July/August 2019 - 4

THE PROCESS
ZEKE JENNINGS
Office 616-887-9008
Consumers' need
for ease a good
sign for processors
Convenience and variety, but mostly convenience.
That is what modern consumers want from the food industry.
Statistics show fewer and fewer people are taking fresh fruits
and vegetables and preparing meals at home.
They're leaving that up to you, whether it
through foodservice or ready-to-eat kits, mixes,
canned goods, frozen meals or other grocery
shelf-ready items.
Take one of the most versatile vegetable crops
out there for example - potatoes.
In 2017, U.S. potato growers sold more than
Zeke Jennings
Managing Editor
41 billion pounds of spuds - keep in mind
that the U.S. isn't even among the top three
potato-producing nations in the world. Sixtyeight
percent of them went to processors, whether frozen fries,
hash brown patties, instant mashed potatoes or whatever else.
Only 26% went to the fresh market.
Thirty years ago, those numbers were nearly reversed.
Consumers speak with their money and they're continually
saying " you do it for us and we'll pay a premium price. "
Ready-to-eat salad and meal kits. Raw fruits and veggies that
have been chopped or sliced just so they can be ready to snack on.
Consumers will even pay extra for unbaked potatoes wrapped
in tinfoil just so they don't have to do it themselves. That is
somewhat mind boggling to me, but they do it. They can't wait
to see what food producers do next to cut a step from their eating
process, no matter how small that step may be.
As millennials and Gen Z continue to become larger buying
groups within the market, that trend is likely to continue in
the coming years.
It is an exciting time to be a food producer. The population is
growing and is willing to pay for you to do the work for them.
The opportunities are endless.
Managing Editor Zeke Jennings, 616-520-2159
zjennings@greatamericanpublish.com
Advertising Andrea Schafer, 616-520-2139
prosales@produceprocessing.net
Editorial Director Lee Dean, 616-520-2150
proedit@produceprocessing.net
Creative Director Kristina Howell, 616-520-2168
khowell@greatamericanpublish.com
Multimedia Designer Greg Ryan, 616-520-2145
proproduction@produceprocessing.net
Production Assistant Samantha Orsi, 616-520-2148
sorsi@greatamericanpublish.com
Group Marketing Melissa Gray, 616-520-2153
Director mgray@greatamericanpublish.com
Digital Content Ana Olvera, 616-520-2171
Director aolvera@greatamericanpublish.com
Custom Content Jess Schmidt, 616-520-2141
Manager jschmidt@greatamericanpublish.com
Circulation Becky Stovall, 616-520-2138
circulation@produceprocessing.net
Billing Sally Ostman, 616-520-2136
accounting@produceprocessing.net
Contributing Editors Gary Pullano, 616-520-2144
Stephen Kloosterman, 616-520-2152
COO & Director of Kimberly Baker, 616-520-2135
Custom Media kbaker@greatamericanpublish.com
CEO Matt McCallum, 616-520-2133
publisher@produceprocessing.net
Editorial Advisory Board
Adrienne Seiling, American Frozen Food Institute
Bob Swartwout, Direct Advantage
Rudi Groppe, Heinzen Manufacturing International
Lou Cooperhouse, Rutgers Food Innovation Center
Sherrie Rosenblatt, Can Manufacturers Institute
ISSN 2375-3447
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Phone: 616-887-9008 Fax: 616-887-2666
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The opinions and views expressed by authors, contributors and advertisers
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email Zeke:
zjennings@greatamericanpublish.com
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July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July/August 2019
