Supermarket Perimeter - June 2023 - 47

adding a burst of flavor to salads, grain bowls and smoothies, " Jackson
said. " It's hard to hide our passion for passion fruit, but it's even more
exciting when we see that the mainstream food industry has fallen in
love, too. "
Passion fruit is a " powerful " end-cap product for grabbing attention in
the produce department, she added.
For cross promotions, Frieda's recommended featuring it outside of
the produce department with cocktail mixers and spirits.
Going forward, Frieda's is excited about the possibilities created
following the company's recent acquisition by Legacy.
" Legacy values the strength behind Frieda's branded produce, and we
are elated about the growth potential this acquisition brings, " Jackson
said. " Frieda's brand has a 30% faster velocity than the next leading
brand. With unlimited opportunities to leverage our grower partnerships
and packing capabilities, we've aligned our goals and objectives with
those of our clients to scale our growth and continue to be the supplier
of choice for the products we choose to sell, both domestically and
international. "
Plentiful papayas
Hawaiian papayas shipping to the mainland in the coming months
are expected to plentiful, with more than 1 million pounds per month
expected, said Eric Weinert, president of the Hawaii Papaya Industry
Association and the owner of Hawaii Papaya Direct.
" New fields are beginning to be harvested this spring, meaning larger
size fruits will be available, " Weinert said. " Sizes range from 1 pound
each for small sizes to 1.4 pounds for large sizes. "
Volumes and production have returned to normal as most supply
chain issues caused by government shutdowns have ended, he added.
Transportation is probably the biggest supply chain issue the
Hawaiian industry currently faces. With limited air space, exporters have
to ship by boat, and the cost of shipping is considerable.
" There's not much adjustment you can make, we just account for
it, " Weinert said. " Supply chain issues are much easier than last year,
though. Transportation between Hawaii and the West Coast is back to
normal. "
And two issues that loomed large the past two years - fertilizer
shortages and lack of storage space - have not been a problem this year.
The demand for Hawaii Papaya continues to be strong, Weinert said,
thanks to loyal customers preferring the superior taste and quality of
Hawaii-grown fruit.
" All of our papayas are grown in very porous lava rock soil, and it is
very nutritious and geologically unique. "
To keep those sales high, the Hawaiian papaya industry has
not sought solutions involving things packaging and technical
breakthroughs.
Instead, Weinert said, the industry keeps a laser focus on getting the
freshest papaya to market with proven temperature controls throughout
shipment.
One exception to that, however, has been the practice of
newer companies who provide direct-to-consumer internet sales
(HawaiiPapayaDirect.com), where papaya is harvested at riper stages,
packed, shipped via express freight services like FedEx, and delivered to
the customer's door within days of being harvested.
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Supermarket Perimeter - June 2023

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