CORAL GABLES, FL - July is quite a month for the fresh produce calendar, and what better way to wrap it up than to spotlight our industry with the curve-setting foodservice business? This is what PMA Foodservice allows, and if there is any company that seems to be consistently ahead of the curve it is Del Monte Fresh.

“PMA Foodservice offers Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. the opportunity to interact with key decision makers in foodservice and share how we can support them in meeting evolving consumer needs,” Dionysios Christou, Vice President Marketing, shares with me as we look to the show. “Today’s consumers demand the very best quality produce and the show enables us to not only introduce and showcase new products but also to highlight our national capabilities and extensive reach across North America. Our ability to deliver quality fresh fruits and vegetables just-in-time ensures our foodservice customers can deliver the very best produce to consumers every time.”

This year, Del Monte Fresh’s new CAULILINI® baby cauliflower florets will make their PMA Foodservice debut. CAULILINI® baby cauliflower spears were introduced under the Mann’s brand at last year’s exposition, and florets will now be available in a 3-count 2-pound pack.

"By working closely with foodservice operators, we have found that offering both cuts allows for creative freedom as well as portion and cost control,” Dionysios explains.

In addition to the new product, Del Monte Fresh will also be showing off some of its latest packaging as it continues to keep ahead of what consumers desire.

“We will also be highlighting our new Del Monte® film-sealed fruit cups,” he comments. “Consumers continue to seek out healthy grab-and-go items in both retail and foodservice environments. Del Monte® film-sealed fruit cups offer ready-to-eat fruit in packaging that is designed to improve the consumer experience.”

As we reported previously, the new Del Monte® film-sealed fruit cups were created in an effort to rethink the approach to fresh-cut packaging, offering an array of fruit blends and varieties and Dionysios said the team is excited to debut these new developments. Already, it received the 2019 United Fresh New Product Innovation Award for Best New Packaging, and Del Monte Fresh looks forward to showing more of what it can do.

“Our team will continue to highlight our expansive North American distribution footprint that allows us to service national accounts while providing consistent premium-quality produce from coast to coast. We look forward to welcoming attendees to both our Del Monte Fresh Produce booth to learn more about our new products, technologies and services and our Mann Packing booth, where Tony Baker, a local chef and member of the Mann’s Chef Panel, will prepare sample recipes highlighting CAULILINI® baby cauliflower, as well as Del Monte Gold® Extra Sweet pineapple and Del Monte® avocado,” Dionysios concludes.

If these products sound as necessary to you as they do to me, be sure to swing by Del Monte Fresh at booth #1214 and Mann Packing at booth #909 at this year’s PMA Foodservice, Saturday, July 27.

Del Monte Fresh