Applewood Fresh starts Michigan asparagus season

Applewood Fresh’s growers will be starting Michigan asparagus shipments the week of May 25.

The Sparta, Mich., company will have Michigan asparagus through the end of June.

The company markets New Era’s American Asparagus, which is hydrocooled immediately after harvest, according to a news release. The asparagus is then put into a cooler before being packed in a refrigerated facility.

“We keep this process as short as possible to increase our customers’ shelf life and quality of the product,” Caleb Coulter, owner of New Era’s American Asparagus, said in the release.

Applewood Fresh offers the asparagus in a 2.25-pound zip lock with a “perfect for grilling” label (12 to a case), 11- and 28-pound standard bunch cartons, and one-pound bags (16 to a carton).

Peak volumes are expected for about two weeks, starting June 1.

Applewood Fresh has in-store and online tools to support Michigan asparagus, including point-of-sale materials on growers, recipes and social media content.

“Highlighting the power of locally-grown with less miles traveled, a shorter supply chain, family-owned farms and sustainability efforts are all important things to focus on for promotions,” Antonia Mascari, vice president of marketing for Applewood Fresh, said in the release.

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