March/April 2019 - 4

THE PROCESS
ZEKE JENNINGS
Office 616-887-9008
Fresh-cut for Fido
Humans' obsession with their pets has reached an all-time
high. With under-40s - millennials and Gen Z - waiting
longer to get married and have children, dogs and cats are often
No. 1 in their lives.
Just like wanting to know all the ins and outs
Zeke Jennings
Managing Editor
of the backstory of purchases for themselves,
they use the same philosophy on food for their
precious fur babies.
* What's in it?
* Where was it grown?
* What chemicals were used?
* Is it environmentally responsible?
* Who handled it?
* Are they being treated well?
These are answers today's socially and healthconscious
consumer looks for when reading a label or pulling out
their smartphone to research a product before purchasing. They
taken an attitude of, " What's good for me is good for my pet. "
It's no secret that fruits and vegetables are a big part of a
healthy diet for human beings, but they also are used in a growing
number of pet foods.
In a story on Page 13, Kathy Gibbons examines the use of
produce in pet food. Dana Brooks of the Pet Food Institute said,
" We mimic our pets' diets to our diets and our needs. We're
seeing that shift. "
Some have even gone as far as putting their pet on a plantbased
diet, although doing so is controversial because dogs and
cats are natural carnivores. Cats, especially, have specific dietary
needs that plants alone can't meet, according to the American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
While having Fido go totally vegan is questionable, what is
not is that pet food is nearly a $30 billion market in the U.S.
and produce is becoming a growing part of it.
Also in this issue, we have a look at an interesting new facility
run by Michigan State University. The Food Processing and
Innovation Center (FPIC), which opened last year, is something of
a new playground for food producers. It has a unique collection
of equipment to experiment with, but unlike most incubators, it
also has the capability to create regulated, market-ready lines
that can be sold commercially. Facility director Matt Birbeck
was clear: FPIC isn't an incubator, but a " leasable factory. "
Be sure to check it out on Page 10.
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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March/April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March/April 2019
