TAOSHOBUDDHA HEALTH FOOD NETWORK: September 2012

TANDOOR CHEF’S NAAN PIZA

Marketed by

Taoshobuddha Food Network in Trinidad

Introducing Indian Style Gourmet Nan Pizza

POOJA BHAVAN, LITTLE STORE, HILO STORE NATIONWIDE, PRICE CLUB, MS FOODCITY, FOOD GIANT, PERSAD SUPERMARKET PASEA, NAIPAUL’S EXTRA FOODS ARIMA, GRAND BAAZAR, CHAGUANAS, COST PRICE DISCOUNT, VISHNU, COSS CUTTERS AND MANY MORE STORES.

DEEP CLNTRO/PESTO PIZZA

This is topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, cilantro and tomatoes, covered in a rich pesto sauce. It has a very mild spicy taste.

DEEP JALAPENO PIZZA

DEEP SPNC PNR PIZZA

The Spinach and Paneer Cheese Naan Pizza is covered in spinach, spices and Paneer cheese, it is good and favorite of a spinach lover

Deep Foods is one of the leading manufacturers of Indian foods. Since 1977, it has been tantalizing the taste buds of Indian food lovers. Using authentic recipes, Deep Foods offers delicious snacks, frozen meals, ice creams and other specialties. These delicious, all- natural products are prepared to satisfy the most dedicated culinary aficionados of Indian cuisine. Deep Foods products are found in the international section of your finer specialty grocery stores. Also, visit specialized Indian grocery stores for a larger variety of our products.

One of the Deep Food brands is Tandoor Chef, which is restaurant quality, all-natural Indian cuisine. Tandoor Chef offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals in the form of appetizers, samosas, side dishes, pizzas and more!

When I heard though that Tandoor Chef carries some pizza varieties, I was curious. The frozen pizzas are hand-stretched, fired in a Tandoor oven, and all natural artisans crusted. The four varieties are

1. Spinach & Paneer Cheese Naan,

2. Margherita Naan,

3. Cilantro Pesto Naan, and

4. Roasted Eggplant Naan Pizza.

I tried all four and they are all delicious in their own ways!

The pizzas are frozen pizzas that taste so fresh and crisp once cooked in a regular oven. My favorite is the Cilantro Pesto Naan Pizza, which is topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, cilantro and tomatoes, covered in a rich pesto sauce. It has a very mild spicy taste.

My sister really liked the sweet taste of the Margherita Naan Pizza, which is covered, in tomatoes, spices and mozzarella.

The Roasted Eggplant Naan Pizza is covered in eggplant and mozzarella and it was actually my son’s favorite.

Finally, the Spinach & Paneer Cheese Naan Pizza is covered in spinach, spices and paneer cheese it is good and for a spinach lover I can see it being a favorite! I also want to add that these are smaller, individual sized pizzas but they are perfect for making two different kinds and then sharing!

Now whether you like Indian food or not, if you like pizza and want something fresh tasting yet with the convenience of coming from a frozen pizza then I definitely recommend Tandoor Chef pizzas. They are something more flavorful and different than your average frozen pizza! Other than pizzas, Tandoor Chef also make a good selection of other entrees and appetizers that you should be curious to check out next!

Is Naan Pizza ‘American?’

In America ethnic or gourmet foods has been ‘Americanization’. It is hard to believe that there was a time and place in the United States when Mexican, Chinese, and Italian foods were considered exotic.

But in our quest for novelty, for new flavors, textures, formulas, recipes, and brand names, what else can be made American? More importantly, how do restaurants and food companies find new foods that they then introduce to us to in a way that makes them familiar, tasty, and memorable, so that we always go back for more?

In 1996 - 19 years after the company was founded - frozen packaged food company Deep Foods of Union, N.J. decided to launch its Tandoor Chef division, in hopes of creating restaurant-quality, all-natural Indian cuisine. According to Mike Ryan, VP of Marketing for the company, Tandoor Chef was created specifically for a two-fold target consumership: adventurous and curious Americans, and traditional Indian families.

‘Our products provide traditional and authentic Indian flavors with innovation,’ adds Ryan. ‘The common theme is that they both are seeking restaurant-quality Indian cuisine with at-home comfort.’

According to the company, producing and manufacturing frozen ethnic cuisine has proven to be an exciting and rewarding challenge. We are not worried about the ‘big guys’ because in frozen Indian cuisine, we are the ‘biggest guy.’ says Ryan.

At the current time, Tandoor Chef produces the industry’s only at-home frozen Indian pizza – ‘naan pizza’ the Indinized Version of Piza – the only AUTHENTIC INDIAN PIZA.

Indian food is currently a sought-after ethnic flavor profile. In efforts to innovate and grab market share, food companies must constantly be on the leading edge of what is hot - and pull from the shelves what is not.

The food industry is always on the lookout for emerging trends, which they then evaluate to see if the trend can be monetized. According to Terry Pranses of Pranses Research Services, a consultant to the food and consumer packaged goods industry, food companies observe menu innovations at both high-end and mid-priced restaurants, and track editorial in major food publications. There could be several stages of consideration – ‘emerging,’ ‘becoming popular,’ or ‘mainstream’ -- before deciding to launch a product.

Observations at industry tradeshows provides some generalized value of what is in and out, but they really show who is investing, not necessarily who is succeeding. ‘That is why the menu items at restaurants likely have a higher predictive value,’ says Pranses. ‘It is truly sales.’

But with huge investments needed in raw materials, packaging, and processes, can a food company jump in quickly, hoping that a hot new product will catch on? Pranses continued, illuminating more of the process for Food Culture: Generally the receptivity to specific, branded products is unknown upfront. Consultants typically use focus groups for in-depth views of general knowledge and receptivity by food-involved consumers. Interestingly, for testing, consultants tap a database of the top 1/3 of the income/education pyramid, with past history of food involvement. Those consumers are most likely to be the early adapters, then can become brand ambassadors as a product achieves wider distribution.

Typical issues include:

• Category interest, competitive landscape, brand profile or personality of top competitors

• Shelf appeal of current and/or proposed packaging

• Taste, texture and aroma tests

• Reaction to current or proposed advertising

• Retesting once appropriate adjustments have been made

Therefore, it can be assumed that a hot new food, taste, ingredient, or flavor won’t show up in a packaged good that quickly. Consumers would need to wait for an attractive price and convenience. However, packaging the exotic and different does the trick of spreading cultural awareness to the masses -- a good thing -- and worth the wait until food companies are sure to get it right.

The Naan Piza was launched on ABC by SUPERMARKET GURU Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru

http://youtu.be/tPs-EgIEic8