Broaster Company#Broasting

{{Short description|American foodservice equipment manufacturer}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Broaster Company

| logo =Broaster Company Logo NoTagline Color-2.png

| former_name =

| type = Private

| industry = Manufacturing, foodservice

| founded = 1954

| founder = L. A. M. Phelan

| hq_location = Beloit, Wisconsin

| hq_location_city =

| hq_location_country =

| coordinates = {{coord|42|31|16|N|88|58|57|W|type:landmark_region:US-WI|display=title,inline}}

| key_people = {{unbulleted list|Jay Cipra, CEO}}

| products = Genuine Broaster Chicken, Broaster Pressure Fryers, ventless fryers, marinades, seasonings, coatings, frozen foods, cooking oils and sauces{{Cite web |title=Broaster Company, LLC |url=https://greaterbeloitchamber.org/gbcc-member/broaster-company-llc/ |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce |language=en-US}}

| website = {{URL|http://www.broaster.com}}

}}

Broaster Company is an American foodservice equipment manufacturer headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin.{{Cite web |title=Broaster Company, LLC |url=https://greaterbeloitchamber.org/gbcc-member/broaster-company-llc/ |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce |language=en-US}} It was founded by L.A.M. Phelan in 1954.{{cite web |last=Calhoun |first=Patricia |date=December 19, 2014 |title=Roasted for Broasted! We Get Fried For the Wrong Use of a Term |url=http://www.westword.com/restaurants/roasted-for-broasted-we-get-fried-for-the-wrong-use-of-a-term-6048209 |access-date=April 18, 2016 |publisher=Westworld}} The company is known for producing pressure fryers, licensing "Genuine Broaster Chicken", and operating a branded food program, "Broaster Express".{{Cite web |last=Lazor |first=Drew |title=Speck's chicken is the 'Broast' of Collegeville |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/food/20160310_Speck_s_chicken_is_the__Broast__of_Collegeville.html |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=Inquirer |date=10 March 2016 |language=en}}

History

The Broasting technique was introduced in 1954 when American businessman and inventor, L.A.M. Phelan, combined parts of a deep fryer and pressure cooker as a way to cook chicken more quickly. With his invention, Phelan trademarked the words "broaster" and "broasted food".{{Cite web |date=2019-08-07 |title=Potato wedge? French fry? Not quite. How the jojo became a Pacific Northwest staple |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/from-grocery-store-delis-to-fancy-restaurants-the-humble-jojo-potato-remains-a-pacific-northwest-staple/ |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Harrell |first=Jeff |title=The Skillet gears up for Dyngus Day Polish feast |url=https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/entertainment/dining/2016/03/24/he-skillet-gears-up-for-dyngus-day-polish-feas/46622089/ |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=South Bend Tribune |language=en-US}} Phelan manufactured the first Broaster Pressure Fryers under Flavor Fast Foods, Inc. and in 1956 formed the Broaster Company, expanding its line of offerings to include food product ingredients and accessories.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/food/2004/04/21/this-chickens-not-roasted-broiled-or-fried-its-broasted-good-luck-finding-it-though/63ba6fe5-6af4-45bc-b0c3-8a8b26d8ea87/|title=This Chicken's Not Roasted, Broiled or Fried. It's BROASTED|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Walter |last=Nicholls |date=April 21, 2004|access-date=April 18, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20090416/NEWS/304169923|title=Boiling Point: Broasting is Grease Under Pressure|publisher=MetroWest Daily News|first=Jim|last=Hillbish|date=April 16, 2009|access-date=April 18, 2016}}

In 1970, the Alco Standard Corporation{{Cite web |last=Library |first=HBS Baker |title=Alco Standard Corp. {{!}} Baker Library {{!}} Bloomberg Center {{!}} Harvard Business School |url=https://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/lehman/data-resources/companies-deals/alco-standard-corp |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=www.library.hbs.edu |language=en}} of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania purchased the Broaster Company. In 1991, Alco sold the Broaster Company to a group of private investors.{{cite web|url=http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/foia/ttab/2dissues/2005/78322373.pdf|title=Trademark Trial and Appeal Board|publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office|date=December 22, 2005|access-date=April 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012091650/https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/foia/ttab/2dissues/2005/78322373.pdf|archive-date=October 12, 2016|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

In 2009, Jay Cipra was named CEO of Broaster Company LLC, after serving as president of its parent company Broaster Company, Inc.{{cite web|url=http://www.cstoredecisions.com/2009/02/02/broaster-boasts-promotions/|title=Broaster Boasts Promotions|publisher=Convenience Store Decisions|date=February 2, 2009|access-date=April 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513231004/http://www.cstoredecisions.com/2009/02/02/broaster-boasts-promotions/|archive-date=May 13, 2016|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} Broaster Company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2014.{{cite web |last=Hanson |first=Angela |date=March 10, 2014 |title=Broaster Co. Rebrands & Simplifies Programs |url=http://www.csnews.com/product-categories/foodservice/broaster-co-rebrands-simplifies-programs/ |publisher=ConvenienceStore News}}

Operations

Broaster Company is the owner of a proprietary process that creates what the company calls "Genuine Broaster Chicken". The process uses the company's marinades and coating to prepare chicken which is then fried in a Broaster Pressure Fryer by an employee with training from the Broaster Company.{{cite web |date=July 21, 1999 |title=Broasted Chicken: A Chatterbox Investigation |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/chatterbox/1999/07/broasted_chicken_a_chatterbox_investigation.html |access-date=April 18, 2016 |publisher=Slate}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/restaurants/allen-pierleoni/article2593840.html|title=Counter Culture: Broasted Chicken, Breakfast at Roseville's Country Gables|publisher=The Sacramento Bee|first=Allen |last=Pierleoni|date=March 26, 2014|access-date=April 18, 2016}}

The Broaster Company licenses more than 5,000 restaurants, bars, and carryout locations in the United States with additional locations in 54 countries.

Among them is High Life Lounge in Des Moines, highlighting the chicken broasting process on a Season 3 (2010) episode of Man v. Food.

Broasting

File:Japanese food by Naoki Nakashima 40.jpg

Broasting is a method of cooking chicken and other foods using a pressure fryer technique invented by L. A. M. Phelan and marketed by the Broaster Company.

The method essentially combines pressure cooking with deep frying to pressure fry chicken that has been marinated and breaded.

Internationally, broasted chicken remains highly popular in Middle Eastern and South Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as well as in Latin American countries such as Colombia and Peru. Many restaurants and fast-food chains in these countries also have the word "broast" in their names.

References

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite news

|url=http://www.cincypost.com/2004/05/26/broast052604.html

|title=Beyond fried is broasted chicken

|first=Walter

|last=Nicholls

|newspaper=The Washington Post (via The Cincinnati Post)

|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company

|date=2004-05-26

|archiveurl=

https://web.archive.org/web/20070609005300/http://www.cincypost.com/2004/05/26/broast052604.html

|archivedate=2007-06-09

|access-date=2013-10-17

}}