Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/264052
P r o d u c e S h o w D a i l y 5 1 S u n d a y, O c t o b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 3 recipe. Family owned and operated and located in Chico, California, we have invested in our company's technology and packaging capabilities so all of our orders are packed fresh. This allows for the longest shelf life in the industry. We do not rely on a co-packer, and every bag and jar of sun dried tomatoes are pro- duced at Mooney Farms under strict guidelines. Our state of the art, kosher, and Silliker audited facility supplies sun dried tomatoes to more than 20 countries. With retail, food service, private label and industrial divisions, Mooney Farms is the largest U.S. packer and shipper of sun dried tomatoes. PSD: What distinguishes Mooney Farms products from the competition? MM: Bella Sun Luci sun dried tomatoes are only packed in 100 percent pure olive oil. Unlike many brands that are co- packed, we are vertically integrated allow- ing for a lower cost which we can pass on to the consumer. Since we focus on one core item, our economy of scale allows us to use higher quality ingredients. PSD: Have you introduced any new products in 2013? MM: We are excited to expand our dry bagged line by introducing new flavors, along with offering new display options for stores. We have combined our premi- um sun dried tomatoes with the flavors of oregano, basil and garlic to create the perfect blend for your next recipe: 3.5- ounce Julienne Cut with Greek Oregano, Basil and Garlic. Another flavor will be launched soon. Our floor display offers a small footprint, full color graphic header, and holds one case of all five dry vari- eties. You can mix the bagged flavors custom to your needs. Our newest floor rack will accommodate cases of both our dry and oil packed products, creating a Mooney Farms (Cont'd. from p. 1) sun dried tomato destination for cus- tomers. PSD: Describe your current marketing strategy for your product line. MM: Great brands don't just happen. They are built on years of hard work and consumer education. Our newly redesigned web site educates consumers about the Mediterranean diet, and offers recipes and coupons. Educating cus- tomers about healthier eating is one of our goals. Olive oil has been an essential ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, and is part of an eating pattern that has been linked to a long, healthy and vibrant lifestyle. All of our Bella Sun Luci prod- ucts are packed in 100 percent pure olive oil. Sun dried tomatoes contain lycopene, a phytochemical and proven antioxidant that fights free radicals in the body. Recent studies show that a tomato-rich diet is associated with a reduced risk of conditions including prostate cancer, digestive disorders, breast, lung and cer- vical cancers, and heart disease. We have redesigned our labels to highlight the benefits of lycopene and olive oil, while informing consumers that our products contain no trans fats and no gluten. PSD: To what do you attribute your com- pany's success? MM: Our family pioneered the sun dried tomato industry and we continue to create items which fit today's trend of healthy eating. Our customers are part of our success, and we focus on their ever-changing needs. There is only one original California sun dried tomato brand, and that is Bella Sun Luci. Always fresh, always premium, our family guarantees it. For more information, visit Mooney Farms at booth 4515 at Fresh Summit. Call 530-899-2661, or visit online at www.mooneyfarms.com. automated packaging systems business unit. RockTenn's automated packaging systems unit is the only in-house machine design, manufacturing and tech- nical service division within a corrugated packaging company in North America. It makes more than 80 custom, proprietary and standard machines covering the full range of packaging needs including the Meta ® System, a family of machines that are highly reliable, easy to operate, easy to change over, and run faster than com- parable standard case formers. At the core of the Meta System is the proprietary mandrel-forming tech- nology which precisely forms cases and trays from corrugated blanks. The Meta technology also produces a wide range of two-piece packages such as the Meta Belt design which creates a double-body wall with single wall flaps – a unique structure that reduces over- all fiber weight, "yet meets or exceeds the performance of the existing case and improves the sustainability quo- tient," said John Eaton, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for RockTenn's Automated Packaging Systems. "The Meta System solutions deliver trays and cases that are consistent in confir- mation; have increased stacking strength and reduce labor, waste, and RockTenn (Cont'd. from p. 1) handling costs for producers. It has helped our customers save money and make money by selling more." The Meta Tray-8 ® , an eight-corner tray former that runs any depth of tray with or without flaps, outperforms any other tray in the produce market by deliv- ering increased stacking strength with less fiber and reduced waste, reduced transportation costs and storage footprint, and better operating efficiency while also providing strong graphic-intense brand messaging opportunities at the retail level. About RockTenn Based out of Norcross, Ga., RockTenn provides a broad range of high quality containerboard, corrugated, folding car- ton materials and converting capabilities, designed to protect, ship, store and dis- play customers' products. The company also provides a vast array of services to support the products they offer: full-serv- ice graphic and structural design servic- es, technical consultations, speed to mar- ket and just-in-time delivery, as well as recycling solutions to reduce your envi- ronmental footprint while increasing your bottom line. Visit booth 5939 at PMA Fresh Summit. After the show, visit www.RockTenn.com or call 407-843-1300. Mexico. "Quality service has always been at the heart of our operations," said Phillip "Felipe" Garcia. "Now, we can continue to assure our customers that their prod- ucts received at our facilities will be han- dled with the highest level of food safety and quality." Phillip Garcia started his customs brokerage business 19 years ago in a small office in Hidalgo, Texas. The business has grown considerably over the years as he shifted his focus to fresh produce being exported out of Mexico. That singular focus on fresh produce has allowed him to be recog- nized as the expert customs broker and freight forwarder in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. "Importing fresh produce from Mexico has never been an easy thing to do, and U.S. Customs, FDA, and USDA regulations have gotten more complex as food safety has become a national issue. Our expertise in dealing with these gov- ernment agencies in an efficient and competent manner has allowed our busi- ness to grow," said Garcia. Today, the business is operated out of an 85,000 square foot facility that offers both cold and dry storage, and employs over 50 international logistics experts. "Each of our six individual cold rooms can be independently set to differ- ent temperatures," said Garcia. "This not only allows flexibility in the products we Phillip Garcia US (Cont'd. from p. 1) handle, but more importantly, ensures food safety within our customers' supply chain. We also have top icing capabilities to enhance the quality, safety and shelf life of our customers' products." In addition to continued food safety initiatives, Phillip Garcia U.S. Customs Broker has also recently enhanced its IT systems. According to Garcia, it now has the capability to offer customers access to warehouse management systems through the company website. This allows for real-time information on Mexican customs status, U.S. customs status, FDA status, shipping and receiv- ing status, and warehouse inventory. "In this just-in-time era, our cus- tomers expect us to keep them informed on each step within the import process. By giving them direct real-time access to these critical points within their supply chain, we feel they can better control their distribution network. That's essen- tial in today's fresh produce market," said Garcia. One last consideration: use a Border Consolidated Service Provider who can seamlessly move goods from the Mexican side to the U.S. side, clear shipments through U.S. customs, cross dock or cold store shipments, and deliv- er to market. To learn more about Phillip Garcia U.S. Customs Broker, visit booth 5349 at Fresh Summit. Visit www.phillipgarcia.com, email phillipgarciachb@yahoo.com or call 956-843-7050. like them because they're not overly spicy like hot cherry peppers and people seem to love it that way. We also have the very popular Italian version. PSD: Who is the Just Add Lettuce cus- tomer? AM: People who are busy and who want to have a delicious gourmet salad but don't have the time to gather all the ingredients together and then prepare everything themselves. They don't want to compromise when it comes to flavor or quality. Instead of taking 25 minutes to prepare a delicious gourmet salad, it will take them less than 25 seconds. Don't forget all the time you would spend shop- ping for these items. Additionally, if the customer doesn't use all these different fresh produce items right away they can go bad. With just Add Lettuce 3D the shelf life is extended dramatically. PSD: Can Just Add Lettuce 3D be used for anything aside from salads? AM: The cool thing about Just Add Lettuce 3D is that you can use it in other recipes. If you type Just Add Lettuce into the YouTube search you should see what people are coming up with! Just Add Formaggio Italian Specialties (Cont'd. from p. 4) Lettuce is a flavor profile in a jar. Seafood, for example. Cook your fish in it and then put that over rice. You can put some over red potatoes before you roast them. They'll come out crispy, crunchy with a flavor that is over the top. So many more ideas, too. PSD: Just Add Lettuce 3D was recently featured on a few episodes of the TV series "All Mixed Up" from the produc- ers of "Designing Spaces" on Lifetime TV, where you also appeared as one of the judges. Tell us about that. AM: It was a great experience. The three contestants had to use it as the main ingredient in an entrée. One of the con- testants, Krystal Battle, minced up our Greek Just Add Lettuce 3D and made the most amazing loaded mashed potatoes that had a fantastic flavor profile. Imagine mashed potatoes filled with kalamata olives, feta cheese, oregano, herbs and spices, some garlic. Absolutely delicious! She blew my mind with what she did with Just Add Lettuce 3D Greek. I think it will blow anyone's mind who tries it. Visit Formaggio Italian Specialties at booth 1303 during Fresh Summit. To learn more, call 845-807-3630 or email fran_formaggio@yahoo.com.