Meat+Poultry - March 2022 - SUPP-13

free and one of few pork companies that are
American Humane Certified, a solid co-packer
relationship and an understanding of Coleman's
needs is a must.
" Our co-packers need to be best-in-class from
protocols, to quality, timeliness and reliability, "
said Anne Kuechenmeister, vice president of
further processing for Coleman Natural Foods.
" Sugar Creek has been a wonderful partner for
more than a decade.
" We have an extremely collaborative relationship
with Sugar Creek. We work together when
we want to bring new products to market bringing
our combined expertise to the table. Our
research and development team has a close
working relationship with their team. Even
through COVID they have been true partners
helping us flex to meet changing demand. "
The feeling is mutual and, like all relationships,
co-packing requires both parties involved
to listen, understand and remain consistent and
open minded.
" Coleman has been a great partner because
they have an excellent and consistent product, "
Hutcheson said. " We have been working together
for a long time and they have been an excellent
customer throughout. We have had great communication
throughout our work together and
have enjoyed working with them. "
FLEXIBILITY
Retail grocers across the country offer Coleman
Natural's products and Sugar Creek has committed
to providing Coleman with whatever it takes
to ensure the shelves are stocked with bacon.
Whether processing for retail stores or foodservice
customers, Sugar Creek's ability to flex and
pivot regardless of the situation and environment
make it a viable and reliable co-packing partner.
" Pre-pandemic our [foodservice/retail] split
was about 50/50, " Hutcheson said. " Due to
increased demand from retailers and a lack of
demand from foodservice, that number changed
in 2020, but in 2021 we were back to a 50/50 split
which is closer to normal for us. "
Quite frankly,
we want
partners
that want a
high-quality
product. "
Haig Berberian
Every co-packing customer needs processes
and procedures done a certain way. The popularity
of bacon continues to evolve, and that
evolution applies to all aspects of the product.
Consumer diets have become so varied and
customized, companies must do everything in
their power to attract people to their products,
whether it's Whole30, Keto, organic, etc.
Bacon companies may require hogs raised in
a certain fashion, special formulations, certain
label attributes, bellies of a certain size, flavors,
etc., just to remain relevant with the best cross
section of consumers. Co-packing manufacturers
must be able to accommodate their customers
in these ways to build, maintain and further
develop relationships and partnerships.
" Every customer is different, they have different
cures, packaging, etc., " Hutcheson said. " It
takes a lot of coordination for switching lines,
products, etc., but that's part of the territory as
a co-packer. We pride ourselves in being as nimble
as possible. We try to streamline our equipment
so that multiple different products can run
on our various lines. "
Bacon's popularity
and menu versatility
continues to grow
and evolve.
WHY CO-PACK?
One-year-old co-manufacturing start-up, United
Custom Foods, Charleston, SC, approaches its
bacon co-packing partnerships in some of the
same ways as the biggest players, but the company's
size and mission allow it to look for a specific
kind of partner, one that fits with what they do best.
" Quite frankly, we want partners that want
a high-quality product, " said Haig Berberian,
chief executive officer at United Custom Foods.
" We don't want price to be the primary factor,
although price is always a factor. "
While the biggest companies in the industry
serve a customer-base with a consistent product,
and the ability to manufacture that product in
the largest quantities, United is " a smaller, small
batch, boutique packer, " Berberian said.
" The types of customers and partnerships that
we look for are the ones that want to differentiate
and separate themselves with a higher quality,
more traditional hands-on product that they can
then market that way to differentiate themselves, "
added JD Mooney, United Foods' general manager.
MEAT+POULTRY 2022 BACON TRENDS + TECHNOLOGY
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Meat+Poultry - March 2022

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