2008 Annual Report - Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products ...

Entering
the food
chain
Objective
The primary objective for
this project was to scale recipes
for commercial processing.
Approach
Entrepreneurs continually
contact the FAPC for assistance
in getting food products
and/or ideas to market. While
some bring experience to the
venture, most are at the startup
phase. Each new client is
required to attend the FAPC’s
Basic Training seminar before
entering the client success
path. One of the first services
provided is recipe scale-up, or
converting a home-style recipe
into a commercial recipe for
large scale processing. During
this process, the recipe is
converted from the language
of cookbooks into the language
of processing. During
scale-up, the client is encouraged
to consider cost; required
label copy, including nutrition
facts; ingredient sourcing and
specifications; and product
consistency.
A key objective of the
entrepreneur is to keep the
finished product characteristics
close to their original
product. However, in some
cases, adjustments are needed
to make the product com-
40 –– Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center
mercially viable. During the past
year, eighteen clients with more than
thirty products have come to the FAPC
for recipe scale-up. Products have
included pizza and barbecue sauces,
barbecue rub, salsa, granola, cake icing,
pickles, cookies, bakery products,
bread pudding, and meat marinade.
Approximately eight products are
currently in test market, or are being
marketed on a limited basis.
Benefits
Providing an increasing variety
of locally produced food products
was the major benefit seen from this
project.
Economic Impact
This project will provide an
income stream for the entrepreneur,
co-packer and/or distributor. During
time, this will hopefully allow the
client to expand and provide
additional employment opportunities.
Continuing Work
Each project is considered a workin-progress
that requires continued
support to achieve client objectives.
Funding
The FAPC and participating clients
provide funding for these projects.
Collaborators
David Moe, FAPC pilot plant manager,
was the principal investigator for
this project. Other collaborators included
Darren Scott, FAPC food scientist
and sensory specialist; Reneé Albers-
Nelson, FAPC milling and baking specialist;
and FAPC business/marketing
staff Jim Brooks, Chuck Willoughby,
Andrea Graves, and Erin Early.