Foodservice Operators Embrace Produce, & Look To Suppliers For Help

Foodservice operators around the country are expanding their use of produce in myriad ways, working with their vendors to navigate supply and execution challenges as they recast their menus to satisfy evolving consumer tastes and preferences.

Research Shows Local Logos Are More Eye-Catching Than Words

Michael Katz, an M.S. candidate and research assistant with the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Connecticut has been looking into consumer preferences for local and organic labeling in certain specialty crops in Connecticut. Katz is working on a research project with assistant professors Ben Campbell and Yizao Liu through a grant from the USDA/CT Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant program. In a talk given at The New York Produce Show & COnference entitled, “How Local and Organic Labeling Influences Consumers,” Katz examined choice experiments in conjunction with eye-tracking technology.

Despite Growing Demand, Organic Ethnic Greens & Herbs Are Not Widely Offered In East Coast Retailers

The New York Produce Show and Conference welcomed Dr. Ramu Govindasamy, professor, Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at Rutgers University, to its platform of educational microsessions last week. With a presentation entitled, “Opportunities for Organic Ethnic Greens and Herbs: A Study from the Eastern Coastal USA,” Dr. Govindasamy spoke of a study done on a niche demand for foods in ethnic populations. The study derived after he noticed an alarming number of retail ethnic stores not offering any sort of organic ethnic produce.

Northeast Hospitals Embrace Farm-To-Hospital Produce Programs

One of the most interesting and educational parts of the annual New York Produce Show and Conference is the lineup of industry experts who take part in the micro-sessions on the day of the show, presenting unique findings from research and studies the lecturers have done.

Americans Are Eating A Lot More Berries. Here's Why.

December 11, 2014 Josh Barro, New York Times

According to statistics published by the United States Department of Agriculture, per capita consumption of fresh raspberries grew 475 percent from 2000 to 2012, the most recent year for which data are available. Blueberry consumption is up 411 percent, and strawberries are up 60 percent.