Eight major processing plants have come together to form a new meat processors' association, which is expected to lead the processing industry in responding to the changing needs of consumers.

Known as the Jamaica Meat Processors' Association (JaMPA), the executive committee is chaired by Robert Horner of Arosa Meats, and includes Carl Barnett of Grace Food Processors as secretary, and Matthew Lyn of Copperwood as treasurer.

The association was officially launched at a workshop at the Almond Tree Restaurant in Ocho Rios, St Ann, earlier this month.

Primarily produced

"The consumption pattern of the public is changing away from primarily produced, prepared-at-home-from-their-kitchen, to ready-process, ready-to-eat foods," said Dr Keith Amiel, president of the Caribbean Agro-Business Association and the man who will chair the new association's Meat Industry Development Committee.

Amiel, an executive of Caribbean Broilers, said women - who are the head of the household, and are taking charge of their affairs and have little time to prepare home-cooked meals - dominate the Jamaican population.

"They have little or no time or are not inclined to go home for that domesticated mode of peeling things and cutting up chicken and seasoning, and all that. They want that out of the way for other particular reasons, too," he said.

Travel time

Travel time was also a consideration, with many people now living out of town and some distance from where they work, so there is less time to be spent on domestic activities.

Some of the members of the association include Grace Food Processors, Copperwood Limited, Pioneer Limited, Old McDonald, Arosa Limited and the Jamaica Broilers Group.

Amiel said other processing plants have expressed interest in joining.

Some of the preliminary plans that the association has outlined include the upgrading of plants to HAACP and ISO levels to facilitate the eventual export of their products. The work also includes the development of recipes that specifically incorporate Jamaican spices, as well as other spices from the region.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com