It’s apt that as Earth Day (April 22) raised the awareness of sustainable packaging and alternatives to plastic, a trio of companies have been in strawberry fields testing a prototype cardboard clamshell.
Sweet potato grower-shipper Wayne Bailey Produce, Chadbourn, N.C., is closing after 85 years, and its customers will now be served by Jackson Farming Co.
South Carolina growers are promoting their crops to mid-Atlantic and Northeastern buyers as a seasonal alternative, a South Carolina Department of Agriculture representative told the crowd at Eastern Produce Council’s dinner meeting.
Less than four years ago, the Salinas, Calif.-based berry grower formed a research and development division focused on fruit breeding and automation, said Craig Moriyama, director of berry operations.
Consumer interest in alternatives to carbohydrates motivated Mann Packing Co., to introduce a fresh vegetable-based noodle and rice line last spring, said Loree Dowse, director of creative marketing.
Small-scale grower Hall’s Organic Farms in Salinas, Calif., has found niche markets for its organic vegetables, strawberries and more — in food hubs, high-tech companies and farmers markets.
Growers Express, which sells cut vegetables under the Green Giant Fresh brand and has seen demand rise “significantly” over the past year for its Veggie Meal Bowls and its Fresh brand Little Gems lettuce hearts.
