FormuL.A. for Success

Like the wholesalers he deals with, the types and quantities of produce can vary by the day. “Last spring, there was a glut of lettuce. The growers weren’t making much money on it and some were sending it directly to foodbanks. We try to help them stay ahead of the market.”

Yepiz says foodbanks are also always looking for stable staples (apples, citrus, potatoes, and onions), items that aren’t as reliant on refrigeration.

Creative Marketing Strategies
Shandler says a new Shapiro-Gilman-Shandler program is trying to provide more organics to customers who may not have ready access or the money to purchase them. “We created ‘Good Reason Organics,’ aimed at independent retailers, to help them sell pre-packaged organics at close to conventional prices.”

The company also has a program for kids to fundraise with produce instead of the requisite candy. “It’s like a weekly food co-op; it’s subscription-based and affordably priced. People can even use food stamps. This provides fresh, good-tasting fruits and vegetables to people who need them at the locations they’re already visiting.”

Coast Produce has been focusing on a line of fresh produce items inspired by popular world cuisines. ‘Coast Authentic’ started as an Asian line and soon expanded into Hispanic items. The line is slated to expand with Middle Eastern, European, and regional American culinary traditional dishes as well. Morimoto cites a new Salsa Verde mix. “This actually came from the home recipe of one of our employees. It’s an overwrap tray of tomatillos, Anaheim and caribe peppers, serrano chiles, and habanero peppers which home cooks can purchase and make into a from-scratch specialty salsa with all the right ingredients.

“Ethnic items aren’t new,” Morimoto continues, “but consumers have become more aware of them by watching cooking channels. They see these interesting recipes and want to replicate them at home, so they go to their usual stores in search of Chinese broccoli, Japanese cucumbers, and bitter melon. The Coast Authentic line features distinctive packaging to help people identify these items in the produce department of the supermarket. It also helps the checkout staff identify the items so sales are recorded accurately.”

The Latest Trends
“The important trends and flavor profiles you see today are a continuation of a global explosion,” Overdorf observes. “It’s no longer merely fusion, but full flavor acceptance of spicy, sour, bitter, and fermented accents that come from all over the world and are now essential parts of our diet and culture.”

The increasing popularity of different chilies new to Americans is right in line with this burst of flavor awareness. Coast’s Morimoto points to shishito peppers, originally from East Asia and now one of the fastest growing menu items in restaurants. “It’s an item that’s become popular in foodservice and now home cooks are seeking out this mildly hot pepper. It’s like the taste for mini sweet peppers we’ve seen recently and Thai dragon chilies, which are between jalapeños and habaneros in heat level.”