Tanimura & Antle's recent brand refresh gets new item

Salinas, Calif.-based Tanimura & Antle has added a new produce item to its recently refreshed artisan line, according to Ashley Pipken, director of marketing.

“In February, we started shipping a 2-count artisan baby iceberg that we are very confident in and excited about,” Pipken said. “Artisan baby iceberg is a new twist on a familiar favorite for consumers, without the commitment of buying a full-sized head of iceberg.”

Because of its small size, baby iceberg lettuce spends less time in the ground. It averages about 4.5 inches in diameter, about the size of a softball. Traditional iceberg lettuce, on the other hand, averages 11 inches in diameter.

“With less days to harvest, artisan baby iceberg requires less water and adds to our overall sustainability efforts. This item is an all-around win,” Brian Antle, executive vice president of sales, said in a news release.

The company’s artisan line is grown and packaged as premium quality vegetables. The line has found a niche with people cooking at home more.

“Our differentiating product family, our artisan line, continues to have great success,” Pipken said. “With consumers at home cooking more, they're looking for new items to try and these specialty items give them the variety and versatility they're looking for.”

Though the company’s artisan line has been successful, Tanimura & Antle has weathered a few shake-ups in the supply chain. Through the challenge of recent labor shortages, the company has doubled down on its efforts to attract and retain a skilled workforce.

“We can't be successful without our employees. More than 12% of our employees have been with us for more than 20 years and we attribute that to our employee practices,” Pipken said. “All of our employees, from seed to shipping, have access to benefits.”