US Foods Introduces Modern Italian-Inspired Menu Options for Foodservice Operators Nationwide
US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE: USFD), one of the largest foodservice distributors in the United States, has announced the launch of its Fall 2026 Scoop™, a new collection featuring 14 US Foods Exclusive Brands products inspired by the enduring traditions of Italian cuisine.
The latest Scoop lineup is designed to help restaurant operators incorporate familiar Italian-inspired flavors into their menus while addressing the everyday challenges of modern foodservice operations. The products combine high-quality ingredients with convenient, labor-saving formats and versatile applications, giving chefs and operators more flexibility to develop dishes across multiple menu categories and dayparts.
Italian cuisine continues to have a strong presence on American restaurant menus, with familiar flavors and dishes appealing to diners across a wide range of concepts. From neighborhood bars and grills to casual dining restaurants, Italian-inspired offerings provide operators with an opportunity to introduce recognizable flavors while adding variety to their menus. According to US Foods, 55% of consumers often select global flavors when dining out.
The Fall 2026 Scoop collection responds to that interest with a range of products spanning premium pasta, dough, proteins, shareable menu components, sauces and desserts. Each item is intended to translate elements of traditional Italian cooking into formats that can work efficiently in busy commercial kitchens.
Rather than requiring operators to prepare every component from scratch, the products provide practical solutions that can help reduce preparation time, support consistency and simplify back-of-house operations. This approach is particularly relevant as restaurants continue to manage elevated food and labor costs while seeking ways to refresh their menus and provide memorable dining experiences.
“Great Italian cooking is rooted in a respect for ingredients, technique and the experience of bringing people together around the table,” said Stacey Kinkaid, vice president of product development and innovation at US Foods. “With Fall Scoop, we took inspiration from those high standards and developed products that make it easier for operators to deliver the bold, beloved Italian flavors diners crave.”
Kinkaid added that the collection includes products ranging from Italian-sourced risotto that can be prepared within minutes to Neapolitan-style pizza dough designed to perform across several applications. According to US Foods, the lineup is intended to help operators maintain quality and consistency while supporting profitability and customer satisfaction.
Italian-Inspired Products Designed for Foodservice Kitchens
The Fall 2026 Scoop collection includes products developed for different menu applications, allowing operators to use individual ingredients across pizzas, pasta dishes, sandwiches, appetizers, entrées and desserts.
One of the featured products is Chef’s Line® All Natural² Sweet Italian Sausage, which combines coarse-ground pork with basil, fennel, oregano, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. The seasoning profile delivers a traditional Italian-inspired flavor, while the product’s fully cooked format helps reduce preparation requirements.
The sausage is individually frozen in four-ounce portions, allowing operators to maintain portion consistency while preparing dishes quickly. Its versatility makes it suitable for pizzas, pasta dishes, sandwiches and center-of-plate entrées.
Another highlight is Chef’s Line® Risotto, which is sourced from Italy and made with carnaroli rice, DOP-certified Grana Padano cheese and white wine. The fully cooked product is designed to be reheated in minutes while maintaining the creamy consistency associated with traditionally prepared risotto.
US Foods says a specialized Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) process encapsulates the rice in sauce, helping protect the rice’s structural integrity. The format can also reduce kitchen preparation time, with an estimated 70 minutes of labor saved per case compared with preparing risotto from scratch.
For operators looking to offer premium pasta dishes, Chef’s Line® Basil Pesto Burrata Ravioli provides another option. Manufactured in Italy, the double-filled ravioli combines burrata sourced from Italian dairies with basil pesto, garlic cream and béchamel. Individually quick frozen for easier portioning and preparation, the ravioli can serve as a premium entrée or part of a broader Italian-inspired menu.
Versatile Dough and Bakery Options
Bread and dough products also feature prominently in the new collection.
Chef’s Line® Artisan Sourdough Focaccia is produced using a liquid sourdough starter and undergoes approximately 36 to 48 hours of fermentation. The parbaked product is designed to provide a soft, airy interior with a lightly crisp crust.
Its versatility allows restaurants to use the focaccia in multiple ways, including as a sandwich base, pizza platform or accompaniment served with olive oil. US Foods estimates that the product can save approximately 45 minutes of labor per case compared with preparing focaccia from scratch.
The collection also includes the Chef’s Line® Neapolitan-Style Pizza Dough Ball, a ready-to-use dough designed to stretch easily and bake with a light, airy texture and crisp, browned bottom.
The dough is intended to provide operators with flexibility beyond traditional pizza. It can also be used to prepare calzones, pizza fritta, breads and mini doughnuts, giving restaurants additional opportunities to expand menu offerings and create new daypart applications.
The ready-to-use format eliminates several preparation steps and can save an estimated 30 minutes of labor per case compared with producing the dough from scratch.
Protein Solutions for Multiple Menu Applications
Protein is another important component of the Fall Scoop lineup.
The Chef’s Line® Italian-Style Chicken Breast Cutlet features thin-sliced chicken breast coated with a rustic Italian-style crumb containing Parmesan, Romano and Italian herbs. The product is designed to produce a crisp, golden exterior while reducing the amount of preparation required in the kitchen.
Its versatility allows operators to incorporate the chicken into sandwiches, salads, appetizers and traditional entrée presentations. The frozen format can also help restaurants streamline preparation and maintain portion consistency.
For foodservice operators dealing with labor shortages and increasing operational pressures, products that require fewer preparation steps can provide an opportunity to maintain menu variety without placing additional demands on kitchen teams.
A Ready-to-Serve Italian Dessert
The Fall 2026 Scoop collection extends beyond savory dishes with Devonshire® Tiramisu, a classic Italian-inspired dessert prepared with Italian-imported ladyfingers, Italian-style mascarpone, coffee and brandy liquors, and cocoa powder.
The tiramisu arrives ready to slice, thaw and serve, reducing the amount of preparation needed before service. Its two-tray format also provides flexibility for portioning and service.
According to US Foods, the product can save approximately 60 minutes of labor per case compared with preparing tiramisu from scratch. For operators, this provides a way to add a recognizable Italian dessert to the menu while reducing back-of-house workload.
Supporting Menu Innovation and Operational Efficiency
The Fall 2026 Scoop reflects the continued effort by foodservice operators to balance culinary creativity with operational efficiency. Rising food and labor costs have made it increasingly important for restaurants to find ingredients that can support menu innovation without creating unnecessary complexity.
US Foods’ latest collection focuses on products that can be incorporated into existing kitchen routines while offering opportunities for customization. Ready-to-use and fully cooked formats can help operators reduce preparation steps, while individually portioned and frozen products can support consistency and help minimize waste.
At the same time, the Italian-inspired theme gives restaurants a broad culinary platform that can be adapted to different concepts. A single ingredient can potentially appear in multiple applications, helping operators create menu variety without significantly expanding their ingredient requirements.
From risotto and ravioli to focaccia, pizza dough, Italian-style chicken, sausage and tiramisu, the Fall 2026 Scoop collection brings together products intended to make Italian-inspired menu development more accessible to commercial kitchens.
By combining traditional Italian culinary influences with modern foodservice convenience, US Foods aims to give operators practical tools for developing distinctive dishes while managing labor, preparation time and consistency. The new collection demonstrates how familiar global flavors can be translated into flexible foodservice solutions designed for the demands of today’s restaurant industry.
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