The name is fitting, however. It has come to mean convenience and reliability in food and beverage products. “Prepared food” is associated particularly with processed foods that foodservice operators purchase and bring into their establishments rather than prepare from scratch onsite.
Indeed, the foodservice industry is a crucial client base for most Prepared Foods readers, those in R&D and marketing at food manufacturing companies. Technomic Inc. (Chicago) estimates $140 billion in 2003 sales of prepared foods to the foodservice segment.