Krafty

With the recent travails fresh produce has endured - the bright light of media inquiry, the FDA statements about E. coli linked to spinach and lettuce - it is easy to forget that fruits and vegetables still have a lot going for them. Note the news on The Packer's Web site that Univeg has signed a letter of intent to invest in Ready Pac. Also, I was visiting this week with a leader in the industry who was gave me some background on private equity interest in fresh produce companies.

Now this morning I found this story on Kraft Foods at MediaPost's Marketing Daily.
From the Feb. 21 story:

A comment made by Kraft Foods CEO Irene Rosenfeld at yesterday's presentation to analysts had some observers wondering if the giant food products maker is working out a way to give on-the-go consumers both the convenience and healthy food they demand.
"We also have some innovative ideas about how to optimize the supply chain by partnering with providers of fresh produce," said Rosenfeld. "The result--branded, prepared salads that offer a whole new level of convenience, freshness and quality." A Kraft spokesperson said later the company would not amplify.
Kraft is working on using its proprietary technologies in concert with its trusted brands, Rosenfeld said, to build complete meal solutions as it does with Oscar Mayer Deli Creations, which are just launching.
Rosenfeld has talked of focusing more effort on higher-margin, ready-meal offerings as well as brands such as its "Back to Nature" lineup, which tap into rising demand for healthier foods.
The long-awaited reorganization will include increased marketing spending and a refocus of its product lineup in a bid to boost organic sales growth to 3 to 4% next year.

TK: The path from the drawing board to the supermarket is sometimes too far to bridge, but let's hope Rosenfeld's lofty dreams of using fresh produce in prepared salads is the start of something big for this food marketing giant.