Vol 2 - iss 4, Meat Packing Journal, Jul~Aug 2015

J O U R N A LMEAT PACKINGThe inTernaTional magazine for The meaT and poulTry indusTry

p.7 COOL gOing Out the dOOr in uSA p.34 it OverhAuL LeAdS

tO mAjOr gAinS p.52 itALiAn pArmA hAm iS the beSt

juLy~AuguSt 2015 vOLume 2 | iSSue 4

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the greek tragedy

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I n the early 90s, I went to sweetwater, texas, for a week to cover the annual rattlesnake festival. When I wasn’t busy stuffing my face with fried rattlesnake – tastes like chicken – or interviewing Miss Rattler, I drove around the surrounding west Texas area, searching out small towns

for that real America. In one, every store on Main Street, except for the barbers, had gone out of business. On all the closed shops the windows were white-washed so people couldn’t peer in at failure. They might as well have bricked up the windows instead, I had a feeling nothing would ever be coming back. After doing a little wander, I went to the barber’s and asked him what had happened. He said one word: “Walmart.”

When the big Walmart opened, folks started going there to pick up things you couldn’t find on Main Street, but after driving 30 miles, you might as well buy a few more things. Bit by bit, folks were doing all their shopping at Walmart and Main Street closed up.

“You can’t blame Walmart,” said the barber. “It was our own fault. But tell me this: this town depended of locals to man its volunteer fire department who no longer live here. When a fire breaks out now, is Walmart coming to our rescue?”

When he told me that, John Donne’s poem came to me: ‘No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.’

Jumping to the present, I just got back from the Greek Peloponnese where I’ve owned a house in a small mountain village for about 10 years. A side effect of this is that it has allowed me to see Greece before and after the economic crisis, which is affecting every aspect of it.

About two years before the crisis hit in 2009, major international supermarkets started appearing in Greece – Carrefour, Lidl, and others – and along with their big parking lots, came the convenience of buying packaged meat as opposed as going to the local butcher.

If butchers didn’t start suffering then, they definitely did when the crisis hit. With the supermarkets’ buying power, as one Kalamata butcher told me, the price he paid wholesale for meat was more than the supermarkets were charging retail.

With the butchers shutting down, so too did the Greek meat farmers, and there has been a gigantic decrease in the amount of beef raised in Greece, with most now coming from France.

With less livestock, there is less business for feed and other support businesses. Without the paycheck of these employees, other businesses suffer and so on and so on – just like a west Texas small town.

I asked my neighbor Kolyvas, a retired math teacher, if he felt he should support the Greek meat industry by buying more expensive Greek meat. “No,” he replied. “I seldom get my retirement check and when I do, it’s only half. How can I go help support these people?” I didn’t have an answer.

As a kid when the first shopping malls started opening up in San Diego, I thought all the stores helped each other out so nobody would go under – and yes I still believed in Santa Claus at this point in my life. Since then, however, I’ve seen enough malls go under, usually triggered when one of the anchor stores closes and then like a row of standing dominoes, all the other stores go falling down.

Big towns, big cities, big countries can absorb the closing down of a mall with no problem, but I have to wonder about Greece. While Athens does have a large shopping mall – clouded in controversy as one might expect – it’s basically a nation of small shopkeepers. Since the crisis began in 2009, 750,000 have shut down. When your country’s population is only around 11 million, that’s a big impact.

One might argue that in our global village these days, it doesn’t matter if I buy my meat grown by my neighbor Kostas, or from a huge farm in France. But, like the barber wondering who will put out fires, I know if during winter my pipes freeze and shatter, Kostas will do something about it – we’re neighbors. If his farm goes under and he has to move, will the French company rush somebody over to my house if something happens while I’m not there? As long as I can afford it, I am willing to pay more for meat from Kostas because I know in the big scheme of things, his welfare affects mine.

Velo [email protected]

@Meat_Packing

neIghbors Vs global VIllage

edItor's choIce

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GREECEit's no longer a question of 'if' but only 'when' greece will collapse. however, mpJ has found a butcher who gives you faith.

JENsEN MEATWhile nearly a complete unknown in its hometown of san diego, this modern grinder is about to change all of that.

GRINdERsCall it ground beef; call it mince beef; just don't call it late for dinner. sales of ground beef are skyrocketing, but to cash in you need the right gear.

IT & RObOTICsgerman giant supermarket edeka revamps its meat operation with a complete iT makeover.

sOfTwAREhow the right software can give you a five-minute product recall.

LAMb & GOATin the usa and elsewhere consumption levels are at all-time lows. mpJ looks at the 'whys' and the 'should's the industry needs to put into place.

PREsERvINGmpJ's technical writer James Chappelow reports on the wonders of parma ham, bacon, and good old jerkey.

also in this issue

7 - news12 - marketing news16 - Weather58 - product releases60 - Back page interview, prys morgan62 - directory63 - shows & events

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in The nexT issueThere is no stopping the poultry juggernaut – and good reason. MPJ takes a look at the latest developments in value-added production. Also, end of line and packaging, food forming, and dispatch and delivery.

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52on The CoverGreek butcher Nikos Maniazeas having a laugh. The young butcher leaves you feeling all be okay in Greece. Photo by editor Velo Mitrovich


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Us hoUse Votes to rePeal cool

the Us hoUse of rePre-sentatives has voted to repeal country-of-origin-labeling

(COOL) for beef, pork, and chicken. COOL required labels on packages of meat to say where the animals were born, raised, and slaughtered.

The amendment still needs to go before the US Senate for a vote, but it is expected to pass.

COOL was implemented in 2009 after years of advocacy by con-sumer groups who were basically concerned about food products from China entering the US food chain without being clearly marked, and by northern US ranchers who compete with the Canadian cattle industry.

Before COOL, cattle could be born and raised in Canada, shipped to the States for final fattening and slaughtering, and be labeled US beef.

Texas Republican Representa-tive Michael Conaway’s Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 passed by a 300-131 vote.

Conaway introduced the bill on May 18 — the same day the World Trade Organization rejected a US appeal of its decision that COOL unfairly discriminates against meat imports and gives the advantage to domestic meat products.

Supporters of repeal don’t want the US subjected to the $3.6 billion in potential retaliatory tariffs sought by Canada and Mexico. They also argue that the rule has already bur-dened the U.S. meat industry.

“The program has not worked, and it is time to put this failed experiment behind us once and for all,” Conaway said during a debate.

However, survey results released by the Consumer Federation of America, show that a large majority of Americans continue to strongly support mandatory country of origin labeling for fresh meat and strongly favor requiring meat to be labeled with even more specific in-formation about where the animals were born, raised and processed.

Ninety percent of a representa-

tive sample of 1000 adult Ameri-cans favored, either strongly or somewhat, requiring food sellers to indicate on the package label the country of origin of fresh meat they sell.

The survey, however, did not list countries specifically and MPJ believes that if China was listed by itself, that is where the 90 percent concern would be centered on, not Canada or Mexico.

Mexico and Canada estimated that the US labeling law costs both countries’ pork and beef industries about $1 billion annually. This was due to their animals being segre-gated by those of US origin, a costly procedure which led to some US companies no longer buying meat exports.

US officials had already revised the labels once to try to comply with previous WTO rulings. Now that the revised labels have also been struck down, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has called on Congress to change the law to avoid retaliation.

osha crIes foUl at PoUltry Plant

the Us dePartMent of LABOR is proposing fines of $38,000 for a Delaware poul-

try processing plant which exposed workers to serious hazards including musculoskeletal injuries.

Workers cutting chicken fat, bone, and cartilage eight hours a day at Allen Harim Foods' Harbeson plant suffered the injuries caused by their jobs, an inspection by the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found.

The agency determined that workers performed prolonged, re-petitive, and forceful tasks without controls in place to prevent injuries.

“Musculoskeletal injuries caused by these hazards in poultry plants

are too common," said Dr David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. “These types of injuries can be prevented by implementing appropriate engineering and admin-istrative controls in the workplace, and when they occur, they must be treated early with appropriate medi-cal care to prevent the illness from progressing."

In addition to the serious citation for the company's failure to address the musculoskeletal disorder haz-ards, OSHA issued serious citations for failing to designate emergency exits properly and to ensure em-ployees received training related to machinery that could unexpectedly start up during service and main-tenance. OSHA cited Allen harim

Foods for a total of nine violations, with proposed penalties of $38,000.

“The combination of musculo-skeletal disorder hazards, lack of proper medical treatment for mus-culoskeletal disorders and underre-porting of injuries at the plant must be addressed by the company," said Erin Patterson, director of OSHA's Wilmington, Delaware, office. “Workers should not have to work in pain, especially when these injuries are preventable."

Headquartered in Seaford, Allen Harim Foods has a total of 1,600 employees, with 960 at the Harbe-son plant. The company also oper-ates a poultry processing plant in Maryland, with breeding operations in North Carolina.


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global Pork PrIces to droPthe global Pork IndUstry

has been searching for stability during Q1-2015, with strong

supply growth and relatively weak demand driving the market, ac-cording to the latest Rabobank Pork Quarterly report,

Pork prices are sharply lower, as robust global supply growth (driven by the US, Russia and Brazil) has outpaced rather subdued demand, dragging producer profitability into negative territory.

Rabobank animal protein analyst Albert Vernooij said: "The increas-ing competition in the global export market will result in continuous price and margin pressure in most countries around the globe. There-fore, after the buoyant last couple of years – at least price wise - the global pork industry is slowly moving towards the bottom of the cycle."

Outlook for global and regional markets:

In the US, as supply recovers af-ter PEDv, the question is as to what degree recovery will be coupled with the strengthening US dollar and lower prices.

In the EU, prices will follow sea-sonal developments, but will remain lower than the historical average and below break-even level.

With the industry slowly improv-ing, prices bottomed out in China

during March.Brazilian prospects remain

positive, but less buoyant than in Q1, driven by pressured domestic consumption and difficult Russian export negotiations.

no aI VaccIne for eMergency Use

the Us dePartMent of Agriculture has said that vaccines currently available

for outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) do not meet a suitable level of efficacy.

As part of USDA’s ongoing response, the Department evalu-ated the efficacy of current vaccine options for HPAI in addition to eco-nomic impacts of vaccination and has determined that, as it currently stands, additional criteria must be met before a vaccine can be ap-proved for emergency use.

“In the weeks and months ahead, USDA will continue to support ef-

forts to develop a more effective vaccine, assist poultry producers with strong biosecurity measures, indemnify producers for losses, and take aggressive action to maintain open markets for US poultry based on international standards,” said the USDA.

The Department will continue to encourage development of vaccines for HPAI and will approve as they are developed and evaluated.

Currently, there is lack of a well matched, effective vaccine for HPAI from the public and private sectors. The vaccine currently available of-fers just 60 percent effectiveness in

chickens, leaving 4 in 10 birds un-protected. The vaccine’s effective-ness in turkeys is still being studied.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will reevaluate its decision as more ef-fective vaccines are developed and ready for use, carefully considering both the efficacy of the vaccine and the potential trade impacts.

If used, vaccines will be targeted in the states and poultry sectors where they can be most effective. Areas where quarantine, depopula-tion, and enhanced biosecurity can-not stop the spread of HPAI would be prioritized.

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www.meatpacking.info10 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2015

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oz beef oUtPUt UP desPIte droUght

WhIle aUstralIan beef production is expected to have a small drop of around

one percent this year due to the on-going Queensland drought, produc-ers see big things coming, according to Mark Bennett, head of Agribusi-ness at ANZ Banking Group Ltd.

Only 30 percent of Austral-ian beef production is consumed domestically so the global audience and its hunger for Australian beef is critical to the future of the indus-try, said Bennett. Australian beef's traditional markets of USA, Japan and Korea remain significant and are growing, but China is quickly pushing into the top three.

China, Japan, and Korea are mainstay markets for chilled and frozen beef, while countries like Indonesia and Vietnam are key live export markets – and will remain so despite ongoing challenges with these markets in terms of develop-ment and public perception.

However in the short to medium term, Australia's supply capacity is constrained. Due largely to the mentioned drought, Australian beef production in 2015 is set to fall. In the absence of grass and wa-ter, many farmers have de-stocked which in turn has fueled lower prices, all in the face of burgeoning

demand, especially from China.While the sales were welcome,

beef was perhaps commoditized at a lower price, which conflicts with a broader industry objective of creat-ing value and pricing accordingly to improve margins, said Bennett.

Given the drought conditions, there was a preconception the Queensland grazing fraternity would be understandably low on morale at the recent Beef Australia event in Rockhampton, one of the world's largest beef expositions.

For many beef producers in the region, there have been many things go wrong in the last four years, perhaps too many to mention. But overwhelmingly the atmosphere at Rockhampton was positive, says Bennett.

There is a strong belief in the well-documented global demand for Australian beef and the composi-tion of the 85,000-strong crowd at Beef Australia in Rockhampton was one reflecting the evolving shape, health, and velocity of the industry.

“If the mood at Rocky was any-thing to go by, I'd say we are at the beginning of a very exciting time in the beef industry,” said Bennett. “Rain won't guarantee everyone's success but right now it feels like the only piece that's holding things back.”

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SlaughterhouSe Shut

Israel: Israel’s largest slaughterhouse in Dabbah, northern Israel, is to be shut for an indefinite period following an undercover report which exposed the inhumane treatment of Australian cattle which are shipped live to the plant. The decision was made after a request from the Department of Agriculture which was shown footage of alleged cruelty obtained by action group Animals Australia.

Brazil goeS Big

Israel: GMH do Brasil is to build a poultry processing plant in the Brazilian state of Parana with planned capacity to slaughter 400,000 birds daily costing BRL200 million (US$63.64 million).


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Australian cattle on an outback ranch

Meat down

global: The world forecast for total meat production in 2015 will be somewhat down this year, due in part to the US turkey industry being hit by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), and also due to reduced beef slaughter, according to the USDA’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates. The June report says that 2015 meat production should be around 95 billion pounds, with 2016 meat production expected to be about 97 billion pounds.

aBF turkey

Usa: Foster Farms is planning the launch of antibiotic-free (ABF) turkey products, with hopes of having the new products available for this year’s US Thanksgiving holiday in late November.The news of Foster Farms' plans to raise and market ABF turkey follows Foster Farms’ release of new lines of antibiotic-free and organic chicken, as well as the company’s participation in the White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship.

BSe in ireland

Ireland: The Irish Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine has announced the identification of a suspected BSE case in county Louth. The case was identified through the Department’s on-going surveillance system on animals which die on a farm. The animal was not presented for slaughter and did not enter the food chain. Confirmatory tests are being undertaken and results will be available in one week. If confirmed, this will be the first BSE case found in Ireland since 2013.

corn PrIces to stay low

LIVestock ProdUcers around the world who depend on US corn will be glad to hear

that continuing low energy costs will keep the cost of corn down, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Oil and natural gas prices dropped in the latter half of 2014, with expec-tations that energy prices would re-main lower than previously projected through 2016. Lower energy prices affect crop production expenses, which in turn influence planting decisions and commodity prices.

The effect of energy prices on the cost of producing particular crops depends on the level and share of production costs for direct energy inputs such as fuel and oil, as well as for inputs such as energy-

intensive nitrogen fertilizers and agricultural chemicals. Rice, cotton, and corn have high energy-related production expenses, so lower en-ergy prices are expected to reduce operating expenses for those crops the most.

Lower production costs provide an incentive to plant additional acreage, so plantings of most crops are expected to rise from what they would have been without the decline in energy prices. The excep-tion is soybeans, whose plantings are estimated to fall initially due to relatively small production cost changes and large cross-commodity influences from corn, as they often compete with one another. Nonethe-less, the estimated acreage changes due to lower energy prices are small.

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france caVes In to PIgs

Following several demonsta-tions, including blocking abattoirs, burning supermarket

trolleys, and unloading manure in various strategic places, French pig producers have met Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll, reports the UK National Pig Association.

It was agreed from now on special offers for pork in French supermarkets will be limited to two months of the year, January and September.

Le Foll also promised to allocate €3.5 million ($3.9 million) to help pig producers in difficulty. This comes on top of €10 million ($11.16 million) already available in aid.

The latest French pig problem – in a long line of problems – is being blamed on the Russian ban on EU meat causing oversupply and price drops. The French supermarket group Intermarche said it will pay pig farmers more for their animals to offer some support.


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no one knows eggs better than bacon

WhIle the Message Is to eat eggs, all meat producers looking at a way of adding

a spark of creativity to their mar-keting campaigns should look no further that what the American Egg Board has produced with Hollywood star Kevin Bacon.

The question is, what took the

Egg Board so long to sign him up.According to Kevin Burkum,

senior vice president of marketing at the American Egg Board, their recent commercial ‘Wake up to eggs with Kevin Bacon’ has gone viral on the web, getting more than 3 million hits in its first month. That’s more than the Board was anticipat-ing for the entire year.

Kevin Bacon has traded off the whole "six degrees" thing in ads for years. “Now it's time to put the Ba-con to work. And that he does in an amusing if obvious campaign from Grey New York promoting eggs on behalf of the American Egg Board. Because after all, nobody knows eggs better than bacon. Or Bacon,” said AdWeek.

The online video gets surprisingly suggestive, as Kevin puts up with some heavy flirting from a mar-ried woman who discovers him just lying on her kitchen counter one morning. And the spot doesn't tire of puns, even though Kevin claims not to enjoy them. He does enjoy his eggs, however.

"With a last name like Bacon, I'm the obvious choice, and I'm excited to be a part of the new Incredible Edible Egg campaign," Bacon said

in a statement. "I like the creativ-ity behind the idea, and I've always been a big fan of eggs. They're a nutritional powerhouse and I never get tired of them because there are so many ways you can eat them."

Per-capita egg consumption grew to 260 in 2014, an increase of more than a dozen over the last five years, according to the USDA. The celebrity ad campaign is designed to keep that momentum going in a year which is seeing high prices for eggs due to the ongoing HPAI crisis in the US egg laying industry.

"Kevin Bacon brings real star power to the world of eggs and we think consumers are going to love this clever new version of bacon and eggs," said Burkum. "And there's no better time to talk about eggs with consumption at its highest level in three decades.”

Bob Krouse, CEO of Midwest Poultry Services, an egg producer in Mentone, Indiana, said he's glad the Egg Board is taking a slightly edgier approach in its marketing.

"I always felt like egg farmers were too conservative," Krouse said.

The commercial can be seen at: http://incredibleegg.org/kevin-ba-con-and-eggs/


M a r k e t i n g n e w s

laMb Meets dragon In hong kong

Welsh laMb has been used by top chefs from across the world as part of

a prestigious culinary competition held annually in Hong Kong.

It was centre-stage in more than one category in the contest which attracted entrants from across the Asia Pacific region and countries further afield, including Switzerland and Canada.

The biennial Hong Kong Inter-national Culinary Classic (HKICC) competition included a ‘Western Cuisine’ category. As part of this round, apprentice chefs under the age of 25 were expected to cook Welsh lamb loins with a choice of accompaniments, garnishes and sauces to compliment the meat. It was held during HOFEX, Asia’s leading food and hospitality show, where five gold medals were award-ed to the top scoring individuals in this category.

Deanna Leven, Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) – Meat Promotion Wales’ Export Market Development Execu-tive said: “The young chefs were very complimentary about the Welsh lamb and they enjoyed cooking with

it to create a wide range of excel-lent dishes. It was fabulous to hear young, aspiring chefs from as far as Calgary praising its quality, taste and succulence.”

Competitors also used Welsh Lamb for a ‘Butchery Skills Chal-lenge’. This was a new category and an opportunity for practicing butch-ers to showcase trade-specific skills and creative flair.

Importers of Welsh lamb into Hong Kong were present at HOFEX and offered samples of the product to their customers. On one stand, visitors were able take a seat to enjoy a freshly-prepared meal which consisted of Welsh Lamb, whilst negotiating deals.

HOFEX was held between 6-9 May. It is considered Asia’s leading food and hospitality show and was the largest ever in its sixteen-year history.

A marketing campaign to pro-mote Welsh lamb was recently shortlisted for a national prize at a prestigious awards ceremony held in London featuring some of the country’s biggest brands.

HCC’s campaign - ‘Not All Lamb

is Created Equal’ – was nominated for the ‘Business-to-Consumer (B2C) or Campaign of the Year’ category in the Drum Marketing Awards.

“We were thrilled to hear that the Welsh lamb campaign had been shortlisted,” said Laura Pickup, Market Development Manager at Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC). “Our entry faced stiff competition against strong con-tenders, but it was an honour to be up against such huge names for one of the industry’s most sought after accolades.

“Results derived from the campaign had shown that it had successfully increased awareness of Welsh lamb and that the objectives had been met, but this nomination was the icing on the cake.

“It really goes to show that PGI Welsh lamb is recognised as a quality product that can compete against Britain’s biggest brands.”

The results of HCC’s marketing campaign revealed that 77 per cent of the target consumers now per-ceive Welsh lamb as a quality prod-uct, and the propensity to purchase had increased to 78 per cent.



HCC’s Deanna Leven presenting a cheque, donated by the event sponsors, to the winner of the butchery competition.

STEAK ALL SUMMER LONG

To helP retaIlers Use the power of beef to drive sales throughout the summer, US

Beef Checkoff has packaged its beef-sales data into an easy to read and share infographic that highlights the top selling beef cuts, by grilling holiday.

The infographic drew nearly 250 views in its first 48 hours! A Google poll in May gauged consumers’ summer grilling plans, to supple-ment the sales data. The results? “Beef continues to be consumers’ preferred protein for the grill, and the protein they desire the most,” says Beef Checkoff.

The Beef Checkoff Program is a producer-funded marketing and re-search program designed to increase domestic and international demand for US beef. The Cattlemen's Beef Board and the USDA oversee the collection and spending of checkoff funds.

one brand for Many

All aUstralIan food coUld soon be sold over-seas using a single international brand and logo that agricultural producers hope will enhance

Australia's global reputation for high-quality food and reduce competing marketing campaigns overseas.

The “True Aussie” campaign is backed by Fortescue Metals Group founder and farmer Andrew Forrest, ad-vertising buyer Harold Mitchell and many food-industry bodies and businesses. The tagline is already used on meat exports and even on products such as tray mats in Tokyo McDonald's.

"For too long we have negatively competed and mar-keted against each other, state against state or company against company," Forrest said.

Mitchell, who owns 45,000 cattle and more than a million hectares, predicted it would outdo New Zea-land's "100 per cent Pure" brand, which is focused more on tourism.

"That campaign was bloody good but this will be a lot better," he said.

National Farmers Federation chief executive Simon Talbot, who will be responsible for corralling all Aus-tralian agriculture under the one brand, said it could increase sales 25 per cent and increase producers' profit margins.

"One of the most frustrating things in agriculture is the lack of collaboration. It is something the Kiwis have addressed and it's something Australia needs to ad-dress," Talbot said.

bIgger rIsks for bIgger gaIns

After the kfc bUsIness “fell off the edge of a cliff” in the UK in 2013, the

fast food brand says it is looking to regain momentum by taking bigger risks, connecting with consumers through “emotional” rather than “rational” advertising and making digital a more central part of its marketing mix, reports Marketing-Week.com.

Speaking at the iMedia Brand Summit event in London, KFC’s CMO David Timm said KFC has transformed its strategy over the past year after feeling that consum-ers had lost their relationship with the brand.

“All brands go through phases, and bad years in business are a

positive thing,” Timm said. “It forces you to reappraise and think about what’s happening in your competi-tive environment.”

For KFC, this involved changing the marketing model that had “done its time” for the brand, according to Timm, and looking to neuroscience research to determine how consum-ers make decisions.

It also appeared in BBC’s “Bil-lion Dollar Chicken Shop” series, a behind-the-scenes TV documentary. The four-part documentary was a “high-risk strategy” for the brand according to Tim, as it showed KFC open its doors for a behind the scenes look at how it mass produces its chicken, the working environ-ments of its restaurants as well as

how it handles food waste.Timm says part of KFC’s turna-

round strategy involves looking to other channels, with digital set to be a large focus for the brand as it looks to “provide the right message at the right time”.

“We’re still TV-led, but we’re not far away from needing digital to take the lead,” he said, adding that the brand is “behind where it should be” on the channel.

“Digital is becoming so perva-sive that we’re approaching a point where you won’t have a penetra-tion strategy without it,” he added. “We’re starting to think about it as part of the marketing mix, and we’re working towards it becoming the center of gravity.”



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Incessant May rainfall has effectively ended a multi-year drought across the south-central US, leading to destructive flooding, crop-quality concerns, and fieldwork delays. But it has also contributed to good pasture conditions in important beef cow producing areas of Texas and Oklahoma. Expect beef cow herd expansion.

drought endS, BeeF uP

For all purposes, California’s snowpack is all but gone which will lead to severe drought conditions this summer. Water allotments going to hay producers are angering locals due to the hay being shipped to China and not staying in California. Oregon and Washington too are experiencing an early melt to the snowpack.

Snow Pack gone

The eruption of Chile's Calbuco volcano threatens to cause widespread, lasting economic damage, turning cattle pastures barren and choking fish with volcanic ash in one of the world's top salmon-producing countries.

aSh cloud cruSh

Extended periods of dryness in Argentina have improved conditions for harvesting of corn and soybeans. In Brazil, early May rain has led to good prospects for second-crop corn, but in the north of Brazil the drought continues with no let-up in sight.

corn/Soy harveSt

world In


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south africa's worst drought in decades continues to hurt corn farmers.

The drought is likely to damage grain harvests

across southern Africa - from southern Angola to

Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia,

with the impact especially be felt in Zimbabwe.

Feed PriceS Set to riSe

A heatwave has killed thousands in India with temperatures reaching

over 115 deg f (45 deg C). Growers are waiting the onset of the

monsoon season before planting. High tariffs mean India is very

dependent on locally grown grains for feed.

killer heatwave

Australian scientists have forecasted a ‘substantial’ El Nino weather phenomenon for

2015, potentially spelling deadly and costly climate extremes, after officially declaring its onset in the tropical Pacific. This could cause

a wetter period in Western Australia, while the east coast will be drier.

el nino hitS auS

Good weather throughout Europe has promoted spring grain and summer

crop planting throughout much of the continent. Further east in the Ukraine, spring grain planting took place where

soil moisture was plentiful for crop establishment.

euroPe to See grain gainS

weather


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Greece in crisisdown bUt not oUtwhile greece might be the founder of western civilization, the new York times describes it as “drowning under a welter of statistics that present a devastating picture of unemployment, unpayable pensions, uncollected taxes, and spiraling national and personal debts.” but, while many greeks liken themselves to passengers on the titanic, there are still some who are optimistic about their country and the meat industry. Velo Mitrovich reports from greece

MPJ

yoU hear theM soMe mornings as early as 4am; shepherds and cow headers moving their flocks from the lowlands of the Greek Peloponnese to the highlands for the summer. You’re in the small mountain village

of Vorio and in this region all herds pass by your house along a narrow road which was only paved in 1975. Even lying in bed, you can tell what type the livestock is.

Cows are wearing bells about the size of a large mango sounding deep enough for a church; goat bells a bit smaller; and sheep bells the smallest of all, with a light pitch. But no matter what the animal, the herders’ cries are the same: “Ella-ella-ella, come, come, come.”

You would think with this much meat on the hoof that Greek farmers and butchers would be living the good life in this beautiful country, but since the financial crisis began in 2009, nothing could be further from the truth. Due in part to their own greed, the rise in foreign supermarkets, and a huge lost in Greek earnings, butcher shops have been closing by the hundreds in Greece and this spin-off effect is hurting meat farmers. In the meantime, Greek consumers set the record in 2014 with the biggest drop globally in meat consumption.

However, in abandoning the pessimism of Athens and going out to the hither lands, MPJ has found a family-owned butcher shop in Kalamata – the largest city of the Peloponnese - which is bucking the trend and on a micro level

could be the blueprint for how Greece’s meat industry could pick itself back up and thrive.

a Meaty PaSt

the greeks haVe had a loVe affair with meat since ancient times. Around 500 BC the Athenians started the Panathenaea Festivals which,

like the Olympics were held every four years, except invitations were much harder to get; no outsiders or slaves allowed.

For eight-days sporting events were held, along with poetry and music contests. Then, on the final night, hundreds of cattle were herded up the many steps to the Parthenon where they were sacrificed to the goddess Athena, patron of the city.

Luckily for the locals, for some odd reason gods prefer eating only bones and fat so the rest of meat was distributed. With around 56,000 people living in Athens at the time and figuring in the number of cattle, it works out to a 1/2 pound steak per person making this all-nighter the world’s largest barbecue party.

Meat remained a luxury item in Greece until after the starvation years of World War II and the Greek Civil War. Then Greeks started consuming meat with a vengeance as if trying to make up for lost souvlaki.

In recent years Greeks have been eating more meat on average than Americans, devouring an astonishing 220 lbs a year per person. What makes this even more amazing is that the Greeks

Right: Greek butcher Nikos Maniazeas of Kalamata


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are fairly religious and the Greek Orthodox Church has numerous meat-free fast days during the year.

Indeed, according to author Nina Teicholz, a considerable amount of the data collected, which was later used to justified the famed Mediterranean Diet, was taken during a 40-day Lent fasting period. If researchers had only come back a month later, they might have had a slightly different take on the Greek diet.

It is truly a bad place to be a vegetarian – just four years ago a vegetarian couple on the Greek island of Crete was banned from adopting a child because of doubts about their diet.

Meeting deMand

UntIl faIrly recently, the Vast majority of all Greeks bought their meat from a local butcher. In the major cities, the butchers would be

concentrated together in the central markets with sellers of vegetables, fruits, cheeses, seafood, and dried nuts, and beans. In Athens’ Varvakios market, there used to have been at least 35 butchers’ stalls – if not more – crammed in next to each, all selling what looked like exactly the same cuts of meat to an untrained eye.

Still, despite the love affair for meat in Greece, it wasn’t cheap – at least not until 2007. Greece has struggled for decades in producing enough meat to satisfy its consumers and Greek meat was expensive due to the cost of feed and tough growing conditions. However, once it became part of the EU and more importantly the euro, it became easier to import much cheaper beef from France and pork from Belgium and Holland.

In what has to be one of the worse kept secrets of all time, Greek butchers did not pass on the wholesale savings to their customers. Instead, they charged the same high prices for all their meat, regardless of where it came from.

Some farmers caught on to the act as well, importing live cheaper-priced cattle into Greece, raising them for six months and then claiming the cattle as Greek.

But – and with the Greeks there is always a but – αλλα. But the good times could not last for the butchers. Around 2007 European supermarkets started making an appearance into Greece with Carrefour and Lidl two of the larger. In these shops they sold close to zero amounts of Greek red meat, only some Greek poultry and processed meat like specialty sausages.

Consumers started to not only notice the store stickers stating country of origin for their meat purchases; they also started to notice the

price difference between French beef and what their neighborhood butchers were charging for Greek beef. Butchers started lowering their overall quality to compete with the supermarkets. Consumers started to notice this. With less demand for Greek meat, farmers began to suffer. Nobody noticed this.

But – αλλα - if butchers and farmers didn’t think things could get much worse, they were in for a rude shock.

What looked like a country enjoying economic success with a new subway system in Athens, modern toll roads, hosting the Olympics, and even repairing the Parthenon, it was anything but; all based on economic falsehoods. It only took the slightest shove to send it all crashing down.

The shove was the world financial crisis hit of 2009 and Greece has been in economic free fall ever since.

the criSiS

nIkos ManIazeas, a 28-year old who works in a family-owned butcher-shop and restaurant in Kalamata, remembers the day well.

“George Papandreou was elected prime minister in 2009 and he came out and said the nation was broke and austerity measures were going to start,” says Maniazeas. “One day our restaurant was packed, the next day it was completely empty. It was bad timing; we had just opened up the restaurant a few months before.”

Κρεοπωλειον 29 (literally translated as Butcher Shop 29 with the 29 coming from its street address) was started by Nikos’ father Kostas in 2002 who decided to make a major career change. Because the family has land in the rural Vorio area – about 40 minutes from Kalamata – it was decided that the family would raise livestock in Vorio, which would in turn supply the butcher shop run by Nikos and his mother. A decision was made seven years later to open the adjoining restaurant which would serve traditional Greek dishes in the evening.

“That year [2009] was very tough, Greece crossed the ‘red line’, it changed everything in Greece,” says Maniazeas. “You had your previous life and how you lived, that’s all vanished. Salaries were all cut in half, but rent, bank loans, gas; all those prices stayed the same or even went higher.”

If consumers weren’t already aware of the price differences between imported supermarket meat and Greek meat, they soon were.

“Greek people now don’t care where their meat comes from – France, Belgium, Holland –

Left: Morning rush hour in the Greek mountain village of Vorio. Goats are being moved into the mountains for the summer.

MPJ


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it doesn’t matter. The only thing that does is the price,” says Maniazeas. “Before 2009 almost no one bought meat from a supermarket, now it’s the complete opposite. And the butcher shops which have remained open, maybe only one in 20 sells Greek meat.”

In what might seem insane in such a market, instead of cutting costs or trying to figure out a cheaper way of doing business, the Maniazeas family upped their game. The decision was made to raise all their cattle organically so Jenny Maniazeas, Nikos’ mother, took evening agriculture classes in a village which was over an hour away.

According to Kostas Maniazeas, they farm around 100 head of cattle, with around 40 to 80 young calves depending on the time of year. Although all earnings have dropped considerably in Greece, Kostas says that the price of organic medicine has gone up considerably. These prices increases though are just not affecting organic farmers, basic livestock necessities for all farmers have shot up. This includes hay, grass, and other feeds.

The rise in prices to raise animals combined with a poor market is driving farmers to either quit altogether or to change to something more lucrative. Indeed, local beef production now only supplies 13 percent of all beef consumed.

“In 1995 there were 350,000 head of cattle being raised for beef,” says Nikos Maniazeas. “Now there are only around 35,000 in Greece. There is no money in this; farmers are all getting out.”

But of course not all farmers are getting out. According to Maniazeas, by their going

organic and by selling a superior meat, they have created a unique selling point in Kalamata and have become the place to buy the best meat.

“If you don’t have something good to stand out, you might as well close,” he says. “A Mercedes car is expensive; it’s also a very good

car. A Chinese-made car is cheap, but it’s not a good car. You get what you pay for and we are lucky there are still some people willing to pay for this quality.”

Oddly enough, by going organic the Maniazeas family can actually beat supermarket prices for beef. In Kalamata supermarkets, organic beef goes for around €18 per kilo. Maniazeas sells it for €8-10 per kilo.

“The thing is, because we raise our own cattle, we can set these prices and stay in business. If we didn’t have our own livestock, we would have gone under like the others,” he says.

Many have closed shop in Kalamata and those that do sell poor quality meat. In a recent trip to Kalamata’s main central market, no customers were seen buying meat although the fresh fish, vegetables, and fruit stalls were doing good business.

“These butchers destroyed their own work,” says Maniazeas, “they sell bad quality, really, really bad quality meat. A customer will come in once, buy meat that’s bad and figure the shop was having an off day. They try a second time, again bad meat and again they figure the shop was having another off day. But after a third time? You never go back.”

What is a concern for Maniazeas are the prices the supermarkets charge for meat that he has to buy, such as lamb, pork, and chicken.

“At Easter time in Greece, everyone wants a whole lamb. I buy lamb from a farmer in Sparti and pay €5.50 a kilo. The supermarkets sell lamb for €5.90 a kilo and on top of that, they give customers vouchers for free charcoal.

“I’ll sell 100 lambs; a single major supermarket sells at least 2,000 and there are five supermarkets around here. At times for pork, it would be actually cheaper if I bought my meat retail from Carrefour as opposed to my supplier.”

Maniazeas is now looking for other opportunities for the family business. Due to the

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Above: Street protests in Athens


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summer heat and everyone spending free time at the beach, they shut the restaurant down for season.

But, reasons Maniazeas, if people aren’t going to the restaurant, they should go to where the people are.

“In Greece, everyone barbecues over a grill but nobody smokes meat the way they do in the USA,” he says. “I believe this style of meat will really catch on in Kalamata.” Already Maniazeas has arranged to apprentice this summer at a barbecue joint in London which smokes brisket and pork to American standards.

“I think we are far from over the crisis and things will stay bad for at least five to seven more years,” says Maniazeas. “But if we can stay in business during this bad time, we will come out on top.

“I like to think that someday I will be married and have boys; this is a business I would like them to go into. You work hard and you make money; you work harder and you make more money. The opportunities are here, we just need to make it past these bad years.”

the Future

what wIll haPPen to the Greek meat industry? No matter how much cheaper foreign meat might be, if and when the

economy collapses there will be few who can afford it. According to Anastasia Laeva, heard of fresh food research at Euromonitor, meat consumption is closely linked to disposable income. To put this into perceptive, Greece last year saw a decline of 2.1% in meat sales; India saw a rise of over 10%. No other country in the world last year saw such a decline in meat sales.

But Greeks, in the meantime, will do what they always do in times of trouble and that is turn to the countryside. Already attendance is up in agriculture colleges. Meat consumption will go down, but more locally grown meat will be produced. Hopefully then in a few years’ time when Greece’s economy improves, supermarkets will be full of Greek meat – θα δομε - we shall see.

Above: A butcher in Athens with meat but no customers


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Jensen MeatdefIned by a sIngle word Jensen Meat Company of san diego – a top-25 frozen food producer; largest, most modern meat grinder west of the Mississippi river; supplier to walmart, sam’s Club, kroger, and sysco; producer of 75 million pounds of ground beef a year – is almost virtually unknown in its home town. granted, it’s hard to compete against perfect weather, beaches, and the zoo, but you’d think for a company that’s 57-years-old, you’d get more than a puzzled look if you mention the name to a san diegan. however, that’s all about to change.

abel olIVera, ceo of Jensen Meat Company looks tired and you quickly realize it’s going to be impossible to take a decent photograph of him. He’s just got back from visiting farms and slaughterhouses

in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, looking for new sources of beef. The continuing drought in the USA is affecting supplies and while few US meat grinding companies mention it, most are having to look for meat in Australia, New Zealand and Central America countries – and either paying a premium price or going without.

But there is a difference between Jensen’s sourcing and the others: Olivera inspects foreign farms, meeting with veterinarians and checking what grass, water, and salt licks are available to the cattle.

“We actually visit slaughterhouses and farms outside the USA; most deal with brokers and for them it really doesn’t matter where the meat comes from,” says Olivera. “But I want to know the people, from the families raising the cattle to the executives behind the slaughter houses; I want to know they’re ethical; I want to know that their employees are treated with dignity and respect; and I want to be able to respect the company by creating a strong and close relationship. It is not about finding meat but finding great ethical companies for long term supply chain partnerships.”

As you speak to Olivera you notice he uses the word ‘respect’ quite a bit in his conversation. He says that he makes his sales staff work a month on the production line to make sure they respect what goes into producing Jensen beef patties; he expects that each Jensen employee respects

the customers; and above all, he demands of himself that he respects every aspect of the company.

This attitude is what propels Jensen Meat forward.

Jensen Meat dates back to 1958 when it was founded by Reggie Jensen. The company – a supplier of steak cuts to restaurants, hotels and schools – first opened its doors near downtown San Diego. In 1986, the company transitioned into meat processing and four years later made the jump to a 30,000 square foot facility in Vista – northern San Diego County – to accommodate the company’s expansion.

In 2010, the company contemplated expanding its operations once again in order to meet the growing demands of existing clients.

California can be an expensive place to do business and close competitors of Jensen Meat had already begun the process of consolidating and relocating operations out of California in order to compete with other meat processing companies.

At the same time, California’s state government was contemplating ending the Enterprise Zone program which was set up to encourage new businesses to come to California and existing ones to stay.

Robert Jensen, CEO and owner at the time, said he’d be on his way out if the program was halted.

“If the Enterprise Zone is to be terminated, there are only two alternatives. The first option is not to expand and be out of business since we cannot meet the demands of our growing national customers, (which) is not a viable option.

“The second option is to leave the state of California in order to stay competitive. Jensen


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Above: Abel Olivera, (3rd from left) with his management team doing a morning walk-through

Meat’s biggest competitor is already gearing up to move out of California to the state of Texas. I want to keep my family-owned business in California, but only if it makes business sense to do so.”

“I know at one time we were close to losing the company to another state, however, city staff along with our regional partners worked very hard to keep the company in the region, keeping good paying jobs right here,” says former San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders.

According to Olivera, the City offered Jensen Meat tax saving incentives which helped to compensate for the higher cost of living and labor in San Diego.

But, he points out too, if the company had moved to Texas, it would have lost its entire management team who wanted to remain in “America’s Finest City.”

From 2011 to 2013 was a period of rapid change for Jensen Meat. Robert Jensen sold his company to a private-investor group headed by brothers Jeff and Gregg Hamann. Olivera, whose background was in computer programming, had been Jensen’s vice president of operations. He moved up to the position of COO and took charge of the company’s $15 million relocation and new-plant investment, including the design of the industry’s first computerized grinding line.

In 2013 Jensen Meat opened the doors to its

150,000 sq. ft. building in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego, about a baseball throw away from the Mexican border.

Plant Set-uP

olIVera says he worked closely for six months with plant design and equipment manufacturer Food Processing Equipment Company

(FPEC), creating a plant specifically to Jensen’s needs. This has given Jensen three grinding lines, five pre-blenders, and two final blenders. FPEC also supplied equipment such as the pre-blenders, mixers, and patty stackers for the plant.

“When you design your facility, there are two important things that you have to get right,” says Olivera. “These are employee flow and product flow. If you don’t get these right you will have problems.”

Meat arrives at Jensen daily in 60 lb. frozen blocks which are 90% lean and 1,500 lb combo bins of fresh 50% lean. While most grinders let the blocks defrost for days, Olivera says that they found this allows too much juice and flavor to drain away. Instead, the blocks are moved by belt into an AMTek industrial microwave for thawing. Safeline metal detectors are used before the


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grinding line and one at the end. In addition, a Thermo Scientific Apex 500 metal detector is used as well further down the production line. Meat is then ground in grinders made by Weiler.

“While we could have gone with some of the bigger companies to supply all of our equipment, we prefer smaller companies,” says Olivera. “We found that you get better attention and you have a better relationship with them.”

With the pre-blender, a computer system allows for 1,000 different formulas, doing all the weighing and blending of meat and fat. According to Olivera, this allows for a degree of consistency which is impossible by conventional means. On the main grinder line Jensen can blend 30,000 lbs. an hour, and a secondary line gives them the capability to blend another 10,000 lbs. an hour.

“The 75/25 mixture [75 percent meat/25 percent fat] is our biggest seller. Everyone wants a unique product but at the end of the day its ground beef. There is only so much you can do with it.”

Around 2005, the company worked with Ecolab for two years developing a method to apply Sanova – an anti-microbial intervention – to ground beef. Jensen Meat says it was the first grinding processor to use Sanova, which helps reduce or eliminate E.Coli 0157:H7 and other harmful pathogens by 99.99 percent.

“Sanova is an antibacterial solution made with lemon and salt – it’s 99% water,” says Olivera. “It’s all natural and leaves absolutely no flavor in the meat.”

Jensen has HACCP and SSOP programs along with numerous prerequisite and microbiological testing programs. It also uses voluntary food safety and good manufacturing practice third-party audits to ensure it exceeds the USDA’s strict requirements, reaching SQF level 3.

“We have developed a state-of-the-art traceability program in which lot numbers are assigned to all raw ingredients and finished products, which are traceable back to the harvesting supplier,” says Olivera. “With this system, we are able to identify when the product was received, produced, and shipped within minutes.”

He also says all incoming raw ingredients must have a certificate of acceptability, which confirms the product tested negative for E. coli O157:H7. “When raw materials arrive, they are immediately inspected prior to placing in our storage freezers and coolers,” Olivera says. “Ingredients that do not pass our requirements are not accepted into the facility.”

About 80 percent of all products are frozen. Patties are formed into either round, oval, or home-style shapes and are frozen in one of two IQF Aero Freeze spiral freezers.


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What MPJ found surprising at this point is that this highly computerized factory uses employees instead of automated equipment to pack the frozen patties into bags and boxes.

Olivera watches the packers and smiles. “Unlike some factories where employees are forbidden to talk to one another, here they can,” he says, listening in to a rapid flow of Spanish gossip going back and forth between workers. As inefficient as this might look, he points out that they’ve looked into automating this process, but have found each time that Jensen’s chattering packers can do the job faster and better than any machine.

600 eyeS

aroUnd 300 workers are at Jensen Meat each day, working two shifts. A third shift is used to clean the plant each day. During seasonal high-

demand times such as barbecue season, another 100 workers are added.

Being next to the Mexican/US border, about half of the plant workers cross the border from Mexico each day, and the other half are San Diegans. Those on the plant floor work two hours on and then are given a break. While the plant salaries are considered excellent pay by Mexican standards and decent pay by US, like many jobs in the meat processing sector, there is a high turnover during most employees first six months. But, once a worker goes beyond this point, they will normally be at Jensen for some time. This is important since Jensen Meat spends considerable time training its employees on food and plant safety issues, using bilingual classes and computer training aids.

“We have 12 inspectors but how can they possibly see everything?” says Olivera. “The thing is, all it takes is one unsafe patty to cause us to go out of business. But if all our workers are looking as well, that’s 300 sets of eyes of additional food safety experts.”

Jensen knows how expensive a recall can be after being part of one in 2013 when a supplier, Rancho Feeding Corporation of California, sold beef to Jensen through a 3rd party – and to numerous others – without benefit of a full USDA inspection. The voluntary recall action – the very first in Jensen’s history – was not related to any contamination, there were no pathogens involved, and according to the USDA, there were no reports of illness associated with consumption of these products. Still, customers like Walmart had to pull Jensen products in 16 states.

“We have mock recall drills and go through the entire exercise so we are always prepared,”

says Olivera. “Within hours of the notification, our team and ERP [Enterprise Resource Planning] computerized tracking system was able to track all of the raw materials down to the batch.”

JenSen Brand

as olIVera PUts It, for MUch of Jensen’s history the company didn’t really believe in brands and was very passive about the idea of self-branding.

With big clients like Walmart, you could see why this happened.

“We’ve had a great relationship with Walmart for the last 10 years; they’re a great customer,” says Olivera. “We’ve worked together to develop a great patty, each year the specs are tighter, especially regarding food safety. Still, we must be doing something right with them since they use us as the model for other companies.”

In total, Jensen has been selling 250 different products to retail, restaurants, schools and food service providers. Besides Walmart, other major stores and restaurants using Jensen products include Sam’s Club, Kroger, and Sysco.

But about three years ago a decision was made at Jensen that no longer would they wait for business come to them, they would go after the retail trade by creating Jensen-branded products. Now around half of all its retail products are sold under the Jensen name and this figure should rise.

“We’ve been in San Diego for almost 60 years but nobody knows we’re here. We want to change this,” says Olivera.

San Diego is considered one of the major homes of the popular beer microbrewery movement with around 65 breweries at last count, with many attached to pubs. When people drink beer, they like to eat burgers. “We sponsored Burgers and Brew Night at six breweries in San Diego to give folks a taste of Jensen and had a great success,” says Olivera.

He says that this is the beginning of what Jensen hopes to be a winning over of the burger business in its own backyard. Jensen sees 70 percent of the local market as an obtainable goal. Once San Diego is a Jensen market, it will use the experience and proven strategy to move into the rest of California and the west.

Doing blind tastings has given Jensen the most success, with 95 percent of people saying they prefer Jensen burgers due to juicier patties and more flavor, an opinion MPJ agrees with after sampling the company’s burgers.

“At the end what we want is for people not to say that they want a burger, but that they want a Jensen burger.”

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call It groUnd beef or mince, it’s a good time to have a meat grinding company. In the USA, ground beef brought in sales of $8.4 billion in 2013; this compares with loins which generated sales of $4.4 billion. Grinders

can last for 20-years or longer so be willing to invest the time in research to ensure your grinder will fit into your long-range production plans. MPJ looks at some of the top brands on the market today.

40,000-lB an hour

MPbs IndUstrIes M250g grInder can grind up to 40,000-lb an hour at high speed and around 20,000 lb an hour at low speed. The amount

can vary depending on the product type, texture, temperature, plate hole size, gear box RPMs, and feed screw configuration.

“The holes of grinding plates normally range from 3mm to 13mm,” says Bob Maxwell, president of MPBS. “Meat is compressed by the rotating feeding auger, pushed through the cutting system and extrudes through the holes in the grinding plates after being cut by the revolving star knives.

“Most grinders sold in the North American market have only one star knife and grinder plate. The MPBS M250G uses a European style Unger grinding system which includes two

fInd a grInder

plates and one knife for fresh meat or three plates and two knives depending on what you are grinding and the outcome you are trying to achieve. The size of the final meat partials are determined by the size of the holes in the last grinding plate. If frozen meat and meat rich in connective tissue is to be minced (ground) to small particles, it should be minced first through a coarse plate followed by a second plate and knife and finally through a second knife and third plate to the desired size,” he says.

Since 1938 MPBS has been based in Los Angeles. The company manufactures and distributes food processing and packaging equipment around the world. MPBS Industries is the exclusive sales, service and marketing organization for Butcher Boy machines.

wide range oF MaterialS

The gea PowergrInd 280 offers outstanding versatility for a wide range of raw materials, varying from coarse to extremely fine grinding, says the

company, with both fresh and frozen meat ground equally well. In the case of frozen food, the GEA PowerGrind 280 can handle blocks with a temperature down to -25°C.

According to GEA, the enlarged infeed area minimizes the risk of bridge building. Together with an enlarged feeder worm diameter and pitch, these improvements significantly contribute to the performance increase.

As a result, blocks are cut rather than broken up, meaning almost no dust or fines are produced, particle definition is excellent, and fat

Left: Depending on set-up, the M250G can grind up to 40K an hour

Right: GEA's PowerGrind can grind from coarse to very fine

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separation is reduced to an absolute minimum.In the process of grinding, very little heat

is generated (the temperature rises only 1 or 2 °C with fresh meat), so excellent quality is maintained with no squashing or smearing. The two-worm configuration also reduces changeover times because the same machine set-up can be used for both frozen and fresh meat.

The reverse operation of the processing worm means cutting tool sets can be changed with ease even when the machine is loaded.

German-based GEA Group is one of the largest suppliers for the food processing industry and a wide range of other process industries. As an international technology group, the company focuses on process technology and components for production processes.

100% Batch control

In what Rome is calling the best invention since the grinder, the US-based company has released its Rome Reclaim System (RRS).

Rome says that the RRS is the industry’s first two-in-one bone collection and reclaim system allowing for 100% batch control and eliminating the potential of wide spread bacteria and batch contamination. “After years of R&D the team started to actively pursue the RRS and within the last year has developed a system that solves the bone collecting and reclaiming of product for processors in one easy to use system”, says Mike Weaver, company president.

The RRS places the reclaimed product into the same conveyor line or combo while exhausting true waste into a separate receptacle. Among the benefits of batch control, you are able to eliminate excess handling and labor costs of moving product requiring additional reclaim grinding, helping you to save money and utilize

production workers for other tasks. With a keep-it-simple design philosophy, the

RRS is able to be setup in less than five minutes. The RRS does not require an additional power source, motor, electrical wiring or complicated mounting configurations. All of this adds to the most cost effective bone collection and reclaim system on the market allowing you to take control of your waste and your bottom line.

Frozen Meat grinder

CozzInI’s PrIMegrInd 400 serIes grinder (CPG400) can process a wide variety of frozen materials. It can be equipped with a single or double

plate/knife set in addition to the pre-cutter plate. According to the company, the CPG400 integrates seamlessly into any production line – simple or complex – where grinding is required prior to further processing.

A robust, stainless steel feedscrew is driven by a backpressure absorbing main bearing. The main bearing greatly extends the useful life

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Right: Cozzinie's PrimeGrind 400 can take on frozen materials

Above Rome's Reclaim System in action


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of the more costly transmission by buffering and equalizing backpressure loads. A unique separation design between feedscrew and drive prevents lubrication contamination of the product. The stainless steel hopper, throat and barrel all come with a fine, sanitary finish to ensure thorough sanitation. Cozzini can make custom-fitted hopper extensions and safety guarding to meet your loading requirements.

Chicago-based Cozzini is a leading provider of meat and food processing equipment and related technology and services with offices in the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and Italy.

150-lB hoPPer

HollyMatIc’s Model 175 MIxer/Grinder provides high production and mixing in an easy-to-clean design, claims the company. Its 150-pound

capacity hopper tilts or can be removed for cleaning. With one tool, the mixing paddle, grinding head, and feedscrew can be removed to sanitize.

In addition to sanitation benefits, the 175 features a “figure-8” mixing paddle that blends fat to lean faster and easier. The minimum exposed feed screw prevents temperature rise in the product. The end result is ground meat that is blended correctly and looks good over a longer period of time, says the Illinois-based company.

Hollymatic says that the 175 is Gemini System compatible. This system is an ideal solution for continuous grinding of one product at high volume production. The system connects two

machines (Hollymatic or non-Hollymatic) to create a continuous process. The machines can be as easily separated in the event that two separate processing applications are required.

lower oPerating coStS

The effIcIency and dUrabIlIty of Weiler Dominator grinders and mixer/grinders mean reduced operating costs, claims US-based company Provisur/

Weiler. There are fewer parts, and the machines offer increased capacity in the same footprint. Operation is user-friendly with easy assembly and disassembly and wear indictors provide predictive maintenance and timely indication of the need to change parts.

The Dominator grinders and mixer/grinders dominate ground beef processing performance, but provide the same advantages for sausage and poultry processors.

This line includes Weiler mixer/grinders offering production rates from 12,000 lb (5,443 kg) per hour to 48,000 lb (21,722 kg) per hour. All models include Weiler’s twin, overlapping, counter-rotating paddles for a homogenous mix. Used for pre-ground beef, pre-ground pork and pre-ground poultry, Dominator mixer/grinders also feature Weiler’s spring-loaded knifeholders with self-sharpening blade inserts and knife driver system that results in greater drive strength.

The Weiler Dominator grinders handle from 6000 lb (2721 kg) per hour up to 100,000 lb (45,359 kg) per hour. These heavy-duty grinders are also built with a spring-loaded knifeholder, replaceable inserts, and knifeholder drive system, and grind a wide range of raw materials including beef, pork, poultry, mutton, and veal.

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Right: Weiler says its Dominator has low operating costs

Left: Hollymatic's 175 is Gemini compatable


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Software boosts ProdUctIonCompetition between supermarket chains is getting tight, with profit margins getting smaller. germany’s edeka südwest Fleisch gmbh decided a major revamp was in order if it wanted to remain a major player. For its meat plants, the company decided efficiency would require an it changeover. erwin kooke reports

gerMany’s edeka Südwest Fleisch GmbH supermarket chain realized that it required a “quantum leap in productivity” if it wanted to remain a major player. Due to supermarket competition, Edeka saw

consumer behavior changing, with expectations on meat freshness and product quality becoming higher and higher.

In trying to meet these expectations, Edeka had several meat processing plants scattered in the south-west region of Germany. While they were efficient for their day, they weren’t for the future, and definitely not for the objectives Edeka set for its meat production. These were: maximum freshness with guaranteed quality, while optimizing product availability at all of its

markets.Edeka then took the bold step in centralizing

all production in a new facility in Rheinstetten, which would use a highly-specialized software system – combined with cutting edge processing machinery – to allow the plant to have a high level of automation and efficiency.

The end result has been optimal process flow with production volumes of up to 650 tons of high-quality meat and sausages per day for the 1,150 Edeka stores. Production volume has increased by 34 percent, order processing by 24 percent, and customer deliveries by 22 percent, says the company.

The software Edeka decided to go with is a CSB-System, which controls the entire value-added chain in the new factory: goods receiving, cutting, production planning and control, packaging and labeling of meat and sausages


s o F t w a r e & r o b o t i C s

for self-service, stock placement and removal, picking, loading of trolleys and dispatch. Two control stations allow for rapid control and corrective action, monitoring permanently about 800 individual processes online.

receiving Pork and BeeF

already UPon receIVIng Pork halves and beef quarters - mainly from regional producers - Edeka Südwest Fleisch benefits from automated

processes. Following the in-process control and the entry in the CSB-System, the beef quarters are forwarded to track storage.

The pork halves are graded by means of the CSB-Image-Meater, a special hardware and software solution that enables fully automatic, no-contact and absolutely hygienic assessment. Cameras are used to capture the structures of the pork halves, and the measurement results will be applied for grading by different quality levels. Additionally, the system determines if

it is the left or right half; this information will be relevant later for the automatic first stage cutting.

The software also controls the subsequent placement of the pork halves on euro hooks in the track storage: The system automatically determines the correct target track for each half, storing it sorted by left and right halves and by quality grades.

Purchased trading goods are received in a dedicated area that is also controlled by the industry-specific software. Here, the incoming raw materials, auxiliary supplies and operating materials are weighed, submitted to quality checks, and posted directly to the ERP system using MDC (mobile data capture) devices.

With pallet labels attached, the goods are then transported either to the high bay storage, or the individual crates are entered at four special industry workstations and forwarded to a crates storage. No matter how retail goods are processed: the system will know at any time where to find which goods, ensuring efficient material flow in stock placement and removal.

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cutting

sIx Pork cUttIng lInes and two beef cutting lines are used to produce the meat cuts. Capacities in this area are high: up to 4000 pork halves and 400

beef primals can be cut in one shift. The demand for pork halves and beef

quarters is determined in a fully integrated, comprehensive software planning process, which takes into account the complete production process and thus provides optimal planning results.

Based on identified sales data, the CSB-System calculates the expected sales of items for the respective day. The resulting requirements for items to be produced are then incorporated in cutting planning. If a materials shortage is identified in 'cutting reconstruction', that is, plant cutting cannot supply the parts required for production, procurement planning is initiated and a make-or-buy decision is made.

Manual work in cutting is mainly limited to the actual carving. All other processes are automated. This way, the software system ensures that for each cutting order, the track stores automatically provide exactly the required quantities of pork halves and beef quarters with the requested quality. The software controls the cutting of pork halves so that the machine for automatic primal cutting always receives a right and left pork half in parallel.

Once the primals have been cut corresponding to the preceding calculation, the parts will be packed into crates and labeled by the system with all traceability data. This information will be passed along with the meat throughout all further process steps up to the consumer.

Conveyor technology moves the crates on to entry and information stations, eight of which are installed in cutting. On their way, every crate is recorded by a barcode scanner and registered in the ERP software. As soon as the crates arrive

at the information stations, integrated data entry and processing continues: here, the filled crates are weighed automatically before the item, weight, and crate number are merged in the system using a touchscreen.

From here, the software knows exactly which goods are in which crate. This results in optimized information and material flows and thus in efficient value-added processes throughout the entire inventory management.

Next, the crates piled on pallets are scanned with MDC devices. The system uses this information to generate pallet labels indicating all relevant information for the respective pallet and its contents. With these labels attached, the pallets are either forwarded to an interim storage, or sent to the high bay storage via conveyor technology.

SelF-Service Meat

the ProdUctIon of Meat for self-service receives various items directly from cutting or interim storage. On a total of fourteen packaging lines,

software controls the fully automatic weighing, packaging and labeling of the finished self-service meat products.

When planning the meat-processing factory, focus was placed on easy handling and simple operation for the employees. Therefore, a monitor has been installed at the end of each line, displaying the current production order including item number, price, minimum sell-by date, and lot number.

This way, the staff always has an overview of the orders they are currently processing. So on the one hand, the software ensures transparent and efficient processes, and on the other hand, this in turn helps to eliminate faulty processing and potential customer complaints. The crates filled with packaged products are then either forwarded via conveyor technology to crate storage, the so-called "High Dynamic Storage", or they are placed on pallets which will be labeled and stored in high bay storage.

SauSage ProductS

csb recIPe oPtIMIzatIon Is Used to create recipes for high-quality sausage products. It ensures material usage with optimal quality and costs and thus

reliable gross margins while quality remains at a high level.

Within the scope of batch processing, the software at the rack stipulates the exact recipe for every product. It includes technical

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Above: Planning and production takes place as much as possible on the computer screen



instructions for the machines to be used as well. Moreover, the required raw materials are ordered automatically from the silos. This helps to guarantee that the meat emulsion is always produced under optimal conditions, safeguarding a constant high quality of the products.

For the finished meat emulsion, the system generates a label with all batch information required for further processing and consistent traceability of the sausage products. In the following process steps, these data are carried along in the packaging with integrated price labeling by means of MDC devices that communicate directly with the software.

On modern packaging lines, the software controls the packaging, weighing and price labeling of the products. Here you will also find clearly arranged information cockpits at the end of each line where the CSB-System bundles all order data including item information, customer number, price, minimum sell-by date, and lot number. Just like for the self-service meat products, the packaged goods are either stored in high bay storage or forwarded to the High Dynamic Storage.

dynaMic Storage

the hIgh bay storage facIlIty installed at the meat factory in Rheinstetten provides space for 3500 pallets. This modern storage is managed

fully automatically via inventory management.

The software controls all processes for stock entry and removal, the shelf loading devices as well as the conveyor technology. Additionally, based on the customer orders, the system calculates the item quantities to be transferred from here to the high dynamic storage. This crate storage offers more than 50,000 storage positions and serves picking, trolley loading, and an automatic sorter with Edeka products.

Two automatic gantry cranes are used for depalletizing the pallets removed from high bay storage. Controlled by software, the cranes unload the pallets and “send” the individual crates via conveyor belts to their destinations. In order to allow for quick and safe unloading of boxes, an additional eight manual depalletizing stations with special CSB-Racks have been set up. On the monitors, the software clearly indicates for the staff how the pallets should be depalletized.

Picking

based on the cUstoMer orders, the system passes the items on to dynamic and static picking, which has been designed for a throughput

of approximately 130,000 order line items with a total of 100,000 crates and boxes per day. Dynamic picking is organized by the “goods to man” principle and is effected at two special workstations set up in cooperation with the Dutch Vanderlande Industries B.V. This picking method is characterized by excellent ergonomics

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and high productivity and the process can be easily learned by every employee.

At the workstation, the software indicates on the monitor which item quantity is to be removed, and to which target crate they are to be picked. This way, picking is processed error-free and extremely fast: every employee can handle up to 700 picks per hour. To confirm the pick process and to provide direct feedback to the ERP system, the operator either uses a touchscreen or push button installed at the workstation, or an MDC device for scanning.

Static picking is done at 19 picking stations where the system sends the picking orders to mobile data entry devices, allowing for paperless processing as well. At the start of every order, the crate to be filled with the picking items is scanned. Next, the picker finishes off the orders line item by line item. Signaling lamps indicate which crate contains the respective items. As a result, the error rate is zero while productivity and throughput remain at a high level: every picker manages between 400 and 500 line items per hour. The pick process is confirmed either by entries on the MDC device or by scanning.

The advantages of such mobile information processing are obvious: with the MDC devices being directly connected to the CSB-System, media disruptions are eliminated, and time-consuming and costly re-processing of the data for outgoing goods is prevented.

load, diSPatch, control

VIa conVeyor technology, the picked goods are forwarded to trolley loading and thus to dispatch. Here, the CSB-System provides at nine stations

all data required to correctly load the trolleys; incorrect loading is thus ruled out. When loading is completed and the trolleys are ready for dispatch, way bills including all order data are attached. Next, the trolleys are assigned to the respective delivery routes and loaded onto the trucks. Using GPS, these trucks are then sent off on the optimal routes towards the Edeka stores.

At two control stations, all strings of the highly automated meat factory are joined: one master control station ensures optimal processing in the logistics system; another one monitors and controls production and picking. This way, the system provides up-to-date information about the overall situation, the performance, and the technical status of the production and logistics areas.

A traffic light system gives a detailed overview of the processes in the warehouses, depalletizing, picking, in trolley loading, as well as in product management in production and price labeling up to packaging. If a yellow or red status is indicated for an area, the responsible persons can view the detailed status on a “process monitor”. This allows for comprehensive analysis and rapid corrective actions in the event of any disturbances.

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Above: Picked goods transport

Below: Static picking station



eMbrace dIgItal for sUPPly chaIn IndePendencehow customers buy products and the speed in which they want them in hand keeps changing at a rapid pace. Food manufacturers are missing additional profits if they allow supermarkets to control the show.

food ManUfactUrers can gain greater control over their supply chains and no longer be so reliant on supermarkets for profit if they embrace the eCommerce world and optimize their back office and front-of-house business solutions.

That’s the message from international consultancy Columbus, at a time when a number of food manufacturing firms are moving away from the big four supermarkets in the UK and considering other routes to market for their products.

But Columbus insists that retailers are still an integral part of the food supply chain, and many food manufacturers need to be supplementing the work they already do with major retailers, with a fully encompassing Omnichannel strategy.

Omnichannel retailing is the use of all physical channels (offline) and digital channels (online) which offers a seamless, innovative, and unified customer experience. Omni comes from the Latin Omnibus which means "for all" and channels refers to the method in which consumers interact with the company.

Mary Hunter, managing director of UK-based Columbus explains: “If you look at some of the more successful food manufacturing businesses, many of these supply goods to major retail stores and wholesalers as well as direct to consumers through eCommerce, webstores and distributors. During an age where consumerism is changing at a rapid pace and customers are demanding instant access to products, food manufacturers are missing a market channel and extra revenue if they are not embracing digital opportunities.”

Columbus is one of a limited number of consultancies in the marketplace capable of providing both a comprehensive Enterprise

Resource Planning Solution (ERP) solution tailored to the individual needs of food manufacturing businesses, as well as an end-to-end Omnichannel retail solution, claims Hunter.

The company’s advice follows Rabobank’s most recent report on the food processing industry which declared food manufacturers are unprepared for the digital revolution. With the World Retail Congress revealing that supermarkets are already increasing sales by up to 20% through integrating their online and store sales in an Omnichannel strategy, Columbus states that grocers and food processors in particular, ought to be considering doing the same.

Hunter says: “If food manufacturing businesses can get their IT infrastructure right, and optimize their back end systems with intelligent, integrated front-of-house and webstore solutions, there’s no reason why they can’t exercise greater control over their supply chains and supplement the profit they make from supermarkets by distributing their products through other channels.

“Omnichannel strategies that do encompass digital have no limitations on shelf space, reduced barriers to listing and delisting products, and very low capital expenditure requirements,” says Hunter. “Those businesses that fail to embrace digital channels in their Omnichannel strategy risk being pushed to the back of the e-shelf. It’s not about whether you should work with major retailers or not, but more about bringing multiple channels together for real supply chain independence.”

Right Mary Hunter of Columbus



fIVe MInUte food recall

The aVerage dIrect cost of a recall to a food manufacturing company is $10 million, and that does not begin to quantify the indirect costs of damage to the brand, bad publicity, or lost sales.

Recalls are becoming more frequent and complex owing to regulatory and customer requirements. In addition to the increased frequency of regulatory and customer audits, food manufacturing and supply chain processes have become more complex, making traceability more and more difficult.

Most food manufacturers have solid procedures in place to track product throughout their facilities. But, unfortunately most of these procedures are manual and paper-based, which prevents instant answers when you need to respond quickly.

With the financial risk, increased frequency and complexity in today’s food manufacturing landscape, paper based systems no longer fit the bill. It is time you move forward with a technology based tracking and traceability system.

While the most logical step would then be to move forward with a technology-based tracking and traceability system, this alone could cause problems.

For an integrated system to track your product effectively, all of your direct and indirect contact materials have to be identified as they are received and consumed during your manufacturing processes. All of this data has to be easy for the shop-floor operators to collect and all data must be validated for accuracy. All of the data, too, must be saved to a central

location and made available in real-time for recall reporting purposes.

According to Rob Barnes, general manager of Matrix Industrial Control Systems of Canada, a proper system must provide “bidirectional traceability”.

This means, for example: if a supplier notifies you of a quality issue with one of the ingredients, you must be able to determine what products were made from that ingredient, where they were shipped, and what inventory you have remaining on-hand. Additionally, if you receive a customer complaint, you must be able to track where and what time the product was made and, if necessary, identify the cause of the quality issue and determine what other products were impacted.

An efficient data collection system that is implemented correctly will provide this information to you within minutes, which is not possible with manual paperwork, says Barnes.

Product tracing

In order to IMPleMent a sUccessfUl tracking system, the following critical points must be considered:

The system must provide the ability to receive and track all raw material products and packaging materials you receive from each of your suppliers.

All ingredients and packaging materials must be linked to your WIP and finished products. These items need to be tracked as they are consumed in production while making a formulation or product.



two things cause managers of meat processing companies to lose sleep: the first is knowing in the usa there are law firms who specialize in food illness cases. if you slip and cannot respond quickly, your company could be held liable for millions of dollars, or pounds, or euros. the second is knowing back at the plant, all the information that will be able to save you from ruin is in a collection of paper ledgers. it’s time to modernize and sleep easy.

If you use rework, the complexity of traceability increases. All rework must be assigned lot numbers and tracked throughout your process.

While you are tracking product, the system should allow you to collect critical control point data.

All finished products should be coded with a lot number. The smaller the lot size, the more manageable the recall becomes. The lot number should be relevant to your recall window such as a production day or sanitation period. Each plant’s volume and type of production will dictate how far processors may go in dividing lot size. It is important to document the definition of a ‘lot’ in your recall system.

Finished product lot codes must be linked to cases, bags and/or pallets of product sold to your customers.

An effective shop-floor data collection system should come with features that help prevent a recall by integrating real time systems. Example: if the temperature of a product goes above a certain limit, the sensor would detect the temperature change, set off an alarm / alert and shut off the production line automatically.

Being ready

how woUld yoUr organIzatIon in the face of an audit or product recall? Do you have the right people, systems and procedures in place and

can they be brought into action on a moment’s notice?

Some people are hesitant to invest in shop

floor data collection systems because of the cost, but when compared to how much time, money, energy and stress is involved with a food audit or recall, the cost is justifiable, claims Barnes.

Data Navigator is a comprehensive data collection, process control and information reporting software application designed specifically for the food manufacturing industry by Matrix. Originally developed on a DOS platform in the early 1990’s, it has developed into a powerful and configurable Microsoft Windows and Microsoft SQL Server tool used by companies to deliver an immediate and significant return-on-investment. Data Navigator continues to evolve today to take advantage of emerging technologies, to meet changing industry needs and provide ever better performance and reliability.

Data Navigator begins tracking your product the moment it arrives at your facility – or even before. It can integrate to your purchasing system for real-time updates and payment triggers, ensure you receive all the materials you are paying for in good condition, and complete product tracking and traceability from the moment product enters your facility.

If you process poultry, beef or pork, Data Navigator’s slaughter line administration module provides full animal tracking and traceability. It can also track every movement of your raw materials, dry ingredients and packaging materials. Stations located throughout your processing facility can be used to track product as it moves from one storage location to the next and as it is consumed. When appropriate, product weight information is collected for yield, shrinkage and throughput purposes.

July~August 2015 | Meat Packing Journal | 43www.meatpacking.info


gettIng laMb back on the MenU

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will a day soon come where lamb will no longer be an option at most restaurants? already in many western supermarkets – new zealand and australia excluded – the fresh lamb section seems like an afterthought at best. but you can’t blame the stores; they’re in the business to make money and if in the usa nearly half of the population has never tasted lamb, why stock it. but MPJ says: it’s time to turn this around.


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the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) followed and just before the 2001 report came out, the USDA earmarked $5 million annually to develop and promote lamb products to increase demand. If this sounds like pocket change to you, this was part of an overall $100 million multi-year effort to revitalize the domestic lamb industry.

The report added: “Whether this investment will be successful remains to be seen, but this clearly demonstrates the importance place on increasing lamb demand by policy makers.”

Fourteen-years later and around $120 million poorer, what are the results of this massive effort? They’re nothing to be proud of.

From over one pound consumption per person, it’s dropped to even less than that, with around 14 ounces (400 grams) per person (even less when looking at only US grown lamb). The scary statistic is: today, 40 percent of all Americans have never eaten lamb. In plain English, that’s 128 million people and this figure might error on the low side. Without giving an actual number, a USDA report states that “the majority of Americans do not eat lamb.”

Megan Wortman, executive director of the American Lamb Board, the industry's producer-funded promotional arm, told National Public Radio (NPR) that lamb is saddled with perception problems.

"We've lost a couple generations that just do not have any experience with lamb, or they've had a really bad experience with lamb," Wortman says. "The grandmother who overcooked it and it was tough and brown and dull and gamey. Then they put mint jelly all over it."

This is just not a problem in the USA; Canada follows it neighbor to the south in regards to lamb. Much of Europe, too, is experiencing a decline in lamb consumption. Two exceptions are France and Greece, but in Greece – like most of the western world – lamb is extremely seasonal. Go to any Greek hardware store in the weeks before Easter and you will see specially made barbecues set up to handle an entire lamb. Indeed, many Greek supermarkets give out shopping coupons for free charcoal if you buy

the fact that aMerIcans love meat is perhaps the understatement of the year. Each year Americans consume on average around 200 pounds of meat – they adore it, they crave it and, while they might dabble during their college

years with a vegetarian phase, they all come back to beef, chicken, and pork in the end.

But what about lamb? It’s wonderful in an Indian curry; delectable when grilled Greek-style over coals; and lamb chops on their own with maybe a side of fresh peas and new potatoes – delicious. New Zealand and Australia lamb-producing powerhouses target the USA with generic lamb ad campaigns; the American Lamb Board is also trying to do the same with a much smaller budget. So why in any listing of US meat statistics, lamb a seemingly forgotten word? Could it be that despite the efforts, nobody is eating the 'baaaa boy' of the barnyard?

In 2001 a team of professors and researchers at Kansas State University wrote a report on US lamb demand; for those in the industry it is doubtful the report painted a picture they wanted to see.

Lamb consumption declined from around three pounds per person in the 1970s to just over one pound per person in the late 1990s. And truth be told, the downward trend started in 1945, most probably when returning US soldiers who have been fed canned mutton for four years during the Second World War vowed never to eat it again.

The reasons for the 1970s and onwards decline were numerous, but the rise of low-cost chicken during this time was a factor, as well as competitively priced beef and pork – all lower priced than lamb.

This decrease in consumption was something

Prod

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1,000

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2,000

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6,000

8,000

10,000

2010

2005

2000

1995

Oceania - 20,239

Europe - 129,509

Asia - 2,878,697

Americas - 122,720

Africa - 1,028,754

Goat production in tonnes

Oceania - 1,231,232

Europe - 1,361,203

Asia - 3,531,158

Americas - 423,235

Africa - 1,346,740

Sheep production in tonnes

Top sheep producers

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300

600

900

1,200

1,500

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Top goat producers

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Global sheep production

900

1,200

1,500

2010

2005

2000

1995

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Australia and New Zealand sheep production

Prod

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‘000

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500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Turk

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Aust

ralia

Chin

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6,000

8,000

10,000

2010

2005

2000

1995

Oceania - 20,239

Europe - 129,509

Asia - 2,878,697

Americas - 122,720

Africa - 1,028,754


Oceania - 1,231,232

Europe - 1,361,203

Asia - 3,531,158

Americas - 423,235

Africa - 1,346,740


Top sheep producers

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‘000

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0

300

600

900

1,200

1,500

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Top goat producers

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900

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Left and right: Source: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations


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lamb during this time and some supermarkets even treat lamb as a loss leader. But after Easter it can sometimes be a challenge finding a decent leg of lamb.

it'S the taSte

Many PeoPle belIeVe that because families so seldom serve lamb at home, children are growing up unexposed to its distinct

taste. Unlike chicken which is dependent on seasonings or cooking techniques for flavor, lamb stands out. Snake, frog legs, alligator, and even kangaroo tastes a bit like chicken. Nothing else tastes like lamb – which is good – but this can also be bad. Some of the words used by first time lamb eaters to describe it are: “smelly, too strong, fatty, and gamey."

Because of this uncertainty of taste, combined with the high cost of lamb in supermarkets, shoppers balk at paying a top price for a cut of meat they’re not sure their families will like.

And indeed, according to the American Lamb Board, one of the stumbling blocks to increasing retail sector lamb sales is the fact that since lamb is more expensive than other meats, consumers bypass the lamb cuts because they don't know how to prepare and cook them.

"When you can pay up to $17 a pound of some cuts of lamb, not knowing how to cook

it can make you have second thoughts about purchasing," says Nick Forrest, past chairman of the Board.

But MPJ questions this. In the USA, seafood is far from cheap and costs around the same high-price as lamb. Yet people eat 15 lb of seafood a year. In addition, when looking at such factors as cleaning and preparation of seafood – then trying to figure out how to cook something with eight arms – lamb is a complete breeze.

Still, with people not willing to pay the price for it and uncertain how to cook it, the end result is that 40 percent number of non-tasters will only continue to grow.

MuSliMS to the reScue

for the Most Part, growIng ethnIc populations in the US Northeast and on the West Coast have kept the American lamb industry afloat, the USDA report

notes. Indeed, according to a 2008 study by the US Academy of Science, minority populations in the USA accounted for about 58 percent of lamb consumed.

After a market crash in 2012, the American Lamb Board set its sights on creating new demand in Muslim and Latino markets. In 2013, there were an estimated 5.7 million American Muslims with $98 billion in spending power. The board's hope is that some of that money is being spent on locally raised lamb.

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Above: Welsh lamb and other red meat from Wales on display at a trade show.


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Oceania - 20,239

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Asia - 2,878,697

Americas - 122,720

Africa - 1,028,754


Oceania - 1,231,232

Europe - 1,361,203

Asia - 3,531,158

Americas - 423,235

Africa - 1,346,740


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Americas - 122,720

Africa - 1,028,754


Oceania - 1,231,232

Europe - 1,361,203

Asia - 3,531,158

Americas - 423,235

Africa - 1,346,740


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However, just because the market is there doesn’t mean US sheep farmers and producers can fill it. Muslims prefer lambs that are small and lean and that are halal-certified. US ranchers, on-the-other-hand, are more used to fattening sheep in feedlots to grow larger and more profitable – that is if anyone was buying their lambs.

According to NPR, without changes to the production of lamb to cater to a more diverse set of consumers, US sheep ranchers will continue to have difficulties in competing with lamb-producing powerhouses like Australia and New Zealand.

To adequately serve the growing Muslim and Latino markets, the way ranchers raise sheep will need to change, says Anders Hemphill, vice president of marketing with Superior Farms, one of country's largest lamb processors. The same change needs happen for processors that slaughter and butcher lambs.

To more effectively put the ethnic market

plan into action, the American Lamb Board is now giving ranchers and retailers lists of do's and don'ts for marketing lamb to Muslim consumers — for example, avoid showing women in hijabs on packaging — and producing a website specifically targeted at the growing group of consumers.

However, while MPJ understands the lamb board’s growing frustration with US consumers, targeting ethnic groups alone could be shortsighted and more difficult than imagined – this is no one-sized-fits-all approach.

In a report on ethnic lamb buying behavior and preferences, headed by Gary Williams at Texas A&M, it stated that “ethnic lamb buyers are a difficult group to define and even harder to measure primarily because there is no clear definition of what it means to be ‘ethnic’.”

For example, the Islamic ‘ethnic’ group consists of people whose national origins may be one of a large number of countries in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South Asia, Pacific

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Above: The 'cute' factor of lamb can make it a challenge for parents to get their children to try eating lamb.


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Asia, and other parts of the world. Different groups have different expectations of lamb – size of leg, age when slaughtered, flavor, price, and quality – so targeting each group in the USA could be difficult.

For example, the study found for Lebanese and Saudis in the USA quality was the most important factor in buying lamb, while in the Somali and Ethiopian communities price was their most important factor.

Another factor for the Muslim community is how the animal is slaughtered to halal standards. When the majority of the US Jewish community accepts the OU (Orthodox Union) stamp on food and products as being kosher, the Muslim community as of yet does not have a ‘national’ standard. What one Muslim community accepts as halal, another community might reject.

diFFerent aPProach

what MIght work as well would be to invert the concept of ethnic sales to change the image of lamb from being something old

and stodgy, to ethnic, young, and hip.

For example, prior to 1964 classic Jewish rye bread and bagels were something not eaten by the general population of the US and unless someone was living in an area with a large Jewish population such as New York, Chicago, or Los Angles, impossible to find.

To compare this to lamb, while lamb as now around 40 percent never tasted, for Jewish rye or bagels, the percentage must have been close to 90 percent.

Brooklyn Jewish bread company Levy decided to expand, but instead of targeting its established Jewish market, it went after the non-Jews instead. Levy’s capitalized on the very ethnic nature of its products and launched one of the most successful ad campaigns ever with the slogan being: ‘You don’t have to be Jewish to like Levy’s,’ with the accompanying photo of someone obviously not Jewish eating the bread.

Another approach would be to try something similar to the US National Pork Board’s ‘Pork: the other white meat,’ in which a concept most consumers had of pork – fatty, high in calories, not good for you – changed overnight.

So can ‘Lamb: the other red meat’ be very far off? If the lamb industry wants to grow, action needs to take place soon – very, very soon.

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New kid on the block orthe best kePt secretin the us, australia, new zealand, Canada, and elsewhere the demand for goat milk and dairy products has doubled – and even tripled – in the last few years. however, a completely underutilized by-product of this industry are the male ‘billy’ goats which are usually slaughtered at birth and disposed of by either incineration or sold to pet food companies. what will it take to get consumers to start choosing goat?

goat Is the Most commonly eaten meat on the planet with 75 percent of all people eating goat – except in the West where most consumers have never tasted it, let alone even seen it.

While goat dairy products are common in almost all major supermarkets in the North America, Europe, and ANZ – with many consumers believing that the health advantages of goat milk justify its additional cost – a search for goat meat turns up a blank.

Even in supermarkets such as Tesco’s in London, which serves a large ethnic population of people from North Africa, Caribbean, India, Pakistan, and the Middle East, goat meat cannot be found. Not fresh, frozen, canned, or even dried; it’s as if it doesn’t exist.

What’s behind this mystery?Richard Pemble of the British Goat Society

believes it’s a lack of education. "UK consumers have become increasingly detached from the food on their plates – and they know next to nothing about goats. Until there's greater acceptance of it in the marketplace, I don't see much changing."

In Australia, it’s blamed on a lack of quality goat meat being available, In the US, reasons range from never seeing it on a menu, to a

mistaken belief that goats eat trash and tin cans giving it a horrible flavor, to even celebrities bad-mouthing goat such as Orlando Bloom stating how disgusted he was when he found out the ‘lamb’ he was eating was actually goat.

However, in most parts of the world, including leading tourist destinations such as the Caribbean, Mexico, Greece, and Italy, young goat is considered a luxury meat, especially during holidays and religious festivals. Indeed, even at London’s Notting Hill Carnival – Europe’s largest street fair which attracts on average a million people – goat curry is one of the most popular street foods there.

As a meat, goat is one of the leanest. Only 19 percent of the calories in goat meat are derived from fat, with only bison, turkey breast, and codfish lower in fat calories per serving than goat.

The taste of goat meat is comparable to veal or venison. Because it is so lean, cooking methods that don’t preserve moisture tend to render goat meat tough, especially when cooked at high temperatures. Stewing, baking, grilling, barbecuing, and frying are the many ways goat is prepared, with ethnic groups using their own spice mixtures to give goat a unique flavor.

And, unlike cows and sheep that graze, goats are browsers. They are capable of turning more woody and broad leafed plants into adequate nutrition. This means that they require less


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intensive production practices than what is necessary to feed cattle and sheep the hay, alfalfa, corn, and silage they need to stay healthy. Because woody plants are much easier to grow and require less water and fertilization, goat is a ‘greener’ alternative meat source.

Milk induStry waSte

If coMPanIes are goIng to Meet the growing demand for goat milk, more females need to be brought into production, which results in more billies (young

male goats) being born. In the UK alone, the Department of Environment Food & Rural Affairs estimates that 30,000 billies are born every year, but most of them are slaughtered and their carcasses burnt shortly after birth. For both small and large-scale goat dairy farmers, rearing billies is too expensive and labor intensive.

Kate Little runs Lakeland Valley Goats in Cumbria and has over 10 years of experience rearing Boer goats for meat and cashmeres for fiber.

In 2010, she was awarded a Nuffield Farming Scholarship to conduct research into the goat industry in the UK and abroad.

"The dairy industry falls into two camps. You either have little people who milk say under 100 goats and might be adding value by making a very fancy cheese on site. And they're only going to have 100 baby boys a year and can afford to rear them because they're adding value or can ship them off to someone else to rear them,” she says.

"On the other end of the spectrum, are the farmers who have 15,000 dairy goats and don't have the time or inclination to give a monkey's about dairy boys.”

They're the ones we need to convert, she says, into utilizing the billies for meat production.

One man trying to do just that is Chef James Whetlor and co-founder of Cabrito goat meat in Somerset, England, along with farmer Jack Jennings.

Since setting up production, Whetlor has been buying goats off farmers around the UK, which are then reared for five to six months on Jennings' farm.

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Above: Goats on display at a fair. The vast majority of all male goats are killed at birth instead of being grown out for meat.


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“The fate of the British billy goat often isn't a happy one. As a by-product of the dairy industry many farms see the billies as a drain on resources and so they are dispatched the moment they are born. Many are gassed; many are just bashed on the head. This is a widespread practice and in our view, in a world of dwindling resources and rising food prices, an ethical car crash. It’s a tragic and immoral waste and one that Cabrito is trying to end,” Whetlor told the BBC.

“At Cabrito we are not breeding goats for meat. We are trying to end the waste of a valuable resource, so we only raise the by-products from the dairy industry. We use Toggenburg, Saanan and Anglo-Nubien Goats from selected farms in the Somerset area. We only take goats from farms that care about their animals and have the same passion for welfare standards as we do,” says Cabrito.

“Our kids [baby goats] are fed on a diet of milk powder until weaned, then ad lib creep and straw. Slaughtered after six to seven months, the meat on these young animals retains the milky hew of veal whist having excellent conformation. The finished carcasses kill out around 15 kilos [33 lb] and have the look of a game animal rather than anything farmed.”

As delicious as they sound, a problem Cabrito has in finding buyers is the price of goat meat. With a taste that is somewhat similar to lamb – which is already expensive – it’s hard convincing meat markets that they will be able to find consumers interested and willing to pay top-dollar for goat.

According to Whetlor, to rear billy goats properly, they require a considerable amount of feed and feed is expensive. They tend to put on weight slower than lambs so farmers will have to raise them for a longer period.

Could goat then ever become a viable alternative to other types of meat?

"Goat meat is a really excellent healthy source of protein, eliminating waste, and putting the

goat dairy industry into a nice full circle rather than into an upside-down horse shoe," says Little.

However, in the USA despite an overall expectation of growth, there are some potentially limiting factors to the goat industry, according to the US Department of Agriculture in its report The Goat Industry: structure, concentration, demand, and growth.

These factors include a lack of slaughter capacity, the resistance by white Americans to eat goat, and the difficulty in getting fresh goat products in retail stores. Combined, until recently these factors have kept goat production at a relatively low level.

However, the increasing willingness of ethnic consumers to seek out goat producers and goat meat has meant that slaughtering of goats is increasing. As long as goat meat and milk producers are able to continue to develop innovative ways to overcome the distribution restrictions for their products, the goat industry should be able to continue growing.

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Asia - 2,878,697

Americas - 122,720

Africa - 1,028,754


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Europe - 1,361,203

Asia - 3,531,158

Americas - 423,235

Africa - 1,346,740


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Asia - 2,878,697

Americas - 122,720

Africa - 1,028,754


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Europe - 1,361,203

Asia - 3,531,158

Americas - 423,235

Africa - 1,346,740


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Below: Jack Jennings of Cabrito with a friend.


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better quality

Marel introduces, DeboFlex, a groundbreaking new way of de-boning and handling pork fore-ends.

The DeboFlex system is in-line and uses an overhead conveyor and specially designed carriers to transport fore-ends past operators who carry out individual deskinning, defatting, de-boning and dividing operations.

Increases “knife in meat” time

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The efficiency in the production hall has risen, the transport of products has become simpler and the cutting process has become easier. ” Production Manager, Menno van der Post at Compaxo Meat Ltd

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DeboFlex_210x297.indd 1 8.4.2014 11:36:27

Preserving & curingthe best In cUred PorkMankind has been preserving and curing meat in one form or another since we first stood upright. while most today is done in modern factories producing wonderful bacon and hams, salamis, hotdogs and jerkies, there are still some places doing it the old fashioned way. MPJ’s technical editor, James Chappelow, reports on the wonders of Parma ham, bacon, and good old jerky

for the Meat loVIng tourist, the first choice of queue to join in Rome is neither for the Sistine Chapel nor the Colosseum. Dedicated epicureans will instead be found delighting in the wonders of the Salsamenteria Ruggeri on

Campo De Fiori. This is the finest example of a delicatessen to be found in Rome. The stunning window display is a wonder in itself. This is surpassed within by the magical mixture of a cornucopia of Italian delicacies.

Within Ruggeri's – as in all Italian delicatessens – the customer is taken on a quick tour of the country. In terms of prosciutto crudo (Italian air cured meats) the journey moves from San Daniele, to Modena, Veneto Berico-Euganeo, Carpegna, Norcia and Parma. Alongside the prosciutto come the large variety of traditional Italian salami which include Romano Salami, Filzette Salami, Genova Salami, Milano Salami, Napoli Salami, Calabrese Salami, and Siciliano Salami. The equally large variety of Italian cheeses makes its own very special contribution to the tsunami of sensual stimuli.

Among all that Ruggeri's has to offer, Parma ham holds a position of pre-eminence. Its burnt on crown trademark declares the high quality of the hams that hang from the ceiling of the Salsamenteria. Even a small sample of this most flavorsome prosciutto serves as a reminder of a justified high reputation. This is the result of a long tradition of careful preparation.

The special qualities of Parma ham were well known to the Ancient Romans. In his “De Agricultura”, Cato the Younger, writing in the 1st century BC, recorded details of the process of dry curing of legs of pork.


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Above: Caption needed

Above: Parm hams drying

Left top: Parm hams can be stored for up to three years

Left bottom: Parm hams being salted, the first step in the long process.



After salting, washing, oiling and further salting the meat could then be stored for a long period without fear of deterioration. It would be dried in the air to leave what is now called prosciutto. The work of Varrone confirms the popularity of pig rearing with herds of swine numbering between 100 and 150 beasts being commonplace. This was a characteristic of pig farming in the region of “Cisalpine Gaul” – the northern provinces of modern Italy.

Traditional methods of air drying hams became well established into the modern era. As demand for Parma ham grew so the necessity to set industry standards became important. This was started with the formation of the Prosciutto di Parma Consortium in 1963 and the publication of standards in 1978.

From then on only pigs specially reared exclusively in the regions of Emilia Romagna, Lombardy Piedmont, Veneto, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Lazio, Abruzzo and Molise provide the raw material for the hams. The processing of the pork takes place only in a precise area of the province of Parma. Here a micro climate is found which, according to the manufacturers, is dependent on “wind from Versilia, via olive groves and pine groves, which is dried in the Apennines and is enriched by the perfume of chestnuts”. This “gives Parma ham its unparalleled sweetness.”

Pure sea salt is the only preservative used in the process. This is used sparingly so that the sweet taste and suppleness of the ham is retained as much as possible. The curing takes at least a year and follows a strict series of stages:

The legs (each weighing around 15 kilograms) are salted by a highly trained “maestro salatore” who uses humid sea salt on the pigskin covered parts and dry salt on the muscular parts.

After a week of refrigeration between 32 degree F and 38 degrees F and with a humidity level of 80%, there is a second thin coating of salt which is left on for between 15 and 18 days, depending on weight.

The hams are left for 70 days in refrigerated, humidity -controlled rooms at 75% humidity.

The hams are washed with warm water and brushed to remove excess salt and impurities, and are hung in a drying room for a few days.

For around three months the hams are hung on frames in well ventilated rooms with large windows which will be opened and closed according to the outside temperature and humidity. It is at this stage that it is believed that the ham develops its distinctive flavor.

The exposed dry and hardened surfaces of the ham are softened with a paste of minced

lard and salt before the hams are hung in “cellars” until the year of curing is completed. Some hams continue to be stored for up to three years.

Inspectors check the hams for quality using the traditional horse-bone needle before the Ducal Crown mark is branded to the outside of the ham.

Genuine Parma ham, which is protected by a European Union Designation of Origin Status, is even sliced and packaged only in the Parma region.

The production of Parma ham accounts for a major proportion of the meat industry in Northern Italy. It is a significant export earner too. In 2013 63% of production was sold in the EU. Over 500,000 whole hams were sold in the USA and there is a growing market for the product in Canada and Australia. Control over manufacture and the continuation of traditional methods have guaranteed high prices for the meat in a niche and monopolistic market.

High demand has meant that production has been modernized with the addition of refrigeration and humidity controls. Yet that is the limit of mechanization. The simplicity of the product – just ham and salt – is the secret of its success.

Similar stories may be written about most of the preserved and cured meats sold from the Salsamenteria Ruggeri. Indeed, across most of Europe traditionally made products of this type abound. They rely on relatively small scale production using traditional methods.

Many such products inevitably became popular in the United States and Canada as a reflection of the diverse preferences and traditions of the many groups of immigrants, particularly those who arrived in the 19th and early 20th century. Of equal fascination to the tourist as Ruggeri's in Rome would one of the New York Delis. Artie's Delicatessen, Carnegie Deli, Katz's, 2nd Avenue Deli or Carve Unique Sandwiches are among the many that offer delights for the taste buds. In both variety, quality and quantity they can be overwhelming.

Bacon - Salt and SMoke

sUch Markets are, howeVer, only the tip of the iceberg for the Meat Industry. Demand for further preserved and cured meats is high and growing.

Sales of bacon give ample proof of this. In the USA bacon consumption in 2014 was at the level of 17.9lbs per person each year and the market was worth over $2 billion. In the UK 90.4% of households purchase bacon. It has been produced for at least as long as Parma



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antimicrobial effect and the nitrite lessens possible rancidity and helps stabilize the color.

The curing solution is then mixed with brine to which, in addition to salt, seasonings, spices, sugars and phosphates have been added. This mixture may also include liquid smoke (smoke dissolved in water) to give the end product a smoked cooked taste.

Meanwhile, the meat is defatted and any impurities are removed. It may then be frozen.

Automatic cutting machines are used to chop or grind the frozen meat and, as it partially thaws, it is mixed with the warmed curing solution. In some methods multi needle devices are used to suffuse the meat with curing solution.

After the cure has penetrated the meat it is removed from the solution and molded into blocks, frozen and cut into strips.

The strips are then transferred to drying ovens starting at 160 degrees F and gradually cooling to 90 degrees F. This will take up to 12 hours and will reduce the moisture content of the product by between 20 and 40%

Most jerky is then sealed in vacuum bags for sale. This reduces the risk of spoilage through oxidation.

There is little room here for chestnut perfumed Apennine breezes or even for cactus smelling prairie winds. Room has been made for an array of machinery on the factory floor and careful knowledge of biochemistry. Purists may weep in their search for authenticity, but the process works. Sales of manufactured beef jerky are high and the industry continues to thrive.

The meat industry has a talent for innovation and evolution. In the further preservation and curing of meat the challenge has been to meet the mass consumer demands for the classical qualities of time honored processes. The many varieties of ham available in shops, particularly in the USA, amply demonstrate the success of the meat industry. Not only have traditional cures been emulated but also new products have successfully been introduced. Good quality air dried hams may be produced within three months. Different varieties of smoked ham can be using short sequences of cold smoke or even through the use of liquid smoke as described above. The use of curing brine, either through soaking or injection methods, enables a standardized production yet one in which flavor can be easily varied.

Compromise has been necessary. The addition of nitrates and nitrites, albeit in very small and carefully controlled quantities, not only maintains color and flavor but also to reduces the risks of bacterial growth. Health concerns have also meant that substitutes for the traditional sodium chloride (common salt)

Ham but with a rather simpler production method and one that has lent itself to mass production in modern times.

Preservation and cure through basic brine and smoking methods is possible on an industrial scale, as is well illustrated by the sleek modern plants in countries such as Denmark. This has not been to the detriment to smaller, traditional and specialist producers, although larger production plants have proven themselves able to meet the challenge to offer a rich variety of bacon products.

The meat industry, especially in North America and Europe, has worked hard to develop further preserved and cured products that satisfy the market. Consumers rightly have high expectations when buying such meats. In part this comes from the foodstuffs to which they are accustomed. Obviously, both appearance and taste are key. For the retailer a reasonable shelf life needs to be added to the list. For the meat producer in the mass market this means more complex processes and additional costs which can be met in a high volume of production and sales. The plus for the meat producer is that it is often possible to turn the cheaper cuts of meat into high value specialty meats.

Solutions to manufacturing problems can be complex. The production of beef jerky snacks is a good illustration of this. The original South American ch'arki was simply salted game meat that was hung up to dry. The early settlers, pioneers and then cowboys of North America became reliant upon this jerky as a staple food. Smoke huts and the addition of various spices gave the jerky more varied flavors, but it remained essentially a simple dried meat product.

In contrast, the modern manufacture of beef jerky is rather circuitous.

A curing solution of water, salt and sodium nitrite is prepared. This has an

Above: Beef sliced for jerkey



have been found. Sodium ascorbate, sugars and a wide range of different spices are added for color enhancement and flavor.

Depending on the shape and weight of the meat being cured, curing brine may be applied in tanks, tumblers or through injection. The injection technique is suitable for fast cure products such as cured/smoked pork loin and breakfast ham. The shelf life of such products is decreased and they need to be kept refrigerated. The pH level of the meat needs to be understood as the higher values are associated with better flavor and water binding qualities. On the other hand a lower pH value is important in terms of food safety.

Throughout the processes safety checks must be made. Brine concentration and density can be a problem. An over-concentration of nitrites will be toxic. Temperatures in refrigeration and cooking also need care. The degree of heating has an impact on microbiological growth but over heating will change the characteristics of the product.

There are many pitfalls in attempting to maintain a standardized product all the year around. The quality of the raw material may vary; machinery may be faulty or need replacement; containers and packaging may be contaminated and hygiene standards may slip. In the production of hams, for example, a number of common problems may arise which include:

The formation of a thick, hard and dark crust caused by low air humidity and strong air circulation.

Cracks around the head of the leg bone caused either by careless deboning or excessive drying.

Inconsistency in drying which leaves some parts of the ham too soft and others too dry.

MoldOver salty taste due to inadequate

desaltingRancidity due to oxidation of fatty acids

that may follow high temperatures used in smoking, drying and ripening

Spoilage, indicated by the unpleasant smell that accompanies anaerobes, caused by contamination.

Damage caused by exposure to insects.Further preserved and cured meats now

represent a large and growing section of the meat industry. The diverse array of wondrous produce will continue to be celebrated. There is nothing like a platter of mixed prosciutto and salami to turn a mere consumer into a connoisseur. The meat industry is doing a good job in allowing all of us to share in that happy thought of enjoying the delights of the Salsamenteria Ruggeri.

not all bacon starts wIth an oInk

the creaM of PreserVered foods bacon dominates the meat market with the average American and Brit eating some 18lbs (8kg) of pork

bacon each year. But there is more to bacon than pork. Here is a quick few of some of the other types which soon may be laying next to your fried eggs.

BeefWhile in the USA beef bacon has been available for some time in major supermarkets, in the UK and elsewhere it is usually only found at a halal butcher. Beef bacon is typically made from the navel (the same fatty cut used for pastrami), and is treated basically the same as pork. No.1 Foods, based outside London, makes outstanding halal beef bacon, perhaps the best beef bacon to be found anywhere.

TurkeyAs opposed to whole pieces of meat, turkey bacon is made from turkey that’s been smoked, chopped up, and re-formed into strips. It has a low fat content (around 10 percent), and doesn’t shrink when cooked like regular bacon does. Turkey bacon tends to be low on taste and high on salt.

DuckDuck bacon, made from duck breast, is extremely good. The most popular variety is uncured and produced by New York-based D’Artagnan, which starts with a Moulard duck breast, rubs it with salt and sugar, smokes it over applewood – no artificial liquid smoke or flavors are used – and then thinly sliced.

ElkWisconsin-based Crescent Quality Meats sells bacon with ground and formed elk. It can be quite dry.

VenisonLike elk, venison also suffers from being quite dry so venison bacon is usually a mixture of ground venison, ground pork, and pork fat to offset the leanness of the deer.

LambLamb bacon is quickly becoming very popular. Indianapolis-based The Smoking Goose sells and ships lamb bacon, which they produce by hot smoking it over applewood, after being rubbed with salt, brown sugar, and maple sugar. Some are predicting that lamb bacon will become mainstream.

BuffaloSayersbrook Bison Ranch and Yankee Farmer’s Market produce buffalo bacon.



ProdUct newsMultivac integrationInternational company Multivac’s checkweighers now work even more closely with its packaging machines and labelling systems. Loading a new recipe in the HMI 2.0 control terminal automatically controls the settings for the checkweigher and – if present – the metal detector. The integration simplifies the operation and increases the level of both automation and process reliability.In terms of a high overall equipment effectiveness and efficient product flow control, deep integration of the checkweigher in the line control is desirable. By integrating the checkweighers Multivac can meet all these requirements in full. Specifically this means that, if a user selects the recipe for a new product batch at the packaging machine, she also immediately changes all the necessary settings on the checkweigher.

Shoulder & neck skinnerPrime Equipment Group’s new CSNS-2 chicken shoulder and neck skinner reduces bacteria counts, improves quality and yield, and even eliminates the cropper on breast debone lines, says Joe Gasbarro, company president."The machine's main function is to remove shoulder and neck skin after the picking room and that action brings with it several benefits. Removing the shoulder skin allows cone line workers to make more accurate shoulder cuts, increasing yield by up to 0.25 percent to live weight,” says Gasbarro."In addition, the CSNS-2 helps reduce pre-chill bacteria counts by removing the neck skin, where bacteria accumulates, and effectively removes the crop.”The international company is based in Ohio, USA.

Multi-zone cookerGEA’s new CookStar uses a combined vertical and horizontal air flow in the oven, allowing hot air and super-heated steam into different zones. Each zone can have its own cooking conditions with temperatures up to 200°C and dew points up to 95°C. The horizontal and vertical airflow concept result in 10-30% shorter cooking time, providing more capacity as well as more consistent product quality, improved overall product color, and faster browning, says the German-based company. GEA adds that the CookStar will give energy savings, shorter cleaning times, lower cleaning costs, and lower maintenance costs, all while producing high yields.


P r o d u C t s

More shear mixerAdmix of the USA has released its new Rotosolver Model RXRS designed specifically for meat and chicken processors. The RXRS provides improved process results through superior drawdown of floating powders and 38 percent more shear to handle thicker viscosity marinades, claims the company.Combining a new simplified, sealed drive assembly drastic with a 70 percent reduction in energy consumption and 55 percent better flow, it provides processors with a lower overall cost of ownership, improved process results, simpler maintenance, and reduced downtime, says Admix.

Skin tray sealingThe G. Mondini skin tray sealing packing system that produces Hybric Flat Tray packaging is a new skin packaging technology that creates a sustainable package with enhanced aesthetic appeal, says the UK-based company. Using the versatile ‘Platform Technology’ on Mondini’s industry leading Trave tray sealers, the package can be made with either a coated paperboard or plastic foundation.Mondini’s technology creates innovative and stand-out packaging with maximum product exposure. The packaging provides excellent communication surfaces and is 80% recyclable if paper is used. The easy to open, vacuum sealed package offers minimal post-consumer waste compared to all other retail packaging styles. claims the company.

cryogenically hardenAmerican Cutting Edge says its deep cryogenic process hardens stainless steel at extremely low temperatures which ensures a consistent metallurgical structure throughout the blade. This increases blade abrasive wear resistance, decreases brittleness, and increases durability and wear life. The Ohio-based company offers a wide range of industry standard meat skinning and derinding blades and says it is a world-class supplier of poultry processing blades for machines like Meyn and many others.

Fast gizzard inspectionCantrell of Georgia has introduced a new gizzard inspection system which the company says reduces labor and can run 280-300 gizzards per minute.The GIS 1002 requires only two employees – instead of the usual four – to inspect the gizzards. Besides reducing the work load on the remaining employees in the line, this new system adds more automation to the gizzard harvesting system for added safety on the remaining employees handling the product. Cantrell says that the gizzard inspection system also separates transport water from the product.


P r o d u C t s


b a C k P a g e

Wales Is faMoUs for haVIng more castles per square mile than anywhere else and it has a lyrical native tongue which inspired ‘Elvish’ in Lord of the Rings. But, if Prys Morgan and the team at Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales –

succeed, the small country will be just as well known for its quality lamb. While to take on the big lamb players of New Zealand and Australia might seem a bit daft, don’t tell this to Prys. MPJ talks to HCC’s head of operations.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and the HCC?

I’ve been involved in the red meat industry for some time now and have extensive experience in all areas of the business. I’ve worked the commercial side as well as for government agencies. HCC works closely with all links in the Welsh red meat supply chain, including farmers, processors, auctioneers, retailers and the Welsh Government. We are aiming to make the Welsh industry as efficient and profitable as possible while ensuring that the consumer gets the high quality meat that they demand.

Except in a few countries, lamb consumption seems to be on a downward spiral. In the USA it’s down to 400g per person a year and around 40% of all Americans have never tasted lamb. Is this a worrying trend?

It’s not surprising in the USA because their sheep population is dwarfed by the cattle industry – there are 90 million head of cattle compared with just over 5.5 million head of sheep. If you compare the USA with Wales, the contrast is stark. The US has a human population of 319 million with just under 5.5 million head of sheep, while Wales has a population of 3 million but we have some 9 million head of sheep.We are hopeful that we will gain access to the US market for Welsh lamb soon. Meanwhile we have established a trade for Welsh lamb in neighboring Canada as well as across mainland Europe, Scandinavia, and the Middle and Far East. I think it’s fair to say that there is a growing demand for premium quality Welsh lamb.

Prys MorganI was at store in London and the only lamb I saw was New Zealand. What will it take to get UK stores to put farm-fresh lamb from Wales on their shelves?

The UK has traditionally been a major market for New Zealand lamb which does go some way to account for the amount of meat from the country that arrives on our supermarket shelves. In fact, traditionally the Welsh lamb and New Zealand lamb seasons have complemented each other, with one available in UK shops when the other is out of season. However, in recent times we have seen the New Zealand lamb season encroach into our traditional season which means that their lamb is more widely available. I think the supermarkets do understand that Welsh lamb is a premium quality product and that it is marketed accordingly.

You see people in the stores pick up a pack of lamb, look at the price and then put it back, buying chicken instead. This is very much a problem in the States as well. Is lamb good value for money?

Welsh lamb is excellent value for money and because of its versatility it can be cooked in any number of exciting ways – and this forms part of our overall marketing strategy.For example, we have a mobile kitchen and take it to major consumer shows, tourist attractions, and supermarkets to demonstrate how easy it is to cook with Welsh lamb. We also tell the public where they can buy Welsh lamb. The feedback we have had from retailers has been good, with sales of Welsh lamb rising as a result.

Back to the cost, do you think this is the reason why people aren’t choosing lamb and why people are exposed to it? People go to the shops, see the price of lamb, wonder if their kids will even eat it, and then go with chicken or beef instead.

There may be a misconception that lamb is difficult to cook, but this is obviously nonsense. HCC is doing its best to dispel such ideas and holds regular training sessions with teachers to brief them on its ease of cooking as well as its nutritional value. Our staff also goes into schools to show children how easy it is to cook and to tell them how Welsh lamb can be part of a

Q & A


balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle.

Lamb is often times seen as an older adult’s choice in meat, but I think with the rise in Indian cuisine and with more younger people willing to cook Indian at home, do you think in the UK at least lamb is becoming more of a younger person’s choice?

While it may sometimes be perceived as an older person’s favorite, you’re right to say that it is gaining traction among the younger generation. Indian recipes are enormously popular, so much so that HCC has sponsored the Welsh Curry House of the Year competition since its inception nine years ago.But it would be wrong to say that younger people only want to cook lamb curries. Welsh lamb is often praised by celebrity chefs on television or in their cook books, and we often see an upsurge in demand after a high profile figure has used Welsh lamb in one of their recipes on TV.

Because of the saturation of New Zealand lamb, does it make marketing a challenge? A general lamb campaign will help your competitors as much as yourselves.

Marketing is always a challenge because we are not only competing against other lamb brands but also against other proteins such as chicken. We believe it is better to concentrate our efforts on promoting the premium quality of Welsh lamb and the clean, green image it enjoys both in the UK and across our overseas markets.

How successful has your campaign been in the rest of Europe?

Overseas markets account for about a third of all Welsh lamb sales. Mainland Europe and Scandinavia account for about 91 per cent of those sales and in total were worth £122 million in 2014.Welsh lamb benefits from being granted Protected Geographical Indication – PGI - status by the European Commission. This means that only animals that have been born and reared in Wales and processed through HCC-approved abattoirs and cutting plants can legally be described as Welsh lamb.We are keen to further develop Welsh lamb’s penetration into key European markets, which is why we have dedicated agents working for us in France, Germany, Italy, The

b a C k P a g e

Netherlands, Belgium, as well as Scandinavia where we believe there is great potential for growth.

At times it’s hard not to think of Wales and the HCC as the main character in the children’s classic ‘The Little Engine that Could’. You’re surrounded by these big steam trains from Down Under, and yet there you are, chugging up these steep hills saying: ‘I think I can, I think I can.’

Wales is the little engine that can – our industry is big enough to meet the challenge but small enough to care about each individual sector. It’s very much like a train with farming, processing and retailing all pulling together in the same direction to reach a common goal!

accles & ShelvokeServices: Slaughter and stunningSpecies: Poultry, Pork, Red MeatRegion: WorldwideWeb: www.acclesandshelvoke.co.ukTel: +44 (0) 121 313 4567Email: [email protected]

Banss americaServices: Food safety and hygiene, Logistics and handling, Processing, SlaughterSpecies: Pork, Red MeatRegion: North AmericaWeb: www.banssamerica.comTel: +1 407 930 3554Email: [email protected]

dohmeyerServices: Cooling and refrigeration; further processingSpecies: Pork, Poultry, Red meat, OtherRegion: WorldwideWeb: www.dohmeyer.comTel: +48 17 788 98 17Email: [email protected]

Frc Systems internationalServices: Waste managementSpecies: Poultry, Pork, Red MeatRegion: WorldwideWeb: www.frcsystems.comTel: +1 770 534 3681 Email: [email protected]

handtmannServices: Processing, Further processing, Weighing and portioningSpecies: Poultry, Pork, Red MeatRegion: WorldwideWeb: www.handtmann.deTel: +49 7351 45 0 Email: [email protected]

hyde toolsServices: Further Processing, Processing, SlaughterSpecies: Poultry, Pork, Red MeatRegion: WorldwideWeb: www.hydeblades.comTel: +1 (508) 764-4344Email: [email protected]

dIrectoryJarvis Products corporationServices: Processing, SlaughterSpecies: Pork, Red MeatRegion: WorldwideWeb: www.jarvisproducts.comTel: +1 860 347 7271Email: [email protected]

MPS meat processing systemsServices: Slaughter, Processing, Further processing, Weighing and portioning,, Waste treatment, logisticsSpecies: Pork, Red Meat, Region: WorldwideWeb: www.mps-group.nlTel: +31 544 390500Email: [email protected]

MultisorbServices: PackagingSpecies: Poultry, Pork, Red MeatRegion: WorldwideWeb: www.multisorb.comTel: +1 716 824 8900Email: [email protected]

Prime equipment groupServices: Processing, SlaughterSpecies: Poultry, Red MeatRegion: Worldwide Web: www.primeequipmentgroup.comTel: +1 614 253 8590Fax: +1 614 253 6966Email: [email protected]

Provisur technologiesServices: Further Processing, ProcessingSpecies: Poultry, Pork, Red MeatRegion: Worldwide Web: www.provisur.comTel: +1 312 204 6042Email: [email protected]

reiserServices: Further Processing, Labeling and packaging, ProcessingSpecies: Poultry, Pork, Red MeatRegion: Europe, North America Web: www.reiser.comTel: +1 614 253 8590Email: [email protected]

Stork Poultry ProcessingServices: Further Processing, IT solutions, Labeling and packaging, Logistics and handling, Other services, Processing, Refrigeration, Slaughter, Weighing and portioningSpecies: PoultryRegion: Worldwide Web: www.marel.com/poultryTel: +31 (0) 485 586 111Email: [email protected]

Scott technologyServices: Further Processing, Logistics and handling, Processing, RefrigerationSpecies: Red MeatRegion: Worldwide Web: www.scott.co.nzTel: +1 614 253 8590Email: [email protected]

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d i r e C t o r Y

201514 - 15 septemberEuroPack summit

Cascais, Portugalwww.europacksummit.com

15 - 18 septemberProcess Expo

Chicago, US www.myprocessexpo.com

21-23 september Livestock Asia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiawww.livestockasia.com

5 - 9 octoberAgroprodmashMoscow, Russia

www.agroprodmash-expo.ru

22 - 24 octoberInternational Meat, Meat Products

& Equipment ExhibitionShanghai, China

http://www.chinaexhibition.com

27 - 29 octoberProPak Cape

Johannesburg, South Africawww.propakafrica.co.za

25-27 novemberPoultry India 2015

Hitex Hyderabad, Indiawww.poultryindia.co.in

26-28 January IPPE 2016

Atlanta, USAwww.ippexpo.com

16-18 february vIv MEA 2016Abu Dhabi, UAE

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Birmingham, UKwww.foodex.co.uk


e V e n t s

ediTorialvelo mitrovichEditor+44 1442 780 [email protected]

James ChappelowTechnical [email protected]

ediTorial advisory BoardMeat Packing Journal is advised and guided by an editorial advisory board formed of leading profession-als and researchers

Jorge Ruiz Carrascaluniversity of Copenhagenfred w. Pohlman university of arkansasIan Richardson university of bristolGraeme Rolinson marel

Rhian OwenVelo Mitrovich Jack Young

salesJim robertsonHead of sales+44 1442 780 [email protected]

Josh hendersonAccounts Manager+44 1442 780 [email protected]

suBsCripTionsMeat Packing Journal is a bimonthly magazine mailed every January, March, May, July, September and November. Subscriptions can be purchased for six or 12 issues. Prices for single issue subscriptions or back issues can be obtained by emailing: [email protected]

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The content of Meat Packing Journal is subject tocopyright. However, if you would like to obtain cop-ies of an article for marketing purposes high-quality reprints can be supplied to your specification. Please contact the advertising team for full details ofthis service. Meat Packing Journal is printed at Bux-ton Press Ltd, Derbyshire, UK.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher.Meat Packing Journal ISSN 2054-4677 is published bimonthly by Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. Subscription records are maintained at Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hemp-stead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. Meat Packing Journal and its Editorial Board accept no responsibility for the ac-curacy of statements or opinion given within the Journal that is not the expressly designated opinion of the Journal or its Editorial Board. Those opinions expressed in areas other than editorial comment may not be taken as being the opinion of the Journal or its staff, and the aforementioned accept no responsibility or liability for actions that arise therefrom.

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Documents

Vol 2 - iss 4, Meat Packing Journal, Jul~Aug 2015