The business of selecting poul-try items for military food service from an ever-increas-

ing array of choices is big business.Subsistence Prime Vendor (SPV)

sales for the poultry category were $315.29 million in fi scal 2008 and represented 9.22 percent of food purchases made through the De-fense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP). Poultry ranks third in sales behind meat ($538 million, 15.73 percent of sales) and beverages ($513.4 million, 15 percent of sales).

POULTRY AND THE MILITARY MARKET

Poultry’s popularity in military food service comes as no surprise. Chicken and turkey are an indelible part of the Ameri-can diet. But poultry is also versatile, and is an essential ingredient used in Chinese, Creole, Filipino, Jamaican dishes that satisfy desires and expand menus with cui-sine ranging from familiar comfort foods to the exotic.

Poultry’s versatility, especially chicken, further ex-pands menu possibilities by allowing for preparation in the oven or on the stovetop as well as in the fryer or on the grill. Meanwhile, added-value poultry items are gaining popularity in the military by contributing the convenience of shorter preparation time.

THE MILITARY MENUThe surface version of the Navy Standard Core

Menu (NSCM) testifi es to poultry’s versatility, and its healthfulness. Poultry dishes (when not fried in deep fat or smothered with a cream sauce) constitute a fair share of “healthy choice option” items, as determined by the Armed Forces Recipe Service (AFRS), and designated by the NSCM with a “heart” icon.

“The Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) continues to look at new preparations for poultry prod-

ucts with the goal to provide suffi cient cross-utilization on products found within the Master Load List (MLL),” explained Chef Michael Harants, Navy Corporate Chef, in an e-mail response to questions. “We have worked on several new recipes both afl oat and ashore to incor-porate into NSCM. Some of the recipes have been sug-gested by the Culinary Specialists (CS) and some have come from culinary participants from the NAVSUP Adopt-a-Ship programs working with the command CSs. Product fl exibility, whether center-of-the-plate or accompaniment, is key to a manageable inventory and catalog maintenance.”

Poultry is most common with lunch and dinner. “Chicken and turkey are comfort foods,” said Harants. “The number of preparations included in the NSCM are varied to reduce the repetition of poultry forms. The CSs fi nd poultry easy to prepare and serve, while the crew enjoys the varied presentations throughout the cycles.”

Many of the same meals are included in the Army’s Contingency of Operations (CONOPS) menu, which demonstrates poultry’s versatility by also featuring a

FOOD FOCUS: POULTRY

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. William Easter, a member of the 60th Force Support Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., barbecues chicken during a

base picnic June 12, 2009. (U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/NAN WYLIE)

Poultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesPoultry TakesFLIGHT

BY BARRY LOBERFELDASSISTANT EDITOR

Government Food Service • January 2010

CORPORATEPROFILE

PROUDLY SERVING AMERICA’S FINEST.

John Tyson founded our company during the uncertainty of a struggling econ-omy. Much like today, it was a time that demanded courage. Courage to inno-

vate. Courage to invest. Courage to endure. Today, his strength continues to inspire the Tyson commitment of bringing you the very fi nest products. Products you are proud to serve. Products we are proud to put our name on. It’s how we keep tradi-tion Working at the Heart of Your Menu.™

Tyson Foods, Inc. [NYSE: TSN], founded in 1935 with headquarters in Spring-dale, Arkansas, is the world’s largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500, and a mem-ber of the S&P 500. The company has approximately 117,000 Team Members and more than 300 facilities and offi ces in the United States and around the world.

PRODUCTS THAT DELIVER CONVENIENCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE.™• Chicken, beef, and pork products that simplify preparation, without compromising fi nished quality• Commitment to make ours the safest, most wholesome products you can buy• Themed and customizable P.O.P. materials to support customers’ marketing efforts• Ongoing efforts to create operation-friendly products that appeal to evolving consumer taste preferences• On-staff food scientists, certifi ed chefs, and technicians work in USDA- approved research and development production facilities• Industry involvement through ACF, HFM, IFDA, MWR, NACS, NACUFS, NAPA, NRA, and SNA

Products the Troops Will Rally Around.

Tyson® Individually Frozen Chicken Breast FiletsTyson® individually frozen chicken breast fi lets are portioned,

versatile, and ideal for military operations. These budget-friendly and convenient fi lets are great as an entrée, on sandwiches, or as an ingredient.

Tyson® WingsChicken wings are the #1 appetizer on menus1 and Tyson Food

Service offers a full line of fully cooked and ready-to-cook chicken wings. Tyson bone-in wings are available in popular fl avors such as breaded, glazed, steamed, dry rubbed, and oven roasted vari-

eties with sizes ranging from small to jumbo. Tyson boneless wings allow servicemen and -women to experience the fun and enjoy fl avorful wings without the bother of bones.

1 Menu Census 2008

Tyson® Fully Cooked Stuffed Mini BitesTyson® fully cooked stuffed mini bites are perfect as appetizers or en-

trees, and make it easier to pull off big events regardless of your time, labor, group size, or daypart situation. Our collection of stuffed mini bites includes

a wide variety of luscious fi llings to satisfy modern cravings with on-trend fl avors that will keep your guests coming back for more. Choose from Buffalo, Ranch, Pizza, Cordon Bleu, or Reuben.

For more information about the commitment Tyson Food Service makes to the military, or other products, programs and services avaialable, contact John Vaillancourt at 479-290-7124 or john.vaillancourt@tyson.com.

TYSON FOODS, INC.

John P. VaillancourtTyson FoodsDivision Business ManagerWorldwide Military SalesFood Service Group479-290-7124 (Phone)479-757-6614 (Fax)john.vaillancourt@tyson.comwww.tysonfoodservice.com

Feeding America For Over 70 Years

john.vaillancourt@tyson.com.

FOOD FOCUS: POULTRY

BarberBarber is known for stuffed chicken entrees, appe-

tizers and fi nger foods, but is committed to innovation achieved through cooperation with the military. “When we attend menu boards, we always have survey forms to recap the evaluation. Once we have these forms, I consolidate them into a spreadsheet and share with the foodservice directors. From this we can determine the items that should be included on the next menu cycle,” said Phyllis Haenichen, regional sales manager-military at Barber.

For example, Barber’s stuffed chicken entrées in-clude broccoli and cheese; roasted tomato, red pepper and feta; and Kiev, with the traditional butter sauce. “By far the most popular is the chicken Cordon Bleu,” said Haenichen. “It’s a real troop favorite. We have been told it is a ‘taste of home.’”

Another popular item is “Barber Carvers,” multiple solid muscle chicken breast portions wrapped around a variety of fi llings. A military favorite is the Di Florencia Carver. Inspired by Italy’s Tuscany region, it features a stuffi ng of spinach, onions, red peppers, roasted garlic and toasted pine nuts that is blended with cream cheese and then wrapped inside chicken meat.

Joining the lineup is Barber’s new Signature Su-preme. “This is a premium entree made from whole-muscle chicken breast meat. We are featuring several fl avors in this line. ‘Traditional’ is fi lled with a hearty New England stuffi ng that customers will fi nd savory and satisfying. ‘Marinara’ has a tangy marinara sauce and a creamy blend of provolone and parmesan chees-es. And ‘Kiev’ is fi lled with fl avorful garlic butter and parsley; you’ll understand why this is a favorite,” she explained.

Feedback from the military also convinced Barber to change the pack size of its fully cooked chicken nuggets. “The all breast-meat Original Nuggets, which are mari-nated for extra tenderness and fl avor, are now packed in a 20# case. To make it easier on the cooking line, the case is made up of 4/5# bags of the nuggets,” she said, not-ing that for heating purposes, the nuggets can be baked, fried or microwaved.

turkey/egg/cheese breakfast wrap, shred-ded Buffalo chicken (a take-off on pulled pork), honey-glazed Cornish hen, turkey wings, chicken and dumplings, General Tso’s chicken, chicken and broccoli, chick-en as part of a Mongolian barbecue, chick-en quesadillas and the intriguingly named “chicken-fried turkey cutlet.”

On the frontline, poultry plays a signifi -cant role. The individual rations known as Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is a product of the Combat Feeding Directorate, one of the focal areas under the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engi-neering Center (NSRDEC) in Natick, Mass. Among the poultry entrées included in the rations are chicken breast fi let, breast strips with salsa, chicken with noodles, chicken fajita, chicken with dumplings, chicken with cavatelli pasta, chicken pesto and pasta, Buffalo chicken and chicken with to-mato and feta cheese.

Also, the directorate’s Unitized Group Rations (UGRs) feature poultry preparations such as turkey cutlets with gravy, chicken breasts with gravy, chicken tamales, turkey tetrazzini, chicken pot pie, Asian chili garlic chicken, Southwest chicken pasta, chicken teri-yaki thighs, chicken in an enchilada kit, baked chicken with rice and Szechwan chicken.

THE POULTRY PRODUCERS

TysonTyson supplies military food service with a wide ar-

ray of poultry from ready-to-cook and fully cooked to raw and bone-in, but its bestsellers remain those that satisfy the need for versatility and convenience.

“Wings, tenderloins and boneless breast sell well in the military. These items do well due to their easy prep-aration, popularity and versatility. For example, fully cooked wings are easy to prepare, which saves time and labor. They are very versatile because they can utilize signature sauces. Our wings are available in breaded, glazed, steamed, dry rubbed and oven roasted variet-ies, and in sizes ranging from small to jumbo,” said John Vaillancourt, Tyson’s division business manager world-wide military sales.

“Right now we are marketing our Mini Bites. Mini Bites are stuffed chicken and beef items that are perfect as appetizers or entrees. They come in Ranch, Buffalo and Cordon Bleu stuffed chicken bites,” he continued.

Tyson is committed to the role that poultry plays as an entrée, which helps to build a strong “heart of the menu” along with variety that inspires innovation.

“Tyson Food Service is proud to provide the coun-try’s dedicated servicemen and women with the highest quality chicken products,” Vaillancourt con-cluded. “Our commitment is to make the safest, most wholesome products you can buy that simplify preparation without compromising fi nished quality.”

Patrick Burns and Betty Hayes pull chicken from the “monster,” or deep fryer, Jan. 23 in prepara-tion for lunch at Mitchell Hall Cadet Dining Fa-cility at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The dining facility feeds approxi-mately 4450 cadets and sits on 1.75 acres. (U.S AIR

FORCE PHOTO/STAFF SGT. DESIREE N. PALACIOS)

Government Food Service • January 2010

FOOD FOCUS: POULTRY

tion and merges well with a variety of fl avors and spices.”Also, JTM features a “Better Steps” brand that pro-

vides a wide variety of healthy menu alternatives, including reduced fat, reduced sodium, low fat, choles-terol free, zero grams trans fat items. Many of the com-pany’s products come packed in pouches, ranging from 8 oz. to 8 lbs., that can be boiled or steamed using stan-dard kitchen equipment.

“We have a constant fl ow of new items and poultry is a part of that group,” said Nelson. “Multiple trips to NSRDEC and the Army Center of Excellence, Subsis-tence (ACES) allow us to show items that are following the trends, as well as offering nutritious, delicious meal options to our warfi ghters. During these visits, all com-ments are recorded, and they are then shared with Re-search and Development (R&D) and our Culinary Team when we return.”

He continued, “We appreciate the opportunity to work with the military for many reasons, one of which is designing unique, high-quality, delicious products that after development have application in many other markets.”

Advance Food CompanyPrepared foods are a welcome by military food ser-

vice for the advantages of simplifi ed storage and speedy cooking time where demand requires quick response.

The Advance Food Company has come a long way since the days when its two Oklahoma founders sold beef products to local grocers and restaurants. The com-pany now markets internationally, including the United States military, and it produces a plethora of comfort-food classics, including poultry items.

Marketing Coordinator Jeff Woolsey said that Ad-vance’s business with the military includes fully cooked and pre-breaded specialty items such as chicken nug-gets, strips and patties. The newest such product is a

Perdue Farms Inc.Perdue Farms Inc. is also committed to cooperating

with military food services to develop poultry meals that help alleviate the challenges of subsistence feeding in the fi eld or aboard ship.

“The number one reason our products sell well is be-cause of quality and consistency. Our service men and women can be confi dent that their expectations will be met every time they open a box of Perdue products,” said Carrie Catlin, marketing services specialist at Perdue.

“Also, it’s an understatement to say that conditions in the fi eld can be tough. We work with all military branches to bring them a product that is versatile and easy to prepare with the resources they have available. For example, the Navy is getting rid of fryers, so we have to make sure our products are versatile and include oven-prep or boil-in-the-bag options when developing and selling products,” she continued.

In some cases Perdue responds to specifi c requests made by the military regarding preparation or packaging that have convenience and conditions in mind. “Most requests for either ready-to-cook or fully cooked items depend on the envi-ronment in which the product is going to be prepared. Rations and products pre-pared in the fi eld tend to be fully cooked, whereas meals prepared in fully equipped dining facilities or galleys can be either. Other requests include specifi c case pack, case weight, portable/handheld and shelf stable products,” Catlin explained.

Among the company’s best-selling items are “TENDERREADY” cook-in-bag oven roasted chicken quarters, ovenable fried chicken, and white/dark turkey roast.

The company is ready to announce the following new poultry items to the U.S. armed forces: oven roasted chicken quar-ters, a fully cooked product, and chicken fajita strips and bacon wrapped turkey cutlets, both of which are ready-to-cook.

Summing up the company’s relationship with the military, Catlin said: “We are serious about serving our uniformed men and women. We are committed, from the top of our organization on down, because we know our troops put a lot on the line everyday for their coun-try and fellow Americans.”

J.T.M.Poultry’s value to the military rises with its role as a

primary ingredient used in making a variety of dishes that introduces diversity to menu planning.

“The growing trends seem to be products that offer multiple menu options and products with ethnic char-acteristics,” said Marketing Manager Brad Nelson. “We have many items that are selling well, especially our Asian, Mexican and American ‘comfort food’ products. Poultry usually sells well because it has a healthy percep-

A new cadet takes some turkey from a serving platter in the Cadet Mess Hall. July, 2 2009.(PHOTO CREDIT: MASTER SGT. DEAN WELCH, WEST POINT DIRECTORATE OF COMMUNICATION)

Government Food Service • January 2010

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FOOD FOCUS: POULTRY

foods and protecting the quality of the ingredients by heating them for an extended period at fairly low tem-peratures. The technique employs sealed plastic bags immersed in water heated to around 140°F.

“We often present new ideas and concepts in coop-eration with the military to fulfi ll their needs,” Lauer noted. “We receive feedback and use it for new product development. The military is a constantly changing en-vironment that includes people, situations and venues, all of which requires constant adaptation.”

Jennie-OTurkey is understood to have many of the same

health benefi ts as chicken plus even a few more that make it a natural fi t for military food service’s growing emphasis on nutrition.

The reason for the increased interest is that turkey is the “perfect protein,” explained Scott Smith, sales man-

ager, special accounts, Jennie-O Turkey Store Inc. “It is naturally lean, so it helps improve nutritional values of menus; it has a neutral fl avor, so it can really take on different fl avors, making it extreme-ly versatile; and it is the classic American comfort food.”

As a result, turkey is gaining popularity in menu planning as substitute for traditional pro-teins. “Our customers in all segments of food service and retail are realizing that they can put turkey on the menu and improve their nutrition-als, reduce their food costs and still satisfy their customers. Turkey product innovation has come a long way in the past fi ve to 10 years,” Smith said.

Turkey, like chicken, is becoming available in an increasing variety of forms that contribute diversity to the menu, and is shifting away from traditional forms, such as the netted white/dark turkey role. “While this is still a big item, many customers are moving to an all-breast roast in foil or cook-in-bag, a whole boneless carving turkey,

single-lobe breasts, or French-cut breasts,” he said.“‘Grand Champion’ boneless carving turkeys are our

best-selling items,” Smith said. “They offer the appear-ance and taste of a whole turkey but are boneless, ex-cept for the drumsticks. It is easy to cook and carve, and it looks like real turkey to the customer. Plus, it maxi-mizes storage and oven space, since it takes up much less space in the freezer and oven per usable pound of meat compared to whole turkeys.

“Perfect L’attitudes” is a new slow-roasted turkey line introduced by Jennie-O Turkey Store. It is made with whole-muscle turkey thigh meat, with authentic seasonings and available in Memphis Barbecue, Cuban Mojo and Mexican Tinga fl avors. “This line allows cus-tomer to extend the popularity of turkey into new menu offerings. These items give customers heat-and-serve convenience, yet offer slow-roasted, fl avorful, cooked-from-scratch taste — all at an excellent value. They are perfect for hot sandwiches or center-of-plate entrees,” he explained. —GFS

“breaded mini chicken sandwich.” Woolsey reported that he identifi ed a trend toward “lower fat, oven-bake-able products.”

Cuisine SolutionsEthinic specialties add possibilities to menu plan-

ning, creating alternatives that keep meals interesting, and this is an area where Cuisine Solutions has particu-lar interest.

“There is a trend to more ethnic items,” observed Elizabeth Lauer, vice president of military sales for Cuisine Solutions, noting the company features a wide spectrum of preparations, including: chicken fontina, premium white breast meat fi lled with a blend of fon-tina cheese, onion, garlic and oregano; Thai chicken, breasts with a red curry edamame shitake sauce; chick-en panang, breasts in a Thai panang curry sauce with coconut milk; chicken Herb de Provence, boneless,

skin-on thighs with Herbs de Provence seasoning; and chicken Florentine, boneless, skin-on breasts fi lled with spinach and feta cheese.

“Our poultry selection is anything but ordinary. Our best-selling item is chicken teriyaki, which is bone-less, skin-on thighs seared and dressed with a teriyaki sauce,” she continued.

It is sold frozen in a box that contains eight pouches, with 12 pieces per pouch, while another favorite, the spicy lemon chicken breast, is sold six pouches per case, eight pieces per pouch.

“At Cuisine Solutions, we provide high-quality products that contain no additives and preservatives,” Lauer said. “We offer a complete line of high-quality proteins, which are fully cooked and pasteurized. Our cooking method employs the sous-vide process, which creates maximum fl avor, texture and quality, while all forms of vegetative bacteria are destroyed through the pasteurization process.” Invented in the mid ‘70s, sous-vide (“under vacuum” in French) is a style of preparing

“It is naturally lean, so it helps improve nutritional values of menus; it has a neutral fl avor, so it can

food.”

teins. “Our customers in all segments of food

turkey on the menu and improve their nutrition-

traditional forms, such as the netted white/dark turkey role. “While this is still a big item, many

Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Asha Johnson checks the temperature of chicken being cooked for Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theo-dore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt and her embarked air wing are conducting a Composite Training Unit Exercise. April 28, 2008. (U.S. NAVY PHOTO/MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST

SEAMAN JOHN SUITS)

Reprinted from the January 2010 Issue of Government Food Service, ©2010 Executive Business Media

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