All distributors say they want to help their operator customers grow their business, but few actually have strategies in place to make it happen. Creating programs that could drive restaurant traffic takes marketing, which can be expensive, and expertise, which historically distributors haven’t had. It’s just not what they do. Or is it? Some distributors have come up with creative value-added programs designed to help put “butts in seats.” Sysco Corp.’s iCare is a network of approved third-party vendors for everything from ad development to menu design and direct-mail campaigns to secret shopper services.

Consumers anticipate the demand for healthier eating to increase over the next two years, according to proprietary health and wellness research conducted in 2004-05 for Campbell Soup Company, Campbell Foodservice. Both men and women claimed their top health priority when eating out is finding options that deliver a good source of vitamins and minerals. Heart healthy, low fat and low calorie follow in that order. To get the message across, customers prefer to see menu descriptions of an item’s healthy attributes…

Health headlines can change as frequently as a seasonal menu. Nevertheless, Americans eat them up. To stay in touch with the latest research (and perhaps be a step ahead of your customers), here’s what’s happening withsome of the ingredients you purchase for your menu.

If you're looking at newspaper ads, ask for the ad agency discount. Agencies generally receive a 15 percent commission for buying ads. Since you’re not using an agency, ask the paper to drop the rate based upon the commission they would normally give to the agency. If they’re feeling generous they just might pass it along. Also, create mail-order ads, which contain coupons or direct response within them. Ads of that type qualify for as much as a 15 percent reduction in price...