What Consumers Want

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Jamie

The National Chicken Council was one of the sponsors for the recent Chicken Media Summit held in New Bern, North Carolina. The event opened the doors for media to tour the complete life of a broiler and ask questions from experts from the poultry community.

I sat down with Senior Vice President of the National Chicken Council, Bill Roenigk, after he moderated a panel with chicken company executives. He shared why this event was so important to not only chicken, but to the food industry as a whole.

“We think this event is important because we are hearing from consumers and people who follow the industry that you need to be more open and more transparent. You need to show people where their food comes from. It’s a criticism, but not a criticism just in chicken. It’s the entire food industry. We need to understand better where are food is and what is in our food. So, it finally registered with us that we need to find an opportunity to be more transparent, more open. And Sanderson Farms was very gracious and agreed to do that. They have a wonderful facility and I not only enjoyed seeing the people going through the tour, but also the questions they asked. We sit in our offices and think we know what people know, but we discovered that there really is a lot more people would like to know.”

Bill also hit on issues concerning sustainability, what our global market is demanding and the world’s outlook for the future of the poultry industry.

Listen to my interview with Bill here: Bill Roenigk

Check out photos from the event here: 2013 Chicken Media Summit Photo Album

Where Food Comes From Adds Website Sections

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Chuck

You have to admit that WhereFoodComesFrom.com is a great url. Don’t you? It’s the answer to the question a lot of people ask these days. This is done by IMI Global which is “America’s leading provider of third-party identification, verification and traceability solutions for the livestock and agricultural industries. The Company supports more than 6,000 ranchers, feed yards, meatpackers, food retailers and restaurants with a wide range of solutions – including its USDA Process Verified (PVP) programs – which annually verifies marketing claims for approximately one half of all U.S. beef exports.”

The Company’s Where Food Comes From® retail and restaurant labeling program connects consumers directly to the source of the food they purchase by requiring all product carrying the label to be sourced from third-party verified suppliers. With the use of QR code technology, consumers can instantly access information about the producers behind their food. We know every meal has a story, and Where Food Comes From® allows consumers to discover it.

Where Food Comes From has added two new sections to their website, Food to Know and Food 2 Grow. Consumers, educators and students who are seeking a trusted resource for all types of food information can find it here. There are over 400 categories of information, including unique data on world food production statistics not available anywhere else. They also have a Today In section where I learned that today is National Cordon Bleu Day.

CHB Names 2012 Distinguished Chef

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Jamie

Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) announces the title of 2012 CHB Distinguished Chef and this year’s recipient is truly dedicated to the brand. Robbi Jenkins, executive chef of Three Fires Steakhouse, Prairie Band Casino & Resort, Mayetta, KS. has many years in the culinary industry and very deserving of the award.

Originally from Mississippi, Robbi, received her degree in English and pursued other career endeavors, although cooking ran in the family and was always close to heart. Later in life she finally took on her calling and entered the two-year program at Washburne Culinary Institute & French Pastry School in Chicago.

She began her culinary career a the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago and later moved to Lawrence, KS. to be closer to family. She worked in multiple establishments in the Kansas City area before taking the head chef position with Prairie Band Casino & Resort.

“When they brought in the CHB steaks and grilled them up, they were fantastic,” Jenkins says. “The flavor, marbling and tenderness were wonderful. Having been a chef for many years, I have had the opportunity of working with many brands of beef products, and I now know Certified Hereford Beef is the beef product I can hang my reputation on. It has proven to be the most tender and consistent product each and every time.”

“My colleagues have started calling me the Hereford queen,” she says. “And I’m very proud of it, and of our restaurant. I’ve been a cheerleader for the CHB product, and I’m sure it will bring great recognition for the brand, as well as for our restaurant.”

The CHB product is used in Three Fires Steakhouse menu many times including the steakhouse burger, filet, prime rib, strip steak, ribeye and T-bone entrees. Servers are educated on the product and avidly promote it as CHB.

Fenton Barnard, Kansas City Protein LLC procurement manager, nominated Robbi for the award with numerous letters of recommendation, her acclaimed resume and the Three Fires Steakhouse menu.

Got Meat Processing Sense

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Chuck

Here’s a class I would love to attend. It’s the Aggie Processed Meat School Program. This program is not just for people who do meat processing but also those involved in quality control, business management, public relations and marketing. Here what you will learn if you attend.

By attending the Aggie Processed Meat School you will discover both the science and the art of making processed meat products. The first day will focus what you should consider when choosing the meat products and other ingredients to include in the processed meat item. That afternoon the participants will learn the art of making sausage. Then the next day experts will demonstration the production of whole-muscle processed meat items. Finally, participants will learn about ways to evaluate the finished product for quality and safety. Participants will be lead through a product evaluation much in the same way that is done in several of the product show competitions around the country.

Click here to register then type in Meat in the keyword search. The deadline to register is April 19th and enrollment will be capped at 60 people.

Unconfusing the Confused Consumer

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Chuck

Recent information shows that the meat industry in this country has a lot of work to do with the American consumer. At the recent 2013 Annual Meat Conference in Nashville Michael Uetz with Midan Marketing, spoke during one of the sessions titled, “Demystifying the Meat Case for Today’s Confused Consumer.”

“We were shocked when we went in and talked with consumers one-on-one about what some of the challenges were. Bottom line: they were thoroughly confused with our product,” Michael said. He added that the consumers didn’t know the names, and the nomenclatures the meat industry has used for years was confusing to them. They just weren’t cutting it when it came to doing a good job communicating with their customer base. But he thinks they are now on the road to doing better.

“This new platform we have developed based on our research is one of getting rid of this confusion by tightening up our names, getting rid of industry jargon, coming up with something more memorable, and giving them more information on how to prepare and use.”

Michael credited the Pork and Beef Checkoffs for helping fund this research. He said they’ll still have to work through some of the regulatory agencies, such as USDA, to implement these changes, but he thinks it will help. “We hope it makes a big difference.”

Listen to my interview with Michael here: Interview with Michael Uetz

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

King Richard Talks Smithfield at Meat Conference

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Chuck

One of the greatest race car drivers of all time, “King” Richard Petty was at the 2013 Annual Meat Conference in Nashville, talking up one of the sponsors of his NASCAR team, Smithfield Foods.

“This is first time I’ve ever been to a show like this, but it looks pretty interesting,” he said during an interview, jokingly adding that he carries around a little sign that says: Will work for food … and “that’s what we’re doing here.”

Richard was set up in the Smithfield exhibit at the Product Tasting Reception, and he agreed that it’s great to be involved with a major supplier of meat and protein in this country, Smithfield.

“Everybody’s got to eat, and everybody’s got to have protein, so hope they get it from Smithfield.”

Listen to my interview with Richard here: Interview with Richard Petty

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Fact vs. Fiction in Food Crisis Management

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Chuck

Crisis management. We hear a lot about it and any company wants to be ready to handle one if it should happen. How do you deal with fact vs. fiction, especially in the food industry? At today’s Annual Meat Conference we heard from Sue Borra, Senior Vice President of Communications, Food Marketing Institute and Eric Mittenthal, Vice President, Public Affairs, American Meat Institute, on this topic.

When it comes to food retail Sue says food safety is the number one concern. They place extremely high value on what their customers think. So if a crisis breaks out they want to be able to communicate rapidly, effectively and with as much information as possible. Both Sue and Eric emphasized the importance of planning ahead and being ready to be proactive. Their organizations are constantly looking ahead and prepare information that is readily available to their members.

I brought up social media since we’ve seen both fact and fiction explode overnight on some issues, including in the food world. Sue says that most retailers are now active in social media and they monitor what is being said about their companies. It’s about trust and transparency! Very important words.

Listen in to my conversation with Sue and Eric to learn more about their thoughts on this subject here: Interview with Sue Borra & Eric Mittenthal

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Making Safe, Affordable, Abundant Food a Reality

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Chuck

The Annual Meat Conference is very much about education and that includes getting the big picture when it comes to the industry not only here in the United States but also around the world. We got that perspective from Jeff Simmons, President, Elanco, who spoke on “Making Safe, Affordable and Abundant Food a Global Reality.”

You can listen to or download Jeff’s full speech here: Jeff Simmons Keynote Speech

Jeff started off by telling us some personal stories about his participation in a leadership event that changed his way of looking at the issue of food and world hunger. He also shared anecdotes from travels to countries that are facing serious food shortages even as their population grows. As a result of this he concludes that the next few years in the meat industry are as much about our heart as our mind. He says, “I think it’s coming to a point in time where our voice has to be as clear as a line and convincing as we’ve ever had before.” He believes the industry has a great story to tell and “. . . we’ve had a tendency to not tell that story . . .”

There are three key things he sees that will be very important to the meat industry. These are Middle Class – fastest middle class growth in history of man . . .; Global Volatility – significant shift in demands, margins and costs . . . and Brands – increasing “brand” orientation with the global consumer.

Innovation is also vital to creating new technology that will help improve and increase food production. He noted how some countries like the UK have stifled innovation by excessive regulations and now find themselves having trouble feeding themselves. Besides innovation, Choice is also key by allowing consumers choices when it comes to food and finally, Globalization is necessary meaning that we need good trade systems to move food to where it is needed.

I sat down with Jeff after his presentation to discuss some of these ideas and more. You can listen to my interview with Jeff here: Interview with Jeff Simmons

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Meat & Greet at Annual Meat Conference

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Chuck

The tastiest part of this opening day of the 2013 Annual Meat Conference has been the Meat & Greet Welcome Reception. Thanks to Tyson and Certified Angus Beef for sponsoring this. Pictured is a New York Strip Roast being sliced up. Yes, it is excellent.

Here are some other items that you could find:

Roasted Certified Angus Beef® brand Prime strip, rib and tenderloin

Innovative Appetizers featuring Tyson products: Tyson® Fresh Chicken, Chairman’s Reserve® Pork Tenderloin, and Wright® Brand Bacon.

That was just to whet our appetite though. I’m looking forward to tomorrow afternoon’s Product Tasting Reception that will be featuring over 35 meat stations!

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Success in Restaurant Business with the Neelys

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Chuck

If you want a Recipe for Success then get Down Home with the Neelys, as in Gina and Pat. They opened up the 2013 Annual Meat Conference with a story of hard work and devotion to not only their business but their family and I wish everyone could hear it. I got a taste for you though by catching them after their presentation today.

I heard Gina say, “At the end of the day the brand must be working.” I asked her what that meant. She says “No matter what you’re representing, if you don’t believe in it, you don’t know it like you should know it, the brand is not going to work. You’ve got to sell your brand. Your brand is what keeps you relevant.”

I heard Pat say, “Nothing is more intimate than what you’re serving.” He says that there are three elements of success in the restaurant business. These include cleanliness, quality of the food and great service. “It’s so doggone important that you make sure that you’re serving the highest quality food that you possibly can each and every day and you’ve got to be consistent with it.”

At the end of their remarks the Neelys talked about the importance of our children and parental responsibility. That’s a message we need to hear a lot more about and I’m really glad they shared their thoughts on it with me.

You can listen to my interview with Pat & Gina here: Interview with Gina & Pat Neely

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Meat Industry Educational & Networking Conference

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Chuck

The 2013 Annual Meat Conference is underway in Nashville. Welcoming us and getting things started are Conference Co-Chairs, Gary Luechauer, Director of Meat/Seafood and Deli/Bakery Procurement, The Kroger Co. (left) and Matt Monkiewicz, Vice President, Marketing, Kayem Foods, Inc. I spoke with them before we got going to learn more about this event since it is my first time attending.

Gary says this is an educational conference which allows everyone from “rancher to retailer” to get an idea of what’s going on in the industry while sharing ideas. Matt says everyone will have an opportunity to sample new products during a highlight of the conference which is tomorrow’s reception.

You can listen to my interview with the conference co-chairs here: Interview with Meat Conference Co-Chairs

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Annual Meat Conference App

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Chuck

The Annual Meat Conference is set to kick off this afternoon. Registration is taking place now and all attendees and others are encouraged to get The Annual Meat Conference App (iOS). It’s on my iPhone. You’ll find all kinds of information including conference updates and an attendees list. Get it for Android here.

The Annual Meat Conference, sponsored by the American Meat Institute Foundation and the Food Marketing Institute, will take place February 24-26 in Nashville, Tennessee, and aims to satisfy your appetite for learning and professional growth and opens the door to fresh ideas and hot concepts.

The American Meat Institute Foundation (AMIF) is a non-profit research, education and information foundation established by the American Meat Institute.

The Food Marketing Institute is the largest trade association of its kind and offers its members a diversity of services that range from helping the small independent operation remain competitive to identifying consumer attitudes toward food safety, new products and the like.

Follow the conference on Twitter with the #MeatCon hashtag.

I’m collecting conference photos here: 2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Fresh Meat Retailing Ideas

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Chuck

Hello once again this year from the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, location of the 2013 Annual Meat Conference. This will be my first ever opportunity to attend this annual meat retailing event.

Explore and sample some of the newest and best meat, poultry and ingredient products from more than 50 companies. Taste new and different products that can delight your customers and increase your sales. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to participate in this feast of great tastes.

I am not missing out and will be letting you know what I learn over the next couple days. Here is what Monday evening has in store:

The Incredible Egg Man

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Jamie

A celebrity in the egg world, Howard Helmer, shared his love for eggs during the Novus International breakfast at the International Production & Processing Expo this morning.

What is Howard’s claim to fame? In 1982 he became the Guinness Book of World Record holder for fastest omelet making. He make 427 omelets in 30 minutes. But that’s not all, he also holds two other world records for making omelets.

So, why this fastenation for eggs? Howard worked for the American Egg Board and their sole purpose is to promote egg consumption and as this title holder he was a natural to become a spokesperson for the egg industry. He has traveled the world sharing his passion for eggs and teaching the easy process of omelet making. Along side with Novus, Howard is helping spread the word about World Egg Day held in October.

His eyes light up when talking about his love for cooking and sharing how important eggs are to consumers. Howard couldn’t be more full of life if he tried and last year the International Egg Commission named him Egg Promotor of the Year.

Check out my complete interview with Howard here: Interview with Howard Helmer

International Production & Processing Expo Photo Album

Need an Easy Superbowl Meal?

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Talia

Grab the television remote, your football jersey and some friends. It’s time for the big game! Preparing a delicious meal for the party is easy; here are a few recipe ideas from Martha White that will make you a winner:

– White Chicken Chili with Cheddar Hushpuppy Crust: This chili marries the perfect blend of spices and cornbread to create a rich and flavorful meal.

– Grilled Chicken Skillet Pizza: What could be better than pizza for the big game? Combine fresh vegetables and grilled chicken on a Martha White corn meal crust for a mouth-watering crowd favorite.

– Bacon and Gorgonzola Cornbread Sliders: Take a cue from the trendy miniature sandwich to create a slider made on a bacon and Gorgonzola cornbread muffin. These delectable Martha White cornbread muffins are spread with a tangy sauce and filled with little burgers, cheese and grilled onions.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a 49ers or Ravens fan, bring on the good food! Enjoy the game …

AG CONNECT Expo Keynote by James C. Borel

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Chuck

The keynote address at the welcome session of the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo was provided by James C. Borel, Executive Vice President, Dupont.

The focus of his remarks was on the need to feed a growing population. He says that at Dupont their approach to global food security rests on four key principals. They include “Science is universal but solutions have to be local; collaboration is what really unlocks the answers that science can provide; science has to become local wisdom, know how has to be brought to the people and the places that need it most and solutions to feed a growing population have to be sustainable in the truest sense of the word, not only environmentally but also economically and socially.”

You can listen to or download keynote address from James here: Welcome Session Keynote from James C. Borel

2013 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Novus Luncheon Addresses Consumer Trends at IPPE

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Jamie

The International Poultry, Feed & Meat Expo’s have joined forces this year to bring you the International Production & Processing Expo.

The trade show doesn’t open until tomorrow, but for poultry scientists from around the world, events like the Novus Luncheon brought a new-found insight into the changing world of the food industry.

As attendees enjoyed lunch, Andy Vance, Staff Editor for Feedstuffs, was introduced with the statistic that 1 out of 5 consumers call knowing where their food comes from equals a status symbol. Andy continued to discuss how we impact consumer trends.

“This is a huge change in terms of the perception that consumers have about what really is their priority when they go to the grocery store. I got to credit USFRA for doing the research behind that data. And what they found back in November, was that about 21% of consumers say food knowledge is a status symbol. An even high percentage of New Yorkers, almost 50%, said that food knowledge is a status symbol. Well, what does that mean? It means that instead of a Rolex or a Lexus, if you’re a foodie, that’s sexy, for lack of a better word. Consumers want to know more about their food. We have known that for a few years in agriculture, but I think this evolution of it just being something that people are interested in or a passing fade, to actually becoming a status symbol is a bigger issue. It’s something we can’t take for granted, consumers are going to forget.”

Andy went on to share that this trend in consumers demand is something substancial and something the food industry needs to remove from the back burner. Consumers and farmers have more in common than what we all realize and we must all be honest with each other about who we are.

Check out my complete interview with Andy here: Interview with Andy Vance

International Production & Processing Expo Photo Album

Zimfo Bytes

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Talia

Food Tank Launches: Time to Change the Food System.
The Agrisure Viptera insect control trait provides a solution to the aflatoxin issue.
Bayer CropScience announces new collaboration with North Carolina State.
Orthman Manufacturing named Nebraska’s “Manufacturer of the Year”.

Syngenta & ASTA Help Feed Chicago Kids

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Cindy

We talk a lot in agriculture about feeding a growing world population but Syngenta and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) brought that broad message home during this week’s CSS 2012 and Seed Expo in Chicago.

“We tend to think about hunger as being something that happens somewhere else, but it happens in our own backyard – it happens here in Chicago,” said David Morgan, Syngenta North America regional director. “We partnered here with ASTA at the event and we’re giving matching contributions to donations given for Chicago efforts on hunger relief.”

Syngenta was giving away backpacks at the Seed Expo, as well as some cool knit gloves with tech fingers (to operate touch screens) and collecting lots of donations. ASTA pledged to match donations up to $1500 and Syngenta matched up to $3000 – all going to support Nourish for Knowledge, a program of the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

*Post Update* Syngenta reports that they collected over $1600 during the Seed Expo, which was matched by $1600 from Syngenta and $1500 from ASTA – for a grand total donation of more than $4700 to help feed Chicago area children. What a great effort!

I had the chance to chat with David about why Syngenta is one of ASTA’s strategic partners and the products they have and are developing to help increase food security worldwide.

Interview with David Morgan

ASTA-CSS Photo Album

USFRA Enters Year Three

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Chuck

ZimmCast 375 The U.S Farmers and Ranchers Alliance is entering its third year. Hard to believe that it has already been that long. The effort continues to gather steam though as you’ll hear in this week’s program.

In New York City just recently, USFRA held its annual meeting in conjunction with the Food Dialogues. here are the newly elected executive committee members.

Chairman – Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau Federation
Vice Chairman – Weldon Wynn, Cattlemen’s Beef Board
Secretary – Bernard Leonard, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
Treasurer – Dale Norton, National Pork Board
At-Large – Mike Geske, National Corn Growers Association
At-Large – Nancy Kavazanjian, United Soybean Board

In this week’s program you will hear statements from Bob Stallman and Weldon Wynn during their post-meeting press conference, an interview with past USFRA Secretary Bart Schott and an interview with USFRA Industry Partner Barry Nelson, John Deere. From these sound bites and interviews I think you’ll have a pretty good idea of where things stand with this industry effort to reach out to the customers of our farmers and ranchers.