ROSEMONT, IL - Trying to get ahead of today’s consumer can feel like an uphill battle, but with US Foods in your court, you’ve got a chance. The foodservice partner recently released its Spring 2021 Scoop™, “Hungry for Better,” which features products that cater to consumers’ growing interest in dining options that support their planet, their communities, and themselves.

“With Spring Scoop, we are focusing on products that support our Hungry for Better initiative,” said Stacey Kinkaid, Vice President, Product Development and Innovation. “Understandably, today’s diners are concerned about ways they can enhance their diet and minimize their impact on the environment. Spring Scoop was developed to not only address an elevated focus on well-being, but also offers products that align with consumers’ continued interest in sustainable products. Hungry for Better answers these demands with offerings that may have once been considered ‘trendy’ but are now table stakes.”

According to a press release, today’s consumers are more deliberate and conscientious about their dining choices and are seeking products with simple and authentic ingredients that can also satisfy specific dietary needs. These consumers also want to see the products on the plate as having sustainable attributes.

Research shows that these consumer behaviors have only intensified since the start of the pandemic. This is why the US Foods Spring Scoop highlights 21 products that are part of its growing portfolio of products under the Hungry for Better initiative.

The US Foods Hungry for Better initiative focuses on product innovation under three key pillars: well-being, which includes products made with simple ingredients, plant-forward products, and functional foods that contain at least one positive nutrient content claim; sustainable products that are responsibly sourced or contribute to waste reduction; and locally sourced products.

As always, the purpose of these products are designed to provide versatile, labor-savings solutions ideal for dine-in and takeout.

Well-Being Products To Wow Diners

US Foods understands that today’s consumer wants to eat smart, and the events of 2020 have only elevated their efforts. Many consumers have made dietary and lifestyle changes since the start of the pandemic, with research showing that 31 percent of consumers said they've been trying to eat less meat since the start of COVID-19. 86 percent of consumers are equally or more concerned about nutritional content since the onset of the pandemic.

Spring Scoop offers a range of options to meet these needs, with plant-forward products, items with a clean-label profile and functional foods:

• Molly’s Kitchen^® Plant-Based Breakfast Saus’ge Patty
• Molly’s Kitchen Vegetarian Breaded Chik’n Patty
• Chef’s Line^® Mild Taco Flavored Quinoa Crumbles
• Roseli^® Premium Gluten-Free 100% Red Lentil Rotini
• Chef’s Line Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Flatbread

Serving Good with Sustainable Products

Fifty percent of consumers report that the pandemic has made them more concerned about the environment. Even after the pandemic is over, sustainability must remain top-of-mind for operators; 86 percent of consumers say sustainability will be equally or more important when the pandemic subsides.

The offerings include:

• Monogram^® 32 oz Pulp Folding Containers
• Monogram Compostable Glove
• Harbor Banks^® Cracker Breaded Atlantic Cod Tail
• Chef’s Line Non-GMO Artisan Focaccia Square Bun

To read the description of these products in full, click here.

As always, stick around with AndNowUKnow as we cover the latest in all things foodservice.

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