Bridgford's Investor
 

2008 Annual Report Page 7

Risks Relating to Suppliers and Raw Materials

     The Company purchases large quantities of commodity pork, beef and flour. Historically, market prices for products processed by the Company have fluctuated in response to a number of factors, including changes in the United States government farm support programs, changes in international agricultural and trading policies, weather and other conditions during the growing and harvesting seasons.

     The Company’s operating results are heavily dependent upon the prices paid for raw materials. The marketing of the Company’s value-added products does not lend itself to instantaneous changes in selling prices. Changes in selling prices are relatively infrequent and do not compare with the volatility of commodity markets. While fluctuations in significant cost structure components, such as ingredient commodities and fuel prices, have had a significant impact on profitability over the last two years, the impact of general price inflation on the Company’s financial position and results of operations has not been significant. Future volatility of general price inflation or deflation and raw material cost and availability could adversely affect the Company’s financial results.

     Risks Relating to Government Regulation

     The operations of the Company are subject to extensive inspection and regulation by the United States Department of Agriculture (the “USDA”), the Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) and by other federal, state and local authorities, regarding the processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and labeling of products that are manufactured, produced and processed by the Company. The Company’s processing facilities and products are subject to continuous inspection by USDA and/or other federal, state and local authorities. The USDA has issued strict policies concerning the control of Listeria Monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products and contamination by food borne pathogens such as E. coli, listeria monocytogenes and salmonella, and established a new system of regulation known as the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (“HACCP”) program. The HACCP program requires all meat and poultry processing plants to develop and implement sanitary operating procedures and other program requirements. The Company believes that it is currently in compliance with governmental laws and regulations and that it maintains necessary permits and licenses relating to its meat operations.

     A failure to obtain or a loss of necessary permits and licenses could delay or prevent the Company from meeting current product demand and could adversely affect operating performance. Furthermore, the Company is routinely subject to new or modified laws, regulations and accounting standards. If found to be out of compliance with applicable laws and regulations in these or other areas, the Company could be subject to civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, recalls or asset seizures, as well as potential criminal sanctions, any of which could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s financial results.

     Risks Relating to Dependence on Key Management

     The Company’s executive officers and certain other key employees have been primarily responsible for the development and expansion of the Company’s business, and the loss of the services of one or more of these individuals could have an adverse effect on the Company. The Company’s success will be dependent in part upon its continued ability to recruit, motivate and retain qualified personnel. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in this regard. The Company has no employment or non-competition agreements with key personnel.

     Risks Relating to Loss of Major Customers

     The Company could suffer significant reductions in revenues and operating income if we lost one or more of our largest customers, including, for example, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., which accounted for 10.2% of revenues in fiscal year 2008. Many of our customers, such as supermarkets, warehouse clubs and food distributors, have consolidated in recent years.

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21-41
Exhibit: 21.1 23.1 31.1 31.2 32.1 32.2

 
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