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Produce Show Daily Friday, October 20, 2017 6 4 The Little Potato Company: The No. 1 Creamer Potato Company in North America Growing small Creamer potatoes is all The Little Potato Company does, so it has to be the best. That means the best in regional diversification, the best in capacity and the best potato, bar none. It all starts with the Creamer potato. Angela Santiago and her father, Jacob van der Schaaf, a Dutch immigrant, start- ed the company over 20 years ago with the idea of bringing a potato to market that was more robust, hardier and with more diversity than other potatoes in the North American market. Enter the Creamer – a naturally small potato rich in buttery flavor and creamy texture, easy to prepare (they don't require peeling) and highly nutritious. Since then, The Little Potato Company has been able to offer several varieties of Creamers that are proprietary to The Little Potato Company – ones that no one else can grow or sup- ply – with more coming. Every year, The Little Potato Company continues to add more and more capacity, increasing production of its Creamers. In fact, The Little Potato Company adds more production in one year than some of its competition has in total inventory. This allows The Little Potato Company to take on more retailers with the added advantage of consistent quality, lower risk and more range of Creamer varieties than most of its competitors given that several of its varieties are propri- etary. The Little Potato Company is growing in 11 states and provinces, covering distribution across Canada and the United States. Its latest addition is in DeForest, Wisconsin, growing its exist- ing facilities to three production plants and five additional distribution centers in Canada and the U.S. for a total of eight distribution centers. The Little Potato Company believes that regional diversifi- cation is essential to maintain the best distribution and to reduce production risk. This geographic diversity spreads production risk and the risk of system- wide catastrophic crop failure, and for its customers and consumers alike, it helps ensure consis- tent high quality of Creamer potatoes. The Little Potato Company started as a family business and to this day, its core values imbue every- thing it does, from holding employees and partners alike in the highest respect, going beyond in everything it does, ele- vating others, being down to earth and doing what it says. Angela and Jacob started the company with the belief that everyone deserves to have healthy great food, and that the Creamer potato is a gift worth sharing with the world. For more information, stop by booth #1063. After the show, visit www.little potatoes.com. Bella Sun Luci: A Tuscan Tradition Mooney Farms' family recipe was creat- ed in the flavor-rich fields of Italy, where the Mediterranean diet is a wholesome part of everyday life. This way of eating features healthy fruits, grains, and most of all, vegetables and olive oil. Bella Sun Luci sun dried tomatoes are the premium brand – simple, healthy and delicious. In the same cooking style of countries bor- dering the Mediterranean Sea, Mooney Farms' products inspire a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet has been linked to good health and longevity. But to people living in the Mediterranean region, it's not just a diet, it's a way of life. Educating customers about the importance of a healthier diet is one of the goals Mooney Farms has as a company. Olive oil has been an essential ingre- dient in Mediterranean cuisine for over 6,000 years. As a daily staple in the Mediterranean diet, olive oil has promot- ed good health through the enjoyment of simple, colorful and flavorful dishes. All Bella Sun Luci products are packed in 100% Pure Olive Oil for this reason. Farmed in the rich and fertile soil of California's Feather River Valley, Mooney Farms' Extra Virgin Arbequina Olive Oil is grown on the Mooney Family estate. This Spanish varietal, an aromatic, rich and full bodied Extra Virgin Olive Oil is pressed within hours of harvest, producing the freshest taste. When growing and processing the olives and tomatoes, quality standards are maintained and exceeded by the fam- ily's participation. One hundred percent of the focus is on both Sun Dried Tomatoes and Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, guaranteeing its customers a premium, high quality product every time it leaves the production plant. Mooney Farms struck gold again at the 2017 Yolo County Fair Olive Oil Competition. Mooney Farms Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil was awarded a Gold Medal in the Arbequina – Medium Intensity catego- ry. "The California Olive Oil industry has set high standards for quality olive oil and we are proud to be among the top producers in California. Winning gold in the Arbequina Medium Intensity Category is a real honor for our family," says Mary Mooney, Owner. For more information, stop by booth #2822 or go to www.bellasunluci.com. Snoboy: Freshness Guaranteed Trademarked in 1925, the Snoboy brand has been synonymous with high-quality produce and customer satisfaction for over 90 years. A symbol of quality and freshness, the Snoboy brand is nationally recognized for fruits and vegetables by grocers, wholesalers and consumers alike. There are more than 80 different high-quality produce items in the Snoboy brand, making it one of the largest private brands in the industry. Snoboy fresh fruit and vegetables are consistently the best because Snoboy works with the best growers in the top producing regions of North America and Mexico. Snoboy customers are assured of superior quality, regardless of the sea- son or origin. Their proximity to the fields, orchards and production areas allows the Snoboy quality assurance staff to take an active role in determining what growers, fields or blocks of fields qualify for the Snoboy brand. Being so close to the source, the Snoboy QA staff can assure that raw product attributes meet strict written standards and specifications before pack- ing. The active role that Snoboy QA staff take on the customers' behalf means that you receive produce with consistent levels of freshness, color, size and flavor. If existing quality does not meet stan- dards, it sources elsewhere for Snoboy branded produce. Additionally, Snoboy products are packed to order, which means that your individ- ual Snoboy order is the freshest possible. Utilizing the best growers, employing highly skilled Snoboy QA staff and packing all Snoboy product to order allows the company to offer you its freshness guarantee on all Snoboy products. For more information, visit booth #1253 or visit online at www.amerifresh.com. Grow, Pack, Ship: Growers Are Us Covers All the Bases Growers Are Us (GAU) is a grower/packer/shipper business founded in 2011 and based out of Miami, Florida. The company, which has packaging facil- ities in Guatemala, Colombia and Peru, serves customers in the United States by coordinating the growing, packing and purchasing of fresh produce in several countries in Latin America. GAU has the freshest product with the most rigorous sanitary precautions available. Food safe- ty is its highest priority. Its facilities are certified to fit GAU's customer demands, whether in Europe or in the United States. With more than 30 years of experi- ence in the industry, the GAU team thrives more every year, by delivering creative solutions to the categories in which it serves. Currently, the company focuses on three important segments: the bulk business to serve local and national customers; private label programs enabling big brands to expand their prod- uct portfolio with the best turnkey solu- tions; and the company's own brands, which are Veg and FruitDelicous. Because GAU has direct business rela- tionships with key growers and packers, it is able to deliver customized packaging to customers, whether in Europe or in the United States. The main farms and pack house are located in Guatemala. The company's expertise is in providing value-added products. Customers can use GAU's label or have the option of using their own private labels, bags and specified sizing. GAU farms are culti- vated year-round and strive for the highest customer satis- faction. To ensure that satis- faction, since the inception of the business, the company has been certified with HACCP, BRC and Primus labs. As Dan Wahl, GAU's President notes, "Our strength is our flexibility in developing innovative value-added branded and pri- vate label produce products that are con- venient and healthy and also offer con- sumer value." GAU's goal for PMA is to make the company more broadly known and extend the visibility of its label. GAU is especially proud of its loyalty, customer satisfaction and excellent quality. The company is launching "Grab- and-Go" VegDelicious 2.0-ounce and 2.5-ounce displays of sugar peas, snow peas, broccoli and carrots. Packages range from 20 to 47 calories of wholesome, fresh, natural veggies. The new line for VegDelicious is a snack "you can eat on the go." They emphasize "no cutting, no washing, no mess to clean up; just open up a bag and enjoy the deliciousness." The company's main customers are supermarkets, convenience stores, food- service organizations and wholesale dis- tributors. Because the company grows and has its grower relationships, it is able to be very competitive while sustaining the best quality for its customers. GAU has also developed numerous foodser- vice and school program packs for its customers. For more information, go to www.growers areus.com.