities, world, we’ve had apps to order your phone and it opens the
which was just starting to on your phone for at least locker. These can be installed What are some major
Key Trends in the Wake of COVID-19 pick up momentum. The
percentage of credit card
10 years but nobody used
them. People like to get up,
fairly easily as a retrofit. The
key is finding the space.
foodservice and hospitality
trends that you see outliving
sales versus cash sales was walk around the stadium, see the pandemic?
growing every year, all across what people are selling and Let’s talk more about the Trends I’d highlight are open
the board with the various buy on impulse. Now, we’re space requirements for newly kitchens extending farther,
facilities — colleges, minor seeing more sports teams that designed sports facilities in a perhaps even protruding into
league, major league, you want to have a reliable app post-COVID world. the dining room space, creating
name it. With COVID, it’s to encourage preordering. If We’re working on some almost a 360-degree experience.
taken on a new emphasis. you think about self-service, projects right now, and even We then need to think about
Everyone’s coming out — you unless the kiosks are voice- though the buildings won’t be the to-go and takeout trend
see it with restaurants, saying, activated, people are touching open for, let’s say, four years, because that factors into how
“We’re not going to take cash a screen so you still have we’re told to design with our open display kitchen
anymore; we’re only going safety issues. When customers another pandemic in mind connects to the dining room
to take credit cards or some use their own phones to place as a possibility. That means and it raises the question of
type of electronic payment.” orders and they’re not going more space. We used to make where the pickup area fits. We
That whole movement to be touching any equipment kitchen footprints as small don’t want people picking up
toward cashless facilities is — that seems like the safest as possible, with kitchen staff orders to affect the dine-in
It’s difficult to disentangle the COVID-19 pandemic from what’s accelerating because of the option for the future. I think working shoulder to shoulder. experience when it comes to
perception that handling cash we’re going to see the whole Now, the question is how to atmosphere and safety. The
trending today in foodservice across various sectors, from
is less sanitary. Then, also, we technology piece just continue redesign and move equipment third trend is the dining room
senior living facilities to sports and entertainment venues. have self-service (concession to grow with touchless to allow for more space and, itself broken out into smaller,
However, several trends seemingly tied to COVID-19 actually stand) kiosks, where you equipment. Everyone said possibly, social distancing. more intimate nooks to allow
enter your order and go to condiment stands would Interestingly, something that for spacing.
began to emerge before the coronavirus clobbered the
the pickup spot to get it. That be a thing of the past, but came up the other day is, do
United States. For instance, market research firm The NDP was a trend that was growing manufacturers have come out we need a cash room anymore? Let’s address each of
Group had already dubbed the U.S. “A Carry-Out Nation” prior to COVID, and I think with touchless condiment Normally, in the back-of-the- those trends one at a time,
it will accelerate because dispensers with either a foot house space there’d be a pretty starting with open kitchens.
in November 2019, months ahead of the pandemic.
it’s contactless — you’re not pump or an electric eye. good-sized cash room for a We’d been doing a lot of
interacting with a cashier. major venue where all the open kitchens despite the
Here, four foodservice consultants discuss takeout, touchless What design elements or foodservice people come and debate around whether it’s
Which trends did the equipment are needed to count their money. Well, if going to be too noisy, and do
service points, open kitchen designs and other trends that
pandemic spark that are accommodate pickups there’s no cash, you don’t need we really want people to see
COVID-19 either accelerated or ignited, and they weigh in on here to stay? if stadium crowds start that cash room. everything? Then, COVID
which trends will persist.
10 Aliworld Aliworld 11
Trends
happened and that has unnecessary congestion inside Stephen Young, FCSI the app. The concession stand Amy E. Hegarty, CID, ASID, CFSP, FCSI instead of the pizza place down
driven a lot of demand for the restaurant. You’d want a Managing Member/Executive or food outlet just becomes a Principal the street benefits the operator.
transparency. People want dedicated to-go destination fulfillment center, and there’s Delivery and takeout will be
Principal Foodservice Consultants Studio, Inc.
to see what you’re doing to spot. Maybe it’s even a street no wait time since you’re not more prevalent in the future.
their plate and their meal. pickup window or some
Young Caruso (formerly WC&P) summoned until your order
Henrico, Va. Things aren’t ideally set up
We call it visual reassurance. outside connection point so Denver has been fulfilled. for delivery at this point, but
Definitely, there’s still a people aren’t entering the they’ve figured it out as a short-
back-of-the-house kitchen restaurant and disrupting Is the technology advanced term solution and I think it’s
where all the bulk prep is the diners and making them enough to support a positive here to stay, although I don’t see
happening. Open kitchens are feel like there’s traffic just voice-activated kiosk it taking over. Senior living and
not all open air, necessarily. constantly running back What foodservice trends do technologies. And those experience? In a COVID-19 era, what is What other changes were higher ed are environments
Some are behind glass. and forth. That’s a critical you predict will emerge in a are mobile app ordering, The technology is there, the fate of self-service in made to that project, and that attract people who want to
element to creating that safe, post-COVID world? voice-activated kiosks and and the kiosks are just coming institutional settings? what do they signal about be around other people. They
What else is driving the enjoyable dining experience. We believe the world has self-service scan-in/scan-out into play. A voice-activated We were in the middle of the future of design in won’t want to be stuck in their
open kitchen trend? Is it Branding will play a big role. embraced certain changes markets sort of like Amazon kiosk allows you to interact a senior living redesign when institutional settings? rooms all the time eating out of
experiential? Do guests Takeout can now be branded as a culture and one of these Go’s grab-and-go model. This with the screen without COVID hit and the project What we had planned a [polystyrene] box.
expect to see art in the separately, giving it its own conditions is that patrons platform allows for fresh and touching it, from tapping your stalled for four months. Now to do is create food stations
making? identity and driving targeted don’t want to be touching packaged food and beverage card or scanning your phone it’s back on track, but gone are where chefs would prepare What needs to happen so
The popularity of cooking marketing with a unique surfaces and things that other products with self-checkout for payment to ordering with all the self-service elements food made to order at that senior living facilities
shows and celebrity chefs takeout menu and packaging. guests have touched. I also scanning. voice commands. And it will — no salad bar, no self-serve beautiful service counters and universities are
has really driven that type of think people more than ever With mobile app ordering, upsell your order with, “Would soup, no self-serve dessert. In with different concepts — properly set up to provide
experience demand. People How will dining room want more visibility into the when a guest enters, their you like fries with that?” or university dining halls, there’s a carvery, a grill, an action takeout and delivery in the
want to see the artistry, the design and configuration final preparation or finish of phones will be pinged and otherwise interact with you. currently no self-service. station where they might have long-term?
culinary flair, and they may change? their meal assembly. Guests they’ll have the option of Imagine you’re at a Broncos Because they have existing a wok. The resident would You’ll need staff to
even pay a premium for that, Things are going to want to see that their meals downloading the app and game. The image on the screen self-serve counters, there’s make their choice and have prepare takeout meals
to have a seat closer to the be spaced out differently. are prepared in a safe way. accepting push notifications could be John Elway talking now a staff person behind the food prepared and plated and do deliveries, and you
action. Ultimately, when the Dining room spaces will be Additionally, guests eat with for specials, like a two-for-one to you and taking your order. that counter putting three right in front of them. Come may need more space and
chef ’s out in front, it’s a show. divided into smaller nooks their eyes so display cooking deal. Furthermore, the mobile In the next five years it may cucumbers on your salad August, they called the design a redesigned kitchen flow.
with separators, creating an and prep environments will app has beacon technology, be a hologram standing there because that’s what you asked team back together, and they Kitchens need storage room
On the other end of the experience of safety and a enhance sales. which tells the operator where talking to you. for. They’re even handing wanted changes based on for the to-go containers and
spectrum are people who sense of intimacy within a the guest is. So, in a sports forks to the university lessons learned from COVID. maybe for insulated delivery
are forgoing the dine-in larger space. Areas will be What’s being done to entertainment venue, you As far as safety in the era of students — you can’t reach The residents will no longer carts. It would be beneficial
experience and becoming sectioned off architecturally minimize touchpoints could order from your seat and COVID, how are food halls into an open container walk up to a counter. It’s all to have a separate area of the
increasingly reliant on or by using design elements and potential germ the food could be delivered perceived compared to and pick out your flatware. table service now, just like kitchen to store meals once
takeout. to create physical barriers transference? to you. If in-seat service isn’t restaurants? Hiring labor on campus is a traditional restaurant, but they are ready to be picked
That’s huge. People other than [plastic glass] For all of the sports offered, you order from the app I would say food halls are generally not a problem there will still be a visual up or delivered — so heated
are used to it, and moving partitions, which have been entertainment venues as well and it tells you when your food equally as safe as restaurants, because of the student connection with the cooking or refrigerated cabinets in
forward, there will still be a the short-term solution. We’re as the food halls we currently is ready and where to pick it and I believe they have a workforce, but elsewhere, in the form of an open display this area to house the food.
percentage of the population using a lot of green walls, or have on the boards in terms up, and you pay for it through sustainable place in the where staff is preparing food kitchen. The ability to see You need to address the
that’s not comfortable eating hydroponics, to create those of design, we’re implementing foodservice world. The key for people instead of doing food being prepared while tradeoff that more takeout
Food halls present unique
at a restaurant but they still partitions between tables, and touchless and frictionless challenges in serving will be the ability to queue and self-serve, labor is going to maintaining some separation and delivery means more
want the experience of that they also bring in nature and service points and point-of-sale food safely. seat guests in a way to satisfy be a challenge. My personal is an important factor in packaging. Just think of
restaurant’s food. So we need that feeling of healthiness. social distancing and provide opinion about self-serve bulk future design projects. the enormity of trash being
to figure out how to alter the You could do high banquettes a sense of safety to its patrons. food is it’s not a great idea produced by this type of
back of the house to handle or booths to separate people. The ability to provide a display in an institutional setting What other responses to food service. I think the
that takeout volume. Maybe Even using more lounge- presentation of fresh and safe because of the risk of cross- the coronavirus are driving cost of compostable and
you have a more limited to-go style chairs that have higher food handling and finishing will contamination; plus, it’s lasting change? biodegradable packaging
menu and a specific, very backs helps instead of typical be a big plus moving forward. harder to hold temperature. For senior living, they had will come down because
efficient and streamlined bistro-style chairs. Farmhouse They may emerge on the other But as far as self-serve across to quickly figure out how to sustainability is still
area of the kitchen that’s tables had been trending, but side of COVID looking a little all sectors, we’re probably safely deliver meals to people’s important. I think things
engineered to support that we’re seeing a move toward bit different, but they have a seeing just a temporary stop rooms. Universities started will develop pretty quickly
takeout menu and it’s not smaller tables you can group place in our heart that excites right now. Most facilities of offering takeout and delivery to in this area because we need
impacting production for together to create that farm our foodie spirit that will never different types will want to get control the number of students packaging that doesn’t fill
the restaurant. Location of table experience for a larger go away. back to offering it because it’s in the dining halls. Students got up the landfills or make you
takeout is critical in order group, while allowing for more an efficient way to get people used to these conveniences and feel like you’re bringing home
to reduce cross traffic or flexibility. through a line. ordering food from campus leftovers.
12 Aliworld Aliworld 13
Trends
dining rooms, dedicating prep lines, expanding students to order a few meals ahead and avoid being
drive-thrus, testing ghost kitchens and making around other students and staff at the dining venues.”
other moves to win with off-premises sales. But Even for pickup, OSU’s tech platform facilitates
closure mandates and massive changes in consumer social distancing while maximizing convenience
behavior sparked by the pandemic transformed and efficiency. Algorithms generate estimated wait
takeout and delivery from steadily growing trends times when orders are placed, and notifications
into critical lifelines almost overnight. sent to students’ phones alert them when they
QSR and fast-casual chains with deep pockets are ready.
and high-tech systems have led the charge into “In 90% of the cases, our students are there
developing next-level off-premises business to pickup the food within 30 seconds to a minute
strategies. But the shift is broad and industrywide, after we set the food on the staging shelf,” Ahmed
encompassing colleges, healthcare operations, notes. “For takeout-based programs, timing is
corporate campuses, fine dining and family-style everything. It’s really important to have technology
restaurants, whose leaders are reimagining their that provides accurate wait times. If that’s not
businesses and accelerating the pace of change to in place, you’re going to have a very hard time
The
meet the moment and prepare for the future. managing traffic, as well as holding food and
The Ohio State University’s dining program, for maintaining quality.”
instance, was a pioneer when it brought mobile At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in
ordering for pickup and delivery to the college Memphis, Tenn., a combination of tech tools and
campus in Columbus, Ohio, five years ago. Initially physical modifications is helping facilitate a newly
Fast Track:
implemented in retail foodservice operations, the
system was expanded in summer 2020 to include “The good expanded off-premises program. As OSU was in
the campus-dining world, St. Jude was a pioneer
residential dining halls before students returned news is among hospitals in adopting mobile app-based
to campus for the fall 2020 semester. As at other
college campuses, OSU’s dining program had
that we’d ordering just over two years ago. Its program
enables customers to order ahead for takeout at
been doing
Takeout &
rapidly shifted to takeout and delivery-only modes the hospital’s main dining facility, the Kay Kafe, or
of operation during the pandemic. Having the mobile one of their two retail Starbucks outlets.
technology already in place, through a partnership Within Kay Kafe, the St. Jude team repurposed
with Grubhub, was a boon, says Zia Ahmed, Senior ordering an area formerly used as an express grab-and-go
Director for Dining Services. via app and station to serve as its new mobile-order pickup
Delivery
“Almost everything we do is off-premises now,”
he notes. “The good news is that we’d been doing
kiosks for area. “The express area was underutilized, so we
decided to change it to our Grubhub area,” says
mobile ordering via app and kiosks for takeout takeout for David Reeves. He formerly served as Director of
for the past four years. Mobile ordering is now the
primary option. At the start of the 2020-2021 school
the past Culinary Operations at St. Jude before taking a
position as System Director of Food and Nutrition
year, with nearly 12,000 students on campus, we four years.” at Lee Health in Florida. “It now includes signage
had 98% of orders coming from mobile devices. Part that shows the status of orders. If an order shows
P
of our strategic plan was to get to 100% of orders Zia Ahmed up there in green, it means it’s ready to go and
being placed via mobile app by 2025. We’re five years Senior Director for available for pickup in the staging area. It’s simple
ick it up. Grab it and go. Order it in. These options ahead of schedule due to COVID-19.” Dining Services, and seamless, and something we’ll be expanding
quickly came to define most consumers’ engagement Last summer, the OSU Dining Services team The Ohio State on in the future.”
with restaurants and other foodservice venues worked not just to expand the technology platform University St. Jude has already incorporated plans for
when COVID-19 hit. And for many — those leery of for placing mobile orders but also to expand more sophisticated, tech-enhanced mobile-order
heading back into dining rooms as well as those for delivery. Added early in the pandemic for students pickup areas in future facility designs, Reeves
whom takeout and delivery simply became new and in quarantine, all meals are being delivered to notes. One plan includes Amazon locker-style
comfortable norms — off-premises options continue to the student rooms by dining staff. The program staging for mobile orders, with hot and cold
hold strong appeal. also includes a popular new menu of 20-plus holding cabinets that customers can unlock with a
To some degree, much of the industry was headed refrigerated meals that students can purchase and simple phone scan.
down this path anyway. Even before COVID-19, off-premises orders made up nearly reheat in their residences. As for order pickup, Kay Kafe’s production
60% of foodservice occasions and 78% of operators said off-premises programs “Our culinary team did a lot of R&D to streamline area also now includes one section dedicated to
were a strategic priority, according to data released in October 2019 by the National our menus for takeout and delivery, and also to come mobile-app orders. “It was challenging at first,
Restaurant Association. Leading restaurant brands, on-site operators and emerging up with a variety of really great meals that can be because we’d have people ordering items from
concepts were already thinking outside the box, tapping new technologies, shrinking reheated easily,” Ahmed says. “It makes it easy for multiple stations within the café,” Reeves says.
14 Aliworld Aliworld 15
Trends
“So, we set up one station that almost exclusively there’s demand, especially with social distancing we’ll implement off-premises. It’s such a viable and First Things First: 3 Keys to Off-Premises Success
prepares Grubhub orders. That’s worked well to regulations now in place.” important aspect of our business now.” Well before posting takeout and delivery deals on Facebook or
improve efficiency and streamline the process.” James Lane, Owner of Angelo’s Pizzeria & embracing the latest mobile-order app technology, foundational work
With the St. Jude mobile-app program well Doing Business Differently Enoteca in Shallotte, N.C., and Maria’s Pizzeria needs to happen to help ensure off-premises sales success, says Ken
established, and with COVID-19 creating a need For many independent operators for whom in nearby Ocean Isle Beach, also has a new Schwartz, FSCI, President of Tampa-based consulting and design
for greater social distancing on the hospital’s takeout and delivery had never been priorities, appreciation for takeout and delivery. Maria’s, firm SSA Inc. He shares three key moves to make early in the game.
campus, the program was expanded last fall to the sudden shift to an off-premises model has which had been open just a few months when
include delivery. Now, instead of having to come to been survival-driven but also energizing. Such the pandemic hit, and 17-year-old Angelo’s were Streamline the Menu. “If you have 30 or 40 items on your regular menu, that
Kay Kafe or Starbucks to pick up their orders, staff was the case for Charlotte, N.C.-based Xenia designed as full-service restaurants in which may be fine for dine-in business for which capacity is limited. But for off-premises,
members and others can have them delivered to a Hospitality Group, which runs two full-service “hospitality is part of the cuisine,” according to maybe it’s better to pare that down to 12 or 15 items that can be done very well
centralized pickup point in their building. Ilios Noche Greek restaurants; a new fast-casual Lane. Neither focused on takeout or delivery. and that hold up well in transit. If the beautiful, 4-inch-thick piece of lasagna that
Reeves expects lessons learned during the spinoff called Ilios Crafted Greek; and Big View guests enjoy in the restaurant shifts to a half-inch mess by the time it’s taken
first phase of mobile-app introduction, for order Diner, a contemporary take on ’70s-style diners
“People
home or delivered, that experience diminishes the brand.”
ahead and pickup, to help to ensure smooth serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The company “We had to
implementation of the new delivery program. have also has a catering arm, operates on-site cafes
adapt and Consider Cook Times. “The quality of products at the time of consumption
“Packaging is critical and definitely a
challenge,” Reeves says. “We were trying to utilize
developed for B&I clients, and manages food and beverage
operations for a golf course. change.”
off-site versus on-site is often very different,” Schwartz says. “Steam builds up
inside of the containers. Breads get soggy and hot foods continue to cook
sustainable packaging as much as possible, but new habits Prior to March 2020, takeout and delivery after they’re packaged. To optimize quality, cooking method and duration may
when we did our trials, we found that the products
and this represented just 10% to 12% of overall sales. But James Lane ultimately need to be adjusted for the same menu item being prepared for
that held the best were not the sustainable when the order came through to close dining Owner, delivery or takeout versus for dine-in.”
products. It’s disappointing, but if you’re offering side of our rooms, Xenia’s team began plotting an aggressive Angelo’s Pizzeria
foods for takeout and delivery you need to be business push toward off-premises sales. Menus were and Maria’s Pizzeria Test and Retest Packaging. “Sample several types of packaging and test
able to ensure a quality experience by the time
someone gets back to their desk to eat.” is going to streamlined and reworked to focus on dishes that
travel well, packaging options were tested, an app
extensively to determine what works best for your specific menu items,” Schwartz
suggests. “Test both for each recipe and for duration to evaluate how menu
As for menu mix, the initial program at continue to implemented for mobile ordering, multiple third- items packaged for takeout or delivery hold up after 10, 15, 20 minutes or more,
St. Jude started with a limited assortment of
items available to order via mobile app. It catered
evolve and party delivery partners brought on and curbside
pickup offered. And the group stretched further
because that’s how long it can be before they’re actually consumed.”
to those customers in a hurry and wanting to grow.” to begin offering a selection of fresh and frozen
avoid lines, while those with more time could proteins, dry goods, meal kits, prepared foods, work phones and expedite inside and curbside
still browse in person and choose from the entire Stratos Lambos family-style meals, wines, signature cocktail mixes, pickup areas as well as to make deliveries.
menu for takeout. “We found that creating a CEO and Co-Founder, and even added private-label hand sanitizer to its Vendors were tapped for packaging samples
different menu for mobile-app ordering was a good Xenia Hospitality off-premises offerings. and storage areas reconfigured to accommodate
solution,” Reeves says. “It let us start out small Group “We refused to just sit and try to wait it out,” takeout and delivery supplies. Szarfarski took
and add items as we improved our systems versus says Stratos Lambos, CEO and Co-Founder of to social media to promote takeout and
debuting with the whole menu, which would have Xenia Hospitality Group. “We knew that we had to delivery specials.
been too complex and time-consuming. Our next Food orders being go into survival mode. We promoted takeout and “We had to do a lot of testing and make a lot
packaged for delivery
iteration, designed for the delivery program, makes at St. Jude Children’s delivery heavily on social media and in signs near of quick decisions,” Lane notes. “We also bought
almost the entire menu available. We know that Research Hospital. the restaurants. We ended up being profitable after some new equipment. With Maria’s being a new
the first full month of takeout and delivery-only business, we weren’t sure the volume that we
operations. It just started growing incrementally.” “We were always dine-in, destination-type “Everyone would need to produce. We quickly outgrew the
The company’s app has been particularly restaurants, but we suddenly lost our business we worked dough mixer that we had bought.”
important to that effort, with 75% of mobile
orders coming through it and another 25% coming
model,” he says. “We had to adapt and change. We
felt sorry for ourselves for about a week and a half with from Working with Belshaw Adamatic, Lane
upgraded Maria’s mixer to one that can produce
through third-party platform providers. And many but then started figuring out how to evolve so we Ali Group double the amount of pizza dough in about half
customers simply call in their orders, prompting
Lambos to switch to a cloud-based phone system
could continue to serve our customers, just in a
different way.”
was so the time of the model it replaced. “If it weren’t for
the pandemic, we probably wouldn’t have made
with unlimited lines. Focusing especially on Maria’s, which wasn’t committed that investment,” he says. “But it has really helped
As of early fall, when dining room capacity was
back up to 50%, Xenia’s restaurants continued to
yet as entrenched in customers’ minds as a
dine-in destination, Lane and General Manager
to helping us us be able to service delivery and takeout better.”
“Everyone we worked with from Ali Group
do roughly 50% of sales in takeout and delivery. Allison Szafarski studied their existing POS do this and was so committed to helping us do this and do it
“This is something we’ll continue to focus on,” system to learn its integrated digital tools for do it well.” well,” Szafarski adds. “Their leadership, ideas and
Lambos says. “People have developed new habits handling online takeout and delivery orders. The assistance kept us going and growing. We never
and this side of our business is going to continue restaurant’s phone system was expanded from realized the potential we could have for delivery
to evolve and grow. What’s more, for any new four lines to eight. Menus were modified and Allison Szafarski and takeout, but now we plan to keep expanding
operations that we develop in the future, one of recipes tweaked to help ensure product quality General Manager, and improving on it, even as dine-in business gets
the first things on the table is going to be how during transit. Staff members were redeployed to Maria’s Pizzeria back to normal.”
16 Aliworld Aliworld 17Heath Taylor,
National Strategic
Accounts Manager
Do you think the increasing volume of
drive-thru business that restaurants are
seeing is a short-term necessity or is it a
major rethinking of how restaurants do
business?
Heath Taylor, National National Strategic Accounts
Manager: It’s a little of both. In the chain world, dining
rooms have been shrinking since way before the pandemic Lauren Noreika,
National Strategic
started. Some of that is due to customers ordering more via Accounts Manager
mobile apps, but I believe the pandemic has forced chains to
rethink what their business model looks like and how they
serve the customer.
Lauren Noreika, National Strategic Accounts Manager:
Major fast-food chains see about 70% of their business at
the drive-thru. Third-party delivery services are chipping
away at that number a little, but delivery comes with its own
challenges, such as price, food quality and customer handoff.
Drive-thrus are still winning, and restaurants that didn’t have
drive-thrus are now certainly accelerating their strategies in
order to add drive-thru.
Gerry Kenlon,
Gerry Kenlon, Director of Global Strategic Accounts: The Director of Global
fact is we are and have been a mobile society. As such, drive- Strategic Accounts
thru and to-go have always been dominant elements in QSRs.
Pre-COVID-19, that was trending in fast casual as well. The
pandemic has changed societal behavior. Out of pure survival,
restaurants that didn’t have drive-thru models have adapted
to contactless pickup and to-go. And those that did have drive-
thru have tried to improve their capacity.
18 Aliworld Aliworld 19Trends
The On the flip side, what things have
Metro2Go™
Hot Station you seen that are working? The
holds takeout Pull-Out
food at the Noreika: Restaurants began streamlining their Worksurface
perfect menu options so that they could service their conveniently
temperature. slides away
customers faster. When you have too much stuff it’s when not in
going to take that much longer, so they streamlined use.
to serve their customers a little bit faster.
Taylor: Operators are sending employees
“upstream” to talk to the guest outside the building
or before they get to the drive-thru speaker. They
The increase in drive-thru has have an iPad or device in their hand, so not only
are they taking your order but they can also swipe
obviously affected front-of- for payment. The increase in information has
house layout and workflow. Has helped them keep food quality good and keep the
it changed the back-of-house as line moving.
well?
Kenlon: There are a number of QSRs I’ve been to What can Metro offer operators
Noreika: We’ve always been trained to think about where there’s an area off to the right of the drive- — both in terms of product and
customer-to-employee safety, but restaurants now thru area, separate from the drive-thru lane and the expertise — to more efficiently run
have to think about employee-to-employee safety thru-traffic lane. It’s a little staging area, and they their drive-thru?
as well. Crew members are being asked to work tell you to go place your order over there. I’m seeing
together within small footprints in a business that them use those areas to handle excess demand as Noreika: For years, Metro has offered a service
typically requires them to be in close contact with well. If you’ve done a remote order, you park over that’s free of charge to our customers called
one another. Workflows have changed a bit to there and we bring it to you. That’s where I see ESP ProTM — Enhanced Space Productivity. It
ensure fewer handoffs and touch points. restaurant design fundamentally changing. differentiates us from the pack. We don’t just
sell posts and shelves out of a catalog. Our team
Kenlon: The most obvious impact on the back-of- What are some of the challenges comes in, we ingrain ourselves into the customer’s
house is having enough space and capacity for all you’ve seen with operations trying workflows, and we design solutions based on what
the support materials needed to put a drive-thru or the operator actually needs.
to increase their drive-thru traffic?
pickup order together and having them in proximity
to the assembly and staging areas for those orders. Taylor: Today, some of the business goes across Taylor: We were asked to create the Pull-Out
the counter and some goes to drive-thru. When Worksurface to get more efficiencies out of the
Taylor: The same amount of space operators have you change that model to just one outlet, you’re kitchen, whether it be for the drive-thru or mobile BRAND
today is going to have be used for different tasks going to have some pain points in the staging and app and catering orders. It’s a slide-out assembly WATCH
without interrupting the restaurant’s standard holding of product. station, but once you get through with it you slide
processes. Restaurants will need extra assembly it back in place so it’s not in the way as you’re
stations, for example, but these must fit into the Kenlon: The biggest challenge is the volume. The doing other things. It’s a great space utilization
footprint they already have. It’s going to really get drive-thru QSRs, when this pandemic hit, were tool that pays huge dividends, because it does not
into space optimization. in position to respond to the public. They could affect standard procedures already in place and it Founded:
stay open; they could supply meals. They could also promotes social distancing.
feed first responders and consumers but they also 1929
picked up everybody else’s demand. How do you fit Kenlon: Metro has a long-established record of Products:
exponentially more demand into a smaller funnel?
That’s the challenge.
working with global, national and regional chains
developing application-based solutions specifically
30,000+
metro.com
for their unique requirements. We have developed
Noreika: Long lines in the drive-thru can deter an entire portfolio of modular and flexible drive-
customers. You see that long line, and you might thru solutions that can adapt as business models
not want to get in line or wait for food. Speed is very Workstations adapt and grow. And now as we add our new line
important but it’s a struggle when also trying to from Metro help of Super Erecta® Hot Shelving and the Metro2GoTM
maintain accuracy. Customers are willing to wait a keep busy Hot Stations to our application catalog, we are in a
back-of-house
little bit longer for accuracy but not too much longer. areas position to provide even more solutions for more
It’s definitely a balancing act and an art form. organized. customers in different types of environments. This
is our wheelhouse. This is what we do.
20 Aliworld Aliworld 2103
People
Left: Quality control
is an important part
of the production
process at ADS.
Below: Some of the ADS
team (left to right): Nate
Snyder, Purchasing Agent;
Shanna Tibbetts, Human
Resources Manager;
James Andrews, President;
W
and Ken Eber, Production &
Safety Coordinator.
hy the decision to
purchase American
Dish Service?
Historically, the
Ali Group has had
a strong portfolio
of warewashing
companies: Bi-Line, Champion, CMA and Moyer
Diebel. ADS is a great addition to our company, as
it brings some unique strengths to our group. It
has a rich history of over 70 years in commercial
warewashing that has today evolved into a
company with such diverse products as low- and
high-temperature dishwashers, boosters and dish
tables and even low-level alarms. The company
historically has had a strong management team
and innovative products. Its entrepreneurial spirit
directly aligns with the values of the Ali Group.
What value do you expect ADS to bring to the
Ali Group portfolio?
ADS offers a complete line of warewashing
products and accessories. This will give our clients Ali Group allows its companies to remain BRAND
American Dish Service
an even wider selection to choose from to find the independent. How will this serve ADS customers? WATCH
perfect warewasher to fit their operation and budget. From a customer point of view, it means business
Their popular Quick Lease program puts quality as usual but with the added benefit of being part
equipment within the reach of almost every operator. of a global network of foodservice equipment
ADS’ unique Factory Training Program aligns with companies. All current relationships will continue,
Joins the Ali Group Family the Ali Group concepts of education and sharing our
product knowledge.
How does ADS benefit by being part of
and customers — both existing and new — will
enjoy the same outstanding support for which
ADS is renowned. From a company standpoint, it
allows ADS (as with all Ali Group companies) to
Founded:
1950
Size of ADS’
Edwardsville, Kan.,
the Ali Group? have the flexibility to do what they do best. This is
Chairman and We have a strong reputation of delivering very important for the Ali Group. It means that each
manufacturing facility
in sq. ft:
Chief Executive Officer
quality products and unparalleled service to our
customers. With its long history of service to
manager is able to define his or her own strategy and
retain an entrepreneurial spirit. That entrepreneurial 208,000
chemical distributors and foodservice operators, attitude is universal in all of our companies. americandish.com
Filippo Berti discusses the ADS will benefit by being able to tap into a wealth
of knowledge and network of connections. This will Do you have a message for ADS team members?
latest addition to the portfolio allow them to share best practices our brands have
carefully developed over the years. We believe it is
Much like the Ali Group, ADS is a family
company. ADS was built on three generations of
of Ali Group companies. fundamental to share ideas so that our companies
can bring the best solutions and products to our
leadership from the Andrews family, and we share
their values and dedication to excellence. From
clients quickly. By leveraging the global resources of myself and all the other members of the Ali Group
the Ali Group, we look forward to bringing ADS to a family, we welcome you and look forward to many
new level of excellence. years of working together.
22 Aliworld Aliworld 23You can also read
