ACROSS THE INDUSTRY: Commodities & Innovation
W hich new fruit or vegetable varieties or specific trends do you expect to take off in 2015?Roger Riehm, president
Blue Creek Produce
Over the last three years, a major trend in growing and selling tomatoes has been demand for organics. Stores are starting to give organics more shelf space and the increased use of greenhouses has helped ensure better quality in both appearance and taste. Pricing is also getting closer to conventional, making organic tomatoes more competitive and attractive to consumer budgets. This growth in organic tomatoes is also evident with the increase in farmers’ markets throughout the country.Karen Caplan, president & CEO
Frieda’s, Inc.
Many of our trends in packaging come from Europe, so I think we need to take a page from what’s happening in Europe and Canada right now in allowing “not perfect” produce into supermarkets. I believe the USDA and farmers alike should consider relaxing grades and standards for defects on fresh produce to allow more edible produce to move to market. Allowing misshapen, nonstandard-shaped fruits and vegetables into the market will reduce food waste and provide access to affordable food to more shoppers.Jin Ju Wilder, director of corporate strategy
Valley Fruit & Produce Company
In the recent Baum & Whiteman report, they refer to our “restless palate syndrome” and it’s a great way to describe current fruit and vegetable trends. Our customers are reacting to consumers wanting the maximum hit of flavor and nutrition found in items like beets and bitter greens or a super nutritional base they can add spicy, sweet, and sour flavors to like kohlrabi or cauliflower (what’s the next hummus?). Local is now “wild” and “foraged” on items like mushrooms and greens. And, Asian fruits and vegetables aren’t just for “fusion” cuisine anymore and can be found in more mainstream markets.
Transportation & Regulation
Kenny Lund, vice president of support operations for Los Angeles-based Allen Lund Company, says the top transportation concerns in the coming year will be hours of service, electronic logging devices, and regulations tied to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Lund believes the 34-hour restart rule continues to affect cross-country drivers, delaying on-time deliveries.
Tara Smith-Vighetti, vice president at Smith Packing Inc. in St. Augustine, FL, agrees. “Substantial changes imposed on the trucking industry have already slowed delivery times and increased costs on produce nationwide. I expect this challenge to continue in 2015, and both buyers and shippers will need to continue to adapt.”
Hours of service restrictions are further exacerbated by the upcoming mandate for electronic loggers, which Lund feels will unfairly impact produce shippers. For trucks running behind due to any number of reasons—from traffic jams to inspections—an hour here or there can push a four-day run into a five-day delivery, with produce sitting in a truck that almost reaches its destination.
