WATSONVILLE, CA - When you see a table filled with a vibrant and delicious assortment of fresh berries, you run quickly toward that table. This was my exact experience as I stepped into the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Foodservice Conference not too long ago, where I was met with decadent desserts as Driscoll’s showcased its impressive berry portfolio. At the booth, I had a chance to link up with Jensen Devaurs, Senior Sales Group Manager, who shared a bit about the supplier’s foodservice lineup and the advantages of the show.
“There’s a lot of opportunity in the marketplace to meet consumers where they want to eat, with what they want to eat,” Jensen explains to me, discussing current demand in the foodservice sector. “We know from what we’ve done successfully at the retail level that consumers really love berries, and they want to eat them on multiple occasions; the opportunity in the foodservice space is to promote fresh berry consumption across all of those different occasions.”
Attendees of the show were delighted with a closer look at Driscoll’s four key product offerings—strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries—as the team catered to how they can be utilized in foodservice applications, such as the desserts on display during the event. Driscoll’s also took the opportunity to highlight some of its super premium items, such as its Rosé™, Tropical Bliss™, and Sweetest Batch™ berries.
“This show gives us the opportunity to meet with operators at a very focused, foodservice-driven event. It also takes place right in our backyard, which allows us to take customers to our fields and distribution centers and give them a peek behind the curtain at what makes a Driscoll berry so special. It is the perfect opportunity to bring the customer and the grower together,” Jensen concludes.
While the show may be over, Driscoll’s always has exciting things in store for its partners, and its prowess in the berry category is evidence of that.
As always, stick with ANUK for the latest in fresh produce.
