Seen and heard at SEPC’s Southern Exposure — Part 3
ORLANDO, Fla. — From jumbo berries to value-added convenience to sustainability, this year’s Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure offered a feast of fresh produce trends. Here’s a look inside the event held March 2-4 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.
Stemilt Growers’ Brianna Shales showed off the Wenatchee, Wash.-based company’s EZ Band package for Cosmic Crisp and Artisan Organics apples. As grocery retail has largely moved to self-scan checkout, shrink on bulk organics has risen due to incorrect rings, Shales said. Stemilt’s four-pack apple packaging offers a UPC code-scannable unit for the fruit. The sustainable packaging is made from 100% paper and is welded together on the bottom without glue. Shales also says these packages are ideal for e-commerce.
Pretty Lady Vineyards teased its new organic grape varieties in black, red and green coming this summer, as well as its new Ruby Rush and Epic Crisp grapes that are also set for a 2023 launch. Nick Dulcich said the company is investing and reinvesting in new varieties. While new products create excitement, there are costs associated with planting new vineyards, and labor remains a challenge. “A lot of people in the grape industry are going out of business due to labor costs," Dulcich said. “Prices haven’t changed for growers, and they need to,” added Dulcich, who said if something goes wrong — like extreme weather — growers have no cushion to absorb related costs.
Related: Seen and heard at SEPC’s Southern Exposure — Part 1
At Braga Fresh, Brian Amaral and Elisha Cope showed off the company’s Easy Pan Veggies Roasting Kit. Cope said the veggies with seasoning, which come in three varieties — Garlic Parmesan, Everything and Garden Ranch — can be cooked in an air fryer, oven or grill. Braga also featured its new conventional three-pack of romaine hearts that joins its organic offering. “It’s been taking off,” Cope said of the conventional lettuce.
Westfalia’s David Fausset said the company’s growers continue to plant more Gem variety avocado trees and replace old trees with the variety. “It’s more sustainable,” said Fausset, adding the Gem avocado uses less water and offers better yields per acre. “It’s a good spring and summer avocado. We’ll continue to see growth in the coming years,” he said. Fausset also said the Gem is an “up-and-coming variety” that gives retailers opportunities to expand the category.
At global logistics company Robinson Fresh, newly named president Jose Rossignoli said the company was “doubling down on its continued focus to integrate products and services to provide customers with a seamless supply chain solution.” Robinson Fresh, which offers end-to-end solutions, is also bringing visibility to delivery, Rossignoli said. “It stems from our vision to feed the world fresh produce and supply chain solutions — bringing those two elements of our DNA together.”
Related: Jose Rossignoli tapped as president of Robinson Fresh
“Strawberries are what everyone is talking about with the California weather. They want to know what’s going to happen,” said Jack Cain of Always Fresh Farms. Cain said the company was focused on making its Florida berry crop stretch until Easter. With their pale pink color, the company’s Berry Blush-I-Licious Pineberries were also catching the eyes of attendees, Cain said. Always Fresh Jumbo Giants blueberries were also on display. “People are looking for a blueberry that is not only big and beautiful but also firm and crunchy,” Cain said.
John Pandol shared that Pandol Brothers will continue its Wounded Warrior Project partnership, providing special packaging for California blueberries and grapes that support the cause. Speaking of packaging, Pandol said the “big challenge is trying to find the next generation of packaging.” He said the company is looking at “green solutions” but is gathering information before making a leap. “The question is will it hold up? Will it be compostable or not? The plastic clamshell took the berry business to where it is now,” he said.
Alpine Fresh featured its Sweet Karoline Blackberries. This marks the third year of shipping the new variety, said Ashley Yager. Sweet Karoline berries were in trials and research for seven years, said Yager, adding the berries are “doing very, very well” because you can’t eat just one. The company also showcased its Sekoya Blueberries and Daniela Raspberries. Yager has also seen increased demand for jumbo blueberries.
Naturipe showed off its Bliss Bento indulgent snack line with between 200-220 calories each. The No. 1 variety is Berry Lemony, said Glenn Daniels. The snack features blueberries, lemon coconut granola clusters and yogurt covered almonds. At just 220 calories per package, Daniels said the Bliss Bento satisfies a sweet tooth but is still low in calories.
At Ozblu, a vertically integrated company involved in breeding, growing, harvesting, packing and delivering what it says is a “juicier, crunchier, tastier” blueberry, the company’s innovative grab-and-go cylinder packaging for the berry was on display. Developed in Australia, Ozblu also grows its blueberries in Florida, Mexico, Africa, South America and Spain.
