Produce Show Daily at PMA • October 18, 2019 by OserCommunicationsGroup

Oser Communications Group

The Little Potato Company Introduces Easy Sides

Onions 52: Keeping It Sweet

By Falon Brawley, Director of Marketing, Onions 52, Inc.

At Onions 52, we grow high quality yellow, red, white, sweet, Sunions® and certified organic onions. That’s our focus, our passion, and we’re happy to share it with you. Our goal is to always deliver a high-quality product, on time, all year-round. When people ask us what’s made us successful, we can honestly say the answer is our people. From our growers and production team to our sales and accounting groups, we have some of the most dedicated people in the industry. Our customers are friends of ours and we treat them right, but we’d never have those customers if it weren’t for our family at Onions 52.

BOOTH #743

Anaheim Friday, October 18, 2019

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH PMA

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An interview with Richard Vann, Vice President of Marketing and Product Innovation, The Little Potato Company. PSD: What’s new at The Little Potato Company?

RV: We’re excited to introduce Easy Sides, our first fully cooked Creamer potato product. They are slow cooked sous-vide style and lightly seasoned, so all you need to do is cut open the package and heat them in a skillet for seven minutes and they are ready to eat. PSD: Your Microwave and Oven | Grill Ready Kits are easy to cook. What made you develop Easy Sides?

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Double D Farms Takes Organic Avocados From Mexico – Breaking the Produce Paradigm Stewardship Seriously America is in love with avocados. In the last 10 years, U.S. demand for avocados has more than doubled, and Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is leading the movement with nearly 80 percent of the market share. Last year, AFM increased avocado share to a record 1.9 billion pounds, according to the Hass Avocado Board Volume Data. AFM’s recipe for success? Relentless brand building, strategic thinking and marketing strategies that break the produce paradigm. A nonprofit company established to promote alwaysin-season Haas avocados in the U.S., AFM has pioneered trade, digital and shopper marketing in the fresh brand category. It is a brand that has become synonymous with

Double D Farms is proud to be a family, woman and minority owned business, run by agricultural entrepreneur Elvia Devine. One of the first females to lead a wholesale organic produce company, Elvia co-founded the successful Double D Farms, which began life as an almond grower in 1986. The company started growing organically during the burgeoning organic movement of the 1990s, and has been certified organic since 1997. Double D Farms takes organic stewardship seriously, and believes an important part of living organically is social and environmental responsibility. As such, the company does all it can to use recyclable containers and packaging, reduce food waste and take the best care of

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Savor the Flavor of Shrooms Mushroom Snacks

An interview with Dave Eberwein, Director of Innovation, South Mill Champs.

PSD: How are Shrooms Mushroom Snacks best described?

DE: Shrooms Snacks are authentic, better-for-you, crispy snacks made from fresh, thick-cut, North American-grown mushrooms from our own South Mill Champs farms, packed with nature’s goodness and available in five mind-blowing flavors. PSD: What other Shrooms Snacks are available?

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Thermal Tech’s TarpLess SX Ripening Room An interview with David Byrne, Vice President of Sales, Thermal Technologies, Inc. PSD: How does TarpLess® SX differ from other TarpLess ripening room systems?

DB: There have been a lot of incremental changes in the 25 years since we patented the TarpLess ripening room. Early TarpLess systems were the first multi-tier rooms to ripen palletized fruit uniformly with no tarps or moveable closure systems. Soon after that we developed the industry’s first three-tier, two-truckload ripening rooms. Then came dual and multiple temperature control zones, which

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Oser Communications Group

The Little Potato Company Introduces Easy Sides

Onions 52: Keeping It Sweet

By Falon Brawley, Director of Marketing, Onions 52, Inc.

BOOTH #743

Anaheim Friday, October 18, 2019

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH PMA

Continued on Page 48

An interview with Richard Vann, Vice President of Marketing and Product Innovation, The Little Potato Company. PSD: What’s new at The Little Potato Company?

BOOTH #789

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BOOTH #1049

BOOTH #270

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Savor the Flavor of Shrooms Mushroom Snacks

An interview with Dave Eberwein, Director of Innovation, South Mill Champs.

PSD: How are Shrooms Mushroom Snacks best described?

BOOTH #4075

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BOOTH #3303

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Friday, October 18, 2019

Florida’s Season Just Beginning Florida supplies fresh fruits and vegetables to the United States, Canada and around the world. Its farms are filled with a variety of agricultural products that look good and taste great. Each season brings its own bounty to the table. With the advent of fall, growers begin harvesting the fruits and vegetables. Winter is a major growing and harvest time in Florida, and as cooler weather and the holidays sweep across the nation, fresh Florida produce makes its way onto grocery shelves to bring sunshine to your table. Spring season follows and brings with it even more delicious products. In the

summer, harvests slow down as farmers gear up for another start to the amazing cycle of Florida agriculture the following fall. Florida’s 47,000 commercial farms span over 9.45 million acres and continue to produce a wide variety of dependable food products. As a result, Florida consistently ranks as a top U.S. supplier of fresh market produce. In 2017, Florida ranked first in the U.S. for the value of production for fresh market cucumbers, oranges, tomatoes, snap beans, grapefruit and squash. The Fresh From Florida brand promotes Florida-grown products locally,

The Living Category Expands into Potted Microgreens As consumer expectations expand, requiring their food to be nutritious and delicious, the Living Category has risen to the challenge. Led by North Shore Living Herbs + Greens®, what was once only a few offerings is an impressive array of lettuces, herbs, and now delicious potted microgreens. It’s no secret that consumers across demographics are looking to experience newer and richer flavors as well as use food to fuel health and wellness. More than two decades ago, North Shore Living recognized the emergence

of this consumer base and began supplying the nation’s first Living herb in a clamshell. As consumers continue their vocal advocacy for freshness, flavor and healthy lifestyles, the Living Category is well-equipped to exceed expectations. Most recently, North Shore Living announced the addition of potted microgreens to its lineup of industry-leading Living produce. The goal: deliver exciting new flavors while adding nutrientdense options for healthy diets. “Our potted microgreens have an amazing flavor profile that is vibrant

Produce Show Daily regionally and internationally. Working with many of the largest and most respected retailers, Fresh From Florida drives sales of Florida commodities through retail promotions and brand recognition. These retail partnerships resulted in the promotion of 56 commodities in 25 countries with over 69 retail partners last year. PMA Fresh Summit offers Florida’s fruit and vegetable growers the opportunity to showcase their products and offer tastings to consumers Continued on Page 57

from the first to final bite,” said General Manager, Milas Russell. Nick Sullivan, Research and Development Lead for North Shore, said the potted living microgreens also satisfy current foodie trends. “They offer a userfriendly experience that makes farm-totable a reality in the microgreen space,” said Sullivan. That farm-to-table concept is even more important for nutrient-dense, delicate produce. According to the Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, herbs and microgreens have only 4-6 hours Continued on Page 57

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH PMA Kimberly Oser Publisher Jules Denton-Card Senior Associate Publisher Lorrie Baumann Editorial Director Anthony Socci Associate Publisher Jeanie Catron • JoEllen Lowry • Karrie Welborn Associate Editors Yasmine Brown Art Director Jonathan Schieffer Graphic Designer Susan Stein Customer Service Manager Spencer Fisher Customer Service Associate Marcos Morhaim Senior Account Manager Joseph Bellon • Adrian Chacon • Sean Contreras Alisha Dicochea • Adina Morhaim • Amara Turner Account Managers Tara Neal Director of Operations Jay Watson • Hannah Stefanovich Show Logistics & Distribution Enrico Cecchi European Sales Produce Show Daily is published by Oser Communications Group ©2019 All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300/Fax: 520.721.6300 European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy www.osercommunicationsgroup.com

Lee M. Oser Founder

Friday, October 18, 2019

Produce Show Daily

New Sun Dried Tomato Chipotle Sauce in a Squeeze Packet Mooney Farms and the Bella Sun Luci brand are introducing an innovative way to use their popular Sun Dried Tomato Chipotle Sauce: individual-sized squeeze packets. The convenient new 2-ounce squeeze packets are meal-kit-ready. Add them to power lunch bowls, salads, grocery to-go meals and more. Just squeeze and stir! This new packaging is easy to open, easy to use and still offers the same delicious taste as the larger 8.5-

ounce jar of Sun Dried Tomato Chipotle Sauce. Now, customers can easily add the sauce to ready-made meals or meal kits. The sweet and smoky flavors of the sun dried tomatoes and chipotle peppers pair great with ready-made vegetable dishes, rice bowls, whole grain salads, southwest salads, burrito bowls and more. “Our new and innovative squeeze packets are helping to get one of our favorite products into customers meals

ERC Expands Brand to Regional and National Retailers through Distribution and Foodservice ERC Produce, founded in 1987 and located in San Luis, Arizona, is a familyowned company with growing operations in five different regions of Mexico and a total of 9,200 acres of productive land. The company strives for the highest quality and compliance standards and works to exceed the expectations of its customers in the U.S., Canada and Europe. ERC incorporates good manufacturing practices as an integral system. This concept is based on teamwork, continuous improvement of its plant and a three-way

communication between direction, management and the production team. It is a fully vertically integrated model, which adds to the company’s value proposition, allowing it to be as nimble as possible and react to the ever-changing markets while fostering a long-term relationship with customers. As Alberto Harfusch, Vice President of ERC, says, “Growing isn’t a business but a way of life.” He continues, saying that ERC would like to thank all their customers for placing trust in ERC.

KORU Apples: Outstanding Flavor, Incredible Crunch KORU® apple growers are gearing up for their best and biggest harvest to date this fall. Growers in Washington, New York and Pennsylvania are all reporting that the KORU crop looks great and should exceed all expectations on quality and flavor this season. KORU is a New Zealand apple that is currently imported into the States in May and marketed through September. U.S.-grown KORU come mostly from Washington and New York harvests in late October and can be marketed through March. KORU is a cross between a Fuji and Braeburn and was first discovered in New Zealand in 1994. The apple cultivar is Plumac and is registered as KORU after the Maori word that symbolizes “new life, growth, strength and

peace.” First introduced into the U.S. in 2013 from New Zealand, KORU continues to delight customers who are looking to Escape the Ordinary® with its outstanding flavor, incredible crunch and a sweet hint of honey. Crisp, sweet and naturally delicious. KORU apples are managed by Coast to Coast Growers, who have the exclusive rights to import and grow KORU in the U.S. Coast to Coast has retained three of the top apple marketing groups in the U.S. to manage the import and domestic sales. In Washington state, Chelan Fresh and Starr Ranch Growers work closely with New York Apple Sales, Inc, of New York, all marketing KORU sales. “This is our fifth year that that we

JSL Foods Reconnects with Family Legacy By Lorrie Baumann

JSL Foods has re-established a relationship with the company’s founding family by naming Jade Wong Lucas as National Accounts Sales Manager. As National Accounts Manager of Foodservice, Lucas is now promoting the Twin Dragon brand her grandfather created 65 years ago. Her grandfather, Hailey On Wong opened Main On Company in 1954, producing authentic Asian won-ton wrappers, egg rolls, potsticker wraps, tofu and bean sprouts, which

he sold to local restaurants and bodegas in and around the Los Angeles area. “The company started with my grandfather as Main On. We then created the Twin Dragon brand. Under that brand, we sold almond cookies, Asian noodles,” Lucas said. The company passed out of the family’s ownership in the early 1970s, and although Lucas was still involved in the same industry, she had been working for one of JSL Foods’ competitors. “The owner reached out to me. We started talking, and he gave me an opportunity to

much easier. It’s now as simple as squeezing and stirring straight from the one-time use packet into a dish!” says Mary Mooney, Owner of Mooney Farms. Mooney Farms prides itself on understanding the changes of consumer demands and is very excited to be introducing this new and innovative product to its line-up. Bella Sun Luci is a line of premium Mediterranean-inspired products created from authentic family recipes. The line includes a variety of deliciously sweet sun dried tomatoes, sun dried

tomatoes in olive oil, sun dried tomato chipotle sauce, pasta sauces, bruschetta spreads, estate-grown olive oil, risotto, marinades and new vegan jerky. Bella Sun Luci is produced by Mooney Farms, a third generation, family-owned company based in Chico, California, that is rooted in quality, integrity and family values. Mooney Farms is the premier producer of sun dried tomatoes in the United States.

For more information, visit booth #2002 or go to www.bellasunluci.com.

At the show, the company intends to continue promoting sustainable initiatives with potential customers and business partners and create new relationships to develop in a win-win environment. The company takes pride in family values, which then translates into the way ERC does business. ERC strives to take care of its customers while also being responsible to its growers. This business belief ensures that the company will have excellent cultivation – not only currently, but also for years to come. The company is expanding its brand by servicing business partners in distribution and foodservice, as well as

regional and national retailers. ERC is excited to complement its organic line with the addition of asparagus and watermelons. On core items, this season the company is also including cauliflower. As a grower-packer-shipper-marketer, ERC is able to streamline the process by eliminating intermediaries and maximizing returns for customers. It continually adapts and customizes according to its customers’ needs.

have worked collectively selling KORU, and each year the team gets stronger,” says Kaari Stannard, President and Owner of New York Apple Sales. “We’re excited about the new crop. It’s shaping up to be a real crowd pleaser for apple customers.” “Timing is on track for Home Grown KORU sales this November,” commented Michael Harwood, Sales for NYAS, Inc. Brent Shammo, of Starr Ranch Growers, says, “Our KORU crop this year is shaping up to be one of the best looking and tasting crops we have had yet.” Mac Riggan, who leads the Chelan Fresh sales team in Washington, added, “We are all excited about the 2019 crop of KORU.” This fall, sales will continue using

merchandising tools and support programs to retailers. Ongoing in-store support with high graphic cartons and display kiosks, support of consumer demos along with online coupon and/or instant rebates will be available. In addition to store activities, social media efforts will be ramped up to invite dialogs and conversations with consumers. Social media influencers along with food bloggers will help spread the good word about KORU.

move over to this company,” she said. “At first, I was very hesitant going to the competition, but with the Twin Dragon brand it held a legacy to me personally.” In her new position, she calls on national restaurant accounts all over the country representing JSL Foods and showcasing its Asian noodles, pasta and wraps, which are non-GMO verified, certified vegan and cholesterol free. “One thing I really love about this job is the ability to make an impact in growing the business. The owners give me an ability to grow this business with a lot of support. With product that is innovative, that meets customer needs with portion control, with

For more information, visit booth #1447, go to www.ercproduce.com or call 619.915.0570.

For more information, visit Chelan Fresh at booth #1899, go to www.chelanfresh.com or call 509.682.4252; visit New York Apple Sales, Inc. at booth #3061, go to www.newyorkapplesales.com or call 518.477.7200; or visit Star Ranch Growers at booth #4185, go to www.starranch.com or call 509.663.2191.

clean label – these are some of the new demands that our industry asks for,” she said. “We have the ability to have a noodle with protein added, the ability to incorporate green pea or spinach noodles or black bean noodle. These are added features for the noodle that gives added value to the noodle for the consumer. Asian noodles are as different as pastas, ramen, yakisoba, udon. What we do here at JSL Foods is that we do a lot of customization for our customers’ needs and preferences.”

For more information, visit www.jslfoods.com or email Lucas at jlucas@jslfoods.com.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Produce Show Daily

Consumers Prefer Locally Grown Produce Consumers prefer locally grown produce, according to a recent study by Nielsen, which also supports data collected by the Michigan Apple Committee using focus groups over the past decade. Participants in the study expressed that their perception of local produce is that it is fresher and tastes better. According to a Nielsen Homescan Survey conducted in December 2018, 58 percent of consumers considered it “very important” to buy local produce. The survey also indicated that large families with young, school-aged children, older

bustling families and Boomers felt it was “extremely important” to buy locally grown produce. “Because Michigan is located within 500 miles of half the U.S. population, Michigan Apples have a smaller carbon footprint,” said Diane Smith, Executive Director of the Michigan Apple Committee. “Being near this population, Michigan Apples are considered the local apple for many consumers, especially for those in the Chicago area.” Although 42 percent of respondents considered produce within 50 miles to be

Midnight Floral Foam – Easy as Child’s Play By Sharon McGukin, Smithers-Oasis North America Design Director, AIFD, AAF, PFCI.

While others see Midnight Floral Foam as innovative floral mechanic, Donald sees it as intriguing art material. Child’s play. Having fun with flowers. “Everyone knows how to use floral foam – put your everyday flowers in to cover the foam. That’s it, right?” asks Donald Yim, AIFD, PFCI, the newest member of the Smithers-Oasis team of design directors. “What if you took the time – not just to look, but to feel, play and experience the products in a new way?” he suggests. Donald often has the opportunity to experience new products. He recommends that you pause for a moment to

allow the materials to inspire you.

Explore a Different Perspective “Take a look at the products you’re working with,” continues Donald. “How can you see them from a different perspective?” Donald experimented with different shapes of Midnight Floral Foam and shared with us some ideas he’s been playing with.

Trash for Cash: Save money by using leftover pieces of Midnight foam to cut thin strips or other interesting shapes for your designs. Rather than throwing the odds and ends away, repurpose your “trash” into “cash” while you play. Create a textural effect by crumbling excess cut pieces and ends of black flo-

BrightFresh Microgreens Microgreens are no longer just for top chefs and fancy restaurants. BrightFresh® offers the finest microgreens available for foodies and at-home cooks. BrightFresh MicroGreens are Honestly Grown™ in sunny San Diego, California, an ideal climate for producing microgreens that are robust, highly flavored and long-lasting. Combining the benefits of great weather with a deep passion for quality and innovation, BrightFresh has become the top source of microgreens and edible flowers for consumers today. BrightFresh MicroGreens are small, young edible greens produced

from herbs, vegetables and other plants. They are carefully hand-harvested at the peak of flavor and their delicate, fresh appearance adds beauty, dimension and a range of distinct flavor profiles to sweet and savory dishes and even beverages. You can customize any dish and brighten up your culinary creations. BrightFresh MicroGreens are the gold standard of quality. Location and growing conditions are very important factors with growing microgreens. BrightFresh MicroGreens are grown in bright, natural sunshine and are not factory farmed with artificial lighting

Barn Fresh Gives New Look to Earth Friendly Packaging With the current rush to environmentally friendly packaging, everyone is looking for ways to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. One way is new packaging styles and shapes. NNZ decided to borrow an idea from another industry. While the barn box has been a staple for years in the take-out chicken industry, NNZ has taken this to a new level for produce. Made of paperboard material, the Barn Fresh package is both biodegrad-

able, sustainable and compostable. While paperboard is made from trees, it is still considered a sustainable source for material. It is much better for the earth than any plastic material. Using water-based inks, the Barn Fresh pack can have high graphics for branding and messaging. It has about the same footprint as current stand up pouch bags that are made of a laminate film (thus non-recyclable) and is very comparable in price. Die cut windows can be cus-

local, some respondents indicated that local meant that it came from within a certain radius of the store. MAC considers Michigan as well as surrounding states Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio to be local. “MAC has conducted consumer research since 2008 to identify consumers’ preferences,” said Smith. “Our research aligns with other studies and supports the claim that consumers prefer locally grown produce.” Not only does research point to a consumer preference for locally grown, ral foam to represent soil or fill in spaces around a piece of foam. Cut Foam into Strips: Donald cuts the foam into strips, adds small Cowee picks and inserts them vertically in small foam-filled bowls to create an upright water source for his flowers. Color-block to Direct Focus: Donald often uses color-blocking – a massed quantity of color used to create a dramatic effect or direct focus, in his designs. Create Unique Forms: Donald uses the new Midnight Designer Block to create unique designs. Donald carves out a semi-circle in the top of the foam to make a visual cradle for water tubes. While the Midnight foam itself could be a water source for the flowers, Donald is instead using the foam as a textural base for his water tube design.

but MAC’s focus groups also show a preference for Michigan Apples. Focus groups were conducted in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta. In 15 of 18 groups, Michigan grown focus Honeycrisp ranked number one in taste and appearance. Michigan grown Fuji and Jonagold were also consistently ranked in the top four. Additional focus groups are planned for this fall.

For more information, visit booth #2445.

The Curious Eyes of a Child “What if you change your viewpoint and use the ‘curious eyes of a child’ to see each individual product differently?” Donald says, sharing his personal design goal. He follows his heart and believes that, “One can never use up their creativity. The more you use it, the more you have.” To further share his passion, Donald created a YouTube channel where he shares his floral journey, industry knowledge and design ideas with his followers. “If you see design through the curious eyes of a child each day, your work can become so much more fun.” Visit Smithers-Oasis at booth #1502. For more information, go to www.oasis floral.com or call 800.321.8286.

methods that other growers use to produce microgreens. Microgreens should have short stems and fully-expanded leaves with deep vibrant color, and this simply cannot be achieved by producing them in energy-intensive factory farms. Even when grown inside a greenhouse, if the outdoor climate is less than ideal, the result is similar to factory farmed: soft, stretched and stemmy with tiny leaves. In microgreens, the nutrition and flavor are in the leaves, not the stems. BrightFresh MicroGreens are top quality and have the best taste and

appearance. BrightFresh offers several MicroGreens varieties, including Micro Arugula, Micro Broccoli, Micro Cilantro, Micro Kale Mix, Micro Radish Mix and the most popular, Micro Rainbow Mix. BrightFresh also offers more unique items, such as Gold Pea Shoots, Squash Blossoms and an Herb Flowers Mix. BrightFresh MicroGreens are currently available in select stores across the West Coast.

tomized to show as much of the produce as you want. They can even be in the shape of the commodity being packed. The Barn Fresh box can also be automated on current clamshell filling and closing machinery with slight modifications. In addition, the Barn Fresh box is easily stacked into RPC’s or cartons. “Its important to educate the consumer on why the package is good for the environment,” says Steve Greenfield, Director of Sales and Marketing for NNZ Inc. “With so much real estate on the

package, it is easy to tell the story of the benefits for the environment. In addition, it affords a way to showcase special products and/or the farmer/grower story.” So why not be a good steward of our earth by redesigning your packaging to a more environmentally safe solution? Give NNZ a call to discuss how the Barn Box can help your company stand out from the pack while saving the earth.

For more information, visit booth #4180 or go to www.freshorigins.com.

For more information, call 800.634.7666 or go to www.nnz.com.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Able Freight Services, Inc. Partners with Cargo Screening K9 Alliance Pioneering the use of commercial and independently certified explosive detection canines in a cargo screening role, Able Freight has entered into a five-year agreement with The Cargo Screening K9 Alliance®, LLC (CSK9) to support its cargo operations at four West Coast U.S. locations. The partnership began in January 2019 as the Transportation Services Administration’s Third Party K9-Cargo (3PK9-C) became fully implemented. “The introduction of 3PK9-C certified CSK9 teams as our primary screening method will allow Able Freight to shorten cargo processing times, increase cargo throughput, and lower our screening and freight handling costs,” explains

Grant Urata, Able’s Compliance Director. “By leveraging the efficiencies of this program, we expect it will help to increase our revenues and maximize profits, while providing a more efficient process for our clients.” Paul Hammond, CSK9 President, noted that the implementation of third party K9 screening is going to “massively change the industry for the better.” “We are proud of the alliance we have built across the country to offer full national coverage to our clients,” said Hammond.

About Able Freight Services, Inc. Based in Los Angeles, California, Able Freight Services, Inc. is a global expert

Exotic and Tropical Produce from Belen Trading Belen Trading LLC is a leader in the import of exotic and tropical produce. Research has shown that the fresh produce industry is growing day by day and now demands higher quality and a great diversity of products to be able to supply the rising consumer demand. Belen Trading prides itself on having some of the best suppliers of this much needed produce. Exporters from countries like Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras place their trust in

Belen Trading for their distribution, and pride themselves on the large effort that they put in producing this top-quality produce. Belen Trading carries an extensive produce line and is one of the industry leaders for imports of rambutan, dragon fruit and papaya. Besides all the other products on its produce line, Belen Trading introduced two new products for the first semester of 2019. Cherimoya is a subtropical fruit that

Once Again Nut Butter Spreads Integrity By Lorrie Baumann

Once Again Nut Butter has produced its line of nut and seed butters and honeys since 1976, when the company was founded by husband and wife Jeremy Thaler and Connie Potter after a friend suggested that they use the barrel roaster in which they’d been making granola to roast nuts for peanut butter. From there, a local museum in Nunda, New York, asked them to make an old-fashioned peanut butter that included the peanut skins. Thayler liked the result so much

that he figured he could sell it. That thought came naturally to the couple because they’d already been serial entrepreneurs, which is why they named their new peanut butter company “Once Again,” according to Gael Orr, who is the Marketing, Communications and Public Relations Manager for what’s now an employee-owned enterprise. “Once again, they were in business,” she said. Thayler and Potter retired from the business in 2006, and it became 100 percent employee-owned at that time. Orr has worked for the company for the past

Port Everglades Moves Fruit Through Florida A common mistake, Port Everglades is not actually part of the wetland ecosystem known as the Florida Everglades, it is located on the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula within the three cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Dania Beach, as well as unincorporated Broward County. It was established more than 90 years ago, when Broward County’s founders had the vision and foresight to recognize that a deep-water harbor would bring economic prosperity to these Florida communities. Today, more than 4,000 ships call at the port, carrying 25

million tons of waterborne cargo and 3.86 million cruise passengers – generating nearly $30 billion in economic activity. Port Everglades is the state leader in perishable throughput, moving nearly half of all the refrigerated containers in Florida. Volumes continue to climb. A revised cold treatment program that allows once restricted grapes and blueberries from Peru and Uruguay to come into South Florida ports has worked well and has expanded to include citrus from Peru, as well as apples and pears from Argentina. In the revised program, fruit is

Produce Show Daily in importing and exporting perishable commodities from the United States to destinations worldwide. The company creates competitive advantages for customers by offering innovative solutions and access to proprietary cold-chain technology. Many of the world’s most recognized brands trust Able Freight with their shipments. Able Freight Services’ 26-plus years in the business and hundreds of years of collective employee experience means clients benefit from industry-leading knowledge and responsiveness. Learn more at www.ablefreight.com.

About Cargo Screening K9 Alliance, LLC CSK9 is a limited liability company under the umbrella of ITC Capital

Partners. CSK9 was formed to bring together the industry’s leading service canine providers. The core Alliance canine partners consisting of Vapor Wake K9 (VWK9), Vohne Liche Kennels (VLK), Southern Coast K9 (SCK9) and K9 Employment LLC, are strategically disbursed across four regional hubs: North East, South East, South Central and West. These four hubs provide national coverage, with regionally positioned management and operational capacity to facilitate efficient and expedited start-ups and maintain quality services and ensure consistency in delivery. Learn more at www.cargoscreeningk9.com. For more information, visit booth #4435/4534 or go to www.ablefreight.com.

has juicy, creamy white flesh with large, black seeds. The custard-like texture has a mixed tropical fruit flavor. It is also known as custard apple. Imports from Chile June-December. Tamarillo is ovalshaped and has smooth and shiny skin. It’s also called tree tomato, tomate de arbol (Spanish) and tomate de arvore (Portuguese). This fruit comes in different colors, depending upon the type of cultivar, with red tamarillos being more common compared to orange-yellow varieties. The inside of the fruit resembles that of plum tomatoes.

Tamarillo tastes sweet yet tangy, and the fruit’s flesh is juicy, deep in color and filled with small, flat and circular edible seeds that are slightly larger than tomato seeds. Imports from Ecuador yearround. It is the goal of Belen Trading to supply the best quality produce available in order to create long lasting relationships with its customers. The company is always open to new ideas and suggestions as well as establishing new business relationships.

10 years and says she’ll probably retire from Once Again Nut Butter when it’s time for that to happen. “The company really cares about my family,” she said. “They care about employees. They care about my voice.” Over the years, the company’s original old-fashioned peanut butter line has expanded to include a total of about 30 products in about 80 SKUs comprising salted, unsalted, roasted, unroasted, stabilized and stir-style peanut butters as well as Almond, Hazelnut and Cashew Butters and Organic Seed Butter. The

company acquired Dawes Hill Honey in 1992. Milk chocolate products were launched in 2018. Each of the products bears the image of Rocky Raccoon on its label. Rocky Raccoon was born as the company’s mascot after a family of kit raccoons was found on the company’s property in its early days. The company’s employees cared for the raccoons until they were old enough to be released into the wild, and Rocky, named after a Beatles song, remains as a legacy of that time. The products are also gluten free, and all of the nut butters are certified by the Non-GMO Project.

now shipped directly to south Florida for delivery to local grocery stores faster and at a lower cost than shipping through traditional northern ports. It also provides opportunities for ocean-to-air transshipment. The Port is conveniently situated near the Atlantic Ocean shipping lanes, the Florida East Coast railway, Florida’s highway system, Fort LauderdaleHollywood International Airport and the beautiful beaches of Greater Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood. Port Everglades serves all of South Florida and is in close proximity to Miami (23 miles south), West Palm Beach (48 miles north) and Orlando (215

miles north). Port Everglades is planning for the year 2033 with an updated road map for future growth over the next 20 years that identifies $1.6 billion in capital investments to improve productivity for cargo, cruise and petroleum businesses that operate at the south Florida seaport. The current 20-Year Master/Vision Plan was approved by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, which governs the port as a self-funded enterprise fund, on June 24, 2014. The Port is now in the process of updating the Master/Vision Plan.

Visit Belen Trading at booth #573.

For more information, visit booth #4343 or go to www.porteverglades.net.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Sweet Knowledge: Four Consumer-Aligned Strategies to Increase Melon Sales Across demographics, consumers are buying melons – especially households with children. It’s no surprise: melons are not only delicious and nutritious on their own, but also can jazz up salads, smoothies and drinks. Robinson Fresh® conducted a U.S. consumer survey to gain insight into who is buying melons and what impacts purchasing behaviors. Using the responses, the company discovered several opportunities for retailers to increase melon sales. Only 14 percent of consumers buy melons weekly, and 87 percent of all consumers who purchase melons buy them one at a time. To encourage consumers to purchase more melons more frequently, retailers can do four things: 1. Create a strong display in a high-traffic area. How retailers display watermelons large-

ly influences impulse purchases. To consumers, a clean, full display means there are plenty of high-quality melons to choose from – not just those picked over. Showcasing cut fruit is another way to make an impact, giving consumers a sneak peek at the fruit’s interior color and texture. When they see the interior of at least one melon, they will likely assume that all melons in the display are of similar quality.

2. Offer special promotions whenever supply is abundant. To drive incremental sales, encourage consumers to purchase multiple melons at one time. Nearly two-thirds of consumers said that two melons for a set price (e.g., 2/$6 offer) would entice them to purchase an additional melon. Allowing consumers to mix and match varieties can offer additional appeal to

New Product Stager from Triangle Improves Produce Bagging Speeds, Efficiency With thousands of machine installations throughout North America and the world, Triangle Package Machinery Company has a reputation for applying state-of-the-art innovation to help its customers become more competitive. Founded in 1923 by Louis Muskat, who introduced a packaging machine that more than doubled typical production of the day, today the family’s third generation continues a tradition of innovation in packaging machinery. Triangle’s packaging solutions for the produce industry include vertical form fill seal (VFFS) baggers, combination weighers and a rotary depositor/tray loading system. Many of Triangle’s innovations have come from listening to its customers and helping them solve new

challenges. Triangle’s new product stager is one such innovation. The product stager is a new technology now available on all Triangle X-Series VFFS bagging machines, including heat seal or ultrasonic baggers. The challenge? How to eliminate or reduce product in the skirt (the top or bottom seal area of a bag), which was an issue faced by packagers of products like leafy greens or hash browns. Depending on the orientation of the product as it is discharged from scale to bagger, it may fall flat or on edge into a bag and through the bagger’s sealing jaws. Mounted above the sealing jaws, the product stager closes on the film before the sealing jaws to catch product which would otherwise be stuck in the cross seal. This reduces

Produce Show Daily drive impulse sales. However, 80 percent of consumers who purchase watermelon do so for a specific holiday or occasion, like the Fourth of July or a picnic. Here, most consumers aren’t price shopping: 85 percent said they buy watermelon at their regular store.

3. Tout peak watermelon seasons all year long. Although 70 percent of annual watermelon volume ships May through August, 44 percent of consumers purchase melons in all seasons. Younger demographics increasingly view watermelons as an all seasons fruit; it is, as melons are grown worldwide. Staggered, complementary growing seasons make it possible to source a continuous supply of fresh melons, so you can excite consumers by highlighting “peak seasons” and yearround ideas for using melons in recipes and meals. leakers by reducing the occurrence of product in the seal. Triangle’s product stager can be installed with heat seal or ultrasonic seal jaws. With ultrasonic sealing technology – a cold seal technology – the sealing jaws seal right through product, which eliminates product in the seal (PIS) by pushing it completely out of the seal area. In some cases, however, this can lead to product in the skirt. The stager allows users to close off the stream of product and catch any stragglers before the jaws close. In heat seal applications, the stager has helped customers improve production by increasing bagging speeds 2050 percent. One produce customer, for instance, saw bagging speeds increase from 50 to 75 bags per minute. Similar successes have been achieved with

4. Educate consumers about melon quality. Only half of melon purchasers expressed confidence in choosing a ripe fruit. Interestingly, consumers are much less likely to impulsively buy melons if they aren’t comfortable selecting a “good” melon – one that is ripe, juicy, flavorful or has the right texture. To help build confidence, educate consumers on selecting melons. For example, a heavier melon is likelier to be juicy. A watermelon with a creamy-yellow splotch is at peak ripeness. The spot is where the melon sat as it ripened; if the spot is white or pale green, it may have been picked too soon. A deep understanding of purchasing behaviors, preferences and motivations can help retailers develop consumer-centric strategies and help grow their businesses. For more information, visit www .robinsonfresh.com.

ultrasonic sealing applications.

About Triangle Package Machinery Company Triangle Package Machinery is a U.S. manufacturer of vertical form fill seal (VFFS) bag machines, combination weighers, horizontal cartoning/bag-in-box systems, and tray loading/depositing systems. Founded in 1923, Triangle is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and offers a 120,000 square foot facility that houses its entire manufacturing process from raw material fabrication through complete machine testing and checkout. Triangle also provides superior after sales support, training, documentation and online troubleshooting, as well as spare parts service. For more information, call 800.621.4170 or go to www.trianglepackage.com.

Friday, October 18, 2019

DelFrescoPure Partners with CubicFarm Systems With a high demand for living produce, DelFrescoPure® announces its partnership with CubicFarm Systems® to create a new growing system – the LivingCube™. The LivingCube is a system of automated vertical farming growing machines that continuously produces living lettuce, living basil and microgreens all year long. “Our partnership with CubicFarm Systems provides us with exclusivity and support,” said Fiona McLean, Marketing

Manager of Del Fresco Produce Ltd. “CubicFarm Systems continuously conducts research of new varieties and processes to grow more varieties and yield more produce.” In its entirety, the LivingCube system is made up of 12 growing, germination and irrigation machines, each built inside proprietary insulated 40-foot stainless steel growing chambers. Each growing machine is individually climate controlled and optimized for each crop and

Moving & Expanding Pumpkin Joy By Michele Youngquist, Owner, Bay Baby Produce

Bay Baby Produce Inc., a North American grower and leader in painted pumpkins, long stem ornamentals and winter organic squash, is moving into its new state-of-the-art facility. Bay Baby Produce began with just 30 acres of soil, and a vision of creating a family-owned farm around the whimsical notion of giving pumpkins a person-

ality. Like other local farmers, our goal was to provide a good living for our families and employees, while honoring and contributing to the traditions and values of our agricultural communities. In the process of growing our business, we have accomplished much more than we initially envisioned. We’ve developed a proprietary painting and production process that provides consistent, top quality painted pumpkins. We’ve expanded our farming operations

Crunchy Granola Goodness in a Portable Snack By Lorrie Baumann

Crazy Monkey Baking’s Granola Cookie Crunch comes from a mom who had a degree in dietetics and an urgent desire to give her own kids a snack that she could feel conscientious about giving them and that they’d enjoy too. She started with an oatmeal cookie that her kids enjoyed and went to work on the recipe to come up with a product that was a bit more oat and a little less cookie but still delicious. Her kids loved it. Their friends loved it. “My kids really liked it, and that’s the beauty of children – that they’ll be honest,” said Teresa Humrichouser, that Ashland, Ohio, mom. “We are a chocolate family, so I knew that if I put chocolate in it, there was a pretty good chance they would eat it.” It was a bonus that she could take it along in her mom-van, and the kids could nibble on it during their rides without leaving behind a mess of crumbs in the car. “Our lives are so busy, so, as a mom, I can have this in my minivan as I pick the kids up from

practice,” she said. Humrichouser’s friends encouraged her to take her Granola Cookie Crunch to the local farmers market, where, every weekend for two years straight, she sold out. Local grocery retailers saw what was happening, and a few of them approached her and asked her if they could carry her product in their stores after the farmers market season had ended. Humrichouser started looking for a commercial kitchen. She found a 350 square-foot facility that had been vacated by a pizza kitchen. “It was a few minutes from our house, and it was a small kitchen that we could move into and get it licensed because it had been used for food service in the past,” she said. Three years later, she moved out of the former pizza shop and into a 1,000 square-foot facility. Then in January, 2017, she moved into a 7,500 squarefoot bakery, where eight employees make small batch after small batch of her Granola Cookie Crunch in four year-round flavors as well as occasional

Giuseppe Giusti Balsamic Vinegar di Modena For more than 400 years, the Giusti family has been a premier producer of handcrafted Balsamic Vinegar di Modena. Among their outstanding collection, discover Banda Rossa, winner of five gold medals at each of the World’s Fairs from 1885 to 1891. It is their ultimate pride,

and truly the fruit of the art that this family has been perpetuating for 17 generations. The aroma of this vinegar is complex and rich with flavors. Distinguishing itself with notes of plum, black cherries and sweet spices,

Produce Show Daily then connected to a fully enclosed climatized common work area that comes together to create a complete stand-alone growing system and independent growing facility. A trustworthy buying choice, the LivingCube living lettuce, living basil and microgreens are always fresh, nutritious and flavor-filled. The packaging is a pure and dependable safe house for leafy greens – guaranteeing freshness from seed to shelf! DelFrescoPure brands its living lettuce, living basil and microgreens under LivingCube with local and national retail from 30 acres to a little under 500 and have added organic winter squash. From a business that was originally 100 percent decorative pumpkins, fresh packed produce now accounts for 65 percent of our production. As we’ve continued to grow, we realized we were outgrowing our facility. In 2017, we broke ground on our new, state-of-the-art facility mid-June and are moving into it now. Our new 55,000 seasonal flavors. “With this move, it has allowed us to be in a location that suited us for bringing on larger customers,” she said. The move has also facilitated supplier audits and food safety planning and documentation to qualify for national distribution to grocers who sell the products in either the granola, healthy snack or cookie sections of their shelves. Crazy Monkey Baking is also certified as a woman-owned business, and Humrichouser offers contract manufacturing services to other companies that have a granola formula but not a facility. “Even after all this time, baking is still my greatest passion,” she said. “I don’t get to do it that often any more, that that’s what I love working with most in the business.” Crazy Monkey Baking is now offered in Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Dark Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Almond flavors in 1.25-ounce bags that are smart-snack approved for schools. They retail for 99 cents to $1.49. Those four flavors plus White Chocolate Cranberry are also offered in this precious vinegar has been aging in antique small casks from the 1700s, providing a subtle fragrance of ancient wood. Banda Rossa is a unique and rare gem as, to create this collection, only a limited quantity is extracted once a year. Packed six units in a case, The French Farm

partners.

About DelFrescoPure DelFrescoPure is committed to nothing less than freshness, taste and quality. It is a firm believer that you must love what you do in order to succeed. It is familyowned and has been operating for over 50 years in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. DelFrescoPure prides itself on getting ahead of trends to ensure its customers have the latest and greatest.

For more information, visit www.delfresco pure.com, contact sales@delfrescopure .com or go to www.livingcube.ca.

square foot facility will offer expansive production, storage and shipping capabilities and be home to our corporate office. Our expanded space will allow for increased production capacity and will make it possible to meet the increased demand for Bay Baby Produce’s products in current and expanded markets.

For more information, email sales@ baybabyproduce.com.

7.5-ounce bags along with a rotation of seasonal flavors that includes Cinnamon Pecan in the winter, Lemon Coconut in summer and Pumpkin Seed & Spice in the fall. Additional specialedition flavors also appear occasionally. “We have a variety of flavors, so there’s some variety to appeal to the kids and adults alike,” Humrichouser said. All of the products are wheat free and made with 100 percent whole grains. Oats are naturally gluten free, and the products are sweetened with honey, molasses and evaporated cane sugar. A serving of the Dark Chocolate Chip flavor Granola Cookie Crunch contains 8 grams of added sugars and 6 grams of fat along with 3 grams of protein and 150 calories. “There is fat in oats and in whole grain cornmeal and in flax seeds, but it’s all healthy fat,” Humrichouser said. “When you have the real ingredients without the fats stripped from them, you’re going to get those good, healthy calories in the fat.” For more information, visit www .crazymonkeybaking.com. offers the cube bottle of this unique vinegar with its gift box. Imported directly from Italy, Giuseppe Giusti Banda Rossa is one of a large selection of balsamic vinegars offered by The French Farm.

For more information, call 713.660.0577 or go to wholesale.frenchfarm.com.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Produce Show Daily

Fine Chocolate Appeals to American Consumers By Lorrie Baumann

American producers of fine chocolates are working on plans to raise their profile and grow their industry – largely by making even better chocolate, according to Bill Guyton, Executive Director of the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA), a trade association with more than 350 members across the country. Those members include chocolatiers, people who make confectionery from chocolate that they obtain from processors, as well as chocolate makers, the people who make bean-to-bar confections. The fine chocolate that FCIA members want the rest of us to appreciate is different by a matter of degree from mass market chocolate, and the working definition developed by the FCIA includes various attributes: flavor, texture and appearance, a high percentage of cacao that’s had minimal processing and that’s ethically sourced. “If you buy your chocolate bar, and sugar is the first ingredient, followed by a long list of ingredients, it is not fine chocolate. Fine chocolate typically is high in cocoa content and low in sugar,” Guyton said. The association’s strategic plan includes defining industry standards for chocolate and developing a stronger supply chain for ethical sourcing of cocoa and other ingredients that go into chocolate. “Over the next five years, we will work through partnerships in cocoagrowing countries to improve cocoa quality and provide a consistent supply to fine chocolate companies to use in their products. We also are working with our members to develop direct trade, which shortens the supply chain,” Guyton said.

A Love Affair with Chocolate Consumers buy chocolate because they

love it, and while the percentage of them who buy fine chocolate exclusively or almost exclusively is just a small part of a very large market, those consumers will go where they need to go and pay what they need to pay to get the chocolate they’re craving, according to Anne-Marie Roerink, Principal of 210 Analytics, which recently surveyed consumers for the FCIA and for the National Confectioners Association to learn more about the market for fine chocolates. Overall, confectionery is the fourthlargest center store category across all retail channels, with chocolate making up 60 percent of that, she said during a presentation at this year’s Sweets and Snacks Expo. Chocolate is also a growing category, although it’s been outpaced by other confectionery in conventional channels over the past couple of years. “One thing that all chocolate consumers have in common is their absolute love of chocolate – it is a beloved treat,” she said. For the purposes of her survey, she asked consumers about three different classes of chocolate: the kind of fine artisan products made by the FCIA members, often characterized in their marketing by terms like “small batch” or “handcrafted;” premium chocolate, which includes brands like Lindt and Ghirardelli; and mainstream chocolate, which includes brands like Snickers and Baby Ruth. “Most consumers don’t buy just one kind of chocolate,” she said. “Most everybody, at some point, buys mainstream.” Only about 3 percent of American chocolate consumers regard themselves as exclusively or almost exclusively consumers of fine chocolate. They tend to be young – “older Millennials pop very high,” said Roerink, and to live in very urban areas. They have above-average

Jasper Ranch Nutty Duo Starting with the finest California almonds, Jasper Ranch creates exceptional almond snacks and mouthwatering confections. The Nutty Duo, the newest product to the Jasper Ranch brand, is a favorite for gift giving during the holiday season. Sold in 10-ounce red or orange totes, this is a duo of Jasper’s

most popular almond products in 5ounce sizes. The three unique Nutty Duo variety combinations contain both sweet and savory options. The first duo is old-fashioned English Toffee and Maple Mixed Nuts. The second duo is Spicy Cocktail Almonds and Maple Mixed Nuts, and the

A More Convenient Way to Maple Your Morning By Lorrie Baumann

Bascom Maple Farms’ Maple Stream is 100 percent pure USDA certified organic maple syrup, packaged in an eco-friendly can that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, as other maple products do, so it’s very convenient for a multitude of uses. Bascom Maple Farms sources additional maple from small family farms in the U.S. – more than 3,000 of them – that share its commitment to quality, environment

stewardship and sustainable forestry management. By purchasing their syrup, and bringing it to market, Bascom Maple Farms supports other small farmers and builds local, rural economies. In the Maple Stream, the syrup is forced out of the can by air pressure. The syrup streams rather than sprays, so it’s not atomized into a fine mist. Bascom Maple Farms Maple Stream offers the distinct advantage that it’s not going to spill all over the table if it gets tipped.

incomes, and they spend more than average on their groceries. “They love variety; they love innovation; they love trying different items, trying different chocolate makers. They are very environmentally, corporately and socially responsible and engaged, and they are willing to shop to find what they are looking for,” she said. “If they go to your store, and you don’t have it, they will go online; they will go to farmers markets; they go wherever they need to go to find the fine chocolate that they are looking for.”

Fair Trade in Demand What they’re craving is chocolate with a high cacao content, and they want it to have been ethically sourced, with 44 percent of those surveyed saying that Fair Trade certification influences their purchase decisions when they’re buying chocolate. Fair Trade is the fastest growing package claim on chocolate, with 70 percent growth over the past three years, with non-GMO and organic certification from U.S. Department of Agriculture also growing in importance to consumers, according to Roerink. “When we look at responsible labor practices, which overlaps, at least in part, with Fair Trade, you see that number at 62 percent – much higher than the 44 percent who wanted Fair Trade,” she said. “When you look at sustainable sourcing, avoiding deforestation, you see very high numbers, and the difference in that was that Boomers cared very much about these production practices – they just didn’t necessarily care about the certification that was behind it.” The consumers who care about these issues are willing to pay more for products that meet their standards, and more than half of consumers now say they’re willing to pay a little bit more when they see the certifications they care about in place. That number jumps to 74 percent for the fine chocolate consumers, Roerink said. “People are really and truly putting their wallets where

their mouth is in terms of these certifications,” she said. Although a lot of fine chocolate is made by small producers that don’t carry these certifications, it’s worth remembering that most chocolate consumers, whether they buy fine chocolate almost exclusively or only now and then, also buy chocolate in mainstream or premium categories when the mood for chocolate hits them, and when they’re buying in the mainstream or premium category, they are, according to Roerink, “definitely looking for certification.” Considerations for Grocery Retailers Almost half of chocolate consumers say they buy most of their chocolate where they buy most of their groceries. Only 10 percent said they hardly ever buy chocolate in grocery stores. Those consumers may find their chocolate at festivals, at farmers markets or online. “As you can expect, that’s a lot of the fine chocolate consumers,” Roerink said. “The chocolate dollar is extremely scattered, and we see that in other emotional categories like bakery as well. It’s very hard to capture a lot of the chocolate dollar.” “In the fine chocolate space, you have producers who want to experiment and try different things. Consumers want that too,” Guyton added. Keeping those customers in your store is largely a matter of making sure that your chocolate assortment has enough variety to ensure that they’ll find something that interests them when they’re in the mood to buy chocolate, according to Roerink. “Assortment matters. If you don’t have chocolate available across the full chocolate spectrum, people will go elsewhere to find what they are looking for,” she said. “Fine chocolate consumers over-index tremendously in terms of buying online.... Forty-seven percent said they buy online because they cannot find what they want locally so, again, assortment matters.”

third duo is Jasper’s Original Almond Brittle and Rosemary Garlic Almonds with Cranberries. They’re all perfect for holiday season indulgences. Jasper Ranch is a proud brand of Jasper Specialty Foods, a multi-generational family-run operation headquartered in Newman, California,

that specializes in the production of unique almond-related food snacks, confections and other treats for the specialty food market.

For more information, call 800.255.1641, email info@jasper specialtyfoods.com or go to www.jasper specialtyfoods.com.

Mess-free and portion-controlled, the product helps consumers avoid sticky situations. During consumer testing for the new product, one of the things that the company heard from parents was that they’d use real maple syrup themselves, but they didn’t want to give it to their kids because they didn’t want to take the risk that it would be spilled and wasted. This new packaging solves that problem. The Maple Stream doesn’t require refrigeration because the syrup is sealed so that no air can get into it, so bacteria can’t grow. “From the bulk containers to this package, it’s a unique way

of packing it,” said Arnold Coombs, Director of Sales and Marketing for Bascom Maple Farms and a seventh generation sugarmaker. Since it doesn’t need refrigeration, the Maple Stream can come warm to the table, so it doesn’t cool down the flapjacks or the French toast or the coffee or tea to which it’s added. “We’re spoiled up here in Vermont, and a lot of people put maple in their coffee or tea,” Coombs said. “We have a local bartender who’s experimenting with it for maple mojitos – it’s a lot easier just to squirt it in than to go to the refrigerator for a bottle. A lot of uses we hadn’t thought of are now coming to light.”

Friday, October 18, 2019

Produce Show Daily

Avocado and Cauliflower that Crunch By Lorrie Baumann

Making snacks from real food is in the DNA at Hippie Snacks, says Founder Ian Walker, who started the business in the late 2000s with Coconut Chips. “We brought that out before any of the players in the States brought out a coconut chip,” he said. “Right from the get-go, we liked the idea of making products that were as close to their natural state as possible but were a little more convenient.” Hippie Snacks’ latest innovations are a family of crispy cracker-type snacks: Cauliflower Crisps in Original and Classic Ranch flavors and Avocado Crisps in Guacamole and Sea Salt fla-

vors. “For eight years, we’ve been trying to come up with an avocado snack,” Walker said. “Nutrient-dense, tasty – people get it.” In that quest for a tasty avocado snack, Hippie Snacks’ research and development team tried a lot of different approaches, from baking slices of avocado to freeze-drying, but they kept running into barriers created by the natural oiliness of avocados, their tendency to turn brown when the tissue is exposed to air, the fruit’s tendency to turn bitter when it’s dried, and when those approaches didn’t pan out, the team turned its attention to cauliflower a year or two before cauliflower found itself

Stonewall Kitchen Launches 27 New Products Stonewall Kitchen offered a wealth of new products at the Summer Fancy Food Show. Included in the lineup for launch were the new Organic Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup, Lemon Fig Shortbread Squares and New England Cranberry Grape Jelly, along with a variety of seasonings, sauces and pastas. The Tillen Farms brand continues to grow with the launch of Bloody Mary Olives, stuffed with onions and sun-dried tomatoes, and Rum Bada Bing Cherries. Stonewall Kitchen also grew the cobranded partnership with Legal Sea Foods with the addition of Malt Vinegar, Seafood Remoulade Sauce, Lemon Teriyaki Sauce and a variety of new seasonings. Additionally, Stonewall Kitchen expanded the Napa Valley Naturals and Montebello lines with four new products after their 2018 acquisition. “We started the year with a momentous launch in January, as we wanted to

showcase the growth of Stonewall Kitchen and our Family of Brands,” says Director of Marketing Janine Somers. “The July launch is just as notable. After acquiring Napa Valley Naturals and Montebello, we’re introducing new additions to each brand. We’re continuing to expand Napa Valley Naturals with an Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, which contains living nutrients known as the ‘mother,’ and by introducing three new pastas under the Montebello name: Tricolor Fusilli, Maccheroni and Spinach Fettucine. We’ve seen great success with our co-branded, Legal Sea Foods line and are excited to expand the offering further with these new outstanding restaurant-quality products. Our guests are going to flip over the Lemon Teriyaki Sauce. The Seafood Remoulade Sauce is amazing with crab cakes or as a spread on your salmon burger.” This summer’s Legal Sea Foods product launch includes Lemon Pepper

12-Ounce Glass Ring Neck Jar Ardagh Group’s 12-ounce Glass Ring Neck Jar is perfect for craft food producers wanting to showcase their dressings or sauces. Proudly made in the U.S., the jar is made using high quality flint (clear) glass with a 38mm continuous thread finish. This 100 percent, and endlessly recy-

clable, glass 12-ounce Ring Neck Jar is environmentally friendly and boasts an excellent shelf life. This 12-ounce Ring Neck Jar is offered in 12-pack cases available for purchase on Ardagh Group’s BOB™ site (food.buyourbottles.com) with conven-

Bella Rosa Takes a Bow at Fancy Food Show Schuman Cheese relaunched off one of its long-standing but lesser-known brands this year at the Summer Fancy Food Show. Bella Rosa, an entertainingfriendly line offered previously in limited distribution, will now be available on a national scale. Vibrant packaging and a new brand platform accompany Bella Rosa’s national rollout. Fresh, modern iconography complements packaging with a progressive, differentiating color palette that reflects the premium brand. At a glance, shoppers can identify whether the cheese they’re selecting is shaved, shredded or

grated, reinforcing a brand promise that emphasizes simplicity: “Good to Go. Real cheese ready for any dish so you can entertain with ease.” “The Good to Go statement is highlighted on the package to let people know Bella Rosa has the quality they want, and that we help them enjoy the occasion they’re shopping for,” said Jim Low, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Schuman Cheese. “They’ll spend less time prepping, and more time in the moment and present for life.” The Bella Rosa line also delivers on the True Cheese guarantee, which

trending in the market. “We had kind of given up on avocado,” Walker said. “We tend to take food that has a long tail [rather than leaping on trends]. Cauliflower took off this year, but it just happened. We just thought it was a great way to create a cracker without flour.” As the team was coming up with a way to do that by blending the cauliflower into a base with some starch in it to hold the crisp together, they started wondering if they could maybe lick their avocado problem with the same approach, and they made it work. The resulting Avocado Crisps have avocado as their first ingredient, just as the ingredients label for the Cauliflower Crisps starts out with cauliflower. That’s important to

Hippie Snacks, Walker said. “Some snackmakers, they want to latch onto a popular trend, kind of fairy-dust their products with whatever the trendy ingredient is,” he said. “We’re not going to call something an Avocado Crisp if avocado isn’t the first ingredient. No tokenism here.” Both the Avocado Crisps and Cauliflower Crisps are plant-based, nonGMO and gluten free. “All of our products go through Non-GMO Project verification,” Walker said. They’re offered in 2.5-ounce bags that retail for $4.99 in the U.S.

Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, New England Seafood Seasoning, Malt Vinegar, Seafood Remoulade Sauce and Lemon Teriyaki Sauce. This year’s holiday packaging showcases beautiful, hand-painted botanicals. Collections, such as the Cheese Pairing Collection and Classic Jam Collection, are assembled in boxes displaying original artwork, offering the ideal holiday gift. “We can’t forget about our Fine Home Keeping line,” said Somers. “Just in time for the holiday season, we’re introducing our Sugar & Spice Fine Home Keeping that will include hand soap, hand lotion and soy candles. We’re also expanding our Grapefruit Thyme and Coastal Breeze line with an all-purpose cleaner.” The remainder of Stonewall Kitchen’s July 2019 product launch includes Tillen Farms Bloody Mary Olives and Rum Bada Bing Cherries as well as Montebello Tricolor Fusilli, Maccheroni and Spinach Fettucine. From its Napa Valley Naturals brand, we’ll see Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, which contains the mother. And under Stonewall Kitchen’s own brand name, the company

is introducing New England Cranberry Grape Jelly, Bacon Vinaigrette and Cilantro Lime & Avocado Oil Dressing as well as Lemon Fig Shortbread Square Mix and Caramel Apple Pie Waffle Cookies. Sriracha Horseradish Cream Sauce, Turkey Seasoning Rub and Bourbon Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, which is organic, will also be coming. Stonewall Kitchen’s Fine Home Keeping brand is bringing out a new seasonal scent: Sugar & Spice, in a product line that includes hand lotion, hand soap and a soy candle. A new line of all-purpose cleaners launched in scents that include Coastal Breeze and Grapefruit Thyme. For Stonewall Kitchen’s 2019 holiday collection, the company is bringing out its Cheese Pairing Collection, Salsa Collection, Dessert Sauce Collection, Pepper Jelly Collection, Classic Jam Collection, Farmhouse Breakfast, Individual Wild Maine Blueberry Jam, Individual Holiday Jam, Cocktail Party, Grilling Collection, Blueberry Breakfast, Jam Tree, Mustard Tree and Sampler Collection.

ient online ordering and payment via credit card or PayPal. Or, you can purchase the jar in six-pack cases or bulk with a 38mm lug finish by contacting Ardagh Group directly. Ardagh Group is dedicated to the craft food market with capabilities and resources to grow with you every stage of the way. By the pallet or truck-

load, BOB and Ardagh Group have the ideal shapes and styles for craft food producers like you.

Schuman Cheese created to assure consumers that what they’re getting is always the highest quality cheese; no fillers, no additives, just pure, 100 percent cow’s milk, free of hormones.

Product Selection New to the Bella Rosa line is a pair of snack format products, aptly named Snacks to Go. Offered in two flavor combinations, each tray offers superior quality all-natural cheddar cheese, premium seasalted roasted nuts and juicy dried cranberries. Snacks to Go will be offered in 16-count display-ready cases. Suggested retail price for each package is $1.33. A staple of the Bella Rosa line is a series of cheese trays featuring collections of sliced cheeses ready to serve a crowd. Each selection has been curated

For more information, visit www.hippie snacks.com.

For more information, call 856.455.2137, email Marketing.Glass.NA@ardaghgroup .com or go to food.buyourbottles.com. with entertaining in mind and can be offered on its own as a party snack or as a flavorful addition to a sandwich station. The Bella Rosa European Cheese Selection includes Irish Cheddar, Dutch Gouda, Danish Havarti and German Swiss. Two Party Trays are also available; one features Cheddar, Swiss, Colby Jack and Pepper Jack, while the other includes Aged Cheddar, Swiss, Havarti and Gouda. Suggested retail prices for the 16ounce trays range from $7.99 to $9.99. Single cheese varieties include Bella Rosa Shaved Parmesan, Bella Rosa Shredded Parmesan, Bella Rosa Shredded Asiago and Bella Rosa Grated Romano. Each of the 5-ounce cups carries a suggested retail price of $3.69. All items in the new Bella Rosa line are now available for retail and club orders.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Clean, Refreshing Coconut Water from TAJA By Lorrie Baumann

TAJA Coconut Water is the only patented cold-filtered coconut water on the American market. Made from tender green coconuts harvested when they’re just 90 days old and then filtered with a seven-step cold filtration system, TAJA contains no juice, no sugar and no stabilizers. “It never turns cloudy; it never turns pink. It’s just like nature intended it to be,” says company President Hallie Lorber. The company started two years ago after TAJA’s founder Nilang Patel discovered that he was unable to find in the

U.S. the kind of coconut water he was used to while he was growing up in India. With his background in the beverage industry, he had the intellectual tools necessary to solve that problem. “Since he couldn’t find it and didn’t like any of the brands that were out there, he created it himself,” Lorber said. After figuring out the patented process that’s used to extract the water from the coconuts he was able to source from local farmers in India, he opened a zero-waste production facility in India and started the company. “In the last year and a half, we named it, gave it a great personality, gave it great packaging and

A Snack Brand for Comfort and Compassion By Lorrie Baumann

A snack can be more than just a small meal to stave off hunger when the mid-afternoon doldrums hit hard but there’s still work to be done before dinner, says Robert Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Vegan Rob’s, his brand of chips, puffs and popcorn, since 2013. Vegan Rob’s snacks include Probiotic Dragon Puffs, Brussel Sprout Puffs, Probiotic Cauliflower Puffs, Turmeric Chips, Spinach & Matcha Kettle Chips and Vegan Pop. If the names sound more like “health food” than “junk food,” well, that’s not an accident. “We are positioned in snack foods, which is the most visible product in any situation of retail and commerce. They’re very affordable graband-go nutrition with no preparation necessary other than opening the bag,” he said. “Most people buy snacks for stress and anxiety. They don’t buy them because they’re hun-

gry. We’re on the forefront of creating sensory snacks.... We’re onto something huge here. It’s a whole new frontier of creating sensory snacks to calm people’s nerves and to center them – using techniques of meditation and superfood ingredients to enhance their lives for the price of a non-GMO, gluten-free and kosher snack bag. You can finish off a bag and not feel guilty.” Snack foods are currently among the top categories in retail sales of specialty foods, according to the 2019 State of the Specialty Food Industry report unveiled to the industry during the Summer Fancy Food Show. The report also noted that refrigerated and front plant-based meat alternatives were among the top 10 categories with the highest dollar growth over the past year. Ehrlich has been thinking about the manifold benefits of snack foods and the psychology of crunch for more than 30 years. He founded the Pirate’s Booty brand in 1986, left that behind in 2013

Produce Show Daily sold it into retail,” Lorber said. The packaging is a triangular 10-ounce polyethylene bottle that’s labeled with the same PET, so that it’s completely recyclable. “It’s the easiest to recycle,” Lorber said. “It can be recycled up to four times.” The triangular-sided bottle mimics the shape of the natural coconut, and it offers the extra advantage that the bottles fit together without wasted space, so that an entire 12-count case of the bottles will fit on a shelf in the produce aisle, where the product has already seen significant success since its February launch. “It makes for easy merchandising,” Lorber said.

For more information, visit www .tajacoconut.com.

after the company was sold to B&G Foods, and immediately started thinking again about what drew consumers to the snack food aisles of their grocery and convenience stores and how he could make snacks that would capitalize on consumer desires for a little more crunch and flavor with a bit less salt and sugar and an ingredient deck that could wear a halo. As he looked around him at the world he saw almost 30 years after he’d begun building a brand based on puffs made of corn, rice and cheese, Ehrlich had his feelers out – he prides himself on a unique talent for sensing trends and finding ways to act on those intuitions. Corn had lost favor since it had become ubiquitous in the American food chain, but Ehrlich thought he could find another grain that could be puffed and could be produced with less water and energy than corn could claim. What’s more, he could be nimble in a way that a big corporation committed to corn could not be. “We kind of had a feeling – the non-GMO, gluten free, plant-based craze was starting in 2012,” he said. “To me, it’s an everyday event to seek out new paths for food and nutrition.” As he considered the spectrum of consumers who were driven by those concerns, he saw the vegans at one end, a small fringe group of consumers as sheer numbers went, but a group comprised of passionate advocates for causes with emotional resonance among their peers – people who’d respond to the appeal of snack foods with righteous ingredients, real flavors and the satisfaction and comfort of a crunch. Veganism still carried a bit of a stigma in those days, but Ehrlich thought the times would move past that, and attitudes would soften – he decided to brand his new snack line with a name and colorful packaging that wore the title with pride: Vegan Rob’s, and sell it to consumers who fancied the idea of becoming a vegan – even if only until they’d reached the bottom of their bag of snack puffs. “We’re not trying to be anything but transparent in our attempt to modernize the snack as a therapy tool, not just a frivolous meal replacement, but something that’s much more than that for consumers,” Ehrlich said. “The big companies don’t seem to get it, but we

do. When you buy a product, you’re buying it for a reason. Sometimes it’s to calm you, sometimes to make you feel important. There’s a sociology to consumerism.” Ehrlich easily embraces the contradictions between lofty abstraction and the concrete realities of selling snack foods in a crowded conventional marketplace. He’s now making his Vegan Rob’s products in six plants in the U.S. and three in the U.K. and selling them around the world. Products sold in the United States are made domestically with ingredients sourced in the U.S., while the U.K. plants make chips and puffs for sale in Britain, the European market and elsewhere. He’s taken the brand from the co-ops and independent natural foods stores where he started out into mainstream channels with products like the 2019 sofi Award-winning Dragon Puffs, whose flavor starts smoky and spicy and finishes cool. “It takes you on a journey,” Ehrlich said. “Once that cool is gone, you need another bite.... Smoky’s hot now.” His love of that kind of contradiction is evident, too, in the Burger Puffs he launched at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo – it’s a vegan puffed snack with the flavor of a “flame-broiled” fast food burger. “You can’t get any more contradictory than saying ‘vegan’ and ‘burger’ on the same package. The flavor makes people think about burgers and the beach, gives the mind a chance to reflect on the memories,” Ehrlich said. Burger Puffs came to the Summer Fancy Food Show this year along with Vegan Rob’s newest products – canned sorghum potato crisps with probiotics and vegetable seasoning and a popcorn that also offers a vegan collagen derived from sea buckthorn. For the future, Ehrlich is planning to take the Vegan Rob’s brand on beyond snack foods and into other lifestyle products that share his philosophy of humanity, health and compassion. “We’re looking at anything and everything. It’s not just snacks that we’re involved in, though they’ve made a nice platform. The bottom line is that we’re fun. People are looking for fun these days and not just nutrition. “If you’re grateful and humble, that’s going to come back to you in so many ways, and that’s what’s missing in life,” he said. “We try to do that here.”

Individual bottles retail for $3.59 to $3.99. TAJA sells cases online for $53.99, which includes shipping. According to Lorber, “We’ve seen that among general consumers, there’s been an increasing trend toward being careful about what they’re putting into their bodies, and as a result we see a larger amount of people looking for better-foryou, all-natural products with real ingredients. TAJA especially appeals to these health-conscious consumers since it’s 100 percent natural and free from additives. It’s clean. It’s raw. What you see is what you get.”

Friday, October 18, 2019

Parmacotto Partnership Promises Prosciutto Proliferation By Lorrie Baumann

In 1971, Sophia Loren got laughs importing mortadella into the United States in “Lady Liberty” because she brought her sausage into the country “without benefit of inspection,” as American authorities express the matter now when they notify the public about similar debacles that occur now and then in real life. A venture has now formed to bring similar products into the U.S. through legitimate channels that promise a steadier supply than Sophia Loren’s character, Maddalena Ciarrapico, was able to manage to satisfy the same American hunger for authentic Italian meats – albeit without the laughs provided by Loren’s comedic abilities. Cibo Italia and Parmacotto SpA have joined forces to form a new American company to import a wide range of high-quality cured meats, deli meats and cooked ham from Italy into the United States and to distribute it nationally into the American market. The new company, Parmacotto, LLC is a partnership between Larry Saia and Alessandro Sita, who have been doing business in the American market as Cibo Italia for 10 years now, and Parmacotto SpA, an Italian producer of cooked ham. As Parmacotto, LLC, they’re planning to add the cooked ham products for Thermal Technologies (Cont’d. from p. 1)

allowed fruit to be ripened to different color stages in the same room at the same time, which revolutionized the industry. TarpLess SX represents the apex of all we’ve learned and achieved over the last 25 years, which is why we refer to it as our next generation TarpLess system. It offers all the proven benefits of the TarpLess ripening room, fully integrated with today’s most advanced systems and features including our exclusive Fruitcentric Ripening™ technology. PSD: Can you give our readers an overview of Fruit-centric Ripening?

Double D Farms (Cont’d. from p. 1)

its employees. The welfare of its valued workers, and that of the earth it plants in, are Double D Farms’ top priority. Its premium asparagus, broccoli, celery, onion, garlic, sweet corn and nuts are grown, harvested, packed and shipped with care by workers who are guaranteed habitable housing, indoor and outOnions 52 (Cont’d. from p. 1)

We promise to deliver high quality onions, 52 weeks a year. This means we never say “no” to our customers. Instead, we find solutions. We will always give you high quality, superior service, ease and consistency of delivery. There will never be a week without onions. We hold ourselves to a high standard, so you can

which Parmacotto is known in Italy to the Cibo Italia line of imported sausages and deli meats and distribute all of them nationally in the U.S. under the Parmacotto brand name, said Andrea Schivazappa, the Chief Executive Officer of Parmacotto SpA, which will own 70 percent of the LLC. “In Italy, we are an extremely well known brand, held in the highest regard. Parmacotto is a staple in salumerias, retail stores and households alike,” he said. “Our goal for the United States launch is to obtain the same status in the American market.” Saia and Sita will own 30 percent of the American subsidiary LLC and will serve as its President and Chief Executive Officer, respectively. “It’s a partnership,” Schivazappa said. “Cibo Italia has been on the market for 10 years and is very well known. They have a very strong presence on the market from a commercial point of view.” With the addition of the products made by Parmacotto SpA to the range formerly offered by Cibo Italia, the new company will now be able to offer a range of meat products that are cleanlabel and produced with no antibiotics ever, Sita said. “We can really cover the whole category of premium meats from Italy,” he said. “They’re better for the environment, better for the animal and DB: Fruit-centric Ripening is our exclusive control technology that streamlines data directly from the fruit to the system’s intelligent SX control system. Using this data, the system produces and maintains the perfect balance of temperature, humidity and airflow to keep pulp temperatures uniform while optimizing efficiency throughout every step of the ripening process. Combined with our superior humidification system, it delivers high quality, beautifully ripened fruit that looks better, lasts longer and weighs more with the same guaranteed uniformity and unparalleled profit that has made the TarpLess ripening room the number one choice in the industry for over 25 years.

Produce Show Daily better for the people.” Parmacotto LLC, based in New Jersey, has already begun distributing its first products in the U.S. and will be ramping up its distribution over the next few months, in time to ensure that stores across the U.S. have the Parmacotto products in stock well ahead of the holiday season. “We have a vision for North America,” Sita said. Once those first products are in the stores, retailers can be assured that Parmacotto already has the supply chain in place to provide a ready supply of consistently high-quality product, according to Schivazappa. In Italy, Parmacotto SpA works with a network of farmers who are held to the company’s standards for how the animals are raised, and by 2020, all of the Parmacotto products sold in the U.S. will be Animal Welfare-certified, he added. Packaging for the new brand will call out its clean-label quality and the promise that the meat was raised with no antibiotics ever, so that Americans will have the confidence that they’re buying a quality product, Schivazappa said. “Everybody can taste the quality,” he said. “They are true to our land of tradition.... They make you happy when you eat them.” Parmacotto LLC will be supporting the launch into specialty grocery stores PSD: How does Thermal Tech’s Fruitcentric Ripening differ from other ripening systems?

DB: For starters, digital feedback from the fruit enables us to fine-tune the ripening process like never before while improving control and flexibility, particularly in rooms with multiple temperature control zones. Other systems tend to operate more on supply and return air temps, which don’t offer the same level of control. Staying focused on the fruit has also helped us avoid the common pitfalls of over-engineering which we often see in other systems. This has helped us keep the TarpLess ripening

and gourmet foodservice establishments with instore marketing programs and a social media campaign, according to Sita. “At the end of the day, we want to interact one-on-one with consumers,” he said. “We’re very hopeful that consumers will accept it.” The product line, already available in several states, includes Parmacotto Italian Roasted Ham, Prosciutto Cotto Italiano, Cooked Ham All Natural, Italian Roasted Pork Loin, Mortadella, Porchetta, Speck Alto Adige IGP, Sopressata, Toscano Salame, Genoa Salame, Milano Salame, Salame Felino PGI, Spianata Romana, Spianata Calabrese, Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto di San Daniele and Prosciutto Italiano – all offered in packaging for foodservice use as well as pre-sliced in retail packaging. The brand’s new zero line of meats that are produced with no antibiotics ever from humanely raised animals includes ABF Mortadella, ABF Cooked Ham, ABF Prosciutto Italiano, ABF Porchetta, ABF The Italian Roasted Ham, ABF The Italian Roasted Pork Loin and ABF Salami Italiano – all offered pre-sliced for retail sale. For more information, visit www .parmacottousa.com.

room design as simple and straight forward as possible, which is why most of the 3,000-plus rooms we’ve installed over the last 25 years are still in operation today. Over 70 percent of all bananas ripened in North America are currently processed in TarpLess ripening rooms, and we want to make sure we continue to build on that success. We work with all the major growers along with 18 of the Top 20 grocery retailers in North America. It’s our commitment to their success that drives our innovation. For more information, visit booth #3303, go to www.gotarpless.com or contact David Byrne at 803.461.7980.

door recreational facilities, and nutritional meals. Eliminating food waste is an important part of the mission at Double D Farms. It strives to donate all commodities to food banks, depending on the season. Its asparagus shavings are sent to Bio Nutraceuticals to be used for medicinal purposes. In addition, all waste is disposed of via a local recycling company, which transforms food waste into

rich compost for the next planting. Eighty to ninety percent of the company’s packaging is recyclable, and it holds all areas in which it produces to the same standards. Double D Farms’ organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation, reduce pollution and provide healthy, chemical-free food. The company does not use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or

prevent diseases on organic produce. It invests in alternative, sustainable stewardship and uses methods which prioritize health and the environment. Growing organically is Double D Farms’ passion and discovering new best practices is second nature.

be assured this is a promise we will never break. We like to focus on one thing and do it the very best, so Onions 52 is just that: onions, 52 weeks a year! Stop by our booth #743 to learn more about our year-round availability of onions, and game-changing tearless and sweet Sunions. Here’s how Onions 52 is keeping it sweet at PMA Fresh Summit 2019:

All weekend long, stop by the Onions 52 booth to treat yourself to Food Network’s Sprinkles cupcakes. Friday, October 18 at 1 p.m., see famous magician Georges-Robert performing award-winning magic acts. Saturday, October 19, caricaturist Michael Garisek is drawing portraits for all booth attendees. Onions 52 is the nation’s leading

grower-shipper of fresh onions. Fifty-two weeks a year our trucks are rolling with red, yellow, white, sweet, organic, and America’s first tearless and sweet Sunions.

Visit Double D Farms at booth #270. For more information, go to www.doubled farms.com or call 559.573.7500.

Visit Onions 52 at booth #743. For more information, go to www.onions52 .com, call 801.773.0630 or email falon@onions52.com.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Produce Show Daily The Little Potato Company (Cont’d. from p. 1)

RV: We have done a great deal of consumer research in recent years and we better understand what our customers want, and we continue to deliver innovative solutions that meet their needs. Their lives are busier than ever. They have less time to prepare meals, but their desire for healthy food continues to rise, and they don’t want to sacrifice taste. We now have several Creamer products to meet the needs of different consumers’ taste and cooking styles – any night of the week. Our Microwave and Oven | Grill Ready Kits deliver delicious, seasoned Creamer potatoes in minutes, but for those who prefer the taste and texture of crispy potatoes, our Easy Sides are the answer.

PSD: Potatoes are traditionally in the perimeter. Why are you moving to other areas of the store? Shrooms Mushroom Snacks (Cont’d. from p. 1)

DE: Shrooms Splits are the ultimate hybrid snack: portabella mushrooms with proteins like filet mignon, peppered beef, turkey and real berries. Shrooms Mushroom Jerky is an authentic, better-for-you jerky made from tender shiitake and meaty portabella mushrooms packed with nature’s goodness that will send your taste buds on an unforgettable trip. Shrooms Snack Bars are a gamechanging, allergy-friendly bar made from simple, wholesome ingredients, including crispy mushrooms in two tasty, adventurous flavors that will satisfy your craving for the unusual. PSD: What was the impetus for developing these unique snacks?

DE: As consumer demand for plantbased snacks continues, we saw an opportunity to leverage eight decades of

Avocados From Mexico (Cont’d. from p. 1)

quality, genuineness, family and fun, with consumer enthusiasm for this nutritional powerhouse showing no end in sight. According to AFM President and Chief Executive Officer, Alvaro Luque, AFM is not out to market like other food product organizations. “We’re turning that dynamic on its head,” says Luque. “We want to talk to consumers and create more emotional connections around our brand and our product.” It should come as no surprise then Fresh From Florida (Cont’d. from p. 4)

across the nation. Chef Justin Timineri, the Department’s Executive Chef, will be preparing dishes highlighting the flaPotted Microgreens (Cont’d. from p. 4)

after harvest before healthy oils and enzymes begin to deteriorate. When consumers “harvest” potted living microgreens in their kitchen, they reap those immense benefits. “It’s the ultimate win-win,” said Russell. “Retailers enjoy reduced shrink with our longer shelf life and consumers

RV: Consumers are coming back to the frozen and refrigerated aisles, driven by the need for convenience. But the growth isn’t coming from the frozen meals of the past – it’s coming from healthy choices, like vegetables. Shoppers these days know they can find easy, healthy options in the center of the store as well as the perimeter, and we want to be everywhere they are looking. PSD: What flavors do Easy Sides come in?

RV: We’re launching with familiar flavors for potato eaters: Sea Salt & Black Pepper, Onion & Garlic, Sweet Bell Pepper & Onion and Paprika & Red Bell Pepper. These seasonings enhance, but don’t overwhelm, the creamy, velvety texture of our Little Potatoes. The flavors were chosen on consumer preference and provide the comforting, homestyle taste mushroom growing experience to create convenient, better-for-you snacks using whole mushrooms grown and handpicked at our own farms.

PSD: How are Shrooms different from other ‘better-for-you’ snacks?

DE: We’ve turned fresh, thick-cut sliced mushrooms into a delicious, crispy snack that eats like a chip. With five amazing, savory, adventurous flavors, Shrooms Crisps is the first of its kind and like no other snack. Packed with nature’s goodness and minimally-processed.

and texture potato lovers enjoy.

PSD: How are you supporting the Easy Sides launch?

RV: We are driving trial and new consumers to Easy Sides with in-store and digital advertising support. There are several merchandising tools available as well as extensive demo support – as we know sampling is so important to the launch of Easy Sides. To drive awareness to Easy Sides and educate the consumer on how simple Easy Sides is, we have online videos, digital advertising, social media and public relations. PSD: What’s next for The Little Potato Company?

RV: We may be The Little Potato Company, but you can expect big things! We are a fast-growing company and many whose palates crave adventure. Shrooms Snacks’ objective is to provide authentic, better-for-you snacks that actually taste good and are anything but ordinary. They’re like nothing you’ve ever tasted. Thanks to the natural benefits of the mushroom – considered a superfood packed with important minerals like selenium, potassium, phosphorus, copper and zinc – you can feel good about snacking. We say, ‘Go ahead, munch away. We’ll grow more.’

PSD: How does Shrooms embrace superior, clean ingredients and qualities?

DE: We all know plant-based foods have been trending as consumers get smart about snacking. Experts note that plant-based snacks aren’t just popular among the vegetarian and vegan crowds; they appeal to consumers

DE: Healthy, conscientious farming practices produce real, authentic snacks. We like to say we’re delivering the next level of farming transparency. All the mushrooms used in our snacks are grown inside South Mill Champs growing houses where air quality, water and soil purity are fully controlled. Additionally, we recycle 100 percent

that AFM is the first fresh brand ever to advertise in the Big Game, successfully achieving the number one spot for its digital campaign in 2018, according to the Merkle Digital Bowl report, making AFM the only brand in its history to hold a top-tier position four years in a row. AFM aims to maintain its meteoric rise in household penetration and consumption. Based on in-depth internal research, the company has built a strategic company-wide platform supporting three pillars of communication: Education: A first-of-its-kind educational initiative to

help consumers overcome common barriers to purchase; Health & Wellness: A comprehensive initiative created to amplify its healthy eating message promoting good fats and heart health; Uses: Key areas in which to expand consumer usage including guacamole, Mexican handhelds such as tacos, burritos and quesadillas, salads, traditional handhelds such as burgers and sandwiches and plain. These three strategic pillars are the basis of customized, data-driven programs and initiatives across all markets, food service and retail categories.

PSD: How does this product address an issue or have a positive social impact?

of our best-selling products still have room for distribution. The Little Potato Company holds the No. 1 position for most key performance metrics within the small potato category and we keep forging ahead. In the last year we’ve redesigned and relaunched our Microwave and Oven | Grill Ready Kits, used a new cooking method – sous vide – to introduce our first cooked product, and are launching a new flavor for our Microwave Ready Kits, Lemon and Garden Herb, here at PMA. We will also be featuring our Organic Creamers and our 3 pound Holiday Blend Terrific Trio. We’re cooking up a lot more, too, so you can expect new innovations that deliver on consumers’ desires for healthy, convenient options from us.

Visit The Little Potato Company at booth #789. For more information, go to www .littlepotatoes.com, call 604.999.5033 or email christa.wagner@littlepotatoes.com.

of our growing compost and cardboard which keeps waste out of landfills and leads to cleaner land, air and water. We practice responsible, industry-recognized growing and harvesting practices. Great care is taken to promote and maintain soil health, conserve and protect water resources, reduce air pollution, energy usage, waste and ultimately our carbon footprint. We also work with third-party auditing programs to promote better working conditions, safe environments and fair compensation for our employees. Shrooms Crisps are certified by the NonGMO Project – delicious and wholesome from our own farms to your fingers. It’s why we like to describe South Mill Champs as mushrooms creations, responsibly grown. For more information, visit booth #4075, call 610.444.4800 ext. 226, email deberwein@southmill.com or go to www.itsamushroom.com.

“Data helps the company understand e-commerce preferences of consumers and enhance their experience,” added Luque. We’ve been building a robust CRM system to get consumers as close as we can to our brand.” Through a combination of strategic marketing tactics, AFM is propelling its brand forward and capturing not only its intended audience, but also reaching a new generation of avocado lovers.

For more information, visit AFM at booth #1049.

vors of Florida. Justin Timineri is a certified executive chef, author, award winner, teacher and television personality. As an international culinary ambassador representing the state of Florida,

Justin’s mission is to help the world rediscover fresh, healthy cuisine. Visit the Fresh From Florida growers and see what Florida brings to the table.

Visit Fresh From Florida at booth #4149. For more information, go to www.followfreshfromflorida.com, call 850.617.7330 or email exporting@fresh fromflorida.com.

enjoy all the freshness and flavor nature intended.” “Microgreens pack a punch of flavor, beauty and powerful nutrition,” said Sullivan. “They’re rich in vitamins, carotenoids and other phytochemicals. Including microgreens in the diet can contribute to a higher intake of these bioactive compounds.” Simply put: The more microgreens you eat, the more goodness you

glean from them and the rest of your food. With more education, consumers are increasingly aware of the major health benefits and uses of microgreens. According to Nielsen scan data, they represent one of the fastest growing segments of the herb category. Now with a Living option, the company can further boost the Living Category with microgreens that are not only the freshest pos-

sible, but last the longest. It’s never been more important to offer consumers the chance to taste newer and richer experiences, and it’s never been easier to do so by incorporating the full expanse of the Living Category.

For more information, visit booth #3577, go to www.northshore.farm, call 760.397.0400 or email sales@northshore.farm.