Salads/Salad Mixes

Commodity Overview

Salad mixes are a category unto themselves, appealing to a different type of customer than those who purchase salad ingredients. Salad mix shoppers are looking for a time-saving option that helps them create a healthy meal. Keep this demographic in mind when promoting them and improve your bottom line.

Varieties

Arugula

Mesclun/Spring Mix

Coleslaw

Iceberg-based Mix

European Blend

Chopped Romaine

Retail Price Data is based on USDA Specialty Crops Market News surveys. Data collection ends on the report date and encompasses ad pricing good from the Saturday before the report release date through the following Friday. Weekly data - from over 400 retailers, comprising more than 30,000 individual stores with online weekly advertised features - covers over 250 produce items. Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

USDA Specialty Crops Market News publishes FOB and Movement data on a daily and weekly basis. Pricing and volume information is aggregated by commodity and published weekly, subject to any source-data adjustments. Commodity data is further processed based on origin (domestic vs imports) and type (regular vs. organic). Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

Facts

Salad mixes offer up the health benefits of their ingredients, which vary from mix to mix. Romaine or leaf-lettuce-based salad mixes offer a denser mix of nutrients than iceberg-based salad mixes.
Mesclun greens and romaine have a low energy density. They have a low calorie count compared to their serving size. Mesclun greens contain 5% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Mesclun greens and romaine both contain iron and calcium.

Sales Strategies

Salad mixes offer up some obvious cross-merchandising choices, including salad dressing, croutons, cheese, berries and other salad vegetables.
Salad mixes are available year-round. Include them in promotions throughout the year.
Fall: Include salad mixes in back-to-school promotions as an option for school and work lunch boxes.
Winter: Promote salad mixes as a base for salads to grace the holiday table, saving consumers time during the busy season.
Spring: Include salad mixes in Mother’s Day and Easter promotions as an easy starting point for salads.
Summer: Add salad mixes to summertime grilling promotions as a quick way to round out a grilled meal.
Offer samples of different types of salad mixes to promote not just the salad mixes but different types of salad dressings as well.

Dynamic Displays

Lots of options are important to keep salad mixes moving. Offer mixes from spring mix to Caesar salad.
Bagged salads are most popular, but some consumers prefer to purchase their salad mix in a clamshell.
Offer single-serve bowls complete with salad dressing and cheese to consumers looking for healthy lunch options.
Keep displays well-stocked and keep an eye on the use-by dates of product.
Give salad mixes their own display case with other convenience foods, such as coleslaw, shredded lettuce and broccoli florets.
Keep salad mix displays close to other salad vegetables to encourage consumers to add their own favorites to the mix.

Food Service

Salad mixes can cut preparation time in a big way. Start with a prepared salad mix and add other ingredients to create a signature salad all your own.
Use bagged salads to provide a base for your salad bar. Consider mixing together several types of salad mixes to create a heartier and more interesting option.
Consider adding a from-scratch dressing to your dressed-up salad mix.

In the Backroom

Shipping
20-lb. cartons, 4 5-lb. bags 20-lb. cartons, 2 10-lb. bags 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 18- and 24-count cartons (total) 3-lb. bulk carton, mesclun RPC – 6411, 6416, 6419, 6428 Consumer packs Salads are offered in many lettuce and vegetable combinations. Packaging varies from 3.5-oz. bags to 5-lb. bags.

Grades
See grades for individual products.

Handling
Temperature: 33 F, 0.6 C Relative humidity: 90-95% Mist: mesclun, lightly; do not mist wrapped product Typical shelf life: 10 to 19 days

Waterside Fish & Produce Co Inc

Overview (3) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Retailer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Norfolk, 23502 Virginia

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Limes, Oranges, Clementines / Mandarins / Tangerines

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Grapes, Pears

Conner Produce Co. Inc.

Overview (1) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Lynchburg, 24501 Virginia

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Clementines / Mandarins / Tangerines

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Grapes

Bosco Food Service Inc

Overview (2) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Bay City, 48706 Michigan

Berries:

Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Oranges

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Grapes

Mission Ranches

Overview (2) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Grower

Location HQ:

King City, 93930 California

Cooking Vegetables:

Cauliflower, Kale

Salad Vegetables:

Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Lettuce, Romaine

Specialties:

Frisee, Garbanzo Beans

Country Home SA

Overview (3) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Exporter, Grower, Shipper, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Lima,

Cooking Vegetables:

Herbs, Oregano, Dill

Salad Vegetables:

Lettuce, Salads/Salad Mixes

Rochester Public Market

Overview (0) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Rochester, 14609 New York

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples

Stone Fruit:

Apricots, Cherries

Cooking Vegetables:

Artichokes, Peppers, Chili

Specialties:

Chayote, Cherimoya, Chicory, Chinese Cinnabar Melon, Chinese Navel Orange

J V Farms Inc

Overview (1) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Grower

Location HQ:

Yuma, 85364 Arizona

Cooking Vegetables:

Cauliflower, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley

Salad Vegetables:

Spinach, Broccoli, Celery, Onions, Green, Romaine, Green Leaf Lettuce

Pellerito Foods Inc

Overview (4) (0) (1)

Business Type:

Processor

Location HQ:

Detroit, 48207 Michigan

Cooking Vegetables:

Cabbage, Onions, Bulb, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes

Salad Vegetables:

Carrots, Celery, Coleslaw

Matarazzo Brothers LLC

Overview (3) (0) (9)

Business Type:

Broker, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Boston, 02150 Massachusetts

Melons:

Watermelon

Cooking Vegetables:

Herbs

Salad Vegetables:

Peppers, Bell, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Mesclun/Spring Mix, Red Cherry Tomatoes, Red Cocktail Tomatoes, Red Plum/Roma Tomatoes

Organic Growers Network

Overview (2) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Broker, Management & Consulting

Location HQ:

New York, 10022 New York

Cooking Vegetables:

Herbs, Red Onions

Salad Vegetables:

Peppers, Bell, Spinach, Cucumbers, Salads/Salad Mixes, Tomatoes, Red Bell Peppers

Specialties:

Salad Savoy, Shallots

Salads/Salad Mixes