instore - March 2018 - 54

equipment & packaging

High-tech
help

Most of the company's instore bakery customers use standard kettle
fryers because of their versatility, he says. "One fryer is good for any
and all fried bakery items." Other Belshaw fryers used by grocery
customers include the company's Donut Robot fryers, which aren't as
versatile but make up for it by frying automatically and being easier to
use, Baxter says. "One employee can mix and fill with batter, and then
finish the donuts with sugar, glaze or icing at the end."
For commissaries that supply c-stores, Belshaw's Century and High
Volume frying and finishing systems provide economies of scale and
quality control, Baxter says. C-stores that are busy enough to fry their
doughnuts on site use a Belshaw Donut Robot or Insider Ventless
Doughnut Center.
Belshaw fryers can be used for doughnuts, fritters, fried Danish, fried
croissants, croissant doughnuts, doughnut holes and other items.

Whatever the size, Frymaster fryers consistently rank high on
industry-standard quality tests, Brugler says. Frymaster fryers boast
an optimal "cook curve," she says - with fries, for instance, one part
of the curve delivers a crispy exterior, while another guarantees that
the inside has the consistency of a baked potato. Frymaster fryers also
consistently delivery recovery times between fries of 10 seconds or
less. "It doesn't get any better
than that," Brugler says.

Linda Brugler, Frymaster

54 * MARCH 2018 * instore

Belshaw fryers are built in
the U.S. and all equipment
comes with a one-year
warranty, Baxter says (for
kettles, it's five years). The
company also boasts an
in-house technical support
and customer service team.
Belshaw fryers can be used
for doughnuts, fritters,
fried Danish, fried croissants, croissant doughnuts,
doughnut holes, doughnut
pops -"just about any fried
bakery item," Baxter says.

Frymaster forecasts strong category growth. One of the company's
c-store customers, for instance, recently added a fried program for the
first time, Brugler says, and its success is beyond their wildest expectations. "They can't believe the business they're getting," she says. "We're
seeing a lot more activity in c-stores. People go for gas, and if there's
food available, there's one less stop they have to make."
Baxter says the new technologies in donut frying are finding a ready
and willing consumer audience. "Customers are very eager to buy
donuts that that have a nicely spread icing or glaze, or exotic flavored
toppings," he says. "When it comes to equipment, bakeries are taking
advantage of helpful economic conditions to replace old equipment
and with new. Better quality, eye appeal, taste and creativity are what
all donut producers strive for." Donuts made from custom ingredients
are a magnet to buyers, Baxter says, and equipment like Belshaw's
helps users cope with mixes and ingredients that are more demanding
but still wind up leading to a great product.
Eros agrees that it's a good time to be supplying grocery foodservice
and c-store customers. "Millennials and Gen Zs are less likely to discern
a difference between foodservice channels vs. older demographic
cohorts," she says. "They're just as likely to purchase a meal or snack from
a prepared foods department at their favorite grocery store as they are
from a fast-casual restaurant. That's great news for the retail channel!"

BELSHAW ADAMATIC

"We're seeing a lot
more activity in
c-stores. People go
for gas, and if there's
food available,
there's one less stop
they have to make."

Grocery, c-store prepared
foods demand soaring

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - March 2018