Fresh Cut Magazine

Data tracking is key to optimizing freshness

Temperature swings during processing, shipping or display reduce the shelf life of fresh-cut produce and can make the products less desirable to the end consumer. “Greater freshness of product means greater sales,” said Michael McCartney, principal of QLM Consulting, a supply chain consulting firm. But every time the product changes hands, there is a chance it may fall outside its desired temperature range, so better monitoring systems are needed to find the holes in the cold chain. Weaknesses Distribution areas can be problem areas for cold chain management. The potential for temperature swings is high during transport of the raw product from the field to the processing facility and from the processing facility to the retail or foodservice establishment. “We’re getting produce out of the field in better condition with early morning and night harvesting,” said Brian Hampson, professor of food science at California Polytechnic University. The trucking and refrigeration…  » Read more

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Technology, not produce, is the core business of New Zealand company

Auckland, New Zealand-based Fresh Appeal has found its core business is the technology – not the produce – that goes into making fresh-cut products. Fresh Appeal licenses its technology for the fresh-cut processing of fruits and vegetables in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, but the company also makes money from royalties based on throughput of its machines and by providing turnkey solutions to fresh-cut processors. Fresh Appeal was formed in 2002 as a joint venture between The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand (HortResearch), owned by New Zealand’s government, and a group of investors from Logistic Solutions, which was doing research into ultraviolet (UV) antimicrobial technology. “The technology came about after I was approached to see if I could disinfect apples without the use of chemicals,” said Lionel Evans, director of research and development for Fresh Appeal. Evans began the research in 1996 and…  » Read more

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Military research points to the future of fresh-cut

The United States military has soldiers across the country, and each branch is tasked with feeding them healthy meals. Because fruits and vegetables are important to a healthy diet, researchers at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Combat Feeding Directorate are finding new ways to get fresh produce to soldiers in the field or at sea. The United States military is an advanced fighting machine and the soldiers running it have to be mentally and physically fit to keep it at its best. The food they eat can have a profound impact on both mental and physical health, so the researchers in the Combat Feeding Directorate take their jobs seriously. “Our job is to fuel that warfighter and enhance those cognitive and physical abilities,” said Gerry Darsch, director of the Combat Feeding Directorate in Natick, Mass. Modified Atmosphere The U.S. Navy spent $26 million on…  » Read more

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Fresh-cut processor expands with 160,000-square-foot facility

There’s one moment that has come to define McEntire Produce. “We had a customer ask us to start shredding lettuce on a Hobart,” said Carter McEntire, vice president of the Columbia, S.C.-based company. “That’s what got us into the fresh-cut business.” At that time, lettuce wasn’t even washed – it was shredded, bagged and tied. That customer’s request launched the company from being a repacker to a distributor of fresh-cut produce throughout the Southeastern United States. McEntire Produce moved into a new, 160,000-square-foot processing facility in the fall of 2006. The move took three months to complete, and the new plant is already paying for itself. “We are already bringing in new business that we wouldn’t have been able to have if not for the new facility,” Carter said. Even better, the new business is still in the core competencies of McEntire Produce. The fresh-cut processor, repacker and wholesaler…  » Read more

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Quality Food = Happy Customers

My wife and I went out to a chain steak restaurant to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. Not a fine dining establishment with a linen tablecloth, but at least the napkins were linen. When my sirloin arrived, it was graced with the largest stalks of asparagus that I have ever seen. Now, usually when I order asparagus as a side, I get three or four scrawny stalks, but this particular day I found seven stalks that were each nearly an inch in diameter. I suspected that they might be tasteless, but I found their flavor to be quite good. Was the chef feeling particularly generous that night? Was the waitress angling for a better tip? Probably, but I noticed that the side vegetables on every other plate looked as good as mine. The choices buyers make, whether they’re purchasing for a processor or finding a supplier for a…  » Read more

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Subway adds sliced apples to its menu

A fresh-cut fruit processor is supplying Subway with sliced, bagged apples for its new Fresh Fit meals. Sun Rich Fresh Foods has been working with Subway for a couple years to prepare for the national product launch, which started last month, said Carl Svangtun, Sun Rich’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Subway has been working on this for a long time,” he said. “This is a culmination of a lot of that work.” Fresh Fit meals are a new component of Subway’s commitment to providing healthy options for adults and kids. The meals were designed to fit in with the American Heart Association’s approach to a healthy lifestyle, said Les Winograd, Subway’s public relations coordinator. The Fresh Fit line offers eight subs with 6 grams of fat or less; sides like sliced apples, raisins or baked chips; and drinks like low-fat milk, diet soda or bottled…  » Read more

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Your Web Site and the Power of the Internet

Small- to medium-sized businesses have the same needs as large corporations – they have to move product and market themselves. But many entrepreneurs don’t think the same way as large corporate executives. Many use seat-of-the-pants thinking – reacting, rather than anticipating and acting. Many believe marketing is something that “our sales people take care of” – and that’s a mistake. This month, in the second of a multi-part series on marketing, I look at the power of the Internet and its capability to enhance your marketing strategies. Power of the Internet The Internet is where your customers are going to find information. Whether looking for books or games or trying to find information on food safety by accessing a produce company Web site, people are using the Internet more and more. Last November, the number of Internet sites passed the 100 million mark. Ten years ago,…  » Read more

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