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P r o d u c e S h o w D a i l y 7 3 S a t u r d a y, O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 about The Little Potato Company. AS: The Little Potato Company is the industry leader and the largest company in the world focusing solely on delicious, nutritious and convenient creamer pota- toes. We work directly with potato breed- ers to develop our unique, proprietary varieties of creamers, available in all states in the U.S. and across Canada. PSD: What's new at The Little Potato Company? AS: We've introduced a lot of innovative new packaging, merchandising tools and products lately. Our goal is to make it easy and seamless for our customers to sell creamers; and to grow and present them in a way that delights consumers. Just a year ago, we launched a new line of convenience packs, combining fresh creamers with seasoning mix and cook- ing trays to help busy consumers create tasty and healthy meals quickly. They are already very popular. Over the summer, we went back to the test kitchen to eliminate artificial ingredients from the seasoning mix. Our newly improved Oven Ready and Grill Ready packs contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and the packag- ing conveys a cleaner, fresher look. We're also delighted to introduce a deli- cious new Three Cheese flavor to the existing seasoning line-up. At the Little Potato Company, we never stop innovat- ing and improving. We've enhanced our 3-pound and 5-pound bags to improve their consumer appeal and the overall quality of our packaging. We've also refreshed our display bins, banners and merchandising material to help our cus- tomers sell even more creamers. Over the summer, we introduced The Little Chef Program, which features web- The Little Potato Company (Cont'd. from p. 1) based info, tips and Little Chef Approved recipes to encourage and support parents in cooking with their kids. We also focus heavily on social media to educate and excite consumers. You can follow our successful programs on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube. All this is, of course, backed by a professional, dedicated sales team and brokers across North America. PSD: What's been happening behind the scenes? AS: We've invested significantly to make sure we continue to meet the grow- ing demand for creamers. We now have two main packing facilities and five dis- tribution centers to facilitate efficient and on-time delivery throughout North America. This includes a new washing, sorting and packing facility built just last year that tripled our flow-through capac- ity. We've increased field production by 30 percent with new growers and more dedicated fields and hired 25 new pas- sionate potato professionals to ensure ongoing quality service, sales and opera- tions. PSD: What's next? AS: We are passionate about creamers and are always looking for ways to help more and more people fall in love with them. Right now, we're working on a new variety to be launched soon. Details are super-secret, but I can tell you it's delicious and gorgeous, and we know everyone will love it. And as always we're working on even more new prod- ucts, packaging innovations and support to help our customers spread the love for creamer potatoes. For more information, visit booth #4821, call 604.551.9074 or go to www.little potatoes.com. Growers, what has been the biggest change you've seen in the fresh herbs category? TH: The market has continued to grow steadily, and I don't think we have even scratched the surface of the fresh herb category's potential. Consumers have become better informed and are much more aware of the benefits of fresh herbs for both flavor intensity and healthful eating. This change has been driven by consumers' intentional efforts to prepare more fresh foods. People are realizing that the most authentic, natural and sim- ple drivers of flavor come from fresh, organic ingredients from sustainable farming practices. PSD: Why do you think there has been an increase in the public's interest in sus- tainable farming? TH: Many people are interested in where their food comes from and what impact it has on their surroundings. People want to understand what the production of food has on their health and the environment, so we are seeing an increased demand for food systems that are both sustainable and healthful. PSD: How has technology changed the way the industry approaches sustainabil- ity? TH: There are amazing innovations in the development and deployment of growing systems that operate with cost- feasible sustainable inputs. This has evolved from the approach that was evi- dent several years ago when "sustain- able" practices and processes may have been incorporated at a higher cost, which meant that in the long run, it was not truly sustainable. Today, there are genuinely useful and smart ways to use sustainabil- ity as the backbone of a production sys- tem. This is particularly evident in con- trolled agriculture's efficient utilization Shenandoah Growers (Cont'd. from p. 1) of resources, production of crops closer to the consumer and year-round produc- tion. PSD: You mentioned controlled agricul- ture. Is that where you see the industry as a whole headed? TH: For some crops, particularly the more perishable items, controlled agri- culture provides a value proposition that cannot be otherwise achieved. It reduces shrink and food miles while increasing food safety. LED lights, renewable ener- gy sources and nitrogen systems are becoming more cost effective, both from capital and operational standpoints. As a result, we will see more controlled agri- culture platforms providing consistent year-round quality and flavor. PSD: What SG initiatives are taking place to bring this to reality? TH: We emphasize research and devel- opment and innovation as core principles to ensure that we anticipate the present and future needs of our customers. Our R&D objectives seek to optimize sustain- able processes in our grow systems. We strive to maximize flavor, quality and shelf life in a USDA-certified organic environment. As a result, we are current- ly constructing regional controlled agri- culture units at all of our locations that utilize proprietary innovations in LED lights, climate control and nutrient sys- tems. These units use a relatively small warehouse footprint while producing quantities many times greater than con- temporary greenhouses and field produc- tion per square foot. The benefit to our customers is that we can provide an easi- ly scalable and flexible production unit to grow existing and new product lines within close proximity to distribution centers, ensuring maximum quality, fla- vor and shelf life. For more information, visit booth #3932, go to www.freshherbs.com or call 540.896.6939. PSD: Your Just Add Lettuce line has commanded a very loyal and outspoken following. I understand that this has inspired you to expand your presence in this area of the store. What are your plans this year and beyond? AM: What Formaggio is trying to do in the produce department is what we've successfully done in the deli department; we will walk the stores, find the voids and see what we can make new and inno- vative products that keep the category alive and fresh for customers. PSD: Do you have a formula for this or a special approach of some kind? AM: My mission and my company's mis- sion is to find products that sell well, and then attempt to add what I call the "Formaggio twist" to them to make them better. An example of that is the product line you just mentioned, Just Add Lettuce. Another example is one of the lines we're introducing at this year's Fresh Summit show, Creative Crumbles. Yet another example is the way we've made lunches better, with Fresh & Healthy Lunches-2- Go which are fresher, more healthy, con- venient and ready-to-go. They're being Formaggio (Cont'd. from p. 1) unveiled here at Fresh Summit. PSD: The produce department is gener- ally known as the section where you would buy fresh fruits, vegetables and other produce. How do these Lunches-2- Go fit in? AM: In this case, the Formaggio twist is put into play by offering this absolutely fresh item by including the very ingredi- ents a customer would normally see around them in the produce department. These are the sources of freshness that the customer expects from the produce department packaged in an incredibly convenient two-compartment tray including fresh produce and either a gluten-free cracker thin or a cracker fea- turing a healthy grain aspect. PSD: You seem to have a clear direction where you'd like to see your company in the produce department. AM: The produce department is growing every day, and Formaggio wants to be part of that growth. For more information, visit booth # 2419, go to www.formaggiocheese.com or call 845.436.7075. SILANO SPLASHES ONTO SCENE WITH QUALITY ITALIAN IMPORTS Silano is a contemporary supplier of imported Italian foods. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, the brand prides itself on a rigorous endeavor for superior quality and unmatched customer satis- faction. All products are sourced directly from Italy and best reflect the traditions and culture of their respective regions. Cured meat, cheeses, pastas, extra-virgin olive oil and hot cherry peppers were selected for their quality and consistency as the inaugural prod- ucts for the brand. Cheeses include several varieties of cow, goat and sheep milk cheeses. Most of those offered represent authen- tic northern Italian culinary excellence, although as the product range is expanded, more cheeses from other areas of Italy are likely to enter the product line. The range also includes an exciting new line of seafood items produced in Italy. Many products are harvested from the Adriatic Sea in the upper region of Abruzzo. The freshest anchovies are fished from the Mediterranean Sea and marinated to perfection. Other seafood items include seafood salads, anchovy fillets, shrimp, cuttlefish, octopus carpac- cio, salmon carpaccio, tuna, swordfish, salmon, mussels, squid, herring, macker- el and blue fish fillets and salted anchovies in oil. The Silano brand is pleased to offer its customers the finest selection of Italian products that satisfies the needs of chefs in any kitchen. The Silano brand is destined to become a household name for reputable Italian ingredients that are dis- tinguished for high quality and ease of preparation.