Babé Farms is featuring a new lettuce item called “Ro-Minis” at the International Fresh Produce Association’s 2022 Foodservice Conference, said Matt Hiltner, marketing coordinator.
“Cute and compact, Ro-Minis (baby romaine hearts) pack the crunch of iceberg and sweet flavor of romaine into one small, tightly enveloped head,” Hiltner said. “We introduced this item a couple years ago in small volumes, and as we have seen demand grow, we have increased our plantings and brought it on as a full-time addition to our product line.”
He said Ro-Minis are great for both wedge or chopped salads and can even be grilled. “Their leaves are the ideal size and shape for lettuce cup appetizers and wraps — just fill with your choice of dressing and toppings,” he said. In addition to the Ro-Minis, the production team at Babé Farms is trialing some “fun new lettuce varieties” that likely will be shared with customers by the end of the year, he said.
The Babé Farms booth at the IFPA Foodservice Conference will feature an all-new booth display and artwork theme.
“The stunning new imagery in our booth will feature the full color palette of specialty vegetables available at Babé Farms,” Hiltner said. “Promoting health, wellness and eating the rainbow has long been a mantra of ours and we will really be leaning into that this year with our marketing.”
Coming back
While Babé Farms has always been more geared toward foodservice, Hiltner said the COVID-19 pandemic opened up some opportunities for the company on the retail side, as well as with home delivery meal kits.
“There is no doubt that the pandemic shook up our industry and many of us are still recovering, but one positive takeaway for us is that we are coming out of it with a more balanced and diversified customer base,” Hiltner said.
There are continuing signs of foodservice recovery, he said.
“From a Babé Farms perspective, we have already noticed a resurgence of fine dining and expect to see that trend continue,” Hiltner said. “As restrictions lift on foodservice and travel, people are starting to seek out memorable culinary experiences. This renewed consumer interest coupled with the rise of TikTok has been huge for the restaurant industry in promoting its offerings. The growing amount of influencer marketing on TikTok, Instagram and Yelp has created a “foodie” culture that just keeps gaining steam. Interest in dining experiences is at an all-time high, and with plant-based eating being one of the top trends in 2022, that only bodes well for the produce industry.”
