Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/887670
Produce Show Daily 6 5 Friday, October 20, 2017 we were just that, Utah onions. Now that we have grower/partners in selected key states, we needed a new name to fit with the growth and the scope of the company. We thought about it and the new name says exactly what we want people to know: quality onions, 52 weeks a year. PSD: Who is Onions 52? BM: We've been Utah based since 1977, but we have operations and partners in strategic key growing areas. We're family based with a heritage of pride in our prod- ucts and our service. Those things are not going to change, ever. The same attention to detail and the same care that helped us grow into Onions 52 will not change. The care for our customers and understanding of our product, that's really who we are. PSD: What exactly does Onions 52 do? BM: We do onions. We grow high quali- ty, yellow, red, white, sweet and organic onions. That's our focus and our passion. We provide onions year-round. Fifty-two weeks a year our trucks are rolling. We pride ourselves on quality, consistency and ease. While you find companies that provide thousands of goods all the time, we like to focus on one thing and do it the very best, so Onions 52 is just that: onions, 52 weeks a year! PSD: Apart from the actual onions, Onions 52 (Cont'd. from p. 1) what's a point of pride for you about the company? BM: It is all about people. Our customers are friends of ours and we treat them right. It's also about our own people. From our growers and production team to our sales and accounting groups, we have some of the most dedicated people in the industry. Without all these people in all of our operations, we could not do what we do. PSD: Why do you think you're success- ful? BM: That's a good question. It's never just one thing. There's persistence and some luck involved of course, but we never say no. We get onions delivered and the idea of saying no to a customer, well, that just isn't us. Instead, we find and offer solutions to our customers. Also, the fact that we do this 52 weeks a year sets us apart from the rest. There is never a week without onions for us. We offer a full line of onion products from 2,000 pound totes to two pound bags. There's also quality, year-round supply and reliability and ease, and … see, there's a lot that makes us successful. We love what we do; that sure helps. I think the customers feel that. For more information, go to www.onions52.com, call 801.773.0630, email bob@onions52.com or stop by booth #5829. farming, packing and sales of Creamer potatoes. It's literally all we do. So we have to be the best. PSD: Why Creamers? Why not other potatoes? SG: Before Angela Santiago and her dad Jacob van der Schaaf, a Dutch immi- grant, even started the business, Jacob lamented often that he couldn't find the small potatoes here that he had in his youth. So they started this business with the intent of feeding the world a better potato. Our Creamers are a mature small potato with qualities that you don't find in other potatoes – hearty, rich in creamy flavor, highly nutritious and they don't require peeling, so they're incredibly easy to prepare. Also, the diversity of a Creamer potato allows us to have unique proprietary varieties that no one else can grow. PSD: You've just opened another plant in DeForest, Wisconsin. Why? SG: We believe that regional diversifica- tion is essential to maintain the best dis- tribution and to reduce our production risk. We have three production plants and five additional distribution centers in Canada and the U.S. for a total of eight distribution centers. We are growing in 11 states and provinces, covering distri- bution for both countries. This geograph- ic diversity spreads our production risk The Little Potato Company (Cont'd. from p. 1) and the risk of system-wide catastrophic crop failure, and also helps ensure a con- sistent supply of high quality Creamer potatoes. PSD: For the people here at PMA, what is a key selling feature of your product? SG: Simply, the capacity of our produc- tion. Each year we add more and more capacity and increase production of our Creamers. In fact, The Little Potato Company adds more production in one year than some of our competition has in total inventory. This allows us to take on more retailers with the added advantage of consistent quality, lower risk and more proprietary Creamer varieties than most of our competitors – several of our vari- eties are proprietary. PSD: Tell our readers about the vision and values of The Little Potato Company. SG: To quote our Chief Executive Officer, Angela Santiago, 'Our end goal is bigger than what we pack and send out the door each day.' This company was started by a father and daughter team with the belief that everyone deserves to have healthy great food, and that we have a gift worth sharing with the world. To this day, family ownership and values imbue everything we do – from our grower relationships, to the diversity of our people, to the respect we extend to all employees and partners alike. For more information, stop by booth #1063. After the show, visit www.little potatoes.com. Fresh n' Sealed Tamper Evident Line Launches New Square Packages Lacerta is excited to introduce new square packages to the Fresh n' Sealed tamper evident family of containers. Lacerta's new upscale square bowls offer a contemporary look that gives your food stand-out shelf appeal. The new containers range in size from 8 to 48 ounces. All with modern style, the packages are the perfect ways to show off your food in three different foot- prints – 4.5-inch, 6-inch and 7.5-inch – for every application. The containers were designed with sleek lines, for sal- ads, fresh cut produce, on-the-go foods and more. The smallest 4.5-inch squares are available in 8, 12, or 16 ounces. The 6- inch ones are perfect for on-the-go salad and meals with 24 and 32 ounce options. The largest footprint, 7.5-inch square, also is available in 24, 32 and 48 ounces. Both the 6-inch and 7.5-inch also offer a variety of film sealable inserts for all of the salad or snack toppings you could want. Having film sealable inserts extends shelf life and offers a lot of options for assembling. With these con- tainers, inventory management is simpli- fied; there is no need for shrink bands, film or any added costs and complexi- ties. With Fresh n' Sealed, you get both the security and peace of mind, along with a great way to make your food stand out on the shelves. The packages are designed so that once closed they provide security, leak resistance and freshness. In order to open the package, a tear strip must be removed to gain access to the newly exposed tabs to remove the lid. This design makes it simple for consumers to see if the package has been tam- pered with. All of the containers are 100 percent recyclable, have flaw- less clarity and are easy to use. The containers are stackable and maximize the shelf. About Lacerta Group, Inc. Lacerta is a family-owned manufacturer of plastic food packaging. From concept to prototyping, mold-making and production, Lacerta is a turnkey manufacturer of cus- tom and stock packaging, including produce and party trays, herb clamshells, cups and more. The Fresh n' Sealed tamper evi- dent line ranges from 1.5 to 120 ounces and has expanded to include parfaits, snack packs, leafy green containers and square bowls, to name a few. With Fresh n' Sealed packages, you get a refreshingly simple and streamlined design. For more information, stop by booth #5610, visit www.lacerta.com or call 508.339.3312. Just Add Lettuce – Innovation at its Best Gets Even Better An interview with Anthony Mongiello, The Big Cheese™, President and Chief Executive Officer, Formaggio Brand. PSD: Tell our readers about the inspira- tion behind the decision to make some changes to the Just Add Lettuce line. AM: Just Add Lettuce has so many fans that I wanted to make it even better for them. So the Just Add Lettuce line is what I would call new and improved. PSD: How so? AM: We changed the flavor profile by creating new infused marinated dress- ings. We've added some vinegar and real citrus flavors naturally without chemi- cals. Also, each of the four Just Add Lettuce flavors now has slightly smaller pieces for increased coverage so every single leaf of lettuce will be covered with this amazing new taste experience. PSD: It seems you have an ethnic her- itage angle with the Italian version and the Greek version. What are the other fla- vors? AM: There's the Spanish version, too. And we have the fourth variety which is Bleu Cheese and Cranberries. The idea is that we want to mix something into our salad other than just a liquid dressing. All the Just Add Lettuce flavors or varieties have chunks of fresh produce, cheese, seasonings, herbs and spices, and each one is very characteristic and distinct from the oth- ers. There's one for everyone and every- body has a favorite. JAL is the world's first three-dimensional salad dressing and it's just become new and improved after a great deal of research and devel- opment by me and my team. PSD: How do you think the product line's biggest fans will react to the improve- ments? AM: I know that our loyal customers will love the improvements. We at Formaggio like to keep offering new and exciting products for our customers and so far we've received a tremendous amount of positive feedback about these changes. I am confident that this will not only please our current fan base but will expand the customer base tremendously. For more information, go to ww w.formaggiocheese.com or www.just addlettuce.com.