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June 2011

June 2011

Very Fresh, BerryQuick: Naturipe introduces single-serve blueberry snack.

New Orleans Thankful for Salad Bars: 33 salad bars will benefit students for years to come.

Innovation, Everywhere: No industry segment is immune from change.

Safe Fruits and Veggies: Alliance of growers with a mission to combat negative media reports about pesticide use.

United Fresh 2011: Photos from the show.

[Banner Middle] 3M Food Safety - May 5/1-5/31

Featured Article

Very Fresh, BerryQuick

Naturipe introduces single-serve blueberry snack When Naturipe was developing its latest product offering, the company had one question it was trying to answer: "How can we enhance the snacking options that are out there?" said Robert Verloop, executive vice president for marketing at Naturipe Farms. Innovation has been slow coming to blueberries. Growers and packers have typically used size to differentiate products, "and that's not innovation," Verloop said. So Naturipe looked at some of the best practices in the snacking industry and tried to apply those to a blueberry product. "We didn't think of ourselves as a blueberry grower, we thought of ourselves as a snack item, a convenience item," he said. The result was BerryQuick, a single-serving of blueberries in a fun and attractive package. "We see this item as a breakthrough for the blueberry industry," Verloop said. The product was a finalist for the Best New Fruit Product at the United Fresh Show, May 2-5 in New Orleans. While the product was not selected as the winner by attendees at the show, it was recognized as an innovative product during the Global Conference on Technology and Innovation on May 6, and it was…  » Read more

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Very Fresh, BerryQuick

Naturipe introduces single-serve blueberry snack When Naturipe was developing its latest product offering, the company had one question it was trying to answer: "How can we enhance the snacking options that are out there?" said Robert Verloop, executive vice president for marketing at Naturipe Farms. Innovation has been slow coming to blueberries. Growers and packers have typically used size to differentiate products, "and that's not innovation," Verloop said. So Naturipe looked at some of the best practices in the snacking industry and tried to apply those to a blueberry product. "We didn't think of ourselves as a blueberry grower, we thought of ourselves as a snack item, a convenience item," he said. The result was BerryQuick, a single-serving of blueberries in a fun and attractive package. "We see this item as a breakthrough for the blueberry industry," Verloop said. The product was a finalist for…  » Read more

New Orleans Thankful for Salad Bars

Thirty-three salad bars will benefit students for years to come The United Fresh Foundation donated 33 salad bars to New Orleans area schools during last month's United Fresh show. The salad bars advance the initiative of putting 6,000 nationally over the next three years. United Fresh has donated more than 100 salad bars in 12 states and Washington, D.C. The salad bar donation was the largest yet from the United Fresh Foundation, and was accomplished with the help of 26 produce companies and individuals, which gave $3,000 to $150,000 to the foundation. Next year's United Fresh show will be held in Dallas, and the foundation hopes to increase the number of salad bars and the number of companies involved at that show, said Loralei DiSogra, vice president for nutrition and health and United Fresh Produce Association. Representatives from the schools, local health programs and the…  » Read more

Innovation Everywhere

No industry segment is immune from change The produce industry has seen a revolution of change over the decades, from the introduction of ice packing produce for cross-country travel in the 1930s to the introduction of fresh-cut produce in the 1980s. Some innovation has been pressed on the industry by necessity and some by mandate, and over the next few years the fresh and fresh-cut industries will have to adapt to both. Innovation was the focus of the Global Conference on Technology and Innovation, May 6 in New Orleans. Representatives of each market segment sat down with Tom Stenzel during the lunch session for a discussion on how they've adapted to change. For each business, innovation was a necessity, either for gaining new business or finding profits in dealing with buyers. "We have to find a way to move cost out of the equation," said…  » Read more

Safe Fruits and Veggies

Alliance of growers with a mission to combat negative media about pesticide use The Alliance for Food and Farming has re-launched its website with tools for consumers to learn the truth about pesticide use in farming. The alliance, a grower-funded non-profit group headquartered in Watsonville, Calif., seeks to promote the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and ease concerns about pesticide use in farming through science-based data. "Consumer research indicates that about 60 percent of consumers express a high level of concern about pesticide residues on their food, most of which is based on misleading information they see in the media and on the Internet," said Marilyn Dolan, executive director of the Alliance for Food and Farming. "People are making purchasing decisions based on this information, so it is important for the produce industry to correct misinformation in the media whenever we can." The Safe…  » Read more
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