Paradise Salad debuts at ShopRite store
The ShopRite of Chester, N.J., recently teamed up with Three Meadows Farm and the Somerset Hills Learning Institute, a private nonprofit program that offers a broad spectrum of services and education to children, adolescents and young adults with autism, to bring Paradise Salad to store shelves.
Paradise Salad, which debuted Jan. 19 at the store, is the first product sustainably grown, harvested and packed by young adult students who are learning job skills at Three Meadows Farm, according to a news release. Staff from Somerset Hills Learning Institute and Three Meadows Farm were present Jan. 20 to provide shoppers with exclusive tastings.
ShopRite of Chester is the first retail location to carry the product, according to the release. The store’s produce buyer worked with Three Meadows Farm to help navigate the process of bringing the local product to market, with the goal of helping the farm further expand its offerings. Somerset Hills Learning Institute acquired the farm in 2016, and it functions as both a learning site for students and job site for adults, the release said.
Grown at the farm’s hydroponic greenhouse in Bedminster, N.J., Paradise Salad features a blend of lettuce, sorrel, radish microgreens and nasturtium. When brought together, the blend offers a unique and peppery flavor profile, accented by a delightful combination of spicy, tangy and slightly sweet notes, according to the release.
“We love nothing more than working with local farms to bring the freshest produce possible to the community of Chester,” Perry Blatt said in the release. Blatt is the director of e-commerce and business development for Village Super Market Inc., the family-owned business that owns and operates the ShopRite of Chester. “And our relationship with Three Meadows Farm is more than just another business partnership — it is about elevating the work of an incredible organization that is providing life changing opportunities to young adults with autism.
"Every Paradise Salad sold at the ShopRite of Chester supports that mission, and we could not be prouder to feature this product on our shelves," Blatt continued. "We congratulate every student for their hard work and look forward to growing with Three Meadows Farm as they bring new product to market.”
“As parents of a child with autism, our hopes and dreams for our son are no different than are those for our typically-developing child,” an unidentified parent of a student enrolled at the Somerset Hills Learning Institute said in the release. “We want Matthew to be happy, healthy, loved and independent. Working with his extended family at Three Meadows Farm has been nothing short of incredible. Matthew has obtained new skills and is truly happy going out the door each morning, and happy matters! We are so grateful to the staff at the Somerset Hills Learning Institute and to the team at Three Meadow Farms for helping our son reach for the stars! Thank you all for your support.”
Career training is a part of the curriculum at Somerset Hills Learning Institute, which offers specialized programs to increase employment opportunities for adults with autism, according to the release. At Three Meadows Farm, students are given the opportunity to experience a multitude of job readiness skills including farming, gardening, greenhouse cultivation and more.
Each purchase from Three Meadows Farm supports the Institute’s ability to provide quality treatment and education, according to the release.
