Refrigerated Foods Association

Strengthening the Cold Chain: Why Small Breakdowns Lead to Big Food Safety Risks

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Rather than a linear path from production to consumption, products move through a web of interconnected players, challenging traceability and accountability.

Smart Solutions for Cold Food Safety

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:30:00 -0400

Meet RFA's Next President

rodriguezk@bnpmedia.com (Kelley Rodriguez) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The Refrigerated Foods Association incoming president, William Bigelow, discusses cold foods manufacturing and his plans for the organization’s next chapter.

Alverez, Ward Elected to Board at RFA’s 44th Annual Conference

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0500

The conference was held at the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida on February 16-19.

New Podcast: Refrigerated Foods Association Marks 45 Years

rodriguezk@bnpmedia.com (Kelley Rodriguez) — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Originally known as the Salad Manufacturers Association (SMA), the organization has grown from a dozen salad makers to over 150 refrigerated foods companies.

New President, Sessions on Cybersecurity, Brand Strategy Mark Refrigerated Foods Association 43rd Annual Conference

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:30:00 -0400

Lauren Edmonds of St. Clair Foods completed her term and passed the reins to incoming President, Mark Rosenfield of Reser’s Fine Foods.

New Board Member Elections, Sessions on Sustainability, Logistics Highlight RFA's 42nd Conference & Exhibition

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 16:55:01 -0500

Speakers, networking, a tradeshow and golf outing were among the activities over the three day event.

New Podcast: State of the Cold Chain 2023

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 12:30:00 -0500

AFFI President and CEO, Alison Bodor, and RFA Technical Director, Doug Marshall, join us to discuss the state of the cold chain in 2023.

Refrigerated Foods Association’s Annual Conference Draws Industry Leaders to South Carolina Next Month

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0500

The RFA’s 2023 Conference will feature a full exhibition and the association’s unique One-on- One CEO Sessions.

New Podcast: State of the Cold Chain - Refrigerated Foods

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 07:00:00 -0400

Lauren Edmonds, president of the Refrigerated Foods Association and vice president of marketing and product development for St. Clair Foods, Inc. joins us.

2022 Top 25 Refrigerated Foods Processors Report

rodriguezk@bnpmedia.com (Kelley Rodriguez) — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 12:32:00 -0500

Last year saw sales of refrigerated foods drifting back closer to normal after a pandemic-fueled peak in 2020.

Recap: RFA’s 41st Annual Conference & Exhibition

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0500

John Foley, former Lead Solo with the Blue Angels, set the incredibly positive tone for the Refrigerated Foods Association’s Annual Conference & Exhibition, held in Amelia Island, Florida.

RFA Mourns John A. Zofchak, Founder of Boston Salads & Prepared Foods

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 14:52:50 -0500

An RFA member since 1996, Zofchak was a leader in food manufacturing and distribution in New England.

RFA Mourns the Loss of Longtime Technical Director, Martin Mitchell

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 14:25:55 -0500

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) is mourning the loss of Martin Mitchell, who passed away on December 19, 2021 after a four-year battle with leukemia. Marty served as the Refrigerated Foods Association’s Technical Director almost since the group’s inception in 1980.

Former Blue Angels Pilot John Foley to Give Keynote Presentation at Upcoming RFA Conference

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 12:30:00 -0400

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) is excited to announce the keynote speaker for their 41st Annual Conference & Exhibition in February, 2022: John Foley. John is a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels, where he consistently performed in an extreme, high-stakes environment, flying an F-18 at speeds of more than 500 miles per hour and in formations as close as 18 inches apart. To survive in those circumstances, he relied on a culture of high trust and leadership that turned inherently unforgiving flights into extraordinary experiences. He now shares his insights with audiences around the world.

Refrigerated Foods Association Announces 8th Annual National Deli Salad Month in July

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 17:05:00 -0400

In 2014, the Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) proclaimed July as National Deli Salad Month. This designation has been officially recognized and established and each year, throughout the month of July, food manufacturers promote and feature such summer staples as potato salad, macaroni salad, dips, chilled desserts, protein salads, ready to eat sandwiches and more.

New Podcast: Lessons Learned and Current Challenges for the Refrigerated Foods Industry

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 12:23:00 -0400

On our latest Cold Corner Podcast, Lauren Edmonds, newly elected president of the Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) joins Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa to discuss the RFA’s plans for the coming year, plus how the pandemic is still affecting the refrigerated foods industry through price hikes and shortages on ingredients, a shrinking labor pool, and more. They also discuss Edmonds’ company, St. Clair Foods, and their move to an automated production facility.

Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) Announces Newly Elected Leadership for 2021-22

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 11:58:00 -0400

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) announced new leaders at their recent Virtual Awards Ceremony. Lauren Edmonds of St. Clair Foods will take over as President, following Josh Knott of Knott’s Foods’ term in office. Karen Bishop Carbone, Boston Salads & Prepared Foods Corporation, will serve as Vice President and Conference Chair. Tom Davis, Lakeview Farms will continue his role as Treasurer, and Mark Rosenfield of Reser’s Fine Foods will serve as the group’s Secretary and Chair of the Communications Committee.

2021 Top 25 Refrigerated Foods Processors Report: Retail Sales and Product Innovation Fuel Record Growth

costam@bnpmedia.com (Michael Costa) — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:32:00 -0500

The headline for last year’s Top 25 Refrigerated Foods Processors Report read, “Refrigerated Foods to Reign Supreme in 2020”. In no other year than 2020 could a headline that bold be an understatement.

Refrigerated Foods Association Donates $8,000 to Food Banks During National Deli Salad Month

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 10:58:00 -0400

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) reports a collective donation of $8,000 to Feeding America during 2020’s National Deli Salad Month (July). Member companies committed to donating both monetarily and with in-kind donations as a collective effort to combat hunger in their own communities. Hands-on volunteer work was also encouraged. Their July fundraiser resulted in a total of $8,000 for Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of food is also donated to local food banks each year by these businesses.

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods' July 2020 Issue: The State of the Industry Report

costam@bnpmedia.com (Michael Costa) — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 13:18:00 -0400

Our annual July State of the Industry issue is now ready to read in our redesigned digital magazine--even easier to navigate than before. We also feature our annual North American Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Warehouse Guide. put together with the help of the Global Cold Chain Alliance. In this issue, we dive deeper into how COVID-19 has not just impacted, but altered many areas of the cold foods supply chain the first half of 2020. It's a mid-year snapshot that also serves as a map for what will likely continue the rest of the year.

Refrigerated Foods Association Announces 7th National Deli Salad Month in July

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 11:35:00 -0400

In 2014, Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) proclaimed July as National Deli Salad Month. This designation has been officially recognized and established and each year, throughout the month of July, food manufacturers promote and feature such summer staples as potato salad, macaroni salad, dips, chilled desserts, protein salads, ready-to-eat sandwiches and more.

New Podcast: How the RFA is Helping Members Navigate Cold Food Spikes and Shortages While Monitoring Employee Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

costam@bnpmedia.com (Michael Costa) — Fri, 01 May 2020 09:34:00 -0400

This week on our From the Cold Corner podcast, I spoke with Josh Knott, president of the Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) and Knott's Fine Foods in Paris, Tennessee. We discussed worker safety, supply chain slowdowns due to COVID-19 precautions, and how panic buying and fear of perceived food shortages by consumers can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

How Packaging Affects our Food Choices

jking@apisgrp.com (John King) — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:18:00 -0400

Refrigerated and frozen foods manufacturers use packaging graphics, text, colors, geometries, internal volumes, clarity, opacity, and ergonomic designs as nuggets of information to persuade consumers that the products they see are safe, will deliver pleasurable eating experiences, and may be enjoyed in specific or universal locations. Fundamentally, packaged messages must communicate to shoppers at the point of sale that there is a reason to believe in a product so that it is wanted.

Refrigerated Foods Association Announces Update of Shelf Life Protocol

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 11:42:00 -0400

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) has announced the release of an updated Shelf Life Protocol, available now to both members and non-members. The RFA Standardized Protocol for Determining Shelf Life of Refrigerated Foods was originally developed in 2002 and subsequently revised in 2009. The purpose of the standardized protocol was to enable individual manufacturers, and/or their customers if they so desired, to determine their product shelf life and compare their stated shelf life with the shelf life of similar products produced by other manufacturers.

Recap: RFA’s 40th Annual Conference & Tabletop Exhibition in Orlando

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 14:05:00 -0500

The 40th annual Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) Conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida, on February 23-26, 2020. The conference included timely presentations and outstanding networking opportunities and social events, including a service project that provided 400 kids’ packs for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

Refrigerated Foods Association Announces Keynote Speaker for 2020 Conference

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 10:24:00 -0500

Food manufacturers of North America and their suppliers will head to Orlando, Florida for “20/20 Vision: Providing Clarity for the Food Industry for 40 Years” conference and tabletop display on February 23 – 26, 2020.

Refrigerated Foods Association’s annual conference “covers the bases” of food safety

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 10:03:00 -0500

The Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA), Marietta, Ga., is working toward “Advancing & Safeguarding the Refrigerated Foods Industry” through its 39th annual conference, which will take place Feb. 17-20 at the Marriott Waterside Hotel in Tampa, Fla.

How partial government shutdown impacts cold food industry

mayerm@bnpmedia.com (Marina Mayer) — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0500

We are now in Week 4 of the partial government shutdown, with little to no resolution in sight.

Refrigerated Foods Association, Partnership for Food Safety Education collaborate to educate consumers on food safety

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:15:00 -0500

Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA), Marietta, Ga., announced plans to join forces with the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), Arlington, Va., to help educate consumers on the steps they can take while handling food to reduce the risk of a foodborne illness.