If a dozen new lettuces aren’t interesting enough for the foodservice industry (read my last post), I found three other amazing product launches at the Produce Marketing Association annual Foodservice Conference in Monterey, Calif., in July… The kind of amazing that will make you spit out your coffee and exclaim, “Ethel, read this. You won’t believe it!”
Spinach straws. “What?” you ask. They are actually called Nature Straws, and they are a unique garnish used for high-end drinks. They are a naturally hollow, bright magenta, crunchy and sweet spinach stem introduced by Fresh Origins, San Marcos, Calif. Swirl that one around in your drink and take a sip.
Betty Crocker on the menu and in the produce department. You thought she was all about cake mixes. Well now, she’s going to be about fresh onions and potatoes, and eventually apples and everything else for foodservice operators who can see the value of a brand, and certainly for consumers in the produce department interested in a name they trust. Will Betty Crocker fresh potatoes and onions make sense to consumers? General Mills sure hopes so. The company has hired Nonpareil Corp., Blackfoot, Idaho, as the exclusive marketing agent to make it happen. The launch date is Sept. 1.
Carica… a new fruit you’ve never heard of. It only grows in northern Chile and comes packaged and pasteurized in a 35-ounce resealable bag, as it cannot be eaten fresh. The flavor is like a combo of mango, pineapple, pear and peach, and the company that markets it—Tamaya Gourmet, from Santiago, Chile—considers it a “boutique fruit.” I tried it, and the texture is a bit crunchy. I think it’s OK, but my husband loves it. You can order it online from www.tamayagourmet.com.
Now, don’t those new items beat all?
Jody Shee
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