Meat & Poultry -- January 2014 - 25

Engineers

THE MASCHHOFFS

of portion cutting
quality increased profitability in this

segmentation in pork and poultry. "At

department by $388,734.

times, we hear the debate of whether

GNP Company's employee sug-

we should feed the world or produce

gestion program yielded 1,595 sug-

an ultra, high-quality, premium prod-

gestions in 2012 and 512 were adopted

uct," he says. "In our mind, it's 'all of

for a total savings of $468,978. GNP

the above'. Both segments are growing.

also paid $69,892 to team members

We're seeing more emphasis placed on

for participating in this program that

meat quality and eating quality at the

year. By mid-December 2013, GNP

premium end of the market."

FALCON hybrid

had received 1,555 suggestions, and
434 had been adopted.

Happy together

One employee suggestion was re-

Although employees of newly acquired

cently initiated at GNP Company's

firms may be apprehensive about their

Luverne processing plant. Bags of un-

future, reaction from GNP Compa-

sealed product occasionally fell off

ny team-members and growers about

a conveyor onto the floor, so a team

its acquisition has been very positive,

member suggested adding a guide

Helgeson says. "Jason and I recently

rail to restrain the bags and prevent

visited all of our locations and spoke

products from falling. Annual sav-

directly with our team members about

ings based on product not having to

the acquisition," he adds. "Our peo-

be discarded was $1,900.

ple understand why we're doing it,

DRAGON

they see the opportunities for future

Addressing trends

growth and they are very excited to

Another thing that attracted The

partner with a company like The

Maschhoffs to GNP Company is the

Maschhoffs.

growth opportunities they have with

"One benefit of being privately held

existing and potential new custom-

is you can take a longer-term perspec-

ers. "We see the macro-trends driving

tive on the business, as we have histori-

pork and chicken as being very simi-

cally," he adds. "This is also The Mas-

lar," Logsdon says. "We like the tail

chhoffs' view. Taking a long-term view

winds the industry has from a grow-

is important for the future growth and

ing global demand base for protein,

success of the company."

PUMA EB

especially in developing countries."
From a consumer perspective,

Challenges await

Logsdon sees a product trend toward

Controlling future growth while di-

a higher standard of natural and mini-

versifying into a new line of business

mal. On trend is GNP Company's Just

will be a major challenge. "The chal-

BARE brand of products - as there are

lenge is to utilize this opportunity to

no antibiotics and no animal byprod-

sharpen our focus within our particu-

ucts used during the rearing process.

lar business units and not lose focus,"

"We have an aging population that's

Logsdon says. "Keeping the delinea-

See us at

eating very differently, smaller portion

tion [between the two business units]

booth #6765

sizes...and a growing share of ethni-

while still tapping into existing syner-

cally diverse consumers in the US,"

gies will be challenging. The oppor-

he adds.

tunities are to accelerate the pace of

Logsdon also sees consumer

innovation while growing our market

www.treif.com
203-929-9930
www.MeatPoultry.com * January 2014 * Meat&Poultry * 25

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Meat & Poultry -- January 2014

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