FOOD
FOR THOUGHT
• B L
P l I to the Ichlp.n Citizen'
"Americ' economic difficul-
,.. nm Hammo , or vice
p d nt, Food m eti Imtitu,
pu It, lectin i lly well
I mind.
The lar t meetln of the 00<1
enn I titute In i lncep-
on in 19n, with n rly 40,000 ex-
eeun from over 7S countrl , w
interx1ed to emp ize "food di tribu­
to who have an on oing commit­
ment to helping educate co umers
about good nutrition," according to
Roger Stangeland, FMI chairman,
and chairman and CEO ofth VONS
Compani ,Inc., Los Angel .
For gro rs everywhere, the 1993
FMI Convention in Chicago w t
big event. Even though th hard new
i the changing demographics of the
United State' population.
The U.s. population grew by only
one percent last year.but th ethnic
population accounted for all the
growth. Because without the ethnic
population increases, th U.S. popula­
tion would have declined, according
to David Thomas, Strategy Research
Corp., Irvine, CA. The real growth in
the food busin i tied very closely
to population grow tho
The current population of Asian
Americans is about 7 million, up more
than 108 percent since 198O.J'he His­
panic community i about 22 million,
up over 54 percent ince 1 , and th
African American community is
more than 30 million, up merely 13
percent since 1980.
The underlying trend means that
by 2020, Asians will be 7 percent of
the population, African Americans 13
percent, and Hispanics 15 percent.
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN·
community will be for the first time in
U.S. history the second largest minor­
ity! Moreover, Hispanics are bound
by a common ethnic language and
religion. 11leir influence has already
been felt in the food industry by the
fact that alsa now outsells ketchup in
America.
The African American communi ty
till represents an enormous market at
the moment. Even with the lowest
annual average household income of
S2O,(XX) versus the nation's $31 (XX)
or Asian's $36,(XX), African Ameri­
cans presently have a $278 billion
annual income versus $184 billion for
Hispanics and $97 billion for Asians. .
Furthermore, 80 percent of the Af­
rican American population i in ten
metropolitan areas, while Hispanics
are divided into 32 such di tricts.
And, moot of their populations have
lower levels of spending and political
power. The growth and placement of
these populations have a big impact
on the food industry ..
While charges of canning cheat­
ing are to be investigated, other po i­
tive actions by supermarkets deserve
discu ion. Developing inner-city
communities by chain stores have
proved profitable for the communi­
ties of Chicago and Los Angeles,
when local community leaders pave
the way.
Busines is profitable and jobs are
plentiful when upennarket chains
act as a cataly t for the community.
The exceptional food suppliers like
Kraft General Food, who were
awarded the U.S. Department of
Commerce' Corporate Award for'
"Excellence in Minority Vending" in
recognition for di tingui hed service
and dedication to promoting minority
busines ,arc as: i ting in the best way
for Americans, except for the fact that
by th middle of the next century.
there will not be a majority of white
Americans.
Send your
recipes to:
Michigan
Citizen
P.O.8ox
03560 .
Highland
Park, MI
48203
SWEET RED FLAME
LB'
LARGE
14-SIZE
BUNCH
......
• I ,
STORE COUPON
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I 64-0Z CTN, ASSORTED LEMONADES,
I FRUIT PUNCH OR CITRUS PUNCH
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Limit 1 Free With Coupon. Limit 1 Coupon Per
Customer. Good Only At Foodland. Coupon
Expires: 6/20/93.
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