2023 is the year of the fry. With the global frozen French fry market expected to reach $27.8 billion by 2028 – $19.2 billion of which will be in the foodservice industry1 – the craving for fries is reaching new heights. And that growing demand has sparked a flurry of unique fry applications… just how many? In the past year alone, we’ve tracked more than 70 fry LTOs on U.S. restaurant menus! So, what can operators do to improve a fan-favorite already featured on 60% of menus? The answer: Rubix Fry Toss.
Unlike dry seasoning blends, Rubix Fry Toss, which utilizes our CrispKeeper technology, is a wet flavor delivery system developed to evenly coat fries without compromising their crispy coating. This uniform dispersment ensures that all fries are evenly seasoned, delivering a better flavor experience and improved textural mouthfeel. Originally intended for fried chicken applications, our chefs and food scientists developed CrispKeeper to prevent breading from getting soggy when flavored sauces were applied. With some minor reformulations and adjustments to viscosity, our team was able to tweak the technology for use in more delicate fried applications… and that’s how fry toss was born!
So, you want to give your French fries a flavor-packed refresh without the headache? No problem. Adding Rubix Fry Toss to your menu is a low-risk, high-reward solution to growing your fry program. In addition to being a low-cost flavor delivery system, our fry toss also saves space BOH and reduces waste – two operational challenges that all operators struggle with. Rubix Fry Tosses take up a fraction of the space that frozen, bulky fries or even fresh potatoes would BOH. Plus, you won’t be cannibalizing fryer space because fry toss is intended to flavor your existing fry SKU – you know, the ones your customers already know and love. And to top it all off, our fry tosses offer an extended shelf life of 6-months refrigerated and 4 months ambient… but with all the trendy, in-demand flavor variations you’ll be offering, (really, like, any flavor you want) we don’t think you’ll need the extra time.
High food costs have led to consumers trading down their dining experiences and QSRs are reaping the benefits of the increased traffic. With this newfound attention from the public, now is the time for operators to steal market share and focusing on fries, a high-margin menu item that 90% of consumers love/like, could do the trick. Some QSR brands report a 75% margin on plain French fries2. Imagine the profit potential by selling flavored fries! When we compared the QSR price of a medium sized order of plain French fries to the price of specialty fry LTOs, we found that operators were charging 97% more. More importantly, consumers are putting their money where their appetite is! 51% of surveyors considered the price of these specialty fry LTOs to be a good value and 46% said they would visit an establishment specifically for these specialty fries. More fries in the mouths of your consumers, more money in your pocket.
Off-premise dining is no longer a trend – it’s a way of life. 54% of adult consumers say that takeout and delivery services are essential3. As such, the time between ordering and consumption has increased – time that can make or break an order (especially for fried food). Understanding that French fries are some of the top ordered items on Uber Eats and DoorDash4, it’s critical for any specialty fries to be using a technology like CrispKeeper that protects the crispy coating while fortifying the texture of the fries without sogging them out. Soggy fries are not welcome here, there or anywhere, but especially not in your customer’s to-go box, not if we have anything to do with it.
The early bird gets the … fry? A menu item that is consumed more often than 99% of all other menu items commands the attention of menu developers and those that adopt fry innovation early will come out on top of the fry wars. The problem-solvers at Rubix are keeping our eyes on the fries as we continue to create unique, show-stopping flavors for fries across food industry menus. When you’re ready to level up your fry game, give us a call and let’s Rubix It!
