Seen and heard at the 2024 New York Produce Show — Part 1

NEW YORK — Featuring the theme, “Where Passion Becomes Action,” the 2024 New York Produce Show and Conference brought some 4,000 attendees and more than 300 exhibitors to New York City's Jacob Javits Center, Dec. 10-12.

Presented by Eastern Produce Council and Produce Business, the three-day event included the concurrent Global Trade Symposium and Foundational Excellence Program on Dec. 10; an expo on Dec. 11; and the Ideation Fresh Foodservice Forum, retail tours, and Hunts Point Produce Market and Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market tours on Dec. 12.

Convenience, flavor, affordability

As the industry looks to promote a healthy, produce-rich start to 2025, new products and campaigns designed to make fruit and vegetable consumption convenient, flavorful and affordable were the buzz on the show floor.

“Wellness never tasted so good,” said Cynthia Haskins about apples grown in the Empire State. January through April, apple sales are all about health and flavor, she added.

Haskins revealed the New York Apple Association plans to work with dietitians in a big way this year. And as the association aims to help consumers get a nutritious start to 2025, it will debut new healthy apple recipes at the end of the year, Haskins said.

February is Idaho Potato Lover's Month, and to celebrate the Idaho Potato Commission is launching a display contest with a jukebox giveaway — plus $1,000 to fill the jukebox with music, said Ross Johnson.

Additionally, every retailer who enters the display contest wins a five-pack of fun socks.

“A lot of commodity boards give a grand prize — we wanted everyone to get something,” Johnson said. “It's the only display contest where everyone is a winner.”

The team at Bolthouse Fresh Foods featured the company's Soup n' Stewin' Carrots and Side Dish Sizzlers, both of which Bolthouse says are gaining a lot of traction with retailers and consumers alike.

The National Watermelon Promotion Board's Katie Manetti and Juliemar Rosado say the board offers a host of resources to help retailers promote watermelon year-round.

The National Watermelon Promotion Board has its eye on year-round consumption of the popular summertime fruit. To help retailers better promote the melon 52 weeks a year, the board offers a digital learning lab for retailers, educational resources, recipes and more.

“This time of year, the focus is on fresh-cut watermelon,” said Rosado, who added the board offers a winter melon toolkit with recipes and usage ideas on its website.

The National Watermelon Promotion Board also recently shared research that explored the watermelon consumer. All the research — which takes a deep dive into the mind of a watermelon consumer — is available online, Rosado said.

North Carolina had a short crop this year, said Thomas Joyner of Nash Produce, which spotlighted the value of everyday sweetpotato merchandising at the New York Produce Show.

The sweetpotato crop is 30% to 35% down from last year, Joyner added. The size of the sweetpotatoes are also smaller this year. The upside, said Joyner, is that smaller sweetpotatoes command a smaller price tag, which helps during food inflation.

“While fresh mango is the No. 1 consumed fruit in the world, it's not in the U.S.,” said Meg Buchsbaum, who added that the National Mango Board is working to bring awareness to the variety of mangoes in the world and, ultimately, drive consumption.

“There are 1,600 different mango varieties in the world — all with a different flavor profile,” Buchsbaum said.

The National Mango Board's mission is simple: “To inspire everyone to taste the joy,” she said.

Through education on nutrition, flavor and culture, the board seeks to inspire customers to enjoy fresh mangoes every day. Its website shares health benefits, storage, prep and more.

Fresh Innovations/Yo Quiero showcased its grab-and-go refrigerated display unit featuring 10 4-ounce dips that will launch mid-January in stores, said Tara Murray.

“People want better-for-you on the go,” Murray said.

“Retailers are loving it and really leaning into that fact that it's grab-and-go,” she added.

Baldor Specialty Foods showcased Urbanroots, a line of prepped and chopped fresh produce, which underwent a colorful brand refresh and line expansion this year. The new look reflects “the bold, authentic and global flavors of the brand,” said Jasmin Guleria.

The company sampled its Urbanroots Fruit line of “fresh fruit with a global edge.”

The line includes fruit and a seasoning or syrup packet pairing, such as Chia Chai Tropical Medley, a combination of mango and pineapple paired with chai spices; Cardamom Agave Mango, featuring a Middle Eastern peppery, piney, cardamom syrup; and Basil Mint Melon, a mix of honeydew with a basil and mint syrup.