SPRINGDALE, Ark., Jan. 17, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- For the fourth straight year, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) ranks number one in new product development in the foodservice industry, the company reported today.
According to a nationwide study by Cognitio, a research company, Tyson finished first in doing the best job bringing new products to foodservice operators. Kraft was second in the new product scorecard, General Mills finished third and Nestle was 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 (and) Tyson has ranked number one overall since this study began four years ago."
Tyson came in first in every attribute measured in the study including:
* Understanding the nature of the customer's business and needs. * Doing the best job of making the customer aware of their new products. * Providing the highest quality/most consistent quality new products. * Having a sales force that is the most knowledgeable and best prepared to meet customer needs. * Doing the best at providing the basic new product support the customer needs.
"We're working hard to help our foodservice customers meet the needs of an aging and more ethnically diverse population and are pleased to be recognized for our efforts," said Bernard Leonard, Group Vice President of Tyson Food Service. "We're also excited about how the new Tyson Discovery Center will enable us to bring new, high quality products to market more quickly." The new Arkansas-based research and development facility, which opened this month, gives Tyson's food innovation team access to 19 research kitchens as well as a USDA-inspected pilot plant.
Examples of Tyson foodservice products cited in the Cognitio study include Fully Cooked Boneless Buffalo Wings, Popcorn Chicken Bites, CrossFires Grill Marked Chicken Breast Filets, Cooked Fajita Seasoned Chicken Strips and Breaded and Glazed Honey BBQ Chicken Bites.
Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN), founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, 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 member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products, which are marketed under the "Powered by Tyson(tm)" strategy. Tyson is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, providing products and service to customers throughout the United States and more than 80 countries. The company has approximately 107,000 Team Members employed at more than 300 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.