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Americans are nearly twice as likely to buy blueberries now as nine years ago, Hebert Research found in its recent survey of 3,765 primary household shoppers.
“We do these surveys every five years to make sure we’re moving the needle, and this one shows an excellent return on our investment,” said John Shelford, a member of the council’s promotion committee. “We went from 39 percent awareness of health benefits in 2004 to 84 percent today, more than doubling awareness in 10 years. That’s remarkable.”
As in 2008, the typical blueberry consumer in 2013 was upscale, well educated and white — but more likely to be from a minority. Consumers, primarily ages 46 to 65 in 2008, have grown more likely to be 35 to 44.
“We really have been focusing our efforts on developing the future generation,” Shelford said. “In terms of market channel, fresh has a preference with customers. We work hard to bring fresh to them, but it’s challenging given the labor situation. The industry has a number of ready-to-eat providers today thanks to new sorting methods, so the consumer can have that fruit before it’s frozen.”
Shoppers are now likely to buy blueberries based solely on health benefits, the survey found.
Asked what they like most about the fruit, consumers cited health (84%), taste (81%), convenience (61%) and versatility (44%), among other attributes.
Nutritional benefits were widely acknowledged. For example,, 99 % believe blueberries are a healthy food.
If you’ve noticed fewer loading opportunities for Chilean fruit arriving by boat at U.S. ports on both coasts, you’re correct. However, less product has been coming mostly because of growing conditions in South America, not from a union port strike in Chile that has been on and off, but apparently is over, at least for now.
For exmple, Chilean blueberry exports are at 22,516 tons, compared to 34,000 tons the same time last year. However, blueberry exports are support to be increasing now.
Chile exported 8,356 tons of cherries this this season compared to 7,998 last year. Plum exports are unchanged from a year ago.
Stone fruits were hit harder by Chilean weather and the country has exported 2,252 tons of peaches compared to 6,425 tons last year. Nectarines are off 5,411 tons from a year ago compared to 2,828 tons this year. Apricots have also been down at 232 tons compared to 822 during the same period last year.
Last September several frosts hit Chile, with stone fruit and kiwifruit being hit the hardest. In mid-January, estimated losses 64 percent for Chilean peaches, 59 percent for nectarines and 63 percent for plums. Chilean kiwifruit losses were pegged at 60 percent.
Chilean grapes lead volume of that country fruit arrivals to America. Arrivals at ports is now peaking, but will taper off early than normal – probably March – due to later varieties being hit hardest by a freeze last September.
Over the past 25 years Chile has become a major player in global markets, in large part because its seasons are opposite that of the U.S. and a number of other countries. This allows it export to the U.S. for example, when many American produce items are out of season.
There’s big volume with Northwest produce shipments ranging from apples and pears, to potatoes and onions, providing a lot of loading opportunities.
Washington state each year ships about as many apples as all the other apple shipping states combined. And this is one of the state’s biggest volume crops. While pear volume is substantiably lower, it is still a good sized items. Both apples and pear shipments are originating out the Yakima and Wenachee valleys.
Washington state’s Columbia Basin along with the adjacent Umatilla Basin in nearby Oregon are moving good volumes of both potatoes and onions. Between these two areas, approximately 1,000 truck load equivalents are being shipped weekly.
Nobody grows and ships as many potatoes as Idaho – not even close. These guys are loading on average about 1,750 truck load equivalents each week.
With “hardware” items like these that are so promonient in the Northwest states, it makes for attractive hauls by the railroads, so you do have more competition from the rails here than from most areas. The rails also often offer a freight rates averaging around 10 to 15 percent less than trucks. But at the end of the day, trucks are still hauling over 95 percent of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables, although it’s a little less in places like Washington state and Idaho.
I’ve been asked several times recently why produce rates from several areas around the country, including California, have declined in recent weeks. Many factors seem to play into this going beyond just the demand for trucks and for produce shipments by the produce buyers.
- First of all, it is February, perhaps the slowest time of the year for over all fresh fruit and vegetable volume – and shipments.
- It has been one hellacious winter over much of North America. When it is bitter cold, with ice and snow covered streets, people tend to hibernate. They go to their supermarket less frequently and when they do, often purchase less.
- With a hard winter, come added expenses, whether you stay warm by using home heating oil, propane, natural gas or electricity, or a combination of these items. This is resulting in some record setting utility bills for consumers. The more one spends on necessities such as these, the less cash consumers have to spend on food. While food is certainly a necessity, it still can mean fewer purchases, as well as more selective buying of fresh produce items that are cheaper than others.
Hang in there; we’ve got at least another month or so of winter weather. Until the weather improves, winter vegetables quit shivering so much, and start growing more, the winter doldrums will continue.
California and Arizona winter vegetables – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
Central Florida tomatoes and vegetables – about $2500 to New York City.
While a good portion of the trucking industry opposesd NAFTA, particularly as it relates to the safety of Mexican trucking operations, as well concerns over rates being adversely affected, this information relates to the year around produce availability under NAFTA.
It wasn’t that many years ago when you would walk through the produce section of your supermarket you’d never have seen items like fresh raspberries or green beans in the dead of winter.
This time of year Mexican grown accounts for a lot of fresh produce eaten by Americans, and it’s the result of the North American Free Trade Agreement — NAFTA — which took effect 20 years ago last month.
In the years since, NAFTA radically changed the way we get our fruits and vegetables. For starters, the volume of produce from Mexico to the U.S. has tripled since 1994.
One reason for this growth is NAFTA eliminated tariffs on items such as cantaloupes, which used to have a 35 percent tax on them when they crossed the border. No tariffs meant lower prices.
Another reason is NAFTA encouraged investment. This mean U.S. companies linvesting hundreds of millions of dollars in Mexican farms. That has helped create year-round supply and demand for U.S. and Canadian customers.
For example 20 years ago, you did not have 365-day distribution of tomatoes from Mexico to the United States. Now you’ll find Mexican tomatoes in U.S. supermarkets every single day of the year.
A big emphasis has emerged in recent years on locally grown fruits and vegetables. Many retailers are buying locally grown as often as they can. The claim is locally grown has been been shipped long distances, or has been bred to produce product that has a longer shelf life, with less taste.
However, the produce industry has made great strides in packaging and shipping more flavorful fruits and vegetables from Mexico.
By The North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services
RALEIGH – The N.C. Sweet Potato Commission and N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will unveil a new retail promotion across the state this February in honor of Sweet Potato Month. The promotion, 52 Ways to Love Sweet Potatoes, will highlight the versatility and nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes. Components of the program include in-store displays, a branded website and a social media contest for consumers. The promotion will take place in February at 155 Lowes Foods, Piggly Wiggly and Ingles stores in North Carolina.
The in-store elements of the promotion will include recipe cards and point-of-purchase signage. In addition, cooking demonstrations will be held at select stores during the month to introduce consumers to new ways of preparing sweet potatoes.
The Sweet Potato Commission has created a branded website for the promotion which includes 52 sweet potato recipes, one for each week of the year. Another aspect of the promotion is a photo contest on the commission’s Facebook page. Consumers can earn a $100 gift card to one of the participating grocery stores by sharing their sweet-potato photos with the hashtag #loveNCSP on the social networking site. The promotion was made possible through funding from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Sue Johnson-Langdon, executive director of the N.C. Sweet Potato Commission, says she welcomed the opportunity to work with the department to promote sweet potatoes. “North Carolina is the largest producer of sweet potatoes in the nation, and produces nearly half of all sweet potatoes grown in the United States,” said Johnson-Langdon. “The N.C. Department of Agriculture understands the significance of supporting local growers, and we’re happy to partner with them on great retail promotions like this one.”
The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission is a nonprofit corporation made up of almost 400 sweet potato growers along with the packers, processors and business associates that support them.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides services that promote and improve agriculture, agribusiness and forests. The department’s Marketing Division creates opportunities for farmers and food businesses to sell their products and be successful.
Thieves have been stealing nuts grown in California by the truckload, according to a recent news story in The Packer, a national weekly trade newspaper for the produce industry.
The crooks apparently hacked into a truck broker’s computer and stole IDs and other information that made them appear to be legitmate truckers. With that information, the thieves forged documents, drove trucks to nut packers, conned their way in and drove away with loads.
The Packer article quoted Carl Eidsath of the California Walnut Board as saying, “At $7 a pound, if you lose 42,000 pounds (the size of a typical truckload) that really adds up.”
(Let’s see, if our math is correct, that comes to $294,000!)
There were six such thefts in 2012, plus three more in 2013. The article says in one case, thieves broke through a fence at Gold River Orchards in Escalon, CA and made off with an estimated 63.5 tons of raw walnuts worth about $400,000.
The thieves hooked up three tractors to harvest wagons where the untreated nuts were piled. Although the nuts were recovered in an adjacent county, the thieves got away.
As a result, a task force of California walnut, pistachio and almond marketing boards have been formed looking for ways to protect the industry.
Some practices have been developed, which apparently are working. The industry is now using black lights to check IDs and contacting brokers before releasing product to get a serial number that only a real broker has. The trade also is working closely with the Los Angeles Police Department, who believe the thieves are Eastern European criminals.
By Fresh Express
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Fresh Express, the nation’s number one producer of fresh salads, has launched a 30-Day Salad Swap initiative to encourage consumers to recreate the flavor profiles of their favorite higher calorie foods, from cheesy pizza to creamy pasta, in lower calorie salads.
The New Year has arrived and a commitment to eat better once again tops most resolution lists, leaving Americans hungry for tips and plans to stay on track. Participants can download a free Salad Swap mobile app to unlock a library of delicious salad recipes to match the flavors of the foods they crave.
The Salad Swap app can also track meals, calories, activities and salad purchases for rewards. Participants can earn money-saving coupons for every two Fresh Express bag codes entered–up to 14 bags in 30 days–in their Salad Swap account. Additionally, they can earn $50 in coupons to use throughout the year if 15 salad bag codes are entered within 30 days. Fresh Express offers a wide variety of field fresh mixes, kits, organics and slaws, all of which qualify for coupon rewards.
Despite many well-known benefits of salad, the average American eats a salad at mealtime only about three times a month according to market research firm NPD Group. Making one simple salad swap a day can help consumers eat and feel better, without sacrificing taste. Fresh Express consultant Chef Britney Ruby Miller worked closely with nutrition consultant Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, to create a collection of tasty salad recipes that pack a nutritional punch.
“A salad is my go-to nutritious meal because it’s such an easy way to get multiple servings of fruits and vegetables at one time,” notes Levinson. “And while you may not want to add all the offerings at the salad bar, virtually any food in moderation can be a topping for a salad. That’s why I love this new app from Fresh Express – it gives you permission and inspiration to think outside of the box with salad.”
A sampling of top-rated recipes from the Salad Swap includes:
- Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
- Salad with Creamy Pasta
- Chicken Salad with Tomatillo Salsa
- Pizza Antipasto Salad
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends increasing fruit and vegetable intake because they contain a number of nutrients that are under consumed in the United States, including folate, magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C and K. The Dietary Guidelines also suggests including dark leafy greens in salads as one of the ways you can increase your vegetable consumption.
For more information about the Fresh Express 30-Day Salad Swap, please visit www.saladswap.com.
About Fresh Express: Fresh Express, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (NYSE: CQB), is a leader in fresh foods and is dedicated to providing consumers with healthy, convenient ready-to-eat salads, leafy greens, vegetables and fruits. With the invention of its special Keep Crisp® Bag in the 1980s, Fresh Express pioneered the retail packaged salad category and was the first to make them available to grocery stores nationwide. Today, Fresh Express fresh salads come in more than 60 different varieties offering exciting new flavors and convenient new ways to meet the daily dietary requirements for fresh produce. More than 20 million consumers each week enjoy healthy, convenient ready-to-eat Fresh Express salads, spinach, vegetables and greens. For more information, visit www.FreshExpress.com.
Here’s a glimpse of produce loading opportunities from across the country, ranging from Florida, to Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and California.
Florida Produce Shipments
There has been a decline of about 14 percent for orange shipments this season compared to a year ago. Florida’s decline is primarily due to the disease citrus greening. So far, Florida has pretty much dodged the winter freezing weather bullet of Mother Nature.
As for Florida strawberries, warmer temperatures in the first week of February, with highs in the 70s and 80s, expects to boost production – and shipments – just in time for shipments for Valentine’s Day. January cold fronts had caused strawberry shipments from the Plant City area to be slashed by about 25 percent.
Florida citrus and strawberries – grossing about $2000 to New York City.
Colorado Potato Shipments
San Luis Valley potato shipments are fairly steady from week-to-week, averaging about 750 truck loads weekly.
Colorado potatoes – grossing about $1750 to Dallas.
Idaho/Oregon Onions
Onions are being shipped from Eastern Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. Volume is averaging over 800 truck loads per week.
Idaho-Oregon onion shipments – grossing about $510o to Atlanta.
Desert Produce Shipments
Most of the nation’s winter veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, head lettuce and romaine are being shipped out of the desert area of California’s Imperial Valley and at Yuma, AZ. Moderate volume is reported.
Desert vegetable shipments – grossing about $6300 to New York City.
California Citrus Shipments
California shipping estimates will undoubtedly plunge as more information is becoming available on that December 4-10 freeze in the San Joaquin Valley.
The USDA January estimate lists numbers three to five percent lower than December estimates for oranges and tangerines. But it is worse. The heaviest damage is in Kern County, while other citrus areas in the valley saw only minor effects. The reason – Kern County doesn’t have wind machines to fight the freezing temperatures.
Preliminary damage estimates for the Kern County’s citrus crop may exceed $100 million following the harrowing freeze in the area this last December. Official loss estimates won’t be available until April.
Kern County growers of lemons, tangerines, and mandarins have lost as much as half their crop to freeze damage. One estimate has losses of 15 percent of Kern County’s Valencia orange crop and 35 percent of other large orange varieties being damaged. Lemons took the largest hit, with an estimated 50 percent of the total not meeting fresh market standards. Tangerine and mandarin losses are estimated between 40 and 50 percent.
The cold weather has also changed the timeline for shipments. Normally the valley has navels into June and occasionally into July, but loadings this year will probably end in May, or at the latest by early June.
Southern California citrus and berries – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
Americans are nearly twice as likely to buy blueberries now as nine years ago, Hebert Research found in its recent survey of 3,765 primary household shoppers.
“We do these surveys every five years to make sure we’re moving the needle, and this one shows an excellent return on our investment,” said John Shelford, a member of the council’s promotion committee. “We went from 39 percent awareness of health benefits in 2004 to 84 percent today, more than doubling awareness in 10 years. That’s remarkable.”
As in 2008, the typical blueberry consumer in 2013 was upscale, well educated and white — but more likely to be from a minority. Consumers, primarily ages 46 to 65 in 2008, have grown more likely to be 35 to 44.
“We really have been focusing our efforts on developing the future generation,” Shelford said. “In terms of market channel, fresh has a preference with customers. We work hard to bring fresh to them, but it’s challenging given the labor situation. The industry has a number of ready-to-eat providers today thanks to new sorting methods, so the consumer can have that fruit before it’s frozen.”
Shoppers are now likely to buy blueberries based solely on health benefits, the survey found.
Asked what they like most about the fruit, consumers cited health (84%), taste (81%), convenience (61%) and versatility (44%), among other attributes.
Nutritional benefits were widely acknowledged. For example,, 99 % believe blueberries are a healthy food.
If you’ve noticed fewer loading opportunities for Chilean fruit arriving by boat at U.S. ports on both coasts, you’re correct. However, less product has been coming mostly because of growing conditions in South America, not from a union port strike in Chile that has been on and off, but apparently is over, at least for now.
For exmple, Chilean blueberry exports are at 22,516 tons, compared to 34,000 tons the same time last year. However, blueberry exports are support to be increasing now.
Chile exported 8,356 tons of cherries this this season compared to 7,998 last year. Plum exports are unchanged from a year ago.
Stone fruits were hit harder by Chilean weather and the country has exported 2,252 tons of peaches compared to 6,425 tons last year. Nectarines are off 5,411 tons from a year ago compared to 2,828 tons this year. Apricots have also been down at 232 tons compared to 822 during the same period last year.
Last September several frosts hit Chile, with stone fruit and kiwifruit being hit the hardest. In mid-January, estimated losses 64 percent for Chilean peaches, 59 percent for nectarines and 63 percent for plums. Chilean kiwifruit losses were pegged at 60 percent.
Chilean grapes lead volume of that country fruit arrivals to America. Arrivals at ports is now peaking, but will taper off early than normal – probably March – due to later varieties being hit hardest by a freeze last September.
Over the past 25 years Chile has become a major player in global markets, in large part because its seasons are opposite that of the U.S. and a number of other countries. This allows it export to the U.S. for example, when many American produce items are out of season.
There’s big volume with Northwest produce shipments ranging from apples and pears, to potatoes and onions, providing a lot of loading opportunities.
Washington state each year ships about as many apples as all the other apple shipping states combined. And this is one of the state’s biggest volume crops. While pear volume is substantiably lower, it is still a good sized items. Both apples and pear shipments are originating out the Yakima and Wenachee valleys.
Washington state’s Columbia Basin along with the adjacent Umatilla Basin in nearby Oregon are moving good volumes of both potatoes and onions. Between these two areas, approximately 1,000 truck load equivalents are being shipped weekly.
Nobody grows and ships as many potatoes as Idaho – not even close. These guys are loading on average about 1,750 truck load equivalents each week.
With “hardware” items like these that are so promonient in the Northwest states, it makes for attractive hauls by the railroads, so you do have more competition from the rails here than from most areas. The rails also often offer a freight rates averaging around 10 to 15 percent less than trucks. But at the end of the day, trucks are still hauling over 95 percent of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables, although it’s a little less in places like Washington state and Idaho.
I’ve been asked several times recently why produce rates from several areas around the country, including California, have declined in recent weeks. Many factors seem to play into this going beyond just the demand for trucks and for produce shipments by the produce buyers.
- First of all, it is February, perhaps the slowest time of the year for over all fresh fruit and vegetable volume – and shipments.
- It has been one hellacious winter over much of North America. When it is bitter cold, with ice and snow covered streets, people tend to hibernate. They go to their supermarket less frequently and when they do, often purchase less.
- With a hard winter, come added expenses, whether you stay warm by using home heating oil, propane, natural gas or electricity, or a combination of these items. This is resulting in some record setting utility bills for consumers. The more one spends on necessities such as these, the less cash consumers have to spend on food. While food is certainly a necessity, it still can mean fewer purchases, as well as more selective buying of fresh produce items that are cheaper than others.
Hang in there; we’ve got at least another month or so of winter weather. Until the weather improves, winter vegetables quit shivering so much, and start growing more, the winter doldrums will continue.
California and Arizona winter vegetables – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
Central Florida tomatoes and vegetables – about $2500 to New York City.
While a good portion of the trucking industry opposesd NAFTA, particularly as it relates to the safety of Mexican trucking operations, as well concerns over rates being adversely affected, this information relates to the year around produce availability under NAFTA.
It wasn’t that many years ago when you would walk through the produce section of your supermarket you’d never have seen items like fresh raspberries or green beans in the dead of winter.
This time of year Mexican grown accounts for a lot of fresh produce eaten by Americans, and it’s the result of the North American Free Trade Agreement — NAFTA — which took effect 20 years ago last month.
In the years since, NAFTA radically changed the way we get our fruits and vegetables. For starters, the volume of produce from Mexico to the U.S. has tripled since 1994.
One reason for this growth is NAFTA eliminated tariffs on items such as cantaloupes, which used to have a 35 percent tax on them when they crossed the border. No tariffs meant lower prices.
Another reason is NAFTA encouraged investment. This mean U.S. companies linvesting hundreds of millions of dollars in Mexican farms. That has helped create year-round supply and demand for U.S. and Canadian customers.
For example 20 years ago, you did not have 365-day distribution of tomatoes from Mexico to the United States. Now you’ll find Mexican tomatoes in U.S. supermarkets every single day of the year.
A big emphasis has emerged in recent years on locally grown fruits and vegetables. Many retailers are buying locally grown as often as they can. The claim is locally grown has been been shipped long distances, or has been bred to produce product that has a longer shelf life, with less taste.
However, the produce industry has made great strides in packaging and shipping more flavorful fruits and vegetables from Mexico.
By The North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services
RALEIGH – The N.C. Sweet Potato Commission and N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will unveil a new retail promotion across the state this February in honor of Sweet Potato Month. The promotion, 52 Ways to Love Sweet Potatoes, will highlight the versatility and nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes. Components of the program include in-store displays, a branded website and a social media contest for consumers. The promotion will take place in February at 155 Lowes Foods, Piggly Wiggly and Ingles stores in North Carolina.
The in-store elements of the promotion will include recipe cards and point-of-purchase signage. In addition, cooking demonstrations will be held at select stores during the month to introduce consumers to new ways of preparing sweet potatoes.
The Sweet Potato Commission has created a branded website for the promotion which includes 52 sweet potato recipes, one for each week of the year. Another aspect of the promotion is a photo contest on the commission’s Facebook page. Consumers can earn a $100 gift card to one of the participating grocery stores by sharing their sweet-potato photos with the hashtag #loveNCSP on the social networking site. The promotion was made possible through funding from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Sue Johnson-Langdon, executive director of the N.C. Sweet Potato Commission, says she welcomed the opportunity to work with the department to promote sweet potatoes. “North Carolina is the largest producer of sweet potatoes in the nation, and produces nearly half of all sweet potatoes grown in the United States,” said Johnson-Langdon. “The N.C. Department of Agriculture understands the significance of supporting local growers, and we’re happy to partner with them on great retail promotions like this one.”
The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission is a nonprofit corporation made up of almost 400 sweet potato growers along with the packers, processors and business associates that support them.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides services that promote and improve agriculture, agribusiness and forests. The department’s Marketing Division creates opportunities for farmers and food businesses to sell their products and be successful.
Thieves have been stealing nuts grown in California by the truckload, according to a recent news story in The Packer, a national weekly trade newspaper for the produce industry.
The crooks apparently hacked into a truck broker’s computer and stole IDs and other information that made them appear to be legitmate truckers. With that information, the thieves forged documents, drove trucks to nut packers, conned their way in and drove away with loads.
The Packer article quoted Carl Eidsath of the California Walnut Board as saying, “At $7 a pound, if you lose 42,000 pounds (the size of a typical truckload) that really adds up.”
(Let’s see, if our math is correct, that comes to $294,000!)
There were six such thefts in 2012, plus three more in 2013. The article says in one case, thieves broke through a fence at Gold River Orchards in Escalon, CA and made off with an estimated 63.5 tons of raw walnuts worth about $400,000.
The thieves hooked up three tractors to harvest wagons where the untreated nuts were piled. Although the nuts were recovered in an adjacent county, the thieves got away.
As a result, a task force of California walnut, pistachio and almond marketing boards have been formed looking for ways to protect the industry.
Some practices have been developed, which apparently are working. The industry is now using black lights to check IDs and contacting brokers before releasing product to get a serial number that only a real broker has. The trade also is working closely with the Los Angeles Police Department, who believe the thieves are Eastern European criminals.
By Fresh Express
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Fresh Express, the nation’s number one producer of fresh salads, has launched a 30-Day Salad Swap initiative to encourage consumers to recreate the flavor profiles of their favorite higher calorie foods, from cheesy pizza to creamy pasta, in lower calorie salads.
The New Year has arrived and a commitment to eat better once again tops most resolution lists, leaving Americans hungry for tips and plans to stay on track. Participants can download a free Salad Swap mobile app to unlock a library of delicious salad recipes to match the flavors of the foods they crave.
The Salad Swap app can also track meals, calories, activities and salad purchases for rewards. Participants can earn money-saving coupons for every two Fresh Express bag codes entered–up to 14 bags in 30 days–in their Salad Swap account. Additionally, they can earn $50 in coupons to use throughout the year if 15 salad bag codes are entered within 30 days. Fresh Express offers a wide variety of field fresh mixes, kits, organics and slaws, all of which qualify for coupon rewards.
Despite many well-known benefits of salad, the average American eats a salad at mealtime only about three times a month according to market research firm NPD Group. Making one simple salad swap a day can help consumers eat and feel better, without sacrificing taste. Fresh Express consultant Chef Britney Ruby Miller worked closely with nutrition consultant Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, to create a collection of tasty salad recipes that pack a nutritional punch.
“A salad is my go-to nutritious meal because it’s such an easy way to get multiple servings of fruits and vegetables at one time,” notes Levinson. “And while you may not want to add all the offerings at the salad bar, virtually any food in moderation can be a topping for a salad. That’s why I love this new app from Fresh Express – it gives you permission and inspiration to think outside of the box with salad.”
A sampling of top-rated recipes from the Salad Swap includes:
- Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
- Salad with Creamy Pasta
- Chicken Salad with Tomatillo Salsa
- Pizza Antipasto Salad
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends increasing fruit and vegetable intake because they contain a number of nutrients that are under consumed in the United States, including folate, magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C and K. The Dietary Guidelines also suggests including dark leafy greens in salads as one of the ways you can increase your vegetable consumption.
For more information about the Fresh Express 30-Day Salad Swap, please visit www.saladswap.com.
About Fresh Express: Fresh Express, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (NYSE: CQB), is a leader in fresh foods and is dedicated to providing consumers with healthy, convenient ready-to-eat salads, leafy greens, vegetables and fruits. With the invention of its special Keep Crisp® Bag in the 1980s, Fresh Express pioneered the retail packaged salad category and was the first to make them available to grocery stores nationwide. Today, Fresh Express fresh salads come in more than 60 different varieties offering exciting new flavors and convenient new ways to meet the daily dietary requirements for fresh produce. More than 20 million consumers each week enjoy healthy, convenient ready-to-eat Fresh Express salads, spinach, vegetables and greens. For more information, visit www.FreshExpress.com.
Here’s a glimpse of produce loading opportunities from across the country, ranging from Florida, to Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and California.
Florida Produce Shipments
There has been a decline of about 14 percent for orange shipments this season compared to a year ago. Florida’s decline is primarily due to the disease citrus greening. So far, Florida has pretty much dodged the winter freezing weather bullet of Mother Nature.
As for Florida strawberries, warmer temperatures in the first week of February, with highs in the 70s and 80s, expects to boost production – and shipments – just in time for shipments for Valentine’s Day. January cold fronts had caused strawberry shipments from the Plant City area to be slashed by about 25 percent.
Florida citrus and strawberries – grossing about $2000 to New York City.
Colorado Potato Shipments
San Luis Valley potato shipments are fairly steady from week-to-week, averaging about 750 truck loads weekly.
Colorado potatoes – grossing about $1750 to Dallas.
Idaho/Oregon Onions
Onions are being shipped from Eastern Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. Volume is averaging over 800 truck loads per week.
Idaho-Oregon onion shipments – grossing about $510o to Atlanta.
Desert Produce Shipments
Most of the nation’s winter veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, head lettuce and romaine are being shipped out of the desert area of California’s Imperial Valley and at Yuma, AZ. Moderate volume is reported.
Desert vegetable shipments – grossing about $6300 to New York City.
California Citrus Shipments
California shipping estimates will undoubtedly plunge as more information is becoming available on that December 4-10 freeze in the San Joaquin Valley.
The USDA January estimate lists numbers three to five percent lower than December estimates for oranges and tangerines. But it is worse. The heaviest damage is in Kern County, while other citrus areas in the valley saw only minor effects. The reason – Kern County doesn’t have wind machines to fight the freezing temperatures.
Preliminary damage estimates for the Kern County’s citrus crop may exceed $100 million following the harrowing freeze in the area this last December. Official loss estimates won’t be available until April.
Kern County growers of lemons, tangerines, and mandarins have lost as much as half their crop to freeze damage. One estimate has losses of 15 percent of Kern County’s Valencia orange crop and 35 percent of other large orange varieties being damaged. Lemons took the largest hit, with an estimated 50 percent of the total not meeting fresh market standards. Tangerine and mandarin losses are estimated between 40 and 50 percent.
The cold weather has also changed the timeline for shipments. Normally the valley has navels into June and occasionally into July, but loadings this year will probably end in May, or at the latest by early June.
Southern California citrus and berries – grossing about $6400 to New York City.