Sometimes they say, “Don’t ask the question if you don’t want to hear the answer.” Perhaps that’s never been more applicable than now – when food industry leaders want to believe the nation’s economy is recovering.

Even after profiling the nation's leading 150 refrigerated and frozen food processors, Editor Bob Garrison is thinking about others not on the list.

Frito-Lay's "Zero Landfill" plan helped it earn "most innovative company" accolades from Fast Company magazine. Editor Bob Garrison profiles six more intriguing and innovative operations in Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ 10th annual “Food Plants of the Year” feature.

Editor Bob Garrison says Minneapolis’ hottest personality is not Brett Favre. Rather, it’s the Pillsbury Doughboy.

What does ConAgra Foods CEO Gary Rodkin have in common with champion basketball coach Phil Jackson? It’s more than a mustache and more than you might think.

In its 2009 report, “Frozen Foods in the U.S.,” New York researcher Packaged Facts said retail packaged frozen food sales grew by 6.5 percent to $51.8 billion.

Spring is a natural time to keep an eye on things . . . certain indicators, if you will. It might be signs of life from your lawn or garden. Or, like me, you might be looking for signs of life from your fantasy baseball team. Chances are, you’re also watching for any signs of an uptick in the economy.

It would be understandable if some companies viewed today’s economy as an excuse to shrink back and simply stay afloat. And it’s no surprise that others are trimming the fat everywhere.  But then there are the optimists; the companies that, for better or worse, committed to projects before the downturn, and plan to see them through.

There are enough opinions, theories and issues behind the story of Pilgrim’s Pride and its mid-February decision to officially “idle” three plants - that the resulting ruckus could be compared to a hen house, complete with flying feathers and lots of squawking.

The Chill Factor is a new R&FF blog. Watch this space for updates and additional blogs!