Find Comfort (and Customers!) in Italian Food

With the pandemic making off-premise sales the primary way—if not the only way—for restaurants to continue service, many consumers have increased their volume of takeout orders. Gen X and baby boomers in particular have been inspired to order more food for pickup, with someventuring to try a restaurant’s takeout services for the first time. With diners expected to continue placing more off-premise orders than they did pre-pandemic, operators can expect to see older consumers remain a steady demographic for takeout.

For this reason, restaurants have an opportunity to cater their menus toward mature consumers. And for operators who want to attract more of these diners, it’s important to offer familiar favorites as well as globally inspired dishes with authentic flavors. Serving Italian fare can help operators meet each of these priorities in one fell swoop—and authentic Italian cheeses from Schuman Cheese’s Cello line makes it easier than ever.

According to Technomic’s 2020 Generational Consumer Trend Report, out of all globally inspired cuisines, Italian food ranks as the No. 1 favorite for baby boomers (alongside Chinese food), with 69% of consumers aged 55-74 saying they would likely order Italian food from a restaurant. Plus, for consumers who may be new to ordering takeout, Italian cuisine can provide the comfort food favorites consumers already know and love.

Alongside the comforting familiarity of Italian offerings, however, authentic flavors are a must. According to Technomic’s 2018 Ethnic Food & Beverage Consumer Trend Report, nearly one third (32%) of consumers say they would be willing to pay a premium for authentic globally inspired fare. For operators, offering such authenticity hinges on using premium ingredients.

Fortunately, Italian food makes frequent use of rich, high-quality cheeses to bring both craveability and comfort-food appeal to the menu. What’s a pesto without freshly grated Parmesan, a cheesy bruschetta without bites of mozzarella or a tiramisu without a creamy layer of Mascarpone?

Luckily, operators need look no further than Schuman Cheese’s extensive range of authentic Italian cheese offerings. Schuman Cheese’s line of domestically made Cello Artisan cheeses includes Parmesan, Copper Kettle Cheese, Traditional Romano, Italian-Style Fontal, Mascarpone, and more sooperators can enjoy serving their customers authentic Italian flavors without the added cost of imported ingredients.

Part and parcel with Schuman Cheese’s artisanal products is a high level of convenience to reduce prep time in the kitchen. Operators can order their cheese grated, shaved, shredded and cubed, as well as in cracker cuts, wedges and wheels. Restaurants can even order custom blends to add a signature flair to their Italian offerings.

Among globally inspired cuisines, Italian is hard to beat as a crowd-pleaser, especially among Gen X and baby boomers. With high-quality, authentic cheeses, operators can make their takeout menus stand out to recruit and retain new diners both now and post-pandemic. To learn more about Schuman Cheese’s Italian offerings, visit schumancheese.com.