Naturipe sees foodservice rebound

Naturipe is seeing foodservice demand rebound this year, says Jerry Moran, vice president of sales for Naturipe Farms.

“We believe the quick service restaurant category will continue to grow and berries are expected to be a part of that mix,” Moran said. “With all of the health benefits that berries provide, and with more menu items that include berries, we are excited to see the demand grow in this category."

Moran said Naturipe will have very good supplies of Mighty Blues (a jumbo blueberry pack) for the late summer and early fall. 

“We will have strong volumes starting in late July and available through October,” he said. “These are perfect for the foodservice industry."

The pandemic initially created new realities in how Naturipe engaged with customers, but Moran said the company has operated with minimal impact, as it was already set up for virtual meetings to accommodate its employees who live across the nation. 

“What has had the most impact on our business and operations has been the supply chain disruptions and the substantially increasing costs to produce our fruit,” Moran said. “Our growers continue to be challenged by the increased costs to supply our high-quality berries. We continue to look for ways to become more efficient in all of our operations.”