Rainbow Cone, Gino’s East Team Up for Magnificent Mile
The Original Rainbow Cone, a Chicago tradition for over 95 years, has formed a partnership with Gino’s East, a legendary name in deep-dish pizza. This collaboration will bring together two of the city’s oldest and most iconic restaurants, creating a culinary destination like no other. The Original Rainbow Cone will be adding a kiosk to the Gino’s East Superior Street location (162 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611), aptly named Magnificent Mile, offering locals and tourists a taste of both sweet and savory delights.
Scheduled to open its doors on June 29, Magnificent Mile will mark the first-ever dual-brand collaboration between Rainbow Cone and Gino’s East. This innovative concept aims to provide visitors with an unforgettable experience, showcasing the rich history and flavors of both establishments.
Rainbow Cone, known for its signature ice cream cones featuring five distinct flavors (chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House, pistachio, and orange sherbet), has been a cherished staple in Chicago since 1926. Their commitment to quality ingredients and delightful combinations has made them a go-to destination for families, food enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a memorable treat.
On the other hand, Gino’s East has been dishing out its mouth watering deep-dish pizza since 1966. With its buttery crust, gooey cheese, and hearty toppings, Gino’s East has become synonymous with authentic Chicago-style pizza, captivating the taste buds of pizza lovers far and wide.
“The collaboration between The Original Rainbow Cone and Gino’s East represents a true celebration of Chicago’s culinary heritage,” says Jordan Himmel, chief innovation officer of Bravo Restaurants. “By combining these two iconic brands, we aim to create a one-of-a-kind destination where people can indulge in the best of both worlds. It’s a tribute to the city’s diverse food culture and a testament to the enduring legacies of Rainbow Cone and Gino’s East.”
Magnificent Mile, the name chosen for the Rainbow Cone kiosk, pays homage to its prestigious location on Superior Street, in the heart of Chicago’s renowned Magnificent Mile district. This bustling area attracts millions of visitors each year, offering a vibrant blend of shopping, dining, and cultural experiences. Now, with the addition of Rainbow Cone, tourists and locals alike will have the chance to savor the finest pizza and ice cream Chicago has to offer, all in one place. Please note that kiosk hours may differ depending on the day of the week. The most current hours can be found at https://rainbowcone.com/locations/.
The Original Rainbow Cone and Gino’s East invite everyone to join them in celebrating the opening of Magnificent Mile on June 29. It promises to be an occasion filled with delectable treats, friendly faces, and a true appreciation for the culinary heritage of the Windy City.
The Original Rainbow Cone serves ice cream featuring extraordinary flavors and textures, including the world-famous 5-flavor Rainbow Cone’, shakes, ice cream cakes & sandwiches, mini donuts, and memories dedicated to last forever. After opening in 1926, the Rainbow Cone’ received its fame and quickly became the most unique ice cream cone anyone has ever seen.
As Rainbow Cone works to expand locations and showcase its new adventures the company is excited to share their love for Rainbow Cone’s signature sliced cone with even more communities. The Original Rainbow Cone is also available for nationwide shipping via Goldbelly.
With nine permanent locations scattered across Illinois, one location in Indiana and more locations coming soon to Tennessee and Florida, Rainbow Cone is on a mission to sweeten new markets nationwide. For more information about Rainbow Cone’s franchise program, visit https://rainbowconefranchise.com or follow the rainbow on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
For more news of interest to the foodservice industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
Doctors Group Files Complaint Over ‘Wood Milk’ Ad
In April, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service approved an ad that features “The White Lotus” actress Aubrey Plaza mocking plant milk. But the now-viral “Wood Milk” ads violate laws forbidding federal agricultural promotions from depicting products in a negative light, according to a complaint filed with the USDA Office of Inspector General by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit public health advocacy organization.
Using a fictitious product named “Wood Milk” as a stand-in for plant-based milks, the ads deride plant-based milks.in
The “Wood Milk” campaign violates the statutory prohibition against advertising that is “false or misleading or disparaging to another agricultural commodity” and the regulatory prohibition against “unfair or deceptive acts or practices with respect to the quality, value or use of any competing product,” the Physician Committee’s complaint says.
It also violates a federal law that says USDA milk advertising dollars can’t be used to influence legislation or government action or policy. On Feb. 23, the FDA announced new proposed guidelines that would allow plant-based milks to be labeled using the word “milk.” The agency invited the public to submit comments by April 24, before final guidelines would be established. The “Wood Milk” ad campaign was launched before that comment period closed. On May 1, the comment period was extended to July 31. The “Wood Milk” campaign has run continuously since then.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service administers the federal commodity promotion and research programs, commonly referred to as “checkoff” programs. The USDA approves all “checkoff” advertising and is responsible for reviewing and verifying all nutritional claims.
The Physician Committee’s complaint requests that the Office of Inspector General issue a recommendation that the “Wood Milk” ads stop and that the milk “checkoff” issue corrective advertising that explains the benefits of plant-based milks.
“The ‘checkoff’ is a government program,” said Physicians Committee President Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, adjunct professor of medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine. “It is one thing for it to promote cow’s milk. It is quite another thing to mock the products that many nonwhite Americans choose for health reasons.”
For more news of interest to the dairy industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
USDA to Provide Aid to Organic Dairy Producers for Marketing
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program. ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.
“Organic dairy producers have faced significant and unique increases in their marketing costs, compounded by increases in feed and transportation costs and the limited availability of organic grain and forage commodities,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Without assistance, many organic dairies, particularly small organic dairies, will cease production, which not only impacts the domestic supply and consumption of organic milk but also the well-being of many rural communities across the country. This program will keep our small organic dairies in operation as they continue to weather a combination of challenges outside of their control.”
FSA will begin accepting applications for ODMAP on May 24. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats and sheep.
Adam Warthesen, co-chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Feedstuffs Relief Task Force, and senior director of government and industry affairs for Organic Valley said: “With unprecedented organic feed costs and inflationary pressures over the last couple of years, resources like ODMAP are really going to matter as farmers plan for the rest of this year.”
Britt Lundgren, senior director of sustainability and government affairs at Stonyfield, said: “The costs facing organic dairy today are uncommon and putting serious strain on operations. USDA is right to step in and offer support, and this is a good first step. The alternative is we lose family farmers. We look forward to working with USDA to cover more of the actual costs organic dairies are facing.”
Lia Sieler, executive director of Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, said: “We welcome the monetary resources allocated to dairy farmess through ODMAP with much anticipation. Input costs have been at an unprecedented high with no foreseeable changes and farmers are struggling to keep up with these high costs at their current pay price for the specialty products they produce. Farmers are struggling to continue producing a quality, safe and nutritious product with the current costs of doing business. We thank USDA with the help of many members of Congress for stepping in, hearing our voices and working diligently to get money pushed out as quick as possible to help alleviate some of this pain. Our work is not done, but this is a major win for our industry in a time of such uncertainty.”
Chris Adamo, vice president of public affairs and regenerative agriculture policy with Danone North America, said: “Recent increases to cost of feed and overall inputs have significantly impacted organic dairy farms, and on behalf of Horizon Organic, we are grateful for USDA’s thoughtful work and strong support for the farms that supply our customers’ milk.”
How ODMAP Works
FSA is providing financial assistance for a producer’s projected marketing cost in 2023 based on their 2022 costs. ODMAP provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2022 calendar year.
ODMAP provides financial assistance that will immediately support certified organic dairy operations during 2023 keeping organic dairy operations sustainable until markets return to more normal conditions.
How to Apply
FSA is accepting applications from May 24 to July 24. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP application, producers must certify to pounds of 2022 milk production, show documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.
Organic dairy operations are required to provide their USDA certification of organic status confirming operation as an organic dairy in 2023 and 2022 along with the certification of 2022 milk production in hundredweight.
ODMAP complements other assistance available to dairy producers, including Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental DMC, with more than $300 million in benefits paid for the 2023 program year to date. Learn more on the FSA Dairy Programs webpage
More Information
To learn more about USDA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and other programs by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.