Hearts Tomato Soup

I ♥ Superior Quality

I ♥ Organic

I ♥ No Preservatives

♥I ♥ Gluten Free

I ♥ Vegan

I ♥ Low Sodiumby Kristine M. Schweitzer

Company Background and Mission

• Hearts Tomato Soup started after it’s founder, Kristine M. Schweitzer, could not find soup that satisfied all of her dietary requirements: a delicious soup that is also organic, gluten free, vegan, and without preservatives.

• She started Hearts in 2013 using her favorite fire roasted tomato soup recipe. She loved the soup so much, she named her company Hearts.

• Hearts mission is to deliver a delicious and organic tomato soup that rivals homemade. Using a tried and true recipe, Hearts seeks out all consumers who seek out good health and great taste. Hearts promises to ♥ your health, honor your beliefs, and obey your need for a quality soup.

• We intend to create and expand our frozen meals in the future so that good health is always within arms reach for even our busiest consumers.

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Literature Review

• NPD Group’s (2013) Dieting Monitor reports that 30 percent of adults, one in every three adults, claimed to cut down on or avoid gluten completely in January 2013.

• The Vegetarian Resource Group (2011) conducted a survey by telephone within the United States in 2011 among a nationwide cross section of 1,010 adults (aged 18 and over). They found 5% of the country say that they never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry. About half of these vegetarians are also vegan; that is they also don’t eat dairy or eggs.

• The National Digestive Diseases Information, USA Today, (2012) reports that 33% of Americans are lactose intolerant.

• The Organic Trade Association’s (2011) organic industry survey concluded that as of 2011, 4.2 percent of all U.S. food sales were organic and the organic food sector grew by $2.5 billion during 2011.

• Mintel (2013) found that 58% of Americans said they are watching their sodium intake with72% of consumers who are currently limiting sodium.

• Frozen soup jumped 9.9% in unit sales in supermarkets, reaching total sales of $185 million (Nielsen, 2012) ♥

The Competition

• Tabatchnick, a staple brand in most grocery store freezer shelves has expanded their frozen soup empire to include four organic, gluten free, and free of preservatives varieties: Black Bean, Tuscany Lentil, Vegetarian Chili, and Split Pea. The soups have between 360-400 mg of sodium between them. • Tabatchnick soup sells for $3.00 for a 15oz package

• The very popular brand, Amy’s organic offers a few varieties of canned tomato soup that are also low in sodium and free of preservatives, however there are none that are dairy free. • Amy’s Organic Tomato Bisque sells for $3.20 for a 14.5oz can

• Another frozen soup brand, Kettle Cuisine, offers a gluten free, vegan, and free of preservatives tomato soup that high in sodium and is not organic.• Kettle Cuisine’s chunky tomato and vegetable soup sells for $3.49 for a10oz package.

• A thorough review of the competition reveals a dire need for a tomato soup that has every quality consumers are looking for.

• Hearts Tomato Soup is organic, gluten free, vegan, low sodium, and free of preservatives.

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Consumer Profile

• Hearts Tomato Soup’s target consumers are women between the ages of 25 and 50-years-old. They are highly educated and hold jobs outside the home. She’s likely busy caring for her family, her parents, and her pets. She likes to cook her own meals, but sometimes there is simply not enough time in the day. Our consumer is all natural. She shops at farmers markets, eats organic foods, and only wears organic cotton. She is interested in current events: she has a New York Times subscription on her iPad and NPR programmed as #1 on her car radio dial. When she is not spending her free time practicing yoga, her favorite television show is Masterpiece Theater, which she enjoys watching with a hot bowl of tomato soup in hand.

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Ingredients

Water, ripe tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, red onions, fresh basil, fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh sage, ground pepper, sea salt

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Nutrition Facts and Labeling

• For a product to be labeled “low sodium”, the FDA requires 140mg or less per serving.• Hearts Tomato Soup contains 137mg of

sodium • The FDA allows a label to say “high” if one

serving provides at least 20% or more of the Daily Value (DV) for a particular nutrient.• Hearts Tomato Soup contains high

amounts of Vitamin K (65% of the %DV)• Vitamin K allows your blood to clot normally, helps

protect bone from fracture, and prevents calcification of the arteries

• Hearts Tomato Soup contains high amounts of vitamin C (30% of the %DV)• Vitamin C helps protect cells from free radical

damage, lowers cancer risk , and improves iron absorption . ♥

(Anderson , Young & Perryman, 2010)

Nutrition Facts and Labeling

• The FDA allows a label to say “good source” if one serving provides 10-19% of the Daily Value for a particular nutrient.• Hearts Tomato Soup is a good source of

Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Manganese.

• The FDA allows a label to say “low cholesterol” if it contains 20 mg or less cholesterol and 2 g or less saturated fat per serving.• Hearts Tomato Soup is low in cholesterol

• The Organic Foods Production Act and the National Organic Program (NOP) states that products labeled as "100 percent organic" must contain (excluding water and salt) only organically produced ingredients. • Hearts Tomato Soup is 100% organic ♥

(Anderson , Young & Perryman, 2010)

Recipe Name

Roasted Tomato

Soup

PortionSize:

1 serving

StandardYield:

2013oz portions

Recipe EY% As Purchased Invoice Recipe IndividualIngredientCost

Quantity Unit Quantity Unit Ingredient Cost Unit Cost Unit8.5 Fl. oz Extra Virgin

Olive Oil117 18 gal 0.5 Fl oz 0.43

3.8 oz 75% 5.06 oz Garlic Cloves 15.00 1 lb .06 oz 0.30

To taste PepperGround

3.00 lb N/C

To taste Salt .51 oz N/C20 oz 88% 22.72 oz Red Onion 16.00 25 lbs .04 oz 0.91

9 Fl oz Balsamic Vinegar

65.25 17.25lbs 0.24 Fl oz 2.16

1.13 oz Fresh Parsley 14.60 lb .91 oz 1.03

1 bunch Fresh Sage 1.49 bunch 1.49 bunch 1.49

0.85 oz Fresh Basil 16.10 lb .1.00 oz 0.85

16 oz 99% 16.16 oz Tomato 22.33 20 lbs .07 oz 1.13Total IngredientCost

8.30

Q Factor 5%

0.42

Recipe Cost

8.72

PortionCost

0.44

Recipe Cost= $0.44

Taste Panel

A taste panel consisting of six highly trained participants was conducted using a descriptive test. Using a Lickert scale of 1 to 7, participants rated Hearts Tomato Soup on a scale of 1 being very poor to 7 being excellent. Here are the results:

Hearts Tomato Soup

Kelly Adam Shontae Danielle Marc Dorothy Average

Appearance 6 7 7 7 5 6 6.33

Consistency/Texture

6 7 7 7 5 6 6.33

Color 6 6 7 7 4 5 5.83

Salt Impression 7 6 3 6 6 4 5.33

Flavor 7 7 4 7 6 7 6.33

Overall Eating Quality

7 6 5 7 5 6 6

Why Frozen Soup?

• Frozen soups offer a way to deliver minimally processed products that are nutrient rich, while preserving fresh flavors and ensuring food safety

• Our frozen soups are made when the vegetables are fresh and are quickly frozen to delay any nutrient loss that would normally occur during shipment.

• By freezing our soup we are able to accurately meet dietary requirements• Freezing soup leads to a reduced water activity, due to ice formation & high

concentrations of solutes in unfrozen water• By using freezing, consistent hold and cooking times assure customers of product safety. • Freezing to 0 °F inactivates any microbes , bacteria, yeasts, and molds present in food.

Freezing slows the enzyme activity that takes place in foods.• Freshness and quality at the time of freezing affect the condition of frozen foods. If frozen

at peak quality, thawed foods emerge tasting better than foods frozen near the end of their useful life.

• By freezing our product we are able to utilize recycled and biodegradable packaging instead of cans.

• The freezer case is utilized for the convenience, value, and variety for our busy customers• Consumers describe frozen foods to be: Safe, Convenient, Economical, Nutritious, and

Tasty ("Trends: growing frozen soup," 2013). ♥

pH and Water Activity

• pH is 4.48• Hearts Tomato Soup is an acidic food; the pH is < 4.6• Processing times and temperatures are lower for acid foods• Microorganisms are more easily destroyed in an acid

environment• Clostridium botulinum spores cannot germinate below pH

4.6

• Water Activity (Aw)is 0.96

• Hearts Tomato Soup has a very high water activity level. This level is prime for mold, bacteria, and yeast growth.

• Reducing Aw by freezing in combination with low pH values, can be sufficient to inhibit microbial growth. ♥

Manufacturing Processes

• We first cook the soup fully so that it does not require reconstitution.• We prepare the soup according to our standardized recipe instructions:

slow roasting tomatoes, sautéing herbs, onions, and garlic together, adding water, and blending until smooth.

• To ensure product safety the soup is cooked to 180F• We will then let our soup cool for 30minutes before packaging and putting

it into a blast freezer. Our fast freezing technique will form small ice crystals that will not damage the cells and cause undesirable texture change.

• While in the blast freezer the temperature of the soup is reduced below its freezing point (T<Tf) and a portion of water in food undergoes a change in state to form ice crystals (Aw lowered)

• Our product will be stored at -18°C before shipment • After the soup is purchased, consumers will be instructed to heat at a low

temperature ♥

Storage and Shelf Life

• Frozen soup does not have an indefinite shelf life, nor does canned soup.

• In our training we include a definite plan to implement speed of manufacturing. Our soup moves out quickly to ensure the consumer has the longest amount of time possible for consuming soups before the expiration date.

• Hearts Tomato Soup will have a sell by date stamped 3 months after it is manufactured. ("Freezing and food," 2010)

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Safety and Regulatory

• Hearts Tomato Soup will use the following regulations for designing our processes. • Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 parts:• 1: GENERAL ENFORCEMENT REGULATIONS

  § 1.24 - Exemptions from required label statements.   § 1.276 - What definitions apply to this subpart?   § 1.377 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

• 102: COMMON OR USUAL NAME FOR NONSTANDARDIZED FOODS   § 102.26 - Frozen "heat and serve" dinners.

• 104: NUTRITIONAL QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR FOODS   § 104.47 - Frozen "heat and serve" dinner.

• 110: CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PACKING, OR HOLDING HUMAN FOOD   § 110.80 - Processes and controls.

• 113: THERMALLY PROCESSED LOW-ACID FOODS PACKAGED IN HERMETICALLY SEALED CONTAINERS   § 113.3 - Definitions.

• 114: ACIDIFIED FOODS   § 114.3 - Definitions.

• 170: FOOD ADDITIVES   § 170.3 - Definitions.

• 175: INDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: ADHESIVES AND COMPONENTS OF COATINGS   § 175.300 - Resinous and polymeric coatings.

• 176: INDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: PAPER AND PAPERBOARD COMPONENTS   § 176.170 - Components of paper and paperboard in contact with aqueous and fatty foods.

• ("Cfr - code," 2013)

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Sustainable Packaging and Shipment

• Additional costs for Hearts Tomato Soup come from our unique packaging process of utilizing secondary packaging. It is a kitschy, homemade looking little brown bag. It is a heavy paper bag with a biodegradable liner freezer packaging for our product. (Lindeman, 2011)

• During shipment recyclable corrugated boxes with a moisture-resistant coating are a cost-effective alternative to foam or heavily waxed boxes. They deliver tested strength and are 100% recyclable. Our packaging is not only recyclable, but it also provides the insulation properties and water resistance we need to maintain the integrity of our tomato soup. (Smorch, 2008)

• We are currently taking bids from companies who specialize in recycled and sustainable packaging and shipment so we can finalize our soup costs.

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Works Cited

Anderson , J., Young, L. & Perryman, S. (2010, December). Understanding the food label.

Colorado State University Extension, Retrieved from http://

www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09365.html

Lindeman, T. F. (2011, March 29). 'sustainable' food packaging: a mixed bag. Post Gazette,

Retrieved from http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sectionfront/life/sustainable-food-

packaging-a-mixed-bag-290454/

Mintel: Consumers confused about sources of sodium. (2013, March 29). Food Business News,

Retrieved from

http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Consumer_Trends/2013/03/Mintel_Consumers_confused_abou.aspx?ID={79E6FEBD-2087-4F9B-81EB-42C297AC044A}&cck=1

National Digestive Diseases Information, USA Today. (2012, July 23). Lactose intolerance

statistics. Statistic Brain, Retrieved from http://

www.statisticbrain.com/lactose-intolerance-statistics/

Nielsen. 2012. Shelf stoppers: frozen foods. Progressive Grocer 91(5): 10.

Organic Trade Association. (2011). U.S. organic industry overview. Retrieved from

http://www.ota.com/pics/documents/2011OrganicIndustrySurvey.pdf ♥

Works Cited

Smorch, P. (2008, December 08). Pacific seafood’s new sustainable shipping cases. Greener Package,

Retrieved from

http://www.greenerpackage.com/recycling/pacific_seafood’s_new_sustainable_shipping_cases

The NPD Group, Inc. (2013, January). Percentage of U.S. adults trying to cut down or avoid gluten in

their diets reaches new high in 2013, reports npd. Retrieved from

https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/press-releases/percentage-of-us-adults-trying-to-cut-

down-or-avoid-gluten-in-their-diets-reaches-new-high-in-2013-reports-npd/

The VRG Blog Editor (2011, December 05). How many adults are vegan in the U.S.?. The Vegetarian

Resource Group Blog, Retrieved from

http://www.vrg.org/blog/2011/12/05/how-many-adults-are-vegan-in-the-u-s/

Trends: Growing frozen soup segment. (2013). Sargento Food Ingredients , Retrieved from http://

www.sargentofoodingredients.com/services/trends/growing-frozen-soup-segment

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Fact Sheets. (2010). Freezing and food safety. Retrieved

from website: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/focus_on_freezing/

U.S. Food and Drug Administration , (2013). Cfr - code of federal regulations title 21. Retrieved from

website:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/

default.htm ♥

Hearts Tomato Soup

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