ITHACA, N.Y.—Restaurateurs need to inform customers of their sustainable restaurant practices both to strengthen menu prices and encourage patronage. Based on a study of 393 residents of Taiwan, research findings published in the August 2010 issue of Cornell Hospitality Quarterly (CQ) indicate that a substantial percentage of respondents would be willing to pay more for menu items that are produced using sustainable restaurant practices. The article, “The Dynamics of Green Restaurant Patronage,” by Hsin-Hui “Sunny” Hu, H.G. Parsa, and John Self, is available in a free download as the featured article in the August CQ issue. The researchers found a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—New Orleans restaurateur Ralph Brennan testified on Tuesday this week before a House congressional subcommittee, providing details about the BP oil spill’s devastating impact on tourism and restaurants in the Gulf Coast region. Brennan is a former chairman of the National Restaurant Association and is president of the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, LLC. He joined other tourism representatives and Gulf Coast Claims facility administrator Kenneth Feinberg before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection. “Across the affected areas, restaurants report a range of experiences and concerns,” Brennan said. “Those located seaside or in beach communities are decimated...

TROY, OHIO—Hobart has launched Advansys, an advanced warewashing system. Advansys technology includes innovations that save operators time and money, makes the equipment easier to maintain and service, and improves productivity. The first product available in the Advansys line is Hobart’s new Advansys Ventless Door Type, which was introduced earlier this year as the AM Select Ventless warewasher. The unit is a recipient of this year’s National Restaurant Association Kitchen Innovations award, which recognizes groundbreaking foodservice equipment as selected by an independent panel of experts and received the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) Product of the Year award for 2010. The patent-pending...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes HEALTHY MINI BAR as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. HEALTHY MINI BAR is a provider of healthy, environmentally conscious amenities and specialty foods to hotel guestrooms and convenience centers. HEALTHY MINI BAR strives to meet all the definitions of healthy lifestyle, therefore the company offers a variety of  foods like low calorie options, organic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten free snacks, and diabetic friendly options, just to name a few. HEALTHY MINI BAR items do not contain high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils/fats also known as “trans...

MIAMI GARDENS, FLA.—Sweet Flavor announces the launch of its new site specializing in biodegradable disposable tableware. The company also announces a new line of bamboo and pine disposable tableware. “This is giant step forward in the growth of our company,” says Jamil Bouchareb, co-owner of Sweet Flavor of Florida. “Market research shows that four out of five caterers and consumers choose to use a sustainable food serving solution over a more harmful, non-biodegradable choice. Sustainable disposable tableware is the wave of the future.” Sweet Flavor of Florida sells to hundreds of eco-conscious fortune 500 companies. Some of its major clients include...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Restaurant Association has received two Awards of Excellence in the 2010 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards program, a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The National Restaurant Association’s ProStart career-building program and Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability environmental initiative are two of the 21 winners. The Association is the only organization to receive two awards in this second round of the AAA Awards, which received more than 100 entries. “We are honored to receive the Awards of Excellence and proud to support America’s nearly one million restaurants as they serve their guests, their...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—ClearWater Tech, LLC, a leading manufacturer of ozone systems for water and air purification, announced the addition of the recently designed CD12/AD corona discharge ozone generator to its line of wall-mounted ozone generators. Featuring dual ozone reaction chambers, the CD12/AD is engineered with an efficient built-in air dryer for the highest grams per hour and ozone concentration in a compact, air-cooled, self-contained package. To keep in line with our other popular Mini-Series products, the CD12/AD includes a regulated universal power supply, and user-friendly LED light operational status display. It versatile enough to be used in highly technical...

CHICAGO—Technomic, a leading fact-based research firm, recently released findings that outline an overwhelming response from consumers in regard to their green dining expectations. The survey reported consumers displaying strong feelings about how they value the verification of green claims. In addition, those consumers chose which type of certifier or recognizer is most trustworthy in providing green distinctions to restaurants. In the survey findings, 82 percent said they will decrease or stop going to a restaurant that is falsely claiming to be green. Ninety-four percent trust a restaurant’s green claims when they are verified by an organization as being true....

KENNER, LA.—Pellerin Milnor Corporation announces new laundry planning files for prospective customers for all industries, including healthcare, hospitality, athletics, rental, corrections, firefighter and architecture. These comprehensive and complimentary booklets are designed to assist in choosing the right machinery for any facilities’ laundry needs. The Laundry Planning Files include new Milnor installation success stories, washer-extractor capacities worksheets based on linen type, and general guidelines for setting up an on-premises laundry. Call (504) 712-7656 or e-mail mktg@milnor.com for a free laundry planning file. Go to Milnor.

PORTLAND, ORE.—LeanPath announces the introduction of WasteLOGGER, a software solution for food waste tracking that helps any restaurant, hotel, caterer, or foodservice operation prevent, minimize and avoid pre-consumer food waste (which includes overproduction, spoilage, expiration, trim waste). The software runs on existing computers and does not require specialized tracking equipment. WasteLOGGER was previewed at the 2010 National Restaurant Show in Chicago and will be available commercially this summer. Food waste management is a core element of any strategy for sustainable foodservice operations and represents a significant opportunity to enhance efficiency and save resources. “The EPA’s food waste management...