January 18, 2007

Tyson tops in new product development

For the fourth straight year, Tyson Foods, Inc. is tops in new product development in the foodservice industry, according to a nationwide study by Cognitio, a research company.

Kraft was second placed while General Mills finished third and Nestle fourth. The

results were based on the feedback of more than 900 foodservice operators who named 390 different food manufacturers.

New products are a challenge in any industry and foodservice is no exception," according to Cognitio officials. The rankings in this report measure how effective foodservice manufacturers are at introducing valuable new products.

Tyson came in first in every attribute measured in the study, some of which include understanding the nature of the customer's business and needs, having a knowledgeable sales force and providing basic new product support.

Tyson is working hard to help customers meet the needs of an aging and more ethnically diverse population and is pleased to be recognised, said Bernard Leonard, Group Vice President of Tyson Food Service.

Tyson's new Arkansas-based research and development facility, which opened this month, is expected to give Tyson's food innovation team access to 19 research kitchens as well as a USDA-inspected pilot plant.

The centre would enable the company to bring new products to market more quickly, Leonard said.