Midwest Food Processors Association changes name

The Midwest Food Processors Association (MWFPA), which represents the food manufacturing industry in the central United States, has announced that its membership has voted to change its name to the Midwest Food Products Association during the first half of 2017.

“The name change reflects the continuing evolution of this association,” said president Nick George. “MWFPA represents an increasingly broad range of members – companies that produce fruits, vegetables, juices, meat, poultry, sauces, cheeses, snacks, nuts, seasonings, and many other foods in addition to suppliers to the industry. The term ‘processors’ no longer reflects our full membership; in fact, the word does not resonate with our many audiences.”

The MWFPA is a trade association that advocates on behalf of food companies and

affiliated industries in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. It was founded in 1905 as the Wisconsin Canners Association representing the producers of commercial canned goods. It was later renamed the Midwest Food Processors Association reflecting its increased scope to include a variety of processing and packaging technologies ­— including drying, canning and freezing.

It represents a diverse group of food processors on a variety of food issues and its membership

represents the full spectrum of the food manufacturing industry, including more than 250 members that supply the industry worldwide.

According to Mike Forbes, corporate manager for regulatory affairs at Hormel Foods Corporation and chairman of the MWFPA board of directors, “The new name better communicates the Association’s focus and who we represent to various audiences, including government, consumers and the media. We believe it will create a better understanding of this association and its activities on behalf of the food products industry.”