Earlier this month Aaron Kesteloot and I ventured to the Lone Star state to attend the United Fresh 2012 Expo. The industry opened their arms and their bountiful baskets of fresh food and gave us a warm welcome. Thank you for all the fresh tomatoes David K from Nature Sweet. I’m hoping our booth is next to yours again next year! Although I would be just as happy salivating over the Well-Pict Strawberries dipped in chocolate or many other wonderful tasty and healthy treats handed out by our fellow exhibitors. My first experience at a food show made me long for the next one! I’m happy to say all the extra food was donated to our customer and Feeding America network member, North Texas Food Bank.
There was much discussion about how technology innovations like eFood-ERP can streamline your food business, improve productivity and the bottom line. Of course, most of that was at our booth! Other highlights of the show included these three fresh food trends:
- Locally Sourced Food / Seasonal Produce
I’ve been seeing more about this at my local grocery store. There is even a new produce store in our neighborhood that “sources local produce”. Once inside I found about 25% of the produce was locally sourced which is more than what the grocery chains offer, but definitely less than I was expecting when I walked in the door. Nonetheless, the trend is definitely catching on in produce as well as in restaurant menu choices. Read on if you want to know more about how seasonal and locally sourced produce can help restaurants? - Organic debate – Chemicals or Elephants?
I have been thinking about organic food and whether it is better for you than non-organic. It’s the same debate I have over filtered water versus tap water. Heck, every time I drink water out of the tap I hear my brother, Glen, asking me “Are you a water filter, or do you own one?” My response is always a resounding “I’m a great water filter!” When it comes to organic produce and organic meats I have often wondered if it is marketing hype or if there really is a benefit. After talking with several fresh produce companies at the United Fresh show, I’m more confused than ever.
Here’s the organic debate:
In non-organic produce and food the food growers and producers know exactly what is added to the soil, what is sprayed and what the half-life is. They can tell you what the composition is, how long it stays in the ground and on the food. On the other hand, in organic produce or food you might be able to tell where the organic matter came from, but you don’t know what that animal was fed and what was on their food. I’m reminded of the Elephant Dung I purchased from the zoo years ago for my garden. It was amazing. All my plants flourished, grew at least double what they had in previous years. I know the elephants were fed carrots and other veggies, but I have no idea what was added to the ground or sprayed on the crops. Add to that the conversation we had with folks at Driscoll’s (love their yummy berries) who mentioned that the chemicals their farmers use have a half-life that is shorter than the time it takes to get to your table. So by the time you’re enjoying your mother’s raspberry crumble the effects of the chemicals are long past. Our pal at Driscoll’s went on to say that their growers in Mexico are aware of the bad reputation Mexican farmers have and have reacted to this “perception”. They now use fewer chemicals than similar growers in the States. So, the debate has left me perplexed. Is it better to leave it to the chemists to make food safe, or leave it to the elephants?Have thoughts on this debate? I’d love to hear from you!
- On-Pack Marketing with Social Media
I noticed several savvy suppliers are including social media marketing in their packaging including website addresses, QR codes, links to recipes, sweepstakes, vitamin and nutrient information, information about the growers and more. Read Virtual Produce: On-Pack Marketing with social media by Supermarket News to find out more about how companies are using social media to market fresh produce.
