In The News

Local is Better for Hospitality Firm
Lehigh Valley Business (formerly Eastern Pa Business Journal)

When Eat'n Park Hospitality Group began its FarmSource program more than 12 years ago, the words “farm to table” weren't on the lips of professionals in the restaurant and food service industry like they are today.

But “everyone is talking about it now,” said Jeff Broadhurst, CEO of the parent company of Cura Hospitality andParkhurstDining in Orefield.

In fact, Jamie Moore, the company's director of sourcing and sustainability, said, “It's unbelievable where the movement was (then) and where it is today. It has advanced light years in a very short period of time.” The local sourcing of food is definitely a trend that has arrived, the men said. As a result, the company has drastically increased the money it spends on produce and food products that are grown and processed close to where they will be served. Company-wide, Eat'n Park spent more than $23 million in food and beverage purchases from local companies in 2011, which it said was a 13 percent increase over 2010 local purchases. Cura and Parkhurst, the Lehigh Valley divisions of the Western Pennsylvania-based company, spent $13 million of that sum for produce for the retirement communities, healthcare facilities and colleges they serve.

Some of that is spent in, and comes to, customers in the Lehigh Valley, said Mitch Possinger, president of Cura and executive council chairman for Parkhurst. For example, Cura spends about $371,000 for locally sourced food for the Phoebe Ministries' Allentown residences it serves andParkhurst spends about $91,000 for locally sourced food for Cedar Crest College in Allentown, he said. To obtain these foods, the company partners with 200 farmers and food cooperatives located throughout its market.

Among them is Jaindl Farms in Orefield. David Jaindl, president, counts himself as a fan of the program. He said that while the FarmSource program isn't the largest of Jaindl's customers “I think it's a good program, and I think it's great for the smaller local farms,” he said. He also said he thinks the program is a good strategy for the company. “When they're selling what they do to local business, they're selling a localized product,” said Jaindl. “People like the idea that (their food) is grown in the Lehigh Valley, or our region, or Pennsylvania as compared to being imported from outside of the country.”

Broadhurst said there are many reasons for committing to the program. “For the pure financial piece, we can save money because the shipping costs are much less if you're bringing (the food) in from 20 miles away as compared to from across the country. As diesel prices continue to go up, that's a huge impact into the cost structure,” he said. While he said the company doesn't specifically track the savings generated on fuel costs as a result of the program, which sources produce from within 125 miles of where it will be served, he knows it is saving money. “Especially in the summer with produce shipping,” said Broadhurst. “Our accountants will point out savings here and there.” He said the FarmSource program is also good for team building, morale and the knowledge base of the company's management and employees.

Several times a year the company organizes farm days where cooks, sales people, managers and other staff travel to farms to see where the produce comes from. The staffers actually work on the farm, planting melons or repotting peppers. Cura and Parkhurst have a trip to Jaindl Farms planned for May. Following such a tour a cook, for example, “will actually see where their food comes from and then turn around and talk to the customer and say, 'I've been to the farm,'” Moore said. Moore said above all, from a marketing and customer generation standpoint, the FarmSource program is a strong differentiator from the competition.

He said when they are trying to obtain a new food service client, they let that client know that all FarmSource program produce comes from farms within 125 miles of their location. Meat is all regionally sourced. Milk and cheese comes from independent dairies that don't use hormones, and the company seeks out local and artisan food products, like hearth-baked bread or a locally made sausage and sauerkraut, to serve to clients. Possinger said there are also equally diverse reasons why the company's clients are attracted to the program. “Some like to support local farmers. Others like it because the food is fresher. There's an environmental aspect and a fair trade piece,” he said.

Broadhurst said the popularity of locally sourced foods has grown so dramatically in recent years that many customers are asking for more locally sourced produce, as well as produce shipped from even shorter distances than the current FarmSource parameters. Possinger said he sees the program as expanding and expects that the company will be spending more money on locally sourced food in the future.

“I think it's something that we want to do, and I think it's something that we have to,” said Possinger. He said he doesn't see locally sourcing food as a fad, but more like a social movement as people become more aware of what they're eating. “We'll have an 85-year-old at Phoebe who is all over the Internet asking about arsenic in coffee because they read about it online,” he said. “That's picking up all the time ... We need to stay on top of food trends.”



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Local is Better for Hospitality Firm
Lehigh Valley Business (formerly Eastern Pa Business Journal)

When Eat'n Park Hospitality Group began its FarmSource program more than 12 years ago, the words “farm to table” weren't on the lips of professionals in the restaurant and food service industry like they are today.

But “everyone is talking about it now,” said Jeff Broadhurst, CEO of the parent company of Cura Hospitality andParkhurstDining in Orefield.

In fact, Jamie Moore, the company's director of sourcing and sustainability, said, “It's unbelievable where the movement was (then) and where it is today. It has advanced light years in a very short period of time.” The local sourcing of food is definitely a trend that has arrived, the men said. As a result, the company has drastically increased the money it spends on produce and food products that are grown and processed close to where they will be served. Company-wide, Eat'n Park spent more than $23 million in food and beverage purchases from local companies in 2011, which it said was a 13 percent increase over 2010 local purchases. Cura and Parkhurst, the Lehigh Valley divisions of the Western Pennsylvania-based company, spent $13 million of that sum for produce for the retirement communities, healthcare facilities and colleges they serve.

Some of that is spent in, and comes to, customers in the Lehigh Valley, said Mitch Possinger, president of Cura and executive council chairman for Parkhurst. For example, Cura spends about $371,000 for locally sourced food for the Phoebe Ministries' Allentown residences it serves andParkhurst spends about $91,000 for locally sourced food for Cedar Crest College in Allentown, he said. To obtain these foods, the company partners with 200 farmers and food cooperatives located throughout its market.

Among them is Jaindl Farms in Orefield. David Jaindl, president, counts himself as a fan of the program. He said that while the FarmSource program isn't the largest of Jaindl's customers “I think it's a good program, and I think it's great for the smaller local farms,” he said. He also said he thinks the program is a good strategy for the company. “When they're selling what they do to local business, they're selling a localized product,” said Jaindl. “People like the idea that (their food) is grown in the Lehigh Valley, or our region, or Pennsylvania as compared to being imported from outside of the country.”

Broadhurst said there are many reasons for committing to the program. “For the pure financial piece, we can save money because the shipping costs are much less if you're bringing (the food) in from 20 miles away as compared to from across the country. As diesel prices continue to go up, that's a huge impact into the cost structure,” he said. While he said the company doesn't specifically track the savings generated on fuel costs as a result of the program, which sources produce from within 125 miles of where it will be served, he knows it is saving money. “Especially in the summer with produce shipping,” said Broadhurst. “Our accountants will point out savings here and there.” He said the FarmSource program is also good for team building, morale and the knowledge base of the company's management and employees.

Several times a year the company organizes farm days where cooks, sales people, managers and other staff travel to farms to see where the produce comes from. The staffers actually work on the farm, planting melons or repotting peppers. Cura and Parkhurst have a trip to Jaindl Farms planned for May. Following such a tour a cook, for example, “will actually see where their food comes from and then turn around and talk to the customer and say, 'I've been to the farm,'” Moore said. Moore said above all, from a marketing and customer generation standpoint, the FarmSource program is a strong differentiator from the competition.

He said when they are trying to obtain a new food service client, they let that client know that all FarmSource program produce comes from farms within 125 miles of their location. Meat is all regionally sourced. Milk and cheese comes from independent dairies that don't use hormones, and the company seeks out local and artisan food products, like hearth-baked bread or a locally made sausage and sauerkraut, to serve to clients. Possinger said there are also equally diverse reasons why the company's clients are attracted to the program. “Some like to support local farmers. Others like it because the food is fresher. There's an environmental aspect and a fair trade piece,” he said.

Broadhurst said the popularity of locally sourced foods has grown so dramatically in recent years that many customers are asking for more locally sourced produce, as well as produce shipped from even shorter distances than the current FarmSource parameters. Possinger said he sees the program as expanding and expects that the company will be spending more money on locally sourced food in the future.

“I think it's something that we want to do, and I think it's something that we have to,” said Possinger. He said he doesn't see locally sourcing food as a fad, but more like a social movement as people become more aware of what they're eating. “We'll have an 85-year-old at Phoebe who is all over the Internet asking about arsenic in coffee because they read about it online,” he said. “That's picking up all the time ... We need to stay on top of food trends.”



View original article here