ADS Spring 2009 Newsletter

Planning efforts are in full swing for the 2009 Technical Meeting of The Association for Dressings & Sauces. This important meeting will feature the must-attend Information Open House, the informative Food Safety and Recall Workshop, Dressing and Sauce of the Year taste-testing and voting, Package of the Year award voting, and numerous educational sessions designed to help your business achieve success. Keep reading for more on these educational opportunities.

We encourage you to attend any or all of the ADS open committee meetings for updated information on the latest ADS and industry happenings. You will find an abundance of important industry and Association-related information shared in these meetings. You may even find you have a calling to participate as a committee member. Open meetings include:

Make your way to Ft. Worth early and take advantage of an additional networking opportunity sponsored by ADS! Attend the Meet & Greet Reception on Saturday, April 26 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. You will get to know some of the newer meeting attendees and reconnect with long-time friends. You may even find yourself with a dinner partner.

Take a look at the line-up of speakers and topics!

On Monday, hear an overview of Sustainability from Brian Meuhl of Alcan Packaging, Inc.
Learn about Gums for Dressings and Sauces: Is Xanthan Gum Always the Answer? from Wanda Jurlina of CP Kelco.
Hear the latest Advantages of Phospholipase A2 Treated Egg Yolks in Mayonnaise, Dressings & Sauces: Opportunities for Developers and Formulators presented by Otis Curtis and Dr. Arjien Sein of DSM Food Specialties USA, Inc.
Clausen Ely of Covington & Burling will provide you with the latest Washington happenings and their potential impact on the dressings & sauces industry during his Food Regulatory Update.
On Monday afternoon, you will have the opportunity to check out the New Products and Services Presentations.
We will kick off Tuesday morning with a presentation on Crisis Management: Handling Difficult Questions Made Easy by Rick Cristol, Kellen Company.
Also on Tuesday, Dr. Marcia Mogelonsky of Mintel will present The Economy and Implications for the Food Industry.
Later that morning, you will learn about Using Vision System Technology to Reduce Risks from Perry West of Automated Vision Systems, Inc.
Jackie Kane of The Clorox Company will present Assessing Product Risk.
And on Tuesday afternoon, make sure you don’t miss the Food Safety & Recall Workshop: When Good Food Goes Bad, which will be moderated by Angie Lawless of RQA, Inc.

As you can see, this is one truly exciting program you don’t want to miss!
And make sure you register by March 18 to receive discounted registration!

Information Open House
Get ready for this year’s ADS Information Open House (IOH), an informal tabletop exhibit where you will have the opportunity to meet new members, establish business relationships and re-connect with current clients. As always, it is during this event you will have the opportunity to vote for the 2009 Package of the Year.

Supplier members, if you haven't already reserved your tabletop, click here. For details, check the IOH Guidelines when you submit your tabletop reservation by March 18.

Should you have questions regarding the IOH, please don’t hesitate to contact Headquarters at ads@kellencompany.com or call (404) 252-3663.

Association News

REMINDER: 2009 Membership Renewals
As you know, invoices were previously distributed with a January 1 deadline! Make it a point to secure your corporate membership renewal with the only Association that specifically caters to the dressings and sauces industry!

And it’s not too late to purchase your Web link. For $100 a year per link, you can showcase your company and/or company’s specific product brands. That means every visitor to the Consumer Web site has the opportunity to see your company logo and also access your site with just the click of the mouse. Contact headquarters to arrange for your Web link now.

ADS Member Directory
Look for the much-anticipated ADS Member Directory to be available online by the end of this month. You will be able to view the Directory 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, download it to your computer, or print it to take on the go.

ADS Strategic Plan and Member Survey
The Board of Directors met at ADS headquarters in January to create a strategic plan for the Association. The plan will further strengthen the foundation of ADS for future growth and complement the Association’s Mission Statement and Objectives, which were unveiled in 2007. To assist in this process, members were asked to complete a survey in December 2008. Your input indicates that ADS is on track with a few areas of opportunity identified. The Board will be rolling out some changes for the future, such as revamping the Annual Meeting to better suit your needs as members. Look for more details on the strategic plan in the coming months.

A random drawing was held for those members who completed the Member Survey. Kirk Bewley of Culinary Farms was the recipient of a $250 gift card. Congratulations Kirk! Thanks to everyone who participated. We appreciate your feedback!

Crisis Management Plan
A new ADS Task Force has completed its work on a new tool for members - the Association’s draft crisis management plan for use as a blueprint for establishing your own individual plans. The plan also includes information on recalls, communication strategies and a high-level overview regarding how ADS can assist in the event of an industry crisis. ADS’ Executive Technical Board and Consumer Awareness Committee will next review the draft before being approved by ADS’ Board of Directors. The final plan will be unveiled in the near future.

In the Know: ADS Online Source for Timely Consumer and Industry Trend Information
In February, ADS launched its monthly industry trend and information communication for members. In the Know will provide you with timely trend information as well as highlights of specific industry issues and happenings. Trend information will still be included in the Heads Up e-newsletter, but the bulk of this ADS-issued information will be included in the monthly In the Know.

The most recent In the Know can also be found on the home page of the Members Web site (www.adsmembers.com). Look for the next issue to come your way next week! We would also appreciate your thoughts on this latest communication!

ADS’ Consumer Awareness Committee Kicks Off the New Year with Consumer Outreach
ADS has finalized its color editorial feature, as part of this year’s Consumer Awareness program. ADS partnered with National Pecan Shellers Association for the feature which has a focus on healthy spring salads. Included are four salad recipes (including dressing suggestions) containing pecans and accompanying photographs. March distribution was targeted to tie in with April as National Pecan Month and May as National Salad Month.

The feature will appear on the front page of newspaper food sections as well as in regional and lifestyle magazines nationwide. The feature includes a guaranteed 600+ placements online and has a circulation goal of 6 million. Additional outreach includes distribution to 230+ Hispanic publications. Staff will keep you advised of media placements and pick-up success.

Another component of the Consumer Awareness program is participation in a co-op satellite media tour. ADS will focus on healthy eating and salads (including the versatility of salad dressings) in the upcoming tour to promote healthy summer eating. The tour will be hosted by Diane Morgan, an award-winning cookbook author, freelance food writer, culinary instructor and restaurant consultant. She is the author of 14 cookbooks and has been involved in the world of food for 25 years. Approximate audience reach is expected to be 3.5 million. The tour is scheduled to air on May 6 and staff will provide additional details very soon.

Regulatory Update

On the regulatory front, ADS has been keeping members abreast of regulatory issues that affect their businesses, including the several food safety bills recently introduced in Congress. These bills would have a significant impact on the food industry, if passed by Congress.

Staff will continue to monitor the status of these bills and provide updates, as information becomes available. Additional information on these issues and many others may be accessed via the Member Communications Archive located on the Members Only section of the ADS Web site: www.adsmembers.org.

Contemplating Condiments

According to a February 2009 Prepared Foods article, Consumers are seeking a wider variety of flavors in nearly all of their food choices, and restaurants are trying to meet those needs. Many food and beverage industry products are innovative enough to lead and keep up with changes in consumer taste and behavior, including condiments.

According to the Mintel report, “Condiments, U.S., July 2008,” condiment sales grew 3% in current prices during 2002-2007, reaching nearly $5 billion, however, the market is expected to flatten, growing just 0.5% each year through 2012. Besides the current recessionary woes, condiment sales are expected to slow further, due to slow marketplace innovation and a consumer base moving away from quick-service restaurants and toward home-cooked cuisine.

Condiments represent a category where the basics rule. However, the industry needs to determine how to streamline packaging or creatively enhance recipes to create excitement in a marketplace that has long survived on just the essentials, according to the article.

Four leading segments define the condiments industry: pickles/relish/olives, ethnic sauces, mustard/ketchup and meat sauces.

Pickles in a Pickle
According to the article, for pickles/olives/relish, sales of olives are progressing, as manufacturers launch packaged offerings that emphasize place of origin, unique ingredients and upscale processing. However, sales have stagnated, as pickles/olives/relish attract a limited audience. For these products, little can be done in terms of flavor innovation, stifling consumer interest beyond traditional use.

Ethnic Sauces Groomed by Thai Cuisine
It seems ethnic sauces are positioned well, as consumers have become more sophisticated in their food choices and more willing to experiment with foods from different cultures. Sales have progressed steadily, as new ethnic flavors become mainstream and offer incremental sales growth opportunities in ethnic sauces.

Organic Ketchup to the Rescue
The article states that mustard and ketchup did not fare well in the early part of this decade, when popular health trends took hold of the food industry. One response was to launch all-natural and organic varieties, but manufacturers are also addressing another concern about the high sugar content of regular ketchup. There are reduced-sugar variants, and those that use ingredients like agave nectar as a sweetener.

Where’s the Beef?
The article also states cooking sauces suffer from the proliferation of pre-marinated meats, which somewhat negates the opportunities for cooking sauce condiments like Worcestershire sauce. Consumers have also realized a cost savings by using dry seasonings to flavor their meats, such as rubs that create a barbecue flavor and, therefore, may not use a stand-alone sauce.

Premium or gourmet sauces are driving segment growth, a trend emerging specifically for steak sauces. Celebrity chef endorsements and cuisine reality shows are also raising public awareness of these brands, helping to drive sales.

Hot Sauces Still Hot
Interest in hot/Cajun sauces that began in the early part of this decade continues to be strong, as small manufacturers keep generating excitement through brands that thrive on the strength of exclusive recipes and bold flavoring. According to the article, this is not the case with other sauces, such as cocktail sauce, chili/hot dog sauce or tartar sauce, which are limited by their use.

Supermarkets Dominate Market
Condiments are predominantly available in supermarkets, which accounted for 98% of 2007 sales. However, sales are slow; during 2005-2007, for instance, sales of condiments increased only 1.4%. And, according to the article, this channel is threatened by mass merchandisers who are appealing more to consumers looking for shopping trips that encompass a wide variety of needs, particularly grocery.

To read more click here.

Member News

Welcome New ADS Members!

MANUFACTURERS
The Fremont Company
Products: spray dressings, shrimp sauce
Primary Contact: Chris Smith, Vice President Marketing
802 North Front Street
Freemont, OH 43420
Phone: (419) 334-8995
Fax: (419) 334-8120
E-mail: chris.smith@fremontcompany.com

SUPPLIERS
Kalustyan Corporation
Importer of spices, herbs and proprietary blends.
Primary Contact: Kerri Goad, National Sales Manager
855 Rahway Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: (908) 688-6111
Fax: (908) 688-4415
E-mail: kerri@kalustyan.com

Siemer Specialty Ingredients
Heat-treated grain products.
Primary Contact: Robert Ferguson, Customer Account Executive
111 West Main
Teutopolis, IL 62467
Phone: (217) 857-2231
Fax: (217) 857-3092
E-mail : rferguson@siemermilling.com

$$$ ADS Bucks Program - Rewards for New Member Referrals $$$

Make sure your clients and colleagues know the many benefits of ADS membership! As a member, you possess the knowledge potential ADS members need to know. And there’s no better way of educating them than word of mouth! Bring a friend or colleague to an ADS meeting (Ft. Worth) and let them see for themselves how valuable ADS’ educational and technical programs and networking can be. And, as a bonus, when your referral enters the ADS membership, you can pocket a little cha-ching!

For more information about the ADS Bucks program and for membership materials, contact Jacque Knight at jknight@kellencompany.com or call 404-252-3663, ext. 2973.

Save the Dates

In an effort to attract the maximum in attendance and provide you with key program components you’ve come to expect from ADS Meetings, as well as less time away from the office, we have adjusted the Annual Meeting dates by one day. Instead of meeting Sunday-Tuesday, we will host the meeting at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa in Dana Point, California from Saturday, October 10 – Monday, October 12.

The Association for Dressings & Sauces is managed by the Kellen Company (www.kellencompany.com), in Atlanta, Georgia, with offices also in New York, New York, Tucson, Arizona, Washington, D.C., Brussels, Belgium and Beijing, China. Kellen Company is an employee-owned company providing association management, meetings and exhibition management, public relations, crisis management, Internet services, government affairs and other professional services to associations as well as individual companies.

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