The launch of Jim Prevor’s Perishable Pundit back in 2006 created an industry sensation with readership quickly spreading deep within the trade and across the whole planet. Beyond the trade, government officials, journalists, academics and others with direct impact on the industry all joined in the great discussion of industry issues that is conducted in the Pundit. A quick glance at the interviews we’ve done and letters we’ve received shows a degree of engagement with the trade that is simply unparalleled.
Yet the very success of the “Pundit” created a new problem: Everyone wanted to be included and the idea-centric nature of the “Pundit” simply meant it was impossible to include everyone who might want to be included in the “Pundit.”
So we created something absolutely terrific. It is called PerishableNews.com and it is in an open beta test mode right now.
We created eight separate “channels” — a general one for Retail & Foodservice, featuring pieces that will appeal to a VP of Perishables and those with similar interests, and seven specific channels:
Produce
Floral
Bakery
Dairy
Deli
Meat & Poultry
Seafood
Once we turn the “on” switch and move out of beta, the editorial assortment will be simply incredible, with the content consisting of four separate categories. Each category has an icon and the appropriate icon is featured on each story:
Much of the content is generated within the industry in the form of corporate announcements and press releases. You can recognize the content that came to us in this way because it is published with this icon:
(PR)
In addition, our team of editors selects articles that run in the general press but are useful for the perishables trade and will intersperse those in the article stream. You can identify these pieces because they carry this icon:
(3rd party)
Jim Prevor also serves as Editor-in-Chief for PerishableNews.com, and you will sometimes see pieces from our sister publications, such as PRODUCE BUSINESS, DELI BUSINESS, AMERICAN FOOD AND AG EXPORTER and CHEESE CONNOISSEUR in the article flow. These are identified with this icon:
(sibling)
In addition, from time to time, our staff of editors will submit their own articles, which will be identified by this icon:
(original)
There is also extensive opportunities for industry members to contribute with blogs, columns and more.
In addition to the extensive content, the delivery mechanism is unique. No more waiting around for a publication to deliver the news on its schedule. You can sign up to receive the news “As it happens” via e-mail or RSS feed, or you can get a daily or weekly summary. You can do this for one channel, such as produce, for two, such as produce plus the general retail & foodservice channel, or for any number up to and including all eight channels.
And it is all absolutely free.
Feel free to check out the site. There are four easy ways to get involved:
I) You can sign-up today for your free subscription by clicking here.
II) If you are ever reading (or listening or watching — we incorporate audio and video elements as well) or if you are creating something and you want to suggest it for use, you can send it to us including uploading photos right here.
III) If you send out press releases and announcements, please add the appropriate channels to your PR lists:
Retail & Foodservice
Submit Retail & Foodservice PR to RetailPR@PerishableNews.com
Bakery
Submit Bakery PR to BakeryPR@PerishableNews.com
Dairy
Submit Dairy PR to DairyPR@PerishableNews.com
Deli
Submit Deli PR to DeliPR@PerishableNews.com
Floral
Submit Floral PR to FloralPR@PerishableNews.com
Meat & Poultry
Submit Meat & Poultry PR to MeatPR@PerishableNews.com
Produce
Submit Produce PR to ProducePR@PerishableNews.com
Seafood
Submit Seafood PR to SeafoodPR@PerishableNews.com
IV) If you are interested in helping support the site and build your own visibility with advertising or wish to discuss an editorial contribution, please contact Ken Whitacre here.
The site, like Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner, is a technical tour d’force so forgive us as we are in beta mode and we work out a few kinks. Your feedback is always appreciated.
We think this site offers the industry such a fantastic opportunity for cross fertilization of ideas and an instantaneous connection around the world for news and ideas. We hope you will want to be part of it.
Once again, you can sign up for free right here.
