Page 28 - 0419

FIVE WAYS THE PRODUCE INDUSTRY CAN SELL MORE FRUITS & VEGETABLES TO RETAIL FOODSERVICE
Mouthwatering, delicious and innovative produce-centric dishes are becoming more in demand by food-savvy consumers, whether that plate is served at a restaurant or at home from the prepared foods department at retail.
“This innovation needs to be collaborative between the foodservice industry, this includes prepared foods areas in retailers, and the produce industry,” says Maeve Webster, presi- dent of Menu Matters, an Arlington, VT-based independent foodservice consultancy. “This innovation should not only be in items offered but in the quality and variety of produce avail- able. While there are significant business issues to be considered (shelf-life, shipping, etc.), the continued and increasingly emphasized focus on flavor in produce will be key in getting more consumers to increase their produce consump- tion, whatever that looks like.”
1. START WITH THE SEED. Seed to table is one of the latest food trends identified in the 2019 Hospitality Report by Af&co, a San Francisco-headquartered boutique restau- rant and hospitality consulting firm. Chefs are working directly with farmers to grow vegeta- bles that put flavor first rather than yield, shelf life or uniformity. One example is the Row 7 Seed Company, an enterprise launched by Dan Barber, a multi-award winning chef and co-owner of the two Blue Hill restaurants in New York, and his seed-breeder partners. Never-be- fore-seen creations to date include the Badger Flame beet, Koginut winter squash, heat-less Habanada pepper and buttery-tasting Upstate Abundance potato.
“One of the greatest challenges in our industry is that few growing decisions are influ- enced by culinary feedback or flavor (sensory) testing,” says M. Jill Overdorf, director of busi- ness development for Naturipe Value Added Fresh, in Naples, FL. “This is an evolving process and companies like ours, seed producer Enza Zaden and a few others are using the influence of palate to craft next generations of produce.”
2. 365-DAY SUPPLY. Traditionally, menu developers want an ingredient that is avail- able year-round. This is often not the case for specialty or highly seasonal fruits and vegeta- bles first introduced at the fine-dining level or for culturally specific items that are first used in ethnic or menu driven restaurants. For example, Naturipe’s Blazeberries are golden pink rasp- berries with production quantities nowhere near enough to yield foodservice or national retail quantities for more than a few weeks. This berry, says Overdorf, may develop into a more
28 / APRIL 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
commercially viable opportunity because the fruit has been well received, and more chefs are asking to be able to use it.
Diners who experience the best of fresh produce at fine-dining or ethnic restaurants often seek out more, either on other menus or from their grocery produce departments. As requests rise, farm yields increase because of additional plantings. More of the product becomes available until it’s no longer a specialty item. An example of this is berry companies that have developed relationships with grower part- ners to provide the same quality of this fruit year-round. Produce companies that set up high-quality, 365-day supply, says Overdorf, offer a game-changing opportunity for restau- rants, foodservice operators and retail recipe development.
3. LABOR SAVINGS. An item that is well loved in a restaurant, such as an Asian stir-fry, is not difficult to make, but it requires a lot of different ingredients and types of produce, explains Sharon Olson, executive director of Culinary Visions, a culinary marketing practice based in Chicago. “A produce company that can create a convenient medley of vegetables ready for the home cook to add one or two ingredients already in their pantry or refriger- ator/freezer will definitely strike a chord with consumers.”
What’s good for the consumer is good for the retail foodservice operator in terms of convenience and ways to reduce shrink, according to Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, founder and president of Farmer’s Daughter Consulting, Inc., in Carmichael, CA. “The similarity between foodservice and retail is that neither cooks from scratch. The former
PHOTO COURTESY OF HEINEN’S GROCERY STORE
have prep cooks, and at retail there may be space constraints or challenges getting trained people. Value-added fresh-cut fruits and vege- tables is the way to go.”
Carin Solganik, director of innovation and meal solutions for Heinen’s Grocery Store, a 23-unit chain headquartered in Warrens- ville Heights, OH, relies on the help of a fresh produce processor in nearby Cleveland. “We have a Crispy Coleslaw. The processor takes the labor out by cutting the Napa cabbage and carrots for us according to our specs. Then, we add our own dressing in-store. They do the same for us with butternut squash, parsnips, onions and other vegetables that we then add our own spice mix to in-store to create offer- ings like Grilled Mixed Vegetables with Garlic and Herbs and Grilled Marinated Vegetables for Prepared Food’s Gourmet Case.”
4. SHARE KNOWLEDGE. Fresh produce grower-shippers and commodity boards have a wealth of information to offer retail chefs and should be proactive in doing so.
“We have a panel of chefs from a wide variety of backgrounds, from fine dining to K-12,” says Loree Dowse, director of marketing for the Mann Packing Company, in Salinas, CA, a division of Del Monte Fresh Produce. “When we introduce a new foodservice product, we send several rounds of samples to them for testing and recipe development. We then get together to discuss how and where the product can be used, and we compile their recipes into a guide that we distribute to our customers for inspi- ration.
“Our experience with prepared foods teams at retailers is that they are very similar to large- scale foodservice operations: they have culinary
Five-a-day salad at Heinen’s