The Plus-One Power Move

As consumers continue to look to signature sauces, condiments, dressings and dips as the high-impact menu elements that drive craveability, the ongoing challenge for operators is to create these singular components quickly, consistently and at scale. Applying a plus-one strategy to transform existing ingredients into one-of-a-kind flavor sensations is a simple and smart tactic that has been sitting in every chef’s toolkit for years, yet many foodservice kitchens aren’t tapping its full potential.

Used intentionally, a plus-one approach becomes a quiet accelerator, adding impact without adding complexity, opening low-risk pathways to produce innovative new flavor elements and create distinctive touches that can help a foodservice operation stand apart from the competition. It’s a small shift with outsized returns.

The path to a signature sauce, condiment or dressing doesn’t have to start from scratch—it starts with what’s already in your kitchen. Common pantry staples like mayonnaise, yogurt, tahini and butter become the building blocks for something entirely new when combined with a bold, globally inspired paste. This simple equation of an everyday base plus a high-impact flavor partner is what makes the plus-one approach so powerful. And the stakes are higher than operators might think. According to 2025 research from Datassential, 60 percent of consumers look forward to a restaurant’s unique sauce, condiment or dressing when deciding where to eat, and 52 percent specifically crave unique sauces.¹ An ownable sauce isn’t just a menu detail. It’s a driver of traffic, loyalty and differentiation.

A little more than half of operators acknowledge that proprietary sauces are a key way to differentiate their menu.¹ But this statistic means that almost as many have not embraced this philosophy. Similarly, while 60 percent of operators report modifying ready-to-use sauces, a sizable 40 percent are not seizing the opportunity.

A SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE

Scott Adair, corporate chef for SupHerb Farms^®, theorizes that chefs and menu developers may be over-estimating the operational complexity of new sauce development and execution across multiple locations. Inventory and cost concerns may also be perceived barriers. Too many chefs are unaware of the full return-on-investment of plus-one sauces and consider the approach as an afterthought.

“Taking plus-ones more seriously, treating them as high-impact tools with great cross-utilization possibility, delivers benefits across the brand, including differentiation and brand awareness, guest satisfaction, perceived value, menu versatility and low-effort innovation,” says Adair.

Operators eager to weave more global character into their menus would do well to consider plus-one sauces. One signature sauce—or condiment, spread, dressing, dip—that features defining flavors from different parts of the world can transform existing menu favorites. A chimichurri signals Latin America. Sambal adds to an Asian profile. A harissa-inflected spread takes diners to Africa. Creating condiments with such authentically inspired flavors might seem a daunting, complex task, but it doesn’t have to be.

SupHerb Farms boasts a diverse line of speed-scratch culinary pastes that feature the bold, global flavors chefs and their diners are seeking. Made with SupHerb Farms’ own herb and vegetable ingredients, these clean-label products are loaded with concentrated, high-impact flavor. Operators can take many base ingredients already in the pantry or refrigerator—think mayo, olive oil and yogurt, for example—and simply add a scoop of paste to deliver an instant, aromatic flavor boost, saving hours of prep and “making ‘delicious’ possible at scale,” says Adair.

These speed-scratch solutions deliver a sense of authenticity that is perfect for restaurants looking to elevate their menu with quick innovations, Adair continues. Creating such complex, sophisticated flavor profiles from scratch might take five (or more) ingredients—and multiple SKUs—to create wholly from scratch. “Our pastes incorporate fresh ingredients, roasted vegetables and spices to create a consistently balanced culinary experience—without straining the kitchen team,” he says.

PLUS IT UP

Applying a plus-one approach to create exciting new flavor enhancements starts with a review of what you already have in your pantry or walk-in. Chef Adair has identified several base products that kitchens are likely to have on hand that are particularly good starting points for simple plus-one transformations with SupHerb Farms pastes:

• Mayonnaise
• Sour Cream
• Yogurt
• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Salad Dressings
• Honey/Agave
• Butter
• Tahini

Most of these bases are already used in numerous applications across the menu. Creating new, globally inflected variations can allow chefs to reimagine proven platform winners—the ubiquitous chicken sandwich, for example, but also a flatbread or pizza, a wrap, a side or entrée salad, a breakfast sandwich and so on. These can be utterly transformed with a signature plus-one sauce and then positioned as LTOs or as core menu options, offered alongside the original builds for customer choice.

Use of easy plus-one sauces can also be the first step in the ideation of brand-new items. Perhaps the menu is ready for its first breakfast burrito or a foray into bowl concepts. Building these around the plus-one transformation of a condiment or sauce makes for a significantly easier development process.

Chef Adair offers suggestions using several SupHerb Farms culinary pastes with select bases to demonstrate the breadth of the plus-one opportunity there is to explore.

Base: MAYONNAISE
Plus One: Tuscan Tomato Paste, a sweet, rich and tangy combination of tomatoes, garlic, shallots and lemon, blended with herbs and Dijon mustard.
Chef Scott Says: “For a quick Tuscan aïoli, mix five parts of mayonnaise to one part paste.”

Base: YOGURT
Plus One: Chimichurri SRP, a paste that is tangy and herbaceous with crushed red pepper for an added kick.
Chef Scott Says: “Stir our zesty chimichurri into Greek yogurt for an instant herbed yogurt sauce.”

Base: HONEY/AGAVE
Plus One: Moroccan Harissa, a delicate fusion of aromatic Moroccan spices, roasted bell peppers, garlic and red jalapeños.
Chef Scott Says: “Try this complex, fresh-tasting, pepper-forward flavor with honey for a winning swicy combo.”

Base: KETCHUP
Plus One: Smoky Pepper Paste, a nuanced, intense blend of bold peppers, smoked spices, smoked sea salt and two vinegars.
Chef Scott Says: “This paste brings real campfire smoke, a hit of tang and subtle umami.”

Base: SALAD DRESSING
Plus One: Citrus Garlic Herb, bringing bold and fragrant garlic forward, with sweet citrus and fresh herb notes.
Chef Scott Says: “It adds robust garlic flavor, with bright tropical citrus and zesty herbs.”

Base: TAHINI
Plus One: Jalapeño Pesto (S’chug), a full-bodied combination of green jalapeños, savory garlic and herbs.
Chef Scott Says: “Create an easy ‘green tahini sauce,’ and it’s great added to hummus to kick up a Mediterranean flavor profile. I also love to add this paste to hollandaise for a spicy eggs benny that will rock your world.”

Base: SOUR CREAM
Plus One: Mexican Ancho Chile with Lime, bringing a robust taste of smoked ancho chiles balanced with roasted bell peppers, lime, herbs and Mexican spices.
Chef Scott Says: “This combination is one of the greatest plus-ones of all time, creating a Mexican ancho crema. Or consider adding it to a ranch base!”

Menu development doesn’t need to rely on revolutionary techniques to be powerful. The plus-one sauce approach—especially when applied to readily available bases—can effectively help chefs innovate with trending ideas, layer global cues and build complex flavors without requiring a complex process. Push flavor forward with the intentional application of high-impact ingredient partners.

Click here to learn more about creating smarter and easier LTOs using SupHerb Farms awesome sauces.

¹Datassential 2025 Sauces Keynote