Research has revealed that 74 per cent of adults regularly miss breakfast and 60 per cent have a snack at work instead of breakfast at home, due to today's hectic lifestyle. So now's your chance to capitalise on this golden opportunity. Catering Update reviews the latest products in this market
Make sure they get their oats
The 155-room Cobham Hilton in Cobham, Surrey, part of the Hilton Group of hotels, is trialling Quaker Oats as a front of house breakfast option, complete with a branded bain marie on the breakfast bar.
To get the promotion underway, Gill Wise, Quaker Foodservice Marketing Manager, developed a special pack containing everything the hotel would need. This included eye-catching point of sale material, a special recipe sheet for the kitchen staff to show them just how easy porridge is to make and a copy of the leaflet "How to make the most of porridge". This gives serving suggestions and shows how to enhance profits. Branded bain maries were also commissioned to further raise awareness for the promotion.
Paul Wright, the hotel's deputy general manager says: "So far it has been well received by the chefs. The breakfast chefs find porridge easy to prepare and serve and with the introduction of the bain marie, storage is made even more convenient. When the mornings are colder and darker, people opt for a warm breakfast alternative and we're sure that given the opportunity, guests will choose porridge if it's ready to serve on the breakfast bar."
Multi portions of Quaker Oats or Scott's Porage Oats are easy to make and can be prepared quickly and easily in a microwave or traditionally on the hob. After being transferred to a bain marie, it will stay warm, retain moisture and last for up to two hours.
Quaker's hot breakfast cereals cost 3p per 30g serving, making Quaker Oats and Scott's Porage Oats less than one third of the price of branded ready to eat cereals.
The trial coincides with a £3 million television and advertising campaign that includes the sponsorship of GMTV weather forecasts.
Pending the successful outcome of the trial at the Cobham Hilton, 65 out of the 73 hotels in the UK (excluding Ireland), will be positioning either Quaker Oats or Scott's Porage Oats front of house.
Quaker Oats
Breakfasts need variety
"The key to a successful breakfast is variety," says Alan White, head chef at the 204-room Selsdon Park Hotel and Golf Course in the south of London. "Guests have different tastes and it's important to cater for them all, especially if they're staying for several days."
According to Alan, bacon and eggs is always a best seller and he advises offering a selection of cooked eggs - fried, poached, boiled and scrambled and vary cuts from streaky to back bacon where possible.
Alan also points out it's vital that breakfast food remains fresh. "There's a chef on our buffet all the time with three jobs to do - ensure temperature control, keep the buffet topped up and turn the food over," he says. "The food should look as good at 7am, as it does at 10am - a dish like scrambled egg needs constant attention."
Brakes' unsmoked bacon range (both frozen and chilled available) includes back, middle and streaky. Large pack sizes (usually 2.5kg) contain up to 80 rashers. Beechwood Smoked Back Bacon (rindless) is also available.
Brakes' Black Pudding Slices give a fry up or sandwich that extra lift. Made according to the Scottish recipe, the slices can be shallow fried over medium heat in six minutes. A pack of 60 slices costs £12.50.
"It's a clich‚, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day," concludes Alan, "and more so for hotels. It's the last meal guests have and you are judged on it. Take the same pride in breakfast as you would in any other meal - whether preparing for five or 50 covers - and you'll leave a lasting impression."
Brakes
Singles pack
Twinners from Pritchitts is an all in one, ready to eat breakfast cereal product in three varieties.
These are Corn Flakes, Honey Nut Corn Flakes and Cereal Clusters with Strawberries.
It contains cereal, milk (a portion of Half Fat Millac Maid) and a spoon in one pack (with a sugar sachet in the Corn Flake variety).
Available in packs of 12 with a five month ambient shelf life.
Pritchitts