Go to Freshtables

The marketplace of ideas

In both Chicago and Montreal this month, buyers can find a plethora of products and programs to take home to their shoppers.

BY RICHARD TIRCSIK

A CORNUCOPIA OF NEW PRODUCTS AND FRESH MERCHANDISING IDEAS awaits visitors to this month's FMI/United and Canadian Produce Marketing Association shows. In Chicago, FMI and tlie United Fresh Produce Association have once again co-located their shows as part of the Power of 5 joint marketing effort involving those two trade groups, tlie Fancy Food Show, All Things Organic and the U.S. Food Export Showcase.

On the FMI side of the show, the Idaho Potato Commission's booth is part ofthe Idaho state pavilion. "We're in a state booth becan.se the states have great visibility and offer a location that you conld never be in if you were by yourself," says Seth Pemsler, vice president, retail/international, for the Eagle, Idaho-based trade association.

To entice attendees, "We're going to have some fun at onr booth," Pemsler says. Retailers and wholesalers who stop by will receive a potato-shaped memory stick. When they put it in their computers they'll find five pictures, four of which showcase the association's "What's wrong with this picture?" ad campaign and the last announcing "You're a winner" or "Sorry."

"There will be at least 20 winners, and the prize is a digital camera," Pemsler says, adding that the booth is decorated with blow-ups of the ads.

While at the Idaho pavilion, showgoers can stop at the IdahoEastem Oregon Onion Committee booth, where they can pick np new and updated foodservice and consumer recipes, and look at pictures ofthe winners of January's retail display contest.

"We're doing the display contest again next year, and we'll be encouraging the retailers that we meet to participate in the program again in 08," says Sherise Jones, marketing director ofthe Parma, Idaho-based committee.

Tbe contest is held in January because it has been dubbed Onion Lovers Montb. "In January, a lot of people are trying to change their habits, implement healthy eating, and onions are obviously low-calorie, healthy, good for the heart and a good source of vitamin C," says Jones. "By stopping by our booth, retailers ean learn ways to capitalize on those people who are taking advantage of that healthy-eating New Year's resolution."

A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

Til is year the committee is celebrating its golden anniversary. "We'll be doing a lot of tilings and using FMI to celebrate tliat 50-year season," Jones says. "We'll be doing fiin events and telling visitors about tbem."

Over in FMI's Snaeking Section, dried produce is being featured.

"Onr focns will be snaeking witb dried fruit," says Jeff McLemore, produet manager at Sunsweet Growers in Yuba City, Calif.

In tbe New Product Showcase, Sunsweet is displaying its Premium Varietal line of bagged dried fhiits in Berrj' Blend (blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, cherries). Cherries, Blueberries and Philippine Mango varieties.

Those who visit the Sunsweet booth on the show floor should be sure to bring their appetites. "We'll be highlighting our Sunsweet Ones individually wrapped prunes," MeLemore says. That will enable Sunsweet to piggyback on Sunsweet Ones TV commercials that are airing through June.

"We'll also be handing out samples of Jumbo Red Raisins, Cherry Essence prunes, Mediterranean aprieots and our Plum Sweets, whieh are dark-cbocolate-eovered plum bits," he says.

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE

Columbus, Ohio-based Glory Foods is maintaining outposts at both the FMI and United shows, where it will be displaying and sampling the latest in good, old-fashioned Southem eooking.

At FMI, Glory is unveiling its Dirty Rice, Creole Rice, Savory Sauerkraut and Savory Sauerkraut with Apples. It will also be sampling Skillet Gorn, Gollard Greens, Honey Garrots and Sensibly Seasoned Tomatoes, Okra & Gorn.

Across the eonvention floor at United Fresh Marketplace, Glory is displaying its fresh products and will be sampling Oven Roasted Honey Glaze Sweet Potatoes as well as Rutabaga & Tumip Roots. Dino Allen, fresh produce manager for Glory, will be on hand to discuss expansion news within the Fresh line with retailers.

The Sholl Group II/Green Giant Fresh is sampling its Steamed Perfect Freshtables line of fresh-cut vegetables at United. "We have four different sauces and nine different SKUs," says Sarah Wangler, marketing manager at the Eden Prairie, Minn.-based firm. Varieties include cinnamon/butter apples, and assorted vegetables with cheese sauce, garlic butter sauce, and a hot and spicy Southwest sauce that comes with sugar snap peas.

Visitors ean also see tbe new packaging for Sholl Group's Modern Mushroom Farms and find out how a joint promotion between Green Giant Fresh iceberg lettuce and General Mills Bacos bacon bits ean drive traffic and build department and ancillary sales.

GRILL GIVEAWAY

A chance to win a Ghar-Broil Grill will also be driving in-store traffic this summer. Retailers can leam how by cheeking out the Del Monte Fresh Produce booth. The Goral Gables, Fla.-based firm has partnered with Ghar-Broil Grills to create in-store grilling excitement this summer with the Fresh Grill Thrill Sweepstakes.

The promotion features Del Monte fresh fhiit grilling ideas and gives grocer)- customers the opportunity to win the new Ghar-Broil TEG Series grill or other prizes from GharBroil. The TEG Series features an infrared bumer, which is the latest in grilling technology and is said to be perfect for grilling fresh finits and vegetables.

"This program will also help grocery retailers capitalize on the latest healthy eating trends, such as incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your diet during the important summer grilling season," says Jacqueline E. Bohmer, senior manager of marketing at Del Monte Fresh.

"In-store support will include Del Monte Fresh Grill Thrill promotional display units and Fresh Grill Thrill hangtags or stickers on all Del Monte Gold Extra Sweet pineapples and bananas during the promotional period," Bohmer says.

Aff:er trying the hot grilled produce, showgoers might want to eool down with some chilled fresh fruit that is being sampled at tbe Old World Enterprise Group's booth. "We're launching a line of refrigerated cut fiuit under license from Sunkist Growers," says Sarah McLaren, marketing manager of the Northbrook, Ill.-based firm.

Marketed under the Sunkist Premium Sweet line, eight varieties are available, including an exclusive Valencia orange, along with red grapefhiit, peaches, pineapple. Mandarin oranges, citrus salad, tropical fruit and mixed fruit. Shipment is scheduled for August and additional varieties are planned.

At its booth, Monterey Mushroom is showcasing products that have been infroduced over the past year, including ib trademarked heir¬

loom Grill-A-Bella. "It is a proprietary strain that our research department has developed using a wild strain of mushroom that creates a thicker, heartier type of portabella," explains Joe Galdwell, vice president. Grill-A-Bella is available in whole caps and sliced versions.

ORGANIC MUSHROOMS

Watsonville, Calif-based Monterey is also touting its organic mushroom line, including white, baby bellas, portabellas and four exotic varieties: Maitake, White Beech, Brown Beech and King Trumpet.

"The third thing we're showcasing is onr bag," Galdwell says. "Last year we introduced a resealable bag for sliced mushrooms. We have sliced whites, sliced baby bellas, and we recently came out with a whole baby bella. Our current marketing is with 10-ounce bags, but at FMI we will be debuting an eight-ounce bag. Some retailers have been sensitive to price points, and this will allow them to address that a little better."

At its United booth, Sandpoint, Idaho-based Litebouse, Ine. is showcasing several new products, including its Lite Gaesar and Lite Thousand Island dressings, and its Zesty Italian, Soy Ginger, Poppyseed and Garlic Vinaigrette healthy dressings.

Litebouse is also displaying and sampling its single-serve sleeves of Yogurt Fruit Dip. The four-pack two-ounce containers come in vanilla and strawberry flavors for packing in lunchboxes or taking to the office.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will be displaying in the United section for the third time this year. "We've been at

F'MI for as long as they've had it,

and we used to di.splay in the export

section, but witb state budget cuts we

can ouly maintain one booth now,"

says Al Murray, assistant secretary of agriculture.

Tiiis year New Jersey is touting its locally grown initiative. "We broke the campaign last June, so we didn't bave a chance to display it at United," Murray says. "We're riding that locally grown wave right now. It has been growing for some time, but after 9/11 people are really concemed about where tlieir produce is eoining from."

"We've identified tbat more people are eating fresh fruits and vegetables toda\- than they were back in the 60s, when canned or frozen were

tbe popular options," be says.

ON TO CANADA

The day affer Murray and his staff fly back to Trenton, they have to pack up the van for the eight-hour drive to Montreal for the Ganadian PMA show, running from May 9 to May 11. "Ganada is onr thirdlargest market and a huge importer of onr greens and blueberries because we are liarvesting before their crops are ready," Mnrray says. "We dovetail nicely with the Ganadian market because we're not competing against them."

Ocean Mist Farms is also displaying at both the United and Ganadian Produce Marketing Shows. Among the items the Gastroville, Galif-based grower is displaying are its fresh artichokes and Rill fresh vegetable product line. New items on display are its SteaniFast Pouch Asparagus and Brussels sprouts. Tbe prewashed produce cooks in just three minutes. The pouch contains a proprietary SteamFast valve tbat allows the product to "steam" cook to restaurant al deute st)'le, avoiding the overcooked condition tbat often occurs in the microwave.

"We have a very big antioxidant message that we are rolling out nationally about artichokes," .says Kori Tuggle of Ocean Mist Farms.

At its GPMA booth, Westiake Village, Galif-based Dole Fresh Fruits and Vegetables is debuting Garlic Gaesar, Sweet Baby Lettnce and Shredded Lettuce salad mixes. "Tliese items have perfonned really well in tbe United States, and we introduced them earlier to Ganada through a pilot program and they did really well," says Marianne Duong, communications manager. "We are now expanding tbe program to go across Ganada."

Rainier Fniit Go., Selab, Wash., is sampling its Grapple brand grapeflavored apples at GPMA. "We've been working on getting Ganadian approval for almost tbree years, and we just got final approval on the Ganadian bilingual label in early April," says Suzanne Wolter, director of marketing.

Toronto-based MacKay and Hnghes is having a four-sided bootli at GPMA tbis year. "One side ofthe booth is for our Green Giant Fresh potatoes and onions, wbile another side is for Eartli Fresh Organics," says Tom Hngbes, president. A third side of the bootln is reserved for displaying and sampling shoestring potatoes and bash browns from Kitchen Express Fresh-Gut Potatoes, while the fourtli side is MacKay and Hughes' distribution ami.

"On tbat side of tbe booth we will have specialty potatoes, like Klondike Rose and Klondike Gold Dust, along with our brands, like European Gounnet," Hughes says. "We'll be showcasing the wide a.ssortment of potato offerings that we have all across North America." i



"More people are eating fresh fruits and vegetables today than they were back in the 60s, when canned br frozen were the popular options."