Cheers to Some Economic Bright Spots

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Without a crystal ball, it’s impossible to know just when the food industry will recover from economic stress.  As of right now, there are a few promising signs of a turnaround.  According to the Foodservice Equipment & Supplies website, in December 2009, “the National Restaurant Association’s comprehensive index of restaurant activity rose to its highest level in 22 months”.

But according to various news reports, there are a few industries that have done pretty well despite the general economic stress.  Some of them just make sense:

Food Processing

  • Includes companies such as General Mills and Hershey
  • Provides jobs for 14 million workers
  • Adds over $1 trillion to US economy
  • More people are eating and cooking at home,
  • Companies are making their products more affordable to appeal to consumers

(Information courtesy of article by Mark Crawford for AreaDevelopment.com)

Agriculture

  • Trade surplus for the past 47 years
  • “Shores up food supply while ensuring a safe, plentiful food supply”
  • “There will always be a demand for food grown and packaged here in America”

(Information courtesy of article by Lynn Finnerty for NaturalResourceReport.com)

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…But others might surprise you:

Beer Industry

  • Provides “95,000 quality jobs with solid wages and great benefits in every state and congressional district across the country”
  • Transparent and accountable industry, promote safe and responsible policies
  • Contributes approximately $200 billion to US economy
  • Generates “more than $25 billion in economic activity in agricultures and manufacturing sectors

(Information courtesy of Flex-News-Food.com)

Pet Food and Grooming

  • Pet spas and bakeries experiencing growth
  • “The shift in people’s values about pets has created a market that is relatively recession-proof” (Rottersman, Florida Weekly)
  • Loyal pet owners want to give their furry friends the food to which they’ve become accustomed
  • According to Deb Dempsey, owner of Mouthfuls dog treats and toy shop in Denver, “”We have so many customers who say they’d eat macaroni and cheese before they’d cut back on their dogs” (Migoya, Denver Post)

I guess with man’s best friend by your side and an ice-cold brew in your hand, the American dream is that much more real, and the recession is that much easier to bear.