USA: ecFood.com milks the internet for HP Hood Dairy

ecFood.com (www.ecFood.com), a pioneer in providing web-based sourcinG solutions to the food manufacturing industry, has signed an agreement with HP Hood. Under this agreement, ecFood.com will provide Internet-purchasing for the venerable dairy manufacturer using ecFoodware, its family of online purchasing tools. Designed to address the complex supply-chain of the industrial food sector, ecFoodware's innovative features include a scoring system, advanced sourcing methodology, supplier rating, supplier profiling, negotiated bidding, specification management, dynamic pricing and demand aggregation. "HP Hood had researched several B2B options before signing with ecFood.com for our Internet purchasing," said Jim Marcinelli, Controller of HP Hood. "ecFood.com was selected because it is an independent, neutral company which has fused in-depth food industry experience with proven Internet expertise." With approximately $600 million in annual sales, HP Hood is a leading producer of extended shelf-life dairy products with distribution throughout the United States and various export markets. HP Hood recently opened a new state-of-the-art fluid dairy manufacturing plant in Winchester, Virginia. The new plant will support the Hood brand in the Northeast and the products it manufactures, sells and distributes for national brand partners such as Nestle, Lactaid, Horizon, Organic Cow and Land O' Lakes along the East Coast from Maine to Florida. "HP Hood is well-regarded in the dairy industry," said Dave Laukat, CEO of ecFood.com. "They are an example of a first-rate, progressive company improving their purchasing practices using modern tools, while maintaining their independence and safeguarding their existing supply chain."

Designed to address the complex supply-chain of the industrial food sector, ecFoodware’s innovative features include a scoring system, advanced sourcing methodology, supplier rating, supplier profiling, negotiated bidding, specification management, dynamic pricing and demand aggregation.

“HP Hood had researched several B2B options before signing with ecFood.com for our Internet purchasing,” said Jim Marcinelli, Controller of HP Hood. “ecFood.com was selected because it is an independent, neutral company which has fused in-depth food industry experience with proven Internet expertise.”

With approximately $600 million in annual sales, HP Hood is a leading producer of extended shelf-life dairy products with distribution throughout the United States and various export markets. HP Hood recently opened a new state-of-the-art fluid dairy manufacturing plant in Winchester, Virginia. The new plant will support the Hood brand in the Northeast and the products it manufactures, sells and distributes for national brand partners such as Nestle, Lactaid, Horizon, Organic Cow and Land O’ Lakes along the East Coast from Maine to Florida.

“HP Hood is well-regarded in the dairy industry,” said Dave Laukat, CEO of ecFood.com. “They are an example of a first-rate, progressive company improving their purchasing practices using modern tools, while maintaining their independence and safeguarding their existing supply chain.”

About ecFood.com

ecFood.com is a pioneer in bringing online procurement solutions to the industrial food sector. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, ecFood.com combines substantial food industry knowledge with advanced ecommerce technology. We are providing online methods that reflect real world purchasing practices. ecFoodware, our suite of solutions, takes the “best practices” of the industrial purchasing system and blends them with the inherent efficiencies and savings of the new economy. Forbes Magazine recently recognized ecFood.com as “Best of the Web” for the B2B sites in the food industry. For more information, visit www.ecFood.com or call 408/566-6130.

About HP Hood

Founded in 1846 by Harvey Perley Hood, HP Hood, Inc., is the Northeast’s premier processor, marketer and distributor of dairy, extended shelf-life dairy, frozen desserts, citrus, non-dairy and specialty food products. The John A. Kaneb family became only the third owner of HP Hood in December 1995. For more information about HP Hood visit www.hphood.com.