(LOUDON, NH) – On the heels of launching its Fusion blend just a few short months ago, lef Farms (pronounced “leaf”) is excited to introduce another unique leafy green to the market, called Crisp. Touted as a crunchy new alternative to traditional Romaine and Iceberg lettuce, Crisp combines a robust, crispy bite with a fresh, bright flavor — making it an ideal way to add texture and flavor to sandwiches, or use as the foundation of a deliciously crunchy Caesar salad, among other recipes.
“As always, we want to introduce greens that bring more to the table than just the typical Spring mix”, states lef farm’s President and CEO, Henry Huntington. “New Crisp does just that by packing a crispy crunch into every bite, which up until now was only satisfied with Romaine or Iceberg lettuce,” finishes Huntington.
Knowing a large majority of lettuce lovers eat iceberg and Romaine, lef Farms spent several months’ trialing different varieties that would deliver the crunch consumers love but with a unique flavor composition that’s been a trademark of lef Farms’ other blends. And by deploying an approach that’s as unique as its greens, lef Farms partnered with one of the largest grocery chains in the Northeast, Hannaford Supermarkets, to test its findings. After completing several rounds of sampling, lef Farms and Hannaford agreed that Crisp provided the distinctive combination they needed to meet the growing demand for a crunchy and flavorful alternative to Romaine and Iceberg lettuce.
The partnership between lef Farms and Hannaford Supermarkets doesn’t end at the research. In fact, these two local companies have created a lef-y alliance whereas Crisp is exclusively available at the 181 Hannaford stores across New England. This not only emboldens lef with a strong distribution partner in its local region but, knowing the increased popularity of locally grown greens in the Northeast, it gives Hannaford a competitive point of differentiation from other grocers.
“We recognize that ‘local’ runs much deeper than just geography”, begins Kim Kuusela, Local Merchandising Specialist at Hannaford Supermarkets. “It’s about giving our customers the opportunity to find a variety of local products to help preserve local farmland, local traditions, and local jobs. And lef helps us deliver on our mission with fresher, sustainably grown products, reducing our food miles, and creating ecstatic fans. And we’re excited to partner with them and look forward to all the possibilities Crisp brings to our guests,” concludes Kuusela.
With Crisp the possibilities are endless, which isn’t too dissimilar to its shelf life. Like all of its greens, lef’s Crisp is not only grown and harvested pesticide-free and without the touch of human hands, it’s harvested in a cooler at 35°F. This quickly removes heat created during the growing process which locks in fresh taste, increases post-harvest performance, and extends shelf life. And, like its other blends, Crisp greens are delivered to shelves and kitchens across the Northeast within just 24 hours of harvest. So, they arrive to you just as crisp and fresh as when they left lef’s greenhouse.
Available in 4 oz. teal-labeled clamshells, Crisp can be found exclusively at Hannaford Supermarkets. To find the nearest store, visit the lef Farms Locate page at www.lef-farms.com/locate.
lēf Farms is a 75,000-sq. ft. greenhouse growing facility, producing nearly 1.5 million pounds annually of its Crisp, Smooth, Spice, and Fusion baby greens for New England. www.lef-farms.com.
