Processed Produce and Other Grocery Items

2. 18 Processed Produce and Other Grocery Items

3. You Should Be Able To: • Explain management considerations surrounding the selection and procurement of processed produce and other grocery items. • Identify the selection factors for processed produce and other grocery items, including government grades.

4. You Should Be Able To (cont.): • Create product specifications for processed produce or other grocery items. • Describe the process of purchasing, receiving, storing, and issuing processed produce and other grocery items.

5. Management Considerations • What processing method should you use? • Dried • Refrigerated • Frozen • Pickling • Fermentation • Chemical preservatives

6. Management Considerations (cont.) • Selection is affected by: • Food quality • AP price • Convenience • Substitutions • Buyer’s neglect • Employees cavalier attitude toward these products

7. Management Considerations (cont.) • Impulse purchases • New products – combinations of old • Opportunity buys • Container size and EP cost

8. Selection Factors • Intended use • Exact name • U.S. government inspection and grades • Canned, bottled and frozen items • A – the very best • B – slightly less perfect • C – may contain some broken and uneven pieces

9. Selection Factors (cont.) • U.S. government inspection and grades (cont.) • Dried foods • A – the most attractive, most flavor • B – not as attractive • C – more variations in taste and appearance (usually broken pieces)

10. Selection Factors (cont.) • Packers’ brands • Product size • Size of container • Packaging material and procedures • Drained weight • Type of processing • Color • Form

11. Selection Factors (cont.) • Packing medium • Water • Syrup • No added medium • Brix level • Amount of sauce (for vegetables) • Additives and preservatives

12. Selection Factors (cont.) • Other information on label • Packaging dates • Freshness dates • Serving cost data • Lot numbers • Child Nutrition information

13. Selection Factors (cont.) • One-stop shopping opportunities • AP price • EP cost includes • Cost of product • Cost of labor • Cost of energy • Other overhead expenses

14. Selection Factors (cont.) • Supplier services • Canned products require nominal services • Frozen items require greater service • Stockless purchasing (protected AP price) • Reasonable “break points” • Shortage list • Delivery schedule

15. Selection Factors (cont.) • Local supplier or national source • Primary source or drop shipping • Buy direct from a local supplier

16. Purchasing Processed Produce and Other Grocery Items • Obtain copies of reference materials • Determine what to order • Determine ordering procedure • Day-to-day • Long-term contract on bid basis • Test products – can-cutting tests; recipe testing

17. Receiving • Inspect canned and bottled products • Swelling, leaks, dents, etc • Dried • Check condition of containers • Frozen • Thawing and refreezing • Check temperature

18. Storage • Canned and bottled products • Dry area at 50°-70° F • Dried • Dry and cool • Frozen • -10° F or lower • Avoid fluctuations in temperature

19. Issuing Processed Produce and Other Grocery Items • Written stock requisitions for every item • Requisitions are for no more than is needed • Require notes on in-process inventory prior to filling a requisition • EP cost is most vulnerable to attack in area of in-process inventories