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specialty insights Yogurt parfaits Whether for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, yogurt parfaits are as popular as ever in the prepared foods section of supermarkets and c-stores. But this simple and healthy snack has a lot more potential than most retailers may realize. Enter Perfect Parfait, the firstever fresh yogurt dispensing system. Designed to maximize profit through portion control and waste management, it can either be posted out front for self-serve customer access in a parfait bar or kept in back of house for controlled portion dispensing while preparing the dish for your grab-and-go shoppers. "We're definitely pushing the whole self-serve fresh parfait bar concept," says Russ Vulpitta, CEO of Perfect Parfait in Plano, TX. "We have one large supermarket chain already in process of rolling out a fresh 'free-style' yogurt bar program in their deli/produce department. "Supermarkets and c-store chains offering grab-and-go, pre-made parfaits typically have the product prepared in back of the house or by a local commissary," he says, noting the white space there is for further cost savings. "In both scenarios, parfaits are typically prepared with manual labor via hand scooping out of tubs. We've been very successful with retailers and commissaries who understand the labor efficiency, consistency, safety, and waste-saving benefits of utilizing our dispenser along with our high quality, farm-fresh yogurt products." The machine holds 14-pound bags of freshly sealed yogurt that's also provided by Perfect Parfait. The way the system is designed, the yogurt never comes in contact with a worker's hands, ensuring it's safe to eat no matter who is loading the machine. It also has no internal parts that need cleaning or sanitization monitoring - only a drip tray to be wiped down after use. "We've been able to help our retail and commissary customers drastically reduce waste while increasing their production efficiencies up to 30 percent, depending upon their production set up," Vulpitta says. "In Perfect Parfait's fresh yogurt dispenser is designed for in-house prep and self-serve parfait bars. Long available in Europe and South America, drinkable yogurt hasn't made quite the same splash in the US market. But this doesn't mean it should be disregarded, especially when it comes to breakfast offerings and snacks like parfaits. Pourable yogurt blends more easily with fruits and granola, and individual bottles like those offered by GlenOaks Farms can be placed alongside other prepared foods, shakes and smoothies. The drinkable yogurt is versatile in its applications as well, says Shane 26 * SEPTEMBER 2016 * instore GLENOAKS FARMS Drinkable yogurt is making its way inland PERFECT PARFAIT CONSIDER Donavan, vice president of operations and development at GlenOaks. It can be poured over cereal as well as a parfait, used as an ingredient for a boost of probiotics in a smoothie, or offered as a filling snack between meals. GlenOaks is ubiquitous on the West Coast, he says, and has now partnered with Walmart to bring the product inland. always designed with taste, and not cost, in mind. "GlenOaks is light, has bright fruit flavors, and is very nutritious," he says. "Some folks even say that they can taste the 'fuzz' on the peach. You don't get that kind of flavor out of the major brands. "We took the 'yogurt-shake' idea and ran with it," Donavan says of GlenOaks, which starteed in 1984. Their yogurt has won many taste tests, and Donavan says that they're "The primary fruit flavors are always the best sellers in yogurt," he adds. "Chobani and the rest can put out as many obscure flavors as they wish, but it's the strawberries, peaches and blueberries that really stand out in sales. Our blueberry flavor is our newest, and is climbing steadily to become even with all our others." Indeed, when it comes to Greek competition, Donavan isn't worried about it. "GlenOaks had a Greek line of drinkable yogurts for a time, but they just didn't hold a candle to our regular low-fat yogurt formulation. Our Greek line is no longer offered - it was a flash in the pan."

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