LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO, CANADA - If you want to steal the spotlight on the trade show floor, show up naked. That’s the strategy Topline Farms (Westmoreland Sales) is employing as it prepares to debut its latest industry-shaking product innovation: naked cucumbers. At the upcoming Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Trade Show and Expo, the company will be highlighting its Plastic-Free English Cucumbers, in partnership with Apeel Sciences.
“After a year of planning and development for the Canadian marketplace, we’re on schedule for commercial launch this summer,” says Dino DiLaudo, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We think the CPMA is a great opportunity to showcase this cutting-edge technology.”
Topline’s unique cucumbers will be protected by Apeel, with a plant-derived peel that creates an edible barrier that can’t be seen, felt, or tasted. The use of this peel maintains shelf-life by keeping moisture in and oxygen out, as explained in a press release, thus prolonging freshness, reducing plastic, and eliminating the use of any artificial additives.
The change is welcomed by retailers and consumers alike, as sustainability continues to remain a focus. Sixty percent of consumers polled in a recent survey noted frustration with the overuse of plastic wrap in the produce category, and over 80 percent rank sustainability as a leading factor when making food purchases, the release explained. By aligning with Apeel Sciences, in the first year of this partnership, Topline Farms expects to curb 185,000 pounds of plastic, the equivalent of 8.5 million water bottles, or enough shrink wrap to cover 485 football fields.
Representatives from Apeel will be present at Topline’s CPMA booth to offer samples of the cucumbers and discuss the new technology, which is currently exclusive to Topline in North America. If you’re interested in finding out more about this unique innovation, don’t forget to stop by booth #1015!
Keep reading ANUK as we continue to cover this exciting industry occasion!
