Anticipating what tomorrow may bring, and preparing for opportunities now.

If the best way to predict the future is to create it, then count Karin Verhulsdonck as one of Farm Frites' most creative futurists. As the manager for new business development in Europe, her job is to plot where the company should be positioned five to ten years hence.

Reading into the future is quite a challenge, but she seems up for the task. Although not clairvoyant-certified, Verhulsdonck is well equipped with an MBA from the London Business School and six years of product development experience at Heinz, a major international food company. In order to prepare for future opportunities one has to understand the far-reaching implications of change in contemporary society and how it will impact the food industry in particular and the overall economic landscape in general. The trick is to identify leading indicators today so that directions and signs can be posted to point the right way for tomorrow's journey.

Verhulsdonck is analyzing market demographics and consumer psychographics as well as trends in lifestyle, nutrition, food preferences and government regulations.

Among major demographic trends seen in Europe are a rise in people over age 55, an increase in single-person households, and more families with fewer children who have greater influence on what, where and when food is eaten.

Government concerns about obesity and hypertension have resulted in a heightened emphasis on menuing healthier meals in school cafeterias and at other institutions subsidized by taxpayers.

"There is no good reason why fries and other potato items can't continue to fit into healthy diets, especially those products which are made with reduced fat or no trans-fatty acids. As a producer, we take seriously our social responsibility to do everything possible to insure that products are as healthy as possible," said the new business development manager.

She continued: "We are talking regularly with dietitians who specify what goes into meals and reminding them that potatoes contain lots of vitamins and other nutritious ingredients."

Another matter being looked into is how to find ways to lessen salt content in french fries and other products without losing the flavor that consumers enjoy. With EU health ministers calling for adults to reduce average sodium intake from nine to six grams per day, Farm Frites food technologists are doing their part to insure that minimal levels of salt are used in factory processing.

For those caught up in busy lifestyles which are all too common today, Farm Frites is working on creating more innovative grab-and-go products that can be eaten while on the go. At the same time, new applications for potato product use as components in leisurely, sit-down meals are being formulated.

On the foodservice front, products have to be easier to prepare. Farm Frites has plenty of frozen and chilled potato offerings that are simple to bring to the table, where they are served up with an appetizing look, aroma and taste of chef-made sophistication.