Omaha daily bee., 1914-09-27
BUYING FOOD IN PACKETS
Phenomenal Development in Trade
During Recent Years.
FOOD IN BULK THING OF PAST
Modern Methods Of Cleanliness and
Convenience Result in Great
Change In the ways of
Handling EatabIes.


The impress sion one gets on entering the
grocery department OF any large store,
that II Ia possible 20 obtain the great bulk
Of our food supplies in packets or tins,
is 20 a very large extent a correct one.
Within the last twenty years the amount
Of food OF various kinds done IN and
placed on the market I'm packets, and tins
has increased enormously. Il may sur
prise many, however, to know that in the
middle OF the eighteenth century even
cereal foods in packets we're already
being used TO a considerable extent in
Great Britain.
The phenomenal expansion of adver-
tisement In recent years has been the
means OF establishing the proprietary
article as an important factor in the
peoples food supplies, and Of course, a
large proportion of food supplied In
packets and thus comes within the cate
CORY Of proprietary. Each manufacturer
OF speciality means to make the public
conversant with the fact and to realize
when II gets his products Consequently
he serves It up in packets or tins, which,
OF course, bear his name. In this way
he certainly secures an advantage as
compared with his predecessor, who sold
his produce in bulk and OF whose name
the consumer was seldom aware.
Science to the Rescue.
The more scientific preparation Of
many articles Of food tends to further
developments in the trade in food in
packets and tins. Even were It possible
20 estimate the value of the produce
packed I'm the United Kingdom we should
still be long way off the total, for
great quantities of food in packets and
tins are imported the United States is
a leading exporter. Some of our oversee
Dominions moreover are making rapid
strides in the trade.
Just as 1t is impossible to estimate the
value of the trade is it impossible in
the space available to detail the various
articles Of food obtainable I'm packets and
tins. Tea, coffee cocoa, spices, cereals,
salt, fruit, fish; these are but a few in
seemingly endless list The fact remains,
however, that the purchaser has become
so accustomed to getting various articles
in packets or tins that the variety has
ceased to interest or at least to be fully
realized.
Cleanliness Also Counts.
On the point of cleanliness the con-
81 mer can, in general, rely upon foods in
packets or tins being quite satisfactory.
Their hygienic status is indeed often one
of their chief recommendations. And to-
day they are more hygienic than ever be-
fore on account of the suppression Of
hand-packing by mechanical means As
an illustration the case of tea in packets
may DO quoted. In one continuous OPP
GRAFTON the tea is blended, automatically
wighed, and packed without being
handled once. As with tea so with many
other commodities. OF course, there are
many more which do not lend themselves
20 packing by machinery, and which have.
therefore, to be hand-packed. The condi
lions under which this Is now done would
In the greater number of cases, reas-
sure even the most fastldious Though
the bulk of the packing is done at the
factories of the numerous manufacturers,
there are now fewer stores of any inn
portance in our leading cities where a
very considerable amount OF packing is
not done
Many of the commodities sold in
packets and tins are also obtainable loose
that Is, they are kept In bulk until a
buyer places an order Rolled oats are
an example. With regard to certain COM
modities, and perhaps more especially
certain cereals. there are those who con-
tend that a higher quality is retained in
bulk than when done up in small packets.
On the other hand when kept for a long
time contamination is moro to be feared
in bulk than in packets. Again, in re-
gard TO certain articles which are put up
in tins, the quicker this Is done the bet.
ter. Coffee Is an outstanding example;
the quicker II is put in sealed tins after
roasting the greater the likelihood OF its
retaining its flavor.
Question of ExpedIence.
Whether II be best TO pack a certain
article In packets or tins depends upon
the article. Some article will keep as
long as necessary in the ordinary packet,
| while others keep better in tins. The in
PRODUCTION of mechanical appliances has.
of course, reduced manufacturers ex-
penses Even in regard to food packed
by machinery there is naturally consider
able expense to be borne. Per packet OF
tin 1t may work out at a very small fig.
| 49,. AThe masses, however. are aware OF
the factional difference in the articl,
sold In packets and that in bulk-it may
only amount TO I'D per two or thret
-Spunds on cereals-and for that reason
they adhere to the old fashion OF buying
at store which carries a big supply II
bulk.
Still everything considered, the develop