Overview
Titan Farms is the largest peach grower on the east coast of the United States, with more than 5,000 acres of peaches in production. It is a fully integrated grower, packer and shipper of its fresh produce, shipping more than 150 million peaches annually.
Zespri has taken our humble kiwifruit to new levels. Within 20 years they have grown to become a global fruit marketing powerhouse, competing in the leagues of established brands like Dole, Chiquita and Sunkist and is now, impressively, the number one fruit brand in Spain.
In the current fresh produce market, whether you are competing for growers or retail space; it is essential to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Developing innovative, efficient and cost effective methods of standing out from the crowd is fundamental in staying ahead in this increasingly competitive field.
The fresh produce industry is often associated with digging dirt and watering trees – but these days that is far from being the whole truth - (TWEET THIS). When consumers visit their grocery stores and supermarkets, they expect nothing less than to be able to buy fresh, quality and safe produce that meets the brand promise. To ensure that happens there is a sophisticated supply chain hard at work behind the scenes.
We all know that when dealing with fresh produce we are dealing with mother nature. Weather conditions aren’t always perfect and therfore neither is some of the fruit. These so-called "ugly fruit" are a fact of life for growers. With light external defects, discoloration or misshapen, they may not be pretty, but they're still perfectly tasty, just as nutritious and until recently they weren’t available at the supermarket.
To meet this demand and differentiate themselves from competitors, fresh produce brands are looking to build brand loyalty and illustrate value using a variety of marketing and advertising channels to reach and interact with their consumers — and that means increasing their focus and investment in marketing.
Traditionally, produce would go from a packhouse to supermarket without much flexibility around pack types. But today, flexibility and quality assurance is essential, as packs handle a wealth of different produce types and service a variety of customers. Repackers sit between the packhouse and the supermarket and add value to a product by packing in a way that appeals to retail and local consumer demographics. They also sort the produce just before it reaches the consumer, ensuring that premium produce is delivered in a premium pack.
In the past, food that was considered ‘convenient’ was also likely to be processed. The modern, health-conscious consumer has moved away from accepting processed foods in the interest of convenience, and is now demanding food that is fresh, healthy and convenient – especially when it comes to fruit.
Enter Rockit Apples, a company who have found their niche meeting the consumer demand for freshness and convenience. Rockit package fresh, prewashed apples in a convenient tube. Better yet, their apples are a small, snack size, at approx. 1.5x the size of a golf ball. Rockit Apples have a sweet flavor, thin skin, a distinctive bright red blush, small core and fantastic crisp crunch.
