2025 WAMP Pre-Convention Education Program
“Product Development in Practice” Seminar Planned for 2025 WAMP Convention
A Wisconsin Association of Meat Processor’s pre-convention workshop will once again be offered and is planned to take place at the University of Wisconsin Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery building on Thursday, April 10. This workshop is a great opportunity to gain new knowledge about meat processing, hone your present skills, and network with fellow meat processors. This year’s workshop is themed “Product Development in Practice” and will focus on learning how to effectively create/develop new or improve existing products in your establishments. A group of experts will discuss what product development is, the important steps and considerations for developing a new product, and how to successfully create new products or improve existing ones. After a morning of classroom presentations focused on the “A to Z” of product development, we will break into small groups/teams in the afternoon and put our classroom learnings into practice with a hands-on product development exercise. Teams will have the opportunity to use a benchtop approach to quickly arrive at an “ideal” product that is suitable for scaling up into your production. And, the final products will be entered in a special class and at the WAMP Wisconsin Specialty Meat Championships and judged!
As usual, plenty of opportunity and time for questions and dialogue will exist. If you have in interest in creating new products or improving existing ones…or simply learning about the product development process….this is must attend workshop for you. As with past workshops, interaction is highly encouraged so this would be a great opportunity to learn from and with presenters and attendees.
Following the same format as in the past, the WAMP pre-convention workshop will be held at the University of Wisconsin MSABD building on Thursday, April 10 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm with transportation (bus) provided from the Marriot hotel. Additional educational sessions will occur at the Marriot hotel on Friday morning, April 11 and Saturday afternoon, April 12. Anyone with questions about this program should contact Jeff Sindelar ([email protected]; 608-262-0555) to discuss.
Pre-Convention Seminar Schedule
All schedules are not finalized and are subject to change as necessary.
| 8:00 AM | Pre-Convention Workshop – “Product Development in Practice” (Held at the UW MSABD Building) (Pre-registration required.) Depart Marriot Madion West – Shuttle Provided |
|---|---|
| 8:30 AM | Introduction and Welcome Jeff Sindelar, University of Wisconsin Andy Geiss, Geiss Meat Service Sara Gragg, University of Wisconsin |
| 8:45-9:30 AM | Understanding the Product Development Process Andy Milkowski, University of Wisconsin |
| 9:30-10:00 AM | Recipe & Formulation Development: Raw Materials Jeff Sindelar, University of Wisconsin |
| 10:00-10:30 AM | BREAK |
| 10:30-11:00 PM | Recipe & Formulation Development: Functional Ingredients Andy Milkowski, University of Wisconsin |
| 11:00-11:30 AM | Recipe & Formulation Development: Building Flavor with Spices Stephanie Nue, PS Seasoning |
| 11:30-12:00 PM | Recipe & Formulation Development: Costing & Marketing/Sensory Science & Testing Nelson Gaydos, American Association of Meat Processors |
| 12:00-1:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00-1:30 PM | UW-MSABD Tour |
| 1:30-3:30 PM | Product Development Team Competition
Attendees will work in small teams to conduct product development for a fresh sausage utilizing a base formulation and a product scenario in the MSABD meat processing plant. Teams will have access to a variety of raw materials, non-meat ingredients, spices, etc. to create different prototypes and develop the ideal product following a bench-top approach. The final product prototype will be entered in the WAMP product show in a special class. |
| 3:30-3:45 PM | BREAK |
| 3:45-4:30 PM | Finished Product Evaluation and Troubleshooting Jeff Sindelar, University of Wisconsin Stephanie Neu, PS Seasoning |
| 4:30 PM | Conclusion |
| 4:35 PM | Bus departs UW Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery building (UW-MSABD) for Marriott West hotel |
