Sauces, pastes and dips category on the rise as suppliers keep innovating to meet demand
/“Foodservice operators are under a lot of pressure due to labour shortages, time constraints and rising costs and at the same time are expected to offer extra options for people with specific dietary requirements. So any products which help them maintain quality, consistency and speed of service are in demand right now, and finished sauces are a great example.”
NestlÉ PRofessional Corporate Chef Elke Travers
So says Elke Travers, Corporate Chef for Nestlé Professional which has recently refreshed the range of four highly regarded finished tomato sauces under its Buitoni brand.
“Buitoni is a brand with a rich heritage going back to 1827 and from then to today its sauces have been made with such passion and love.
“They are produced and canned in Italy from beautifully vine-ripened Mediterranean tomatoes and based on traditional Italian recipes from the Tuscan countryside. They really are evocative of the type of sauces an Italian nonna (grandma) would make.”
Elke emphasises that readymade products like these have been designed to us ‘as is’ – ideal for those busy kitchens which need to turn around meals in a hurry – while also suitable for use as a base sauce to which the chef can add their own signature touches.
Made to authentic Italian recipes
“They’re perfect for ragouts, braises, casseroles, focaccia – and their versatility extends beyond that of Italian style cuisine, you can use them in Mexican style salsas or in any dish where you want a strong tomato-based flavour. “
The four variants in the range are Sugo per Pasta (pasta sauce), Sugo al Pomodoro (tomato coulis), Salsa di Peperoni, and Sugo Rustico di Pomodoro (formerly known as Lussuoso). “They all have slightly different textures and flavour profiles, but all are very rich and made to authentic Italian recipes by the chef teams at Casa Buitoni,” Elke says.
“We have found great demand for these particularly in the pub and club sector”
“The Salsa di Peperoni has more of a capsicum-based flavour and it’s the perfect choice for wet dishes like chicken cacciatore – it comes pre-reduced all the way down to that shiny, silky texture that chefs love so it will make a lovely light style cacciatore.
“All you need to do is brown and marinate your chicken in some fresh herbs because the hard labour of making the sauce has already been done for you and it’s on the stove ready to go. You can also add some anchovies and olives to use and you’ll have a beautiful puttanesca.
“Sugo Rustico makes a wonderful complement to seafood choices like mussels, while Sugo per Pasta is a typical Napolitana style sauce ideal for pasta, ratatouille and fish, and Sugo al Pomodoro is a tomato coulis which you can place in a little puddle under your fettucine or lasagne. It’s also great to use on pizza bases or as a tomato topping for your parmas.”
Elke says readymade products like these have been designed to provide a consistent solution for chefs, cutting down on labour and prep time without compromising quality.
“We have found great demand for these particularly in the pub and club sector, and lately we’ve also been making strong inroads into aged care, where the new Standard 6 requirements mean chefs are under more time pressure and so are looking for solutions that are fast as well as flavoursome – while delivering on nutrition too.”
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“The new Standard 6 requirements mean chefs are under more time pressure and so are looking for solutions that are fast as well as flavoursome”
Gravies for all occasions
Nestlé Professional is also the custodian of the MAGGI brand which prides itself on offering gravies for all occasions including gluten free and vegan options.
“They’re bain marie stable and a great base from which chefs can create their own distinctive sauces,” Elke emphasises, “and again, they are terrific time savers for busy kitchens because you can be assured of consistency.
“Many pubs and clubs are now serving higher quality cuts and customers expect a rich, flavoursome sauce to go with them”
The latest addition to the range is an Australian made Ready to Use Gravy packaged in a convenient 1 litre Tetra pak – designed to simply decant and reheat in a microwave. “It’s the perfect choice for smaller footprint kitchens which don’t have the space to heat gravy up on the cooktop,“ Elke says.
All MAGGI gravies except for Rich Gravy are now gluten free. “MAGGI Supreme is a very popular choice for foodservice as it ticks multiple dietary boxes – it’s gluten free, it’s vegan and it will go equally well with brown or white meat, so it’s a readymade product that you can rely on for almost all situations.
Demi Glace and Jus Lié are also part of the MAGGI range – “Jus Lié is such an easy way to elevate steak, and we know that many pubs and clubs are now serving higher quality cuts and customers expect a rich, flavoursome sauce to go with them,” Elke points out.
“It’s a great base for peppercorn or mushroom sauce with rich, beefy umami notes that really help you lift your game. It also saves you time when reducing stocks because you can add it to thicken or season them up.”
“All these products have been designed as time savers without sacrificing quality ”
She is also a keen proponent of the Asian specialty cooking pastes available from MAGGI. “Pastes are a great way to spice up your menu with authentic flavours like Malaysian Laksa and Thai Tom Yum.
“You can easily make up a broth, marinade or soup and I’ve even used them in fish cakes or chicken burger patties as a way to add extra flavour. They’re packed full of authentic spices to impart very distinctive flavour notes.
“MAGGI Coconut Milk Powder is also a great solution in this regard – I’ve made a carrot and coconut broth and spiced it up with Coconut Milk Powder and Laksa paste, and it’s perfect over your steamed fish of the day.
“I think the bottom line is all these products have been designed as time savers without sacrificing quality – it’s all about giving chefs solutions when they need them in high volume operations.”
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Products that perform under pressure
Another example of category innovation is the recent launch of the Oli & Vine range of premium fresh chilled sauces, mayonnaise, dressings and aioli from Goodman Fielder Foodservice. Designed to provide chefs with products that perform under pressure, elevate presentation and perfectly complement and enhance the flavours of their dishes, the range has been locally crafted using simple, authentic and quality ingredients like fresh Australian real eggs and Australian canola oil to ensure delicious flavour and thick creamy texture. All are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. You can read here how executive chef Mohammed Taheri is using them on his menus at Crowne Plaza Sydney Airport.
Birch & Waite launches dips range
Proudly Australian owned company Birch & Waite been supplying foodservice professionals with batch crafted chef quality products including bulk sauces, mayonnaises and dressings for over 40 years. It has recently complemented its already extensive selection with a range of dips including Hommus, Babaganoush, Tzatziki and three variants of Taramosalata – Regular, White and Smokey.
Birch & Waite Senior Brand Manager Sarah Rowe
The new range stems from its acquisition of dips manufacturer Fresh Fodder some 12 months ago, as Birch & Waite Senior Brand Manager Sarah Rowe explains: “Since the acquisition we have been working in the background on refining the product formulations for foodservice via our inhouse team of chefs and food technologists. The Taramosalata products were the heroes when we purchased the business so we have left those untouched, but following extensive product testing we have adjusted the formulations of the Hommus, Babaganoush and Tzatziki based on chef and foodservice end-user feedback.
Based on traditional techniques and ingredients
“Fresh Fodder was born in a Greek deli and is well known for handcrafting dips based on traditional techniques and ingredients,” Sarah says. “They built their reputation on authentic Greek recipes for the deli segment. Essentially we have further refined their recipes through our chef-led approach and foodservice focus and the result is a chef quality range of dips that have been batch crafted to perfection.”
This approach exemplifies Birch & Waite’s commitment to the foodservice market, as Sarah points out. “We now have a foodservice sales force of more than 20 reps – despite the current tough environment we recognise the value of investing in our team, given that foodservice is a relationship-based business. Our products have the quality that the market is looking for and it’s all about getting them in chef’s mouths.”
“These are definitely a step up from your standard dips as they’re batch crafted”
She says much of the work on the dips range has been around ensuring their broad appeal and versatility of application. “Our Hommus, for example, is smooth and creamy with subtle lemon and garlic notes so it’s delicious as is, but chefs can also customise it further if desired with their own additions.
“Our Tzatziki delivers a thick and creamy profile with fresh cucumber and herbs, using a high percentage of Greek yoghurt for better hold and scratch made taste. We also allow chefs options to customize with lemon and garlic to their preferences.
“Babaganoush has a creamy, smokey recipe with a slightly rustic texture through whole roasted eggplants, peeled and cooked, rather than blended raw.
“Along with our regular Taramosalata we have a White variant with cod roe and breadcrumbs which is very much in the traditional Greek vein and works very well with chicken, red meat and seafood. We also have a Smokey for those who want that kind of flavour note. These are definitely a step up from your standard dips as they’re batch crafted, which makes them the perfect choice for those foodservice venues looking to raise the quality of what they’re offering.”
Japanese style mayo with natural seaweed extract
Last November Birch & Waite also launched a Japanese style mayonnaise under SUKI by Birch & Waite, replacing a previous product in its range. “Customers were looking for a Japanese mayo with stronger umami notes and rich velvety mouthfeel. As a further point of difference SUKI includes natural seaweed extract which sets it apart as authentically Japanese, with the added benefit of being MSG free. It’s not designed as a base mayo but rather a flavoured mayo product and it’s highly versatile in application – ideal for Japanese dishes like karaage chicken but you can use it in other cuisines as well.”
Most of Birch & Waite’s range is gluten free and it also has an extensive plant based selection which is continuing to grow. “If a foodservice operator’s looking for a solution that’s virtually allergen free, we’re able to provide it with our plant-based range,” Sarah says. “We have a Plant Based Mayonnaise that you can barely tell apart from our Whole Egg Mayonnaise in a blind taste test, and I think that’s a real testament to our food technologists and chefs who are constantly innovating behind the scenes.
“We’ve always been known for combining innovation with craftsmanship and that approach has worked for us. There’s always a fine line between wanting to innovate and recognising that the market demand has to be there, and in foodservice there’s only so much data you can look at to inform your decision making. When we launched Birch & Waite Green Goddess Dressing we didn’t actually realise how much demand there would be, but we found that there was a big opportunity to grow volume. Competitors have now come onto the market, but we’re really proud to have been the brand which was first with that product and drove demand.”
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