Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/887667
Produce Show Daily Thursday, October 19, 2017 4 0 A Larger Audience By JG Riley, Vice President Media, Formaggio "We are constantly receiving inquiries about this product," says Anthony Mongiello, President and Chief Executive Officer of Formaggio Brand. "It usually goes something like 'I tried your Just Add Lettuce while I was visit- ing someone and can't find it in my home town'." Mongiello continues to explain that though Just Add Lettuce, (a jar of high quality produce, cheese and season- ings meant to be mixed with bagged let- tuce), is popular in several regions around the country, the product is some- times a hard sell to produce department buyers and managers in areas where it hasn't caught on yet. "I think it's because Formaggio Brand made its bones as a high-end cheese company, so there's a question about whether it's a cheese product or not. I believe that's where the confusion is." It's true that Just Add Lettuce has grown a cult following of consumers who recognize a keeper when they find it. But 'finding it' is turning out to be something of a search for the holy grail for these fans. Customer satisfaction is a high priority at Formaggio, so con- sumer interest and demand has necessi- tated additional means of availability and distribution. In modern response, Mongiello and his team are now laying the groundwork for an ecommerce platform so fans can easily acquire the four Just Add Lettuce flavors online and have them shipped directly to their homes. "Sales are pretty strong where the product is available, but the fans who live elsewhere have been asking for an ecom- merce solution for some time. So now's the time." Since its arrival on the scene, Just Add Lettuce has gone from three varieties – Greek, Italian and Spanish – to four by adding the Blue Cheese and Berries offering. The fan following con- tinues to grow, but is not yet ubiquitous despite the convenience and money-sav- ing aspects of this product. "We plan to have the site up by fourth quarter," Mongiello con- tinues, "and all flavors will be available. Shipped with dry ice so people receive it fresh." The product will be sold in different set configurations: all Italian, for example, or a full set of all four flavors. The cult following formed around this product has also sparked the interest of a popular television direct marketing channel as well. "The idea is to satisfy the product's customers – who are really acting like fans – and make sure Just Add Lettuce is available to a larger audience." For more information, visit www.jus taddlettuce.com. A Passion for Innovation Updates the Original Twist-Ease System Twist-Ease is the original "No Hassle Bag Closure System" made in the USA. Founded in 1989, and located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the company manufactures a patented twist tie dis- pensing system designed for consumer use in produce, bulk, bakery and meat departments. The company also produces a patented flag tie dispensing system designed to be used wherever a space to write a PLU or BIN number is needed. Twist-Ease systems are labor saving and simple to refill, with no spilled ties, cre- ating a positive store experience that is clean, sanitary and organized. This year, Twist-Ease is launching an innovative new system called Click-N- Go, which offers customers a fresh and clean dispenser with every refill. Also new are the 4-inch flag ties that take up less space than traditional 6-inch flag ties. The original Twist-Ease system was designed by a produce manager who rec- ognized the consumer desire for a reli- able bag closure, but was tired of the mess and inconvenience of bulk ties. The new Click-N-Go system optimizes the original system by fitting more ties into a smaller footprint that consists of a metal mounting apparatus that is permanently affixed in the store. This new "prefilled disposable dispenser" will "click" into the mounting apparatus, providing a fresh and clean dispenser every refill. Twist-Ease's main target is grocery store chains across the United States, Canada and Australia. Customers are decision makers in produce, bulk foods, store chains and supply buyers. Twist Ties prevent unpaid products from spilling onto the floor as well as limiting checkout inaccuracies by keeping product together and preventing an apple from rolling off the edge of a scale. Twist ties protect retail customers from cross contamination threats by keeping the bag sealed tightly. The International Association of Food Protection has found yeast, mold, staph and coliforms living and growing on checkout conveyors. Twist ties also reduce customer "sampling" or "grazing" on product as they shop other depart- ments. Twist-Ease not only provides all the benefits of bulk twist ties, but they also save on labor. The Twist-Ease system holds 1,200 twist ties per pack, versus a cup that holds only 300- 400 loose twist ties, greatly reducing time spent replenishing dis- pensers. It also eliminates loose twist ties spilling out of cups, because Twist-Ease twist ties are held together at the top, so only one is taken at a time. Over its 28-year history, Twist-Ease has been innovative in providing an increasing number of twist ties while reducing dispenser size. This innovation has resulted in the newly launched Click- N-Go system. For more information, stop by booth #3206, visit www.twistease.com or call 888.623.8390. Sunsweet Growers Inc. Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary This year, Sunsweet celebrates its 100 year anniversary. Since it was founded in 1917 as a California-based cooperative, Sunsweet has shown a commitment to innovation – providing both unique and convenient solutions to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. From patenting its prune pitting process in 1965 to launch- ing individually wrapped Sunsweet Ones in 2006, Sunsweet is passionate about prunes. Today Sunsweet provides prunes to 25 percent of the global market. "This is such an exciting time for all of us here at Sunsweet," explains Jeff McLemore, Vice President of North America Marketing for Sunsweet. "It really all started in 1917 as a prune and apricot co-op in California and today we are 250 growers strong, producing 40,000 cases of high quality fruit and juice every single day!" Sunsweet has developed Amaz!n Prunes into a variety of forms, all provid- ing delicious taste and functional benefits for the consumer. Today's consumer can enjoy Sunsweet Ones Individually Wrapped Prunes, D'Noir Preservative Free, Amaz!n Diced Prunes and Orange Essence Prunes. Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes are The Feel Good Fruit with an all-natural source of fiber, and only 100 calories per serving of five prunes. Research shows that eating five to six prunes a day can help maintain bone mineral density in women. Prunes contain potassium, mag- nesium and vitamin K, all of which play a vital role in bone health. Strong marketing support helps drive healthy lifestyle consumers to the shelf. Sunsweet's investment in national television advertising, social media com- munication and public relations campaigns creates year-round connec- tions with the con- sumer. In addition, Sunsweet offers edu- cational materials about healthy eating choices, digestive health and more. Entering the holiday season, Sunsweet is offering a special 100 Year Anniversary Recipe Collection booklet through its website at www.sunsweet.com or by mail at Sunsweet Growers Inc P.O. Box 566 Horsham, PA 19044. For more information, stop by booth #3829 or go to www.sunsweet.com. DAUMAR Leads in Packaging Products DAUMAR is a leading manufacturer and distributor to the fresh produce industry, providing packaging materials, knitted netting, extruded netting, printed labels, printed films and automatic bagging machinery. With three distribution and service warehouses around the U.S.A., the company has customers covered with quick delivery and machine service. DAUMAR understands that its cus- tomers' bagging machines are critical to their business success. Because of this, unparalleled technical training, superb support and spare parts availability is immediately available for all DAUMAR products. The company takes pride in its D- Pack, a stand-up bag that offers great publicity and a premium appearance. It also has an E-Pack option, with the light- est and most economical net bag for the fresh produce industry. The E-Pack is made of ultralight knitted netting and a printed film that seals both ends of the bag and acts as a carry handle. Other packaging products are the Header Bag, which is made out of knitted or extruded netting with a sealed card on one side and a Kwik Lok closure on the other side. The Clipped Net Bag, the traditional low cost bag, has a label and two metal clips. The Raschel bag is an inexpensive way to move large bags or sacks, with weights ranging from 10 pounds up to 50 pounds. DAUMAR is launching a new bag- ging machine, CB-148. The CB-148 is the fastest and most flexible D-Pack bag- ging machine on the market. DAUMAR manufactures the bag- ging machinery and all of the correspon- ding bagging materials needed to make the bags on the bagging machinery, such as knitted netting, extruded netting, labels and printed films. DAUMAR's customers in the fresh produce industry consist of growers, packers and repack- ers. The company takes pride in provid- ing maximum machine uptime because it is an expert in determining which materi- als work best for each customer's appli- cation. In addition, the company also stocks bagging materials and has service technicians residing in close proximity to customers, offering a quick response to the customer's needs. For more information, go to www .daumar.com or call 305.234.5668.