Wednesday, April 29, 2009
2009 Jerrico/LJS Alumni Golf Outing Date Set
Dave Kaufhold has set the date for the 2009 Jerrico/LJS alumni golf outing . It is scheduled for August 15 and will again be at Kearney Hills .
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Business of Fish, Restaurants and Lent
The Business of Fish , Restaurants and Lent
By Mark Sievers
Have you ever wondered why hamburger chains would promote a fish item
( usually a fish sandwich ) at all and only one a year ? They do it because of increased fish consumption during the 40 days of Lent and in particular Ash Wednesday and the six Fridays of Lent . This is a way to both accommodate the dietary desires of consumers and to take advantage of a seasonal shift in protein consumption patterns . This article will not only examine contemporary examples of this but also some related interesting historical origins and aspects .
The observance of Lent is among the oldest customs of Christians . In fact the practice dates so far back that exact origins suffer from some level of obscurity and conflicting viewpoints . Rather than discuss this in detail I will summarize some key historic points of this practice : .
1. As early as the first century AD the original Christians modified the Jewish fasting traditions from Tuesdays and Thursdays to Wednesdays and Fridays .
2. Some have traced the Season of Lent to approximately the third century .
3. The Teutonic word Lent originally meant merely the spring season but evolved since the Anglo-Saxon period to mean the 40 day period of Lent .
4. When the Church imposed fasting in Lent certain days were designated whereby it was forbidden to eat meat. These days in French are known as “jours maigres” or “ lean days” . Since fish came out of water and hence “cold” and also white , it was deemed pure and suitable for fasting food .
5. During the Middle Ages , the Church ordained a total of 166 days of fasting including the 40 days of Lent . This resulted in fish becoming a significant commercial resource . Charlemagne ( Charles the Great or Charles I ) ensured that his farms had plenty of fish ponds for producing eel , pike and other fish species . The farms then sold the fish which in turn created profits for the imperial treasury .
6. Over time Lenten observance traditions have evolved and become more flexible . Even denominations that never strictly adhered to fasting traditions still had a sense of “Lent awareness”
The restaurant and hospitality promotional action really starts before Lent . The day before Ash Wednesday is celebrated in various ways around the world . For most , it is known Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday “ and celebrated with various type of feasting . The feasting comes from the historic custom of using up household fats prior to the 40 days of Lenten fasting . Locally, it manifests itself with various celebrations including live music and other activities at Buddy’s , Furlongs , and most other bar establishments in town .
Restaurant chains and independents alike are keenly aware of changing consumer patterns during the course of the year including Lent . The Long John Silver’s chain , which was founded in Lexington and will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, always plans a strong fish promotion during Lent . For this chain , Ash Wednesday and the six Friday’s in Lent are typically the seven highest sales volume days of the year . The spike in business is particularly strong in areas with heavy Catholic populations with Bardstown being a Kentucky example . Currently they are promoting their Freshside Grille Smart Choices under 350 Calories menu ( www.freshsidegrille.com ) and declared February 24 “ Skinny Tuesday “ . The Captain D’s chain is focusing on their Double Booth promotion and positioning their entrée’s as a superior value proposition to casual theme restaurants .
The McDonalds chain is promoting their Filet-O-Fish sandwich with an offbeat humorous commercial . In 1962 , a Cincinnati McDonalds franchisee ( Lou Groen ) was concerned about his sales being negatively impacted by the heavy Catholic population of the Cincinnati area who did not eat meat on Fridays . He created the Filet-O-Fish sandwich which is now served in McDonalds restaurants throughout the world .
The Wendy’s chain is heavily promoting its Premium Fish Filet Sandwich made with a Panko breaded North Pacific Cod product . Golden Corral is promoting the Great American Seafood Tour . Some chains take a different approach . For example , the Gold Star Chili chain offers a meatless veggie chili . Other national chains and local independents have their own approaches .
Then, two days after Good Friday there is Easter which is a major family oriented dining event post church services . On this day it will be one of the lowest sales volume days of the year for some concepts . However , for others who have the appropriate concept and venue its an opportunity to demonstrate their culinary capabilities with an Easter buffet or other event . One example this year is the 1st Annual Easter Sunday Buffet ( April 12 ) at 11:00 at The Red Mile Clubhouse hosted by Bayou Bluegrass Catering ( www.bayoubluegrass.com ) .
In summary , Lent is an important personal experience for many . For restaurants , its a real shift in consumer behavior that must be contemplated in their business practices . .
By Mark Sievers
Have you ever wondered why hamburger chains would promote a fish item
( usually a fish sandwich ) at all and only one a year ? They do it because of increased fish consumption during the 40 days of Lent and in particular Ash Wednesday and the six Fridays of Lent . This is a way to both accommodate the dietary desires of consumers and to take advantage of a seasonal shift in protein consumption patterns . This article will not only examine contemporary examples of this but also some related interesting historical origins and aspects .
The observance of Lent is among the oldest customs of Christians . In fact the practice dates so far back that exact origins suffer from some level of obscurity and conflicting viewpoints . Rather than discuss this in detail I will summarize some key historic points of this practice : .
1. As early as the first century AD the original Christians modified the Jewish fasting traditions from Tuesdays and Thursdays to Wednesdays and Fridays .
2. Some have traced the Season of Lent to approximately the third century .
3. The Teutonic word Lent originally meant merely the spring season but evolved since the Anglo-Saxon period to mean the 40 day period of Lent .
4. When the Church imposed fasting in Lent certain days were designated whereby it was forbidden to eat meat. These days in French are known as “jours maigres” or “ lean days” . Since fish came out of water and hence “cold” and also white , it was deemed pure and suitable for fasting food .
5. During the Middle Ages , the Church ordained a total of 166 days of fasting including the 40 days of Lent . This resulted in fish becoming a significant commercial resource . Charlemagne ( Charles the Great or Charles I ) ensured that his farms had plenty of fish ponds for producing eel , pike and other fish species . The farms then sold the fish which in turn created profits for the imperial treasury .
6. Over time Lenten observance traditions have evolved and become more flexible . Even denominations that never strictly adhered to fasting traditions still had a sense of “Lent awareness”
The restaurant and hospitality promotional action really starts before Lent . The day before Ash Wednesday is celebrated in various ways around the world . For most , it is known Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday “ and celebrated with various type of feasting . The feasting comes from the historic custom of using up household fats prior to the 40 days of Lenten fasting . Locally, it manifests itself with various celebrations including live music and other activities at Buddy’s , Furlongs , and most other bar establishments in town .
Restaurant chains and independents alike are keenly aware of changing consumer patterns during the course of the year including Lent . The Long John Silver’s chain , which was founded in Lexington and will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, always plans a strong fish promotion during Lent . For this chain , Ash Wednesday and the six Friday’s in Lent are typically the seven highest sales volume days of the year . The spike in business is particularly strong in areas with heavy Catholic populations with Bardstown being a Kentucky example . Currently they are promoting their Freshside Grille Smart Choices under 350 Calories menu ( www.freshsidegrille.com ) and declared February 24 “ Skinny Tuesday “ . The Captain D’s chain is focusing on their Double Booth promotion and positioning their entrée’s as a superior value proposition to casual theme restaurants .
The McDonalds chain is promoting their Filet-O-Fish sandwich with an offbeat humorous commercial . In 1962 , a Cincinnati McDonalds franchisee ( Lou Groen ) was concerned about his sales being negatively impacted by the heavy Catholic population of the Cincinnati area who did not eat meat on Fridays . He created the Filet-O-Fish sandwich which is now served in McDonalds restaurants throughout the world .
The Wendy’s chain is heavily promoting its Premium Fish Filet Sandwich made with a Panko breaded North Pacific Cod product . Golden Corral is promoting the Great American Seafood Tour . Some chains take a different approach . For example , the Gold Star Chili chain offers a meatless veggie chili . Other national chains and local independents have their own approaches .
Then, two days after Good Friday there is Easter which is a major family oriented dining event post church services . On this day it will be one of the lowest sales volume days of the year for some concepts . However , for others who have the appropriate concept and venue its an opportunity to demonstrate their culinary capabilities with an Easter buffet or other event . One example this year is the 1st Annual Easter Sunday Buffet ( April 12 ) at 11:00 at The Red Mile Clubhouse hosted by Bayou Bluegrass Catering ( www.bayoubluegrass.com ) .
In summary , Lent is an important personal experience for many . For restaurants , its a real shift in consumer behavior that must be contemplated in their business practices . .
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Long John Silver's Freshside Grille
Last month Long John Silver's introduced its new Freshside Grille menu which is its non-fried line-up .
Here is a link to this new menu addition http://www.freshsidegrille.com/
Here is a link to this new menu addition http://www.freshsidegrille.com/
Anniversaries galore in 2009
The year 2009 will be a big anniversary year for Jerrico and Long John Silvers :
1929 - The year Jerry Lederer opened his first restaurant
1969 - The first Long John Silver's opened in Lexington , KY .
1989 - Jerrico, Inc goes private in an LBO ( leverage buy-out )
1929 - The year Jerry Lederer opened his first restaurant
1969 - The first Long John Silver's opened in Lexington , KY .
1989 - Jerrico, Inc goes private in an LBO ( leverage buy-out )
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Long John Silver's news from across the pond
Check out this website for information about the Long John Silver character from Treasure Island :
http://www.longjohnsilvertrust.co.uk/
http://www.longjohnsilvertrust.co.uk/
Monday, November 10, 2008
Cod on the come back ???
High-Tech Fish Farms Angle to Make Hard-to-Rear Cod the Next Salmon
By JOHN W. MILLER
BODØ, Norway -- A millionaire dot-com executive turned fishing entrepreneur is pursuing the holy grail of industrial aquaculture -- the Atlantic cod. Harald Dahl, founder of Norway's Codfarmers ASA, wants to infuse ancient Viking fishing grounds with high-tech equipment and modern management techniques, returning the Atlantic cod to the commercial prominence it once held.
Norwegian Fish Farmers Try to Revive Atlantic Cod
1:52
Watch how Norwegian fish farmers are leading a movement to revive the Atlantic cod -- the fish that launched Viking expeditions and perhaps the discovery of America. WSJ's John Miller reports. (Oct. 26)
His dream comes as aquaculture, more craft than science until recently, appears ready to come into its own. This year, for the first time, humans will eat more farmed fish than wild fish, according to a report being prepared by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Big-name investors, including J.P. Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley & Co., are backing Mr. Dahl's vision of high-tech cod farms.
The 42-year-old grew up on the Lofoten Islands off the northern coast of Norway and remembers a time when "cod fishing boats crowded harbors so you could walk across them." Today, he and a handful of entrepreneurs are betting they can conquer aquaculture's twin Achilles' heels: catastrophic outbreaks of disease and the heavy reliance on salmon, for decades the only mass-produced salt water fish offering.
A dozen Norwegian companies, including Marine Farms ASA and Salmar ASA, are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into exotic equipment and new technologies to raise cod and other salt water species, long avoided because they are so much harder to breed and feed than the omnivorous salmon.
View Slideshow
Norway Turns to Farmed Cod
Norwegian companies are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in codfish farms to plug an economic hole left by the collapse of wild cod stocks.
The biggest prize is the Atlantic cod, a fish that gave Cape Cod its name and triggered fishing wars between nations. Today, the Atlantic cod is a $1 billion annual market, after a long, steep decline in catches. Over-fishing has slashed the annual Atlantic catch to 137,000 tons last year, from 1.8 million tons in 1968, according to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, a fishery research institute based in Denmark.
Norway is the epicenter of aquaculture's transformation into big business. With 1,000 miles of coastline and deep, protected inlets or fjords, it offers an ideal laboratory for farming salt water fish. This year it overtook China as the world's biggest exporter of seafood by revenue, even though China produces around two-thirds of the world's farmed fish. Fish farms account for 47% of Norway's seafood exports, up from 30% a decade ago.
The biggest producer of farmed cod so far, accounting for 25% of sales worldwide, is Mr. Dahl's Codfarmers. He started production in 2005 and hopes to sell 30,000 tons of farmed cod annually by 2012, not far off Norway's total 35,000 ton wild catch today.
The company is backed by $100 million raised from investors including J.P. Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and the Hearst family. Executives worry the banking crisis could hurt future financing rounds, "but there's nothing to do except cut some costs and hope this sorts itself out," says CEO Oystein Steiro.
Mr. Dahl aims to make cod a mainstay in grocers' fish counters. "Salmon used to be the party fish. Now it's become an everyday fish. We want to make cod the party fish."
His grand ambition has strong economics behind it. Farmers can charge about 20% more for farmed fish than for cod caught in the wild, because it is fresher. Wild cod has to spend several days in the belly of a boat returning from the middle of the Atlantic before it hits shore. Farmed cod doesn't have to make that trip, making it fresher. Farmed salmon, by contrast, sells at a steep discount to wild salmon.
But cod are difficult creatures. Previous efforts to farm the fish, in Norway in the 1990s and Canada and Scotland earlier in this decade, ran aground due to fickle breeding conditions, a restrictive diet and a stubborn drive to escape nets.
Industrial fish farming faces plenty of skeptics. A female cod, roughly the size of large household cat, lays two million eggs at a time. But in nature only one or two of this vast brood survive. To make steady production viable, a cod farm has to improve that ratio by a factor of thousands, says Daniel Pauly, a fish scientist at the University of British Columbia.
Farmed fish "pollute, they're always prone to disease and they can escape and harm wild fish populations," says Lisa Langard, fish farming analyst at World Wildlife Fund's Oslo office.
Mr. Dahl thinks he can address such qualms with technology and Norway's deep fjords. At a Codfarmers hatchery in Bodø, Thor Magne Jonassen supervises three green fiberglass tanks filled each with 400 cod. The fish will spawn in shifts, once every two months. Dim tank lights that mimic winter will control breeding and produce healthier, fatter fish.
"We're learning from other people's mistakes," says Mr. Jonassen. He predicts his 1,200 fish will generate five to 10 million cod a year. After the fish reach 3.5 ounces in weight, they are transferred to net cages in fjords 1,000 feet deep. The depth helps to recycle the fish water and prevent waste from accumulating. Divers keep the nets repaired to thwart escapees.
On filleting day, a plastic pipe the width of a basketball whisks a cod from the holding pen every two seconds and onto a conveyor belt. Workers cut off heads for fish meal and livers for oil, drugs, cosmetics and food, before packing the cod in ice for delivery to supermarkets in Europe. Soon, Mr. Dahl hopes, they will be whisked to the U.S.
Write to John W. Miller at john.miller@dowjones.com
By JOHN W. MILLER
BODØ, Norway -- A millionaire dot-com executive turned fishing entrepreneur is pursuing the holy grail of industrial aquaculture -- the Atlantic cod. Harald Dahl, founder of Norway's Codfarmers ASA, wants to infuse ancient Viking fishing grounds with high-tech equipment and modern management techniques, returning the Atlantic cod to the commercial prominence it once held.
Norwegian Fish Farmers Try to Revive Atlantic Cod
1:52
Watch how Norwegian fish farmers are leading a movement to revive the Atlantic cod -- the fish that launched Viking expeditions and perhaps the discovery of America. WSJ's John Miller reports. (Oct. 26)
His dream comes as aquaculture, more craft than science until recently, appears ready to come into its own. This year, for the first time, humans will eat more farmed fish than wild fish, according to a report being prepared by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Big-name investors, including J.P. Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley & Co., are backing Mr. Dahl's vision of high-tech cod farms.
The 42-year-old grew up on the Lofoten Islands off the northern coast of Norway and remembers a time when "cod fishing boats crowded harbors so you could walk across them." Today, he and a handful of entrepreneurs are betting they can conquer aquaculture's twin Achilles' heels: catastrophic outbreaks of disease and the heavy reliance on salmon, for decades the only mass-produced salt water fish offering.
A dozen Norwegian companies, including Marine Farms ASA and Salmar ASA, are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into exotic equipment and new technologies to raise cod and other salt water species, long avoided because they are so much harder to breed and feed than the omnivorous salmon.
View Slideshow
Norway Turns to Farmed Cod
Norwegian companies are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in codfish farms to plug an economic hole left by the collapse of wild cod stocks.
The biggest prize is the Atlantic cod, a fish that gave Cape Cod its name and triggered fishing wars between nations. Today, the Atlantic cod is a $1 billion annual market, after a long, steep decline in catches. Over-fishing has slashed the annual Atlantic catch to 137,000 tons last year, from 1.8 million tons in 1968, according to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, a fishery research institute based in Denmark.
Norway is the epicenter of aquaculture's transformation into big business. With 1,000 miles of coastline and deep, protected inlets or fjords, it offers an ideal laboratory for farming salt water fish. This year it overtook China as the world's biggest exporter of seafood by revenue, even though China produces around two-thirds of the world's farmed fish. Fish farms account for 47% of Norway's seafood exports, up from 30% a decade ago.
The biggest producer of farmed cod so far, accounting for 25% of sales worldwide, is Mr. Dahl's Codfarmers. He started production in 2005 and hopes to sell 30,000 tons of farmed cod annually by 2012, not far off Norway's total 35,000 ton wild catch today.
The company is backed by $100 million raised from investors including J.P. Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and the Hearst family. Executives worry the banking crisis could hurt future financing rounds, "but there's nothing to do except cut some costs and hope this sorts itself out," says CEO Oystein Steiro.
Mr. Dahl aims to make cod a mainstay in grocers' fish counters. "Salmon used to be the party fish. Now it's become an everyday fish. We want to make cod the party fish."
His grand ambition has strong economics behind it. Farmers can charge about 20% more for farmed fish than for cod caught in the wild, because it is fresher. Wild cod has to spend several days in the belly of a boat returning from the middle of the Atlantic before it hits shore. Farmed cod doesn't have to make that trip, making it fresher. Farmed salmon, by contrast, sells at a steep discount to wild salmon.
But cod are difficult creatures. Previous efforts to farm the fish, in Norway in the 1990s and Canada and Scotland earlier in this decade, ran aground due to fickle breeding conditions, a restrictive diet and a stubborn drive to escape nets.
Industrial fish farming faces plenty of skeptics. A female cod, roughly the size of large household cat, lays two million eggs at a time. But in nature only one or two of this vast brood survive. To make steady production viable, a cod farm has to improve that ratio by a factor of thousands, says Daniel Pauly, a fish scientist at the University of British Columbia.
Farmed fish "pollute, they're always prone to disease and they can escape and harm wild fish populations," says Lisa Langard, fish farming analyst at World Wildlife Fund's Oslo office.
Mr. Dahl thinks he can address such qualms with technology and Norway's deep fjords. At a Codfarmers hatchery in Bodø, Thor Magne Jonassen supervises three green fiberglass tanks filled each with 400 cod. The fish will spawn in shifts, once every two months. Dim tank lights that mimic winter will control breeding and produce healthier, fatter fish.
"We're learning from other people's mistakes," says Mr. Jonassen. He predicts his 1,200 fish will generate five to 10 million cod a year. After the fish reach 3.5 ounces in weight, they are transferred to net cages in fjords 1,000 feet deep. The depth helps to recycle the fish water and prevent waste from accumulating. Divers keep the nets repaired to thwart escapees.
On filleting day, a plastic pipe the width of a basketball whisks a cod from the holding pen every two seconds and onto a conveyor belt. Workers cut off heads for fish meal and livers for oil, drugs, cosmetics and food, before packing the cod in ice for delivery to supermarkets in Europe. Soon, Mr. Dahl hopes, they will be whisked to the U.S.
Write to John W. Miller at john.miller@dowjones.com
Friday, August 29, 2008
Fish and Chips
The Long John Silver's chain was founded as an American adaption of the fish and chips meal originated in England . The first Long John Silver's store was opened in 1969 in Lexington, KY on Southland Drive and grew to be the largest chain in its segment in the U.S. . More on LJS to come but here is a great link to the history of fish and chips :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_and_chips
I love Wiki !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_and_chips
I love Wiki !
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