Hoffmaster to Exhibit at Upcoming Trade Shows

Hoffmaster® is pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Dietary Managers Association (DMA) Fall Regional Meeting. The event takes place at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita on October 7. The Regional Meetings are popular among DMA members, who enjoy top-notch education, foodservice exhibits, and peer networking. Visit Hoffmaster in booth #14.

Hoffmaster® will also be exhibiting at the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) 2010 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE). The event takes place at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston November 7-9, 2010. The event continues to expand – attracting a wider audience of professionals, including dietitians, sports, health and nutrition professionals, and executive chefs. Visit Hoffmaster in booth #2475.

Clearing up Confusion: Biodegradable vs. Compostable

The world continues to focus on environmental standards and solutions. Terms such as “biodegradable,” “compostable,” and “green” are used interchangeably and inaccurately. Hoffmaster® recognizes these terms can be confusing and hopes this information will help you silence some of the false or confusing claims.

Biodegradable - Material is able to decompose or break down on its own in one year or less. Essentially, the item will disappear.

*Source: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/packaging/presentations/mojo.pdf

As we all know, even items such as newspapers will not degrade in a landfill where they are not exposed to air, sunlight, etc. Even if a product has been BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) certified, this does not mean a product is biodegradable. When the primary method of disposal is landfills where essentially nothing degrades, claiming something is biodegradable is considered deceiving and not acceptable.

*Source: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides980427.htm

Compostable - According to a survey conducted by the American Chemistry Council, an item is compostable if “the material can be put back into the ground

to make soil, mulch, or fertilizer that can be used in a garden or around your home.” Materials should breakdown and be usable in a matter of months (three months to one year).

Hoffmaster’s stance: In general, our products are made from natural and renewable raw materials (trees). Our tissue napkins and bond paper placemats are considered compostable in a safe and timely manner in an appropriate composting program or facility, or in a home compost pile or device. We do not make the claim that our products are biodegradable because they are typically disposed of in a landfill and degradable is not possible in landfill conditions so this would be deceiving.
*Source: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/packaging/presentations/mojo.pdf

We work hard to keep our website up-to-date and full of exciting new features. We are proud to announce that you can now order stock products directly on http://www.hoffmaster.com/! Customers who have never had access to our stock product line before can log on and place their orders online. The home page has been updated to include links to the stock and personalized product sections of the website as well as the various social media sites Hoffmaster interacts on (Twitter, Facebook, Blog, and YouTube).

Our fully functional e-commerce website will allow you to:

     - Easily order stock or personalized products.
     - Earn Loyalty Points for discounts on future stock product orders.
     - View order history and easily reorder favorite items.

Visit Hoffmaster.com to place your order today!

Hoffmaster® Joins Wisconsin Restaurant Association

Hoffmaster® is pleased to announce that we are now a Supplier Associate Member of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association (WRA). The WRA has been in existence since 1933 as a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to supporting the foodservice industry.

WRA membership includes thousands of foodservice businesses representing virtually every size and style of establishment in the state. Restaurateur members include:

• Fine dining establishments
• Mom-and-pop supper clubs
• Small cafes
• Fast food outlets
• Corporate chain restaurants
• Institutional food service operations
• Catering businesses
• Hotel and motel food services

In addition to restaurateur and food service operators, WRA has hundreds of Supplier Associate Members like Hoffmaster® that provide goods and services to the restaurant industry. According to Cindy Herbert, Vice President of Marketing for Hoffmaster®, “Through our support of the WRA, we will be able to reach new customers to better understand their needs which will help us develop solution based products and services for the foodservice industry.”

By uniting with the WRA, we have access to information and services to help us better run and promote our businesses. And, a strong membership gives WRA a more powerful voice in pursuing its mission to protect, promote and improve the restaurant industry.

Joining the WRA let’s the state’s licensed restaurateurs know that Hoffmaster® cares about the future of Wisconsin’s restaurant industry!

Dietary Managers Association (DMA)

Hoffmaster® is pleased to announce that we are now a Supplier Member of the Dietary Managers Association (DMA), which is a national non-for-profit association established in 1960 that today represents more than 14,000 professionals dedicated to the mission of providing optimum nutritional care through foodservice management.

When we first launched our blog, we said we were dedicated to staying on top of all trends in the foodservice industry. Nutrition and healthy living is a huge corporate focus for Hoffmaster®. “Health-Master” is the name of our health and wellness program. A committee of over 20 employees plan monthly activities to promote health and wellness through education and initiatives that encourage healthy habits, increase awareness, and support, inspire, and empower individuals. Our membership with DMA shows that we are a company of action. What are you doing to help your local community, peers, and patrons live a healthy life? Let us know!

How the Color Yellow Impacts Our Lives and Our Business

Last month I posted some information on how color impacts our lives and our business. It is fun and important to understand the impact of color! I have decided to provide some insight on the color yellow since we are in the dead of winter here in Wisconsin and I thought a little YELLOW may help!

As you know, yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. According to color-wheel-pro.com, the color yellow produces a warming effect, invokes a feeling of happiness and stimulates mental activity. Bright, pure yellow is an attention getter, which is why most taxicabs are painted this color. You need to be careful not to overuse the color yellow as it has been known to have a disturbing effect if overused. Yellow is one of the first colors seen and when placed against black; this combination is often used to issue a warning.

Yellow is very effective for attracting attention, so use it to highlight the most important elements of your design. Men usually perceive yellow as a very lighthearted, 'childish' color, so it is not recommended to use yellow when selling prestigious, expensive products to men – nobody will buy a yellow business suit or a yellow Mercedes. Yellow is an unstable and spontaneous color, so avoid using yellow if you want to suggest stability and safety.

Put some yellow in your life when you want:

- Clarity for decision-making
- Relief from 'burnout', panic, nervousness, exhaustion
- Sharper memory and concentration skills
- Protection from lethargy and depression during dull weather

Hoffmaster® Announces Product Line Integration

For over 60 years Hoffmaster® has been an industry leader in the foodservice disposables category, with guiding principles of best-in-class products, innovation, sales support and service. As a total company, we are focused on increasing our efficiencies while balancing our supply and demand through consolidation planning and investment in new technology.

In order to improve administrative efficiencies and meet the specific needs of our customers, Hoffmaster Group, Inc.® will soon consolidate the Brooklace® plant in West Haven, CT into our Oshkosh, WI, location. Our approaching integration will merge our foodservice business units together on one system. We are working diligently to ensure our customers’ business is not affected by this closure, as well as working with employees to make a smooth transition. The Hoffmaster® and Brooklace® product lines will be consolidated effective February 1, 2010. Also beginning February 1, 2010, customers may purchase both Hoffmaster® and Brooklace® branded product on the same purchase order through Hoffmaster® in Oshkosh, WI.

We are committed to remain focused on offering a product bundle in the specialty category that stimulates sales growth and differentiation. Our customers’ satisfaction is our top priority as we continue to strive to be the first choice in decorative disposable tableware products and accessories. We encourage you to contact your Hoffmaster® sales representative at 800-327-9774, or log on to http://www.hoffmaster.com/ for further details.

How Color Impacts Our Lives and Our Business

Understanding how color can impact your business and your customers impression of your establishment is critical in today’s competitive business environment. Color will help you distinguish your business from your competitors and is an integral part of your overall identification. Color is often called the “silent salesperson.” It can attract your customer’s eye, convey the overall message of your brand or service, establish your identity and more importantly, it can help you make a sale!

The Marketing team at Hoffmaster® has studied the impact of color for over thirty years and has compiled a very good data base of color impact facts which we use in developing our solid color product offering and use to help us create our stock fashion designs. Since one of our primary goals of our blog is to help Foodservice operators, I thought I would share some of the interesting facts related to the impact of color with you. I will be updating this blog with other color impact facts, so be sure and check back in!

Purple

It is important to look at symbolism with any color, but with purple, it may be more important than you would think. Purple symbolizes power, spirituality, luxury, magic, faith, imagination, sensitivity, royalty, mourning, and sometimes death. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is also one of the hardest colors for the eye to discriminate, making it a poor choice for the food industry but an excellent choice for astrology, magic or a spiritual business.

According to color-wheel-pro.com, the color purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent children surveyed preferred purple to all other colors. Purple is a very rare color in nature; some people consider it to be artificial.

Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design. Bright purple is a good choice when promoting children's products. Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings. Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings.

Why Social Media?

Last week we wrote about HOW to get involved with viral marketing via social media. Now we’re going to share our two cents worth on WHY it’s important.

It’s all about inbound marketing – not finding your customers, but allowing your customers to find you. With all the tools available to customers today they seek you out through search engines, blogs, social media, your website, etc. It’s no longer a question of “if” but rather “how” you join the social media landscape. According to QSR Web, Google research has found that 80% of diners use search to decide where to eat, and 52% look online for coupons or special offers for local establishments. This means that your customers are looking for you, so you need to be able to be found! By monitoring social media channels like Twitter and Facebook, you can find people seeking out your services. The best way to guarantee success is to simply be present, honest, creative, and personable. At the end of the day, social networking exists to share opinions and ideas online. And, by all means, have fun!

Yes, It’s Viral, Spread the Word!

It’s that time of year again, when the word “viral” typically means the spreading of nasty colds and flu bugs. But Hoffmaster® is saying, “Bring on the viral!”

Hoffmaster® has worked diligently over the last year to increase its word of mouth, or viral marketing. Over the last 12 months we’ve redesigned our website, launched a monthly e-mail, created our spokesperson Nate Gladmann and entered the following social media sites: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and this blog. Our goal is to integrate our online marketing efforts with traditional marketing communications such as our annual Product Portfolio, trade publication advertising and printed sales materials.

Hoffmaster® is participating in viral marketing so we invite you to do the same! Your customers are talking, so you should join in. To help you get started, here are five easy “preventative” tips for you to follow to stay healthy this “Viral Season!”

1. Listen First - Newcomers to social media sites should first listen to how people communicate. Each site is different. For example, Twitterers or Tweeps post short blurbs about what’s going on. Facebook friends keep it a little more personal and private.

2. Make a Game Plan - One of the biggest mistakes companies make is joining social media without knowing what they’re game plan is. Determine your goals for interacting. Do you want to increase customer awareness? Do you want to promote certain things? Once you determine why then you can figure out how.

3. Walk Before You Run - Pick one social media site to start with. Once you feel like you’ve gotten the hang of it then venture on to your next challenge.

4. Give People a Reason to be Viral - Make sure that your topics are interesting enough that people want to talk about it. Make sure that the communication is a two-way street. You don’t want to be talking at your audience; you want to be talking with them to keep them engaged.

5. Have Fun - Run contests or promotions, give coupons, etc. Just keep the energy high and the momentum going. Remember that high quality content will help build relationships with your followers so have fun with them!

Hot Stamp Napkins

How often have you thought, “Wouldn’t it be great to have napkins with our name or event on them?” Custom napkins can really add that special touch to your next occasion. Think about your upcoming weddings, anniversaries, showers, bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah, corporate events, trade shows, conferences, fund raisers, sporting events, holiday parties, graduations, retirements…well, you get the idea! There are so many special occasions where a custom napkin would really add the finishing touch.

It’s easy, it’s fast, and you can have as few as 50 beverage or luncheon napkins hot stamped in 1 color with your name or logo. We know there isn’t always time to plan ahead but with our hot stamp napkins you can have them delivered in just 7 business days from the day you place your order. With 25 napkin colors and 10 foil stamp colors to choose from, you are sure to find exactly what you need. The really neat thing about our hot stamp napkin process is that you can upload your own image or use one of our stock celebration icons. Imagine your logo or phrase on napkins to coordinate with your next event. Whether it’s a private party or corporate event, custom hot stamp napkins will add the finishing touch.

Check it out and order today right on our website, http://www.hoffmaster.com/, or feel free to call 1-800-327-9774 to have someone help you with your order today!

Hand Towel Hygiene

The cold and flu season is upon us. Now more than ever before people are extremely aware of spreading germs, preventing the spread of flu and hand washing. I know everyone is aware of the proper method of hand washing, but do you know the best way to dry your hands and why it is so important?

According to an article from Tissue World by Roger Gaudreault, PhD, moisture left on hands not properly washed and dried is the single largest determining factor for hand hygiene and the spread of germs.

So what is the best method of drying your hands; is it air dryers, disposable guest towels or reusable cloth towels? Some of you might be surprised to learn that the most sanitary way to dry your hands is using disposable guest towels.

The reason disposable guest towels are the best option is because they minimize the spread of bacteria compared to air dryers or reusable towels. When you use a disposable guest towel, any bacteria remaining on your hands after washing is transferred from your wet hands to the disposable guest towel. Since it is a single use disposable product, you do not have to worry about the spread of germs.

I’m sure you may think air dryers would be the better choice, but what you may not realize is that air dryers can potentially spread bacteria back onto your hands or body as well as in the surrounding area. I don’t think I need to give you a lot of detail on how ineffective reusable towels are, but wanted you to know that when cloth gets wet, its absorbency drops and bacteria are only reduced by drying hands with absorbent materials.

The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both recommend that hands be thoroughly dried using disposable guest towels. So look for disposable guest towels when using a public washroom or add them to your home when entertaining guests. Keep everyone happy and healthy this cold and flu season and use a Hoffmaster® guest towel to dry your hands!

For more information about Hoffmaster® disposable guest towels check out our website.

Hoffmaster® H1N1 Toolkit

Now, more than ever before, there’s a huge focus on sanitation. This focus is very broad and expands from your home, to your children’s school, to college campuses, to restaurants. Disposable, single-use products will help keep surfaces sanitary and you and your family healthy.

Single-use tabletop products such as placemats and napkins are key when talking about sanitation and disease prevention.

Single-use products came into use as the answer to the spread of infectious and contagious diseases at a time when common drinking cups, plates, and utensils were the norm in society. In fact, the first single-use foodservice product was called the Health Cup, a name that described the cup’s primary benefit and value. It was sold to schools, hospitals, tubercular facilities and other places where infectious diseases could be communicated through unsanitary reusables.

Today, a hundred years after the invention of the Health Cup, the U.S. FDA’s Food Code requires foodservice operations to use single-use products whenever a facility’s dishwashing capability is compromised by equipment breakage, power failures, or inadequate dishwashing (such as low water temperature, weak detergent, etc.). For this reason alone, all foodservice operators need to have a supply of single-use foodservice packaging products on hand.

The sanitary benefits of single-use products have been proven in many studies over the years, and most recently in two studies: one in 2003 in Las Vegas conducted for the Food and Packaging Institute by the Clark County Public Health District that compared the sanitary aspects single-use and permanent ware items in Las Vegas eating establishments, and one in 2006 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, conducted for the Food and Packaging Institute by the University of Wisconsin that studied tabletop bacterial contamination of restaurants that used placemats versus uncovered tables.

The Las Vegas study found “reusable foodservice items had higher microbiological levels than disposable items” and the Wisconsin study found that “single-use placemats were shown, on average, to have over seven times fewer bacteria than uncovered tables in restaurants.”

The reason that single-use products are more sanitary than their reusable counterpart is simple: very often dishwashers don’t heat water to 140° C, the temperature necessary to assure sanitation. In some instances, the water is hot enough, but not enough detergent is added. In other cases, permanent ware is recontaminated by workers when they place items back into storage.

Customer Service Excellence

The week of October 5th through the 11th is National Customer Service Week, which is designed to raise awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays within an organization. It is also an opportunity to say a big thank you to those who work in customer service for a job well done.

Hoffmaster’s Customer Service Department is broken down into three areas of responsibility:

1. Customer Service Representatives (CSR), who are responsible for answering customer calls, inquiries and providing support to sales;
2. Stock Order Processors (SOP), who are responsible for entering all stock orders; and
3. Custom Print Order Processors (COP), who are responsible for entering all custom print orders.

Our department is also uniquely organized to line up with our sales territories.

This structure is also physical in that a CSR, SOP, and COP covering a specific geography are seated in the same area so they can easily communicate as a team to ensure speedy and accurate answers are provided. This also allows each member of the team to become familiar with the customers and salespeople in a specific geography of the country.

 

As we prepare to celebrate National Customer Service Week, we are planning to involve our entire company in the celebration as everyone at Hoffmaster® works very hard toward achieving the common goal of providing exceptional products and service to our customers. Without our customers we would not be here!

 

Customer Service is not a department, it’s an attitude!

 

Left to Right: Maggie Faust, Amanda Seibert, Shirley Borkowski,

Linda Gertz, Kathy Holder, Jodi Thorpe,

Doreen Lynch, Pauline Bloede, Kitty Pirner,

Kathy Lingnofski, Karen Lesko, Chris Cushman,

and Laurie Schuttey

Welcome to the Hoffmaster Blog

Napkins and tabletop accessories are what we do best. For more than 60 years we have worked tirelessly to bring you a huge selection of quality, attractive (yet disposable!) tabletop products – and picked up tons of information about the industries we service along the way. Now we hope to give some of that information back.

This blog isn’t mainly about our products. We aren’t trying to sell you a thing. The content in this blog is unique and catered specifically FOR you. Have questions? Ask away, we’ll answer! Just browsing for up-to-date industry information? We’ll share our thoughts on that too.

This blog is an ongoing conversation with Hoffmaster experts meant to spur innovative thinking and provide you with the insight necessary to make your tabletop endeavors a success. We want you to make the best decision possible. In turn, we seek your feedback to help us provide the best service possible.

Please keep checking back as we will frequently update the blog with information you won’t be able to find anywhere else. (Or just add us to your RSS feed!)