Previously, Romas were used mostly in cooking, but are now being consumed fresh as well. This could be a price point choice by consumers, or shifts stimulated by chefs, new recipes, marketing, or other media influences.
Robert Bennen, Jr., president at Ta-De Distributing Company in Nogales, is taking full advantage of the various health trends directed towards millennial consumers. “Our new MaidenEarth label helps young people maximize produce procurement and usage,” he says.
The new brand sells in small and medium-sized grocers with both organic and conventional produce, including limited-assortment retailers like Lidl and Aldi. Pricing and packaging vary, from small-serve item options to value packs, and feature a mix of melons, squash, figs, and heirloom fruit or vegetable varieties.
The ongoing organic trend continues to creep upward year after year, and is rooting deeper in Mexico.
“I don’t see any major commodity trends lately except that organics are continuing to grow in popularity,” comments Righetti. “More and more growers are including organics in their crop manifests, and, in particular, more Mexican growers are offering organic. This is a trend I would expect to continue to grow.”
Marketing and social advocacy
Bennen characterizes the MaidenEarth effort as part marketing, part social responsibility to continue the industry’s health initiatives.
Ta-De Distributing is a sponsor of Comer Bien, which translates to “Eat Well,” a community partnership with the Mariposa Community Health Center to increase awareness of diabetes and obesity.
The program has initiated two community projects so far: Binational Health Week, held last October to promote healthy eating and lifestyle choices, and sponsorship of the Mercado Farmer’s Market to provide availability of fresh seasonal produce to area residents.
The Comer Bien program, in turn, is part of Healthy Border 2020, an initiative created to address prevalent health issues in U.S.-Mexico border populations through healthy eating. Bilingual materials, chef demonstrations, and participation by local food banks are all part of the effort.
Border Business
Several years after the Mariposa Port’s modernization project, which added new lanes, inspection areas, and some impressive sustainable measures (like photovoltaic systems, a solar hot water system, advanced lighting, rainwater harvesting, and building automation systems)—the most talked about topic of conversation is a familiar refrain: the lack of trained staff for peak periods.
“Unfortunately, staffing issues at the port continue to be a problem and an ongoing source of discussion,” acknowledges Russ Jones, chairman of the Border Trade Alliance. “At our quarterly meetings with the state, Homeland Security, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), we bring up the issue,” he says.
