OVIEDO, FL – At Duda Farm Fresh Foods it’s about more than just producing high-quality produce; the company also places on constant focus on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption at large. To further this 90-year commitment, the company has continued to promote and sustain its partnerships with Tour de Fresh and Salad Bars to Schools, The Produce Mom, and United Fresh Produce Forum for School Success.
“Duda Farm Fresh Foods continues to be committed to bringing more fresh fruits and vegetables to schools across the country,” said Dan Duda, President of Duda Farm Fresh Foods. “We take our role very seriously in equipping every decision-maker within the school foodservice program to find the products that will best serve their students and encourage consumption, which is why we’ll continue to support events like this.”
Duda Farm Fresh Foods just celebrated its fifth year as a sponsor of the United Fresh Produce Forum for School Success, and helped bring more than 50 school foodservice buyers to the Expo. According to a press release, through this effort buyers were able to engage directly with fresh produce brands in an effort to serve and promote more fruits and vegetables on their menus.
This event was brought to fruition five years ago, and has since brought foodservice directors from the largest and most progressive school districts to connect with brands, share practices, and discuss creative ways to better serve students. Duda Farm Fresh Foods said that it prioritizes its sponsorship of this event in particular because of the effort United Fresh places on offering a small, personalized setting where every participating brand has the opportunity to tell its story. Additionally, the event demonstrates that it understands the individual needs of each foodservice buyer.
“The annual United Fresh event has opened my eyes to what the produce industry looks like and what’s possible,” said Bertrand Weber, Director of Culinary and Wellness Services at Minneapolis Public Schools. “Networking with national companies is invaluable–every time I attend I come back with something new, innovative, and creative to transform school meals in my district.”
During this event, Duda Farm Fresh Foods also asked its partner Lori Taylor, CEO of The Produce Mom, to also contribute to the event. Taylor spoke to foodservice directors about her leadership with the USDA Team Nutrition training program, and what it means for their schools in the next two years. She also spoke about training tools she is working to make digitally accessible to foodservice directors. These tools will help educate staff on how to prepare different types of produce in compliance with USDA standards.
"The majority of American children are now reliant on school meals for food security, so it's imperative for our industry to engage in strategies and efforts to promote fresh produce at school," said Taylor. "Duda Farm Fresh Foods’ efforts yield results for children and for produce sales, which merits a collective impact within the produce industry."
Duda Farm Fresh Foods also celebrated its fourth year of supporting the Salad Bars to Schools initiative as a Health & Wellness sponsor. This event aligns with the company’s dedication to partner with like-minded organizations in hopes to bring more support to causes that align with its mission to encourage healthy eating.
To find out more how Duda Farm Fresh Foods is supporting the buying community and fresh consumption, visit the company’s website and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
