SANTA PAULA, CA – Everyone knows that lemons are a key recipe ingredient but….
Many people don’t know that each specialty lemon variety has a unique flavor profile that pairs with certain foods and beverages to create winning taste combinations.
Limoneira conducted a recent test market in a Southern California supermarket chain and learned that consumers were not familiar with specialty lemons. In the test, three lemon varieties – Meyers, Pinks, and Classics–were displayed side-by-side with signs highlighting flavor differences and recipe possibilities. The test was very successful and demonstrated that specialty lemons sales volumes increased from 20% to 40% of lemon sales, total lemon sales increased by 105% with no cannibalization, and cross promotional item sales increased by 150%.
With busy produce aisles full of shoppers looking for last-minute ingredients and party necessities, it’s easy to fall back on ho-hum holiday recipes. But this season, Limoneira is using learning from its test market to create something new. Limoneira plans to help retailers sweeten their lemon varieties and zest up produce category sales with its “Pairing Perfection for the Holidays” marketing campaign.
Difficult to grow and in limited supply, Meyer lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin, and are a favorite amongst chefs for their slightly sweet, delicate flavor.
For the November, December, and January months, Limoneira is offering retailers special Meyer lemons stand-up pouches with on-bag merchandising and in-bag inserts, including delicious lemon-inspired recipes to try every month, celebrating each month’s unique holiday. Limoneira is also hosting monthly contest giveaways for shoppers to Pair-adise (Hawaii), Pair- ‘is (Paris), and Pair-a-Dice (Las Vegas).
“In-store merchandising and robust social media marketing to geo-targeted shoppers will help build awareness and sales of Limoneira Meyer Specialty Lemons,” said Healthy Grocery-Girl and Limoneira spokesperson Megan Roosevelt in a recent video. “Colorful graphics on the bags, in-bag recipes, lemon pairing information, and contest details will help inspire and excite your shoppers to eat healthier.”
Each month, Limoneira offers recipes starring the Meyer lemons sweetness that are sure to be a party for shoppers’ flavor palates.
In November, shoppers can try dishes perfect for any Thanksgiving table or autumn night in, like:
- Roasted Garlic & Meyer Lemon-Rubbed Turkey
- Celery Root Stuffing with Roasted Meyer Lemon
- Rosemary-Meyer Lemon Turkey with Wilted Escarole
- Meyer Lemon Cake
- Rustic Meyer Lemon Tarte
In December, shoppers can get new ideas for dishes to bring to holiday parties, trying their hand at recipes like:
- Lemon Ginger Tea Infused Madeleines
- Meyer Lemon Mincemeat Pie Filling
- Meyer Lemon Candied Lemon Peel
- Butternut Squash Rose Tart with Meyer Lemon Roast Potatoes
In January, shoppers can start off the new year right by getting a jump on their resolutions with healthy recipes like:
- Meyer Lemon Tuscan Kale New Year’s Potato Salad
- Lemon-Cured Sardine Crostini with Ricotta and Fennel
- Falafel Bites with Lemon Twist Hummus
- Lemon Grilled Chicken, burst Tomato and Artichoke Skewers with Goat cheese dip
Megan also notes that Limoneira is ready to work with retailers’ in-house graphic teams or agencies to create customizable graphics or webpages uniquely crafted just for your store.
Stay tuned for Limoneira’s Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter updates for more “Meyer Magic for the Holidays” information and contest details, and don’t forget to visit Limoneira at booth #1905 at PMA Fresh Summit this week.
And if you liked Meyer lemons, keep your eyes peeled for Limoneira’s Lemon Trifecta making a big splash nationwide as pink lemons sprout this spring.
For more produce industry news, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
OVIEDO, FL - Duda Farm Fresh Foods is revealing a new and improved website that is seeking to spark recipe inspiration for everyone who visits. With a user-friendly and fresh format, the new website will make meals easier than ever and even offers suggestions of the company’s favorite fruits and vegetables.
“The new look and feel of our site allows us to add value to those who visit by providing information about our products and a way to get to know their farmers personally,” said Dan Duda, President. “This digital tool will allow us to position ourselves as the go-to resource for shoppers looking to learn more about our brand.”
Along with the white wood and marble aesthetics that create a fresh appeal, the website offers a product locator. This capability enables customers to locate their favorite products or products similar to what they are looking for in stores near them.
“The redesigned website allows us to share our healthy, on-the-go snacking options with consumers in a new and interactive way. We put shoppers top of mind when designing the layout and choosing features like the product locator,” said Nichole Towell, Director of Marketing.
Here is the kicker, though: the website is also mobile-friendly, working alongside the company’s social media platforms to provide useful and insightful information for consumers when they are on-the-go. “This website will also support our other consumer touch points like social media and influencer marketing by providing a stunning, helpful resource for content,” said Towell.
This capability in the website will collect data about consumer dietary preferences and act as the central control over digital promotions for everything the company offers. From inspirational recipes for amateur cooks to go-to materials for experienced chefs, the new website will house content benefiting every viewer and will act as an interactive tool for customers who want to know more about the Duda history and farms.
Duda’s new website promises to be more personal, making information about the source of their goods easier for consumers to locate and consequently creating a more personal appeal.
To hear more about their products and new, interactive website, you can visit them at the PMA Fresh Summit this weekend at booth #1307.
YAKIMA, WA – FirstFruits Marketing of Washington is building for success during the 2017-2018 apple season with new technology focused on exceeding quality expectations in all of their crops including proprietary varieties Opal® and Sweetie™ apples.
Earlier this year, FirstFruits completed the installation of a brand new packing line and automated palletizing system at their flagship facility at Broetje Orchards in the heart of their growing acreage in Prescott, Wash. The new additions improve the handling of fruit to ensure apples arrive in high-quality condition to assist in maintaining a longer shelf life at retail. The new systems also include improvements to the cold chain process to keep apples chilled from harvest to arrival.
Along with the improvements to infrastructure, Broetje Orchards welcomed Paul Esvelt as their new Post Harvest Manager in August to help manage the facilities and lead fruit storage, production and inventory management. Esvelt is a Washington apple industry veteran with more than a decade of experience.
“Paul will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our organization,” said Chuck Zeutenhorst, general manager of FirstFruits. “His diverse skill set and commitment to quality have already had a very positive effect this season.”
Organic tonnage at FirstFruits continues to rise, with emphasis on varieties consumers demand including Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady and of course, Opal®.
“We continue to invest in and grow our organic program and remain committed to leading the industry in organic farming practices and varietal development,” said Zeutenhorst.
Adding to a theme of infrastructure improvements and new technology powering FirstFruits into the 2017-2018 season, visitors to PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans Oct. 19-21 can get an immersive view of Broetje Orchards through VR Goggles at Booth #1663.
Sweetie™, FirstFruits’ early exclusive variety, continues to gain ground this season. Known as Gala’s sweeter, crunchier cousin, this Braeburn and Royal Gala hybrid is intensely sweet and juicy with a crunchy texture and is only available for a limited time. The consumer favorite Opal® apple returns to the market beginning in late October. The bright yellow and naturally non-browning Opal provides a sweet and crisp eating experience and naturally resists oxidation that gives it a non-browning superpower. As the exclusive marketer of the Opal®, FirstFruits will offer the variety in both organic and conventional options and expects supplies to last through June 2018.
“The response to Opal continues to grow and remains positive among consumers,” said Zeutenhorst. “There’s a powerful fan following for the apple that continues to propel it upwards in both sales and volume. As of last season, Opal climbed into the list of the top 20 varieties.”
And Opal®, the highly-acclaimed apple creating a frenzy in the category, is sporting a new look for the 2017-2018 season along with a brand new consumer campaign that will have fans singing. Literally.
This season’s consumer campaign, entitled “SupercrispiOpalicious,” centers around a challenge issued to Opal fans to create and perform their own original song about why they love Opals. Launching late this fall, the public will be asked to vote on the top five performers selected by a panel of judges. The grand prize winner will be selected by both popular vote and FirstFruits judges and receive a prize package and featured spot on the Opal apple website.
The consumer favorite Opal apple boasts a bright yellow exterior, incredibly sweet flavor and distinctive crisp texture. Best of all, the apple is naturally non-browning, making it perfect for snacks, salads and lunchboxes. As of the 2016-2017 apple season, the Opal is among the ranks of the Top 20 varieties in the country.
“Opal fans are some of the most passionate and vocal apple-lovers we’ve ever seen,” said Chuck Zeutenhorst, general manager of FirstFruits. “The SupercrispiOpalicious campaign will give them an opportunity to engage with us in a very unique and interactive promotion.”
The familiar Opal logo received a facelift and a redesigned website will launch this fall to coincide with the release of the apples to the market. Opals are supported through a comprehensive marketing strategy including in-store support, a full calendar of consumer events and public relations, engaging social media and digital content, partnerships with consumer influencers and a highly-targeted digital advertising campaign.
FirstFruits represents Broetje Orchards, a leader in Washington organic apple production and an innovator in new varieties to the market, as well as Congdon Orchards. As the exclusive marketer of the Opal®, FirstFruits offers the variety in both organic and conventional options beginning in late October and expects supplies to last through June 2018.
FirstFruits’ apples are supported at retail through comprehensive marketing plans including point-of-sale materials, merchandising bins, social media content and produce manager education. For more information, please contact East Coast Regional Marketer Dennis Jackson or West Coast Regional Marketer Tim Corkill. Learn more about FirstFruits at www.firstfruits.com.
CINCINNATI, OH - Kroger Co. today announced the retirement of Central Division President Katie Wolfram, after 38 years of distinguished service, effective November 4. Pam Matthews, the current QFC Division President, will succeed her, and Suzy Monford will join the company to serve as the new President of the QFC division.
"We are grateful for Katie's nearly 40 years of dedicated service to our associates and customers, and we are excited to have Pam and Suzy take on these indispensable leadership roles in our company," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's Chairman and CEO, in a press release. "Both leaders bring successful and distinguished retail experience to the roles and will help with the execution of the Restock Kroger Plan that will bring valuable changes to our customers, associates, communities, and shareholders."
Katie Wolfram went on to serve in several leadership positions at Kroger’s corporate office in Cincinnati and with Kroger’s Manufacturing Division, after beginning her career with Kroger in 1979 as an assistant store manager in the Cincinnati-Dayton division. In 2005, she moved to Denver to join the King Soopers Division as Vice President of Merchandising, before joining the Central Division in 2014 to serve in the same role. Wolfram was named to her current role in 2016 and has been spearheading an aggressive growth strategy in the Central Division since joining the region as the Vice President of Merchandising in 2014.
In the last two years of Wolfram’s service, the company has invested nearly $329 million in the central Indiana market, expanding its 138 stores and employing more than 19,500 associates total by adding five new Marketplace stores and 12 new gas stations, remodeling and/or expanding 14 existing stores, building a regional training center, and adding more than 1,400 new jobs to the regions.
Wolfram was also a leader for the first Cultural Council, a team development and culture-building group, started at the corporate office, and she started the Reach Higher initiative in Kroger Manufacturing. Additionally, Wolfram represented Kroger as a leader in the Network of Executive Women, Denver.
"Katie has accomplished much in her career with Kroger and has always been passionate about creating an inclusive and diverse work culture," continued McMullen. "She has been a valued leadership partner across the company and Central division. We truly appreciate the many contributions Katie has made to Kroger, and we wish her and her family the best in retirement."
In retirement, she plans to move back to Denver to be near her daughter and grandson.
Pam Matthews is currently the President of the QFC division, and will succeed Wolfram as President of Kroger’s Central Division, effective October 23. Matthews started with the company in 1980 in the Fred Meyer division and has held a variety of leadership roles over the course of her 25-year Fred Meyer career, including store management, training, corporate brand development, and merchandising for deli-bakery, drug-general merchandise, and grocery.
Before being named President of the QFC division in 2016, Matthews also served as Director of Deli-Bakery Merchandising and Director of Floral Merchandising and Procurement at Kroger's corporate office in Cincinnati before being promoted to Vice President of Merchandising for the Central Division in 2006. She moved to the Delta division as Vice President of Merchandising in 2014 and was named Vice President of Operations in 2015.
Monford has been named President of QFC Division, succeeding Pam Matthews, effective October 23. Before joining the company, Monford was the former CEO of Andronico’s Community Markets, a Bay Area chain acquired by Albertsons in early 2017. Prior to Andronico's, Monford was the head of innovation for Woolworths Supermarkets in Australia, after spending 10 years as an executive for H-E-B Central Market and H-E-B Grocery Company in Texas.
Passionate about creating healthy communities, Monford is an internationally-certified group exercise instructor and health coach.
She will be based at the division office in Seattle and oversee QFC's 65 stores in Washington and Oregon.
AndNowUKnow wishes Pam Matthews and Suzy Monford luck in their new roles, and Katie Wolfram a happy retirement.
HARTSVILLE, SC - Sonoco (NYSE:SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, will exhibit at PMA 2017 in New Orleans to showcase its newly expanded produce packaging capabilities. Due to the recent acquisitions of Peninsula Packaging and Clear Lam, Sonoco now offers the industry’s broadest array of packaging solutions tailored to the needs of the fast-growing produce market.
“The perimeter of the store continues to experience solid growth as consumers are drawn to more fresh and natural options, with produce being the significant driver,” said Sonoco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rob Tiede. “This growth is accelerating the need for brands to offer more convenient, on-the-go options that are easy to store, consume and dispose. Shoppers are also looking for ways to reduce food waste, so packaging has a big role to play in portion control and maintaining freshness.”
The newly expanded product line, which will be featured at the show, includes options ranging from flexible pouches and peel-reseal lidding, to rigid plastic trays, tubs and hinged containers. These formats are ideal for pre-cut produce, prepared salads and snack-packs, as well as whole fruits and vegetables.
At this year’s event Sonoco will be highlighting its new SmartSeal® peel-and-reseal lidded packaging for fresh produce. SmartSeal technology features a patented precision-scored, easy-open and reclose feature and offers tamper evidence and high-impact graphics. When coupled with the company’s thermoformed PET containers, the easy-open and reseal functionality addresses the needs of consumers interested in reducing food waste and looking for more convenient product options. Visitors to the show will be able to see the product in action at both the Sonoco and DuPont booths where it will be running on commercial equipment.
“The addition of Peninsula and Clear Lam to the Sonoco family greatly expands what we can bring to produce brands,” stated Tiede. “Our material science expertise and packaging variety, combined with our focus on innovation, goes a long way toward helping us develop new packaging options for our customers that address the demands of today’s busy, health-conscious consumers.”
Sonoco will be exhibiting at booth numbers 5820 and 4526. Learn more at www.sonoco.com/freshsnacking.
LAKESHORE, ON and DETROIT, MI - Accu-Label was born in 2001 as the sales company for the successful ORB-it® fruit labelling system developed at Ag-Tronic Control Systems Inc., a company known for innovation and designing leading-edge technology in agriculture since January 1991.
With immediate success abroad, Accu-Label International was incorporated in USA in 2002. “We realize the fruit and vegetable PLU labelling industry is not a one-size fits all,” company President, Joe Sleiman said. “Our customers range from mom and pop re-packers to some of the largest fruit and vegetable growers in North America, and they describe our products to 'perform like a Ferrari with the quality and reliability of a Lexus.'”
“With Ag-Tronic Control Systems spear-heading innovation and product development, we are able to customize labelling solutions to suit the industry’s requirements. Our latest product was developed in response to the trends we're seeing overseas and what is starting to be mandated by the retailer,” Sleiman continues.
The new FLEX-TL is a fully-modular tray labeler designed to suit the customer's unique and individual requirements, and will be introduced at the upcoming PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans, Louisiana. “We’re seeing customers settle for low-quality products based on price point alone. Sadly, they end up paying more in the long term to rectify low label percentages, or pay additional service costs for unreliable equipment. The new FLEX-TL will allow the customer to choose his or her options to build a system with the features they absolutely need and add on the features they want, for a reasonable price, while offering the customer the peace of mind of having the reputable ORB-it® brand.”
Accu-Label's internationally-patented ORB-it® Labelling system, with Print & ApplyTM, is considered the most successful Print-On-Demand PLU labeler in the world–entering its 10th year in production. "Much of the competition is realizing that Print & ApplyTM is the future and we've had a great head start to perfect our technology–continuously upgrading our software and hardware as technology has improved over the years. This year, we introduced our print vision verification feature to validate and verify the quality of the printed information before the label is applied to the product. This solution allows the customer to control the quality of its product upstream–reducing the risk of recalls at the retailer.” Installations of the verification feature will be completed by end of fall this year with many loyal customers profiting from this upgrade at no additional cost. “We are committed to staying ahead of the labelling technology curve and enjoy having our customers benefit from these advancements.”
“The industry has been very receptive to the innovations we’ve brought to the fruit labelling community. Our challenge now is to continue to innovate, while satisfying all of the requests we’ve had internationally for our product,” says Sleiman. In the past two years Accu-Label has strategically aligned itself with distributors and reps throughout the world to help spread the ORB-it® brand.
Find Accu-Label International at PMA Fresh Summit October 20th-21st at booth #859.
To learn more about Accu-Label’s commitment and reliability, visit www.accu-label.com.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Sun Pacific is helping families make healthier choices this holiday season with its Cuties clementines and Mighties kiwifruit—with new holiday packaging hitting stores November through the new year.
“The start of Cuties season always coincides with the holidays, a time when families are on-the-go more than ever,” said Howard Nager, VP of Business Development, in a press release. “Cuties and Mighties are a naturally sweet, delicious, and healthy snack that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy. There’s no better way to enjoy the season and guarantee your family, friends, and guests get the vitamins and nutrients they need.”
Sun Pacific’s new Cuties and Mighties packaging—5-pound boxes and display cartons—feature the brand’s lovable characters, Lil’ Zipper and Fuzzy, in Santa-themed hats and a snowy backdrop. The packaging is part of a global marketing strategy to encourage kids and families to make smart snack choices.
Beginning mid-November, Cuties and Mighties holiday boxes and display cartons will be shipped to Sun Pacific retailers across the country. The festive packaging will be available through December, and produce managers are also encouraged to use holiday display bases and a themed cutout of Lil’ Zipper in stores.
Attendees at the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans, October 19-21, can preview Cuties and Mighties holiday-themed packaging in the New Products showcase, in the Hall D lobby, near the main entrance of the Expo floor. And for more information, attendees can visit Sun Pacific’s booth, #4569, on the PMA Fresh Summit show floor or visit MightiesKiwi.com and CutiesCitrus.com to locate participating retailers.
BOISE, ID - After just over a year in the role, Safeway’s head of the Eastern Division, Dan Valenzuela, has left to “pursue other opportunities,” parent company Albertsons said. The Washington Business Journal reported that the retailer has named Jim Perkins, Albertsons' Executive Vice President of Retail Operations and Special Projects and President of the Acme Stores Division, the new President of Safeway’s Eastern Division in Valenzuela’s stead.
While an anonymous Safeway executive reported to sources that the division has seen some decline, Perkins "knows the business, understands the market, and connects with people on a very positive level."
The division now under Perkins’ care encompasses 125 stores spanning Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
He has spent the last 30 years as a “pacesetting leader” in the grocery industry, the retailer says on its website, adding that he has a passion for the grocery business. He started out as an Albertson’s courtesy clerk in 1982, developing into a key leader for throughout several areas of the country.
Perkins had left Albertsons to joined Giant Foods, LLC as a Regional Vice President, returning to the retailer’s ranks in 2012 as the President of Acme Markets.
He has served as Vice President of Operations for Albertsons Inc., and Director of Operations for Albertsons LLC’s Southern Division, and was named to his EVP of Operations, East Region role in April 2015.
Albertsons operates stores under the Safeway, Acme, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaws, and several others.
COACHELLA VALLEY, CA – PMA Fresh Summit is a time when the fresh produce industry puts innovation front and center. This year, North Shore Living™, formerly known as North Shore Living Herbs®, has undergone a comprehensive and thoughtful rebranding effort which it will debut at the show. In addition, this year's event will fall on the company’s 30th anniversary to the day, and the company will celebrate with fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream cones at booth #3300.
“All of the products we grow and package are living with the roots attached for freshness. It’s the reason we are able to deliver the longest lasting fresh herbs and microgreens to retail. This rebrand elevates our focus on living, which includes products that create opportunities to enjoy life’s special moments in the kitchen and around the dinner table. Making those moments the center of who we are is important,” said Chris Wada, Marketing Manager, according to a press release. “While we absolutely love the simple and clean direction of our new design elements, living our mission to make every home cooked meal a special occasion is what we care about the most. Our goal is to bring the joy back to cooking, the conversations back to meals!”
As one of the leading hydroponic greenhouse growers and the company known for The Original Living Herbs, the rebranding consists of six key upgrades: redefined company mission, consolidation to a single brand, new company logo, packaging redesign, trade show booth, and website.
Wada continues, “The timing of PMA accelerated the debut of our rebrand to the trade by a couple of months. This now gives us more time to talk with retailers about their individual needs and create a custom merchandising, promotion, and social content plan for our consumer launch starting in January. That said, it is business as usual going into the busy holiday season with our existing product packaging and displays. We plan to begin transitioning customers to the new brand during the first quarter of the year, with a sunset date of April 1st for old packaging.”
Simple, honest, clean, and authentic is what the new packaging aspires to communicate. The new logo and packaging designs were developed in-house using a creative approach that included everything from branding consultants to consumer surveys to studying the psychology of using white space in design. This new packaging stands out on the shelf, puts the spotlight on the beautiful product and communicates living—both in the logo and by showing the plants roots on the front of the clamshell products. North Shore Living™ will replace its existing brands North Shore Living Herbs® and North Shore Organic Living®.
In addition to the rebrand, North Shore Living™ has recently completed a 6 million dollar greenhouse expansion to its Thermal, CA, location to meet the growing demand for both its conventional and organic living herbs, expanding available production of over 20 different varieties in packaged clamshells or potted sleeves.
With a focus on the future, the company which founders Leo and Suzette started in 1987 has come a long way. How fitting that this Saturday at PMA, marks their 30th anniversary to the day. There won’t be balloons or cake, but there will be fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream cones made from the freshest living herbs. Taste the living difference at booth #3300.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – This week, Braga Fresh is bringing its new value-added offerings to 2017 PMA Fresh Summit and partnering with the PMA, Sun-Maid, and Marie’s to celebrate the perfect pairing of its Josie’s Organics Power Mix and Spring Mix with Marie’s salad dressing and Sun-Maid’s golden raisins.
“We’re excited to team up with Marie’s and Sun-Maid; it’s a perfect match!” Alisa Teglia, Braga Fresh’s Director of Marketing told me. “PMA had a very unique opportunity present itself; they needed a salad sponsor for the Refuel Lounge, and they thought of Josie! I knew at that very moment that this would be a perfect fit for us, and what a great way to support PMA. We’re excited about the opportunity to have people on the show floor taste our product with Marie’s salad dressing and Sun-Maid toppings.”
With both its classic Josie's Organics Spring Mix and new Power Mix—the perfect blend of organic cut vegetables, combining green cabbage, julienne-cut broccoli stalk, green kale, and julienne-cut rainbow carrots—in tow, Braga Fresh is primed to turn show-goers into fans with its charming food-truck atmosphere and the winning combination of fresh veggies and accoutrement that is anything but secondary.
And while refreshment and food is cause, in and of itself, for celebration, the Refuel Lounge is also an important meeting place, an excellent location to both network and sample tasty products.
“The Refuel Lounge is in its second year, capitalizing on the popularity of food trucks,” noted Belinda Keota Harvey, Meeting & Tradeshow Manager for PMA. “Certainly, the food is a part of refueling as we all know how much high-energy Fresh Summit requires of each of us. Besides food and electric fuel [for cell phones and personal devices], these areas are places for attendees to refuel and recharge with each other – networking, new ideas, new business partners, deepening relationships, impromptu business meetings, and more. Connections to people, ideas and insights are a hallmark of Fresh Summit, and the lounges are great places to make all those connections.”
Marie’s will be on hand, highlighting its transition to non-GMO oil and recyclable PET bottles and jars across its entire product line, as well as featuring its latest salad dressing flavors. Featured flavors include Garlic Parmesan Italian Vinaigrette, Mediterranean Vinaigrette, Roasted Tomato with Parmesan and Basil Vinaigrette, and Avocado Poblano dressings—each primed to highlight Braga Fresh’s Josie’s Organics products.
“We know that consumers love to experiment with their salads by adding different flavors and textures, so we looked for some great partners to share the Refresh Lounge experience with,” said Ventura Foods Brand Manager Ivonne Camacho. “Marie’s has been a longtime supporter of the Produce Marketing Association and the Fresh Summit. When we launched the Marie’s Food Truck tour in 2016, we thought the ultimate culmination of the tour would be to have it appear at the Fresh Summit…Last years’ experience was terrific!”
Sun-Maid’s Rich Pauman, Sr. VP Retail Sales and Marketing, expressed similar sentiments, noting the extraordinary opportunity the PMA Refuel Lounge provides to get product in front of forward-thinking buyers and build relationships between companies with similar commitments to quality and tastiness.
“Sun-Maid participated last year with Marie’s Salad Dressings and we feel it is a great opportunity to present Sun-Maid Raisins to consumers and buyers outside of the normal snacking realm,” Rich noted. “This is the first time we are working with Braga Fresh, and Marie’s Salad Dressings is a brand, like Sun-Maid, noted for its quality and reputation throughout the industry. Sun-Maid, even though it is one of the most recognized brand names in the world, believes in partnering with other strong brands to increase the recognition and acceptance of all participating brands.”
In addition to the company’s participation in the Refuel Lounge, Alisa tells, me, Braga Freshwill be showcasing the company’s full line of Josie’s Organics fresh cut vegetables at PMA Fresh Summit, including:
- 10 oz. Power Mix
- 9 oz. Cauliflower Florets
- 12 oz. Green Beans
- 9 oz. Broccoli Florets
- 9 oz. Broccoli and Carrots
- 9 oz. Broccoli Slaw
- 9 oz. Vegetable Medley
Besides the Refuel Lounge, Belinda told me, PMA will also host a Refresh Lounge sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission and the Charging Lounge sponsored by the Greenhouse Produce Company. The Refresh Lounge will feature tasty potato beignets and gumbo, and the Charging Lounge will allow attendees to charge their devices.
“We are thrilled that these three sponsors chose to support the Refuel Lounge: Braga Fresh, Marie’s, and Sun-Maid Growers of California. Last year, Marie’s had the idea about the food truck and worked with Sun-Maid. It was so successful they wanted to repeat the experience this year, and we added Braga Fresh to the mix,” Belinda added. “While we’re talking about food and refueling at Fresh Summit, I will mention that I hope attendees are attentive to the food. From tasty items at the lounges to food at exhibitors’ booths to the food served at meals and receptions, Fresh Summit offers delectable treats that showcase the variety and innovation available with fruits and vegetables. We focus on the learnings and networking and business deals at Fresh Summit, as we should. Yet I’m also blown away by the food that surrounds us at this event. We need everyone to eat the way we all do at Fresh Summit!”
For more on the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.