Axis March 2017 advantage Share a Smile with Bel Brands Cheeses Enjoy Better-For-You Snacks with Hain Celestial Savor Every Bite with BelGioioso Italian Cheeses
Program Announcements Bel Brands Axis is pleased to announce a new contract with with Bel Brands, the maker of cheese spreads, boursin and Laughing Cow cheeses. Though each of the brands is unique, all of them have the power to surprise, delight and satisfy. The following Bel Brands products are available nationwide: Babybel - 100% natural, the mini Baybel is the perfect on-the-go snack The Laughing Cow - creamy spreadable wedges available in a variety of flavors Boursin - packed with seasonings and herbs, this cheese is as versatile as it is tasty Cheese spreads - Kakauna, Merkts, Price s and Owl s Nest spreadable cheese offer bold, hearty flavors for any occasion BelGioioso New Contract Axis is pleased to announce a new contract with BelGioioso for fresh mozzarella, parmesan, provolone and romano cheeses. Tradition, selection of ingredients, location and artisan inspiration are the cardinal pillars that make BelGioioso cheesemakers the greatest interpreters of Italian cheeses in the United States. For generations, customers have relied on BelGioioso s rigorous standards and timetested techniques to deliver authentic taste and quality. With BelGioioso cheeses, you can make any culinary creation truly shine. Axis Advantage - March 2017 2
Program Announcements Hain Celestial Axis is pleased to announce a new program with Hain Celestial, a leading manufacturer of organic, better-for-you products. The new contract covers a full line of natural foods including snacks, jams and jellies, hot tea, bakery ingredients, and more. Since 1993, Hain Celestial has been dedicated to making tasty, quality food under the following popular brand names: Celestial Seasonings Dream (dairy free beverages) Earth s Best Garden of Eatin Health Valley Rudi s Organic Bakery The Greek Gods (yogurt) Hollywood (oils) Terra Chips Program Highlights Kraft Dipping Cups Axis recently improved pricing and added coverage for the Kraft Heinz line of dip cups. The cups range in size from.75 oz to 2 oz and feature several different varieties, including ranch, blue cheese and honey mustard. These highly portable cups are ideal for on-the-go applications as well as delivery service. Contact Axis Today, for a complete list of products. Axis Advantage - March 2017 3
Program Highlights Bacon Price Advisory Shortages in pork belly reserves are leading to significant price increases for bacon. Pork belly freezer reserves are currently at their lowest levels in 50 years, and worldwide demand for frozen pork belly, which is converted into bacon, is outpacing supply. As a result, bacon markets have spiked around 25%, and prices are expected to rise further in March. Where possible, accounts are encouraged to adjust menus accordingly to offset these industry-wide higher prices. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide updates as we receive them. At this time, we do not expect supply issues with our contracted bacon suppliers. Handgards Price Advisory Recently, the supply chain for products coming from China has experienced an unprecedented series of events tied to environmental issues. Some of these events have been significant enough to cause a major impact on the manufacturing and distribution of disposable vinyl gloves to the foodservice and medical industries. The tightening supply and escalating material costs have made it necessary for Handgards, our main supplier for vinyl gloves, to announce a price increase of $2.00/case on all vinyl foodservice glove products. Due to the expected shortages of vinyl gloves, we recommend that customers look at other material options (nitril, synthetic, etc) Axis wants to assure you that we are doing everything possible to control the impact of these factors on your business. Our priorities continue to be customer service, quality of product, and the reliability of supply. We are monitoring this situation on a weekly basis and will provide updates as we receive them. Axis Advantage - March 2017 4
Burry Bread Opportunity The Burry Foods team has partnered with Axis to bring our Members five new thaw and serve breads with slices that are 5/8ths of an inch in thickness. These breads are ideal sandwich carriers. With a five-day cooler shelf life, they hold up well for grab-and-go applications while providing a hearty yet soft texture. The five varieties include: Sourdough authentic sourdough flavor in every bite. White ideal for everyday use in a wide variety of applications. Marble Rye the swirl of pumpernickel and rye offer a wholesome, unique taste. Multigrain the combination of cereal grains, sesame, sunflower seeds and poppy seeds enhances any sandwich. Seed licious the unique combination of flax seed, chia, millet and sunflower and poppy seeds make this a top-of-the-line signature loaf. Below are the new flavors: 70056 White TG Pan Loaf 5/8 slice 11 usable slices 16/23 oz. loaves 70057 Multigrain TG Pan Loaf 5/8 slice 11 usable slices 16/23 oz. loaves 70054 Marble Rye TG Pan Loaf 5/8 slice 11 usable slices 16/23 oz. loaves 70058 Sourdough TG Pan Loaf 5/8 slice 11 usable slices 16/23 oz. loaves 70055 Seed licious TG Pan Loaf 5/8 slice 11 usable slices 16/23 oz. loaves Axis Advantage - March 2017 5
Douwe Egberts Coffee Conversion Since the acquisition of the Sara Lee Foodservice Coffee business in 2012, The J.M. Smucker Company has been marketing and selling Douwe Egberts liquid coffee under a license agreement. As previously communicated, The J. M. Smucker Company has always had the intention to transition this business into one of their owned brands. J.M. Smucker initially communicated that the exit of the Douwe Egberts brand would take place in June 2017; however, they have recently announced that they were able to accelerate and execute the transition as of April 2017 into the Folgers brand. Axis supports this brand conversion for all Compass and Committed Customers. If you are a current Douwe Egberts liquid coffee customer, please understand the following information and timeline: Douwe Egberts Liquid Coffee is being discontinued after April 2017 Last possible distributor order date for Douwe Egberts branded items is April 14, 2017 Distributors will automatically substitute Folgers Branded Liquid Coffee items as Douwe Egberts inventory are depleted (conversion chart below) Some distributor locations are proactively converting to Folgers prior to April 2017 This is simply a brand conversion. All program components will remain static in transition (price, equipment, service, etc.) The equipment does not need any calibration adjustment due to conversion. There are four items which will be converting to the Java Coast Brand Under the Java Coast Brand, these items will have pricing parity, use the same equipment and same formulations Java Coast Essence products will continue to be UTZ certified products with same sustainable standards as today Axis Advantage - March 2017 6
Smithfield Good food responsibly. For the last 80 years, Smithfield Foods has been the leader in high-quality meats, including bacon, ham, pork and more. Based in Smithfield, Virginia, Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs. Smithfield Hams are produced with meticulous standards. We slow-smoke our meat with natural hickory for a minimum of 6 hours to ensure that all of our ham has a rich mahogany color, deep aroma and that undeniably delicious Smithfield flavor. Count on us for the variety that allows you to serve up a memorable meal experience for your customers every time. American Natural Foods 100% pure honey Axis partner for honey, Natural American Foods, offers our Members a variety of flavors and types to choose from. Their extensive sourcing and transportation experience makes them a worldwide leader in honey procurement. The U.S. honey industry is global by necessity as national demand exceeds what can be provided by American honeybees alone. In fact, over half of the honey consumed in the United States is sourced from beekeepers internationally. As an established international sourcing company, American Natural Foods are able to meet Member needs, adapt to the seasons, and know where to find the best quality products at any given time. Additionally, they operate at the highest levels of food safety in the industry. Their facilities are BRC Global Standards certified, a stringent designation that ensures the standardization of quality and safety. As an established international sourcing company, American Natural Foods is able to meet Member needs, adapt to the seasons, and identify the locations of the best quality products at any given time. Natural American Foods delivers honey that is both minimally processed during packaging and uses gentle straining to retain natural pollen. Incorporate American Natural Foods honey into your recipes and add some natural sweetness to your dishes today. Axis Advantage - March 2017 7