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FOOD INDUSTRY


BevNET: The Beverage Network

• The beverage industry's"... source for products, news and more," this site provides access to product reviews for over 1,700 non-alcoholic beverages, domestic and international
• Reviews include producer's contact information, brand overview, nutritional information, availability by state, online order capability
• Product evaluation is objective, citing both favorable and unfavorable information about the product
• Products may also be searched by category (coffee, water, sports drinks, etc.)
• Provides ranking of 300 reviews by number of times viewed (updated daily)
• Also offers feature stories, industry news and "Industry Marketplace" (job listings, suppliers, distributors, services, new products)
• Registration required (it's free!)
• Best source for objective product reviews for the non-alcoholic beverage industry


Business & Company Resource Center Database (BCRC)

• Available from the "Databases" link on the Johnson & Wales University Library homepage
• Primarily a database for in-depth profiles of over 450,000 companies, the BCRC also provides industry information
• Searching by SIC/NAICS codes provides rankings of companies within an industry by sales and allows a competitive comparison between companies
• "Industry Overviews" (provided by Datamonitor's Industry Market Research) provides industry data (in this case, for food-related industries) which includes an executive summary, market value, market sectors, market shares, market forecasts, competitive landscape
• Also links to journal and magazine articles (primarily full-text, with some citation only) for the industry and its related activities
• Best online source for comprehensive company information; also excellent for its industry analysis and links


Food and Beverage Information

• Sponsored by Business.com
• Links to hundreds of food industry sites for 24 industry sectors (specific food products, beverages, distributors/wholesalers, manufacturers, etc.)
• Each sector links to sub-categories; for example, "Baked Goods" subdivides into 14 sub-categories
• Most links are to commercial sites; a short annotation accompanies each link
• Also links to professional/trade associations, education/training, employment, events, news, reference
• Links to 24 additional Business.com industry sites
• Excellent for those seeking extensive links to commercial sites; easy-to-navigate


Food and Related Products

• Sponsored by Google Web Directory; affiliated with the Open Directory Project
• Links to over 6,500 of food industry sites for 37 industry sectors (specific food products, beverages, specialty foods, equipment, processing, etc.)
• Each sector links to sub-categories; for example, "Food Service Equipment" subdivides into 17 sub-categories
• Most links are to commercial sites; a short annotation accompanies each link
• Also links to professional/trade associations, consultants, directories, employment, publications
• Links to 34 additional Google Web Directory industry sites
• Excellent for those seeking extensive links to commercial sites; easy-to-navigate


Food, Beverage, Restaurant and Tobacco: Industry Data Finder

• Maintained by the Cole Library, Rensselaer at Hartford
• Research guide for the food/beverage industries, consisting of print and online resources
• Topics include SIC & NAICS codes, industry profiles, financial/statistical data, forecasts, current news, professional/industry organizations, professional/industry publications, companies
• Annotations accompany some citations and links
• Print sources should be available in many academic libraries or large public libraries
• Excellent; one of the best resource guides to the industry for its extensive scope, well-chosen links, and ease-of-navigation


Food Industry Center (FIC)

• Sponsored by the Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota at St. Paul, the Food Industry Center is "... a community of scholars that develops and disseminates knowledge and analysis about how food reaches consumers"
• The FIC conducts research (via projects, seminars, workshops, discussion groups, publications) and "... disseminates its findings in research reports, working papers, trade and professional journals, conferences and in widely read books"
• "An Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Industry Study Center"
• Links to associations, institutes and government sites for the supermarket and foodservice/restaurant industries
• The Waite Library, affiliated with the FIC, provides access to a variety of resources (both internal and external) for the following topics: efficient consumer response, category management, supply chain, food consumption, human resources
• The library also provides a bibliography of over 300 retail food industry-related dissertations published between 1990 and 2000
• This is one of the best – if not the best – academic sites for industry research; a "must" for anyone conducting industry research


Food Info Net

• "A leading internet portal devoted exclusively to the food industry," this site offers links to websites for a wide variety of industry topics
• Utilizing the online resources of food academic/research institutions, companies, government websites, industry suppliers, and professional/trade organizations, this site links to directories (ingredient, equipment, services, vendors), news and events, career development services, organizations and other industry links
• "News Center" links to national and international industry news, news on food safety, FDA news releases, and CNN food news
• "Special Interests" provides information on biotechnology, food and health, food regulations, food safety, labeling and nutrition, industry statistics and other concerns of professionals in the industry
• Annotations accompany many sites; those dealing with directory information usually provide only links, however
• Includes some commercial sites, advertising
• Outstanding; comprehensive, timely, easy-to-navigate and free to all


Food Marketing Institute (FMI)

• Providing information for all facets of "... consumer and operations research of the food retailing and wholesale industry," the FMI is one of the leading sources for the industry, with a particular concentration on statistical analysis and trend data
• Links to extensive resources for consumer issues, food safety/security, human relations, industrial relations, retail management/operations
• Also links to conferences, "facts and figures," newsletters, glossary and nutrition information
• This is a "mixed" site, i.e., it has both "free" links and links which are accessible only to members (such as loss prevention and in-depth research reports)
• Outstanding; even though some data is restricted to members, what is available at no cost is excellent and worthwhile for users interested in industry research


Food Processors of Canada

• Formerly known as "FoodNet"
• Created as a resource for the Canadian food industry, this page links to sites of interest for foodservice professionals in the USA, as well
• Links to sites for the following: government regulations, research, food safety, trade (includes statistics), current issues
• For best results, search by "Site Map"
• Best source for Canadian-US industry links; easy-to-navigate


Fooddude

• Sponsored by Foresight Food Marketing
• Directory of links to the following industry sectors: associations, retailers, convenience stores, wholesalers, manufacturing, mail-order, trade publications, trade shows, nutrition; also links to related government sites
• Includes "Addendum Links", for sites not yet categorized
• No annotations
• Very useful for direct links to many food industry producers, distributors, and retailers, especially for sectors like convenience stores, mail-order businesses


Foodservice.com

• Sponsored by Foodbuy LLC
• One of the earliest industry-oriented sites, founded in 1996 as "... the first online community created for the foodservice industry"
• "Virtual Foodshow" links to sites for foods/beverages, equipment/supplies, disposables, health care, technology, business services
• "Market Reports" links to weekly analyses for 9 sectors of the industry; archived from 2001 to the present
• Also links to employment opportunities, food safety information, news/editorials, industry resources, discussion forums
• Outstanding; this comprehensive site is one of the best specifically devoted to all aspects of the industry


Grocerynetwork.com

• Sponsored by the Progressive Grocer
• This page is "mixed," i.e., it has both "free" information and fee-based information
• "Daily News" links to current industry news and trade shows/events
• Offers a wide variety of fee-based reports/industry analysis for food retailing (beverage, supermarkets, gourmet food)
• "Food Industry Research Center (FIRC)" offers fee-based access to current and archived issues of the following: Food Logistics, Food Service Director, Frozen Food Age, ID Magazine, Progressive Grocer, Restaurant Business, Supermarket Business
• Excellent resource for information on sectors of the industry; although much of the content is fee-based, the links to industry news and trade shows/events make this one of the best sites for keeping current with the industry


Hospitality Index: Foodservice Equipment and Supplies

• Directory of links to suppliers and manufacturers for 43 product categories of the foodservice and restaurant industries
• Each link to vendors provides the following information: company name, contact information, brief description of the product/service provided
• May be searched by keyword or name
• Features "List Your Company," "Sales Rep Register," "Expos and Conventions," "Industry Links"
• Quick, easy-to-use resources for locating products; not comprehensive, however


Hospitality Links: Foodservice Industry

• Maintained by the School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University
• This directory links to over 600 sites for 14 sectors of the foodservice industry, including the following: specific industry operations (catering, full-service chains, independent restaurants), industry/professional organizations (national and state), "General Foodservice Resources," equipment, distributors, publications, technology and more
• Links are accompanied by excellent notations
• Outstanding; one of the best – if not the best – online directories for the industry


Open Directory – Business: Industries: Food and Related Products

• Sponsored by the Open Directory Project
• Links to almost 6,000 food industry sites for 32 industry sectors (specific food products, beverages, specialty foods, etc.) and related categories
• Each sector links to sub-categories; for example, beverages subdivides into 11 sub-categories
• Most links are to commercial sites; a short annotation accompanies most links
• Also links to associations, directories, employment, marketing, publications
• Links to 40 additional Open Directory industry sites
• Excellent for those seeking extensive links to commercial sites; easy-to-navigate


Websites discussed on this page are for informational purposes only. Johnson & Wales University Library is not responsible for the accuracy, content, or stability of any websites linked to this page.

Compiled by Rick Keogh 11/02; updated 3/04; links last checked 9/07

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