10 Emerging Food Trends For 2013 - #trendalert

Each year, a company called Publicis is called upon to forecast upcoming trends. In their own words, "The one constant in this world is change. You can either adapt to change, ignore it or lead it."

With that motto in mind, let's take a look at their Top 10 food predictions for 2013:

1. Coffee demand will increase - there has been quite a bit of research on the health benefits of coffee in the news recently, and a 100%+ growth in the single-serve coffee category.
2. Preserved foods revival - fermented, cured, pickled, and brined foods are increasingly showing up on menus and on grocery store shelves. 
3. Healthy alternatives for old favorites - salt alternatives, natural no-calorie sweeteners (monk fruit, anyone?), and healthier types of fats are being used by chefs nationwide.
4. Boxed wine is on the rise - because it offers savings in shipping costs and packaging, and eliminates the risk of oxidation that corked wine carries, high-quality wine producers are likely to jump on the boxed wine bandwagon.
5. Virtual food sharing will continue to grow - with social media sites like Pinterest (where food pins outweigh all other categories of pins), Taste Spotting, and Food Gawker, foodies can share their recipes, favorite dishes, and food fantasies.
6. Food facts on labels - consumer demand for transparency in food labeling is higher than ever. People will continue to push for full ingredient disclosure and GMO information.
7. Protein-enriched snack foods - the way people eat has changed through the years. Says Technomic, "Americans are now more inclined to ‘graze’ throughout the day, seeking snacks that provide fuel between traditional meal parts.” Look for an influx of protein-fortified bars, drinks, and snack foods.
8. Bitter is better - often a hallmark of foods containing antioxidants, bitterness adds a level of complexity to foods and beverages. Found naturally in plant-based, whole foods, bitter is a flavor that consumers will seek as they move toward healthier eating in general.
9. Casual dining is preferred - with the popularity of food trucks and gourmet street food, formal sit-down dining is on the decline. A casual dining atmosphere - even if it comes at a higher price point - is what customers will seek in 2013.
10. Crazy for coconut - everyone from health food proponents to workout-aholics are in the know about the beneficial properties of coconut. It contains natural electrolytes to replenish the body, and has a wealth of beneficial properties (as any Google search will tell you).

Go Bravely Forth Into 2013!

Is Your Business ADA Compliant?

In business, it's simply good practice not to make people feel excluded from your establishment. But are you unknowingly turning customers away?

 

54 million - This is the number of Americans who have a disability, according to the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Government Census.

By age, this breaks down to:

• 5 % of children 5 to 17 have disabilities (or, 1 in 20)
• 10 % of people 18 to 64 have disabilities. (or, 1 in 10)
• 38 % of adults 65 and older have disabilities. (or, roughly 2 in 5)

The best way to ensure that you are meeting the needs of every customer is to familiarize yourself with the ADA guidelines for your type of business:

ADA Requirements Checklist - Restaurants
ADA Requirements Checklist - Hotels
ADA Requirements Checklist - Retail Stores
ADA Requirements Checklist - Existing Facilities
ADA Requirements Checklist - New Lodging Facilities

And don't forget, some of your employees may need special accommodations, too:

ADA Requirements Checklist - Employees 


Some people find it difficult to anticipate what a disabled person might need, or even how to properly interact with a disabled personm which is why you might find this helpful:

7 Steps For Making Your Customers With Disabilities 

Feel Welcome     

With a little research and possibly some modifications, your business can become a place where each customer feels valued, respected, and welcome. And isn't that how we'd all like to feel?

 

 

Caribe Resort - Orange Beach, Alabama

When your thoughts turn to getting away from it all, a place to consider is the Caribe Resort in Orange Beach, AL.

The blue waters of the Caribe resort pool, and our Bahia chaise lounge.

The resort is family-friendly!

We appreciate the opportunity to provide the resort with our commercial chaise lounges - and we're pleased that they chose to add the chaise lounge cushions with hood to ensure their guests' maximum comfort.

5 Ways Business As Usual Might Change in 2013

Want to remain competitive in 2013? Read these predictions for the coming year that could make or break your business if you don't plan accordingly.

1) Reverse outsourcing will increase
A key issue in the recent presidential elections was the unemployment rate. Well, businesses are taking notice as well as taking steps to alleviate this condition - jobs are coming back to the U.S. Even major companies such as Apple and SeaMicro have announced plans to manufacture at least some of their goods in America.

2) You need to take reputation management seriously
Social networks are a double-edged sword - they provide a wide network of communication that may be used to the advantage or the disadvantage of a business. One way to keep on top of your company's online reputation is to set up Google Alerts. These alerts are viewable via Google Reader, which is an organized feed reader of every alert you’re subscribed to. You can click between different alerts and star certain ones for bookmarking, as well as share specific alerts via Google+ or email.

 3) Adobe Flash will go the way of the Dodo bird
Flash content can bog down your site, making it difficult for those with a slow internet connection or who are using a mobile device. However, HTML5 can transmit rich content to devices without the compatibility issues that arise with Flash, which is why it will soon begin to replace Adobe Flash for animations, movies, and numerous other applications. Get in the know about HTML5, now!

4) Email is becoming obsolete
As businesses make the switch to more instantaneous communication methods with their customers - like LiveChat, which we've raved about in the past - email is slowly becoming too, well ... slow. And business-to-business dealings are more frequently being conducted through Instant Messaging, Skype calls, and Google hangouts. Adios, email!

5) R.I.P. fax machines, it's been a good run
The main reason that fax machines are still with us? We haven't figured out how to make digital signatures legit in legal and real estate transactions. That's where a brilliant solution like DocuSign comes into play - you can send, sign and save documents anywhere, on any device,  and DocuSigned documents are legally binding. Sorry fax machines, your day of reckoning has arrived.

Top 3 Reasons To Invest In Commercial Grade Furniture

It can be tough when you’re starting your own business – so many details to attend to, lead times to take into account, and of course trying to stay within your budget. Plus, you want your place to look a certain way, to evoke certain feelings within your clientele. Along that line, let's talk about why it's best to pay a bit more for commercial grade furniture than to buy residential grade furniture. I’m going to simplify the benefits and characteristics of commercial grade furniture for you. You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure.

Sure, residential grade furnishings are cheaper, at least in the moment. However, over the long run contract (a.k.a. commercial) grade furniture will give you a greater return on your investment.

Here's Why:

~ Commercial grade furniture is always designed to be durable, easily maintained, 
    and have lasting value. It is ideal for when a business cannot budget for new 
    furniture every few years.

~ Contract furniture is meant to be used anywhere there are large numbers of 

    people who will use it daily, and/or where there may be large weight differences 

    among those users.

~ Commercial furniture takes into account the rough movements, multiple uses, 

    and environmental stressors that furnishings encounter, and reduces their 

    impact by using scratch-resistant surfaces, non-corrosive materials, mortise-

    and-tenon joinery, and UV-resistant fabrics.

Now for the technical specs for contract grade chairs and tables, as mandated by the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA):

Top 20 Dining Trends for 2013 - #trendalert

It's that time of year again - when one year ends and another begins. On that note, here are the predicted Top 20 Dining Trends* for 2013:

 

1. Locally sourced meats and seafoods will be in demand.

2. Locally grown produce and restaurant gardens - Top 10 Farm-To-Table Restaurants

3.  Healthful kids' meals - find ideas here for restaurant kids' meals.
4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme. Read what GustOrganics CEO Alberto Gonzalez has to say on this topic.
5. Sour gets its day - there will be an abundance of tart, acidic, and bitter flavors to choose from on menus.
6. Chefs will be health-conscious and include items such as brown rice, high-fiber grains, and vitamin-rich vegetable broths in their dishes.
7. Asian foods will add spice and variety to traditional American comfort foods. "Expect to walk into a classic ... diner and see options like Vietnamese chicken sandwiches, Sriracha mayo and Korean-glazed pork ribs."
8. Children's nutrition as a culinary theme. Enlighten yourself about the nutritional needs of your smallest patrons.
9. New cuts of meat will be sought after, such as Denver steak, pork flat iron, and teres major. Learn about these new cuts.
10. Hyper-local sourcing - see restaurant gardens, above.
11. Gluten-free cuisine.
12. Vegetables are featured as a main dish, and are no longer relegated to a side or a salad. Here are 18 Vegetarian Main Dish Recipes from Saveur.
13. Customers will seek out sources of sustainable seafood.
14. Kids' menu options will grow up and become kid-friendly versions of adult dining options. Adios, chicken nuggets!
15. Major U.S. cities will proudly develop support local, artisan foodie destinations in 2013. See an example.
16. Diners are done with the "family-style" sharing of food.  Small plates traditionally meant for sharing will now be used for smaller portions, for a truly customized dining experience.
17. Savory fruit. "Chefs are fermenting, pickling, drying, dehydrating, salting, grilling, frying and generally manipulating fruit to get new flavors out of what we are used to eating raw."
18. Chefs who are cutting-edge realize and plan for the varied diets of their diners. Vegan and gluten-free options will become more prevalent on menus.
19. Whole grain items will make their way into kids' meals. Here are some kid-friendly whole-grain recipes to get you started.

and last, but not least (drumroll, please) ...

20. Popcorn is the snack for 2013. It's healthy, it's inexpensive, and it's versatile. Flavored Popcorn Recipes: Sweet, Spicy And Savory

Which of these trends do you think are most likely to show up in restaurants across America?

Share your predictions in the comments below ...

Five Reasons Why We Love Live Chat

As of November 2012, we now have a Live Chat option on our website, www.ContractFurniture.com

These are the reasons that we love it:

1. There's no better way to make a customer feel attended to than to answer their questions on the spot. We can also provide links to products, guiding them through our site to the most appropriate furniture for their needs.

2. With our chat analytics it's easy to see the city, state, and country of every visitor to the site, as well as their landing page and even the search engine they used to find us.

3. A favorite tool of mine on the Live Chat operators' screen is the keyword information - whatever words/phrases the site visitor entered into a search engine to find us are shown, and can be used to better understand our clientele and their needs.

4. We can look at an individual's navigation through our website, allowing us to see what products they're interested in and what page they exited the site from. We also know if someone has visited our site before, which is handy for number five ...

5. Visitor's to our site can be invited to chat. There are a number of reasons why we'd want to do this: 

• They've visited before and have looked at the same products - therefore, maybe they have questions.
• A person has navigated through many of our site pages, and we want to help them narrow down their search, if needed.
• Someone we've chatted with before has returned and we want to offer a follow-up chat.

Moral of the story: Don't underestimate the power of the Live Chat feature - it's so versatile and such a rich source of information that it's well worth the investment.

Do you use Live Chat on your website? 

What do you love about it?