Fresh Cut Magazine

A Food Revolution

Anyone who’s actively involved in trying to get more fruits and vegetables into schools has no doubt come across Jamie Oliver. For those that haven’t heard of him, Oliver is a British chef, restaurateur and host of The Naked Chef on Food Network. He’s been instrumental in changing the foods served to children in U.K. schools – improving the quality and nutrition of school meals by reducing the amount of processed foods and including more fruits and vegetables. Oliver’s latest television show, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Friday nights on ABC, finds him in Huntington, W.Va. The city was named the unhealthiest city in the United States, according to a 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, with 46 percent of adults over the age of 20 considered obese. The show follows Oliver as he tries to persuade elementary school meal workers to include fresh…  » Read more

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Organics in 2010

Organic sales experienced tremendous growth, but the market began to stabilize in 2008 at high levels of consumer acceptance and use, according to the State of the Organic Consumer 2010 study, released by the Hartman Group in April. About 75 percent of consumers use organic products, and about one-third of those use organics at least monthly, and that hasn’t been affected by the economy. “Consumers are using about the same or more than a year ago, indicating that the economy is not stopping organic purchases,” said Arwen Kimmel, lead analyst for the Hartman Group study. Twenty-four percent of organic buyers are core consumers who are most active in the segment and are seeking authentic experiences from organic products, Kimmel said. Only 14 percent are in the periphery, where consumers begin their organic journey. Natural or Organic? There’s a growing trend at retail for more “natural” products. The Top 6…  » Read more

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Packaging Potatoes

In an effort to meet changing consumer demands and lifestyles, L&M Cos. is expanding its microwaveable potatoes to include sweet potatoes, and has introduced new packaging for their microwaveable russet potatoes. The company saw consumer trends and interests moving in a new direction, toward a more “down-home” lifestyle, and the packaging of the Russet potatoes is a reflection of that simpler time, sporting graphics featuring children playing in farm fields, and innovative cooking ideas consumers can use to have more home-cooked meals. It is all part of a marketing plan featuring products that reach out to consumers who want that quieter lifestyle. “It connects with the values the consumers are used to, really a back-to-basics living, and our packaging reflects that,” said Glen Reynolds, L&M business management director for potatoes and onions. “We think the design and packaging really hit the mark in graphic design and attributes.” Like…  » Read more

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Your Salad Story

A new Fresh Express program gives consumers a behind-the-scenes look. Photo courtesy of Fresh Express Fresh Express Emphasizes Trust, Connectedness with New Program By Scott Christie, Managing Editor The biggest name in fresh-cut salads is entering a new era in its business practices – one of trust and connecting with consumers. Fresh Express launched a new outreach campaign on its Web site called “Your Salad Story” that provides consumers with a behind-the-scenes look at the quality assurance and food safety measures of Fresh Express products. The site, at http://www.freshexpress.com/story, allows visitors to explore the growing regions, read about how salads go from seed to the bag, find out about food safety and quality and use the new Leaf Locator tool that shows where the ingredients in a particular bag came from. The new campaign is based on the concept that not all salads are created…  » Read more

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