SALINAS, CA - Foxy Produce has been shipping out a new, organic, non-GMO vegetable called BroccoLeaf™ to stores nationwide. I chatted with Matt Seeley, Foxy Produce Vice President of Marketing, for a deeper look at this exciting new product.
According to Matt, Foxy discovered the BroccoLeaf on accident. This summer, Foxy started a series of free juicing activations at retailers across the country called “REJUICENATE With Foxy” to educate the public on how to juice produce without wasting food. During the recipe testing process, an employee proposed incorporating organic broccoli leaves, and the results surprised them.
“It was sweeter without the bitterness,” Matt told me. “The overall reaction from the group was, ‘I never thought it would taste like this.’ We thought it would be bitter, and were pleasantly surprised.”
After making this discovery, the company took the leaf to a couple of labs for nutritional analysis. The results showed that BroccoLeaf contains all of the major vitamins, minerals and health benefits of broccoli, plus the lighter and sweeter taste. The labs showed that BroccoLeaf:
- Provides an excellent source of Calcium
- Is an excellent source of Antioxidants---Vitamin A & K
- Delivers an adult dose of Vitamin C
- Is packed with Folate, a key nutrient for heart health and pregnancy
- Contains phytonutrients which include the 3 cancer fighting Glucosinates
“This is a tremendous nutritionally beneficial product, which is great because it is so rare for a non-GMO organic vegetable to come to market. It is a perfect line extension to the growing organic wet rack across the country like kale, chard and greens. It is a nutritional superstar,” Matt added.
After discovering the nutritional benefits, the company worked with chefs to develop recipes for this exciting new product. You can check them out by clicking here. For Foxy, juicing is where BroccoLeaf really shines.
Matt tells me, “Juicing is a big part of this plant’s future. The stem of the leaf is loaded with juice, more than kale and chard. This is a great way to have a very nutritious liquid as part of a regime.”
Foxy has been shipping BroccoLeaf for more than a month, and sales are steady. Matt says that customers who have tried it are reordering the product. That is good news for the company. BroccoLeaf is available year-round, and Foxy has good supply.
