Dairy Processing - November/December 2022 - 7

COMMENTARY
Give it a try
I graduated from college in 2009, right in the middle of the Great
Recession. Finding a job was more difficult than ever and many of
my classmates left campus without any offers on the table.
I was lucky enough to land a job after graduation, but the
pay was dismal, leaving me no choice but to lean on the coveted
'side hustle' to make some extra cash. I found a job nannying for
a family in the evenings, looking after four children between the
ages of 9 and 14. And nothing had prepared me for the number of
times I heard, " I don't like it, " when trying to make meals for them.
Now, I am also a creature of habit; I like what I like. But, I was
raised in a house where you couldn't say you didn't like something
until you tried it. Three bites, and then you could enter your
opinion. These kids, however, had never heard of that rule.
I was thinking a lot about this when I was reviewing the recent
survey Dairy Processing did with Cypress Research on new
product innovation. Pre-pandemic, processors were putting a fair
amount of resources into new product development. But once
COVID-19 swept the globe, focus quickly shifted, and innovation
wasn't at the top of the priority list.
Now that we are entering a post-pandemic world, processors
are once again looking at ways to be inventive and innovative with
their products. Everything from new flavors and formulations in
existing lines to developing completely new products.
According to the survey, prior to the pandemic, 77% of
respondents said they were focusing on
new product innovation within existing
brands or categories. While that number
fell to 46% during the pandemic, it has
rebounded - 76% of respondents said
innovation will be a priority next year.
We're heading into a new year and
what better time to be thinking ahead.
I look forward to seeing the newest
consumer trends and what new dairy
products will be hitting the shelves.
As for me, I promise to give any of those new products at least
three bites - but probably a lot more.
KRISTEN PUTCH
Managing editor
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6 NOV-DEC 2022 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
EDITORIAL
Kristen Putch
Managing Editor
Benton Smith
Digital Media Editor
Donna Berry
Pamela Accetta Smith
Allison Gibeson
Contributing Editors
PUBLISHING STAFF
Matt O'Shea
Publisher
Lily Alvarez
National Account Executive
Kathi D. Gilleland
Senior Director of Marketing
and Promotions
Whitney Hartman
Sales Enablement Specialist
Dustin Pickman
Audience Development Manager
Hannah Carney
Audience Database Specialist
Jon Hall
Director of Digital Media
Carrie Fluegge
Digital Advertising Manager
Nora Wages
Advertising Manager
Annie Fournier
Advertising Coordinator
Elisabeth Spillman
Design Services Manager
Marj Potts
Production Specialist
Becky White
Senior Design Consultant
Brian Peterman
Senior Graphic Designer
Jim White
Promotions Manager
Abby Chronister
Promotions Media Designer
CORPORATE
Charles S. Sosland
Chairman and CEO
L. Joshua Sosland
President
Staci Greco
Chief Financial and
Administrative Officer
Meyer Sosland
Chief Operating Officer
and Executive Editor
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
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Phone: (816) 756-1000; Fax: (816) 756-0494
E-mail: dairyprocessing@sosland.com
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Dairy Processing - November/December 2022

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