Go Lean Commentary
We gotta eat!
In that fact lies a key business model for growing the Caribbean industrial landscape: Jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities can be created by fostering peripheral industries for food distribution that is under-represented currently.
What kind of new jobs? What kind of new industries? Try:
Frozen Foods
The Bottom Line on Flash Freezing
Flash freezing (blast freezing) is used in the food industry to quickly freeze perishable food items. In this case, food items are subjected to temperatures well below water’s melting/freezing point (cryogenic temperatures), causing the water inside the foods to freeze in a very short period without forming large crystals, thus avoiding damage to cell membranes. Freezing food preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten.This process slows down decomposition by turning residual moisture into ice, inhibiting the growth of most bacterial species. Frozen products do not require any added preservatives because microorganisms do not grow when the temperature of the food is below -9.5°C (14.9ºF); this is sufficient to prevent food spoilage. But Carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) or cellulose gum (a cellulose derivative) is often used as a viscosity modifier or thickener, and to stabilize emulsions in various products, including ice cream. It is often used as its sodium salt. CMC is a tasteless/odorless stabilizer, typically added to frozen food as it does not adulterate the quality.
American inventor Clarence Birdseye developed the quick freezing process of food preservation in the early 20th century. This process was further developed by American inventor Daniel Tippmann by producing a vacuum and drawing the cold air through palletized food. His process has been sold and installed under the trade name “Quick-Freeze” and enables blast freezing of palletized food in 35% less time than conventional blast freezing.
Source: Book Go Lean…Caribbean Page 208
A venture into Frozen Foods is about more than just food, it is about culture. Consider the proliferation of Frozen Foods in these cultures:
- Italian
- Mexican
- Chinese
It is the assessment of this commentary that the Caribbean is the greatest destination on the planet; this applies to the terrain, fauna and flora; just think of our paradasaic beaches. Culturally, we have the best cuisine, rums, cigars and festivals. We also have the best in hospitality, just think of our luxurious hotel-resorts and cruise ships. Now to mix all of this greatness into a frozen entree and export it to the rest of the world. See here this VIDEO on the basics of Frozen Foods versus Fresh Food.
VIDEO – Fresh vs Frozen Food – https://youtu.be/zjsOOT347cA
Published on Nov 7, 2013 – Which is more nutritious – Fresh or Frozen?
Written and created by Mitchell Moffit (twitter @mitchellmoffit) and Gregory Brown (twitter @whalewatchmeplz).
Further Reading — Overview on Fresh vs Frozen: http://www.livestrong.com/article/710…
Comparing Multiple Nutrional Factors: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10…http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10… Vitamin C Comparison: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/… Antioxidant Content: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/…
- Category: Science & Technology
- License: Standard YouTube License
How do we go about doing this, developing a Frozen Foods industry so as to reboot the Caribbean industrial landscape and create the new jobs our region needs for future growth?
The movement behind the book Go Lean … Caribbean asserts that it is possible to reboot the business eco-system of the region so as to create jobs and has presented a roadmap for the goal of 2.2 million new jobs. But the book warns that this task is heavy-lifting to be successful. The entire industrial landscape must be rebooted. There is now a catalog for this Industrial Reboot 101. This commentary is 4 of 4 in the occasional series considering the Industrial Reboots. The full series is as follows:
- Industrial Reboot – Ferries 101 – Published June 27, 2017
- Industrial Reboot – Prisons 101 – Published October 4, 2017
- Industrial Reboot – Pipeline 101 – Published October 6, 2017
- Industrial Reboot – Frozen Foods 101
In a previous blog-commentary, it detailed how diverse food delivery systems can contribute to the economy of a new Caribbean; many new jobs are to be created. The summarized quotation states:
This roadmap projected these jobs for food-related industries: 30,000 in direct agriculture; 4,000 in direct Fisheries; and 2,000 related to Frozen Foods.
Yes, fostering an industry for Frozen Foods can allow Caribbean stewards to reboot the industrial landscape. Imagine a network of self-regulated, resilient refrigerated warehouses.
But refrigeration requires steady-reliable power, right? Hurricanes are now more prevalent and more disruptive, right?
Since landfalls of hurricanes in a Caribbean island can easily wipe out electricity distribution systems – the 2 recent hurricanes of Irma and Maria in September 2017 caused total devastation in some member-states, i.e. Barbuda – it seems vain to introduce a Frozen Foods business eco-system …
… unless remediation and mitigation is first put in place to optimize power-energy solutions.
The Go Lean book presents a complex plan for energy optimizations. Many solutions were presented in these Go Lean blog-commentaries:
| We need an inter-island power grid | The Go Lean roadmap proposes many solutions for a regional grid to optimize energy:
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| We need alternative energy | Rather than just limiting power to come from the grid, the Caribbean industrial landscape needs to embrace “Green” alternative on-site options (solar, wind and tidal), efficient battery back-ups, fuel cells and generators. |
| We need collective refrigeration | This refers to the leveraging of a cooling/heating scheme that provides the needed refrigeration for a limited district, not just one building. |
| We need pipelines | Over-ground, underground and underwater pipelines can help sustained refrigerated warehouses during natural disasters … and can help to quickly restore power and the systems of commerce. |
| We need cheaper energy costs | The roadmap promotes natural gas as the preferred fuel for power generation; it is much cheaper than petroleum or coal options. |
| We need Self-Governing Entities | SGE’s are bordered campuses that designates the exclusivity of the commercial, security and administration to federal governance, above-and-beyond the member-states. |
The book Go Lean … Caribbean purports that a new technology-enhanced industrial revolution is emerging, in which there is more efficiency for power generation, distribution and storm recovery. This is a vision of economic resiliency. This vision was pronounced early in the book with this Declaration of Interdependence (Pages 11 – 14), with these statements:
i. Whereas the earth’s climate has undeniably changed resulting in more severe tropical weather storms, it is necessary to prepare to insure the safety and security of life, property and systems of commerce in our geographical region. As nature recognizes no borders in the target of its destruction, we also must set aside border considerations in the preparation and response to these weather challenges.
xxvi. Whereas the Caribbean region must have new jobs to empower the engines of the economy and create the income sources for prosperity, and encourage the next generation to forge their dreams right at home, the Federation must therefore foster the development of new industries, like that of … frozen foods … impacting the region with more jobs.
xxx. Whereas the effects of globalization can be felt in every aspect of Caribbean life, from the acquisition of food and clothing, to the ubiquity of ICT, the region cannot only consume, it is imperative that our lands also produce and add to the international community, even if doing so requires some sacrifice and subsidy.
xxxii. Whereas the cultural arts … of the region are germane to the quality of Caribbean life, and the international appreciation of Caribbean life, the Federation must implement the support systems to teach, encourage, incentivize, monetize and promote the related industries … These endeavors will make the Caribbean a better place to live, work and play.
This Go Lean book serves as a roadmap for the introduction and implementation of the technocratic Caribbean Union Trade Federation (CU) to elevate the 30 Caribbean member-states. This Federation will assume jurisdiction for the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and all Self-Governing Entities (SGE’s). This approach allows for effective and efficient management of bordered campuses where facilities can be deployed for refrigerated warehouses – with their own power-energy eco-systems. This CU/Go Lean roadmap has these 3 prime directives:
- Optimization of the economic engines in order to grow the regional economy to $800 Billion and create 2.2 million new jobs.
- Establishment of a security apparatus to ensure public safety and protect the resultant economic engines, even for emergencies.
- Improvement of Caribbean governance to support these engines, including a separation-of-powers between the member-states and CU federal agencies.
The facilitations for Caribbean food can lead to a reboot of the industrial landscape. The above referenced 36,000 new jobs can lead to additional indirect jobs: 135,000. That makes for a total of 171,000 new jobs. We should all welcome this Industrial Reboot.
Bad Model: There is one Jamaican transnational company that distributes Frozen Foods, but all of their processes is done in their US home, in New Jersey. 🙁
The subject of Caribbean Food has also been addressed and further elaborated upon in these previous blog/commentaries:
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=10369 | Science of Sustenance – Temperate Foods |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=8982 | GraceKennedy: A Caribbean Transnational “Food” Company |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=5098 | Forging Change: ‘Food’ for Thought |
| http://www.goleancaribbean.com/blog/?p=3594 | Lessons Learned from Queen Conch – A Caribbean Delicacy |
The Go Lean book provides 370 pages of details on the economic principles and community ethos to adopt, plus the executions of strategies, tactics, implementations and advocacies to develop this industry and product offering in the Caribbean. The economic principles of the Frozen Foods pipelines are sound.
“How” would the Caribbean region reboot, reform and transform their societal engines to develop a Frozen Foods industry. This is the actual title of one advocacy in the Go Lean book. Consider the specific plans, excerpts and headlines here from Page 208, entitled:
10 Ways to Develop a Frozen Foods Industry
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1 |
Lean-in for the Caribbean Single Market The CU will allow for the unification of the region into one market, thereby creating a single economy of 30 member-states, 42 million people (plus a Diaspora of 8 million) and a GDP of over $800 Billion. The CU will take the lead in facilitating the food supply and distribution systems to ensure the region can feed itself, more from local production and less from trade. Modeling Omaha-based ConAgra Foods, the CU will work to shift the Balance of Trade to where more food supplies are exported and less imported. Where as many North American and EU countries place restrictions on Caribbean fresh produce (for example, no citrus), if foods are already prepared and frozen (or canned), those restrictions no longer apply. |
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2 |
Adopt Co-ops for Freezer WarehousesThe CU will sponsor cooperatives and condominium associations to construct and maintain refrigerated warehouses, with power alternatives, to facilitate the logistics of frozen products – for trading partners in agriculture and fisheries. |
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Ensure Energy SecurityThe CU will deploy a regional power grid, which would not have been feasible without the unified market. This advance configuration will supply supplemental power to each member state, on demand as the need arises. This proliferation of energy will foster the business environment to promote and develop freezer warehouses, thereby mitigating risks. |
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4 |
Supply Needs for Fisheries |
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5 |
Encourage Incubators & EntrepreneurshipA lot of the infrastructure to supply the demand for Caribbean-flavored frozen foods does not currently exist. The CU will incentivize private enterprises to develop this industry. Business incubators, and entrepreneur development programs are sure-fire ways to build this industry, support their development through an array of support resources and services. The CU will spur interest with an appropriate tax policy, rebates, loans, and access to credit. |
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6 |
Capital Markets & IPOs |
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7 |
Nouvelle Caribbean CuisineThe Caribbean Cuisine is part of the charm of island life, but there is the need for reform to promote a healthier lifestyle and foster local economies. Frozen foods are effective for this strategy. There is minimal lost of freshness for the produce that is unique to the Caribbean (i.e. Ackee, Sugar-Apple). These foods, with lower fat/salt – from frozen sources – will be promoted in the local media for their benefits and adherence to Caribbean style, so as to grow the demand. |
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8 |
Food Shows – Creating Demand Locally and in the Diaspora |
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9 |
Diaspora Exports – Caribbean Fruits & VegetablesMany fruits and vegetables in the Caribbean are tropical and unique to the region. The far flung Diaspora maintains their taste and demand for Caribbean food products. By preparing and freezing foods it will bypass many of the agricultural restrictions that foreign governments impose. Exporting to the Diaspora market adds a sizeable volume. |
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10 |
Optimizing Imports – Labeling – RepackagingThe Frozen Foods strategy also has bearing on food imports. The CU labeling requirement may be different than the host country – the CU will mandate food labeling regulation to identify all active ingredients and their nutritional content. (The US plays “games”). The practice of blast freezing palletized foods may have to be used, for local re-packaging. |
In summary, we need jobs; our Caribbean job creation dysfunction is acute. New jobs in the Frozen Foods industry can be stable, reliable and providential to facilitate growth in the economy. The infrastructural enhancements for refrigerated warehouses through out the Caribbean region would help us to expand our food exports and help us to expand our industrial landscape for other industries and other job-creating initiatives.
There is a viable export market for our Caribbean Frozen Food providers: 10 to 25 million Caribbean people in the Diaspora.
Yes, we can … reboot our industrial landscape and expand our food productions and exports. We can create new jobs – and other economic opportunities – that the Caribbean region needs. We urge all Caribbean stakeholders – governments, companies and consumers – to lean-in to this roadmap for economic empowerment. We can make all of the Caribbean homeland better places to live, work and play. 🙂
Download the free e-Book of Go Lean … Caribbean – now!
Sign the petition to lean-in for this roadmap for the Caribbean Union Trade Federation.