Combining gourmet products with aseptic technology
Culinary Concepts collaborated with Tetra Pak to market two of its products to gourmet restaurants in the USA.
Culinary Concepts Inc. is a Florida-based company founded in 1998 to serve both operators and wholesalers. Based on its own recipes, the company produces custom-made, gourmet products such as soups, sauces, and desserts with the aim of saving space, preparation time and costs for restaurants. Aiming to increase production and geographical distribution of Hollandaise sauce and Crème Brûlée (caramel pudding) under the Chef Creations label, Culinary Concepts searched for a packaging solution. The packaging had to protect and preserve the delicate products’ original quality and meet the rigorous food safety standards.
Found the right packaging partner
Culinary Concepts wanted to find a simple and timesaving solution allowing restaurants to serve its profitable classics, tasting as if the master chef had just prepared them. The products had to retain their high quality all the way from production to consumption; this was the deciding factor in choosing a partner. “Developing foodservice products often involves a bit of reverse engineering, usually beginning with a sensational chef-created product made from scratch,” explains Hal Valdes, president at Culinary Concepts. “The challenge lies in discovering ways to mass-produce the recipe in a consistent, high-quality and costeffective manner.”
Hollandaise, a creamy butter sauce tasting of lemon and a rich Crème Brûlée, topped with a sugar glaze, are perfect parts of gourmet menus, although not all restaurants have the time, manpower or kitchen space to prepare them. “I know an operator who once was unable to accept an order to prepare 300 crème brûlées for a wedding. Before a product like ours existed, there would have been a large degree of preparation to complete an order so large. Opting for a frozen item would not have lived up to the quality standards of this operator’s kitchen,” said Valdes.
Aseptic technology appealed
The Tetra Brik Aseptic system of packaging was finally chosen. Culinary Concepts does not possess the processing and filling equipment needed and the products are therefore co-packed at Schroeder Dairy in Minnesota, who has a complete installation from Tetra Pak. The aseptic technology with its long-life solutions allows even the most sensitive of ingredients to retain their taste for months without the need for preservatives or refrigeration.
For Culinary Concepts, the move to aseptic resulted in two high-quality products that do not need to be refrigerated in the distribution channels and remain shelf-stable for up to ten months. It is a great advantage to the distributors to be able to handle this type of sensitive, high-value products without the usual costs associated with spoilage and refrigeration. Once in the hands of a restaurant, hotel, casino or cafeteria, the unopened packages can be stored at room temperature and do not compete for precious refrigerator space.
Prior to production, Tetra Pak worked with Culinary Concepts to ensure the products’ quality and taste in the packaging. Together, they went through all stages of the product formula and tested the concept at the Tetra Pak Pilot Plant in Denton, Texas. “We tried several suppliers, but the leading-edge expertise within processing and packaging that Tetra Pak offers cannot be found elsewhere,” says Valdes.
Source: Company Magazine 88, send email to editor
More information at: www.culinaryconceptsinc.com and www.tetrapakusa.com