Introduction to the Food Industry

Whether you are a high school student learning about the food industry or a new employee joining the food industry, this tool is for you.

The eight lessons below give a broad overview of the food industry and the wealth of career opportunities available in a major food manufacturer and retailer.   

Lessons

Lesson 1: Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Explores the raw materials necessary to process food and the quality standards they need to meet. Raw milk is chosen to illustrate the quality control process. Issues related to food safety are highlighted.
 
Lesson 2: Processing Food
Illustrates the various processing steps in making bread, peanut butter, strawberry jam and milk.

Lesson 3: Nutrition, Labeling and Packaging
Explores the environmental and government regulations regarding food packaging and labeling as well as the increasing role nutrition plays in the marketing of food products to the consumer.

Lesson 4: Integrated Resource Management
Focuses on integrated management of all resources within a processing manufacturing environment and shows how forecasting and master production scheduling affect material requirements planning. It introduces the concept of Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) and the role computers play in the manufacturing process.

Lesson 5: From the Plant to the Store
Deals with inventory management and transportation of foods from the plant to the store. It also focuses on how stores forecast demand.

Lesson 6: From the Store to the Shopper
Focuses on the role of marketing and various strategies to push the products out of the plant into the distribution chain (promotions and sales incentives), and pull them into the hands of the consumer (advertising).
 
Lesson 7: The Customer Service Chain
Focuses on strategic quality management. It is no longer sufficient to make a quality product to delight the customer. Strategic quality management encompasses continuous quality improvement of existing processes, as well as re-engineering of inefficient work processes.

Lesson 8: Food Preparation at Home
Describes food preparation and preservation techniques that enable consumers to enjoy the benefits of their food purchases. It describes refrigeration, freezing, and microwave technologies, indispensable in the preparation and preservation of foods.

About the Lessons

Each lesson contains:

Learning Objectives -- what you should know after completing the unit.
Subject Matter  -- an overview of the unit's content.
Careers   -- required educational background and specific careers related to the unit's work process.
Activity Description  -- how to perform the activity.
Questions  -- a list of questions to answer and fill in after completing the activity.
Glossary of Terms  -- definitions of any new or unfamiliar terms covered in the unit.
References -- publications and videos in the library.

The following learning tools have been custom-designed:
 

One overall course introduction

Eight computer-based student screen presentations

Eight lesson guides

Eight lesson questionnaires

This learning tool was designed, written, and produced as a public service to the educational community by Safeway Inc. in partnership with California Polytechnic University's Food Science and Nutrition Department in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Arroyo Grande High School in Arroyo Grande, Calif.