Value-added Products Cropping Up Everywhere
Fresh Cut
December 2004
Fresh-cut at PMA
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Whether it is two or three apples packaged
together in a tray and covered with cellophane or a growing array of every
type of pre-cut fruit, vegetable or salad mix imaginable, more and more
mainstream produce businesses are moving into value-added. That was clearly
evident at this year's Produce Marketing Association International Convention
(PMA), held Oct. 15-19 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Hundreds of businesses with booths at the PMA Exposition were hocking
value-added products of one kind or another. Their target: today's on-the-go
consumer with little time to cook or prepare. Studies suggest that Americans
now eat up to 20 percent of their meals in their automobiles.
The following is a sample of the fresh-cut processors exhibiting at this
year's PMA Exposition and their latest offerings:
Ready Pac Offering New Cobb Salad, Broccoli
Rabe, Bruschetta
A new Cobb Salad has been added to Ready Pac's popular Bistro to Go salad
line. It includes bacon, turkey, hardboiled egg and a blue cheese dressing
over a base of iceburg and romaine. In Bistro to Go style, the ingredients
are stored separately in an inset tray on top of the bed of lettuce. Packaging
within packaging prevents content mixing and flavor migration.
A second healthy, new product, Broccoli Rabe, is being introduced to Ready
Pac's eastern U.S. customers. A longstanding traditional Italian favorite
at home and in many exclusive restaurants, this leafy green has been limited
to the raw produce section of grocery stores and, typically, was available
only during certain periods of the year. In recent years, Broccoli Rabe
has become increasingly popular due to its new found gourmet status in
menus, culinary magazines, cooking shows and specialty grocery shelves.
The fall introduction of this 12-ounce fresh-cut vegetable item is an
extension of Ready Pac's other successful microwaveable products. The
Broccoli Rabe product enables retailers to leverage the line's recognition
and loyal consumer following while satisfying demand for innovative new
produce choices.
Also new from Ready Pac is Bruschetta, a well-known Italian-style appetizer.
Bruschetta leverages the popularity of Italian cuisine and the convenience
of a ready-to-use topping to bring consumers to the fresh-cut shelf. Available
in a convenient resealable 11.5-ounce container, Ready Pac Bruschetta
is a hearty, flavorful medley of fresh diced tomatoes and red onions,
garlic and spices in a light olive and canola oil blend. Consumers can
top a piece of their favorite toasted bread with a spoonful of Bruschetta
to create a gourmet Italian appetizer or snack. This versatile topping
also goes perfectly with angel hair pasta for a quick main course, or
as an addition to any Italian-style salad.
Mann Packing Introduces Sugar Snap Peas 'Snack 'n Pak'
Mann Packing Company has launched a new snack product, Sugar Snap Peas
"Snack 'n Pak." The product contains two, 2-ounce bags of stringless
sugar snap peas and a third, bonus, 3-ounce pack of baby whole peeled
carrots. The bags come bundled in an overwrap, designed for easy merchandising
and promotion opportunities.
"Our research indicates 2 ounces is the consumer-preferred snack
size for kids and adults on-the-go," says Vicky St. Geme, Mann's
director of retail marketing. "Sugar Snap Peas are the number one
selling item in the fresh-cut vegetable category. Retailers can maximize
profits by adding this exciting new product."
Each bag within the bundle features animated packaging design with jokes
and trivia to keep kids entertained. The product is ideal for school lunches,
but Mann has received a great response from other market segments as well.
"Many of our foodservice customers are excited about this new snack
offering," says Gina Nucci, Mann's director of foodservice marketing.
"The product is ideal for lunch box takeouts often offered by resorts,
cafeteria-style operations and grab-n-go venues, which you see a lot with
on-campus dining operations."
Mann's new Snack n' Pak features Garden Valley® Sugar Snap Peas, a
proprietary seed variety with an enhanced stringless feature and sweet
taste.
New Popeye Animation Inspires Americans
to Eat Their Veggies
From home entertainment centers to supermarket produce sections, Popeye®
the Sailor Man is celebrating his 75th birthday with a 21st century "toon-up."
And, in grocery stores across America, River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC is
capitalizing on Popeye's enduring popularity with tie-in promotions and
new products.
In October, Popeye® fresh spinach products began including an on-pack
sweepstakes offer to tie in with a DVD. Consumers were given an opportunity
to win one of two grand prize trips to Universal Orlando Resort's Islands
of Adventure in Florida.
While Popeye® has long been the strongest name in spinach, River Ranch
is also launching a brand-new line of Popeye® family-pack salads and
fresh-cut vegetables. The product line includes Parisian Salad Kit with
creamy vinaigrette dressing (16 oz.), Caesar Salad Kit (16 oz.), Swee'Pea
Snap Peas (32 oz.) Chopped Romaine (32 oz.), Shredded Lettuce (80 oz.),
2-Color Cole Slaw (48 oz.) and Garden Salad (48 oz.), Field Select Spinach
(40 oz.), Broccoli Florets (48 oz.) and Vegetable Medley (48 oz.).
Fresh Express Launches 'SuperFood' and 'Triple Hearts'
Promotions
Fresh Express has unveiled a new nationwide promotion identifying its
popular spinach line as a "SuperFood." The pioneer and category
leader of fresh packaged salads has aligned its campaign with Dr. Steven
Pratt, medical expert and co-author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods that
Will Change Your Life.
According to Dr. Pratt, "Spinach is at the pinnacle of the SuperFoods
Rx powerhouse choices and has more demonstrated health benefits than almost
any other food.
The Fresh Express SuperFoods promotion was launched in November with new
packaging and roll out immediately to its customer base of supermarkets
across the nation.
The integrated program features bold new packaging emblazoned with the
SuperFoods logo to call consumer attention to Fresh Express Spinach, Spinach
Plus Carrots and Baby Spinach as important SuperFoods for a healthy lifestyle.
In addition, packages feature a variety of creative and convenient recipes
for spinach salads, appetizers, side dishes and entrees.
Fresh Express also announced it has added "Triple Hearts" to
its blockbuster lineup of salad blends. The new entrée brings together
the top selling Hearts of Romaine with the perennial favorites Butter
and Green Leaf lettuces and leave out carrots, cabbage and other components
which many consumers often prefer not to include in their foundation salads.
"This lettuce blend is made up of high-quality greens and offers,
for the first time, a milder and extremely appealing foundation salad
option for consumers who like the variety of a blended salad but seek
a change from the distinctive, highly pronounced flavors of our Spring
Mix blend," said Mark Drever, Fresh Express CEO.
Earthbound Farm Offering Organic Apple Slices
Earthbound Farm, the nation's largest grower and shipper of organic produce
and specialty salads, has partnered with leading apple processor, Crunch
Pak, to add organic apple slices to its fast-expanding line of conveniently
packaged "Healthy Snacks for Healthy People."
Earthbound Farm's organic apple slices, cut from Gala apples, are pre-washed
and ready-to-eat. They are packaged in two sizes: a 12-ounce family size
bag (suggested retail price of $2.99) and a bag of five individual 2-ounce
mini-packs (suggested retail price of $3.49). A foodservice pack of 200
2-ounce mini-packs will also be available.
Crunch Pak's proprietary technology assures that Earthbound Farm's organic
apple slices maintain their premium quality for a 17-day shelf life.
Earthbound Farm's Healthy Snacks for Healthy People line combines the
convenience of attractively packaged, pre-portioned snack-size foods with
the nutritional benefits of fresh produce. Other Earthbound Farm organic
products in the line include 5-count sleeves of organic apples and pears,
organic raisins in 6-packs of 1.5-ounce snack boxes, organic carrot dippers
with ranch dressing in a 3-pack of 2.25-ounce servings, and 10-count bags
of 2-ounce mini-packs of organic mini-peeled carrots.
On the salad side, Earthbound Farm has two new additions-a baby lettuce
salad (a spring mix with three types of lettuce and no radicchio or frisée)
and a spinach salad. Both types are available in 5-ounce bags. The spinach
salad combines two high growth, popular products for the company-baby
spinach, which, as a segment, is growing between 35 and 40 percent per
year and arugula, an emerging green proving popular with many consumers.
Another exploding growth area in fresh cut for Earthbound Farms is its
clamshell salads. Consumers love the overall visual look and believe the
salads remain fresh longer. The greens also don't experience the damage
commonly associated with bagged product. The company's clamshell salad
business has doubled over the past 12 months.
Emeril's Label Big Hit for Pride of San Juan
High quality spring mix, packaged and sold under the Emeril's™ Gourmet
Produce label, is proving to be a big hit for Pride of San Juan, according
to Joe Feldman, vice president of sales and marketing.
The company's Sweet Spring Mix and Kicked-up Spring Mix products are doing
exceptionally well in retail markets. There has been steady growth since
the Emeril's campaign kicked off in June.
Pride of San Juan also is seeing increased demand for its herb products,
as Emeril's TV show watchers come into produce departments in search of
various herbs used in the popular chef's recipes.
The Emeril's label is adding excitement to the produce department, Feldman
feels. Produce managers are able to feature higher-end produce products
behind a well-known name. The label is definitely helping Pride of San
Juan distinguish its products in the marketplace.
Del Monte Adds Overwraps to Its Growing
List of Fresh-cut Products
Del Monte Fresh Produce officials report an acceleration in outsourcing
pf fresh-cut fruits by retailers, a growth they describe as "phenomenal."
With the national trends towards consumers seeking out more prepared foods
and ingredients, Del Monte feels it is well positioned to be the supply
partner of choice for retailers, with 11 facilities across the country
that allow it to provide just in time cutting and delivery. Having a universally
recognized and trusted brand like Del Monte® is helping consumers
make the switch to convenience products like fresh cut.
The market growth in this segment is reflective of consumer trends and
need to service "time-starved" consumers. As a response to this
need, Del Monte provides products for the consumers for a variety of eating
occasions. Some of these include grab n' go products, deli ingredients,
salad kits, soup bases, mixed vegetables, fruit for baking applications
and a host of other products. Del Monte sells into the produce, deli,
meat and bakery departments of many retailers.
One of the company's latest introductions is an assortment of wrapped
melon products. The melons and other pre-cut fruit and vegetables are
delivered via a national network of local processing centers situated
close to major markets. This helps Del Monte offer cut-to-order fruit
and vegetables at their peak of taste and freshness, delivered to market
within 24 hours of ordering.
Del Monte's fresh-cut mix includes: fruit and vegetable party trays; Hawaiian
pineapple; Del Monte Gold™ Extra Sweet pineapple; convenient packs
of fresh-cut carrot and celery sticks, coleslaw and spring mix; and a
variety of fruits-cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, multi-colored fruit
medleys, tart citrus salad, sweet orange slices, grapefruit slices, mango
chunks and kiwi slices.
On the deli side, Del Monte offers a complete line of high-quality fresh-cut
products, including "Grab and Go" items like fruit cups, individual
salads, and healthy snacks, salad kits to make portion-controlled fresh
salads; catering trays with fresh vegetables and fresh fruit; ready-to-use
ingredients like shredded lettuce, sliced or diced tomatoes and sliced
onions; and green leaf crowns to garnish displays and trays.
Melissa's Adds Baby Red Beets to Its Growing Value-added
Product Line
Melissa's/World Variety Produce Inc. is offering fresh-cut baby red beets
in an 8-ounce package ready to go for busy homemakers. The packages are
code dated and have a three-month shelf life.
The typical consumer has no idea of how to cut and prepare baby red beets,
argues Robert S. Schueller, director of public relations. This new entry
solves decision making and eliminates the mess.
Melissa's also has a new fresh chopped onion product, available in both
yellow and red varieties. These come in an 8-ounce bag and have an estimated
shelf life of three weeks. The company is using a new technology for the
fresh-cut industry and sees these products as solving a common problem
with onion preparation-the tears associated with cutting this pungent
vegetable. The sealed bag prevents odor leaks, and the product is ready
for instant use.
Melissa's is also offering peeled garlic in an 8-ounce container. Inside
are approximately four garlic bulbs, individually packaged.
The company has launched a broad line of microwavable products, including
8 ounces of pearl onions inside a modified atmosphere package. Tray-shaped,
the onions can easily be popped in a microwave and prepared in seconds.
Butternut squash also is offered in similar, convenient packaging.
Other recent introductions include Asian produce such as Shanghai Baby
Bok Choi and various types of stir fry. Melissa's has an amazingly long
list of pre-cut offerings.
A Rich Mâche and Pear Salad for the Fall Holiday
Season
Epic Roots and the Pear Bureau Northwest announced a new fall salad promotion
featuring the bounty of the season: Mâche, Roasted Pear and Fennel
Salad with Port Vinaigrette. The recipe appeared in a promotional booklet
on all retail bags and clamshells of Epic Roots Mâche and Mâche
Blends shipped from Nov. 5-13, along with a 25 cent on pack coupon.
Mâche is a popular salad green in Europe where it is called lamb's
lettuce, corn salad, field salad and feldsalat. Today, Mâche is
grown by Epic Roots from heirloom seed in the mineral-rich soil of California.
Grown in the Pacific Northwest, Fresh USA pears include Anjou (red and
green), Bartlett (red and traditional), Bosc, Comice, Forelle and Seckel.
NewStar Offering Value-added Cilantro, Chopped Green
Onions
NewStar is offering value-added cilantro and chopped green onions along
with other pre-cut vegetable products. The cilantro is available in a
4-ounce bag, two bunches per bag, trimmed and ready to use. Suggested
retail price is $1.99.
A second, recent release is NewStar's chopped green onions, also available
in a 4-ounce bag. The onions are available in a new, high tech, resealable
bag. It complements NewStar's regular 5 ½-ounce green onion product.
'Et Tu' Salad Kit Business Growing
The "Et Tu" salad kit continues to draw a growing list of customers,
according to Kevin Kenny, vice president of marketing, for Lindsay Foods
Ltd., Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is used to help today's busy, on-the-go
consumers put together their own salad combinations with a minimum amount
of preparation.
The salad kits are available in five different varieties: Caesar, Caesar
Light, Italian, Oriental, Greek and Spinach. Complimented by a bag of
lettuce or romaine, the kit can be used to provide a healthy choice in
a matter of a few seconds.
Inside the kits are various ingredients. The Caesar Kit, for example,
contains the company's Cream and Caesar Salad Dressing, multi-grain croutons,
graded parmesan cheese and bacon-flavored bits.
"Our launch into the single-serve size of the salad kit business
speaks to the development of the salad occasions at lunch time,"
Kenny says. "With quick-serve restaurants carving out the category,
their average salad purchase is in the $5 to $7 range. We're able to sell
our salad kits at the affordable price of $1.29 retail. When combined
with basic fresh lettuce or whatever they choose, customers can make their
own lunches at a considerable cost savings. They can bring the salad basics
with them in a Tupperware™ or disposable container."
Clamshell Fresh-cut Veggies from Walter P. Rawl &
Sons
Walter P. Rawl & Sons' has announced a new addition to its popular
Versatile Veggies™, a line of clamshell vegetables. These range from
sliced squash to pico de gallo, diced yellow and red onions, sliced green
onions, a fajita mix, green bell peppers and a pepper medley. Its pico
de gallo is packaged in both 16- and 7-ounce sizes. The company also markets
pre-cut squash in a 20-ounce pack for club stores.
Crunch Pak Apples Products Finding New
Customers
Working under agreements with both Earthbound Farms and Whole Foods, Crunch
Pak, Wenatchee, Wash., has added organic sliced apples to its market offerings
and is supplying both companies with product.
The company also has a marketing arrangement with Arby's and other foodservice
companies to supply them with 1-pound bags of apples cut into small chunks
with a shelf life of 21 days. Arby's is using the apple product in its
Martha's Vineyard salads and chicken salad sandwiches. Apple skins are
left intact.
Several other quick-service restaurants are currently looking at the product,
according to Tony Frytag, director of marketing.
Renaissance Food Group Adds Hard Squash
to Overwrap Line
Jim Catchot, president/CEO of Renaissance Food Group, Rancho Cordova,
Calif., says his company is having success with its new line of overwrap
products-watermelon, muskmelon, cantaloupe, etc. The latest addition is
hard squash.
"In its natural state, cutting and preparing hard squash can be a
challenging experience," Catchot points out. "We've now added
a new level of convenience to eating this wonderfully nutritious product.
Consumers can easily fix this product for themselves or for their families."
Renaissance Food Group also is enjoying success with its Hamburger Fixin's,
Kabob Kits and Veggie Grillers, all designed to add convenience to grill
cooking, Catchot says.
Grimmway Launches Baby Carrots Holiday
Promotion and Healthy Benefits Package
Grimmway Farms has announced the launch of its Baby Carrots Holiday Package.
The new, festive package includes easy-to-follow holiday recipes and is
designed to appeal to consumers looking for easy ways to incorporate nutritious
foods in their holiday menus.
"Today's health-conscious consumers are always on the look-out for
new ways to include healthy foods in their diet without missing out on
taste, especially during the holidays," says Phil Gruszka, Grimmway's
vice president of marketing. "For those consumers, Grimmway's new
Holiday Package offers a consistently high-quality product that can be
enjoyed on its own or combined with other ingredients for new holiday
and party dishes."
The company's Holiday Package offers consumers quick, easy suggestions
for new ways to eat baby carrots. Recipes include carrots with ginger
and carrots with sweet maple sauce.
Grimmway has also announced the launch of its Baby Carrots Healthy Benefits
Package. The new consumer-friendly, informative package is designed especially
for today's health-conscious consumers looking for convenient, nutritious
and consistently high-quality snacks.
The Healthy Benefits packaging provides consumers with a proven, high-quality
product in a package that answers their nutritional questions at a glance,
according to Gruszka.
Green Giant Fresh Offering Grapes, Mushrooms
in Clamshells
Green Giant Fresh management is excited about its new mushroom offerings
packaged in two-piece clamshells. The product comes in both whole and
sliced. The clamshells permit the mushroom packages to be stacked in the
stores without crushing the top layers. Mushroom users also are finding
it easier to recover the container (due to the top part of the clamshell)
once the product has been opened. Modern Mushroom Farms is supplying the
mushrooms.
Also new from Green Giant Fresh are bi- and tri-colored packs of grapes.
These come in red, green and black colors and are available in 2-, 3-
and 4-pound clamshell containers. Supplying the grapes is King Fresh Produce.
Green Giant® Fresh Offering Mushrooms,
Apples, Grapes
Green Giant Fresh is excited about its new mushroom offerings packaged
in a two-piece dome container. The clamshell-like containers are re-closeable,
stackable and provide a longer shelf life. They permit the mushroom packages
to be shipped and stacked in the stores without crushing the top layers.
Mushroom consumers really enjoy the re-closable feature of the container.
Additionally, the structure provides a longer shelf life than overwrapped
containers. The product currently comes in whole and sliced white mushrooms
and will be expanded to more mushrooms soon. Modern Mushroom Farms is
supplying the mushrooms.
Green Giant® Fresh has introduced what it describes as the "most
informative apple bag in the industry." The new line of variety-specific
apple bags are color coated to provide for ease of selection by the consumer.
The bags contain taste profiles, recipes, selection criteria, usage and
fun facts. C.M.Holtzinger Fruit Company is supplying the apples. There
will be five different 5-pounders and nine different 3-pounders. Additionally,
the company plans to launch a 4-pound bag of mixed apples/oranges in early
November.
Another recent introduction from Green Giant® Fresh is its consumer
friendly grape clamshells. They come in both bi- and tri-colored packs.
Red, green and black colors are available in 2-, 3- and 4-pound clamshell
containers. Supplying the grapes is King Fresh Produce.
Salad Entrees from Dole
Several recent introductions were shown at the Dole booth, including Angel
Hair Cole Slaw, Spinach, Baby Spinach, Baby Romaine and Spring Mix.
Dole® Angel Hair Cole Slaw consists of delicate strands of green cabbage
packaged in a see-through, specially designed film to keep things fresh.
Dole® Spinach is made up of tender and flavorful spinach leaves in
a convenient, specially designed film bag, while Dole® Baby Spinach
consists of tender and flavorful baby spinach leaves is packaged in a
convenient, reusable plastic container.
Dole® Baby Romaine consists of young green and red romaine leaves
in a convenient reusable plastic container, while Dole® Spring Mix
is composed of baby lettuces, greens, endive and radicchio in a convenient,
reusable clear plastic container.
© 2004 Columbia Publishing
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