New From Glory Foods - Fresh Mississippi Sweet Potatoes

    COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Glory Foods, Inc. a manufacturer of
 conveniently prepared heat-and-eat seasoned Southern-style canned vegetables,
 condiments and frozen dinners has taken the leap into fresh produce with Glory
 Foods Mound Bayou Sweet Potatoes.  Introduced in the fall of 1998 at Schnucks
 supermarkets in St. Louis, Missouri, the line features the Beauregard, a
 popular sweet potato with growers and consumers because of its natural sweet
 taste, plumpness and storage life.  Cured in approximately 45 days, the
 Beauregard sweet potato is viewed as the number one producing variety in the
 country.  Glory Foods Mound Bayou Sweet are available in Chicago at
 Jewel-Osco, Schnucks supermarkets in St Louis, Missouri, Albertsons stores and
 Wal-Mart Super Centers.  Glory plans to expand its potatoes to additional
 markets by the end of the year.
     With consumers becoming increasingly health conscious, sweet potatoes are
 becoming the vegetable of choice.  A spokesperson at the USDA notes that
 consumption of sweet potatoes is on the rise because of their natural
 nutritional value (high levels of Beta-Carotene, Vitamins A and C). In 1999,
 4.6 pounds per capita were consumed. "I want Glory Foods Mound Bayou Sweet
 Potatoes to be the destination of choice for consumers who want a high quality
 brand of sweet potato," explains Bill Williams, president of Glory Foods, Inc.
 "During the holidays, sweet potato usage is very high, but we want Glory Foods
 sweet potatoes to be an important part of the family meal year-round," adds
 Williams.
     Providing quality Southern food products is a partnership Glory Foods
 shares with experienced African-American commercial farmers.  Glory's
 relationship with Black farmers began in the early 90's through an alliance
 with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund (FSCLAF), an
 advocacy organization that provides technical support and hands on services to
 Black farmers.  The union enabled Glory to gain invaluable insight on the
 issues and challenges facing these farmers.
     The company's commitment then, as it is now, is to provide resource and
 development support to insure their future in the 21st century.  This effort
 is seen in partnerships formed with the 20 member Sweet Potato Growers
 Association Co-op (SPGAC) in Mound Bayou, MS, an historic black township
 founded in the late 1800s by ex-slaves.  Mound Bayou was an impressive model
 for social and economic empowerment when it was founded.  Today, because of
 its designation as an Empowerment Zone, the town is experiencing an economic
 revival because of companies like Glory that provide investment resources to
 help rebuild and strengthen its infrastructure.  Glory leased land from SPGAC
 to grow sweet potatoes for its canned and frozen line, and market a percentage
 as fresh produce.  Glory's support gives the assurance that the crops will be
 sold and the farmers will reap a return on their investment.
     Glory has also partnered with the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
 Association to co-sponsor a five-year Minority Produce Business Development
 Program (MPBDP) to train the farmers on how to better grow and distribute
 quality products and become a larger part of the national produce industry.
 "This training gives us the ability to access additional markets and gain
 information on the latest production, marketing, storage and distribution
 techniques," explains Roger Morris, a member of SPGAC.  "Having the support of
 Glory Foods and United will help us make the transition from growers to
 marketers."
     Glory Foods Southern Selections family-size frozen entrees and side dishes
 introduced in 1998 provides the consumer with yet another alternative in the
 frozen food aisle.  Glory Foods Southern Selections offer 16 varieties of meat
 entrees, casseroles and vegetable side dishes generous enough for a family of
 four.  Selections include Chicken & Dumplings, Macaroni & Cheese, Ham and
 Sausage Jambalaya, and Fried Corn.  New additions to the line are Sweet Potato
 Casserole, Cream Spinach and Green Bean Casserole.
 
 

SOURCE  Glory Foods, Inc.