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CPMA CONVENTION SUPPLEMENT
BRITISH COLUMBIA RETAILERS
says Disher. “For example, for the Lunar New Year, we brought in some unique tropical fruit that few of our competitors carry — complete with signage explaining flavor profiles, origins and demo tables with samples to taste.”
Disher says the Fresh St. Market produce
departments work hard to keep up with the ever-evolving culture of food — whether that involves offering products that help customers prepare cuisines from around the world, follow the latest trends or the reintro- duction of classic items that may have been forgotten.
“Our produce departments mirror this passion for food and work with the other departments to create impactful displays and cross-promotions,” he says. “We want to present food to our customers with the same level of excitement that we feel when we have tasted something that has really caught our attention.”
Disher says there might be a connection between Canadians’ high consumption of fruits and vegetables and a “West Coast lifestyle.”
“Maintaining a healthy diet is part of the connection to the outdoor lifestyle and is engrained in the culture of those who participate in it,” he says. “Even for those who don’t indulge in outdoor activ- ities, eating healthy, which places a heavy emphasis on consuming plenty of fruit and vegetables, is reinforced through West Coast culture in general.”
VALOROSO FOODS LTD.
Valoroso Foods Ltd., Kelowna, BC, is both an importer sourcing mainly from Italy and also an operator of two retail stores, as
well as a distributor across Canada. Angela Valoroso, part owner of Valoroso Foods, says produce accounts for about 10
percent of the company’s business.
The stores’ produce departments carry specific specialty produce that comple- ments Mediterranean cuisine and the other
imported products they offer customers. “For example, we carry fennel, persim- mons and pomegranates to go with the Italian food we sell,” says Valoroso. “We source figs from Greece because they are
the biggest and sweetest available.”
The Valoroso Foods stores look to carry fresh seasonal produce such as white aspar- agus in the spring, fresh olives to cure and
Moscato grapes in the fall from Italy.
“We also carry 50-pound bags of small, wild onions from Italy that bring in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish customers,” says
Valoroso.
For more than 20 years, Valoroso Foods
has worked with California winery M&R Co. to receive truckloads of grapes to sell to
Visit us at CPMA Convention & Trade Show Booth #945
14 / APRIL 2018 /PRODUCE BUSINESSCPMA CONVENTION SUPPLEMENT