Steve Roodzant, General Manager of Beverage for Grimmway Farms, was featured in the latest edition of AndNowUKnow’s print publication, The Snack Magazine. Grimmway Farms has ventured into new juice territory with its release of TRUE Organic Juices, and Steve shared with us this exciting new direction.

Check out The Snack article by clicking here, or read the full article below:

Grimmway Farms: An Organic Move

“We are constantly challenging ourselves to meet the changing environment and reach new markets,” Steve Roodzant, General Manager of Beverage for Grimmway Farms, explains. With the launch of TRUE Grimmway Farms Organic Juices, the family-owned and operated, Bakersfield, California-based company, has created its own niche in the super premium juice category.

But this new venture into organic juice, powered by Grimmway’s Cal-Organic farming operation, isn’t the company’s first appearance in the juice market. While it has always been a top priority for Grimmway to expand its role as a leader in the organic category, the company’s involvement in the juice business has already been established for quite some time. “We have been tangentially involved in juice for over a decade, serving as a supplier for beverage distributors in the industry,” Steve tells me.

With a foundation that has been steadily constructed over time, Grimmway has enhanced its product portfolio by giving consumers a superior juice option in the organic market.

“Due to the rise in organic products over recent years, as well as the market growth of the premium juice category on a national level, we felt now was the optimal time to bring a Grimmway line to market,” Roodzant notes.

For years, Grimmway has been a large-scale organic vegetable supplier.  With Cal-Organic, Grimmway’s organic arm, the company is differentiating its produce offerings through flexibility in its business model. Roodzant notes, “We see this as a way to put a greater share of organic vegetables into the market. The amazing thing about the TRUE line is that every vegetable ingredient comes directly from our own farms. There is a part of Grimmway Farms in every bottle.”

When asked if the expansion into the juice category cuts into Grimmway’s fresh, whole, and value-added produce program, it becomes apparent from Steve’s response that TRUE products align with the company’s strategic growth as well.

“Take kale, for example,” Roodzant says. “As you walk through a field of kale, there are plants that meet certain specifications for retail or foodservice. But there are also plants that may not be shelf ready, but can be used for quality produce consumption. The flavor is not always dependent on what’s pleasing to the eye. In the end, most growth can be optimized in some process. This is where our operation becomes more efficient and allows us to utilize a higher yield.”

Moving into the future, Grimmway will continue to invest in the organic side of the operation through the continued conversion of their conventional farmland to organic. This plan will help to support the referenced organic growth. “It takes three years to convert conventional fields to soil ready for organic plantings,” Steve points out.

Grimmway debuted its TRUE organic juice in March 2014, strategically aligning with retail partners for a soft launch. The unofficial rollout provided the opportunity to gear up the marketing and merchandising process.

“This initial product introduction, through some of our tried-and-true partnerships, provided us a strong presence on the East Coast and in the Midwest. We have since rolled out our TRUE juice brand throughout the U.S. and into Canada,” Steve says.

The “official” launch came in early October 2014, and was showcased at PMA Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California. From retailers to consumers, customers have expressed enthusiasm for all that TRUE has to offer, praising its organic nature, unique flavors, and competitive pricing.

“Grimmway is focused on answering the increasing demand for organic products. TRUE Juice is our next step,” he tells me. “Our strength in balancing an expanding portfolio is that we are a farming company at heart. Though our growth is substantial, at our core we have not strayed far from our roots.”

In addition to organic carrots, Grimmway farms more than 65 different organic commodities year round, from the Coachella, Imperial, and southern San Joaquin Valleys to higher elevations in California’s Cummings Valley. The company grows 100% of the products that it sells.

In case you are wondering, the new TRUE Organic Juice line consists of six vibrant, full-flavored options that include Bunched Greens, Bananaberry Crush, Wild Berry Blend, Tropical Mango, Blended Blue, and Pure Carrot in single-serve 12 oz. and multi-serve 28 oz. bottles.

“Providing a unique organic product to the super premium juice category is where we enter the market,” Steve proudly states.

It’s a high bar to set, but for a company that is constantly assessing and improving its place in the fresh produce industry, we can be assured that TRUE will continue to rise above and beyond.