Diversified Foods is on an epic quest to bring its unique range of delicious, nutritious and convenient shelf-stable beverages to pantries across the United States. Selling under the company’s trademark Pantry FreshTM umbrella, Diversified Foods’ products promise to revolutionise supply chain sustainability while simultaneously making an impact on the health of consumers - especially children - throughout the country. Executive Vice President for Sales & Marketing, Eric Gafkjen, spoke with Richard Hagan about why Diversified Foods is a leader in Pantry Fresh products.
Founded in 1948, Diversified Foods began life as a bulk commodity trader in rice and other markets. A major turning point in the company’s trajectory arrived in the early 1980s, however, when Diversified Foods purchased, packed and sold its first load of UHT milk. The success of that venture set the company down a path that would lead to it becoming the leader and innovator in the shelf-stable UHT, or Pantry Fresh TM , dairy market.
Today, Diversified Foods specialises in supplying Pantry Fresh TM beverages, producing shelf-stable dairy and dairy alternative beverages across all channels. It delivers and markets these beverages throughout the United States and for certain export markets.
The story of Pantry FreshTM
The term Pantry FreshTM is a unique one that Diversified Foods uses to describe its Ultra High Temperature (UHT) treated products. Otherwise known as shelf-stable or occasionally even ‘long-life’, Diversified Foods’ choice of the term Pantry Fresh TM is as strategic as it is interesting, according to Executive Vice President for Sales & Marketing, Eric Gafkjen: “In Europe, these products are very common and are known as ‘aseptic beverages’, but they’re not as common in the US. We don’t like the term ‘aseptic’ as it sounds too medical and sterile.
“Shelf-stable isn’t a bad term either but in the US, when consumers hear that
term, they automatically assume that preservatives are involved,” he continued. “US consumers are therefore generally sceptical of long shelf-life items, and they expect them to contain preservatives. Therefore, we trademarked the term ‘Pantry Fresh TM ’ and we use it as a replacement for shelf-stable labelling.”
The fact that shelf stability in Diversified Foods’ product portfolio is achieved without the need for preservatives is a particular selling point, as Mr Gafkjen pointed out: “There are many innovative products within the consumer-packaged goods industry, but most of the major shifts have involved preservatives being added to the process and that’s what provides the shelf stability in so many products. In contrast, all our products have zero preservatives added and are simply 100% Grade A milk.”
Importantly, Pantry FreshTM products, once produced, require zero refrigeration, both during transport and storage. This has substantial sustainability benefits throughout the value chain. Provided that the package is unopened, a Pantry Fresh TM product can safely move between a refrigerated
environment and ambient temperature storage and back again, with zero spoilage. This means that refrigerated containers and trucks are not required for the transportation of Diversified Foods’ products, saving untold amounts of emissions and vastly reducing energy usage. And since transport via refrigerated truck is more expensive, substantial transport costs are saved in the logistics chain.
Additionally, given that Pantry Fresh TM products easily outlast traditional dairy products, there is an enormous general reduction in waste, which is an issue that resonates with consumers.
Growing innovation
Diversified Foods has an impressively diverse range of products that together ensure it continues to capture and retain vital market share. In general, the company offers a complete portfolio of both dairy and dairy alternative beverages and products, aimed at both retail consumers and business customers. Aside from its actual milk lines, it produces half-and-half, heavy whipping cream, almond milk, oat milk and protein shakes.
In 2022, Diversified Foods added a new brand to its portfolio, with the launch of its ‘Marcel’s Modern Pantry TM ’ brand of products. This series of products is the only complete portfolio of Pantry Fresh TM products available in the United States and therefore it’s an achievement of which
the Diversified Foods team is extremely proud. Marcel’s Modern Pantry includes a range of milk with all of the expected fat level varieties, as well as heavy whip cream, half-and-half, and a range of non-dairy products including oat, almond and protein drinks. The protein drinks contain an impressive 8 grams of protein, making them ideal for US school cafeteria programme nutritional guidelines.
Eric Gafkjen Executive Vice President for Sales & Marketing
Back to school
School lunch programmes continue to play a vital role in the US public education system. It’s also an important sales channel for Diversified Foods, which hopes to change public perceptions around nutrition while providing US school children with nutritious, delicious beverages that kids love.
“Prior government administrations shifted school lunch programmes in an effort to eliminate calories and deal with childhood obesity,” said Mr Gafkjen, “but through our market education journey, we’re pushing the need for healthy nutrition for kids, versus empty calories. Kids need healthy fats, including milk!
“We’re now seeing schools shift their dairy offerings to Pantry Fresh TM products with 1% and even 2% fat levels,” he continued. “The end goal of all dairy products should be to provide healthy
fats for kids, which milk provides, along with healthy, nutritionally complete meals. Within this effort, we’re also launching an 8-gram oat-based protein beverage for those consumers who are allergic to dairy. We’ve found that once a school district shifts to Pantry Fresh TM and they realise the benefits, they don’t leave. They become consumers for life!”
In closing, Mr Gafkjen reiterated the fact that Diversified Foods looks forward to continuing to educate US consumers on the benefits of buying Pantry Fresh TM products, all the while reducing carbon emissions and reducing overall complexity throughout the supply chain. “Every day is a new opportunity to be a solution,” he proudly exclaimed. “This alone is what drives each employee here. We’re excited about the company’s mission and its vision, and executing it each day is what drives every one of us.”
