Adding value to local food - Page 1 |
Previous | 1 of 10 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
|
Demand for local food has increased over the last decade. Many consumers believe local food is fresher, has less chemical contamination, and is of higher quality than imported food (Sloan 2007). For instance, millennials—those who came of age in the early part of the 2000s—are more concerned than previous generations about the origins of their food (Halzack 2015). Millennials, like people across all age groups, are leading very busy lives, often with little time or desire to cook at home. While a growing number of consumers are paying closer attention to the origins of their food, they also want convenience built into their food choices—flavorful options that are less perishable than farm-fresh products and require minimal preparation at home. How do you generate more money from local beef, milk, seafood, or produce? One way is to enhance the value of these foods to consumers. A broad view of adding value is to transform food from its original state to a more marketable state. For instance, you could change sensory qualities, portion size, or convenience of preparation to make products more appealing to consumers. Examples of increasing economic value include removing the shells from wild-caught shrimp so the final product is ready-to-cook right out of the package, dehydrating or freezing vegetables to extend their shelf life, or crafting cheeses or ice cream from dairy products. In each case, the value to the customer is enhanced. Consider attributes consumers want in their food—for example, no preservatives or genetically modified ingredients, ease of preparation, unique flavors, or extended shelf life. By creating goods with those desired features, producers can generate differentiated products that are no longer simple commodities. Similar products compete against each other in the marketplace, but differentiation allows producers to tailor their pricing and market strategy to generate consumer awareness and loyalty. Furthermore, new ingredient and manufacturing technologies now allow processors to meet consumers’ rising expectations for health, taste appeal, and convenience. Manufacturing a new food product, however, is not as simple as preparing a home meal. As a producer, you need to understand how to select, receive, portion, weigh, blend, and cook mass quantities of ingredients using different processing technologies. You also need to know about and comply with state and federal food-safety regulations and inspection requirements to safely process your product and protect public health. Assessments must be conducted to learn where to apply monitoring and control measures at raw materials receiving and during processing and storage. These evaluations will ensure your new products are safe for consumers to eat. Adding Value to Local Food Local Foods
Object Description
Description
Title | Adding value to local food - Page 1 |
Full Text | Demand for local food has increased over the last decade. Many consumers believe local food is fresher, has less chemical contamination, and is of higher quality than imported food (Sloan 2007). For instance, millennials—those who came of age in the early part of the 2000s—are more concerned than previous generations about the origins of their food (Halzack 2015). Millennials, like people across all age groups, are leading very busy lives, often with little time or desire to cook at home. While a growing number of consumers are paying closer attention to the origins of their food, they also want convenience built into their food choices—flavorful options that are less perishable than farm-fresh products and require minimal preparation at home. How do you generate more money from local beef, milk, seafood, or produce? One way is to enhance the value of these foods to consumers. A broad view of adding value is to transform food from its original state to a more marketable state. For instance, you could change sensory qualities, portion size, or convenience of preparation to make products more appealing to consumers. Examples of increasing economic value include removing the shells from wild-caught shrimp so the final product is ready-to-cook right out of the package, dehydrating or freezing vegetables to extend their shelf life, or crafting cheeses or ice cream from dairy products. In each case, the value to the customer is enhanced. Consider attributes consumers want in their food—for example, no preservatives or genetically modified ingredients, ease of preparation, unique flavors, or extended shelf life. By creating goods with those desired features, producers can generate differentiated products that are no longer simple commodities. Similar products compete against each other in the marketplace, but differentiation allows producers to tailor their pricing and market strategy to generate consumer awareness and loyalty. Furthermore, new ingredient and manufacturing technologies now allow processors to meet consumers’ rising expectations for health, taste appeal, and convenience. Manufacturing a new food product, however, is not as simple as preparing a home meal. As a producer, you need to understand how to select, receive, portion, weigh, blend, and cook mass quantities of ingredients using different processing technologies. You also need to know about and comply with state and federal food-safety regulations and inspection requirements to safely process your product and protect public health. Assessments must be conducted to learn where to apply monitoring and control measures at raw materials receiving and during processing and storage. These evaluations will ensure your new products are safe for consumers to eat. Adding Value to Local Food Local Foods |