OVIEDO, FL – Duda Farm Fresh Foods announces today that the Florida-based company will now offer Meyer lemons year-round in an effort to meet the growing demand of the popular citrus item amongst consumers.
Since 2008, Meyer lemons have become a widely known and popular ingredient amongst professional chefs and home cooks across America. As a result and in accordance with the company’s efforts to expand its strategic grower partnerships worldwide, Duda Farm Fresh Foods has procured a relationship with growers in New Zealand to supplement the company’s domestic crop in promotable volumes from May to September, just before the company’s California product becomes available from October to March. The highlight of the New Zealand season this year will be slightly larger fruit than in past years.
“When demand is driving consumption of your product, you find a way to get the product when it is out of season,” said Mark Bassetti, Senior Vice President of Duda Farm Fresh Foods. “Consumers are excited about Meyer lemons and seek to find them in stores, even when they are out of season. This presents our company with a great opportunity to deliver and provide our retail partners with a solution from a company that they know and trust. It is truly a win-win-win for everyone involved!”
Originally from China, the Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. The fruit has a thin skin with a bright yellow rind that darkens to orange-yellow as it ripens. Its aromatic juice is much sweeter than a conventional lemon and is a favorite of gourmet cooks and dessert chefs. Foodie influencers as diverse as Bobby Flay and Martha Stewart, sing the praises of Meyer lemons, which have helped fuel consumer demand.
Duda is supporting sales of Meyer lemons with category data and an online sales kit that includes recipes for consumers as well as point-of-sale material. In tandem with this, Duda Farm Fresh Foods reiterates the company’s commitment to providing its customers and consumers with a year-round supply of other citrus products as well.
Duda Farm Fresh Foods is expanding the year-round citrus category by importing Clementines and oranges from Chile and Minneolas from Peru to create a fresh new summer citrus category.
As an additional highlight, the Peruvian Minneolas will have an outstanding eating quality and come packed in special Minneola bags this year.
This summer the Chilean citrus season quality has been very good and is showing high brix with excellent taste for the summer Clementine crop. The slight drought conditions in the growing region have helped with higher sugars in the early fruit.
Also, new and exciting this year is approval for import of citrus from Uruguay. In light of this, Duda Farm Fresh Foods will now provide customers with an even more reliable source for citrus products from March to October including Clementines, Navels, Valencia, Satsuma and other varieties of oranges as well as lemons.
For more information about Duda Farm Fresh Foods and the company’s summer citrus program, inquiries are invited to email dandycitrus@duda.com to request a meeting and learn more.
Duda Farm Fresh Foods will exhibit at booth #137 during the PMA Foodservice Conference & Expo on July 28, 2013.
About Duda Farm Fresh Foods
Founded in 1926, Duda Farm Fresh Foods is one of the world’s largest celery producers and is a full-service grower, packer, shipper, processor, marketer, importer, and exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables. Duda Farm Fresh Foods is in its fifth generation of family ownership and remains committed to its founding vision of providing fresh, flavorful, quality produce at affordable prices. For more information about Duda Farm Fresh Foods, please visit www.dudafresh.com.
Source: Duda Farm Fresh Foods
