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Show floor finds: New York Produce Show

New York Produce Show 2022

New York — Scheduled just about a month after the Global Fresh Produce and Floral Show wrapped up in Orlando, I didn’t expect to find a lot of new products on the floor at the New York Produce Show on Dec. 1, but there were a few that caught my eye as following broader trends either emerging or reemerging.

The first I picked out was one I hadn’t seen in person yet, but had been following on LinkedIn for a while. Will Kornegay of Ripe Revival has been on a mission for the past several years to help farmers find markets for off grade produce, and to benefit underserved communities with fresh, nutritious food.

Enter the super cute Sasquatch Meal Kit, featuring cosmetically imperfect spaghetti squash, a marinara sauce, and some tasty clean-ingredient gummies for desert. The packaging helps sell the idea without consumers getting caught up in meaningless cosmetic imperfections.

Next up is Boom Berries from Sun Belle Inc., one of many blueberry suppliers focusing on extra large, extra crunchy berries.

I’m still stuck on how good mushroom jerky has gotten over the past few years. Giorgio Fresh had its Portabella Jerky on display and it does not disappoint.

I’ve picked out NatureFresh Farms Hiiros before as an interesting umami-flavor tomato, but at this show they’re really honing in on the plastic-reduced packaging, as was Topline Westmoreland Sales with its Apeel-treated seedless cucumbers.

I don’t know how I missed this one at IFPA, but WP Rawl has a new saute kit: Italian Herb & Rotini Collard Greens. I’d like to get my hands on one of those because the pasta addition is something I haven’t seen before.

Bowery Farms also had a couple of salad kits in the New Product Showcase. I’m seeing indoor farms move into kits, which continue to sell well at retail.

AeroFarms also has some new packaging, which I saw at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations in Nashville, but the Baby Bok Choy’s raison d’etre, “like spinach but juicier,” was the simple addition I think will help consumers answer the “why should I buy this new thing I have no knowledge about.”

That’s it for now. What did I miss?

@producewithpamela

Lots of plastic & food waste reduction, focus on flavor, and convenience at the New York Produce Show. #freshproduce #foodiefinds #food #packagingideas #grocery #innovation #foodtech

♬ Cool Kids (our sped up version) – Echosmith

@producewithpamela Lots of plastic & food waste reduction, focus on flavor, and convenience at the New York Produce Show. #freshproduce#foodiefinds#food#packagingideas#grocery#innovation#foodtech? Cool Kids (our sped up version) – Echosmith

Twitter

New York — Scheduled just about a month after the Global Fresh Produce and Floral Show wrapped up in Orlando, I didn’t expect to find a lot of new products on the floor at the New York Produce Show on Dec. 1, but there were a few that caught my eye as following broader trends either emerging or reemerging.

The first I picked out was one I hadn’t seen in person yet, but had been following on LinkedIn for a while. Will Kornegay of Ripe Revival has been on a mission for the past several years to help farmers find markets for off grade produce, and to benefit underserved communities with fresh, nutritious food.

Enter the super cute Sasquatch Meal Kit, featuring cosmetically imperfect spaghetti squash, a marinara sauce, and some tasty clean-ingredient gummies for desert. The packaging helps sell the idea without consumers getting caught up in meaningless cosmetic imperfections.

Next up is Boom Berries from Sun Belle Inc., one of many blueberry suppliers focusing on extra large, extra crunchy berries.

I’m still stuck on how good mushroom jerky has gotten over the past few years. Giorgio Fresh had its Portabella Jerky on display and it does not disappoint.

I’ve picked out NatureFresh Farms Hiiros before as an interesting umami-flavor tomato, but at this show they’re really honing in on the plastic-reduced packaging, as was Topline Westmoreland Sales with its Apeel-treated seedless cucumbers.

I don’t know how I missed this one at IFPA, but WP Rawl has a new saute kit: Italian Herb & Rotini Collard Greens. I’d like to get my hands on one of those because the pasta addition is something I haven’t seen before.

Bowery Farms also had a couple of salad kits in the New Product Showcase. I’m seeing indoor farms move into kits, which continue to sell well at retail.

AeroFarms also has some new packaging, which I saw at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations in Nashville, but the Baby Bok Choy’s raison d’etre, “like spinach but juicier,” was the simple addition I think will help consumers answer the “why should I buy this new thing I have no knowledge about.”

That’s it for now. What did I miss?

@producewithpamela

Lots of plastic & food waste reduction, focus on flavor, and convenience at the New York Produce Show. #freshproduce #foodiefinds #food #packagingideas #grocery #innovation #foodtech

♬ Cool Kids (our sped up version) – Echosmith

@producewithpamela Lots of plastic & food waste reduction, focus on flavor, and convenience at the New York Produce Show. #freshproduce#foodiefinds#food#packagingideas#grocery#innovation#foodtech? Cool Kids (our sped up version) – Echosmith

Twitter

Pamela Riemenschneider is the Retail Editor for Blue Book Services.