Work_Thailand_U.S._baking_and_daiy_innovation.docx

U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service

Statement of Work Cochran Program for Thailand on U.S Baking and Dairy Innovation Program

Scope of work

The Cochran Fellowship Program’s Asia region is requesting the design and delivery of a training program for six Fellows (3 Managers, 1 R&D Supervisor, 1 Assistant Manager) from Thailand. Thai food manufacturers and bakeries are searching for ways to improve their products through better ingredient selection and utilization so as to better compare in a domestic market rapidly approaching $500 million in total value. The program will introduce the Fellows in how best to use U.S bakery ingredients, particularly U.S. cheeses and butter. The program will study employing cheese and butter, and other ingredients like nuts and premix flour, for retail, food service, and manufacturing uses.

The participants would also study the latest food ingredient trends and learn the significance of U.S. food ingredients. Central to this program would be attendance at the Dairy, Deli and bakery Association show to be held in Atlanta June 7 – 9, 2015. Fellows should have an opportunity to meet with U.S. exporters of food ingredients for their products of interest, as well as provide an opportunity for U.S. food ingredient manufacturers to meet directly with the leading Thai food-ingredient importers and food manufacturers. As a result of this training program, fellows should gain a greater understanding of U.S. food ingredients. The goal of the program is to promote market share of U.S. food ingredients in Thailand by facilitating contacts between U.S. exporters and Thai food trading partners as well as educating Thai importers on U.S. products.

OBJECTIVES

The contractor will ensure that Fellows develop competencies in the following areas:

· Latest U.S. food trends of food ingredients particularly for cheeses and butter

· Innovation product design / Packaging of sweet bakery products

· Use of natural ingredients (organic)

· Daily operations of U.S. food ingredients companies (visit to U.S. companies that are exporting food ingredients to Thailand and/or South East Asia)

· Post marketing of food ingredients

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

This consecutive 2 week training program should be provided during the current Cochran Fellowship Training Cycle - fiscal year (FY15), June, 2015.