It’s not your average reality TV show - where men and women (and even, sometimes children) often misbehave. Instead, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” (AGT) provides a national showcase for top performers who shine for their singing, dancing, comedy, impressions, juggling and magic. There’s even room for contortionists and ventriloquists.
Like “American Idol” (whose producers also are involved here), AGT uses a panel of judges - David Hasselhoff, Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne - and encourages voting by the show’s nationwide viewing audience.
That said, I can’t think of a better program aligned to the many attributes of refrigerated and frozen prepared foods.
- Just as a particular talent distinguishes someone, most of this industry’s temperature-controlled products are unique and value-added. Moreover, they deliver higher margins for retailers and numerous benefits (labor savings, consistency, quality, food safety) to foodservice operators;
- Just as there are a range of recognized talents, refrigerated and frozen prepared foods come in all forms and appeal to consumers for many reasons, from health and wellness attributes to pure convenience and/or indulgence;
- Just as the celebrity judges represent all walks of life in the entertainment industry, your critical operator customers represent all facets of the food industry - including retail, in-store bakery-deli and foodservice.
- Just as judges and everyday viewers cast their votes, your customers - including consumers and the nation’s retail and foodservice operators - are both involved in giving feedback and rewards.
Speaking of rewards, AGT culminates with a live finale where one act will walk away with a million-dollar prize. Interestingly enough, the refrigerated and frozen food sector (speaking about retail here) has become so distinctive and important that Packaged Facts, New York, dedicated a research report directly to the topic. The firm projects that the “retail convenience food market” will generate $47.5 billion in sales by 2012 - with as much as $28.5 billion coming from fresh foods and $19 billion in frozen.
In a January 2008 report titled, Convenience Foods in the U.S.: Fresh and Frozen, Packaged Facts wrote that retailers - and refrigerated and frozen prepared convenience foods, in particular - will benefit greatly from busier consumer lifestyles, Americans’ growing concern with health and their interest in ethnic cuisines and flavors.
Frozen food industry loses a leader
Refrigerated & Frozen Foodssends condolences to J.R. Simplot Co. following the May 25 passing of its 99-year-old founder John Richard ("Jack") Simplot. A one-time farmer and fresh produce specialist, Simplot diversified in the 1940s and built a company involved with fertilizers, farm seed and soil products and potatoes (dehydrated and frozen). He is credited with pioneering the first commercial frozen french fry in the late 1940s.
