As a New Year begins, R&FF sat down with three refrigerated foods processors/manufacturers to learn a little bit about their story and offer insights into where the cold foods industry is heading.
(These interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity).
Evolution Fresh
Alice Nelen, VP of Brand Management and Innovation
How did Evolution Fresh get started and what inspired its founding?
Evolution Fresh was started with the goal of creating a juice in which consumers were able to taste the authenticity and vibrancy of the fruit it was juiced from. Because of this, we believe in a different approach to making juice. The cold-pressed way. It’s our way of helping protect the flavor and nutrients of the raw fruits and vegetables we bring into our juicery. No added colors or flavors nature didn’t put there. Just our favorite produce, tasting as close to fresh picked as possible with minimal processing. Today, Evolution Fresh is a leading producer of organic, cold-pressed, premium juice products, and provider of high-quality, delicious nutrition for consumers.
What makes Evolution Fresh different from its competitors?
Many juices on the market have been heat-pasteurized, which may affect the natural flavors of the ingredients. That’s why we cold-press our juice using high pressure processing. This keeps fruits and vegetables chilled from the moment they enter the juicery to the moment you take your first sip. Our sourcing team consists of experts in the agricultural industry who partner with our growers and farmers to ensure we’re using the best quality product picked at the peak of freshness. You will often find us in the fields, checking out the produce we use for our beverages. We primarily source our produce locally. It is rushed to the juicery, where it’s cleaned, squeezed, and pressed. Once we have crafted our juice blends and bottled them, we apply pressure equal to five times that found in the deepest part of the ocean to help protect flavor, color and nutrients, while ensuring safety.
How are Evolution Fresh products manufactured and distributed?
Our products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art juice facility, where we are able to bring in raw organic vegetables and fruits and press them into juice. Then we blend our juices to meet our rigorous quality specifications in our automated tank farm. After that, we fill our juices raw and use HPP (High Pressure Processing) to ensure a safe and nutritious products for our consumers. Our products are distributed from Rancho Cucamonga, California, throughout the United States. We also use our distribution hubs in Bakersfield, California, and Chicago, Illinois, to pick and ship products, depending on the customer.
What are some of the Evolution Fresh sustainability goals?
We are passionate about sustainability and have been TRUE Zero Platinum certified since 2022. This is not only a zero waste to landfill program but really evaluates that we are getting the best use of all of our resources. We are always looking at how we can upcycle our waste streams – currently much of our veggie and citrus pulp goes to cattle feed but some veggie pulp we are able to use as a supply to snack foods and are evaluating moving all of our veggie waste to be used in pet food.
What were some of your best-selling products in 2024?
- Organic Pure Orange
- Organic Defense Up
- Mighty Watermelon
- Organic Super Fruit Greens
What else would you like R&FF readers to know about Evolution Fresh and its portfolio in the coming year?
Generous Brands is growing not only its business – but the number of brands and partners we do business with. In July, 2024 we announced a distribution/selling agreement with SAMBAZON – the leader in Acai based beverages. We are poised for additional business growth as well as additional partners to be a part of the Generous Brands portfolio. Look out for more new news in early ’25!
Greenridge Naturals
Sebastian Madej, Co-Founder/Principal at Greenridge Naturals
How did Greenridge Naturals get started and what inspired its founding?
Founded in 2008 by Polish-born brothers Michael Madej and myself, Greenridge was inspired by our desire to create the simple, natural flavors of our mother’s and grandmother’s cooking. Using high-quality ingredients—such as premium-sourced beef, pork, and turkey—and authentic European spice blends, we craft artisanal, small-batch sausages, meat sticks, and deli meats. The mission has always been to deliver great-tasting, clean-label meat products that inspire customers nationwide to eat healthier without compromising on quality or flavor.
What makes Greenridge Naturals different from its competitors?
We do not add nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, artificial flavors or colors to our Naturals line (inclusive of deli meats, sausages and meat sticks). This means no preservatives or additional flavorings that are often added to prolong the life of meat products. Our products are made fresh weekly, with a selection of core items only naturally hardwood smoked (no liquid smoke). Additionally, all our meats are free from MSG, soy, and gluten, and most of our offerings often have zero sugar and are lower in sodium compared to other meat brands in the market, according to USDA standards.
How are Greenridge Naturals products manufactured and distributed?
Our products are processed, packed and shipped all from our headquarters in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. We source premium meat, including grass-fed beef for our snack sticks, and have several trusted spice suppliers, which we blend in-house for unique flavor profiles across our meat offerings. We naturally hardwood smoke our meats that are packed, label and distributed.
What are some of Greenridge Naturals’ sustainability goals?
Improving our sustainable practices is always top of mind. Our team is constantly researching new ways in which we can reduce our waste and use of plastic- including incorporating compostable materials, and ensuring are suppliers are engaging in fair and sustainable practices.
What was your best-selling product in 2024?
Our Original Beef Sticks continue to be the fan-favorite item. We have a loyal and dedicated customer base that love the all-natural, hardwood smoked flavor, and ease of use as they are fully cooked. Coming in at a close second is our Tacchino Arrosto Turkey, a super versatile all-natural turkey, it has lower sodium, with a unique spice blend making it a perfect deli meat for every day.
What else would you like R&FF readers to know about Greenridge Naturals in the coming year?
We are very excited to launch new shelf-stable snack sticks in 2025. We've worked hard on developing these dried sticks, using a unique drying process that maintains the natural elements that Greenridge has become synonymous with. The sticks are made with grass-fed and finished beef and a special blend of spices, our ongoing production expansion has aided in developing new products including the dried sticks, as well as a slicing facility, allowing us to offer pre-sliced deli meats this year.
Seaboard Foods
Chad Groves, CEO
How did Seaboard Foods get started and what inspired its founding?
Seaboard Foods is part of Seaboard Corporation, a Fortune 300 company with over 100 years of history that’s rooted in flour milling and grain. With efforts to expand food production capabilities, Seaboard Foods’ vision was to create a fully integrated pork production system that ensures consistent quality and transparency. This commitment led to the establishment of our flagship processing plant in Guymon, Oklahoma, in 1995. From the start, we’ve always been focused on raising the bar for pork quality, a commitment that traces back to Seaboard Corporation’s century-long history. Seaboard Foods has always been about innovation, learning and continually improving.
What makes Seaboard Foods different from its competitors?
Our Prairie Fresh Way philosophy, which connects every step of the food production process, is hands down what gives us our edge. By owning and managing each stage, from raising pigs on American farms to processing the pork in our facilities, we ensure a level of transparency and quality that’s unmatched in the industry. This approach isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about building trust and delivering an exceptional eating experience every time.
We also don’t strive to be the biggest. Instead, we focus on being the best. Controlling the entire process, including the animals, allows us to oversee each step and deliver the highest quality product. Transparency and openness are at the heart of what we do, and they’ve helped us build strong relationships with our customers. When you choose Prairie Fresh, you’re not just getting pork; you’re getting the care and commitment that come with the Prairie Fresh Way.
How are Seaboard Foods products manufactured and distributed?
We’re proud of our integrated system, particularly with our strategic partner Triumph Foods, which has a total commitment to delivering the very best, the Prairie Fresh Way. By managing every aspect of production — from the farms where our pigs are raised to the connected food system processing facilities in Oklahoma, Iowa and Missouri — we maintain the highest standards of quality and consistency. This system isn’t just about control; it’s about ensuring that the products we deliver to customers meet their expectations for taste, safety and sustainability.
Our distribution network supports this commitment, ensuring that fresh and frozen pork products reach our retail and food service partners on time and in optimal condition. This integrated approach is a cornerstone of the Prairie Fresh Way and reflects our dedication to bringing excellence to the table every day.
What are some of Seaboard Foods’ sustainability goals?
Sustainability is a priority for us at Seaboard Foods. We’re committed to minimizing waste, reducing energy usage and finding innovative ways to protect the environment. We recognize there’s always room for improvement, so we set annual goals within our current operations to identify areas for growth. For instance, we reduced 351,355 miles of diesel transport through optimized truck routing, cutting down on emissions and improving efficiency.
Additionally, Seaboard Foods RNG has expanded its renewable natural gas production on our farms and continues to upgrade facilities to operate more sustainably. These efforts reflect our commitment to supporting a greener tomorrow and ensuring a positive impact on the environment and surrounding communities.
What was your best-selling product in 2024?
For the past year, the Prairie Fresh Signature Garlic Herb Pork Tenderloin has been the biggest value-added seasoned products seller by volume, and by dollars, it’s the Prairie Fresh Signature Applewood Smoked Bacon Pork Tenderloin. We’ve also seen growth in our premium fresh pork brand Prairie Fresh USA Prime in both retail and foodservice. Using industry-leading proprietary technology, we select premium cuts based on superior marbling, color and tenderness. The retail bacon brand, Daily’s, also expanded its distribution across the United States, gaining significant traction this year.
What else would you like R&FF readers to know about Seaboard Foods in the coming year?
Innovation is at the heart of what we do, and as we look to the future, we’re focusing on new ways to meet consumer and customer needs. From developing value-added products that offer convenience and nutrition to strengthening our sustainability initiatives, we’re excited about the opportunities ahead. At the end of the day, everything we do comes back to our mission of bringing excellence to the table. We’re here to provide our customers with the best possible pork products, backed by the care and dedication that define Seaboard Foods.
In addition to the three processors featured here, other headlines to watch in 2025 include several refrigerated and frozen food acquisitions from the fourth quarter ’24 by companies including PepsiCo, Kingswood Capital, Lakeview Farms and Happy Egg, reflects research from CoBank, which found much of the M&A activity in 2024 was driven by a need for product innovation and growing consumer demand in segments like convenience foods and healthy snacking.
Manufacturers and processors planning who announced new production facilities or major expansions in 2025 include:
- Lactalis USA will undergo a $55 million expansion at its Tulare, California, plant to become the company’s largest feta production line in the U.S.
- Little Leaf Farms is in the midst of adding a fourth CEA greenhouse at its McAdoo, Pennsylvania, campus, expected to open this fall.
- DTC food company FreshRealm plans to add several production lines to its Georgia facility.
- Home Market Foods is adding $70 million worth of upgrades at a newly-purchased Connecticut plant.
And, of course, we’ll keep an eye on R&FF’s 2024 Processor of the Year, Cafe Spice. The company late last year began manufacturing from a 70,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility in Beacon, New York, which now accounts for nearly 90% of the company’s output. In its first phase of operation, additional production lines are expected to be added in 2025.
