Carrots

Facts

• Carrots are a healthy snack that kids and adults love. Take advantage of carrots’ health benefits. Carrots are high in beta carotene, which has been shown to boost the immune system. They also contain carotenoids, which can lower the risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that eating carrots can help prevent stroke.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following nutrient content descriptors for carrots: fat free, saturated fat free, low-sodium, cholesterol-free, a good source of fiber and high in vitamin A.

Sales Strategies

• Carrots’ popularity can be leveraged to boost purchases of other items, including dip, juicing equipment, juicing vegetables, other snack foods and bagged salads.
• Carrots are available in plentiful supply year-round. Keep them on a regular rotation in your promotions.
• Fall: Carrots are perfect for lunch boxes. Kids love them and parents love their health benefits. Promote single-serve packages during the back-to-school season. Include carrots in fall and winter soup promotions as they are a staple in many soups. Don’t forget to push carrots and dip during football game-day promotions.
• Winter: Carrots are popular in salads, so include them in winter holiday promotions to encourage consumers to add a green salad to their holiday meal plan. Include carrots on vegetable trays that you promote around Super Bowl weekend. Promote carrots as a great base for health-conscious consumers who are interested in juicing. Don’t forget carrots when Chinese New Year rolls around. Shredded carrots are a staple in spring rolls.
• Spring: Easter and carrots are natural companions. What does the Easter Bunny eat, after all? Promote carrots around the Easter holiday as a nutritious snack for both the Easter Bunny and for your kids. Include carrots in Mother’s Day promotions, as well.
• Summer: Promote carrots as a quick, easy-to-carry snack that won’t melt in the heat of summer. Include carrots in grilling promotions to encourage consumers to consider a mixed vegetable medley done on the grill.

Dynamic Displays

• If you offer bulk carrots, keep them under misters to avoid them drying out. Consider keeping the tops on to provide a fresh-from-the-farm look.
• Include plenty of size options for consumers. Include bunches, baby carrots, carrot coins and carrot sticks. Don’t forget the snack pack sizes for easy lunch box snacks.
• Use carrots’ riveting orange color as a color break between two green vegetables.

Food Service

• Include carrots in salads and on salad bars.
• Use carrots as a side dish to create some striking color contrasts on your plate.
• Carrot curls can be used as a plate or drink garnish. Use carrot sticks as drink stirrers.
• Baby carrots or carrot sticks are a tasty addition to children’s menus that will make both kids and parents happy.

In the Backroom

Shipping
Master cellos 50-lb. table cartons 48 1-lb. poly bags 25-lb. table poly bags 24 2-lb. poly bags 12 2-lb. poly bags 5 10-lb. poly bags 16 3-lb. poly bags 10 5-lb. poly bags RPC 6411, 6413, 6416, 6419, 6420, 6423, 6425, 6426, 6428 Bunched 26-lb. cartons Baby-peeled 24 1-lb. bags 20 1-lb. bags 12 2-lb. bags 10 2-lb. bags 8 5-lb. bags 4 5-lb. bags 20 2-lb. bags 40 1-lb. bags 50- and 25-lb. poly jumbo 30 12-oz. bags Snack packs Baby-peeled 150 2.25 oz bags 100 2.6 oz. bags 100 3 oz. bags 72 3 oz. bags 40 3 oz. bags 28 4/2.25 oz. bags 24 4/3 oz. bags 12 6/3 oz. bags 10 10/20 oz. bags Baby-peeled and dip 12 3/2.25 oz. packs 26 2.25 oz. packs Consumer packs 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- and 10-lb. bags Value-added packs Many suppliers ship cartons of four 5-lb. bags of shredded carrots, carrot sticks and match sticks (julienne-cut). Other cuts available are crinkle-cut sticks, diced, sliced, whole peeled or coined. Carrots are offered in combination with other commodities – including celery, broccoli or cauliflower – and come in cartons of 18 or 9 1-lb. bags. Shredded carrots also come in fresh-cut coleslaw and salad mixes.

Grades
United States U.S. extra No. 1 U.S. No. 1 U.S. No. 1 jumbo U.S. No. 2

Handling
Temperature: 33 to 35 F, 0.6 to 1.7 C Relative humidity: 98-100% Mist: lightly Typical shelf life: 28 to 180 days Ethylene-sensitive. Do not store or transport with ethylene-producing products, which can give carrots a bitter flavor. Odor-sensitive. Carrots will absorb odors from apples and pears. Odor producer. Carrots produce odors that will be absorbed by celery. Fresh-cut typical shelf life: Diced, sliced or shredded: 21 days Julienne: 21 days Sticks: 21 days Whole peeled: 30 days Most product is sold without tops, which draw moisture from the roots, because they store better. Return unsold carrots to cold storage at the end of the day. This permits cleaning of the display and helps ensure proper rotation.

Equivalents

Small (6 to 7 inches) = 12 to 13 counts Small = about 1⁄3 cup grated Small = 1⁄2 to 1⁄3 cup coined Medium (7 to 8 inches) = about 6 Medium = about 1 cup grated Medium = 2⁄3 to 1⁄2 cup coined Medium-large (9 to 10 inches) = about 5 Medium-large = about 11⁄2 cup grated Medium-large = slightly less than 1 cup coined Large (11 to 12 inches) = about 4 Large = about 11⁄3 cups grated Large = 1 cup coined