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merchandising review root vegetables
great way to promote beets and educate con- sumers,” she says. “We also have a big in-store demo program, because we know trying our products is an important rst step for some people. ere are always individuals who claim they don’t like beets because of a bad childhood dinner table memory, but then are incredibly shocked to nd out they do actual- ly like them now, when they try our products. We think it’s important to give customers the opportunity to change their mind.”
IT’S LIKE A ROOT VEGETABLE
Flavorful Brands also is bullish about kohlrabi, which technically isn’t a root crop, but which Debbie Letourneau, vice-president of marketing for Flavor Brands, says can be enjoyed the same way as root vegetables.
“It is very similar, with a tuber-type head which develops above versus under the ground,” she says. “But kohlrabi has the same cooking and fresh eating qualities as classic root veggies, plus high nutrition and many interesting uses.”
Tanner Mellon of Flavorful Brands notes kohlrabi is part of the mustard genus under the bassica family, which includes broccoli, cauli owers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip and kale.
“ e parts of kohlrabi that are typical- ly eaten could be compared to the stems of broccoli that are eaten,” says Mellon “ e uses of kohlrabi are similar to root vegetables. is could cause confusion for consumers as vege- table uses are seen as separately from scienti c de nitions.
“An example would be tomatoes or cucum- bers, where technically they are fruits, with
seeds on the inside, but the culinary industry de nes them as vegetables for cooking uses.”
HEALTHY LIVING
Indeed, showcasing the health bene ts of these root vegetables can pay dividends.
“Some of the vegetables have been credit- ed with high levels of certain minerals,” says Capote. “Some have been prescribed by doc- tors if you’ve recently had ulcers or surgery in the intestines. Some of these root vegetables, particularly the malanga blanca, are prescribed when you’re coming o of some sort of gas- trointestinal-type procedure, and you need something to coat the inside of those organs.”
According to Lichty, promoting beets as a vegetable that ts healthy lifestyles is a nat- ural. “Beets are rich in various vitamins and
nutrients, but the really special health bene t of beets is the nitrates that convert into nitric oxide in your body,” she says. “Nitric oxide is known as the ‘miracle molecule,’ and can help improve oxygenation of blood and muscles, circulation, heart health, stamina and endur- ance, and more.”
One of the well-known health bene ts of root vegetables in general is that they are high in ber and packed with nutrients.
“Radishes are no di erent,” says TC Mar- keting’s Walker. “I believe potassium is on top of the list followed closely by Vitamin C. One overlooked vitamin is folate. Radishes have their fair share of it, and pregnant or soon- to-be pregnant women need folate.”
COOKING WITH ROOTS
Using recipes and cooking tips is a great tool, especially if you want new consumers to try these vegetables. ere are lots of ways to prepare these root vegetables, but Capote says raw isn’t among those as a rule of thumb.
“Like a potato, you can boil them,” he says. “It depends on how healthy you want them to be. e healthiest way to consume them is to boil them. en you can mash them, or boil them and eat them as is, and garnish them with olive oil and salt and pepper. en, of course, you can fry them. You’ll see examples of these fried in many chip mixes in certain markets.”
ere are endless ways to enjoy beets, rad- ishes and other root vegetables. e key is to encourage consumers to try them.
“I don’t really care how the consumer pre- pares or eats them,” says Walker. “Just as long as they are still being eaten and considered a healthy option.” pb
n WE GOT THE BEETS
Beets aren’t exactly a rare, exotic vege- table, but the folks at Love Beets are ded- icated to spreading the word about this tasty and healthy food.
“Love Beets specializes in premium, all-natural, ready-to-eat beets that are sold in major retail food stores and spe- cialty shops across North America,” says Natasha Lichty, brand and marketing di- rector for Love Beets, based in Bala Cyn- wyd, PA. “Products include marinated baby beets, vacuum-packed cooked beets, beet juices, beet powder and many other innovative beet items.”
She adds that Love Beets has been “de- fying preconceived notions of beets with
an upbeat, fun, modern brand, and tasty products that attract beet lovers and beet newbies alike.”
One of Love Beets’ newest products is
a beet powder in a one-pound format for Costco.
“Different forms of beets are definitely starting to become more commonplace, which is of course extremely exciting for us,” says Lichty. “It’s clear consumers are excited by beets and want to incorporate them into their diets more, but sometimes need ‘gateway’ products to start with, like beet juices, beet chips, beet blends, etc. We also now have a golden beet product, our diced Honey + Vinegar Golden Beets, and we’re seeing a lot of red and golden beet salads on restaurant menus, so it’s fun to see golden beets become more popular, as well.”
130 / OCTOBER 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS