Category: News

  • SFPA University 2024 Launches With Three Important Webinar Sessions

    SFPA University 2024 Launches With Three Important Webinar Sessions

    Important Learning For Plant & Management Personnel

    Clemson Professor Scott Whiteside to lead three important SFPA University learning events.

    Mark your calendars and tell us you want to participate in three SFPA University webinars coming in the first half of 2024. Led by Professor Scott Whiteside of Clemson University, the sessions will be of particular interest to plant personnel as well as those involved in product and packaging integrity.

    SFPA University is an important benefit of SFPA offering free learning sessions for its member company’s employees. The sessions are offered online to reduce travel time and costs associated with off-site training. Each session is offered at 2pm EDT enabling plant personnel shift workers to end their workday with the learning session or second shift personnel to view. The sessions will also be recorded for use anytime following the session. Last year’s online sessions involving human resources drew more than 70 participants as several members gathered employees in groups to participate in the sessions.

    This year, SFPA Associate or Processor members can sponsor an SFPA University session at $300 per session. Each sponsorship will include the company’s logo and a description of the sponsor’s services and their benefits to SFPA members. Contact Kay Rentzel (kayrentzel@sfpafood.org) at least two weeks prior to an SFPA session if you are interested.

    Session One, April 24th, 2pm – Food Safety Insights, FSMA

    The first learning session of the year will cover important updates and insights on food safety and the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). “Nothing is more important than assuring that the foods we provide to consumers is safe,” says Scott Whiteside. This session will cover the key components of assuring food safety, recent examples of how food contamination case studies and an update to the latest advancements in FSMA.

    About 48 million people in the U.S. (1 in 6) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a significant public health burden that is largely preventable.

    “Few things can be more damaging to a food company’s reputation than being responsible for getting people sick or having a recall due to a food safety issue,” Whiteside says. “This session will be an important one.”

    Session Two, May 24th, 2pm – Shelf Life Study Design

    “At Clemson, we get a lot of questions from food manufacturers involving how to determine the shelf life of their products and how to extend shelf life, especially those that involve flexible packaging,” say Whiteside. “This session will cover the multiple factors involved in the degradation of foods in packaging and how to design a shelf life methodology for particular products manufactured by our processor members.” This session will be of particular interest in those involved in packaging, research and development and new product development.

    Session Three July 17th, 2pm – Packaging Integrity

    “We have an entire laboratory at Clemson dedicated to testing package integrity, so our insights are unique on the topic,” says Whiteside. This session will offer important information on how to protect products from transport damage which can save SFPA member processors a lot of money each year. The session will be of particular interest to those who select or procure packaging materials and those involved in packaging within a plant and logistics.

    Contact Kay Rentzel To Sign Up For These SFPA University Sessions!

    Be sure to contact SFPA Executive Director Kay Rentzel at kayrentzel@sfpafood.org to sign up your company’s personnel or to sign up as an individual for any or all of these three sessions that kicks off the first part of 2024’s SFPA University sessions that are absolutely free to members.

  • 2024 SFPA Scholarship Applications Now Available

    2024 SFPA Scholarship Applications Now Available

    Deadline Set For May 15th

    2024 SFPA Scholarship applications are now available from our website.

    One of the exceptional benefits of your SFPA membership is to provide opportunities for college scholarships to the children of your employees through the association. This year’s scholarship applications are now available with the deadline for submissions set for May 15th.

    “We offer multiple scholarships to students who apply each year and look forward to reviewing this year’s applicants,” says Cecilia Brock, Chairman of the association’s scholarship committee.

    Two types of scholarships are offered each year by the SFPA. Most notable is the Employee/Child Scholarship that enables the child to attend any accredited college with any major of study. This is a significant benefit, especially for plant workers who may be more interested in financial support for their child’s post-secondary education. Senior management at SFPA member companies will be provided with an electronic file of posters (one English, one in Spanish) that can be printed and posted in plant and office lunchrooms and bulletin boards. The posters offer information on how to download the scholarship application on the SFPA website and a QR Code to access the application via a smartphone.

    Students are asked to complete the application form and e-mail the form to Executive Director Kay Rentzel by midnight May 15th.

    A second scholarship is available to students in the Food Sciences and intended for universities aligned with southern states including North Carolina State, University of Tennessee, University of Georgia, Clemson University and University of Alabama. This scholarship is intended to further the valuable talent pool of food science graduates that can benefit SFPA member companies who may hire them as employees. Both the Employee/Child and the Food Science Scholarship applications are available now at https://sfpafood.org/scholarships/. 

    Winners of the 2024 scholarships will be contacted prior to the SFPA’s annual convention and announced to the association’s membership at the event.

  • Don’t Miss Our Southeastern Food Processors Association Convention Coming To HHI!

    Don’t Miss Our Southeastern Food Processors Association Convention Coming To HHI!

    One of America’s top island destinations awaits your registration to the SFPA Convention.

    If you haven’t registered for our Southeastern Food Processors Association (SFPA) Annual Convention, coming October 18th through the 20th, do it today! The SFPA is the largest regional food processors organization in the Sunbelt and we’re making this year’s gathering extra special. Register now.

    Food processors and associate members cover the gamete of national and regional brands who call the Southeast home. From Bush Brothers to Garner Foods, makers of Texas Pete® Hot Sauce and Green Mountain Gringo® Salsa, Sauer Brands, of Duke’s® mayo fame, Mt. Olive Pickles, and McCall Farms (one of America’s largest canned foods companies with multiple brands) as well as House-Autry Mills, Palmetto Processing, Boone Brands, Moody Dunbar and many more, the SFPA represents a heritage of nearly 80 years of feeding American families.

    The Sonesta Resort is one of the pearls of discovery for SFPA members in 2023.
    The Sonesta Resort is one of the pearls of discovery for SFPA members in 2023.

    “We are launching a new format for this year’s convention that begins on Wednesday and closes on Friday to allow attendees to free up their weekend for a few extra days, stay at the beach or head home,” says Executive Director Kay Rentzel. “Hilton Head Island is one of America’s top island destinations, so bring your spouse or significant other and learn, network, and just have fun.”

    This year’s convention will be held at one of the island’s top resorts, Sonesta Resort in the Shipyard Plantation. Boasting an oceanfront location with on-site restaurants, fitness center, lagoon-style pool, and full-service spa. There is easy access to tennis, bicycle rentals and off-site restaurants, shopping, island cruises and entertainment.

    Bring your golf clubs and be ready for our Annual SFPA Golf Tournament at the Shipyard Plantation Golf Club.

    The Shipyard Golf Club encompasses three unique courses comprising 27 holes of exceptional challenges.
    The Shipyard Golf Club encompasses three unique courses comprising 27 holes of exceptional challenges.

    Todd Schultz of Bush Beans and SFPA Tournament Chairman, says be ready for a great Thursday afternoon of golf and relationship-building and just plain fun. The tournament will follow Captain’s Choice rules, with winning teams recognized during Friday night’s Annual Charity Auction and Dinner.

    The convention’s opening day, on Wednesday, Oct. 18th begins with registration and exhibit set up at 4pm, followed by a welcome reception at the resort’s beach pavilion at 6pm. The much-loved SFPA hospitality suite opens at 9pm.

    Sonesta’s Beach Pavilion is the site of the Welcome Reception and Thursday’s Dinner & Fun Night.
    Sonesta’s Beach Pavilion is the site of the Welcome Reception and Thursday’s Dinner & Fun Night.

    Thursday, breakfast begins at 7am with the general session beginning at 8am and ending at 11:30 am to make way for members preparing for the convention’s annual golf tournament that begins at 1pm or free time for others. A Dinner & Fun Night at the beach pavilion begins at 6pm followed by the hospitality suite opening at 9pm.

    Bring some beach chairs for you and your honey during convention breaks designed to let you unwind.
    Bring some beach chairs for you and your honey during convention breaks designed to let you unwind.

    Friday, it’s breakfast at 7am and the general session beginning at 8am and ending at 11:30am. There’ll be plenty of free time for lounging, biking, shopping, or basking in the South Carolina sun. At 6pm the annual benefit auction for SFPA scholarships begins with the annual banquet hosted by the SFPA’s Board of Directors.

    The Annual Charity Auction & Dinner

    Proceeds from the SFPA’s Annual Charity Auction & Banquet go toward two reasons why our organization is so special. The SFPA Employee Child Scholarship goes to the children of SFPA member companies who apply each year. Students can apply with any major to a four-year college or university. A second SFPA Food Technology Scholarship goes to students majoring in food-related and affiliated southeastern universities. Winning students of this year’s scholarships will be announced and recognized for their achievement.

    If you are a SFPA member, be sure to bring an item to donate to the auction and be ready to bid big and bid often to maintain the scholarship fund.

    Education is an important part of each SFPA Convention offered during morning General Sessions. Here are some of the speakers set for this year’s General Session.

     

    Ray Starling

    Ray Starling
    General Counsel, NC Chamber of Commerce

    As general counsel of the NC Chamber and president of the NC Chamber Legal Institute, Ray sets strategy for litigation of the NC Chamber, the NC Chamber Legal Institute and its affiliated entities.

    Prior to joining the NC Chamber team, Ray served as chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue where he coordinated execution of the Secretary’s policy agenda for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a $140 billion agency with more than 100,000 employees. Ray focused on regulatory and deregulatory initiatives and acted as a point of contact for stakeholders throughout agriculture and rural communities.

    In the fall of 2022, Starling released his book Farmers Versus Foodies in which he shares some perspective on the question of who will call the shots for the future of the farming and food system in the United States and beyond. The book is an Amazon best seller and has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

     

    Brad Rose

    Brad Rose
    Rose Research

    Rose Research provides actionable research, consulting, and analysis on a global platform. The company has developed long-term relationships with some of the nation’s largest research organizations. The firm is known for its cutting-edge research tools, including – Sale Prediction Capabilities, Agri-Research Evaluations, Customer Satisfaction Studies, Mobile Survey Techniques, Online Interactive Solutions, Market Assessments, Competitive Analysis, etc.

     

    Tom O'Shea

    Tom O’Shea
    Egan Co.

    Egan Company will present the benefits of automation controls in manufacturing and the latest and greatest technology available to provide additional efficiency to food processing that turns ideas into reality and problems into solutions.

     

    Scott Whiteside

    Dr. Scott Whiteside
    Clemson University

    Dr. Whiteside will offer updates on the latest food packaging and innovation emerging in food plants nationwide. His expertise is in food safety, thermal food processing, food product shelf life, and food packaging.

    A special offer to potential new SFPA processor members this year includes a free one-year membership to the association when you attend this year’s convention. Here you can meet and network with association members and understand the value of you affiliation with our professional organization. Contact Executive Director Kay Rentzel to discuss the free offer.

    If you are a provider of services to the food industry and an Associate Member of the SFPA be sure to contact Kay Rentzel for special opportunities to sponsor events and activities within the convention.

  • The 36% Marketing Opportunity

    New Report Shows A 36% Opportunity To Land New Customers

    Catalina, a marketing company that monitors buyer behavior, recently reported a statistic that is both frightening and exciting. It speaks to the opportunity every company has in losing and landing a new customer.

    The report noted that of the top 100 Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands, most were either down or flat in sales during the first half of 2015. It also noted that 90 of those 100 brands lost market share. Disappointing if you are a Proctor & Gamble or Kraft. The news is inspiring if you are a new brand or one that’s not among the top 100.

    For example, among the grocery category there has been a 5.2% increase in sales, but among 10 brands within the top 100, sales were down 2.3%. Among refrigerated meats, growth was 11% while brands in that category were off .4%.

    So who is buying all of these products and why are they not reaching for top brands with literally billions of dollars in advertising and marketing behind them? The answer is that the consumer is switching to other national brands or private label. Brand shifting had the greatest negative impact on declining top 100 brands.

    The real opportunity is in knocking off some of those consumers who are open to trying a new brand. Secondly, the survey noted that at any one time a category will loose approximately 36% of its shoppers. Think about it, when the kid grows out of diapers and baby food, most parents are ready to depart the category.

    The trick for growing sales is three fold. Understand that brand loyalty is down among top brands as consumers look for something new. Know that more than 30% of the buyers in a category will leave in a year, so advertising, social media, PR and in-store merchandising is key to encourage trial of buyers entering your category. Lastly, growing volume among active buyers in your category is key. While he or she may not be a customer for life, encourage opportunities for them to load up on your products while they are customers. While some companies shudder at offer a buy 2, get one free offer, by encouraging them to load their pantry, you preserve the customer from needing to consider switching brands a little longer.

    Want to take a deeper dive into the Catalina report? Just click (http://bit.ly/1hwgufK)

  • How to Create Content for the Internet

    Content Marketing Starts with Smart Thinking

    Content marketing has a fundamental goal of driving traffic to your site. For most, it is either too expensive or labor-intensive a proposition to do anything about it. As a result, we witness so many sites that are stale and abandoned. Here are some fundamental ideas on how to generate more content that can make your site, and your company, more visible and dynamic.

    1. Consider using a site platform that is easy to update content. At the heart of content marketing is the ease in which your website can be updated with new content internally. WordPress, Acquia Drupal, and Confluence are platforms that allow someone to update content, photos, videoes without being a coding wizard. The more effort and energy it takes to get your site updated, the less likely you will be in creating fresh content.
    2. Look around your organization. You will be surprised what you will find. White papers, PowerPoints presentations, research, that you don’t think gives your competition an edge is game for assembling into content your target audience would think is interesting or of value.
    3. Think like a target, not like a marketer. Simply said, I encourage you to occasionally post content that does not directly point to you, but to a topic that is of extreme interest to your target audience. Look, it can’t always be about you.
    4. Be smart about SEO. There is a reason the first words of the headline of this post and the first words of body copy are on my topic of content marketing – see, I said it again. First words are important.
    5. I assume that you have some talented writers who like to tell stories in your organization. If not, find a person who is the most inquisitive in your group and assign them the journey of being your person responsible for creating new content. Check with them weekly on their progress.

    We’ll post more on the topic, but these 5 basics can build your current level of new content you produce this year. Set a goal of doubling the amount you produce this year over last and you’ll earn more traffic to your site.

  • What Americans Eat

    America’s dining habit, shared by Harry Balzer of the NPD Group, recently at a conference I attended. For a guy in the foodservice marketing business, the data Harry shared was extraordinary for putting into perspective the eating habits of today’s consumer.

    NPD began asking consumers to document what they eat and drink at home or in a restaurant for 14 days back in the late 1970s. Thus, a comparison of current data from those of a few decades ago can serve as a reality check for food marketers. Here is just a taste of what America eats:

    • In 1978, the most-ordered item in a restaurant was a carbonated soft drink. In 2014, the most-ordered item in a restaurant was…a carbonated soft drink.
    • In 1984, 41% of meals eaten out were consumed at an independent restaurant. Last year, that number was 26% – thus the growth of restaurant chains.
    • Among Millennials (18-34), the fastest-growing eating places for them included five convenience stores of their top 10 fastest growing food destinations.
    • Chipotle was the top restaurant choice for Millennials and Gen X (35-49) consumers. The top choice for Baby Boomers? McDonald’s.
    • What are the fastest growing food items of the last decade? Pizza, up 10% in the last decade is number three, followed by bottled water and Yogurt, up 12%. For those declining the most in consumption during the decade? Gelatin (Jello) tops the list at -4.6%, followed by pot roast, toast and fruit drinks.
    • What is the most-eaten vegetable of 2014, excluding the potato? Topping the list is the onion, followed by tomatoes, lettuce and corn.

    Harry also shared some eye-openers on trends that make news headlines. We’ve heard so much about kale. So much so, that you might feel a bit guilty that you haven’t gotten on board the kale train. Take heart, although kale consumption has doubled in 10 years, kale today sees only 2.5% of American’s eating kale once in a two week period.

    Lastly, there is a sobering point from NPD on restaurant visits. In 2000, a typical consumer would visit a restaurant for a meal 215 times in a year. In 2014, the number had slipped to 191. Price increases, a sagging economy during the past decade drove consumers back home for their meals, or more snacking away from home.

    Balzer summed it up by saying that there is not a lot of significant variation in America’s diet. The sandwich is still the most popular item that we eat, just as it was decades ago. Smart food companies will invest on enhancements to what we already eat. Harry says, “Stick with what is familiar with a consumer’s menu, but add a novel twist that promotes trial.”