Local or International
Of course, with an influx of suppliers and a growth in local producers, there is the question of what’s preferred.
Panzica La Manna claims more hotel chefs are “moving to local manufacturers”, adding that labels are not so important, it’s the “freshness and ability to make change in orders with 24 hours’ notice”.
The ability to cut out import costs is a factor that Menon believes local dairy suppliers can capitalise on.
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However, Darcy argues, some prefer to trust international dairy products.
“Although local dairy is often cheaper, many chefs are reluctant to trade off on quality and performance.
“Local dairies produce milk, butter, cheese and yoghurts which are very popular in the retail market, however when it comes to the professional chefs, they prefer to buy from European, or southern hemisphere manufacturers,” he says.
Exporting can be a challenge too finds Sprüngli, a dealer in Swiss confectionary and chocolates whose products are carefully hand-made in Dietikon near Zurich.
“There are always challenges in transporting high quality and fresh products so far,” Ester Crameri of Sprüngli tells Caterer Middle East.
Ultimately, it appears a balance between international and local products is the way forward. Blossom Sweets executive pastry chef, Aaron Maree says the decision to buy local or bring in from abroad is a question of quality.
“Our customers trust that we use the best and we do. Sometimes it’s local, sometimes it’s international. We are not a major hotel so our buying power is smaller and this too dictates what we buy. In the end we want to be known for great quality at the right price.”
Clair agrees: “I use some milk from UAE and all my cream comes from France, which has the best cream for pastry making.”
Innovation
As the market matures and the balance between local and international companies evolves, innovation continues in the dairy marketplace. Experts are divided on where this innovation stems from. Maree believes it is the customers who drive innovation.
“Chefs can be creative, but in the end if it does not sell then even creative chefs can’t survive,” he argues. “It’s the same with companies, you can push anything, but if the customers don’t want it you are left with it filling a warehouse. Customers are smarter and more clued in to their needs and wants these days thanks to the internet.”
Panzica La Manna says Italian Dairy Products prefers to work closely with chefs regarding innovation across its product range.
“We like to engage in collaboration and it helps us determine if the chefs have specific requests for their menu creations,” she explains. “The importance of our presence here is the ability to fulfil special requests from chefs.”
As far as Al Ain Dairy is concerned it drives its own research and development through market research and feedback from its consumers.
“We run taste trials and do lengthy research in new product development,”Menon explains. “We listen to consumers when they tell us, for example, that our yoghurt is too sweet or not sweet enough. There is a strong desire to innovate here at Al Ain Dairy that is reflected in everything we do.”
Menon adds that the company could keep pace with competitors by “matching them product for product”, but it doesn’t want to do this.
“We like to lead the market by bringing new and innovative products that consumers have never seen before,” says Menon, adding that an example of one of these occasions was the company’s release of Cardamom Milk - an award-winning product whose popularity surprised the company.
While being a “true taste of Asia”, it crossed over into the mainstream of all expatriate demographics in the region. Of course, if the volumes are justified the company will accommodate hotel or flight kitchen requests, he says.
For Pritchitts, chefs are an important part of the company’s research and development programme.
“Chefs and caterers are always looking for improvements in dairy solutions to make their time in the kitchen more productive, so we work very closely with a host of Middle Eastern chefs, developing products that meet this need,” says marketing manager Evan Scicluna.
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