Unitherm Food Systems’ new, fully equipped kitchen is inviting European food processors to “kick the tires” on the latest cooking and freezing high-volume, high speed equipment options the company has to offer.

Located just outside of London in Ashford, UK, the newly opened kitchen allows European food processors to test a variety of cooking and freezing options and to optimize the equipment and the process before they put down a penny.

The facility houses a Micro Spiral Oven, the world’s smallest spiral oven measured by its 2m X 1.5 m footprint; equipment that can smoke a ham in a minute; infrared pasteurization equipment that in less than 60 seconds extends shelf-life by more than 30% compared to other methods; a flame grill with the most ribbon burners in the industry that produce bar-marks for a flame grilled appearance; and a newly released machine called the Tunnel of Fire that can flame roast chicken in 30 seconds.

Meyn-Ishida has just won its fourth major contract since its official launch in January 2011. The project involves the delivery and installation of a complete wall-to-wall plant adjacent to the existing factory for Wipasz in Poland, and will be among the most valuable to be initiated in the European poultry processing industry this year.

The first task of Meyn-Ishida will be to replace the existing live bird arrival system and to upgrade the current bulk pack operation with advanced weighing and tray packing capabilities to enable it to produce a more sophisticated range of products. The next step will be to deliver and install Meyn-Ishida equipment for a completely new processing plant. Both steps will be accomplished during 2011-2013.

“Our commitment to the poultry processing industry is demonstrated by our choice of state-of-the art technology that will put Wipasz on a level with Europe’s top producers” says Józef Wisniewski, CEO of Wipasz.

Marel has announced several new hires. Will Sumner has joined the company as a product specialist – Meat and Poultry Harvesting. He will assist the sales teams in driving Marel’s meat and poultry harvesting equipment into the fresh meats, poultry and further processing plants in the United States and Canada. Additionally, he is responsible for recognizing opportunities for innovation in meat harvesting and is expected to communicate these innovation opportunities to the internal organization for possible development.

David Hull has joined Marel Fresh Meats Division as Southwest territory sales manager. He will be responsible for developing new equipment and software sales and for serving Marel fresh meats customers in the Southwest region.

Tom Rourke has joined Marel as the West Central Territory sales manager in the Fresh Meats Division. Rourke is responsible for developing new equipment and software sales and for serving Marel fresh meats customers in the West Central region (KS, NE, CO, SD, ND, MT & OR).

OCS Checkweighers conducted some major upgrades to its website, like the new online published training schedule and online registration form, making it easy to sign up for checkweigher training. In addition, the website goes international with five languages to choose from and an animated world map showing OCS’s offices and distribution partners worldwide.

Also available in several languages are the product brochures and success stories featuring well-known companies like Procter & Gamble. Additionally, users can take a virtual tour of major exhibitions, watch product videos and learn about OCS in general and the company’s latest news and events.

Food Safety Net Services has entered into a strategic partnership with AdvancePierre Foods to provide outsourced laboratory testing, consultation and general food safety programs.

FSNS, a national network of laboratory, auditing and consulting services will provide AdvancePierre routine and non-routine testing. FSNS provides AdvancePierre with the technical expertise needed to ensure all products meet or exceed FDA, USDA and general food safety guidelines.

Bill Toler, CEO of AdvancePierre Foods, stated, “Food safety has always been a top priority for AdvancePierre Foods, and we are proud of our excellent record. We are pleased to partner with FSNS to add an extra layer of support and testing above and beyond our current programs, providing even more confidence for our growing customer base.”

Paratherm Corporation has recently announced that George Schreiber will fill the role of General Manager, moving from his previous position as Food Industry Market Manager. Schreiber has more than 30 years of experience in the chemical and plastics industry with E.I. DuPont de Nemours. He has held roles in plant operations, market development and marketing.

Vitiva has opened its new, key sales office in Southern Germany, in response to the growing regional market demand for Vitiva’s natural total food-protection and food-enhancement customized ingredient systems. Norbert Huber has taken the position of Area Sales Manager and will lead Vitiva’s operation in Germany, Austria and part of Switzerland.

“While Vitiva has enjoyed a strong presence in Germany, serving customers for a decade with its unique natural solutions, the new office will enable comprehensive and direct local service to the rapidly growing customer base,” says Ohad Cohen, CEO of Vitiva.

Industry News

The National Meat Association has scheduled a webinar, “Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products,” for Wednesday, June 22. The objective of this 90-minute webinar is to provide participants guidance in complying with the Final Rule on “Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products & Ground or Chopped Meat & Poultry,” which has an implementation date of January 1, 2012.

The speaker will be Lamar Hendricks, a labeling expert and the former director of regulatory compliance for Sarah Lee Foods. The session is scheduled for 10:00am-11:30am Pacific on June 22. Registration for the webinar is $99 for NMA members and $149 for non-members. For more information, go to www.nmaonline.org.

Hormel Foodservice has launched a comprehensive advertising campaign designed to inform and educate foodservice operators of the potential food safety risks associated with deli meats.

In 2005, the company made a major investment in bringing High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) equipment on site and named the proprietary technology TrueTaste Technology. Hormel Foods was the first, and remains the only, company in the industry that oversees the HPP process directly on its own premises.

Hormel Foodservice has set out to educate operators on deli meat contamination, and offer a solution – Hormel® Natural Choice® and Bread Ready® sliced deli meats, both of which undergo High Pressure Pastuerization.

The food safety campaign includes impactful print and digital ads in industry publications. A food safety website, which includes a video demonstration of High Pressure Pasteurization, as well as links to additional resources, further emphasizes that Hormel Foodservice is committed to deli meat food safety. For more information, visit www.hormelfoodservice.com/foodsafety.

Kendall College announced the launch of a new bachelor’s degree program in foodservice management, focused on preparing graduates for careers in network-based, large scale institutional and corporate foodservice operations.

The program, offered by Kendall’s School of Business, educates students in foodservice operations, logistics, procurement, nutrition, marketing, merchandising and retailing. The program prepares graduates for careers with food manufacturers, suppliers, nursing and residential care facilities, sports and entertainment service providers, educational services and schools, food marketing firms, and food retailers.

“Today’s foodservice market is competitive, and an increasing number of employers prefer to hire graduates who have degrees in a related field,” said Michelle Coussens, dean of the Kendall College School of Business. “At Kendall College, we have a long tradition of educating students in the fields of culinary arts, hospitality management and business. This innovative new business degree program leverages the strengths of our schools and provides students with a solid foundation to enter the growing and specialized areas of food production, retailing and distribution.”

Meat Industry Hall of Fame Names Class of 2011

The Board of Trustees has announced that 12 new Members have been elected to the Meat Industry Hall of Fame. The Class of 2011 was chosen from a list of more than 60 nominees in voting last month by the Trustees and all the living Members of the Hall. The nominees included industry executives, scientists, innovators and association leaders from all sectors of the livestock, meatpacking and poultry processing industries.

The members of the Class of 2011 include:

Alan Simon,

Chairman and CEO, Omaha Steaks (retired)

Clarence Becker,

President, Becker Food Co. (posthumous)

Dale Huffman, Ph.D.

Professor and Researcher, Auburn University (retired)

Eldon Roth

Founder, BPI Inc.

George Watts

President, National Chicken Council (retired)

Jack Allen

Professor Emeritus of Food Marketing, Michigan State University

John Bryan

Former Board Chairman and CEO, Sara Lee Corp. (retired)

John Story

Vice President of Meat Marketing, Fairway Foods (retired)

Manny Rosenthal

Chairman Emeritus, Standard Meat Co. (posthumous)

Mel Salomon

Chairman, Allen Brothers (retired)

Phil Clemens

Chairman, Hatfield Quality Meats

Robert Madiera

Executive Director, American Association of Meat Processors (posthumous)

“This year’s class is representative of some of the industry’s true pioneers,” said Chuck Jolley, president and founder of the Hall of Fame. “Our Trustees and Members have chosen an elite group of leaders who have not only achieved remarkable business success but have spent their careers contributing to the progress of the entire industry. We are delighted to be able to honor this group, who truly represent the best of the best, both in business and in life.”

“Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing virtually every one of our new Members,” said Dan Murphy, Hall of Fame Executive Director and a former industry trade magazine editor. “The Class of 2011 is a group of leaders who are outstanding examples of the innovation, integrity and service that characterize the values we cherish as Americans. They represent one of our nation’s fundamental industries and we’re proud to celebrate their accomplishments and their legacies.”

The induction ceremony will take place on Nov. 1, 2011, at Chicago’s Union League Club. The dinner and presentation ceremony coincides with Process Expo, a Hall of Fame sponsor.