LOS ALAMITOS, CA – The bright, vivid colors, refreshing fragrance and sweet taste of fresh citrus fruits have a way of enlivening the spirit during the lackluster days of winter. With the wide variety of citrus fruits now in season, Frieda’s Specialty Produce encourages produce merchandisers to take advantage of specialty citrus to brighten up winter produce departments.
Above and beyond
In addition to standard navel oranges and lemons, look to specialties like Moro Blood Oranges, Cara Cara Oranges and Meyer Lemons. For true gourmands, specialty Variegated Pink Lemons and Seedless Lemons are seasonally available. Mandarin varieties such as Shasta, Yosemite and Tahoe are popular early season varieties.
“Shoppers are more receptive than ever to unique citrus varieties like Meyer Lemons and Blood Oranges, thanks to food writers and bloggers and countless recipes available,” said Karen Caplan, President & CEO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce. “Don’t be shy about keeping produce displays full and fresh with these deliciously popular specialty varieties.”
Grapefruit greatness
If you haven’t offered your customers the sweet Oroblanco or Melogold yet, now is the time as the season is winding down. These golden varieties are actually a grapefruit-pummelo hybrid, offering a sweet, low-acid flavor with hints of grapefruit. They truly taste like juicy white grapefruit sprinkled with sugar.
Small but mighty
Kumquats, Mandarinquats, Key Limes, Limequats… These grape- to golfball-sized citrus appeal to consumers’ curiosity because of their miniature size and vibrant colors. Like grapes, Kumquats and Mandarinquats can be eaten whole, skin and all! Their skin is the sweet part and their flesh is tart. They are excellent for pureeing into sauces and candying for citrus delicacies. And no Mexican beer (Corona, Pacifico, etc.) would be complete without a squeeze of delicious Key Lime on top. Key Limes are the perfect accompaniment to Super Bowl party fare.
Attention-grabbers
You can’t judge a citrus by its cover and the same goes for the Ugli® Fruit, a unique Tangelo from Jamaica. This grapefruit-sized fruit sports an rough, bumpy, greenish-yellow rind, but inside the easy-peel loose skin are huge, seed-free segments of a light, refreshingly sweet citrus like no other. Imagine a giant tangerine with ugly green skin and a light golden-pink flesh, and you’ve got the Ugli® Fruit.
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Inc. celebrates 50 years of innovation in fresh produce. Founded in 1962 by Frieda Caplan, Frieda's was the first wholesale produce company in the U.S. to be founded, owned and operated by a woman, and is still a family- and women-owned business today. With the mission of changing the way America eats fruits and vegetables, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 specialty items to U.S. produce departments, including Kiwifruit, Spaghetti Squash, Habanero Peppers, Black Garlic and many more. Learn more at www.friedas.com
Source: Frieda’s Inc.
