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A Ferociously Effective Way of Working
CSSI Staff Post – December 16th, 2020
2020 has been a year of many challenges. Developing Ferocious Innovation™ was a solution to a range of challenges the CSSI team faced due to the pandemic. What we all thought would be a virtual extension of our current services turned out to be an elevation of our overall processes.
Through the Ferocious Innovation™ process, we have found that the additional touchpoints of in-depth trends presentations, virtual collaborative brainstorms, and step-by-step connectivity to the operators improved our overall best practices. Ferocious Innovation™ creates dialogues that result in developing ideas, concepts, and prototypes collaborated by both the operator and manufacturer. There is more skin in the game, and ideas are closer to sight. We’re able to build the excitement at the ground level.
Growing how we are executing menu innovation has built a clearer understanding of brands’ innovation goals, providing strategic support to our partnering manufacturers. Manufacturer engagements are resulting in more successes and connectivity with key brands. We have even found that conducting exciting, creative and interactive virtual presentations have expanded our reach to a broader range of key stakeholders at the operator level.
So much success of a presentation now lies within the research piece. Did we do all our homework? Did we troubleshoot any unforeseen issues? How can we ensure our meetings will run flawlessly (because we aren’t there live)? Before the pandemic, we would be able to course correct any challenges with the operator as they occurred, working together through the food & beverage innovation.
Working virtually, we didn’t have that final touchpoint opportunity. The end result was all you got. We have put more time and focus on the planning process to ensure that we create an experience. We strive to tell an elevated food story.
As we endure new challenges, our team continues to evolve the virtual and live menu innovation presentation experience. We’ve learned a new way to communicate and ideate, to provide inspiration and innovation. The result of virtual innovation forced us to draw a new box and think outside of it.
Jessica Bograd
Director - Culinary R&D
March 1st, 2023 We’re thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our culinary family: Chef Steve Madonna. Formally trained in both Italy and the United States, as well as having worked for Wolfgang Puck, Chef Steve brings an extensive set of connections and culinary knowledge to our already stacked chef roster. Featured in this month’s issue is one of Chef Steve’s favorite recipes for making memories at home with your loved ones.
October 19, 2022 Pumpkin pie is a nostalgic menu item and my personal favorite when it comes to fall and winter menus, as it goes hand in hand with a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. We elevate the nostalgia by turning this must-have holiday dish into a clarified cocktail that leaves your taste buds as curious as your eyes. We get adventurous as we replace expected visual elements with an ice-cold glass of clarified liquors infused with pumpkin pie. This cocktail defies all visual expectations, while leaving your sense of smell and taste immersed in a seasonally nostalgic experience.
October 19, 2022 Canada is well known for many things. Hockey, snow, maple syrup, and a few other stereotypical but somewhat accurate concepts may immediately come to mind. What you may not know, though, is how invested we are in the snacks that we consume. Compared to the U.S., sure, we are no match for the quantity and variety offered in the land of the free, home of the snacks. However, what we know in our hearts is that Canada has a long-standing, tried-and-true, flawed, yet beloved top-notch snack game. I’m talking about comfort foods that have become so integrated and so established that they are classified as cult-favourites—and no, I did not spell favourites incorrectly. You are about to see a lot more of the letter “U” in this article. Sorry! The great Canadian snack game is easy enough to understand. You think of a flavour and either slap it on a potato or pair it with chocolate. Snacking has always been a huge part of Canadian food culture, but it is only going up from here. To put it lightly, the past few years have been tough on everyone around the world, and Canadians have chosen to increase their spending on snacks by 67% as an indulgence or, personally, as a coping mechanism. In no way, shape, or form am I claiming to be a culinary expert somehow employed in the field of Finance, but I have eaten a lot in my life and right now, I’m the best and/or only Canadian guide you’ve got. Let’s get into the details:
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