The American Cured Meat Championships, held every year at the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) Convention, brings together some of the top cured meats experts in the country.

When the Coronavirus pandemic led to panic buying of meat products, processors had to work harder than ever to maintain a steady supply of meat for American consumers. They are not the only ones working hard at this time. Texas Food Solutions, a third-party HPP (high-pressure processing) toller in Katy, Texas, has been in high demand as well.

According to Nielsen, first quarter dollar sales of private label products across all retail outlets compared to the year before climbed nearly 15% during the first quarter, up $4.9 billion. Total dollar sales of store brands in the first quarter were $38.4 billion and units were 13.2 billion.

The hamburger is an iconic part of American cuisine, but other countries have had their own developments and innovations in the burger world as well. 

New brands spring up every day, to capitalize on the changing consumer trends. When shoppers started looking for healthier meat products, meat cases soon filled with products that were antibiotic-free, GMO-free or organic.

Texas Tech University, known to many as the Red Raiders, was founded in 1923 and is located in Lubbock, Texas. The Meat Science Program is housed within the Department of Animal and Food Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. 

Before there was refrigeration, there was the country ham. Though the product itself goes back generations, today’s top processors have found ways to appeal to the contemporary consumer.

The American Association of Meat Processors welcomes Niki Cloud to the position of Convention Manager/Membership Services Coordinator. 

What will be your favorite part of the AAMP Convention? Will it be the educational sessions, the trade show, networking with old and new friends, or perhaps the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC)?

I don’t need to tell you that we are living and working in unprecedented times. Business has been good, but not without its challenges. Independent processors all across the country have worked tirelessly to find ways to meet the demand of a growing customer base while trying to mitigate the risks to their staff and families.

Up until now, the response to the Coronavirus has been largely uniform. While there were some variances between states, the country for the most part had locked down, and people were following social distancing guidelines.

A strong company leader is critical for a company to get through a crisis. Today with the coronavirus pandemic we are in a deep crisis like we have never seen before. No one is sure exactly how long this crisis will last.