Tag: Wholesale Meat

8 Secrets Behind the Most Successful Food Truck Businesses

Posted on September 15, 2018

Have you ever watched The Great Food Truck Race? It’s hosted by Tyler Florence on The Food Network, and pits four culinary teams in a competition to see who can budget, cook and promote their fare to customers across the country, to win a $50,000 prize. Food trucks are trending!

One of the first things you notice on the show, is how eager consumers are to line up for food truck fare. While mobile food service is nothing new, food trucks have established a unique and trendy cultural identity in the United States. Not only are they fast and convenient, but they provide an opportunity to try scratch kitchen quality entrees that are unique; often sampling from fusion to rich international flavors.

The food truck business has become so lucrative and popular, that many cities are rushing to adapt new mobile kitchen legislation to make operating a food truck within cities more feasible. Other communities have created designated food truck parks, where licensed vendors can set up to provide unique food service opportunities that tourists (and locals) love.

Established restaurants are also getting on board with their own satellite located food trucks, which help to expand the revenue for the restaurant, while ingratiating new customers to the rich local menu that they are providing. By having one or more food trucks, many restaurants have rapidly grown their customer base, brand recognition and foot traffic to the principal location.

What kind of operational and promotional strategy does it take to start a successful food truck operation? How can aspiring entrepreneurs expand with a fleet of food trucks, and establish a successful brand and restaurant through mobile food service? In this article, we’ll talk a little about the culture of food trucks, successful menu design and trending foods that are leading the way to higher profit margins for food service business owners.

Statistics About the Food Truck Industry in America

Are food trucks a passing trend, or a rapidly growing business opportunity that has staying power? According to recent food industry reports and studies, dining al fresco, the food truck presents a unique opportunity to try fare that differs from fast-food establishments, and consumers love the convenience of being able to walk up to order something tasty and unique.

A recent survey published by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) revealed some interesting data. Did you know that individuals aged 18 to 34 years represented the highest volume sales, preferring to purchase a meal from a food truck, rather than visit a fast-casual or fast-food restaurant? Only 30% of respondents over the age of 65 had eaten at a food truck, or visited one, as they demonstrated a preference for sit-down service.

One of the most interesting discussions in the NRA food truck survey, was that consumers wanted to see food trucks owned and operated by their favorite local restaurants. A recognized brand and the convenience of accessing quality meals (without having to wait for table service or availability) was a preference for more than 50% of survey respondents.

In 2015, the value of food truck sales exceeded $856 million dollars. This figure includes both dry snack and beverage providers, and full-service mobile kitchens, and industry forecasts predict that food truck revenues nationally will approach $1 billion dollars annually by the year 2020.

In a recent survey of over 300 food truck owner-operators in Texas, California, Oregon, New York and Florida, the vendors reported average income data from single food truck operations (including food trailers). Owners in the survey from Food Truck Empire were successfully operating their food truck for more than two years.

Annual income averages were reported and reflect the revenue potential of a single food truck/trailer operation, owned by a sole proprietor.

08% reported earnings of $100,00 to $149,000 per year.
4% of food truck owners surveyed, earned $150,000 to $199,999 per year.
52% earned over $200,000 per year.
76% reported average earnings of $50,000 to $99,999 annually.
Only 3.59% reported annual incomes of less than $50,000.

National revenue averages for professional food truck vendors vary from $5,000 per month to over $20,000 in monthly sales. And when you consider the lower overhead costs of owning and operating a food truck versus a brick and mortar dine in or take out restaurant, the profit margins alone are part of the steady growth of food trucks within the U.S. food service industry.

Start Up Costs and Purchasing a Food Truck

When you compare the costs of getting into a leased commercial space for a restaurant, a food truck requires less investment and operating costs in general, making the business opportunity highly attractive for start up entrepreneurs. Remember, you are not just running a food truck, but you are creating an independent brand identity and processes to run a successful small business.

Some business owners prefer to purchase a new food truck with all equipment installed, while others shop for reasonably priced and gently used food trucks. For reliability of the vehicle and less downtime, more food truck owners start by investing in a new vehicle with a warrantee to optimize operational time and profitability, so we’ve based our start-up pricing on a new business equipment acquisition model.

Start-Up Costs:

Food truck with appliances, propane and electric hook up $30,000 and up).
Branded truck wrap (advertising and theme to exterior of truck ($2,000 to $5,000).
Permits and licenses ($1,000).
Cash register ($1,000).
Initial food supply and beverage stock including condiments and seasonings ($2000).
Uniforms or branded t-shirts ($500).
Signage for menu and standing chalkboards ($500).
Cooking utensils, frying and bakeware ($1,000).
Disposable flatware, paper plates and beverage cups ($500).
Fire Extinguisher ($300).
First Aid Kit ($150).
Vehicle insurance *average ($150 per month).
Telephone and hotspot internet access ($150 per month).

Marketing Your Food Truck to Customers

Leveraging internet advertising is an important element that drives crowds of customers to your food truck, no matter where your location is. In fact, popular food trucks develop a fan following if they have a website and blog. You can hire someone to build the website, or do it yourself using platforms like WIX or Squarespace, which provide user-friendly tools for beginners. Small monthly charges apply.

Social media plays another important part by crowd sourcing customers to visit your location. Many food trucks prefer to move from one location to another, participating in local festivals and events. Remember to contact local cities and towns beforehand, to learn more about any restrictions or ordinances that you will have to comply with, before parking your food truck to serve customers.

Food trucks typically manage their social media accounts on Facebook, and Instagram. Some choose to be active on other social networks including Twitter, and LinkedIn. The content or posts that food trucks share revolve (of course) around the delicious entrees, snacks and menu items, and about the community they are visiting and any special event in that area. Leverage hashtags to for the city or town, or the community event to help drive customers to your food truck.

For more marketing and promotional ideas, check out some of the tips provided in this article by Entrepreneur magazine.

Creating an Uncommon Menu

Selling pizza slices in a community where there are 5 or more established pizza establishments? The key to attracting customers to your food truck has a lot to do with the type of menu you create. You want to offer high quality foods (because food truck pricing is at a premium) and value for your customers, but to entice consumers you’ll need to offer food that they can’t get locally.

If you are thinking that hamburgers are a ‘tough sell’ on a food truck, consider that some of the most successful food trucks are your basic hamburger and French fry menu. But savvy entrepreneurs know that they can offer an exceptional and uncommon menu item, like an American Style Kobe beef burger, or Japanese Wagyu, topped with freshly grilled peppers, onions and quality cheddar. Something that tastes miles above the standard fast-food burger.

Korean BBQ is another popular and trending menu, that is easy to prepare with quality beef and seasonings. Street tacos are a perennial favorite, no matter where you serve them, with fresh cilantro, beef or chicken ingredients.

If you own a restaurant and would like more information on wholesale meat products and menu ideas for your new food truck venture, contact our research and development team at Miami Beef®. We serve the food service industry with quality meats, precision portions and value.

The Opportunity of Private Label Hamburgers for Grocery Retailers

Posted on July 12, 2018

Are you thinking about adding a new private label hamburger (fresh or frozen) to your grocery store? At Miami Beef® we work with national grocery chains to develop successful and flavorful chicken, beef and turkey patties for retailers.

Unlike developing a private label for a product that has an extended shelf life, such as household cleaning products, paper goods (i.e., tissues and napkins) or dried food products such as spices, beverages and similar items, fresh food products require expertise to develop, to penetrate market share.

Competing against national brand leaders for fresh food products requires a strategy. In this article we’ll share why developing a private label makes sense, and how to successfully innovate a unique product that can become a category sales leader for your business.

Consumer Demand for Private Label Products Is Growing

In spite of the fact that private label brands only make up a small portion of the overall product sells in American grocery stores, the overall demand for them continues to rise. According to a recent survey conducted by PLMA/Nielsen, only $1 out of every $7 dollars spent by consumers in an grocery store are allocated to private labels.

Did you know that Costco’s Kirkland Signature private label accounts for ¼ of total company sales annually? The entry of international grocery chains like ALDI have warmed American consumers to the idea that private label products can offer tremendous value and satisfaction.

What is stopping more grocery retailers from expanding into new categories for private label products? It’s not that fresh food private labels are not successful, it is that many grocery stores overestimate the cost and time it takes to develop a private label fresh food product.

The Sales Psychology Behind Private Label Products

The majority of American households are strategic about the amount of money they spend on groceries. From ‘extreme couponing’ to shopping in more than one location, the hunt for bargains and good food value that offers nutrition at a great price, is part of the never-ending pursuit to stretch the household budget.

There is no shortage of generic brands offered at a discount in any retail grocery store. The problem? Consumers are also aware that some unbranded products may be imported, and in spite of inspection and legal requirements to assure food safety, there is a great deal of apprehension that shoppers experience when they contemplate a switch from a recognized brand, to a generic label product.

From the consumers perspective, buying a generic product may come with a number of risks. First, they don’t know the food item, how it tastes, how well it cooks and other questions that they don’t have to answer when they stick to a nationally recognized brand. It’s about reliability and familiarity, and the relationship that the consumer already has with popular brands.

At the same time, food inflation has continued to rise disproportionately with income levels, and affordability for healthy foods has become a significant concern for American shoppers. Eyeing the lower priced generic brand is appealing, if it helps to stretch that grocery budget. But it is a little like rolling the dice; if they buy it and dislike it, they really aren’t ahead for taking that risk and the cost of throwing out something that did not meet their standards.

Private label products like household cleaning supplies, seasonings and baking ingredients are a little easier to weigh and experiment with, in the eyes of the consumer. There is consistency in certain products (for example, black pepper or table salt) that makes the purchase a lower risk, high value decision for the shopper. They feel comfortable going with a lower priced product, if they believe that the difference between the generic label product and the national leading brand is negligible.

Customers who shop at your grocery store or chain, do so as an act of trust. They identify with the grocery store and look favorably on private label brands, when they offer equivalent value for a more economical price point. It’s about saving money, without compromising on quality whenever the shopper chooses a private label product versus a recognized brand leader in the same category.

What Kind of Private Label Meat Products Should You Offer?

If your grocery chain is considering a foray into expanding your private label products to food items with a limited shelf-life, one of the best places to start is frozen hamburgers and turkey patties. Not only do frozen patties have an extended product life (when stored correctly) but there are constantly in demand by consumers who want fast and easy to prepare proteins.

For over 100 years, the family behind Miami Beef® has been innovating frozen hamburgers for the food service industry, institutional education and healthcare providers, the travel and tourism sectors, and American military commissary.

Our state-of -the-art processing facility in Miami Florida provides:

Organic meat patties
Frozen 100% all-beef burgers (economy to grass-fed varieties)
Turkey patties (cage-free)
Chicken patties
Blended burger varieties including pork and veal.
Premium American Style Kobe hamburgers
Succulent Wagyu beef patties
Black Angus burgers
Beef and Soy blends
Economical blends
Low Fat

Using traditional methods past down through three generations of family, Miami Beef® uses fresh ingredients to tailor flavors in our premium recipes. In our premium collection of burgers, we use no artificial flavors, just real ingredients folded into a hearty and healthy mix that consumers enjoy.

From supplying large national fast-food franchises to grocery store chains nationwide, Miami Beef has the processing capability to provide quality hamburger patties and private label fulfillment. We produce millions of pounds of hamburgers every year for our wholesale customers.

A Little Bit of Science and Support: The Research and Development Team at Miami Beef®

Our in-house research and development team is where all the magic starts to happen. Since the success of your private label hamburger or turkey burger relies on being unique to other products offered in your store, our industry experts will help you customize your product, with a variety of creative options.

First, we start with a discussion with your marketing team about your brand identity and culture. The next step defines the type of private label burger you will sell. You can customize your burger in four steps:

Identify the size and shape of the patty. Choose from:

Round
Natural
Oval
Square
Thick
Or Hoagie style

Determine your fat to lean meat ratios, to create an economical budget-friendly burger, or a health-conscious fat reduced product (or both). Choose from:

90/10
85/15
80/20
75/25
73/27
70/30

Build your customized flavor profile. Upgrade your burger flavor to one of our premium, all-natural ingredient blends to add value for your customer. Premium blends include:

Vidalia Onion
Portobello Mushroom
Jalapeno
Bacon Cheddar
Blue Cheese
Mushroom Swiss
BaKon (pork free alternative)
Salisbury

Coordinate branding and labeling with our research and development department, to design a package that will help the product become a sales leader in category, for your grocery store or chain.

Miami Beef® is the resource and processor behind many successful private label beef hamburger and turkey burger brands. We’re ready to help you create a new revenue stream with savory meat patties that your customers will appreciate and enjoy.

Traceability in Meat Products Matters for Business and Consumers

Posted on May 13, 2018

Food product recalls, and the increased instances of problems with listeria, E. coli and other pathogens in both fresh produce and the processed meat industry, have brought increasing focus to the importance of traceability. When a recall happens, it can impact grocery and retail stores, restaurants and institutions who rely on the same suppliers.

The ability to be able to trace meat to its source is important to quality assurance, but also from a public health perspective. In instances where a foodborne illness has occurred health regulators must do the investigative work to identify the source of contagion or health issue, and they have to do it quickly to isolate and then recall all products that may have been impacted to prevent further outbreak.

In this article our quality assurance team would like to share some of the protocols and steps that we have in place to ensure the safety of the meat products we provide to our wholesale customers.

Beef Is Tagged Prior to Slaughter

Each animal is identified on the farm, as part of new traceability requirements for food safety. The tag is fastened to the ear of the animal with an identification number. When the animal is transported for slaughter, that unique identification code moves with the meat from slaughter, to processing.

Raw Meat Retains Unique Identification

During the processing phase, the unique identifier is recorded in lots, where the meat retains identifying data, that can be used to trace the meat and subsequent cuts back to the supplier, who retains information on the farm and original source of the animal.

How Miami Beef® Protects the Food Safety of Our Products

Food safety and quality is our priority, at Miami Beef. Our processing facility is a USDA Regulated Headquarter Plant, with state-of-the-art technology and designed from the ground up, to provide safe food handling, from raw material delivery to final wholesale and private-label branded products. We track and trace all raw materials from storage to production and shipping, to ensure that we can provide finished products with information essential to producing the safest high-quality meat products. Our productions rooms, freezers, coolers and dock are temperature maintained and electronically monitored for temperature control, 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year.

Our professional quality assurance team is led by microbiologists, who routinely conduct laboratory testing of our meat products, at all stages of processing. Our quality assurance personnel also evaluate nutritional content and test for microbiological pathogens, throughout our processing and order fulfillment procedure. We provide our employees with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) training, to ensure that every member of our team is handling raw materials safely. Our technology screens finished products for metal detection and bone fragments, to assure the highest quality of meat to our customers.

And because we know food safety is a top priority for our business and our customers, we also arrange for third party regulatory audits of our GMP, hygiene and food safety systems on a regular basis. These industry experts and consultants help us to constantly improve our product, from raw material handling to finished wholesale and consumer goods, in adherence to HAACP guidelines. So, when we say that Miami Beef® is committed to providing quality, safe and nutritionally sound meat products for our customers, now you know a little more about what goes on behind the scenes, every hour of the day, to make good on our promise.

For over fifty years, Miami Beef® has been innovating quality hand-cut chops and steaks, hamburgers, turkey, veal and other meat products for the food service industry. We work only with trusted suppliers we have known for decades, as part of our quality assurance process.

We invite you to contact our sales team, to learn more about making Miami Beef® your partner in quality meat and nutritious, healthy meals for your customers.