Miami, FL – WP Produce—a Miami-based and family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of Desbry® brand tropical fruits and roots—brings colorful, flavorful, and nutritious innovation to school lunch with its Tropical Fruit Pilot Program. Introduced at Fort Wayne Community Schools, one of Indiana’s largest school districts, WP Produce’s first tropical fruit menu items include Desbry® Tropical Avocado Guacamole and Red Dragon Fruit.
Despite the known health benefits of fruit and vegetable intake, a majority of children do not meet the recommendations. A report by the National Farm to School Network emphasizes a dietary approach that includes fresh produce to promote holistic, lifelong positive overall dietary quality which leads to better long-term health. By exploring local and seasonal foods through nutrition education and food service, kids are encouraged to meet the dietary objectives within an accessible, culturally relevant frame.
“At WP Produce, we are committed to improving food and nutrition security,” states Desiree Pardo Morales, VP of WP Produce. “What better place to encourage healthy habits than at schools by offering aromatic and tasty tropical and exotic fruits to round out their options.” Adds Monica Alameda, Marketing Director of WP Produce, “It can be challenging to incorporate fruit and vegetables into children’s meals. Our tropical fruits are exciting with vibrant colors, juicy texture, and fresh tastes.”
Conceptualized by Pardo and Alameda, both moms of young children, WP Produce collaborated with dietitian and school nutrition advocate, Tarrah Westercamp, MS, RD, SNS, to innovate school lunch options with tropical and exotic fruits. “It’s so fulfilling to bring exotic flavors to school meals and expanding students’ palates,” states Westercamp. “Our farm to school approach helps these students enjoy and learn so much about the world around them.”
Since inception nearly 40 years ago, WP Produce is committed to increasing consumer accessibility to tropical and exotic fruits through innovative distribution channels. In addition to consistent retail and foodservice supply, its direct-to-consumer sister company Tropical Fruit Box delivers produce from around the world directly to customers doors in the continental U.S. The Tropical Fruit Pilot Program adds a new layer leveraging WP Produce’s robust farmer network and reliable supply chain.
About WP Produce and Desbry®
WP Produce is a Miami-based, family-owned, and operated grower, packer, and shipper of Desbry® tropical produce for the U.S. grocery retail and foodservice industry nationwide for over 40 years. For more information visit https://wpproduce.com/ and follow on Instagram @desbryproduce. To place an order, call (305) 326-8333.
