When food banks place an order, they’re not just buying products. They’re counting on those products to arrive on time, fit within tight budgets, and ultimately help families put meals on the table. For Bektrom Foods, that responsibility drives everything.

“We’re committed to innovation and excellence, providing our customers with only the highest quality products and competitive pricing,” said Mike Jensen, Vice President at Bektrom Foods.

That commitment isn’t simply reflected in the products they manufacture. It’s reflected in how they prepare for demand, respond to challenges, and collaborate with partners across the hunger relief network.

What Hunger Relief Actually Requires

When people think about food manufacturing, they often picture production lines and warehouse shelves. What they don’t always see is the planning that begins months before a product reaches a food bank. For organizations serving communities facing food insecurity, timing matters just as much as supply. A holiday meal doesn’t happen if stuffing arrives after Thanksgiving, a backpack program can’t launch if products don’t meet nutritional requirements, and when demand spikes unexpectedly, communities need suppliers who can react quickly. That ability to respond has become one of Bektrom Foods’ defining strengths.

Operating from more than 250,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space in Monroe and Rockwood, Michigan, Bektrom produces a wide range of dry grocery staples including:

• Baking and biscuit mixes
• Pancake mixes
• Corn muffin mixes
• Oatmeal packets
• Deluxe side dishes
• Rice and noodle sides
• Instant potatoes
• Stuffing mixes
• Chicken batters and coatings
• Spices and seasonings
• Custom private-label products

Their products are distributed across retail channels, exported to 18 countries, and supplied to hunger relief organizations throughout the United States. However, one of the most important parts of the business isn’t the size of the operation, it’s the ability to adapt.

When Demand Surges, Reliability Matters

When uncertainty surrounding a federal government shutdown caused food bank demand to rise rapidly last fall, organizations across the hunger relief sector faced an immediate challenge: securing enough food, quickly enough, to meet increased need. Bektrom’s team responded.

“We strategically placed orders with our suppliers, established additional shifts, ran weekend production, and handled the complexity without raising prices,” Mike explained.

The result was simple but significant. Food banks received the products they needed when they needed them most. That kind of response isn’t possible without preparation, supplier relationships, and operational flexibility. It also requires something Mike believes is often overlooked in hunger relief conversations: forecasting.

“Forecasting your needs well enough in advance so we can budget and prepare ahead of time to never run short or be late,” he said.

For Bektrom, forecasting isn’t just an operational exercise. It’s one of the ways they help ensure food remains available when communities need it most.

Built Close to Home

One of the things that surprises many people about Bektrom Foods is how intentionally they source their ingredients. Nearly all of the company’s sourcing comes from U.S.-based growers and suppliers. For Bektrom, this isn’t just a purchasing preference. It’s a quality and responsiveness strategy.

“The biggest issue is quality,” Mike explained. “We can control quality. And because we’re sourcing domestically, we can react much more quickly when demand changes.”

That responsiveness becomes especially important within hunger relief. When a food bank suddenly needs additional corn muffin mix, oatmeal, pancake mix, or potatoes, a lengthy overseas supply chain isn’t always practical. Domestic sourcing allows Bektrom to move faster, maintain consistency, and reduce lead times when demand shifts unexpectedly. It’s another example of how decisions made far upstream can ultimately impact families receiving food assistance.

More Than a Supplier: A Product Development Partner

As hunger relief continues to evolve, so do the products food banks need. Organizations are increasingly looking for options that support nutrition-focused programs, backpack initiatives, and food-as-medicine efforts. That means lower sodium products, lower sugar products, protein-enhanced options, and products designed around specific nutritional goals. Rather than viewing those shifts as challenges, Bektrom sees them as opportunities to innovate. The company maintains an in-house R&D team dedicated to custom formulations and product development, allowing them to create tailored products that meet emerging needs.

“If Value-Added came to us and said, ‘Mike, can you do this?’ absolutely,” he said. “We’re always willing to explore alternatives and create products that help meet those needs.”

That flexibility has already sparked conversations around lower-sodium formulations for backpack programs and protein-enhanced products that could support specific populations and nutrition goals. It’s a collaborative approach that aligns closely with the direction many food banks are heading. The goal isn’t simply providing calories, it’s providing food that supports health, dignity, and long-term well-being.

Twenty Years of Partnership

The relationship between Bektrom Foods and VAFS stretches back to 2005, when Mike first met John and Ben Frigmanski. At the time, VAFS operated from a single warehouse in Wayland, Michigan. Today, both organizations have grown significantly, but the foundation of the partnership remains unchanged. According to Mike, the relationship has endured because of shared values and mutual trust.

“It’s a true partnership,” he said.

That trust shows up in the everyday details that keep supply chains moving like reliable forecasting, consistent communication, collaborative problem-solving, and a willingness to provide candid feedback when improvements are needed. Mike recalled instances where VAFS identified packaging issues, shared photos, and worked directly with Bektrom to improve pallet configurations and prevent product damage. Rather than creating friction, those conversations strengthened the relationship.

“It’s definitely a good give-and-take from both sides,” he said.

The result is a partnership built not on transactions, but on continuous improvement.

The Human Side of Hunger Relief

While Mike spends much of his time focused on manufacturing, sourcing, and operations, his connection to hunger relief extends beyond the workplace. In his local community, he volunteers through church-led food drives and food bank initiatives, helping distribute food directly to neighbors facing food insecurity.

“You see where it has an impact on people,” he said. “It really does.”

Whether handing out boxes of food, supporting community outreach, or seeing families receive needed assistance, those experiences reinforce why the work matters. The impact is measured in far more than production volumes and truckloads. It’s measured in people.

This is particularly apparent during the holiday season, when products like stuffing mix, corn muffin mix, potatoes, oatmeal, and baking mixes help families create meals that feel familiar and celebratory.

“Those are the staple items people need,” Mike said.

Sometimes hunger relief is about meeting immediate nutritional needs. Sometimes it’s about helping families gather around a table and enjoy traditions that many others take for granted. The best programs accomplish both.

Looking Ahead

As demand continues to evolve, Bektrom remains focused on the same priorities that have guided the company for years: quality, affordability, responsiveness, and innovation. Whether supporting traditional food bank distributions, exploring healthier product options, or developing new formulations based on community feedback, the team remains committed to finding solutions that help hunger relief organizations serve more neighbors effectively. That mindset is exactly why the partnership between Bektrom Foods and VAFS has continued to grow over the last two decades. When hunger relief works well, it isn’t the result of one organization acting alone. It’s the result of manufacturers, distributors, food banks, and community partners working together to solve problems before they become barriers. Bektrom Foods has been doing exactly that for years.

And we’re proud to call them a partner.

About Bektrom Foods

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Monroe, Michigan, Bektrom Foods is a leading manufacturer of dry grocery products serving retail, private-label, foodservice, and hunger relief markets. The company produces baking mixes, pancake mixes, oatmeal, stuffing, side dishes, potatoes, spices, coatings, and numerous custom formulations through its private-label and co-packing capabilities. With more than 250,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space and products distributed in 18 countries, Bektrom combines large-scale capabilities with a commitment to quality, innovation, and customer partnership.

Learn more at: www.bektrom.com