Produce Show Daily at PMA • October 19, 2019 by OserCommunicationsGroup

Oser Communications Group

Feel Good Brand Campaign by Sunsweet

Anaheim Saturday, October 19, 2019

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH PMA

Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Chipotle Topper & Sauce

Black Floral Foam Changes Design Possibilities

By Sharon McGukin, Smithers-Oasis North America Design Director, AIFD, AAF, PFCI.

Sunsweet has launched a new Feel Good brand campaign that integrates multiple media channels and reflects the zest for life shared by consumers of Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes. Sunsweet’s new campaign looks to infuse positive reinforcement into the healthy habits consumers already employ, while crowdsourcing to inspire others with new ideas. Sunsweet recognizes that people are already taking small actions every day to improve their lives,

When looking to spruce up your produce department, look no further than Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Chipotle Topper & Sauce. This sauce brings a mild heat and smoky flavor to an old classic – sun dried tomatoes. While searching for an interesting and innovative way to incorporate sun dried tomatoes into a spicier dish, the Bella Sun Luci team looked to chipotle peppers from the Southwest. The two vine-grown vegetables, sun dried tomatoes and chipotle

With one simple yet brilliant why-didn’tsomeone-think-of-this-before change, your floral design possibilities have expanded. How? Black floral foam. Specifically, OASIS Floral Foam Midnight, which has similar properties to other OASIS floral foam but is black, the color every other color seems to want to displace.

BOOTH #2203

BOOTH #2002

BOOTH #1502

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Birko by Lagafors

Innovative Packaging from Lacerta

What if there was a way to cut your sanitation operating expenses by up to 35 percent by using less chemical, water and labor? Birko Corporation, a leader in providing food safety solutions, is the exclusive distributor of The Birko by Lagafors® suite that includes centralized, decentralized and automated cleaning systems to support food hygiene and sanitation in small and large food and beverage plants. Simply put, this pressurized

An interview with Ali Lotfi, President and co-Owner of Lacerta Group, Inc.

BOOTH #4425

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Growers Are Us: Sustainable Supply Year-Round

Selvática Promoting Sustainable Produce Selvática is an Ecuadorian brand that prides itself on providing sustainable produce around the world. End consumers get the assurance that the conventional bananas, organic bananas, plantains, baby bananas and red bananas, among other tropical fruits from Ecuador that came from Selvática were produced with sustainable environmental practices by farmers and processors who enjoyed excellent working conditions. These products have been Continued on Page 57

Four Steps to Prepare for Summer Produce Surges

AL: We are a family-owned business, started over 25 years ago. We manufacture thermoformed packaging with a focus on food and custom packaging. We have three facilities: one in Massachusetts with design, mold-making and thermoforming capabilities, we just added California with thermoforming

Growers Are Us is buzzing with excitement. The company’s programs with French beans, baby carrots and rainbow carrots have erupted drastically due to demand and the consistent quality it has been supplying to customers. Growers Are Us products have sustainable supply year-round for your convenience. French beans are usually in a standard or a snipped format where both sides are clipped, ranging from 2.5, 5

Everyone has a favorite summer event/fresh produce pairing, like corn on the cob for a cookout or berries for a picnic. That’s for good reason: from Memorial Day through Labor Day, many fruits and vegetables in the U.S. enter peak season, meaning increased consumer demand and stressed fresh supply chains. While summer can be a season of fresh produce logistics hurdles – like timing deliveries to match summer holiday

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PSD: Tell our readers about Lacerta.

Oser Communications Group

Feel Good Brand Campaign by Sunsweet

Anaheim Saturday, October 19, 2019

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH PMA

Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Chipotle Topper & Sauce

Black Floral Foam Changes Design Possibilities

By Sharon McGukin, Smithers-Oasis North America Design Director, AIFD, AAF, PFCI.

BOOTH #2203

BOOTH #2002

BOOTH #1502

Continued on Page 57

Continued on Page 48

Birko by Lagafors

Innovative Packaging from Lacerta

An interview with Ali Lotfi, President and co-Owner of Lacerta Group, Inc.

BOOTH #4425

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Growers Are Us: Sustainable Supply Year-Round

Four Steps to Prepare for Summer Produce Surges

Continued on Page 46

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PSD: Tell our readers about Lacerta.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Shrooms Mushroom Snacks: Snack Altering As one of North America’s largest mushroom growers, South Mill Champs is changing the snacking landscape with Shrooms Snacks – a fun, tongue-in-cheek brand name and identity that is getting a lot of attention and creating a few giggles. Developed to provide great tasting, better-for-you snacks, Shrooms uses mushrooms grown and handpicked from its own farms in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania – the mushroom capital of the world. “We saw an opportunity to create

something new and authentic using more than 80 years of mushroom growing experience.” says David Eberwein, Director of Innovation. “As the popularity of plant-based snacking continues to grow, we saw ways to reinvent the mushroom to create convenient, better-for-you snacks that taste amazing and use the fresh, whole mushrooms we’re growing and farming every day. After much development, we’ve created a remarkable line of snack products that are unlike anything else on shelves today, and we’re

Able Freight Services, Inc. Puts Customer Needs First

Able Freight continues to focus on utilizing technology to deliver exceptional services for its customers, ensuring the company is strategically positioned for future growth and disrupting the industry. The key areas of focus include: creating an innovative culture throughout the company; roll-out of its DataHub shipment tracking portal, implementation of commodity-based shelf-life formulas for global clients; piloting a blockchain to DataHub as related to Internet of Things (tempera-

ture trackers) and remaining days of shelf-life in real-time along the way. The company is also leading the way with integration of electronic airway bills (eAWB) with airlines, while introducing new mobile Quality Check (QC) tools for better freshness grading and quality reports. Orlando Wong, Able Freight Services’ Executive Vice President, notes that Able remains committed to embracing new technology. “Able Freight Services adapts relevant technology for use in the perishable freight forwarding

Produce Show Daily excited to bring them to mushroom lovers everywhere.” Shrooms Snacks offer four product lines with a combined 14 flavors.

Shrooms Mushroom Crisps (2.0 ounces) These delicious, crunchy snacks made from fresh, thick-cut mushrooms are the first of their kind. Available in five mindblowing flavors: Sea Salt, Spicy Jalapeno, Mesquite Barbeque, Pizza and Original Portabella, Shrooms Crispy Mushroom Snacks are like nothing you’ve ever crunched. Continued on Page 57

industry, as the market demands more and more high-performance and precision among its players,” explains Wong. Able has become one of the first perishable freight forwarding companies to create a Technology and Innovation Department. “Able’s leadership in the transportation and logistics industry is because of the company’s focus upon real-time data visibility, atomization and predictive systems,” Wong notes. 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

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Produce Show Daily

The Little Potato Company Feeds Appetite for Comfort Foods By Christa Wagner, Director of Advertising and Promotions, The Little Potato Company

It’s no surprise that we’re passionate about potatoes at The Little Potato Company. So, we thought it would be fun to conduct a survey to see what other people thought of our favorite vegetable. We learned some fun facts, including that one in four Millennials would rather give up cheeseburgers than potatoes, but it also reinforced that potatoes are truly a staple vegetable for today’s busy family. “Our survey findings revealed that nearly half of Americans are eating potatoes a few times a week, underscoring the importance of variety and flavor

innovation,” said Richard Vann, Vice President of Marketing and Product Innovation. “We’re excited to introduce two products at PMA this year with the launch of our Easy Sides and a new Lemon and Garden Herb Microwave Ready kit that offer even more flavor variety and cooking options for the time-crunched consumer who loves healthy, tasty food.” Easy Sides are our latest no-stress meal solution. They are fully cooked, pre-seasoned Creamer potatoes available in family-friendly flavors including Onion & Garlic, Sea Salt & Black Pepper, Paprika & Bell Pepper and Sweet Bell Pepper & Onion. In our consumer research, we learned that infrequent buyers of little potatoes think they are too

Michigan Apples and Hard Cider Go Hand in Hand The popularity of craft beverages has grown immensely in the last 20 years, and hard cider has quickly become one of the fastest growing sectors within this industry. From 2008 to 2016, the number of hard cider drinkers increased from 6.8 million to 24.5 million. The popularity of hard cider can be explained by its characteristics that make it appealing to various groups of consumers. Similar to beer and made like wine, hard cider appeals to both men and women. Hard cider is naturally gluten-free, providing

consumers with gluten intolerance or celiac disease an alternative to beer and wine. The Michigan Apple Committee is supportive of the hard cider industry and their work with Michigan Apple growers. “Demand generated from Michigan cideries creates an additional revenue source for local farmers and often uses apples that may not otherwise be sold any other way. Cider also gets consumers thinking about apples at a place they have never considered them before,” said John Behrens,

Italian Rose/La Mexicana Fresh Salsa Offer the Power of Fresh to Perimeter Sales Last year was the start of a coming together of the two key fresh salsa players on the east and west coasts. Together, they are the largest producer of fresh salsa in North America. The new company offers salsa products under the La Mexicana and Tabla Fresca Farmstand brand names along with a line of Mediterranean specialty items under the Italian Rose banner, including fresh bruschetta and garlic spreads. Each brand has a unique flavor profile of dice, spice and heat. According to Angelo Fraggos, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,

“We bring a new dynamic to the fresh category with both our plants being located in the two year-round produce growing regions in the country to assure the freshest product possible.” The company offers a full line of sizes and styles of salsa to meet every customer’s unique needs, including fresh, natural and organic versions of the recipes. While starting with fresh ingredients is important, the addition of culinary recipe development along with the latest advances in food science allow the company to offer great taste with extended shelf life and a true national footprint.

Cheating Gourmet Announces Rebrand to Scott & Jon’s Cheating Gourmet, makers of premium frozen seafood products, has renamed the brand Scott & Jon’s®. Now named after co-Founders and brothers Scott and Jon Demers, the rebrand is accompanied by a fresh look and innovative new line of pasta and noodle bowls. Like the brand’s flagship frozen shrimp and rice bowls, the new pasta and noodle bowls feature

sustainably-sourced shrimp and are all under 300 calories. Cheating Gourmet was founded by the Demers brothers, who recognized a lack of high-quality, on-the-go seafood options. With convenience in mind, they introduced a popular line of microwavable shrimp and rice bowls. Now available in the frozen seafood

time consuming or complicated to prepare. So, we’ve taken all the complication out. Just open and heat for seven minutes in a skillet for crispy potatoes that can be paired as a quick side dish to accompany a protein or served as a hearty main dish by topping with an egg or tossing into a salad. The quest for convenience continues to be a top priority among consumers, with our survey revealing that microwaving is the third most common way to cook potatoes. “When developing the newest Microwave Ready flavor, we combined the familiar flavors of fresh herbs and bright lemon to create a classic combination that is the perfect companion for any type of protein,” said Vann. “Our Microwave Ready Lemon and Garden

Herb kit is versatile enough to be enjoyed for every kind of meal, from busy weeknights where you need a quick option to holiday meals where you can savor food and family.” At The Little Potato Company, we are focused on transforming the way consumers enjoy nutritious and delicious whole foods and bringing excitement back to the potato category. Creamer potatoes is all we do, so we have to be the best. We see it as our mission to feed the world better, all starting with the humble Little Potato.

President of the Michigan Cider Association. There are over 80 wineries and cideries that produce hard cider in Michigan. Michigan cider makers work with Michigan Apple farmers to grow specific cider apple varieties that are needed to produce hard cider. Many of the apple varieties produced in Michigan, such as Cortland, Winesap and Northern Spy (and others), are used to give hard cider a unique sweet yet acidic taste. Cider makers feel the best ciders present a blend of tannin, acidity and sweetness using a variety of apples. They will often come up with their own

blends of varieties to achieve a unique flavor. “The demand for locally produced food and beverages grows every day. Cider makers based in Michigan are fortunate to have access to a large supply and vast array of locally grown apples,” said Diane Smith, Executive Director of the Michigan Apple Committee. Consumers can support Michigan Apples and Michigan produced hard ciders not only in retail stores and cider mills, but also at restaurants and bars.

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.

For more information, visit booth #2445.

Fraggos further notes, “In addition to producing a full range of salsa types and styles, we have invested an enormous amount of time and money into original research to ensure we are the thought leaders and category experts. Success in today’s highly competitive perimeter of store is all about the right products in the right places in the right mix. We not only have the product in the right product format, we can help buyers fine tune offerings within our segment as well as across the category as a whole.” In addition to its branded offerings, the company will develop private label programs for customers. This multi-

faceted approach allows Italian Rose to service the full range of departments offering fresh products including deli, produce and dairy. The folks at Italian Rose are doing something right, as IRI reports they have seven of the top 20 fresh salsa SKUs in the country. Fraggos concludes, “We help our customers be successful by really partnering with them to offer great tasting items and back them up with meaningful consumer insights ... all supported by an industry leading food safety program.”

section of retailers nationwide, the rebrand is intended to reinforce the Demers’ commitment to quality and transparency. “Rebranding with our own names was our way of connecting with our customers, family-to-family,” said coFounder Jon Demers. “We are deeply committed to producing quality products that support the needs of today’s busy family. There’s no better way to demon-

strate that commitment than by having our names on every package.” Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Rice Bowls are available in seven flavors including: Garlic Butter, Creamy Parmesan, Coconut, Jambalaya, Shrimp Risotto, Sweet Chipotle and Cilantro Lime. Shrimp Noodle Bowls are available in Ramen and Spicy Ramen. Shrimp Pasta Bowls are available in Shrimp Alfredo and Shrimp Scampi.

For more information, contact Italian Rose at 561.863.5556.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Produce Show Daily

North Shore Living Herbs + Greens: The Living Difference An interview with Suzette Overgaag, Vice President and Founder, North Shore Living Herbs + Greens®.

PSD: How would you describe North Shore Living Herbs + Greens?

SO: North Shore’s products are always fresh and ready at your fingertips, because unlike cut herbs, we leave the roots attached. Whether you’re buying them in our root lock clamshells or in our pots, you can be sure you’re bringing home the finest herbs available, for the simple fact that they’re still alive. You can’t beat the fresh flavor of herbs you just picked from your kitchen windowsill. Most importantly, when they’re that fresh, they retain their nutrients all the way up until they’re eaten.

PSD: What varieties of herb does North Shore offer for consumers?

SO: We have so many options available – from the herbs everyone knows and loves like basil, mint and rosemary, to more cuisine-specific ones that are harder to find fresh, like marjoram and tarragon. If customers visit our website, they’ll find we’ve included profiles for all our herbs that provide flavor guides, as well as suggested pairings with different foods. Our extensive list of recipes is also constantly being added to. We hope these will help our consumers find ways to use our herbs in healthy and delicious meals to take the stress out of eating right.

PSD: How about the facility where you grow your herbs? How does it operate?

Port Canaveral: Economical, Convenient Port Canaveral is an economical and convenient ocean gateway into Florida. Located directly on the main shipping lines along the East Coast of Florida, its deep draft main channel and unencumbered transit offers carriers highly efficient routing and reduced vessel costs. The Port has the berthing options, equipment and facilities to handle a wide variety of vessels and cargoes including containers, break-bulk, roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro), project, heavy lift and bulk commodities. North Cargo Berth 8, a multi-purpose berth under construction slated for completion by Spring 2020, offers a 900-

foot seawall, 100-foot pier extension; -35 foot dredge depth for handling vessels up to 850 feet long, and 2,000 pounds-persquare-foot capacity for handling aerospace cargo and other heavy project cargo. Port Canaveral’s two Gantry cranes and a new Liebherr LHM 600 mobile harbor crane are capable of handling all types of diverse and heavy cargoes, including aerospace components. At 154 tons plus an outreach of 18-containers across, the Port’s MHC is the largest in the U.S. and the heaviest lift capability in Florida. As the grantee for Foreign Trade

Avocados From Mexico – Helping Retailers Make Healthy Gains Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is raising the bar in the fresh produce health and wellness space. The fact is, avocados are little powerhouses of good nutrition. What makes them so special? Avocados are loaded with good fats, the kind that contribute to heart health when consumed as part of an overall healthy diet. Plus, avocados are nutrient dense and contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals per serving. A proprietary study conducted by AFM revealed that salads are a primary growth opportunity for AFM in the health and wellness space. Given that consumers consider salads to be a prime way to eat healthy, AFM has launched the Avocado Salad Center, a digital hub where shoppers can

access delicious salad-making opportunities. A produce marketing breakthrough, it includes an inventive e-commerce application to make AFM recipes “shoppable” by automatically adding the needed ingredients to shoppers’ online grocery carts. AFM is educating and inspiring instore shoppers too by tapping into the knowledge and powerful influence of registered retail dietitians. To lead this effort, the company has partnered with registered dietitian Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD, LDN to serve as its resident avocado health expert and develop programs that help retailers, retail dietitians and their customers discover tasty new ways to add more avocados to their daily diets. “My passion is helping people make

ESC DUOZ Feature Dual Fillings ESC DUOZ, from Endangered Species Chocolate, is a single-serve chocolate bar with dual, side-by-side fillings developed with a revolutionary patent-pending “one-shot” process. ESC DUOZ are

available in Peanut Butter & Caramel or Cinnamon Caramel & Coffee Caramel. The launch of ESC DUOZ at this year’s Natural Products Expo West accompanied the introduction of

SO: North Shore is proud to be the nation’s first sustainably certified herb grower. Over 70 percent of our facilities are solar-powered and our greenhouses are heated with renewable, geo-thermal energy. We also grow all our product hydroponically, which means we use 80 percent less water than field-grown crops. Any extra runoff water is collected and re-used. We understand the concern people have for the usage of non-renewable resources and the impact it has on our planet – North Shore is determined to be the reliable, sustainable option that’s making a difference.

PSD: In addition to helping the planet, what does North Shore do for its employees? SO: North Shore is a family-owned and operated company that advocates for fair labor for our employees and a safe working environment. We care immensely

about our employees’ success outside of work as well – we offer a yearly scholarship program for all employees and their families. For us, it’s important to know that in addition to taking care of our planet, we take care of our people, too.

PSD: What do you feel is your end goal with the products you produce?

SO: North Shore Living Herbs + Greens hopes to give back customers’ buying power. We want them to know they will always get the same great quality plant every time and that they are supporting a company that cares about their carbon footprint. This is a product we want people to be proud of and feel inspired to share with others. For more information, visit booth #3577, go to www.northshore.farm, call 760.397.0400 or email sales@northshore.farm.

Zone #136, encompassing all of Brevard County, importers and exporters can benefit from many cost saving advantages, such as speedier customs clearance and lower fees, inverted tariff relief and the ability to change or alter products quickly. Port Canaveral offers: controlling draft of -45 feet in main channel and -43 feet at berth; 10 deep-water container and multipurpose cargo berths; one hour from sea buoy to dock provides deep draft and unencumbered transit for carriers; highly efficient routing and reduced vessel costs; over 370,000 square feet of enclosed, dry and secure dockside ware-

house, including 280,000 square feet refrigerated warehouse space; Foreign Trade Zone #136, encompassing all of Brevard County, provides cost saving advantages including speedier customs clearance, lower fees and inverted tariff reliefs; and Liebherr LHM 600 mobile harbor crane, largest in the U.S., and two Gantry cranes handle all types of heavy cargoes, including heavy space components.

better food choices by leveraging the impact of retail dietitians,” said Ruhs. “Avocados From Mexico are a delicious and versatile fruit, full of good fats that can improve the nutritional impact of any meal.” As part of its RD program, AFM has developed comprehensive Health & Wellness Activation Kits for its retailers and RDs throughout the year. Fully downloadable and themed to key occasions, seasons and holidays, the kits provide retailers and RDs inspirational, eye-catching materials that help connect with shoppers, and expand usage possibilities with the goal of increasing basket size. Since Avocados From Mexico are always in season, retailers enjoy promotional boosts all year long. “The kits include everything needed to empower the retail dietitian to engage

customers in the aisles with signage, storing and ripening information, coupons, recipe cards, nutrition brochures, social media assets and more,” said Stephanie Bazan, Vice President of Trade and Market Development for Avocados From Mexico. “It’s a great way to amplify our heathy eating message to consumers while tapping into the influence of in-store nutrition experts.” Visit booth #1049 to talk to Barbara Ruhs in person and learn more about AFM’s initiatives for the coming year. Barb will be sharing prescheduled avocado dietary counseling and helping RDs discover new ways to reach their customers.

Endangered Species Chocolate’s new branding and packaging. Though the look has changed, the company’s mission is the same, and Endangered Species Chocolate still dedicates 10 percent of

For more information, email cpa.cargo@portcanaveral.com or visit www.portcanaveral.com.

For more information, visit AFM at booth #1049 or go to www.myavonutrition.com. annual net profits to the support of wildlife conservation efforts.

For more information, call 800.293.0160, email info@chocolatebar.com or go to www.chocolatebar.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Food Safety Made Easy with BioSafe Systems Food safety concerns have skyrocketed as outbreaks of E. coli, listeria and salmonella have emerged nationwide. In response, new regulation such as the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is requiring vegetable/fruit growers and processors to adapt to higher food safety requirements with increased data logging of all food safety intervention steps. BioSafe Systems’ SaniDate®15.0 and Smart Spray Bar System take away the complexities of meeting all current and future regulations, while streamlining an operation through industry leading sanitation and food processing. Superior sanitation is achieved with SaniDate 15.0, an EPA approved food safety microbicide that utilizes advanced peroxyacetic acid (PAA)

chemistry. SaniDate 15.0 is labeled to kill human health pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni. Additionally, its contact-kill chemistry is labeled to eliminate spoilage and decay-causing bacteria, yeasts, molds and fungi. SaniDate 15.0 is Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliant to treat raw produce wash and process waters for hydro coolers, flumes and spray bars. SaniDate 15.0’s PAA-based formula gives it many advantages over chlorine-based chemistries used in postharvest applications, including but not limited to: versatile applications – can be used on all hard food contact and non-food contact surfaces; no post rinse

Double D Farms Takes Organic Stewardship Seriously 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 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 outdoor recreational facilities, and nutritional meals.

Triangle and JDD Packaging Introduce the Triangle/JDD Rotary Pouch Machine For produce packagers and others looking for an automated filling and sealing solution for pre-made pouches, Triangle Package Machinery Company, together with JDD Packaging Ltd., is introducing the Triangle/JDD Rotary Pouch Machine. Designed to fill 3-sided seal, flat pouches and stand-up pouches (SUP) at speeds up to 50 pouches per minute (ppm), the Rotary Pouch Machine is available in two models: Model JRPM-8812 and JRPM-81215. Depending on the type of product being filled, the Triangle/JDD Rotary Pouch Machine is paired with a Triangle InLine Combination Weigher or other scale or auger to fill product into pouches. The system includes a series of stations to pick, open, fill and seal the pre-

made pouch. Other stations include a horizontal infeed belt and a pouch outfeed conveyor. Standard features also include a pouch shaker to help settle product, as well as a Markem date coder. Key features and benefits include no fill – no seal. If a bag does not open, product will not be dispensed. Bags not filled will pass through the sealing station without sealing, saving product and wasted bags. It has a clean, open design for ease of sanitation and maintenance, stainless steel frame (painted cast frame enclosed), ease of operation and superior service and support. “As pouches continue to gain popularity in the flexible packaging market, we see a definite need for automated solutions that will enable small- to medi-

Teekanne Wellness Teas for a Healthy Lifestyle Herbal and botanical teas are booming within the tea category across the nation, and with good reason. Many teas provide natural health benefits once consumed.

For example, Ginger-Lemon caffeinefree tea from Teekanne is comprised of ginger root, lemongrass, lemon peels, lemon myrtle and licorice. Ginger-

Produce Show Daily required – chemistry biodegrades into oxygen and water; does not offgas and low corrosivity – gentle on equipment and personnel; OMRI-listed for organic production, USDA Certified, NSF Certified and Kosher Certified. BioSafe System’s Smart Spray System offers thorough data-logging and reporting capabilities that makes meeting regulation and passing food safety audits simple and easy. By utilizing a specialized probe and cloud-based data logger, the Smart Spray Bar System allows real-time data monitoring and manipulation of SaniDate 15.0 applications. The Smart Spray Bar System is capable of recording multiple data points for enhanced FSMA documentation, including: PAA application in parts-per-million (PPM), day and time stamp when the system is operating, chemical tank levels, flow rates, ambient air temperature and pH of water being

treated. By storing all data in the cloud, users have access to data anytime and anywhere via mobile-app or browser. Its thorough data reporting capabilities ensure that all current food-safety regulations are met, while also safeguarding an operation from any future regulatory requirements that are on the horizon. BioSafe Systems takes food safety seriously. In its mission to remain at the forefront of innovation and service in providing simple, sustainable and effective solutions, SaniDate 15.0 paired with the Smart Spray Bar System is a simple yet comprehensive and extraordinarily effective solution that makes the complexities of food safety manageable.

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.

um-sized companies in a wide range of markets to keep up with demand,” says Ralph Hernandez, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Triangle Package Machinery Company. “Triangle has a long history of working with JDD in the Canadian marketplace, and we saw a great opportunity to bring this technology to customers in the United States and Mexico. With the strength of Triangle’s service and parts support, we are confident that customers are not only getting a quality machine, but above and beyond service and support.” With simple tool-less changeover and the ability to store up to 48 recipes, the system can easily run multiple products or bag sizes. Pouch sizes range from 4 inches wide to 12 inches wide, depending on model, while pouch heights range from 4 inches to 15 inches. The rotary Lemon tea helps suppport a healthy immune and digestive system. Ginger is known to soothe headache pain and to reduce motion sickness and nausea. Lemongrass has a calming effect and offers anxiety-reducing properties as well as a positive impact on oral health, aid in relieving bloat and help to lower cholesterol. Many of the ingredients in

Visit BioSafe Systems at booth #4102. For more information, go to www.biosafe systems.com, call 888.273.3088 or email info@biosafesystems.com.

Visit Double D Farms at booth #270. For more information, go to www.doubled farms.com or call 559.573.7500. pouch filler is suitable for a variety of markets, including granola, snacks, confectionery, dried fruit and nuts, as well as powders such as spices, sugars, baking mixes and more. The Triangle/JDD Rotary Pouch Machine is an ideal entry-level solution for businesses looking for the next step in packaging automation.

About Triangle Package Machinery Company Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Triangle Package Machinery Company 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.

For more information, call 800.621.4170 or go to www.trianglepackage.com.

this tea also provide anti-inflammatory proprerties and may also assist in weight loss. The natural essential oil in ginger combined with fresh lemon make this infusion perfect to warm you from within. For more information, call 800.875.5557, email info@gourmetint.com or go to www.gourmetint.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Rehabilitating Palm Oil’s Reputation By Lorrie Baumann

Neil Blomquist is on a quest to persuade consumers that palm oil isn’t inherently either unhealthy or immoral. He’s fighting his battles in a world in which his audience has already been bombarded with publicity that suggests otherwise. Palm oil came to dominate the vegetable oil market after trans-fats were discovered to be harmful to human health, partly because, like coconut oil, it’s a solid at room temperature and has a high smoke point and largely because the trees that produce the fruit from which the palm oil is made are so productive. Oil palm trees are six to 10 times more efficient at producing oil than oilseed crops such as canola, soybean, olive and sunflower. A hectare of oil palms (about 2.5 acres) produces an average of about 3 tons of oil per year, and theoretical productivity is more than 8 tons of oil per year. Soybeans, the world’s second-leading source of vegetable oil, yield about half a ton of oil per hectare. In addition, oil palms are a permanent crop that doesn’t have to be replanted every year. “You plant a tree, and you can harvest fruit from that tree for up to 40 years,” Blomquist said. “It doesn’t require annual replanting. Farmers are cutting fruit from the tree every week and get a constant flow of income.” That productivity made the oil cheaper to produce than its alternatives, which made it a natural choice in 2006

when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required food manufacturers to declare trans fats on their product labels. Trans fats were banned from the nation’s food supply in 2018, three years after the FDA ruled that they are unsafe to eat. Demand for the oil was also prompted by the passage of laws by Western nations in the mid-2000s to encourage the use of vegetable oils in fuels, which was supposed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and help curb global warming as well as cut the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. The boom in demand for the oil led to widespread clearing of tropical rain forest to plant oil palms. Global palm oil production increased from 15.2 million tons in 1995 to 62.6 million tons in 2015, according to the European Palm Oil Alliance. Production is led by Indonesia and Malaysia, which are the leading exporters of palm oil worldwide. By 2018, more than 3.5 million hectares of Indonesian and Malaysian rain forest had been cleared, destroying about 80 percent of orangutan habitat and putting the apes on the World Wildlife Fund’s critically endangered list. Fewer than 80,000 orangutans survive in the wild today, according to the WWF, and shrinking forest habitat in the region is also threatening elephants, the Sumatran Rhino and the Sumatran Tiger, all also critically endangered. Environmental organizations alarmed by the loss of wildlife habitat and by the cli-

Apple Blueberry Salsa Delivers Full New England Flavor Stonewall Kitchen gives Maine attitude to a Mexican classic with its new Apple Blueberry Salsa. The company has a history of expertise with fruitinspired salsas, including its luscious Raspberry Salsa and smoky sweet Pineapple Chipotle Salsa. This new product is a perfect addition to the line,

featuring tasty blueberries along with crisp apples – always New England favorites. The recipe starts with a base of tomatoes, sweet red peppers and a touch of jalapeño. Apples lend a smooth texture to the mix, with mildly sweet undertones. In the finished product, the blueberries

Produce Show Daily mate change impacts of widespread deforestation began applying very public pressure to industrial users of palm oil. Under pressure from these powerful advocacy groups, some manufacturers and restaurant chains have eliminated palm oil from their recipes, other palm oil buyers have switched to palm oil that’s certified not to have contributed to deforestation, and some are still embroiled in the controversy. The World Wildlife Fund provides an online scorecard that scores Ahold, the Delhaize Group, Walmart and Britain’s Marks & Spencer with a perfect 9 out of 9 points on a scale that rewards companies for commitment to responsible sourcing of palm oil; Costco, Kroger and Target with a 2 score and Safeway with a 1. Among manufacturers, Ferrero, FrieslandCampina, Mars and Hershey all received perfect 9point scores, while Smucker’s got 4 points and Campbell’s got 2. It’s not all about shame and blame, though – the World Wildlife Fund is also a founding member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, which creates standards for sustainable palm oil production and certifies qualified growers and processors. According to the WWF, about 20 percent of the world’s palm oil is now certified sustainable by the RSPO. Blomquist is the Director of Innovation and Business Development for Natural Habitats, which produces palm oil in Ecuador, and he’s a fan as well as an employee. He says that his company, a member of the RSPO, complies with the strictest RSPO standards to ensure that entire supply chain is fully traceable, that all of its oil is grown under sustain-

remain whole and impart a hint of blueberry flavor that is brightly sweet without being overwhelming. Dark red in color, this salsa is mildly spicy – a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10 (Stonewall Kitchen’s flaming hot Ghost Pepper Salsa gets a 10!), which makes it a quick and easy dip to offer at family gatherings like pool parties or barbecues. Serving possibilities abound for this exciting new offering. It’s a great partner for chicken tacos, tostadas or taco salad,

able organic practices to protect the watershed and the soil and that Natural Habitats has also gone above and beyond by adopting social justice practices that protect the workers that produce the oil. He says that his company is one of three major producers in the world that protect both the environment and the indigenous communities in the tropical regions where the oil palm is cultivated. Natural Habitats calls its approach “Palm Done Right.” The company is currently sourcing its oil from 180 small Ecuadorian farms converted from conventional to organic agriculture. “There are new farmers in queue all the time because we’re growing and need more oil,” Blomquist said. “Our focus is on transitioning conventional farmers to organic.” “When you look at the mill itself, we have a much more sustainable system: little to no waste, and water effluent is treated into a final water that you can grow tilapia in,” he added. “When you press the oil, you get fiber, which is collected and used as fuel for the boilers.” Ecuadorian law provides some protection for the farmers, with labor laws that mandate a minimum wage and provide for health care coverage for workers, but enforcement is spotty, Blomquist said, and so Palm Done Right also carries Fair for Life certification, which provides additional protection for both the workers who grow the oil palms and those who process the oil. “It’s a much more transparent relationship with the workers,” Blomquist said. “We make sure the farmers follow these higher level rules as well.” or try it atop a pork, cheddar and green apple quesadilla for a gourmet twist on a favorite lunch. Of course, you can’t go wrong pairing this salsa with Stonewall Kitchen’s crunchy and delicious Yellow Tortilla Chips. A sensational accompaniment to all kinds of snacks, this novel salsa brings two beloved Maine fruits together for a winning combination. For more information, call 888.326.5678 or go to www.stonewallkitchen.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Handmade Toffee to Go Nuts Over By Lorrie Baumann

Dave’s Sweet Tooth makes premium almond toffee in Michigan. Dave is, in fact, an actual person, the retired Detroit firefighter who started making toffee for his fellow firefighters during his turn at the cooking duties for the firehouse. “He’d always liked to cook and bake. Being a firefighter, you’ve got to cook for 20 guys at a time. They’re notoriously good cooks,” said Andrew Chmielewski, his son. “He just really likes the reaction that he gets with the things he makes. He just started making this toffee, and people just went nuts over it.” Dave’s recipe makes a softer toffee than most, chewy but not a challenge. “It doesn’t stick in your teeth or break your teeth,” Chmielewski said. “It’s almost like a cookie texture. It’s pretty good stuff.” After his retirement, he passed his recipe on to his son, who’d just dropped out of college to become an entrepreneur. “I always wanted to work for myself, and

when I saw the response that my dad was having to the toffee, I decided that I could always go back,” said Chmielewski, whose business card now says that he’s Dave’s Sweet Tooth’s Benevolent Oompah Loompah Overlord. “I started to make a business out of it, selling it at craft shows, at holiday events. It went from there to local stores.... People started requesting it.” Over the past four or five years, Dave’s Sweet Tooth has grown steadily, expanding its production facility in Harrison Township, just north of Detroit, Michigan, from 5,000 square feet to 10,000 just this year. “We need the space,” Chmielewski said. “It’s grown faster than I could have imagined.” The toffee is now sold in 5,000 stores across the U.S. and is moving into Canada. The toffee comes in five flavors: Coffee Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Peanut Butter Crunch and Dark Chocolate Cherry. They all have a base of almond toffee; the Peanut Butter

Natural Products Industry Alliance Pitches in for Disaster Relief By Lorrie Baumann

Organic Valley and Dr. Bronner’s have teamed up with United Peace Relief and Grassroots Alliance to form the Grassroots Aid Partnership with the goal of bringing natural food producers together in a formal way to provide an ongoing resource to help people who’ve been affected by disasters such as California’s Camp Fire. That fire burned the town of Paradise, California, and killed at least 85 people, including five firefighters, last year and continues to affect survivors who still haven’t found new stable housing. United Peace Relief is a nonprofit organization that provides volunteers to respond to disasters with humanitarian relief, while Grassroots Alliance is a charity organization dedicated to directing resources to organizations focused on alleviating hunger in the U.S. and in disaster zones throughout the world. Clovis Siemon is leading the effort on behalf of Organic Valley. While his day job with the company doesn’t involve natural disasters, the company stood behind him when he formed and managed a relief kitchen that fed thousands per day after Hurricane Katrina. Since then, Organic Valley has continued to respond. “I led Organic Valley to dis-

asters, but Organic Valley has kept responding, disaster after disaster, over the last 14 years,” he said. While his and Organic Valley’s early efforts to provide disaster relief were ad hoc, over the past few years, the company team working on the efforts has gained organizational skills and become part of a network that works with other disaster relief organizations such as the Salvation Army and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to fill in the gaps to meet human needs after a disaster. Now they think they’re ready to involve other natural food companies in the effort, Siemon said. “Three years ago, when Organic Valley gave to a disaster, we’d be all alone – it would be us giving directly to one 501(c)3 organization,” he said. “Now we’re bringing a lot more resources to the table.... we felt more comfortable inviting the rest of the industry in because, as a cooperative, we believe in collaboration, and because we felt confident that this is something that we can make work.” The Grassroots Aid Partnership will continue to work with other organizations, leaving them to take the lead in emergency response but then joining in once the gaps have made themselves felt and then continuing to help for a month or more to help rebuild the affected com-

Jumping Bean Coffee Signature Blends Headquartered in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, Jumping Bean is an independent premium coffee roaster and café franchise system, offering unique blends and the richest single origin coffees available in market. The brand has grown exponentially in Canada and has now moved into the United States, with its 2-pound whole

bean and 100-count single-serve products now available for purchase online at www.samsclub.com. Jumping Bean selects the finest raw coffee beans from around the world, roasting them with a unique Eco2Roast® system. This process recovers 85 percent of the heat produced during the roasting process, saving a pound of carbon per

Produce Show Daily Crunch flavor includes almonds, milk chocolate and peanut butter chips. The Dark Chocolate Cherry flavor is made with dried cherries, almonds and dark chocolate. The company makes a few seasonal varieties for the winter holidays: Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread Cookie and Peppermint. A new flavor that’s still under development for release next year will be made without almonds, to accommodate toffee lovers who might be allergic to nuts. “We’ve done some in the past with bourbon and vanilla bean,” Chmielewski said. “There are so many different things you can do.... Toffee’s a really fun thing to work with.” While Dave used to pack his toffee in Mason jars, Dave’s Sweet Tooth is packaging it in 4-ounce pouches designed to call back the image of a Mason jar. Dave’s Sweet Tooth sends them out to retailers in 60-pound shippers with 12 of each of the five flavors, including a bulk sample with every shipper for the retailer’s sampling program. The toffee retails for $4.99 to $5.99 per 4-ounce bag. “If we can get it into people’s mouths, it sells like crazy,”

Chmielewski said. “It sells like crazy in all kinds of channels, including hardware stores, gift basket companies.” It’s still handmade – “the same way my dad made it,” said Chmielewski. As for Dave, he’s still making a little toffee himself, and when one of his batches turns out particularly well, he shares the idea with his son. “He still tinkers around with recipes in the kitchen. He still makes toffee,” Chmielewski said. “It drives my mom nuts when he makes stuff at the house. She wants to get him out of her kitchen. It would be fair to say that he’s still keeping his hand in the toffee pot with a little product development.” This year, he came along with his son to the Sweets and Snacks Expo for his first time seeing the show, held in May at the McCormick Place convention center in Chicago, Illinois. “He’s still amazed at how big the industry is in general. It’s hard to describe to people – you just have to come,” Chmielewski said. “I don’t think he quite grasped it until he walked into McCormick Center and saw it. He never thought it would be as big as it’s become.”

munities. “We figure out the needs and pitch in,” Siemon said. “We’ve been building kitchens and doing distributions for years. The formation of the Grassroots Aid Partnership is to support those efforts.” The new organization’s focus – at least for now – is disasters within the U.S., but Siemon expects that the partnership will begin working on an international scale within a few years, since some of the volunteers who are involved with Grassroots Aid Partnership are already also involved in international disaster relief efforts. “We’re trying to start humbly,” Siemon said. “But we’re growing to meet the need.” While each disaster presents its own challenges, the human need for safe, healthy food is a constant, and both Organic Valley and Dr. Bronner’s already had resources that they could put to work helping out in an emergency. Organic Valley has shipped dairy products into the Camp Fire area for months to help. “Dr Bronner’s sends sanitation materials. Patagonia Provisions, Nancy’s Yogurt, Lotus Foods, Clif Bar and others have also committed to sending goods,” Siemon said. Both Dr. Bronner’s and Organic Valley have mobile kitchens that are ordinarily used for event marketing, but in disasters, the companies are sending them out for relief efforts. “Dr. Bronner’s owns a big kitchen that can feed 10,000 people a day,” Siemon said. “They built the kitchen to feed people at Burning Man, but the rest of the year, it

does disaster relief on request. Organic Valley has a smaller kitchen that will feed about 1,000 people a day.” Sanderson Farms has also helped out when refrigeration is needed, he added. “Sanderson Farms has been very active and will often send a semi with chicken in it, and they’ll leave the semi for the disaster to use,” he said. “It’s a great example of how we break down borders. When it comes to disasters, everyone’s in it to give.” The new organization has gone first to the natural foods industry as it puts together the resources to make this an ongoing effort, Siemon said. “We were well connected there.... In this time of rebuilding, it’s really important to give people the healthiest foods they can have to renourish them.... We are also trying distinctly to find food companies with healthy products, but we’re not picky about whether they’re organic. It just happens that we started with the natural foods sector.” There’s also room for food retailers to get involved by cross-loading goods or lending refrigerated trucks, Siemon said. “Often we just need a parking lot to set up in,” he said. “We’re big fans of everyone trying to help out.”

pound of coffee. In addition to this, Jumping Bean’s single serve coffee pods are manufactured with 100 percent compostable materials. That’s not just biodegradable – compostable means that the whole pod, ring and all, can be dropped directly into the kitchen

waste or compost bin, or dropped off at a local commercial composting facility for easy disposal. Jumping Bean Coffee is proud to offer certified fair trade, organic, compostable products.

For more information, visit the GAP partnership’s website at www.grass rootsaidpartnership.org or email info@grassrootsaidpartnership.org. To sign up to help, email help@grassroots aidpartnership.org.

For more information, call 709.754.4538, email jeff@jumping bean.ca or go to www.jumpingbean.ca.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Produce Show Daily

Matrix Bag and Pouch Machines Matrix Packaging Machinery is featuring flexible packaging solutions. The Morpheus servo-driven continuous box motion bagger form fill and seal machine is rated at up to 180 bags per minute and features automatic setup (AutoPro) capabilities that reduce changeover time and lead to higher productivity. The Morpheus offers high performance and a completely configurable solution for small and large bags. The high-speed jaw system allows for maximum dwell time on sealing and allows for faster speeds and accuracy, making these units ideal for applications such as fresh cut and individually quick frozen (IQF) foods. The option of either a

Beckhoff or AB control system offers a friendly, highly intuitive system and allows the user to quickly adjust for the perfect seal. With high performance vacuum film pull belts and the continuous box-motion jaw, customers can run a variety of bag film types and bag sizes. The Matrix AutoPro™ seeks to reduce change-over time by using servo mechanisms to make critical adjustments, freeing up the operator to do the other needed tasks for change-over. The positions of the various adjustments are saved in the product recipe. All an operator needs to do is replace the forming tube with the new one and load the correct film. Each critical mechanical

Thermal Technologies Showcases Next Generation TarpLess SX Ripening Room When Thermal Technologies patented the TarpLess® ripening room over 25 years ago, it took the industry by storm. That’s why today, around the world, more fruit is ripened in TarpLess ripening rooms than in all other commercial ripening room systems combined. Continuous innovation and a firm commitment to customer service and support have been major drivers of Thermal Tech’s success. But that’s just part of the story. The TarpLess ripening room’s ability to deliver consistently superior, high quality fruit with unparalleled reliability is also proven to give Thermal Tech customers an unbeatable sales advantage. This leads to a faster return-on-investment followed by years of increased sales and profit. Today, Thermal Tech remains at the

forefront of technological innovation with its next generation TarpLess SX ripening room with Fruit-centric Ripening™, innovative control technology that forms the beating heart of the TarpLess SX ripening room series. Thermal Tech is showcasing the system at this year’s PMA Fresh Summit. Fruit-centric Ripening uses data sent directly from the fruit to the system’s intelligent SX control system. Using this data, the system is able to produce and maintain the perfect balance of temperature, humidity and airflow to keep pulp temperatures uniform while optimizing control and efficiency throughout every step of the ripening process. Thermal Tech has a TarpLess SX solution to meet every commercial ripening need with rooms for bananas, avoca-

A Condiment that Comes with Community By Lorrie Baumann

To make it in the U.S., you need either financial capital or intellectual capital, according to Gerard Bozoghlian, whose family emigrated from Argentina to the U.S. in 1991; “Mom’s rich intellectual capital is an archive of Argentine culinary methods and traditions.” Those recipes included authentic recipes for Argentinian chimichurri sauces that his mother, Azniv, had developed while she was cooking for the Bozoghlian family and friends. Azniv, herself of Greek descent and who had grown up in a Greek neighborhood in Argentina; the food she’d been served at home was what she knew. After she married Bozoghlian’s father, Carlos, and settled into housekeeping, she felt the need to expand her culinary repertoire, so she took herself off to culinary school. “The running joke in the family is that Dad told Mom that he could eat dolmades and moussaka a couple of times a week, but that he wanted his dose milanesa, lasagna and empanadas as often as possible,” Bozoghlian says. “She really has an ardent passion for food, to become one with the essence, the roots and eventual influences of Argentine culinary tradi-

tions. Every family vacation was grounded and planned around culinary excursions. Visiting the Rosa Mosqueta harvest in Bariloche or the tomato harvest in Rio Negro. As a family, much of our time spent bonding revolved around the discovery of ingredients and the overall appreciation of food and wine.” After the family moved to the U.S. when Gerard, the youngest of three brothers, was 15, the older boys went off to college, one to UCLA and one in Pasadena, and the whole family focused on finding a sense of community for themselves in West Hollywood. “In Argentina, everyone was home for dinner at 9 p.m. In the States in the ‘90s, honoring a nightly family dinner schedule was a challenge. There was an increasing feeling of separation,” Bozoghlian says. “In Buenos Aires, extended family gatherings were the norm on the weekends. Here, we just had the five of us, and the Los Angeles work/university travel times and distances were spreading us thin. Maintaining our strongly bonded family unit meant everything.” The family worked hard to turn Azniv’s recipe collection into the basis for a menu for an authentic Argentinian steakhouse that began attracting other

adjustment is then automatically returned to the position from the last time that job was saved. This system allows for a much faster change-over with greatly reduced film waste as compared to other continuous motion VFFS machines. The AutoPro system is an integrated part of the operating system on the Morpheus continuous motion machine. These settings are accessed from the HMI along with all the other machine settings, providing seamless set-up. The Toyo Jidoki TT-8D-N pre-made pouch fill and seal machine is designed for stand-up, flat bottom and fifth-panel style bags. The TT-8D-N pre-made

dos, pears, stone fruit, even multi-fruit rooms that combine ripening, pre-cooling and lowtemp storage. Dual or multiple temperature control zones allow fruit to be ripened to different stages in the same room at the same time with the same unbeatable quality and guaranteed uniformity. Every TarpLess SX ripening room comes with Thermal Tech’s exclusive humidification system, which protects and maintains naturally occurring moisture levels contained in the fruit throughout the ripening process. In rooms lacking proper humidification, this naturally occurring moisture slowly evaporates during ripening, increasing peel sensitivity, reducing fruit weight and shortening shelf-life. By maintaining optimal moisture levels during ripening, TarpLess SX minimizes weight loss, delivering up to 1/2 pound more weight per box, while

Argentine emigres. “Slowly we developed the community we dreamed to have,” Bozoghlian says. Today we’re blessed to have guests who have been dining with us for 22 years. Families that discovered us when their children were toddlers are now hosting their college graduation celebrations at Carlitos Gardel.” Eventually, Max Bozoghlian, the oldest of the three brothers, became one of an early wave of professional sommeliers in Los Angeles, Rodrigo went off to law school, and Gerard, at 21, graduated from his apprenticeship under his mother to become the restaurant’s general manager. A couple of years later, Azniv decided that she’d laid enough of a foundation for the restaurant’s kitchen that she could take a step back from working a regular shift at the restaurant – although she is still very much in charge of the desserts there. Somehow, Gerard decided that he wasn’t busy enough just operating the restaurant, and he began working on the development of recipes for the sauces so they could be preserved as shelf-stable products while still maintaining their authentic character. He found mentors in Freddy Carbajal, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dotta Foods International, Inc., and Eliot Swartz, co-Founder and co-Chair of Two Chefs on a Roll, Inc. “Freddy real-

pouch filler sealer is rated at up to 55 flat, standup and press-toclose pouches per minute. This machine is widely flexible and can produce various pouch formats and product types; it is easy to clean with its washdown design for sanitary operation. The touchscreen controls are user-friendly for quick and efficient operation and maintenance. The TT-8D-N produces a precise and dependable seal. Options and accessories include: date printer, air squeeze device, nitrogen gas flush, liquid filling systems, zip open/close device, ultrasonic sealing option and more. For more information, matrix.info@promachbuilt.com.

extending shelf life up to 12 hours, minimizing retail shrink. Fruit looks better, lasts longer and weighs more with the same unbeatable quality and guaranteed uniformity that has made the TarpLess ripening room the number one choice in commercial ripening the world over. With nearly 30 years of TarpLess ripening room installations, most still in operation today, Thermal Tech has the knowledge, skill and experience to ensure every TarpLess SX installation meets its client’s current and future needs in the most costefficient way possible. That’s particularly important when it comes to planning for sales volume increases after installation.

For more information, visit booth #3303, go to www.gotarpless.com or contact David Byrne at 803.461.7980.

ly took me under his wing. Introduced me to some of the top food scientists,” Bozoghlian says. “He wanted to see me succeed. Even with his and others’ help, it took five years to formulate the first product that’s shelf-stable, authentic in terms of composition: staying true to authentic ingredients found in chimichurri; and also authentic in terms of consistency. We don’t produce an emulsified paste. We produce a handcrafted, free-flowing sauce, and it goes into the jar that way. There’s never a time when the full integrity of the sauce is not honored.” “Argentines respond to Gardel’s Chimichurri because they recognize it as what they’ve always known chimichurri to be,” he continues. “That was my goal – to stay true and honor our traditions.” Some of that story is now on the label of each of Gardel’s Fine Foods’ chimichurri sauces. All made with 100 percent extra virgin olive oil and no added sugar, they are Chimichurri Balsamico, Chimichurri Spicy Balsamico, Chimichurri Autentico and Chimichurri Lime. Each jar holds 8 ounces of sauce and retails for $8.99 to $11.99. Nationwide distribution is available. For more information, www.chimichurrisauce.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Produce Show Daily

Striking the Motherlode in Colorado By Lorrie Baumann

Colorado-based Motherlode Provisions started with a wildfire. It was back in 2010 when a wildfire broke out below the historic mining camp at Gold Hill, Colorado. “Everyone was evacuated for about 10 days,” recalls Carolyn Oxley, who with her husband Leland Oxley, is a co-Owner of Motherlode Provisions. When 230 or so residents of the tiny town were allowed to return to their homes, Leland, who is a chef, was asked to cater a benefit barbecue to welcome everyone back home. He smoked several hundred pounds of meat, brisket and pork shoulder and made a simple sauce to go with it. “He had a smoker on hand because he’s the kind of guy who has a smoker on hand,” Carolyn says. “On a whim, we decided to put the barbecue sauce into bottles and sold it with handmade labels.” Along the way, Leland thought about the sauce he’d put on the table and came

face to face with the fact that although he, a Kansas native who’d grown up surrounded by barbecue, knew exactly what he thought barbecue sauce is supposed to taste like, the Rocky Mountain region didn’t actually have a sauce style to call its own. After his sauce was a hit at the barbecue, Leland set out to change that by inventing a sauce that would honor the spirit of the Rocky Mountain region and the gold mining heritage that inspired the brand on the label of the Oxleys’ sauce. By May of 2011, Motherlode Provisions had two barbecue sauces and a Bloody Mary mix on store shelves. They’re all thicker than most sauces, with rustic bits of chopped vegetables in a tomato base and hearty flavors that evoke the adventurous spirit of the Rocky Mountain wilderness. “That was definitely a deliberate choice. We wanted a Bloody Mary mix that would be rustic and hearty and wouldn’t water down easily,” Carolyn says. “It has chopped jalapeno, toasted onion, some pieces of garlic. It

Local Focus Drives Sales for Chicago’s Garden Gourmet By Lorrie Baumann

Tucked in among the restaurants on the Wicker Park neighborhood side of Division Street, Garden Gourmet offers Chicago, Illinois, commuters a taste of fresh and local in an easy stop on their way home from the nearby subway station. Inside the 2,500 square-foot space, they find abundant choices for craft beers and wines; fresh, organic produce; a cheese case, grass-fed meats and a selection of packaged products to round out meals. “What distinguishes us is that we buy from a lot of local vendors here in Chicago,” said Owner Maher Farhan. “I buy from a lot of up-and-coming companies, mainly because they have good products. They’re not always there yet [with the power to distribute their products through distributors], and I know how it feels to start a business.”

Those local selections include the gourmet cuts of grass-fed meats, much of the seasonal produce, pasta sauces, chocolate and the artisanal small-batch coffees from Intelligentsia and Dark Matters. “Our customers are willing to try local,” Farhan said. “I think it’s great that people are willing to buy things just because they’re local – or they’re just starting – and they’d like to help out.” “We have a local salad guy who comes in and makes vegan salads and little vegetable salads, and people just love his stuff. He has a great following,” he added. “There’s a lot of new CBD products that are local. People come to us first to sell their products.” Farhan opened the store in 2010. He and his wife were both recent college graduates – he’d been a political science major at the University of Illinois, Chicago and had graduated in 2008 and

Duck Fat Now Available in a Cooking Spray By Lorrie Baumann

Cornhusker Kitchen has introduced Duck Fat Cooking Spray to the market. Packaged in a 7-ounce can with a twoyear shelf life, Duck Fat Cooking Spray delivers a fat beloved by high-end chefs in a format that appeals to home cooks, including those who grill and barbecue, as well as consumers who are practicing keto and Paleo lifestyles, said Dennis Schuett, who developed the product and introduced it to the market along with his business partner, Roger Brodersen. “The duck fat doesn’t overpower – it just makes food better,” he said. “We have such a diversity in our customers – it’s amazing.” Schuett’s development of the Duck Fat Cooking Spray happened over the course of four years and started with

Coney dogs. Schuett was serving Coney dogs in his cafes in Omaha and needed beef tallow to make the authentic sauce, and his source for his “secret ingredient” happened to mention one day that he could also supply duck fat from a Pennsylvania pasture-raised duck farm if Schuett had a use for it. That greased the wheels in Schuett’s culinary brain. “I got on the computer and started learning more and more about duck fat and found it to be one of the most wonderful cooking fats I’d ever dealt with,” Schuett said. “This, you can spray on food. You can spray it on your pan for a wonderful pan release, but you can feel good about spraying it right on your food.” He learned that duck fat was shelfstable with a melting point around 58 or 59 degrees and that it has a high smoke

does create a heartier mix, and that is what we wanted.” The Motherlode Provisions Rocky Mountain Barbecue Sauce is similar to the Bloody Mary mix: thick and savory with bold flavors. “It’s earthy in flavor rather than syrupy-sweet. a little more rustic. It’s a savory barbecue sauce, which sets it apart from quite a few others on the market,” Carolyn says. For those who like their barbecue a little sweeter, Motherlode Provisions makes Sweet Honey Lavender Barbecue Sauce, which contains real lavender bells and lavender oil in a tomato base and sweetened with honey. “It’s really delicious on poultry and game meats. Also really wonderful on vegetarian dishes like Portobello mushrooms or asparagus. You saute asparagus and add a little bit of Sweet Honey Lavender Barbecue Sauce,” Carolyn says. “There’s also something about the gaminess of game meats that complements lavender really

well. It’s very good with duck, too.” Since that initial introduction of the two sauces and the Bloody Mary mix, the Oxleys have continued their recipe development, and new products have joined the line, including Rocky Mountain Hot Sauce, Wildfire Hot Sauce, Motherlode Steak Sauce and Sweet & Smoky Barbecue Sauce, a sauce with a familiar barbecue flavor. “Because the other two are unique, we wanted to make a sauce that met the expectations of the majority of barbecue-sauce-speaking customers,” Carolyn says. “It contains hickory smoke, and it’s on the sweeter side with a little bit of heat, very traditional flavor and smooth texture. It’s a wonderful all-around versatile barbecue sauce, and a great dipping sauce for French fries. It’s a nice condiment, great on a burger.”

she’d graduated in 2009. Both Chicago natives, they wanted to stay in the city, but the local economy was reeling in the midst of the Great Recession. “It was very hard to find a decent job back then,” Farhan said. “There was really nothing available – there was nothing available for a new graduate. It was either start your own business or sell insurance door to door. I didn’t want to do that.... I followed in the family footsteps and started my own store.” During his childhood years, Farhan’s family had owned a grocery store about a mile and a half from where he operates today. Since he was familiar with the area, that’s where he started looking for a location to open his own store. “I found a space that wasn’t for rent, but when I asked the landlord, they were more than willing to rent it to me,” he said. “It turned out to be a good location because of its proximity to the busy intersection and the busy train station. I have customers who stop in twice a day.” The store’s Wicker Park neighborhood offers a traditional downtown area

with its row of bars and cafes along Division Street, and it’s revitalizing with new apartment buildings that are attracting residents into the area along with tourism traffic from Airbnb rentals. “We all add to the appeal of the neighborhood. It’s kind of what brings people to the neighborhood,” Farhan said. “It has ambiance. It draws people who want to experience the neighborhood.” Farhan operates the store with four employees who have a voice in the products that he stocks. “People send us samples all the time. We buy what we like,” he said. “Instead of a salesman coming through the door, we tend to buy what we like, and it’s been working out for us.” That focus on buying the products that interest the store’s staff translates into the staff’s ability to provide customer service and to influence shoppers’ purchasing decisions, Farhan said. “We can vouch for the products. You’ve got to know what you’re selling,” he said. “One of the main things I live by is just product knowledge. You’ve got to know what you’re selling, and it just drives sales.”

point. “So I thought, ‘what a wonderful cooking fat it could be if we could put it into a spray application for searing or for using as a binder for rubs and spices,’” he said. “It would be so much easier than heating up a fat or using a brush and trying to get all the areas covered.” That began Schuett’s search for the way to turn the duck fat into an aerosol spray. “I started looking at the world of aerosols, and for the most part, I didn’t like what I found,” he said. “Many ingredients had nothing to do with the flavor.” When he discovered bag-on-valve technology, which features a product-filled bag inside a can that uses pressure between the can and flexible bag to propel a spray without the need for chemical propellants, he was, he says, “the happiest person in the world.” With the technology secured, Schuett next had to find a copacker that was certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to handle a poultry product and that was willing to

house Schuett’s new equipment before he could go into production. Schuett found that combination in the state next door to his Nebraska home, and he now has a product that’s already being embraced by specialty food grocers around the U.S. and by competitors on the country’s barbecue circuit who are finding that it allows them to achieve a great reverse sear with attractive grill marks. “It’s sure nice on vegetables too,” Schuett said. “Air fryer folks are using it too. It’s like a godsend for those. It’s easy to clean up, and you hardly have to use any, and it creates a wonderful savory finish on fish, on pork or beef – I could just go on and on.” Cornhusker Kitchen Duck Fat Cooking Spray retails for $8.99 to $12.99 for the 7-ounce can. Cases contain six cans.

For more information, email inquiry@motherlodeprovisions.com.

For more information, call Dennis Schuett at 402.306.5958 or email dennis@duckfatspray.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Bare Snacks Offers New Fruit Chip Medleys By Lorrie Baumann

Bare Snacks®, which makes a line of baked fruit chip snacks that the company calls Snacks Gone Simple®, launched a pair of new products driven by customer demand this year at Natural Products Expo West. Bare Medley Pineapple Chips & Coconut Chips and bare Medley Apple Chips & Strawberry Chips are spin-offs from a similar snack chip medley that has sold well over several months in a Starbucks stores market test, prompting requests from customers who wanted to know where they could buy the product elsewhere, said Bare Snacks Chief Executive Officer Santosh Padki. “After the test launch, everybody in the office knew we were onto something,” he said. “We used to get phone calls in addition to inbound inquiries on the website.”

After the success of the Starbucks market test, which involved a medley of banana, pineapple and strawberry chips, the company began thinking about how they could create a product that would offer the same multiple-fruit appeal but that would also be uniquely different from the Starbucks offering, Padki said. Pairing up two Bare Snacks favorites was an easy first answer to that question. “There’s a lot of consumer love that’s been going into the apple and coconut chips over the years,” Padki said. Apples for the chips, which are baked to a crunch with no added sugar or fat, come from farmers in Washington and Oregon, while the strawberries are grown in North America. “It’s not a freeze-dried strawberry,” Padki said. “It’s a real baked strawberry that preserves the color and the flavor notes of a real straw-

Numi Tea Latte Concentrates Numi Organic Tea introduced its Tea Latte Concentrates at Natural Products Expo West 2019. The new Tea Latte Concentrates are available in Matcha Green Tea Latte and Turmeric Chai Lacerta (Cont’d. from p. 1)

capabilities and one in Mexico with thermoforming and injection molding capabilities.

PSD: Tell our readers about the new facility in California. Any other expansions?

AL: We’re really excited about opening a West Coast facility. We bought seven machines and moved them to a building with 100,000 square feet, allowing extra space for inventory and whatever comes next. California offers an opportunity to reach more food

Golden Latte™. With just 6 grams of sugar per serving, these tasty blends contain up to 50 percent less sugar than competing products and are made with only organic, eth-

companies and expand our reach for our customers. We are constantly adding new equipment to keep up with demand and maintain our speed to market, cost competitiveness and flexibility. Our Massachusetts campus has been very busy; in 2018, we added five new thermoformers including a high-speed dedicated K Cup line for high barrier, polypropylene recyclable cups. We also added another PET extrusion line, a cup sleeving line and an additional 45,000 square feet. 2019 has also been a big year for us, adding four additional thermoformers, a labeling line and an additional K Cup line.

Produce Show Daily berry.” For the bare Medley Chips & Pineapple Coconut Chips, Bare Snacks went farther abroad to source both pineapples and mid-maturity coconuts in Asia. Using coconuts at their mid-maturity stage makes for a coconut chip with a smooth and silky mouthfeel that still has the crunch that American consumers want in a chip, Padki said. Younger coconuts are more water than coconut meat, but as the coconut matures, it develops more meat. As it ages beyond the mid-maturity point, there’s even more coconut meat, but it can become dry and fibrous, according to Padki. “The consumer says it’s just too dry and unpleasant too eat,” he said. Bare Snacks then infuses the toasted coconut with natural flavor from a little bit of cane sugar and some sea salt to make chips that are then mixed with

ically-sourced, non-GMO plants and spices. Matcha Green Tea Latte is a smooth blend of premium matcha with a touch of cinnamon and ginger. Turmeric Chai Golden Latte contains organic, Fair Trade-certified turmeric from Madagascar and is blended with warming chai spices: cinnamon, ginger and PSD: What would you say makes your business unique?

AL: Our ability to help our customers get to market much faster than our competitors, with a lower capital investment. Customers are often surprised at how quickly we can get their product to shelves. Our flexibility and ease of doing business makes us unique. Customer service is core to our culture. Our customers can be dependent on us. We go to extremes to get things done for them and will do whatever we can if possible. PSD: Are you introducing any new products this season?

AL: Yes, a lot of new tamper evident containers from our Fresh n’ Sealed line. We are focused on unique containers with sleek lines. We have added more snacking containers, handheld multiGrowers Are Us (Cont’d. from p. 1)

and 10 pound presentation. Rainbow carrots and baby carrots come in vacuum sealed bags (5 or 10 pound) to ensure quality throughout transit. All of the fields and packing house facilities in Guatemala are certified with Global Gap and HACCP every year. If you are looking for a more tailored presentation than the ones mentioned above, either specific size/weight or even private labeling, Growers Are Us is set up to evolve to your needs. With growers in several countries, Growers Are Us wants you to think of it as your own personal farm. The company is easy to work with; whether it be communication or follow through, Growers Are Us makes sure to gets the job done the right way. Some of the core items on which the

baked pineapple chips to create a snack that’s a good source of fiber as well as the fun crunch. “Everything we do is done with a unique baked process. We absolutely focus on simple ingredients, simple processes,” Padki said. “We package them the right way in different sizes to bring them into the retail channels.” Like all Bare Snacks products, the bare Medley Pineapple Chips & Coconut Chips and bare Medley Apple Chips & Strawberry Chips are certified by NonGMO Project and have no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They’re offered in 1.6-ounce to 1.8-ounce singleserving stand-up pouches, which are resealable so they can also be enjoyed over a couple of snack occasions. They’ll retail for $4.29, in line with the rest of the company’s product line. For more information, visit www .baresnacks.com.

cardamom along with black pepper. Numi’s Tea Latte Concentrates launched Feb. 14, and have a suggested retail price of $8.99 per 32-ounce recyclable bottle. For more information, call 866.972.6879 or go to www.numitea.com.

compartment packages and smaller sizes for a quick snack. We’re also adding more sandwich packaging for pinwheels and wraps.

PSD: What products do you see as being hottest this year?

AL: Prepared food options. We think our ultra-clear microwavable tamper evident containers are the perfect fit. Food security offers peace of mind with improved clarity; customers trust and enjoy being able to see the product. A container should enhance the customer experience and show off the product. We also see grab n’ go containers to continue to grow. Snacking is very popular and with everyone’s busy schedules, convenience is key.

For more information, go to www .lacerta.com, call 508.339.3312 or email sales@lacerta.com.

company was founded consist of sugar snaps, snow peas, English peas, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, baby corn, broccolini and asparagus. Based out of Miami, Growers Are Us is located centrally for South and Central American imports. This enables the company to ship throughout the entire United States and Canada on any given day. As Growers Are Us has continued to prove itself in this ever-changing industry, the company seeks new partnerships where it can help add to your ongoing business. Its mission is to connect the world together and make your life easier.

For more information, call Dan Wahl at 305.606.2675 or Dave Fernandez at 954.303.8121, or go to www.growers areus.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

and tortilla chips didn’t meet their nutritional goals. What those customers really liked about the Beanfields brand was that it offered bold flavor in an alternative to conventional tortilla chips. Ventura’s first task at hand, then, following his arrival at the company from Califia Farms, where he headed up business development, was to figure out how the brand could grow without alienating those customers. “Only after 10 months here do I feel I have the full vision in place for the potential for this brand,” Ventura said. “But when I think about everything with bean as the hero ingredient, I think of [Beanfields] as potential to be a master brand with multiple legs or frontiers that it can expand out into.” With its new funding in hand, Beanfields’ first foray into growing relevance for its core consumers was with the development of five new flavors in 13 SKUs of its bean chips, including two flavors that had particular relevance to its

vegan customers: Spicy Queso and Cheddar Sour Cream, both made with vegan recipes. “In that space, for vegans, there aren’t that many vegan alternatives in the salty snack category,” Ventura said. “We want to continue to provide those options, and we do that very well.” Beanfields’ consumers are embracing the changes at the brand. By the end of February of this year, Beanfields had racked up 12 consecutive months of yearover-year sales growth that included eight consecutive record-breaking sales weeks at the end of 2018. January 2019 brought the highest monthly sales in Beanfields’ history with a number that represented triple-digit year-over-year growth – this as the company was also in a mad sprint to get ready for trade show season. As Ventura and the company turn that first mad sprint from the close of its funding round into a marathon run, Beanfields will continue to focus on its appeal to the consumers shopping in the natural foods channel who are already delivering that sales growth as well as

others in the same stores who’ve given up on salty snacks because they won’t eat corn or potato chips and haven’t yet found an alternative that offers them exciting flavors along with crunch. “We’re giving them a reason to come back to the salty snack category,” Ventura said. “The key to our success lies in zero compromise. At the end of the day, they really want a good-tasting chip, and if it happens to be better for them, good on us. We don’t want it to be a good chip for a vegan chip or a good chip for a bean thing – we want it to be a good chip.... The addressable market is anyone who wants a good-tasting chip.” As the brand matures in the natural foods space, Ventura is also looking ahead at a future in other retail channels as well as in other product categories, both inside and outside the snack foods space. “That’s part of our longer-term innovation roadmap,” Ventura said. “There’s a big addressable market for us outside of snacks. As to when we choose to go there, there’s a lot to think about between now and then.”

retailers looking for better-for-you snacks. trEAT4u is available in seven flavors of nuts, dried fruit and trail mixes. All flavors in the line offer no

artificial ingredients, less than 200 calories and 20g sugar with no cholesterol. The line includes Almonds, Fiber Crunch Delight, Fruit Bowl, Moonburst, Perfectly Fit, Sunshine Blend and Triple Treat. Whether your customers are looking for a quick pick-me-up in the after-

noon or a mid-morning snack, trEAT4u has a taste your customers will keep coming back for. Available in 24 and 120 count boxes.

pre-diluted chemicals on demand for up to six simultaneous users per chemical, and secure web-based reporting with the Log Trace System. “We’re proud to be the sole and exclusive distributor of Lagafors in the U.S., Canada and Mexico because Lagafors upholds the same values and commitment to food safety as Birko,” said Mark Swanson, Chief Executive Officer, Birko. “The equipment couldn’t be coming at a better time for North

American food plants that are facing a tight labor market, new sanitation requirements and the challenge of doing more with less. Birko by Lagafors will support these needs by reducing water, labor and chemical use in sanitation practices, but providing a consistent and reliable outcome every time.”

Funding Fans Flames for Beanfields’ Bold Flavors By Lorrie Baumann

Fueled by several million dollars in new funding from a Series B round that closed in February, Beanfields is roaring ahead with new flavors of its signature beanbased chips on a product development trajectory that will take the company to a broader range of salty snack items featuring navy and black beans as their hero ingredient. The new flavor variations on existing products are launching at this year’s food industry trade shows, where they’ve already started creating some buzz, according to Arnulfo Ventura, the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Ventura joined Beanfields last July, brought on board by Beanfield Chairman and private equity investor Mark Rampolla, of PowerPlant Ventures, to rejuvenate the brand’s relevance to its core consumers – the natural foods shoppers who’d abandoned the salty snacks aisle of their favorite stores because corn

trEAT4u Snack Bags trEAT4u is a line of 1-ounce snack bags that are a healthier grab and go option. Specially developed to meet a 10-point nutritional criterion, they are ideal for Birko (Cont’d. from p. 1)

water system offers the right chemical and water mix at the right specs at the right pressure to the right places. Let’s say your sanitation crew uses tap water pressure and a 3/4-inch hose, and they manually mix in portable foamers. Most companies use a central water system for rinsing, and the pressure often varies from 75-200 psi, so increasing to 325 psi saves up to 50 percent in Bella Sun Luci (Cont’d. from p. 1)

peppers, from opposite sides of the world, made for a harmonious marriage of tastes. The richness of the sun dried tomatoes coupled with the smoky heat of the chipotle peppers created an unparalleled flavor profile. Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Chipotle Topper & Sauce adds rich Four Steps to Prepare (Cont’d. from p. 1)

promotions – there are a few steps you can take to help ensure you don’t miss out on sales. Here’s a closer look at planning a summer surge fresh supply chain program, using watermelon as an example:

1. Work with a network of growers. For consistent supply, it’s a good idea to work with geographically diverse growers. Watermelon is a nomadic crop with harvest times varying by location. Typically, the first U.S. watermelons of the season come in April from Florida and Texas. As the season progresses, the harvest moves in waves toward northern climates. Working with multiple growers

Produce Show Daily

water. With a centralized cleaning system, there’s no manual dosing and no portable foamer to fill. Central dosing of chemicals uses the proper amount and saves time, not to mention improving worker safety. Labor can simply go to the right satellite station, do their job and move on. Typically, facilities can recoup costs within the first 18 months of use. Other benefits of Birko by Lagafors include consistent, repeatable cleaning, taste to any raw, grilled, sautéed or steamed vegetable. But the flavor doesn’t stop at vegetables; the sauce is also delicious topped on sandwiches, wraps, tacos, hamburgers, in dips and more. Visit Mooney Farms and the Bella Sun Luci team at booth #2002. This great product, along with the rest of the Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato line, will be

gives you a larger supply and reduces the chances of a region creating problems. Keep in mind how summer weather issues can impact supply. For example, if you work with only a single grower in Florida and a hurricane wipes out their crop, you need a backup option. Having a network of growers is essential. Robinson Fresh offers consistent global supply with produce grown in over 40 countries with the strongest growing seasons.

2. Make plans, but plan to be flexible. During summer surges, it’s probable something will go wrong with your fresh supply chain. But since you can’t know exactly what (or when), you need to have proactive backup solutions ready. When,

available for tasting. 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 for example, a severe storm hits your main distribution center, an alreadyestablished multipronged supply chain could mean the difference between uninterrupted watermelon orders and a threeday out of stock situation.

3. Prepare your fresh supply chain for success. Watermelons are a challenging item to move through the supply chain – they are bulky and can be awkward to transport, with harvest times all over the map (literally!) from April to September. That’s why it’s important to work with a grower-shipper that emphasizes accurate lead times and stays in constant communication with you about crops, fill rates and correct product availability. They should

For more information, go to www .trulygoodfoods.com/treat4u.

For more information, visit booth #4425, go to www.birkocorp.com or email information@birkocorp.com.

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.

also monitor the weather and keep you updated if melons from particular regions will arrive from the field earlier or later than anticipated.

4. Analyze now for a better tomorrow. Use this year’s summer surge as an opportunity to improve your fresh supply chains for the future. Completing a quality supply chain analysis can go a long way toward making next year’s summer surge planning even better. After the season wraps up, take the time to analyze what worked well and what didn’t; then, implement changes as necessary. For more information, visit www .robinsonfresh.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Produce Show Daily Sunsweet (Cont’d. from p. 1)

and that celebrating and sharing these tips helps promote conversation and engagement with the brand. “We want to encourage people to appreciate the steps they are already taking to feel good in their everyday lives, and to share those tips so that others may be inspired to do the same,” says Stephanie Harralson, Director of Marketing, North America, at Sunsweet Growers Inc. Sunsweet is promoting Feel Good across Sunsweet’s traditional and social media platforms. The program features a microsite, sharethefeelgood.sunsweet .com, which highlights over 50 winning Selvática (Cont’d. from p. 1)

cultivated, harvested, processed, transported and delivered in the best hands in order to ensure consumer satisfaction. The idea of developing products around sustainability started in 2015 when banana exporting company, TropicalFruit Export, decided to become carbon neutral, becoming the first banana and plantain exporter to hold this certification. In order to obtain this seal, carbon dioxide emissions from its operation were monitored throughout an entire year. Those measurements resulted in the Smithers-Oasis (Cont’d. from p. 1)

With Midnight, you can stop hiding foam. Instead, you can use it as a visible element in your designs. You can showcase elegance. You can even use fewer flowers and foliage.

Bring Elegance to Floral Design Black endures because it is the versatile, stylish, elegant, flattering and goes-withpractically-everything choice. You can use Midnight Floral Foam for any design application. It offers maximum visual impact and allows you to produce creative designs with less flower coverage. Shrooms Mushroom Snacks (Cont’d. from p. 4)

Shrooms Mushroom Jerky (2.0 ounces) Made from tender shiitake and meaty portabella mushroom caps and packed with nature’s goodness, this next generation jerky takes your taste buds on an unforgettable trip. Shrooms Mushroom Jerky is deep-marinated a full day to produce three robust, adventurous flavors, including Honey Chipotle Shiitake, Roasted Teriyaki Portabella and Original Portabella. Shrooms Splits Jerky (2.5 ounces) This ultimate hybrid snack pairs marinated

Able Freight Services (Cont’d. from p. 4)

He sees an even greater technological focus over the next five years. Such focus has created a culture of innovation within the company and gives all employees a sense of community for its new technology vision. One of Able’s recent projects from its technology department is its new customer portal called DataHub. A web and mobile-based system which provides real time data pertaining to any shipment a

videos submitted by consumers, incorporating Sunsweet’s “Feel Good” jingle featured in its television spot. Consumers created videos to highlight their own feel good moments, and even submitted original recordings of the song. The content will be highlighted in national advertising Sunsweet’s throughout 2020. “Consumers are looking for positive inspiration and have been very appreciative of our feel-good message,” notes Harralson. “Sunsweet wants to be a brand that helps people lead a healthy lifestyle, and we are excited that this concept of feeling good is really resonating with our fans.” Sunsweet continues to innovate by

company’s sponsorship of more than 1,000 hectares of the Amazonic jungle in Limon Indanza, Morona Santiago, Ecuador. The next step after making sure that the company’s operations were benefiting the environment was to standardize agricultural processes through Global GAP certification. All 52 farms had to show that they met the required standards. The company’s plantain division is also now Global GAP certified, solidifying a group of Global GAP producers around El Carmen, Manabí. In furtherance of the company’s sus-

Not So Basic Black Basic black is often considered the ultimate in good taste. It’s the “new” black when it comes to dressing up your floral party work for black tie affairs. Black can be used in any style of design. The dark foam recedes visually; this makes it less noticeable inside a glass vase and allows the flowers to catch the eye instead. There’s no need to wrap black foam in foliage to cover it. The black base becomes an element of the on-trend design. It’s a sophisticated look for party designs, and it works well for weddings with a black-based color harmony.

launching new products for the dried fruit segment that provide consumers with new and convenient forms of Amaz!n Prunes. Sunsweet’s popular Ones Individually Wrapped Prunes will expand in 2020 with three new varieties: Cocoa Dusted, Berry Essence and Bite Size Ones. Sunsweet believes there are many ways to feel good, and one aspect of feeling good is giving your body the nutrition it needs to feel your best. Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes are the Feel Good Fruit – with 3 grams of fiber and no added sugar for only 100 calories per serving. One serving of Sunsweet Amaz!n Prune juice provides five essential vitamins and minerals to help balance and maintain your

digestive health.

About Sunsweet Sunsweet Growers is a grower owned Prune Cooperative based in Yuba City, California. For over 100 years it has been committed to providing the highest quality products around the globe. Sunsweet strives to help make it easy for consumers to make healthy choices by offering a full range of delicious dried fruit and juices. Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes and Prune Juice are favorites around the world, providing the nutrition you need to keep your body feeling good and energized. Visit Sunsweet at booth #2203. For more information, go to www.sunsweet.com.

tainability agenda, plans were developed to certify farms through Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade. The company can now proudly say that it exports RFA bananas and FT bananas to multiple destinations around the world. Promoting these certifications throughout the company’s network of growers contributes directly to improving environmental and social standards in a country where growing and exporting bananas and plantains is an important industry that symbolizes Ecuador to the world. Supply chain responsibility is another very important aspect of sustain-

ability. The company is a proud member of Sedex and has been audited by SMETA. It’s in the process of auditing its farms in order to secure responsible sourcing along the chain. Additionally, CTPAT auditing guarantees its fight against corruption and terrorism. Finally, the company’s Global Compact membership provides a vehicle for Selvática to contribute to the Sustainable Development Agenda of the United Nations’ 2030 goals.

When dry, Midnight looks dark gray. It deepens to jet black when saturated with water.

foam and holds water just as well.” The floral foam is just as effective as it is interesting to look at.

For more information, go to www .tropicalfruitexport.com.

Why would a florist choose to use Midnight? “I quite liked it,” says Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, Design Director at Smithers-Oasis, and Owner of My Mother’s Bloomers, Halifax. “You can probably use one third less floral material in some designs since it’s not necessary to cover all the foam with some styles. Unlike a previous color-foam product, Rainbow Foam, that was dense and didn’t hold water well, Midnight feels to me like it has the density of standard

Visit Smithers-Oasis at booth #1502. For more information, go to www.oasis floral.com or call 800.321.8286.

Shrooms Snack Bar (4-packs) A game-changing, allergy-friendly bar made from simple, wholesome ingredients including crispy mushrooms that will satisfy your craving for the extraordinary. Flavors include Chocolate Chunk and Sweet & Savory will change every-

Mushrooms are a functional superfood, packed with important nutrients like vitamins D and B, selenium, potassium, zinc, copper and fiber, all essential to a balanced diet. All product lines are tree nut free and dairy free, and the majority are gluten free, vegan and kosher. Shrooms Crispy Mushroom Snacks are certified by the Non-GMO Project. “Mushrooms are experiencing a surge in popularity as people from all walks of life get smart about snacking,” says Lewis Macleod, Chief Executive

For more information, visit booth #4075, call 610.444.4800 ext. 226, email deberwein@southmill.com or go to www.itsamushroom.com.

customer has going through Able Freight Services, DataHub provides one-stop, real-time visibility of all the related documents of the customer’s shipments and allows for proactive resolutions and communications. Another application of technology involves Able’s “Freshport” initiative, piloting a cutting-edge blockchain enhancement to its DataHub for temperature measurements deploying commodity-based shelf-life formulas for its global clients.

The company is also leading the way for electronic airway bill (eAWB) integration allowing optimized efficiencies, real-time status updates and paperless communications with airlines. In fact, Able was No. 1 at LAX for implementation in 2018 and the first half of 2019. Recently, Able also introduced a new mobile Quality Control tool which resulted in improved reporting of the product’s quality as received in real-time. Wong looks forward to the tremendous improvements that technology is

mushroom jerky made from meaty portabella mushroom caps with other perfectly chewy jerky varieties, including Turkey, Berries, Filet Mignon and Peppered Beef, which are made from grass-fed, USA-bred beef. All four varieties create an unforgettable snacking experience.

thing you know about snack bars.

How can you use Midnight? Midnight was developed in Europe as the black tie of floral mechanics and has received an overwhelmingly positive response from U.S. consumers. How will you use it? What innovative ways can you think of for introducing it to your customers?

Officer of South Mill Champs. “With over 80 years of experience, we know mushrooms, we’re a natural fit to lead the development of this category of great tasting, better-for-you snacks. We want to revolutionize how people think about mushrooms.” Shrooms Snacks are available in select grocery, club and convenience stores and Amazon.

affording the shipping industry. “If the industry does not effectively adapt the opportunities in technology, then the risk of obsolescence becomes very real, very fast,” notes Wong. Able Freight Services is based in Los Angeles, California, and is a global expert in importing and exporting perishable commodities from the United States to destinations worldwide. For more information, visit booth #4435/4534 or go to www.ablefreight.com.