Exhibiting at World Tea Expo 2025

Custom Culinary, Inc., headquartered in Oswego, Illinois, is a leading manufacturer and solutions provider of high-quality culinary products designed for the foodservice and food processing industries. With over 75 years of experience, Custom Culinary empowers chefs, restaurant operators, and food manufacturers with flavor-forward, clean-label, and globally inspired bases, sauces, gravies, seasonings, and more.

As a subsidiary of Griffith Foods, Custom Culinary leverages world-class R&D capabilities, trend-driven innovation, and culinary craftsmanship to deliver custom solutions that meet the evolving needs of commercial kitchens and large-scale food production.

Core Business

Custom Culinary focuses on the formulation and distribution of culinary solutions including:

• Chef-developed food bases and concentrates
• Ready-to-use and dry-mix sauces and gravies
• Seasonings, dressings, marinades, and spice blends
• Clean-label and plant-forward formulations
• Tailored food solutions for QSRs, fast casual, casual dining, healthcare, K-12, and manufacturing segments

Their products are known for authentic taste, consistency, and operational efficiency, often replacing labor-intensive processes in high-volume kitchens.

Product and Service Offerings

• Food Bases:

  • Chicken, beef, vegetable, seafood, and specialty flavor bases
  • Available in Gold Label, Master’s Touch, and Chef’s Own lines
  • Clean-label and reduced-sodium options available

• Sauces:

  • RTU sauces such as Demi-Glace, Alfredo, Hollandaise, Indian-style butter sauce, and global flavor infusions like Korean Sweet Heat

• Gravies:

  • Includes Brown, Country, and Turkey Gravy varieties
  • Available in dry and liquid formats with long shelf stability

• Seasonings and Dressings:

  • Custom spice blends, rubs, dips, ranch, Caesar, vinaigrettes, and bold international profiles

• Custom Product Development:

  • Full-service culinary R&D team
  • Private-label and co-branded opportunities
  • Custom formulation and packaging

Their products are designed to support scalable food production while maintaining chef-crafted taste and consistent quality.

Specialization and USP

Custom Culinary is renowned for bridging the gap between culinary artistry and scalable food manufacturing. Their unique selling points include:

• Clean-label innovations, aligned with consumer demands for transparency and simplicity
• Use of FlavorIQ® data, analyzing trends and consumer behavior to inform R&D
• Culinary collaborations with chefs and operators to test, refine, and launch custom solutions
• Strong global reach through Griffith Foods, offering international flavor integration

As of 2023, over 65% of their product portfolio is clean-label or health-positioned, reflecting commitment to wellness and sustainability.

Financial and Market Presence

While Custom Culinary does not disclose individual revenue figures, as part of Griffith Foods’ $1+ billion global operation, it plays a critical role in the company’s North American portfolio. Key metrics include:

• Serving thousands of U.S. and Canadian foodservice operators
• Partnerships with top 100 restaurant chains, institutional kitchens, and contract food manufacturers
• Present in over 10 countries through direct operations or licensed partners

They maintain foodservice product lines in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific regions.

Shipment and Sourcing Insights

Custom Culinary products are manufactured in SQF-certified facilities in the U.S., with key sites in Illinois and other Griffith Foods production hubs. The company sources ingredients globally, adhering to:

• FDA, USDA, and FSMA regulations
• Ethical and sustainable sourcing programs under the Griffith Foods sustainability framework

Their products are shipped through broadline distributors such as Sysco, US Foods, Gordon Food Service, and direct to high-volume clients.

Target Market

Custom Culinary serves:

• Chain restaurants and fast casual operators
• Healthcare and institutional kitchens (hospitals, schools, senior living)
• Commercial food processors and manufacturers
• Distributors and culinary professionals seeking RTU or semi-scratch solutions

The company caters to operators seeking flavor consistency, speed, and labor savings while addressing dietary and regulatory needs.

Capabilities

• Full-scale product development labs with culinary teams
• Sensory testing and consumer panel validation
• Hot fill, dry blend, aseptic, and frozen production capabilities
• Culinary ideation centers for customer collaboration
• Digital flavor innovation tools like FlavorIQ®

Their solutions support customer innovation pipelines, menu development, and reformulations aligned with clean-label or health-positioned strategies.

Certifications and Compliance

• SQF Level 3-certified manufacturing facilities
• Products conform with FDA, USDA, FSMA, and CFIA (Canada) standards
• Gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan formulations available
• Clean label compliance based on natural flavoring regulations and no artificial preservatives

Customer Testimonials

“Custom Culinary is more than a supplier—they are an extension of our culinary team. Their sauces and gravies help us scale with quality.”
— Corporate Executive Chef, National Casual Dining Chain

“Their custom chicken base gives our signature soup a bold, consistent flavor. We’ve relied on them for years.”
— Director of Culinary, Regional Food Processor

Major Achievements

• Launch of 2025 FlavorIQ® Food & Flavor Outlook, guiding culinary innovation with data
• Expansion of plant-based and allergen-friendly product lines in 2023–2024
• Named strategic partner for multiple global food brands under Griffith Foods’ umbrella
• Recognized by Food Management and Nation’s Restaurant News for innovation in RTU solutions
• Released multiple clean-label product lines with reduced sodium and no MSG

With a dedication to culinary excellence and food innovation, Custom Culinary continues to transform flavor delivery in foodservice and food manufacturing, combining chef-driven authenticity with scalable, clean-label functionality.