California Raisins Join the Armed Forced

For the first time since the Vietnam war, California raisins are back in the feeding programs of the US military, thanks to efforts of the CRMB.

California raisins are included in 19 military MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) in addition to other food items served to troops in the field and garrison camps.

All products used by the military must have a shelf life of three years at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Tom Payne, military foods consultant to the CRMB. Products developed for the armed services must be extremely shelf stable, require special packaging and command the highest quality. Food items must provide substantial nourishment and energy needed by today's warrior. The armed forces are discovering California raisins are the perfect ingredient!

California raisins are utilized in raisin/nut mixes, energy bars, cookies and raisin packs. In addition to MRE's California raisins are a staple in "Humanitarian Packs" airdropped into combat theaters of Afghanistan, Kurdistan, and other war and disaster zones around the world. California raisins are integrated into new areas of the military feeding program including special meals such as Kosher and Halal menus, special diet foods, cold weather rations and specialty items for emergency situations such as the "man-overboard" ration of the US Navy.

How is this all developing? "The CRMB has been building relationships with the US military for years," according to Payne. "We attend meetings, listen to the needs and then come back with solutions." The military relies on suppliers such as the raisin industry to perform the initial research and concept development. When a concept passes Army tests, specifications are drafted and the armed forces procure ingredients through a prime vendor system. All products sourced by the military must be of US origin according to federal law.

What's new? There are ten additional raisin items on the drawing board including foods for the National Guard training, desert warfare foods, and long-range recon rations. With current troop deployments around the glove, the military food market is expected to prosper for years to come.