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Heather's Choice Blueberry Cinnamon Breakfast

Independent Processor's Prime Cuts

Heather's Choice receives USDA grant of inspection

Backpacking foods company to expand its offerings with more beef, pork, chicken items.

July 10, 2018

Receiving a USDA Grant of Inspection allows Heather's Choice to start developing dehydrated meals with Alaskan-sourced beef, chicken, and pork.

Cover Story | 2018 Sausage Report

The 2018 Sausage Report: Showcasing new flavors

Sausage appeals to consumers who want premium quality, ethnic flavors and nostalgia.

Megan Pellegrini

July 3, 2018

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Brats, baseball, cookouts — basically the ingredients of summer. While sausage remains popular, more consumers say it has too much fat and too many calories. What's saving it? Reasonable prices, ethnic flavors and poultry sources.

Ray Rastelli Jr., Ray Rastelli III and Brittany Rastelli

Processor of the Year

2018 Processor of the Year: Rastelli Foods Group

Rastelli Foods Group has transformed itself as the go-to protein processor in the e-commerce (and home-shopping) segment, all while building its retail brand and growing its legacy retail, foodservice and export businesses.

Andy Hanacek

June 21, 2018

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Based on the success Rastelli Foods Group has experienced in the last year, the protein processor has been named The National Provisioner's 2018 Processor of the Year.

Formulation Strategies

Lunch trends: Consumers' snacking habits move into lunch

Megan Pellegrini

June 14, 2018

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At the retail deli counter, lunchmeat has always been the cornerstone of what makes its way into lunchboxes, until recently. Lunchmeat is showing signs of struggle as consumers change the way they eat, especially around lunch.

Independent Processor's Prime Cuts

The basics of fire insurance for small meat plants

Cole Williams

June 12, 2018

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While the risk of fire is high in a small meat plant, there are efficiencies that can be gained by asking your agent to do a few things that will allow you to maximize your coverage and ensure that your customers' products are covered at a fair price.

Independent Processor's Prime Cuts

Jensen Meats is making the consumer connection

In a relatively short time, Jensen Meats has gained a following among consumers as a leading burger processor.

Sam Gazdziak

June 12, 2018

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As food trends come and go, it becomes paramount that a meat processor be aware of consumer desires and develop products to meet those desires. In a category like burgers, where multiple trends are taking place, that company must be versatile enough to handle every need.

Lower Foods Owner/CEO Alan Lower with Sons

Lower Foods stays fiercely independent

Lower Foods' growth and expansion is designed to help the company remain a successful family-owned business.

Sam Gazdziak

June 11, 2018

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Lower Family Foods has remained a family tradition for four generations and more than 90 years of operation. Now, as a deli meat and cooked meat specialist, it is still working hard to be not only a top meat supplier and a good neighbor to its Richmond, Utah community.

The necessity of the slaughterhouse

For the meat industry to operate smoothly, there must be enough slaughter facilities to meet the demand.

Sam Gazdziak

June 8, 2018

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Consumers are projected to eat a record amount of meat, so there must be a steady supply of available protein. However, industry consolidation has reduced the amount of packers to a handful of dominant players, and federal regulations are so strict that some companies are closing down or exiting the slaughter side of the business.

Big burger ideas: How burgers are standing out

From high-quality patties to the "shock-and-awe" stunt burger, there is no shortage creativity in the burger world.

Sam Gazdziak

June 1, 2018

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The simple hamburger is a grand opportunity for any chef to don their mad scientist lab coat and get as creative as possible. Read a description of a burger in many restaurants, and you are likely to find exotic toppings, multiple proteins or consumer-friendly buzzwords.

A Runner Taking Off From Starting Blocks

Special Report

2018 Top 100 meat and poultry processors: The race is on

As processors pushed to make the most of good economic conditions in 2017, sales are up, acquisitions are occurring more frequently and expansion is happening in the meat and poultry industry.

Sam Gazdziak

May 25, 2018

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For the first time in recent memory, there is a new company at the top of The National Provisioner's annual Top 100 Meat and Poultry Processors Report. Backed by growth in its beef and pork divisions, JBS Holdings holds the top spot in this year’s survey of the meat and poultry industry.