Frozen French-Fried Potatoes: Effects of Size of Pieces on Consumer Preferences

Excerpt from the report: Packages of frozen french-fried potatoes include some slivers, small pieces, and irregular pieces of potatoes. The objective of the present research is to determine the influence of such imperfect pieces upon consumer preferences. Knowledge of the relationship between the size of pieces in packages of frozen french-fried potatoes and consumer preferences may provide a useful guide for possible revisions in the grade standards for this product

Convenience Foods for the Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Market: The Processor's View

Foodservice operators are switching to convenience food products to offset rising labor costs, increasing raw commodity prices, and a lack of trained personnel, and to realize economies from new food technology. A total of 138 surveyed firms reported over $1 billion in convenience food sales to the hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) market during 1973/74. Over two-thirds of the companies had national sales distribution, nearly one-fourth reported regional sales distribution, and only a few small companies limited their distribution to local areas. Frozen food products accounted for over two-thirds of the products introduced and over 60 percent of the products discontinued during 1968-73. Heat-and-serve and portion control items were seen as the largest growth areas for convenience foods in the HRI market, but frozen foods are expected to gain the greatest sales over the next few years

Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing, Selected States, 1979-80

About 21,000 farmers surveyed in seven States in March 1980 reported selling $126 million worth of farm products directly to consumers. About 44,000 farmers in nine States surveyed in December 1979 reported$260 million worth of direct sales. The States surveyed in 1980 were California, Illinois, Missouri, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Texas. Those surveyed in 1971 were Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. The chief products sold in both years were floral and nursery products, apples, peaches, strawberries, sweet corn, and tomatoes. The chief selling methods were pick-your-own operations, farmers' markets, and roadside stands

Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing in Six States

Nearly 62,000 farmers in Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania sold about $260 million worth of farm products directly to consumers in 1978. Direct sales represented 2 percent of total farm income in the six States. Leading in sales value were floral and nursery products, apples, berries, peaches, sweet corn, tomatoes, and melons. Direct sales from the farmhouse was the most frequently used direct marketing method, followed by roadside stands. Other types of direct marketing outlets are pick-your-own operations, farmers' markets, house-to-house delivery and farm stores