The Rural Voice, 2002-02, Page 26The key goal driving everything
was the need for a packaging system
that would create meat that had at
least 100 days of shelf -life. At the
time shelf -life in Canadian stores was
seven days.
To meet that target, the team
had to essentially throw out the
rule -book from a packing and
processing point of view. Instead of
trying to increase the speed of the
processing line as big packers did,
they had to slow the line down
because speed increased microbe
counts in the air. The kill line in the
plant only handled 30 cattle an hour.
A modified atmosphere system was
also used.
"We ended up with a one, two and
four -ounce filet cut from A plus
(beef). It was on a little piece of
cedar (packed with rice or broccoli).
We sell it through a vending
machine.
"You take your yen, you drop it in
and right beside (the vending
machine) there's a little microwave:
20 seconds for rare, 30 seconds for
well-done — bingo."
The plastic -wrapped packaging
included a little knife to both cut off
the wrapping and cut up the meat.
The package also includes chopsticks
for eating.
"What we're doing is taking a
product that's in demand — beef —
and incorporating it in a presentation
into their society. And it didn't hurt
that it was $20 a pound when we got
done.
"I think it's really significant that
the five packing plants that are being
built in the United States right now
are not the dinosaurs run by IBP and
Cargill. These are small plants, 1000
head -a -day maximum and they
deliver customer -portion ready
products out the other end in a fresh,
long -shelf -life product that we didn't
even know existed before."
He described a chain of organic
food stores he visited in Ohio that
was absolutely jammed with
customers. Among the products was
unhomogenized chocolate milk that
brought $1.58 more per gallon than
regular chocolate milk in the same
store.
The milk comes from a new
generation co-op that takes the milk
from 11 dairy farms.
But dealing with the problems
INTERGENERATIONAL FARM TRANSFERS
One of the most
important parts of
tomorrow is planning
the future today.
Only 4% of Canadian farm families have a
written succession plan. Be part of the informed minority.
Start planning your succession strategy today and keep your
family name on the mailbox.
John H. Uren & Associates inc.
John Uren
1-800-766-9951
Nancy Ackert
1-866-396-8108
e-mail: juren@JHUandAssociates.com
website: www.JHUandAssociates.com
22 THE RURAL VOICE
encountered in going after a smaller
market segment can require some
ingenuity, he said. For instance, for
mass suppliers of eggs, styrofoam
containers are a cheap way of
packaging eggs. The packages are
cheap, but unfortunately the dye used
in printing the label costs a Targe
amount and setting up a new label for
a short run of cartons becomes
exceedingly expensive.
So producers of eggs for smaller
niche markets like Omega 3 eggs,
went to plastic packaging
manufacturers and asked for help
finding a solution. The result is a
clear -plastic package in which a
printed -paper label can be inserted in
the lid. It means even a small
operator can print out a label, on an
ink -jet colour printer even, and have
distinctive packaging for any number
of smaller -run products.
So, Church said, he has a
neighbour who sells regular
eggs at regular prices, natural
eggs at a premium, the Omega 3
enhanced eggs for a further premium
and organically -raised, Omega 3 -
enhanced eggs at several times the
cost of the regular eggs. All can be
sold in the same package with only
the printed label changed. If a new
product comes along, it takes little
time and money to create a package
for it too.
There is also an added benefit for
those using the packages, he said,
because it allows shoppers to easily
check to see if there are any cracked
eggs in the package. With styrofoam
packages shoppers often open the
package to make sure there are no
cracked eggs and in doing so,
sometimes break eggs. Those who
use the clear -plastic packages find
they save money by not having so
many packages returned with broken
eggs.
The niche market, Church said, is
a double edged -sword because if you
become successful, your niche
becomes a commodity and the big
guys move in.
"So you've got to be looking for
the next niche at all times."
Some of those new markets may
come from the changing make-up of
the Canadian population, Church
said.
He told of working with his
grandson's class in which only a