Spinach

Commodity Overview

Spinach is gaining popularity as a more nutrient-dense option for salads, sandwiches and other dishes. Offer both regular and baby spinach. Include bagged and bulk options to appeal to a variety of consumers.

PLUs

4090 regular/bunched
3332 baby

Varieties

Flat-Leaf Spinach

Savoy Spinach

Baby Spinach

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

One of spinach’s major selling points is its dense nutrient content and the health benefits it offers. Spinach has been shown to help fight cancer. It is high in folate, which helps protect against neural tube birth defects. Studies show spinach promotes heart health and protects the brain from some of the symptoms of aging. Vitamin A is found in spinach, which is essential for keeping eyes and skin healthy.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following nutrient content descriptors for spinach: fat-free, saturated fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in calories, a good source of fiber, high in vitamin A, high in vitamin C, high in iron, high in folate and a good source of magnesium.

Sales Strategies

Spinach is eaten both raw and cooked so it has plenty of cross-merchandising partners, including salad dressing, croutons, quiche ingredients and pizza ingredients.
Spinach is available year-round, so draw consumers’ attention to it frequently.
Fall: Promote spinach as a healthy sandwich topping for back-to-school lunch boxes.
Winter: Promote cooked spinach as a hearty side dish for cold winter nights. Include spinach in holiday promotions as it is a popular addition to many dips. Add spinach to wintertime soup promotions.
Spring: Include spinach in Easter and Mother’s Day brunch promotions as it is a favorite addition to omelets and quiches.
Summer: Promote spinach as a great topping for grilled sandwiches. Encourage consumers to use spinach as a base for summertime salads.
Promote spinach to health-conscious consumers as a high-nutrient substitute for lettuce.

Dynamic Displays

Offer both regular and baby spinach. Include bagged and bulk options to appeal to a variety of consumers.
Bagged spinach needs air so leave some space around the bags and don’t stack them. Offer bagged spinach in the same place as salad mixes to encourage consumers to use it as a base for salads.
Place spinach near other salad vegetables. Consider placing it next to red or yellow bell peppers or tomatoes to create an eye-catching color contrast.
Educate consumers about spinach’s many health benefits by displaying signs touting them.

Food Service

Include spinach in omelets and quiches on breakfast and brunch menus.
Spinach is an excellent way to boost the nutrient content of vegetarian dishes.
Add spinach to soups to add flavor and texture.
Spinach dip is always a popular appetizer.
Add spinach to pizza for a healthy topping.
Include spinach in salads and on your salad bar.

In the Backroom

Shipping
32-lb. 12⁄5-bushel cartons/crates 25-lb. bushel containers 22-lb. cartons, 24-count (bunched) 20-lb. cartons, 24-count (bunched) 20-lb. cartons, 12-count (bunched) 10-lb. 24-quart baskets 8-lb. cartons, 12 10-oz. bags 2 1⁄2-lb. bags, 8- and 4- count 4 or 6 21⁄2-lb. bags RPC – 6425, 6426, 6428, 6432 Consumer packs Some product is packaged at shipping point. After harvesting, the spinach is washed three times, dried and long stems are removed. The spinach is then packaged in 6- and 10-ounce bags, which are packed either 18 bags or 12 bags per carton. Foodservice packs 4 2½-lb. bags 6 2½-lb. cello

Grades
Spinach plants U.S. No. 1 U.S. commercial Spinach leaves U.S. extra No. 1 U.S. No. 1 U.S. commercial

Handling
Temperature: 32 F (0 C) Relative humidity: 95-100% Mist: lightly Typical shelf life: 10 to 14 days Ethylene-sensitive (Do not store or transport ethylene-sensitive items with commodities that produce ethylene.) Moderately sensitive to freezing injury (Able to recover from one or two light freezings.)

Equivalents

Allow ¼ to ½ pound per person for cooked spinach and about ¼ pound per person raw.

Papaya Produce and Groceries

Overview (4) (0) (1)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Detroit, 48228 Michigan

Berries:

Blueberries, Raspberries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Oranges, Clementines / Mandarins / Tangerines

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Asian Pears, Figs, Grapes

Herbal House Quality Gardens Inc

Overview (3) (0) (1)

Business Type:

Grower, Shipper, Importer, Retailer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Miami, 33152 Florida

Cooking Vegetables:

Cabbage, Herbs, Italian Parsley

Salad Vegetables:

Broccoli, Lettuce

Specialties:

Baby Vegetables, Cipollini Onion, Frisee, Lemon Grass, Mache

Ippolito Fruit & Produce Ltd HQ

Overview (22) (0) (13)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Burlington, L7P 5C4 Ontario

Cooking Vegetables:

Brussels Sprouts, Herbs, Leeks, Squash, Summer, Squash, Winter, Parsley

Salad Vegetables:

Spinach, Broccoli, Onions, Green, Radishes

Cal-Organic Farms, a division of Grimmway Farms

Overview (42) (0) (11)

Business Type:

Exporter, Grower, Shipper, Processor

Location HQ:

Bakersfield, 93380 California

Cooking Vegetables:

Leeks

Salad Vegetables:

Spinach, Carrots, Lettuce

Specialties:

Bok Choy, Daikon

Organic Produce:

Organic Beets, Organic Broccoli, Organic Cabbage, Organic Carrots

Greenleaf Bay Area

Overview (3) (0) (7)

Business Type:

Shipper, Retailer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Brisbane, 94005 California

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Specialty Berries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Oranges

M. Levin and Company, Inc.

Overview (3) (0) (12)

Business Type:

Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Philadelphia, 19153 Pennsylvania

Berries:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Specialty Berries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Oranges

Ford's Produce Co Inc

Overview (7) (0) (5)

Business Type:

Importer, Wholesaler

Location HQ:

Raleigh, 27603 North Carolina

Berries:

Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Citrus:

Grapefruit, Lemons, Oranges, Clementines / Mandarins / Tangerines

Deciduous Fruit:

Apples, Asian Pears, Grapes

Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc

Overview (2) (0) (0)

Business Type:

Grower, Shipper

Location HQ:

Belle Glade, 33430 Florida

Cooking Vegetables:

Beets, Cabbage, Corn, Herbs, Peppers, Chili, Squash, Summer, Squash, Winter

Salad Vegetables:

Spinach, Carrots, Celery

Misionero

Overview (9) (0) (6)

Business Type:

Grower, Shipper, Processor

Location HQ:

Gonzales, 93926 California

Cooking Vegetables:

Radicchio

Salad Vegetables:

Baby Spinach, Green Leaf Lettuce, Red Leaf Lettuce, Loose-leaf Lettuce, Mesclun/Spring Mix

Specialties:

Baby Lettuce

Cabbage Inc HQ

Overview (9) (1) (4)

Business Type:

Broker, Grower, Shipper

Location HQ:

Vermilion, 44089 Ohio

Cooking Vegetables:

Cabbage, Onions, Bulb, Napa Cabbage, Basil

Salad Vegetables:

Peppers, Bell, Spinach, Broccoli, Celery, Mesclun/Spring Mix

Specialties:

Bok Choy

Spinach

Spinach

Commodity Overview

PLUs

Varieties

Facts

Sales Strategies

Dynamic Displays

Food Service

In the Backroom

Equivalents

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