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🌱 Good afternoon, and welcome to today's fresh newsletter!
Happy New Year! Let the year 2025 bring success, innovation, and fresh opportunities for everyone in the produce industry.
In today's email:
NatureSweet Donates 3.5 Million Pounds of Produce
The Most-Clicked Mushroom Recipes of 2024
Trivia: Which Vegetable Can Regrow from its Scraps?
Fresh Picks: Our Handpicked Produce Content from the Web
Autumn Glory Apples Surge Among Young and Premium Shoppers
Scattaglia Growers & Shippers: Patience & Precision for a Great Experience
Tip of the Day: Launch a Produce Passport Program
DONATIONS
NatureSweet® Donates 3.5 Million Pounds of Produce to North American Food Banks in 2024
NatureSweet® made a significant impact in 2024 by donating 3.5 million pounds of fresh produce, including tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet peppers, to food banks across North America.
This initiative addressed food insecurity during a time of record inflation and high food prices, providing over 2.9 million meals to families in the United States and Mexico.
In the U.S., two million pounds were donated to the San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB), facilitating 1.9 million meals locally.
SAFB previously honored NatureSweet with the “Hunger Fighter of the Year” award for its commitment to combating hunger.
In Mexico, over one million pounds were donated to Bancos de Alimentos de México (BAMX), benefiting vulnerable communities nationwide.
CEO Rodolfo Spielmann emphasized the importance of providing nourishment and upliftment during challenging times.
NatureSweet remains dedicated to strengthening food bank partnerships, ensuring access to fresh, nutritious produce for those in need.
MUSHROOMS
The Mushroom Council Shares the Most-Clicked Mushroom Recipes of 2024
Mushrooms are thriving in American kitchens, with over 433,000 visits to the Mushroom Council’s recipe directory in 2024.
The top recipes reflect a blend of simplicity and culinary creativity.
Leading the list is Easy Mushroom Soup, prized for its quick preparation and comforting qualities.
Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Mexican Lasagna follow, showcasing mushrooms’ versatility in rich, hearty, family-friendly dishes.
Simple Sautéed Mushrooms highlight the appeal of enhancing their natural flavors, while Lion’s Mane Mushroom “Crab” Cakes offer an inventive vegetarian option with a seafood-like texture.
These trends underscore a growing interest in mushrooms as a key ingredient for easy yet exciting meals.
Amy Wood, Mushroom Council President, noted how 2024’s most popular recipes celebrate mushrooms’ adaptability and flavor.
Representing producers and importers handling over 500,000 pounds annually, the Council continues to inspire home cooks with over 350 recipes on its website, promoting domestic and international mushroom markets.
TRIVIA
Some vegetables can naturally regenerate after being cut, allowing them to grow again from kitchen scraps.
_____ is a popular example that can sprout new leaves when placed in water.
Which Vegetable Can Regrow from its Scraps? |
🪙 China Boosts Financial Support in Agriculture to Strengthen Food Security | China is increasing financial and policy support for agriculture, focusing on grain stability, farmer income, and technological innovation to enhance food security for its 1.4 billion population, while reducing reliance on imports. (Reuters.com | Dec 27, 2024)
🦺 An Invention That Could Make an Aspect of Sugarbeet Harvest Safer | Montana farmer John Mahan created a simple, no-cost tool using potato chain links to safely place pins in his sugarbeet harvester from the ground, reducing the need to climb on potentially dangerous machinery during muddy harvest conditions, and he hopes to share this safety solution with other farmers. (AgWeek.com | Dec 27, 2024)
💐 Effect of Inaccurate Flower Food Dosing on Cut Flowers | FloraLife found that using the recommended flower food dose (100%) ensures optimal vase life and prevents damage while underdosing shortens bloom life and overdosing harms stems. (TheProduceNews.com | Dec 26, 2024)
💚 Path Ahead Presents Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainability | Sustainability in fresh produce spans agriculture, packaging, and waste reduction, with challenges in costs, data, and consumer demands, requiring innovation, collaboration, and clear communication. (ThePacker.com | Dec 24, 2024)
🍇 First-of-its-Kind Project to Improve Muscadine Grapes | Texas A&M AgriLife is collaborating on a $7 million USDA-funded project to develop seedless muscadine grape varieties for fresh markets and winemaking. The initiative, involving multiple institutions, aims to improve disease resistance, quality, and climate resilience. (AgriLifeToday.com | Dec 23, 2024)
APPLES
Autumn Glory Apples Surge Among Young and Premium Shoppers
Autumn Glory® apples are seeing unprecedented growth this season, driven by younger consumers and premium shoppers.
Purchases by those aged 18-39 rose by 3%, signaling the success of strategic marketing efforts.
Social media campaigns showcasing the apple’s unique flavor and personality have resonated, with nearly two-thirds of the brand’s followers aged 25-44.
This engagement disrupts traditionally stable apple-buying trends, drawing a new generation of buyers.
The brand also excels in attracting Up-Market shoppers, who prioritize quality over price, reinforcing its status as a premium choice.
Autumn Glory consistently outperforms competitors in this segment, with strong anticipation and immediate sales surges during the fall release.
Autumn Glory’s success stems from emotional branding, social media outreach, and commitment to quality.
This strategy not only differentiates it in a crowded market but also aligns with the growing consumer focus on sustainability and premium produce, ensuring relevance across demographics.
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Scattaglia Growers & Shippers: Patience and Precision for a Great Experience
Scattaglia Growers & Shippers is recognized across California’s Central Valley for its deep-rooted tradition of growing premium stone fruit and table grapes.
For generations, the Scattaglia family has refined the art of selecting optimal soil and microclimate conditions, allowing every piece of fruit to reach the perfect stage of development.
In a recent conversation with Produce Leaders, SGS’s Director of Marketing, Kira Navison, explained the company’s approach to providing a great eating experience.
She emphasized the importance of not rushing the harvest process, saying:
“We wait for our fruit to reach the optimum size, color and flavor prior to harvest to ensure our consumers have a great eating experience each time they enjoy a piece of our fruit.”
According to Navison, strict attention to color, size, and flavor drives the entire harvest schedule and helps the company maintain its reputation for delivering top-tier produce.
Much of SGS’s success comes from the firm’s willingness to adopt advanced technologies that elevate both efficiency and safety.
Aweta’s high-tech sizer, powered by artificial intelligence, sorts fruit with remarkable precision to uphold size consistency and vibrant color.
Sun Disk boxes on the packline | Image: Courtesy of SGS
In addition, SGS integrates Clean Works, which is a waterless technology designed to sanitize fruit and reduce pathogen risks.
By lengthening shelf life and safeguarding the consumer against potential illnesses, this innovative step goes beyond industry norms.
Part of the excitement around Scattaglia Growers & Shippers lies in its expansion into organic stone fruit.
While the company already had a strong lineup of conventional peaches, plums, nectarines, and table grapes, SGS moved forward with a full-scale organic stone fruit program, reflecting a broader vision of environmental care and consumer well-being.
Demand for organic produce is on the rise, and the company's commitment to fully embracing the organic market is demonstrated by its participation in OPS this year.
This approach will enable SGS to connect with existing partners and attract new clients, further expanding its footprint in the organic sector.
The 2024 season brought significant achievements for Scattaglia Growers & Shippers, setting an optimistic foundation for further expansion in 2025.
At Navison words: "We had a great 2024 season, and we are already gearing up for 2025"
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TIP OF THE DAY
Launch a "Produce Passport Program" To Travel the World Through Fruits and Vegetables
Transform grocery shopping into an exciting cultural journey with a "Produce Passport Program."
Each month, spotlight a specific country or region, featuring its native fruits, vegetables, and recipes.
For example, a "Taste of the Mediterranean" theme could include olives, artichokes, figs, and tomatoes and recipes for Greek salads and Italian pasta sauces.
Provide customers with a physical or digital "passport" where they can collect stamps or stickers for every featured produce item they purchase.
Reward loyal participants with exclusive discounts, free produce, or recipe booklets once they reach certain milestones.
Promote this campaign with vibrant in-store displays, email campaigns, and social media posts showcasing the featured region's culinary culture.
This strategy not only boosts sales of diverse produce items but also educates customers about global flavors and the origins of their food.
By linking fresh produce to cultural exploration and fun rewards, you create a unique shopping experience that keeps customers engaged and excited to return.
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