PALM DESERT, Calif. — Whether it was new products and packaging, enterprise solutions, regional resources or tried and true produce industry supplies, West Coast Produce Expo 2024 had something for everyone.
From left: RPE's Nick Kelly and Jason Domenico talked all things potatoes at West Coast Produce Expo. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
“Everybody loves this show,” said Nick Kelly of RPE LLC. “It's always a good one.”
RPE featured its 3-pound bags of tricolored American Blend brand bite-size potatoes — ideal for retailers and consumers readying for the Fourth of July and beyond. The company also showcased its Tasteful Selections line of potatoes in a variety of flavors.
“It's all systems go on every color of potato,” said Jason Domenico. “We're at peak supply and quality and ready to support retailer promotions.”
Share-ify's Bianca Darkhor and Angela Nardone discuss getting ready for FSMA 204. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
With FSMA 204 compliance around the corner, retailers and foodservice operators must establish and maintain a traceability plan, says Share-ify. And the enterprise solutions provider can help with that, says Bianca Darkhor. For example, its quality assurance platform offers a traceability function that allows companies to implement a recall within two hours, she added.
And at just 60-90 days, the onboarding process is easy and efficient, said Darkhor, who added that The Cheesecake Factory and UNFI are among its clients.
The DLJ Produce team at West Coast Produce Expo, from left: Blake Lee, Cristin Coombs and Mike Asdoorian. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
DLJ Produce showcased its Razzle Dazzle line of premium organic and conventional grapes. The nationwide supplier of fruits and vegetables also featured its Eat Well Organics and Eat Well Fresh Produce offerings.
From left, Natalia Rocha and Angeline Appel of Ganfer Fresh touted the company's Nature's Love line. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
The Ganfer Fresh team shared the story of its Nature's Love line of greenhouse-grown fresh fruit and vegetables with attendees at West Coast Produce Expo.
“We're a two-year-old company operating out of Sonora, Mexico,” explained Angeline Appel. The company also sources from other regions including Peru, British Columbia and California.
Alliance Rubber Co., which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, showcased its self-adhesive tape, automated machinery and vast selection of rubber bands for presenting fresh produce with minimal packaging.
It's time to “bring back the bunch” when it comes to broccoli and more, said Alliance Rubber Co.'s Adam Linder, who contends rubber-banded produce often commands a higher ring at retail.
From left, Kaliroy Fresh's Tom Lyons and Billy Pasos discuss packaging innovation and tomato varieties at West Coast Produce Expo. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
First-time exhibitor Kailroy Fresh showcased its grape tomatoes in a shaker, peel-back clamshell that were set to launch a week after West Coast Produce Expo, said Tom Lyons. The company also featured its orange grape, mixed medley and cherry tomatoes.
Stemilt Grower's Jorge Macias and Sarah Burns provided a cherry season update at West Coast Produce Expo. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
At West Coast Produce Expo, Stemilt's Sarah Burns said the company was close to wrapping up its California cherry season and was poised to begin picking the stone fruit in Washington.
“It looks to be a good season for cherries — a short season because of the weather — but one with great supply and quality,” she said.
Stemilt's cherry season runs through early August. “Get 'em while you can,” said Jorge Macias.
What's in season and when in the Columbine State? It's quite different from California commodities, said the Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association's Marilyn Bay Drake, who shared a commodity availability calendar aimed at retailers.
WestRock's Sabrina Ford shared sustainable packaging solutions at West Coast Produce Expo. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
“Our customers are asking for innovation on the sustainability front,” said WestRock's Sabrina Ford. “And we're really bringing that innovation to market.”
Take the company's WetTech solutions for mushrooms and other fresh produce, she said.
Produce faces the challenge of satisfying retailer and consumer demand for recyclable packaging solutions, while simultaneously ensuring optimal product protection and operational efficiency.
WetTech, a fiber-based, recyclable alternative to traditional wax-coated packaging, offers varying levels of moisture resistance and can be leveraged for custom and common packaging formats.
Related:
- Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo 2024 — Part 1
- Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo 2024 — Part 2
- Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo 2024 — Part 3
- Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo 2024 — Part 4
- Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo 2024 — Part 5