Packaged salad growers reinvent and refine the category, despite challenges

Peek into a fridge in the U.S. today and you’re likely to find a slim, clear plastic container of salad tucked into a produce bin or wedged behind a carton of almond milk. Undeniable kitchen staples, lettuce greens and salad mixes consistently rank in the top 10 vegetables sold year after year, with over 40% of consumers reporting they’ve purchased salad mix or lettuce in the past 12 months, according to The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2022.

Precisely because packaged salad is ubiquitous in consumer grocery carts, producers and distributors of leafy greens continuously refresh and reinvent, refining and pushing the boundaries of the category — whether it’s experimenting with new varieties and recipes or updating retail presentation and packaging. “Pre-packaged salads do not need to be boring. They can be inventive,” said Deep Silver, senior marketing director at Boskovich Farms.

What’s Next in Packaged Salads

Many growers adjust their salad mix regularly, continuously developing new recipes, mixes, product lines and brands. “Lettuce and leafy greens are like our canvas here at Boskovich,” said Silver. “They allow us so much room for creativity and experimentation, which is always exciting. Every variety has a different taste, texture and characteristic, which makes the salads we create for our retail lines like Green Fork and Fair Earth Farms so unique.”

Growing throughout the West, with more than 18,000 farmed acres across California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico, Boskovich Farms is expanding into new markets, offering elevated bagged salad products designed to inspire shoppers. Recently, it launched a new company, Fresh Prep, focused on foodservice value-added fresh salad and vegetable offerings.

“At Fresh Prep we worked with Chef Andrew Hunter (of Wolfgang Puck, Niman Ranch, and Kikkoman R&D fame) to bring chef-driven recipes to the category. With the upward trend of more people wanting to eat healthier and consumers exploring more varieties of lettuce and leafy greens we see it as an opportunity to share our passion and creativity with consumers,” said Silver. 

The company’s newest retail line of USDA-certified organic salad kits and salad blends under the Fair Earth Farms brand features fully compostable, plant-based bags that are printed using water-based inks that will break down into organic soil.

“Fair Earth Farms is the next chapter for the company focusing on fresh produce coupled with a renewed commitment to sustainable innovation within the category,” added Silver.

Responding to consumer interest in flavorful leafy greens with more versatility, Church Brothers Farm in Salinas Valley developed a new hybrid variety of lettuce, Petite Romaine, to add to its product line.

“We reviewed several varieties during breeding trials, and it fit the needs of one of our largest foodservice customers,” said Rick Russo, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Church Brothers Farm. “We have since found that the Petite/Baby Romaine has a broad appeal in foodservice, and we are now extending this versatile product to retail consumers.”

The new variety was developed to “appeal to consumers looking for alternatives to the standard leafy green offerings. The Petite Romaine heads are trimmed in the field during harvest in order to reduce food waste after purchase,” Russo said. “Petite Romaine offers consumers the best characteristics of both romaine and iceberg lettuces… and can be used in a variety of ways, from a salad ingredient to appetizer or a healthful vessel for various foods.”

Fresh produce distributors can be changemakers in the packaged salad category as well. Kenneth Bower, director of produce merchandising at Baldor Specialty Foods, a Northeast and Mid-Atlantic distributor of fresh produce, stresses the importance of sourcing from growers who share the same values.

“Sustainability and food safety is part of our DNA and paramount to us. These are areas we will not compromise on. We source and partner with growers who think the same,” said Bower. Among the vendors Baldor has recently added who prioritize sustainability are: Wada Farms, Saunderskill Farms, Lady Moon, Hansen Farms, and Dynasty Farms.

“We’ve grown so much in the last few years — so that we’re now able to distribute all the way from Maine to Virginia, with hubs in New York, D.C., Boston and Philly,” said Bower. “A challenge and opportunity for us in 2023 will be consolidating our purchasing and sourcing strategies to support our four hubs, which will bring consistency in product, quality, and brands throughout our distribution area.”

Supply Chain Challenges

Growing, packaging and shipping highly perishable leafy greens presents challenges on all fronts. Supply chain disruptions, pests and extreme weather continue to cast a long shadow over smooth leafy green production.

At Boskovich Farms the “biggest challenge in operations is that we are continuing to see machine part shortages and extraordinary shipping times, but we don’t let this hinder us, our team is creative in other ways to make sure we do not have a gap meeting product demand,” said Silver. “With more consumers interested in a more health-conscious lifestyle and the demand for fruits and vegetables on the rise, we are expecting that keeping up with consumer growth will be an issue going into 2023. Though we are prepared.

“Of course, the drought continues to be an issue year after year,” continued Silver. “We are lucky enough to work with an amazing team that anticipates and reacts to these challenges swiftly to manage our crops year-round to keep us going without interruption.”

In addition to drought, annual virus caused by pests can pose issues. “We first started hearing about Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus in the Salinas Valley three summers ago, and it’s returned every summer and early fall since, spread by thrip bugs...This year, the spread has been worse than we’ve seen before and there is no available remedy,” said Bower at Baldor Specialty Foods. “While iceberg, romaine and romaine hearts appear to be the most seriously impacted, items like green leaf, red leaf, butter, gems, artisan lettuces, and filets/crowns are also at risk.  All Salinas growers are being affected to some degree, and that’s resulting in low yields and unharvestable products.

“Meanwhile, Canada, Michigan, Ohio, and other regional East Coast local growers are winding down and aren’t able to offer much relief,” continued Bower. “All this means that supply is low while demand for these core produce items is always high, which ultimately impacts pricing. We’re expecting that volatile markets will continue for the duration of the Salinas season which typically ends around the second week of November.”

Unfortunately, says Bower, the entire lettuce category is being affected. But tender leaf items like spring mix, baby spinach, baby kales, wild arugula and other value-added lettuce blends are good options right now in the salad category. Baldor also recommends hydro butter, radicchio and endive, all of which are in good supply, he said.