Let us handle the introductions Laissez-nous faire les présentations The Land of 10,000 Lakes, Cornhuskers, and the Movie Fargo : Why You Shouldn’t Fly Over the US -Upper Midwest (especially if you sell food) Christina Connelly Trade Commissioner, Agri-Food Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis Feb 2020
MNPLS
Minnesota: Early Economy • Historically: natural resources and agriculture – Fur trading, mining, timber, crops • “The Mill City” – Washburn and Pillsbury families – Origins of the food processing industry in Minnesota
Agriculture → Food Processing • Farming – large producers and small family farms – #1 producer of sugar beets and turkeys – #2 in sweet corn, hogs, oats, wild rice – #3 in soybeans, spring wheat, processed green peas • Value-added processing – ingredients and final goods
US-UMW Food Processing Industry Today
Food Retailing & Distribution
These times, they are a changin ’ … Foodservice Retail • • Local over “fancy” Grab-and-go/convenience/snacking • • Neighborhood over popular Local (known) sourcing • • Delivery and take-out – not just pizza Non-GMO, Organic, Natural anymore! • Gluten-free • In-home dining • Choices (not just among products, but • On-site brewing/distilling stores too) • • Global flavors specific to the region “New” super foods • • The Experience Low sugar • Innovation
Change = the new normal! M&As, Movement, Rebranding, etc. • • Malt-O-Meal = MOM Brands = POST Cargill – pork Consumer Brands • Agropur (Canadian!) + Davisco • General Mills – Green Giant (B&G) • UNFI (RI) + Supervalu (Mpls) • ConAgra (Omaha) + Ralcorp – • Fortune Fish & Gourmet (Chicago) + Ralcorp → Chicago Coastal Seafoods (Mpls) + Classic • General Mills + Blue Buffalo Provisions (Mpls) • SunOpta + Niagara Naturals (Canadian!) • Cargill + EWOS + Konspol + Diamond V + Smet
To…. Becoming a well-known foodie destination From….
Foodservice Distribution • National broadline distributors: – US Foods – Sysco – Reinhart, etc. • Regional and local broadline distributors: – Apperts – Henry’s – Mason Brothers – McLane – Upper Lakes Foods • Local specialty distributors: – Many serve both grocery and foodservice – Better option for specialty/niche product • Institutional and catering: – Taher, Sodexho, Aramark – May request suppliers use specific local, regional or broadline distributor depending on product type.
Twin Cities = food entrepreneur hub
Accelerators & Investors Ag/food gaining traction…
Why Canadians food manufacturers choose Minnesota • Ideal entry-point – bigger than you think, but small enough to be manageable • Ease of logistics – centrally-located, on the border • Foodie mentality growing – opportunity not saturated • Common culture and values, familiar – Canada beloved by many • Resources – strong knowledge-base, government support, academic institutions, collaborative community, growing innovation and start-up hub • “The Good Life” – culture, wellness, work/life balance, economic stability, environment, etc…
Where are my best bets? In Christina’s humble opinion…. • • South Dakota Minnesota – Ingredients – Food retailing – Dairy – Food processing & co-packing – Innovation partnerships – Meat processing – Foodservice • North Dakota – FoodTech + AgTech – Ingredients • Iowa – AgTech (Fargo) – Convenience – Food processing/ingredients – AgTech (Des Moines) • Nebraska – Animal agriculture – Meat processing
The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service Le Service des délégués commerciaux du Canada For more information contact us at Pour plus d’informations contactez-nous à Christina Connelly christina.Connelly@international.gc.ca 612-492-2915
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