With so many packaged snack choices on the market, it can be difficult to decide which option will bring the most traction to a foodservice operation.
At the same time, increasing minimum wages across the nation has had a significant impact on staff counts in healthcare and school/university dining establishments.
As a result, it has become essential to prioritize efficiency and convenience in the foodservice industry.
This has led to the rise of grab and go options, with both cafeterias and vending machines, which offer quick and easily accessible snacks led by baked goods.
To ensure customer satisfaction and meet the demands of a smaller staff, it is crucial that these products are of the highest quality.
This includes using premium ingredients, maintaining freshness, and providing a diverse range of options to cater to different dietary needs. By prioritizing the quality of these baked goods, establishments can continue to provide convenient and enjoyable snack options.
For generations, McKee Foods Corporation, the parent organization of Little Debbie® snacks and Fieldstone® Bakery, has provided its foodservice customers and their guests with the combination of satisfaction and success.
Based in Collegedale, Tennessee, the family-owned business and its brands have dominated supermarket end caps and vending machines with their classic, colorful packaging.
And now, even after years of success throughout all 50 states, McKee Foods is continuing to grow as it finds its place in the healthcare realm.
McKee Foods didn’t begin working with foodservice operations until 2007, said Roger Olmstead, National Sales Manager Foodservice at McKee Foods. Before that, the privately held company mainly focused on supplying vending machines and retail stores.
“Healthcare locations came to us because they knew we had products that were individually wrapped and economical,” Olmstead said. “And Little Debbie was a brand everyone trusted. Who doesn’t remember growing up with [them]?”
One of the reasons why McKee Foods has seen such an increase in success since its beginnings in 1934 is due to its unique products.
Little Debbie offers the well-known Cosmic® Brownies and the Zebra® Cakes, along with the Christmas Tree Cakes® during the holiday season.
“There’s just not a comparable product on the market,” said Olmstead.
In addition to Little Debbie, McKee Foodservice also offers the Fieldstone Bakery and Sunbelt Bakery® brands which offer a variety of snack options such as, snack cakes, granola, granola bars, and fig bars.
In terms of healthcare, Olmstead has seen many providers, in recent years, switch to McKee Foodservice products due to their quality. Each of the McKee Foodservice brands can provide visitors and healthcare patients with enjoyable snacks.
The Fieldstone Bakery snack cakes and Sunbelt Bakery chewy granola bars also answer a key need for the healthcare operator.
Olmstead continued, “Because of the softness of the Oatmeal Creme Pie and the chewiness of the Sunbelt Bakery granola bars, offered in both chocolate chip and oat and honey flavors, folks are able to enjoy a product that tastes good.”
In addition, the Sunbelt Bakery Chewy Granola Bars are made with quality ingredients and have at least six grams of whole grain per serving, making them a more attractive choice for healthcare operations.
“Would you rather see your grandparent or older relative enjoying a snack from their childhood, or a liquid supplement that just ends up sitting?” said Olmstead.
Each of the McKee Foods brands, except for Drake’s® Cakes, can be ordered through broad lines, including Sysco and US Foods. The manufacturer offers competitive pricing, but, perhaps most importantly, McKee Foods is commitment to providing quality bakery snacks.
In terms of marketing, McKee Foodservice provides its customers with quality marketing materials for both vending and foodservice facilities to coincide with its programs.
Their vending products can be purchased with corresponding display materials to attract customers and boost sales in any setting, from healthcare providers to other food service operators.
Marketing products are also customizable and can be altered to fit the context of the operation. “We work as a team to build [your] business,” Olmstead said.
McKee Foods and its success may be credited to its success as a Family-Owned bakery, even lending to continued operations through the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was all hands-on deck. Anyone who could work was working,” Olmstead said.
Their brands’ pre-existing customer base and strength also helped the company flourish during the pandemic, as many were still wanting to enjoy their products. “It’s a team effort here,” Olmstead continued.
“We’re family-oriented. The whole team wants to put out the best-tasting products.” With a long history of success and impact on the snack market, McKee Foods is surely a brand to look out for as they continue to grow and expand into new markets across the country.
To learn more about McKee Foodservice healthcare and vending programs and offerings, or to get in contact with a regional sales representative, visit their website at McKee Foodservice.
