In today’s competitive foodservice landscape, chefs and operators are always looking for new ways to keep their menus fresh and exciting. Mondelēz International offers a wide range of versatile, iconic products that inspire creativity and flavor innovation. In this Q&A, chefs Carmisha Ramsey and Joel Minkoff share insights into how these products can be used to bring exciting new flavor profiles to the menu, create unique small treats, and elevate dishes throughout the day.
How do Mondelēz Foodservice products help operators keep menus fresh with new flavor profiles and next-level twists on popular dishes?
Chef Carmisha Ramsey: Mondelēz International products are versatile and pair well with so many flavors— and best of all, they’re iconic! Working with our foodservice operators to help them find the best ways to pair flavors and concepts with our products is a very rewarding part of what I get to do every day.
Chef Joel Minkoff: The diverse array of the Mondelēz International foodservice ingredients are great to use in LTOs across applications to keep offerings fresh. Cookies like the original OREO, Golden OREO and CHIPS AHOY! combine very well with other flavors. LTOs are a great way to try new flavor combinations in hard-packed ice creams, as well as other treats. Traditional flavors like peppermint combine well with our original OREO, while caramel, butterscotch and toffee pair well with the Golden OREO. More unique flavors like burnt sugar, brown butter and maple go well with CHIPS AHOY!
2025 trending ingredients like cookie butter, honey, ginger, coconut and fig will find ways into our foodservice creations paired with our cookies. To bring interesting twists to dessert offerings, chefs are getting more creative in taking familiar desserts and giving them a “cookie twist.” Classic desserts like tiramisu, affogato, cannoli and crepes are all great candidates for a cookie makeover.
Can you provide examples of Mondelēz Foodservice ingredients that are versatile enough to be used in recipes across dayparts?
Chef Carmisha: RITZ is versatile in that it can play in several categories—sweet, salty and savory. It’s great in any daypart as well. It can be the topping on a casserole, it can be used as a coating for chicken or fish, and it offers a great salty, sweet combination when used in ice cream in a milkshake.
Sixty-four percent of consumers prefer splurging on small treats more frequently.1 Can you provide examples of how our brands help operators create more small treat variety for their menus?
Chef Joel: Small treats can be just as satisfying as larger portions. Since consumers enjoy trying new items, small snacks give a great vehicle to drive trial. Recipes that use OREO to boost flavor in smaller portions include truffles, cake pops, donut holes, as well as layered dessert cups. In baked goods, small OREO cheesecakes and poppable OREO Brookie bites can offer big satisfaction in smaller portions.
Chef Joel:OREO Base Cake can be used in the center-of-the-plate breakfast dishes like pancakes and french toast and can also be used in breakfast sweet breads like cinnamon rolls and monkey “pull apart” bread. Our OREO ingredients can also be applied to simple lunch desserts and more elaborate plated desserts for dinner.
By using the different OREO ingredients we offer, such as ground wafers for a base cake or using different sizes of crushed OREO cookies, a diverse variety of menu items can be created for all dayparts, including catering events and buffets.
Sources:
- Datassential 2025 Trends, December 2024
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