New Ideas and Innovations
PMQ's Pizza Australia Finds the Newest and Best Products of Fine Foods ‘08

If you weren’t in Melbourne for the Fine Foods Australia Show, you missed some great new products.The event hosted over 200 international exhibitors from 32 countries including major group pavilions from China, Cyprus, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore,Taiwan, Thailand, the USA and for the first time, a group from Dubai.

Retail and foodservice buyers responded by attending in large numbers and making purchasing decisions.The final visitor total was 23,840 including 3,430 interstate and 1,414 internationals from 52 countries. In addition to food suppliers, new equipment exhibitors, this year’s show also included access to over a hundred suppliers of wine, beer and spirits and a series of free seminars and workshops.

One of the main reasons PMQ’s Pizza Australia was at the show was to search out and find new and innovative ideas to pass on to readers, and this year presented many new ideas. Over the next few pages, you are going to see some of those we found to be the Best Ideas/Products of Fine Foods 2008. Have a look, go to their web sites and when you call, be sure to tell them you saw it in PMQ’s Pizza Australia Magazine.

Starline Catering Equipment
Starline is an Australian owned and run company that has been perfecting electric pizza conveyors for over 18 years and have the largest range of conveyor sizes in the world. There are bench top units and custom built units from over a meter in length. The unique Starline pulse power system enables the efficient use of electricity, saving costs.The units look sleek and are made from the highest quality stainless steel. Stands can be made for the units or as your business grows you can buy a second pizza conveyor that has a stacking kit to allow it to be stacked on top of your first oven.

Melissa Barbarich
P: 03 9792 0350
www.starline.com.au

Sorento Systems POS
Looking for a POS system that is reliable, affordable and designed with the pizzeria in mind? This is it. Sorento Xpress Pizza range of solutions have been designed with small to very large pizza establishments in mind.All of their featured pizzeria packages include a powerful, easy to use and manage pizza builder and can be integrated with Caller-ID, wireless handheld’s, and kitchen displays.The Pizza Starter Pack has everything you need to get started, and includes a touch screen, hospitality software, cash drawer and a thermal receipt printer.All Sorento Xpress solutions can be easily financed. They also have a Kitchen Starter Pack that sends orders directly to the kitchen with the addition of a high quality and robust impact kitchen printer.

Eric Georges or Gus Wrethman
P: 03 9523 7956
www.sorentosystems.com.au

Steam Australia Cleaners
Steam Australia has a comprehensive range of commercial steam cleaning machines suitable for a range of cleaning tasks. Using steam is the most effective and environmentally safe method of cleaning commercial kitchens, bathrooms and is the most effective method available for removing chewing gum from all surfaces including concrete, pavers and even carpet and upholstery. In addition to how easily it cleaned filthy, crusted pans, what impressed me was how quickly and easily it removed hard, dry gum that was embedded in the carpet and on solid surfaces… perfect for making you sidewalks look more clean and improving customers’ first image of your restaurant. Did I also mention that they can be used effectively with no chemicals?

Ian Jorgensen
P: 04 1371 1357
www.steamaustralia.com.au

COOKON Commercial Equipment
What I liked about this company’s products was innovative display cabinets, perfect for showcasing pizza, designed for 90 degree turns at counter corners as well as an impressive line of roasting table/oven/ grills that create an attractive showcase rather than just serving a utilitarian purpose. COOKON Commercial incorporating Wards Manufacturing has been manufacturing commercial catering equipment since 1875 and is now Australia’s largest manufacturer of commercial gas-fired and electric catering equipment.They offer a great selection from fryers, salamander, ovens, BBQ’s and much more. They build most of Australia’s coffee carts and vans, utilising their CAD office and our inhouse engineers they can build to your exact requirements whether it be a specialized piece of gas equipment or a complete lifestyle product.

Ron Patterson
P: 0732 671 133
www.cookon.com.au

Exquisine Desserts
Exquisine currently produces dessert mousses, cheesecakes, and pannacottas for many national quick serve restaurant chains and supermarkets.While passing this booth, PMQ culinary writer Brandon Farrell said he sold their mousse in his restaurant. You can buy desserts in individual prepackaged servings or in bulk and can bring your own packaging design or use theirs, and if you can’t find something in their range to suit you can work with them to create something just for you.There is over 20 years of developing, refining and perfecting, in each Exquisine dessert. From a domestic kitchen, to a commercial kitchen, they have slowly built their expertise and reputation and are proud suppliers to many of Australia’s leading food service and retail companies.

Anna Sarantinos
P: 03 9484 6333
www.exquisine.com.au