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Produce Show Daily PMA Oct 18, 2013

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P r o d u c e S h o w D a i l y 4 3 F r i d a y, O c t o b e r 1 8 , 2 0 1 3 Peru is located in one of the most unique places in the world, having on the west- ern side the Pacific Ocean, the Andes Mountains through the center area, and the Amazon rainforest on the east. But the diversity does not end there, it only begins. Peru is famous for having 28 out of the 32 microclimates of world, and it is known to have at least 77 different lin- guistic ethnicities coexisting in this terri- tory. It is, therefore, of no surprise to find various flavors and ingredients, and products of great diversity that the land has given Peruvians to enrich their culi- nary experience. It is through this ancestral culinary tra- dition that Peru is looking to position itself and its products in an ever more globalized future. With over 400 restaurants located in the United States, Peruvian cuisine has developed fast into the new markets, bring- ing with it the expansion of products and ingredients of Peruvian origin. This increas- ing exposure to Peruvian cuisine and prod- ucts is in part the reason for consistent growth in the sales of products such as asparagus, avocados, peppers (capsicum), onions, citrus, grapes and other fruits, spices and ingredients. Peruvian producers and American importers are working together to introduce millenary products into the diets of millions of Americans to diversify the PERUVIAN DIVERSITY REACHES PMA FRESH SUMMIT 2013 offer and enrich the U.S. market. Nonetheless, Peruvian fresh produce offer goes beyond the limits of Peru's cuisine, and it's being adapted into more innovative presentations and styles. The variety of Peruvian landscapes and cli- mates have allowed for an enormous range of products that ancient and mod- ern Peruvians have learned to prepare, combine and enjoy in all their forms. These products have had great reception among American consumers, primarily due to their high quality, diversity and versatility, which makes the Peruvian offer a great alternative for gourmet foods and high end appetizers. Throughout its history, Peru has been subject to several immigration processes that started when the Inca Empire and several other cultural groups were met by the Spanish back in the 15th century. Since then, several other cultures have arrived in the country, with each of them contributing to this melting pot of prod- ucts and cultures. Mixture and adaptation has been in the minds of Peruvians for centuries, which has led to the mastery of fusion, showed in its food, beverages and culture. Thus, Peruvian producers and American suppliers are now working together to position high quality products as specialized foods that can be adapted into a large variety of styles. The versatil- ity of Peruvian produce can be used as a powerful tool in order to target and cap- ture a wide range of niches and markets. For more information, visit booth 1665 at Fresh Summit, or contact the Trade Commission of Peru Los Angeles by calling 310-496-7411 or emailing info@perutradeoffice.us. In today's produce industry, shelf life is often a primary concern. PEAKfresh, one of the pioneers of modified atmosphere products for produce, is meeting the demand for extended shelf life. All-natu- ral minerals and permeable packaging extract damaging gases, providing cus- tomers with fruits and vegetables that stay fresh. Continuing advances in PEAKfresh technology result in improved packaging that keeps produce fresh during long dis- tance transport. It's necessary to make sure that produce can withstand the heat of summer during border crossing inspections and other breaks in the cold chain. To meet this need, PEAKfresh offers new and improved box liner prod- ucts to keep humidity levels high and condensation to a minimum. PEAKfresh is also finalizing test- ing on a new sealed pallet cover system for the berry industry. This product enables shippers to transport fruit cross- LENGTHEN SHELF LIFE WITH PEAKFRESHUSA c o u n t r y without the need for large con- centrations of CO 2 gas or large equip- ment. This new system relies on natu- rally-produced CO 2 , and extracts dam- aging ethylene. PEAKfresh is also offering a bubble pack pad that can be used with clamshell packaging. In addi- tion to lengthening shelf life, the bubble pack will prevent bruising. Ease of use is important to PEAKfresh. Their box liner bags are eas- ily folded over for closure, and the unsealed pallet covers can be used for a variety of commodities, simply placing the cover over the pre- cooled pallet for shipping. Inspection is easy with PEAKfresh prod- ucts: covers can be pulled up for inspec- tion and easily lowered back into place. The PEAKfreshUSA website pro- vides customers with helpful packing instructions, including ideal tempera- tures, packing methods, storage and transport. For more information, visit booth 4220 at Fresh Summit. After the show, visit www.peakfreshusa.com, call 877-537- 3748 or email sales@peakfreshusa.com. POLICELLA FARMS LEADS INDUSTRY WITH CLEAN, GREEN, SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS Policella Farms has announced that the company recently expanded their HACCP certified packing warehouse and completed their 200 kW solar project. The new warehouse uses the latest state-of-the-art, energy efficient technol- ogy available today, including 100 per- cent recyclable, insulated and Energy Star rated building panels, LED lighting throughout the entire facility, a high-effi- ciency refrigeration system, and more than 1,000 solar panels running into 20 inverters' allowing them to perform at peak capacity even on days with low light levels. These initiatives propel Policella Farms further in their goal to reduce the company's carbon footprint for a cleaner, greener future for the next generation. The energy generated from this project will be equivalent to the following annu- ally: reducing 388,000 lb CO 2 , planting 20 acres of pine trees and saving 194 bar- rels of oil consumption. The company's ongoing commit- ment to green practices is reflected in their day-to-day operations, including: integrated pest management; use of certi- fied organic, bio-degradable coco fibre; the recapture, storage, sterilization and reuse of greenhouse water; high-efficien- cy energy curtains to reduce energy con- sumption; and high-efficiency natural gas boilers that capture CO 2 and reintroduce it to the greenhouse to assist in optimal plant growth. Good corporate citizenship and envi- ronmental stewardship have long been a hallmark of this 4th generation family- owned greenhouse grower shipper. "At Policella Farms, we're taking a strong leadership position by investing in green technology that will reduce the industry's dependence on fossil fuels and promote good green practices," says Rick Policella, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Policella Farms' solar project alone greatly reduces the company's carbon footprint, making the environment clean- er and greener for generations to come. About Policella Farms Policella Farms is a 4th generation, fam- ily-owned, HACCP certified grower, packer and shipper of premium green- house tomatoes, peppers, seedless cucumbers and other specialty products. The company operates two state-of-the- art facilities, one in Leamington, Ontario, and the other in Detroit, Mich. During Fresh Summit, visit Policella Farms at booth 568. For more information, visit www.policellafarms.com, call 519-326- 6450 or email info@policellafarms.com. THE AMERIFRESH ADVANTAGE IS IN THE FIELD For fresh produce marketer Amerifresh, it's all about having people in the fields to check out the local markets. "We are source-based, meaning we are on the ground actually looking at the product," says Rick Harris, Senior Director of Food Service Sales. "We can verify the quality of the product, which makes a huge difference to our customers." Harris says most of Amerifresh's competitors conduct business with the growers strictly by phone. "If you're not in the field, you might as well be in a basement in Philadelphia," he says. "Those people are guessing as to the quality of the product." Having representatives at the source in every major growing area in the U.S. gives Amerifresh a major advantage in the competitive produce marketing arena. "Our people in the branches are experts on the produce grown in their area," says Harris. "They keep a close eye on local market conditions and the quality in the field, which allows them to best match customers' needs and expec- tations to the product." Amerifresh offers customers a true independent voice from the best grow- ing areas in the U.S. and can do all the work of finding the best deals for cus- tomers. Harris says sometimes it's not just about price. There is usually a price spread for a product in a certain region that can be affected by the quality, the quantity and even the size of the acreage produced by the grower. In addition, because Amerifresh buys such a huge volume from so many growers, the company can offer its customers the advantage of consistent quality throughout the year, even when supply is scarce. Amerifresh's eight individual branches specialize in handling the prod- ucts grown in their region. Their proxim- ity to the fields, orchards and production areas allows the branch's quality assur- ance staff to take an active role in deter- mining what growers, fields or blocks of fields are chosen for customers. Being so close to the source, quality assurance staff can assure that raw product attributes meet strict written standards and specifications before pack- ing. The active role Amerifresh takes on its customers' behalf means that cus- tomers receive produce with consistently high-quality levels of freshness, color, size and flavor. Amerifresh delivers this any time of year to anywhere it is need- ed, regardless of weather or seasons. "If we are not saving customers time and trouble, we are not doing our job," says Harris. For more information, visit booth 4431 at Fresh Summit or visit online at www.amerifresh.com.

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