[OT]Hormel Entrees - Name Change

[MCIera]

It's not related to MREs, but since the Hormel entrees that are found in supermarkets and WalMart has been mentioned here a couple of times, I thought I bring this to light. On May 5, Hormel re-introduced their retort tray entrees under the brand name of "Compleats"
http://media.hormel.com/templates/knowl ... d=2&id=353
http://www.hormel.com/brands/brandview3 ... atitemid=3

As such, some of the inventory with the old packaging is starting to show up in some of the stores that specialize distressed and overrun merchandise, e.g. Big Lots for a nationwide store, though they're also at local/regional outlets that handle similar surplus merchandise. Around here they're selling for $1.50 each. The only store that I've seen the new "Compleats" packaging in has been WalMart for $2 each, all the grocery stores seem to still have the old inventory (maybe it's because they sell them for about $3.50 each ) The product is the same as the old one, just a different outer band and 4 new menu items.

[kman]

I hadn't noticed they changed the name but now that you mention it, I do recall seeing that name on some of their entrees. In fact...I even have a picture I took of some of those entrees I purchased recently:



I've tried the Chicken Alfredo and the Swedish Meatballs and they're both excellent - I wish they made MRE entrees out of those two.

[SoFloAuthor]

Ever notice how many of the Hormel/Dinty Moore shelf stable meals appear in the MRE case menus?

Ever notice how many of our food labels say "Distributed by:" and not "Manufactured by:"

Co-packaging, retort cooking, private label = big business....

Check the packaging plant stamps......there's hints on everyone.

Due to contractual obligations I can not disclose who's who, but rest assured, if we eat it from a shelf-stable package it's always possible it'll be in a tan bag someday

[kman]

SoFloAuthor - so it almost sounds like you're saying (implying, really) that the MRE entrees are manufacturer by the same place that makes the commercial shelf-stable foods. On the one hand, this makes a certain amount of food-processing sense. But then again, I thought I had seen videos before of places like Ameriqual where they had all the retort packaging equipment on-hand and they were doing it themselves.

Maybe that was way long ago and things have changed. I guess I'll have to put on my Private Investigator hat and do some digging.

[MCIera]

If I'm reading SoFloAuthor's message correctly, it appears that the implication may be that the companies that process and package foods in flexible pouches or retort bowls/trays may be using product that is initially produced from companies like Hormel, Dial, or Con Agra, and then packaged and retort processed by companies like Wornick, Ameriqual, or Sopacko into their final packaging for delivery to military feeding systems, the consumer retail market, or to the food service industry.

I don't know about Dial (Armour) or Con Agra, but it's pretty much common knowledge that Hormel has provided their processed food products for military packaging for quite some time now, with the most famous (or infamous?) being SPAM. The implication that I would see here is that the raw product, as it were, may be produced by one of the known brand name manufacturers for the government (hence the reference to government owned/supplied materials) that are used in the production of the MREs. Kind of like the USDA canned food that some of us grew up on in school cafeterias; we know that the cattle wasn't raised by the government, nor did they grow the vegetables that were in the cans

The hints on the packaging that he refers to may be the USDA EST codes on the packaging that may indicate the actual source of the product. As an example, using the 2AD code that found on a can of Corned Beef Hash, one may find that the production facility is actually from Pinnacle Foods which produces food under the brands of Armour, Aunt Jemima, Celeste, Chef's Choice, Duncan Hines, Lender's bagels, Log Cabin Syrup, Mrs. Butterworth's, Mrs. Paul's, Open Pit, Swanson, Van de Kamp's, Vlasic; even though the label on the can may say Armour, Great Value (Wal*Mart), or Hartford House (private label brand for discount stores like Big Lots, Dollar General, etc.)

SoFloAuthor - so it almost sounds like you're saying (implying, really) that the MRE entrees are manufacturer by the same place that makes the commercial shelf-stable foods. On the one hand, this makes a certain amount of food-processing sense. But then again, I thought I had seen videos before of places like Ameriqual where they had all the retort packaging equipment on-hand and they were doing it themselves.

Maybe that was way long ago and things have changed. I guess I'll have to put on my Private Investigator hat and do some digging.

[SoFloAuthor]

Geeez, it's so much easier, why all the "implications"

Look at the Hormel menu line-up on the shelf......many have been in the MRE case, this ain't rocket science....there are three major manufacturers of MREs.......somebody's packaging the stuff for Hormel/Dinty Moore

The packaging on the food in the stores says "Distributed by", NOT "Packaged by".......

Anyone can go to Sopacko's parent company Crown Point and see what they sell.

NEWS ALERT: The car manufacturers have been doing the same thing for years....Lincoln/Ford, Chevy/GMC

Spam/Canned meat (OK, well maybe it's not meat) but do you really think the Tuna in Charley's can is better than the tuna from Walmarts can?

Or the canned Salmon at the Dollar Store is different than a "known name"? Same ocean guys, processed in the same plants, READ THE LABELS.....

My point to my original post, the food on the shelves in the USA, that is shelf stable, comes from the same plants that make shelf stable for other venues........READ THE LABELS......or...(shameless plug) OR my guide, I covered food and the sources extensively.

EAT WELL!

[MCIera]

Look at the Hormel menu line-up on the shelf......many have been in the MRE case, this ain't rocket science....there are three major manufacturers of MREs.......somebody's packaging the stuff for Hormel/Dinty Moore

Perhaps I'm just incredibly dense, but this just doesn't seem to be clear. There only seem to be so many ways that you can name a prepared product of Spagetti with meat sauce, Meatloaf, Pot Roast, or Beef Stew, amongst others. You seem to suggest that either the Hormel products were inspired by offerings from the MRE Menu or vice-versa.

I'd suspect we both have different interpretations of "manufacturer". Ameriqual and Sopako appear to be primarily in the business of packaging food products, and Wornick is the only company that appears to actually market a line of their own food product. Though understandably, the retort process does require thermostabilization to finish the product in the container before final external packaging. I wouldn't call any of the three companies "manufacturers" per se though as they (or DSCP) arrange to have the bulk of the other assembled components sent to these companies for inclusion in the completed MRE product. But then, using your car analogy, none of the car manufacturers produce all of the components that they use to assemble a vehicle either.

The packaging on the food in the stores says "Distributed by", NOT "Packaged by".......

I thought we had gone over this when you used "Manufactured by" rather than "Packaged by", however you are correct the package does say "Distributed by". On your suggestion that one reference the processing establishment code (EST) on the packaging, that did resolve to Rochelle Foods of Rochelle IL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel. If your implication now is that these items are packaged by Ameriqual (hence the reason that you cannot publically acknowledge because of your promotional agreement with that company,) I could see where that would be a possbility. Chicago isn't that far from either Ameriqual or Wornick's facilities and using external contractors for packaging is not at all unusual in any industry. I'm sure they also contract outside firms to do the printing and the die cuts for their packaging materials as well.

Anyone can go to Sopacko's parent company Crown Point and see what they sell.

As far as I can discern, Sopako and Crown Point's parent company is Unaka Corporation of Tennesee (aka Meco Corporation of bbq grill fame), Wornick is owned by Veritas Capital of NY, and Ameriqual is it's own limited liability corporation (LLC). All three of the companies are privately held. But Crown Point seems to be a commodity seller of raw food product ingredients in addition to acting as a retail sales agent for Sopako

NEWS ALERT: The car manufacturers have been doing the same thing for years....Lincoln/Ford, Chevy/GMC

Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury are brand names of Ford Motor Company, just as GMC, Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, Vauxhall, Opel, et al, are brand names of General Motors, and Chrysler, Jeep, Plymouth, Dodge, and Mercedes Benz, are brand names of Daimler Benz. It is well known that they cross brand vehicles sold. However if the car analogy were to be used in the context that you suggest, it would be more along the lines of something like a Nissan Quest or a Mazda 626 being manufactured on Ford assembly lines, or Ford selling the Nissan Quest as a Mercury Villager ... oh I guess they did ...

Spam/Canned meat (OK, well maybe it's not meat) but do you really think the Tuna in Charley's can is better than the tuna from Walmarts can?

You're the one that got me interested in looking into this, so I guess I only have you to blame , but it appears that the food industry is a bit more incestious than just private branding. It seems that some of the food processing facilities may also process product for competing companies, not just for their own brands or private label brands. For example, a Tyson facility may process product for Hormel, or a Con Agra facility may also produce product for Armour and Hormel in addition to their own brands.

Good analogy with the Star Kist and Great Value (Wal*Mart) branding, but I think that only applies to the albacore tuna under both labels coming from the same processing facility. The Great Value chunk tuna comes from one of the other two major tuna brands. But since you brought it up, one thing that I've noticed about Wal*Mart, they do not hesitate to put their private label brand right next to that of the brand name that bears the same markings.

Or the canned Salmon at the Dollar Store is different than a "known name"? Same ocean guys, processed in the same plants, READ THE LABELS.....

The Pacific Ocean is a big body of water and reaches many places. Wouldn't know about the Dollar Store (there are several different companies with variations on that name,) but most of the canned pink salmon that I've seen comes from Alaskan plants regardless of the label on the can. The retort packages of salmon from the major brand vendors seem to all come from Thailand, and the retort tuna seems to be mostly produced from Ecuador.

My point to my original post, the food on the shelves in the USA, that is shelf stable, comes from the same plants that make shelf stable for other venues........READ THE LABELS......or...(shameless plug) OR my guide, I covered food and the sources extensively.

So does that mean that some of the actual food product that goes into a MRE entree may be processed by one of the production facilities that produce mainstream retort food products, and is then packaged and retort processed by one of the MRE packaging companies?