SIAL: an American port of entry

Prepared Foods, April, 1997

SIAL's American Pavilion was graced by American legends such as Chef Paul Prudhomme and Frank Perdue. Companies ranging in size from Perdue Farms and Hormel (Dinty Moore and SPAM) to tiny Garcia Canning Company (Tampa, Fla.) showcased meat products ranging from the mundane (chicken breasts) to the exotic (Cuban bean specialties) while individual states promoted their local industries.

Europe wasn't the only focus of U.S. participants. For Hormel, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim were the targets. "We are here for Eastern Europe," reports Perdue Farms founder Frank Perdue, a view echoed by other U.S. meat exporters.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), China and Russia together claim 67% of total world poultry exports. Supplying 70% of Russia's needs and with China its second largest market, the U.S. poultry industry alone expects to increase exports from $2 billion in 1995 to over $3 billion by the year 2000.

Can processed poultry, pork, fish and beef products be far behind? According to the USDA, consumer products claim increasingly important shares of agricultural exports to Japan (48% of all exports in 1995), 73% for Hong Kong (gateway to China), 74% for Canada and 27% for Mexico. American products often carry a quality cachet in international markets.

At the tiny Northeast Dairy Export Program booth, Alexandria, Va.-based Peter Caldwell and son promoted dill, peppercorn and other cheeses to skeptical European cheese aficionados. "Pas mal de tout (not bad at all)," smiled one of a group of French student attendees as they all reached for more.

When Louisiana legend Chef Paul Prudhomme was not acquiescing to "photo-ops" with visiting European chefs, he was exchanging waves and "thumbs up" signs with Middle Eastern importers sampling his Magic Seasoning Blends[TM]. The blends are promoted as a premium line of seasons personally selected by one of the world's great culinary artists.

It is attention to consistency, quality and detail in ingredients that defines Prudhomme's cuisine. "We grow, pack or buy all of our own ingredients" and, Prudhomme claims, "all must be personally approved by me."

Prudhomme brushes off questions on whether he will, one day, make the jump from the culinary arts to the food manufacturing industry. In his opinion, the quality of his products could not help but suffer - a prospect too horrible to contemplate. Neither is he concerned that his emphasis on maintaining close, personal control of his product and ingredient quality necessarily limits his growth prospects. Clearly, he enjoys his role as teacher and international emissary for Louisiana's culinary arts and traditions.

"Food is emotion," extols Prudhomme. It is the emotion inherent to Louisiana's cuisine that feeds Prudhomme's missionary zeal to share Louisiana's unique cuisine with the world. There's a lesson to be drawn here as U.S. food exporters shift their emphasis from bulk commodities to high-value processed foods in a booming world market. In the end, it is emotional connections such as those articulated by Chef Paul Prudhomme that will drive international consumers to buy American.