The Produce Moms Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Produce Moms
The Produce Moms® is a community of passionate fresh produce advocates with a mission to inspire everyone, especially children, to eat more fruits and vegetables. The Produce Moms Podcast is designed to educate consumers about fresh produce, introduce them to produce brands, engage the produce industry with consumers in inspiring conversations, and promotes public policy to protect and increase the availability of fresh produce at American schools. For more info, visit www.theproducemoms.com
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Jess Kramer, Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water, for an insightful conversation about one of agriculture's most essential resources: water.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Brian Baldridge, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, to celebrate Ohio Proud Month and explore the incredible impact of Ohio agriculture on local communities, consumers, and the nation's food supply.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back John Jacobson, second-generation apple grower at Pine Tree Apple Orchard in Minnesota. As part of The Produce Moms' "50 States of Agriculture" series, this conversation celebrates the deep roots of American farming, the cultural significance of apples, and the innovation driving today's apple industry.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Stefanie Pandol, fourth-generation farmer and Marketing & Sustainability Specialist at Pandol Bros., for a meaningful conversation on legacy, leadership, and the evolving future of agriculture.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Eric Patrick, President of Northwest Cherry Growers and the Washington State Fruit Commission, to celebrate the start of the 2026 cherry season. With nearly 30 years of experience in the produce industry, Eric shares his journey back to the cherry category and his passion for representing multi-generational growers across the Pacific Northwest. Lori and Eric discuss what makes Northwest cherries world-renowned, from ideal growing conditions to the care and science behind every harvest.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor speaks with Tracy Duda Chapman, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer at Duda Farm Fresh Foods and a fourth-generation member of the Duda family, to celebrate 100 years of farming excellence and leadership in American agriculture.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back a familiar and beloved voice-Lori Castillo, a respected leader in the fresh produce industry and longtime advocate for healthy food access. Known affectionately as "Lori C" within The Produce Moms community, Lori shares insights from her evolving career journey, including her recent transition into entrepreneurship with the launch of her own consultancy.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor speaks with Justin Pettit, Co-Founder of Santa Carota Beef and a third-generation cattle rancher, to share a powerful story of innovation, resilience, and advocacy in American agriculture.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor is joined by Danyel O'Connor, CEO of Umami, and Meghan Diaz, Senior Director-Produce at Sprouts Farmers Market for a Women's Roundtable discussion focused on the evolving intersection of the attention economy, food innovation, and fresh produce consumption.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor continues the 2026 Women's Roundtable series with guests Jennie Coleman of Equifruit and Erica Manfre of South Mill Champs. The conversation explores the concept of the attention economy and its growing influence on the fresh produce industry.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Dr. Shehbaz Singh, Founder of Fresh Life Extension, for a deep dive into the science and strategy behind extending the "fresh life" of fruits and vegetables.
In this episode, Lori Taylor welcomes David Ortega, a leading food economist and professor at Michigan State University. As the first food economist featured on the podcast, David breaks down the complex forces shaping food prices today from inflation and global conflicts to supply chain disruptions and trade policy.
In this special Mother's Day episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes First Lady Maureen Braun for an inspiring conversation rooted in motherhood, resilience, entrepreneurship, and community. Mrs. Braun shares her journey of raising a family while building a business, the importance of routines and priorities, and how her upbringing shaped her passion for healthy living.
In this special edition of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor is joined by Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, author, and Chief Nutrition Officer for The Produce Moms for a dynamic conversation following their time in Washington, D.C. during National Ag Day. Together, they unpack key takeaways from a high-level USDA roundtable, including the rollout of the updated "Product of the USA" labeling initiative and its broader implications for agriculture and consumer transparency.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Eric Halvorson, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for Kroger's Central Division, for an inspiring conversation on hunger relief, community impact, and the evolving role of grocery retailers.
In this special edition of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Mike McCloud, Founder and CEO of the World Food Championships (WFC), for an inside look at the fast-growing world of "food sport." With Lori recently named a judge for the Final Table event in Bentonville, this episode explores how culinary competition has evolved into a global stage for chefs, home cooks, and food innovators alike.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor continues the celebration of the International Year of the Female Farmer with Ana Carrillo, Business Development Director at UVEX, a multi-generational farming operation based in Sonora, Mexico. Ana shares her unique journey from studying marketing and international business to building a career within her family's farming operation. What began as a path outside of agriculture ultimately transformed into a deep passion for the industry-one rooted in legacy, responsibility, and purpose.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Morgan Bray, Food Is Medicine Program Coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Hospital Association, alongside returning guests Commissioner Jonathan Shell and Dana Feldman from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
Together, they explore how Kentucky is building one of the nation's most comprehensive Food Is Medicine frameworks, connecting agriculture, healthcare systems, and policy to improve health outcomes while strengthening rural prosperity.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Commissioner Jonathan Shell, Heather Becker, and Dana Feldman from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to discuss how the Commonwealth is transforming school nutrition through its Local First School Food initiative.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Alison Hard, MS, RD, Policy Director for the National WIC Association, for an important conversation about the power of the WIC program and the critical role moms play in shaping healthier families across America. Lori and Alison discuss how WIC empowers mothers as leaders in their households and communities, helping drive better nutrition, stronger food systems, and healthier outcomes for the next generation.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Danyel O'Connor, CEO, and Co-Founder of AI-powered product development platform Umami, for a forward-looking conversation on grocery leadership, wellness trends, and the evolving role of fresh produce in 2026.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Julie Krivanek, a seasoned leader in the fresh produce industry. They discuss the importance of mentorship, the impact of the pandemic on business strategies, and the qualities that define effective executive leadership. Julie shares her journey from coal mining to fresh produce, emphasizing the unifying power of food and the personal connections it fosters.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor sits down with Marjory Walker, Vice President of Council Operations at the National Cotton Council of America, to explore the often-overlooked world of fiber agriculture and why what we wear matters.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor and Beth Bechdol discuss the significance of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, highlighting the vital role women play in agriculture globally.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor introduces the Women's Roundtable series, featuring esteemed guests Meghan Diaz, Erica Manfre, and Jennie Coleman. The conversation explores emerging trends in grocery retail, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and transparency in leadership.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor is joined by Jill Overdorf, Founder and CEO of The Produce Ambassadors, and Maeve Webster, President of Menu Matters. They discuss the evolving trends in the food service industry, focusing on the importance of human connection, sustainability, and innovation in produce.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back CarrieAnn Arias, CEO of USA Pears, to discuss the upcoming International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026.
They explore the significance of celebrating women in agriculture, the role of female farmers globally, and the impact of agriculture on women's livelihoods.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Kyle Diamantas, J.D., Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the Food and Drug Administration, for an in-depth conversation on food safety, regulatory leadership, and the future of the U.S. food system.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor discusses grocery retail trends and insights with Brittain Ladd, a recognized expert in the field.
They explore the impact of Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods, the challenges facing Kroger, and the potential political aspirations of Walmart's Doug McMillan.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori welcomes Pamela Riemenschneider to discuss the latest trends in produce for 2026. They explore the importance of saving money, the resurgence of simple meals, and the rise of bowls in meal prep.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor speaks with Dr. Ben Carson, the National Advisor for Nutrition, Health, and Housing at the USDA.
They discuss the importance of nutrition, particularly for children, and the role of programs like SNAP and school meals in promoting healthy eating.
In this heartfelt episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, Angela Hernandez, the 2025 Trailblazer Award recipient, shares her inspiring journey through breast cancer and her impactful work at Trinity Fruit. Angela discusses her personal growth, the importance of authenticity, and her dedication to promoting wellness through fresh produce.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back Ashley Finster, Vice President of Marketing at Naturipe Farms. They discuss the evolution of Naturipe's brand, the "Berries Bring It" campaign, and the company's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and collaboration with growers and retailers.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori welcomes Amy Wood and Cristie Mather from the Mushroom Council to discuss the unique position of mushrooms in the food industry.
They explore the sustainability of mushroom farming, current consumption trends, and the various mushroom varieties available.
In this episode, host Lori Taylor welcomes back Elena Hernandez and Tristan Simpson for a reflective discussion on the viral food trends of 2025.
Welcome back to The Produce Moms Podcast! In this episode, host Lori Taylor engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Richard Kottmeyer at FutureBridge. Together, they challenge common misconceptions about the produce industry, focusing on the myths that often cloud our understanding of food, agriculture, and nutrition.
This episode of The Produce Moms Podcast delves into the critical role of honeybees in agriculture, the challenges faced by beekeepers, and the importance of pollination for food production.
Host Lori Taylor speaks with bee farmers Richard Coy and Charles Linder about their experiences, the economic aspects of beekeeping, and the alarming decline in honeybee populations.
When government funding delays threatened to halt SNAP benefits for millions of families, The Produce Moms Podcast turned its platform into a source of support and awareness. In this heartfelt and timely episode, host Lori Taylor speaks with Jack Griffin, the inspiring founder of Food Finder, about how his organization connects food-insecure Americans to essential resources.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Bradford Warner, the Global Head of Digital and Data at AgroFresh. They discuss the importance of fresh produce in our diets, the role of AgroFresh in the supply chain, and how technology is transforming agriculture.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, Host Lori welcomes Ian LeMay, President and CEO of the California Table Grape Commission. They discuss the significance of table grapes, the unique aspects of California's grape industry, and the importance of sustainability and worker protections.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Dr. Julia Harshman and Nichole Towell from Duda Farm Fresh Foods to discuss the importance of quality in celery production.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back Sarah Evanega, VP of Business Development at Okanagan Specialty Fruits, to discuss the Arctic Apple, a revolutionary non-browning apple developed through biotechnology.
The conversation covers the science behind the Arctic Apple, its journey from concept to market, and the regulatory processes involved.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Alex Canepa, the Policy Director at Fair Food Network.
They discuss the importance of nutrition incentives like Double Up Food Bucks, which help low-income families access fresh fruits and vegetables while supporting local farmers.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor interviews Meghan Rowe, Founder and CEO of White Leaf Provisions.
They discuss the journey of creating a brand focused on biodynamic and regenerative farming practices, the importance of transparency in food production, and the balance between family life and entrepreneurship. Meghan shares insights on the challenges and successes of scaling her brand while maintaining its core values, and her vision for improving school nutrition in the future.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, the hosts celebrate National Fruits and Veggies Month with Registered Dietitian Jackie London.
They discuss the recent Maha Report, its implications for the produce industry, and the importance of increasing public awareness about nutrition.
In this special episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, hosts Lori and Helina celebrate a decade of growth and entrepreneurship. They reflect on the challenges and triumphs of running a podcast, the importance of teamwork, and the lessons learned in leadership.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor, discusses the significance of California apples with guests Jeff Colombini and Rich Sambado. They explore the history of apple farming in California, the evolution of apple varieties, and the challenges faced by the apple industry.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor speaks with Ali Hard, the Director of Public Policy for the National WIC Association. They discuss the importance of the WIC program, its eligibility criteria, and the benefits it provides to mothers and children.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor and John Koufos discuss the critical case of the Henry Farm in New Jersey, which is facing eminent domain for affordable housing development.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Tate Bennett, a key figure in agriculture policy, to discuss the intersection of nutrition, policy, and the importance of fruits and vegetables in American culture.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, Host Lori Taylor welcomes Karen White, Vice President of Marketing for Bolthouse Fresh Foods.
They discuss Bolthouse's recent recognition as one of Fast Company's most innovative companies, exploring the criteria for this accolade and the innovative strategies that led to it.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, the host discusses the importance of sustainable choices in fashion and agriculture with Cate Havstad-Casad, founder of Range Revolution.
They explore the intersection of ethical fashion and farming, the principles of regenerative agriculture, and the significance of supporting first-generation farmers.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor interviews Doyle Karr, a thought leader in the food and agriculture industry, about the issue of heavy metals in food and soil.
They discuss the types of heavy metals, the risks they pose, and the innovations and solutions being developed to mitigate this problem.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back CarrieAnn Arias, Karen Nardozza, and Tristan Simpson to discuss nostalgia marketing and how it relates to food.
The guests share personal stories of nostalgic food experiences and discuss the emotional connections that nostalgia creates.
The conversation focuses on the potential impact of the tomato suspension agreement between the United States and Mexico. The agreement, which has been in place since 1996, has allowed for stability, innovation, and the availability of high-quality tomatoes year-round.
Terminating the agreement could lead to a significant increase in tomato prices, limited availability, and negative economic consequences for both the US and Mexico. Over 450 companies and organizations have signed a letter urging the Department of Commerce to maintain the agreement.
The conversation emphasizes the importance of consumer access to affordable and nutritious produce.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes registered dietitian Jackie London to discuss the powerful health benefits of cherries—especially during peak cherry season.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor welcomes David Istier, Founder of gutzy® Organic, to discuss the innovative organic snack brand that focuses on gut health. David shares his journey from France to the U.S., his passion for food, and how gutzy® Organic was born out of a desire to create convenient, healthy snacks for busy lifestyles.
The conversation covers the unique product offerings, the importance of ingredient integrity, and the upcoming launch of gutzy® products in Walmart stores. David emphasizes the significance of gut health and the need for more people to incorporate organic fruits and vegetables into their diets.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor, Host of the show, and Taylor Sewell, Co-Founder of the Mind Your Melon Foundation, discusses the critical importance of mental health in the agricultural community.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor discusses the importance of inclusion in education with Amanda Mullins, Assistant Director of Career and Leadership Development for Indiana FFA. They explore the role of FFA in youth development, the introduction of a Unified Horticulture Career Development Event (CDE) aimed at including students with special needs, and the collaborative efforts that made this initiative possible.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor discusses the journey of bringing more fruits and vegetables to every table with guest Tristan Simpson. They explore the recent acquisition of Poppy, a brand that has made waves in the beverage industry, and delve into the importance of brand strategy, community engagement, and storytelling in the produce sector.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Dr. Dana Cummings, who shares her innovative approach to agriculture through her work at Sonovus Ranch. The conversation explores the concept of solar grazing, where sheep are used to maintain solar farms, highlighting the benefits of sustainability, animal welfare, and the future of farming.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor hosts a roundtable discussion featuring women leaders in the produce industry sharing their experiences and insights on empowerment, authenticity, and the importance of community.
In this conversation, Lori Taylor speaks with John Johnston from Naturipe Farms about the company's commitment to premium blueberries, specifically their Sweet Selections line.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes Matt Mulica, a Senior Project Director at the Keystone Policy Center, to discuss the critical role of honey bees in agriculture and the alarming decline in bee populations.
In this conversation, Lori Taylor and Janis McIntosh discuss the various aspects of sustainability in agriculture, particularly focusing on Naturipe Farms.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor discusses sustainability in agriculture with Jennifer Schaal, CFO of Dundee Citrus Growers Association.
They explore the challenges faced by Florida citrus growers due to HLB (citrus greening disease) and the innovative CUPS (Citrus Underprotective Screen) technology that offers a workaround to this devastating issue.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor discusses the critical role of water in agriculture, particularly in Idaho, with third-generation farmer Jeff VanOrden. They explore the complexities of water management, the impact of water policy on farming, and the importance of sustainability in potato farming.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor celebrates National Nutrition Month with guests Kait Thornton, a fourth-generation orchardist, and Jackie London, a Registered Dietitian. They discuss the importance of pears, their nutritional benefits, various pear varieties, and the year-round journey of pear growers.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor welcomes Jill Overdorf, a culinary expert and founder of The Produce Ambassador. They discuss the complexities of the food service industry, including its various categories, the impact of sustainability, and the evolving consumer preferences shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jill shares insights on emerging culinary trends, the importance of regional cuisine, and the challenges faced by the industry, particularly regarding labor and cultural appropriateness. In this engaging conversation, Lori Taylor and Jill Overdorf explore the evolving landscape of the food service industry, discussing the impact of automation, innovative dining concepts, labor challenges, sustainability efforts, and emerging trends in flavors and beverages.
They emphasize the importance of supporting local restaurants and the community while highlighting the significance of seasonality and health in food offerings. The discussion culminates in predictions for future food trends and the role of hospitality in enhancing the dining experience.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor hosts Shawn Peery, National Vice President of Produce at Albertsons Companies, and Kevin Stennes, a fourth-generation grower of Sugar Bee(R) Apples.
The conversation explores the connection between grocers and farmers, the importance of seasonal promotions, and the role of flavor in driving consumer engagement.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor welcomes David Istier, Founder of gutzy® Organic, to discuss the innovative organic snack brand that focuses on gut health. David shares his journey from France to the U.S., his passion for food, and how gutzy® Organic was born out of a desire to create convenient, healthy snacks for busy lifestyles.
The conversation covers the unique product offerings, the importance of ingredient integrity, and the upcoming launch of gutzy® products in Walmart stores. David emphasizes the significance of gut health and the need for more people to incorporate organic fruits and vegetables into their diets.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor hosts a roundtable discussion with Suzy Monford, CEO of Heritage Grocers Group, and Julie DeJarnatt, VP of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Chelan Fresh.
They explore the challenges and opportunities in the produce industry, the importance of the produce department in grocery retail, and the need for more women in leadership roles.
In this conversation, Lori Taylor and John Johnston discuss the rising popularity of blackberries, particularly the premium offerings from Naturipe.
They explore the commitment to quality and flavor in berry production, the innovative breeding processes that enhance fruit quality, and the consumer trends driving demand for sweeter, more flavorful berries.
In this episode of the Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor speaks with Monica Moreno Arellano, CMO of Grupo PM, about the importance of promoting fresh produce, particularly USA Pears, in Mexico and Latin America.
They discuss the impact of trade on produce consumption, the cultural significance of fruits and vegetables in Mexican society, and the role of US commodity boards in supporting growers.
In this engaging conversation, Lori Taylor and Jackie London explore the nutritional benefits of grapes, debunk common myths surrounding their sugar content, and highlight their role in promoting heart health, cognitive function, and overall wellness.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor welcomes back Jackie London, a Registered Dietitian and Chief Nutrition Officer, to discuss the latest trends in nutrition and produce.
They explore insights from the New York Produce Show, emphasizing the growing importance of convenience in produce, flavor innovations, and the significance of traceability and transparency in the food industry.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor welcomes Anthony Corsaro, a thought leader in regenerative agriculture. They discuss Anthony's personal journey into the world of regenerative practices, the importance of soil health, and the challenges faced by both emerging and established brands in adopting these practices.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back grocery retail expert Brittain Ladd to discuss significant trends and events shaping the grocery industry in 2025.
They delve into the failed Kroger-Albertsons merger, the competitive landscape of major retailers like Costco, Amazon, Walmart, and Target, and the challenges of attracting and retaining talent in the produce sector.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori welcomes back Pamela Riemann Schneider to discuss the latest trends in the produce industry for the new year. They explore the evolution of food trends, the dominance of protein in consumer behavior, the importance of functional foods, and the cultural influences shaping grocery shopping.
This episode highlights the work done by our Trailblazer award recipient, Mollie Van Lieu.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor reflects on the achievements of the past year and introduces the 2024 Trailblazer Award winner, Molly Van Lieu.
The conversation highlights the importance of the WIC program in providing nutrition to women and children, the successful advocacy efforts to increase funding and benefits, and the future goals for nutrition policy.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, the host discusses the importance of sustainable choices in fashion and agriculture with Cate Havstad-Casad, founder of Range Revolution. They explore the intersection of ethical fashion and farming, the principles of regenerative agriculture, and the significance of supporting first-generation farmers.
In this conversation, Lori Taylor and Steven Ware discuss the launch of the Produce Moms approved seal and the new Berry Buddies product line from Naturipe.
In this episode of the Produce Mom's podcast, Lori Taylor hosts a roundtable discussion with Tristan Simpson and Carrie Ann Arias, focusing on the key wins and flops in the produce industry for 2024.
In this episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back Jenny Maloney from Bayer Vegetable Seeds and introduces Allen Warch, Vice President of Food and Fresh Merchandising at Dollar General. They discuss the significant milestone of Dollar General surpassing 5,000 stores selling fresh produce, the partnership with Bayer to promote fruit and vegetable consumption, and the importance of National School Lunch Week.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor discusses the importance of salt in our diet with Darryl Bosshardt from Redmond. They explore the misconceptions surrounding salt, the story of Redmond Salt, and the various types of salt available in the market.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor interviews Doyle Karr, a thought leader in the food and agriculture industry, about the issue of heavy metals in food and soil. They discuss the types of heavy metals, the risks they pose, and the innovations and solutions being developed to mitigate this problem.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor welcomes Blaine Heilman, the new President of Sales at Sage Fruit Company. They discuss Blaine's journey in the produce industry, the importance of mentorship and career development, and the challenges of building a brand in a commodity market.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor interviews Paul Rice, the Founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA, and Rodolfo Spielmann, the President and CEO of NatureSweet.
They discuss the importance of fair trade and its impact on farmers and workers in the agricultural industry. Fairtrade certification promotes sustainable livelihoods, protects the environment, and builds transparent supply chains.
Marshal Sewell, founder of Mind Your Melon, a nonprofit focused on raising awareness of farm stress and mental health in agriculture, joins Lori Taylor to offer a prayer for the farmers and communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
Katie Eshuys, President of That's it, joins Lori Taylor on the Produce Moms podcast to discuss the brand's mission of getting more fruits and vegetables on every table. That's it is known for its fruit bars, which contain only two ingredients: fruit and fruit.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor interviews Ali Cox, the founder and CEO of Noble West. They discuss the importance of branding and marketing in the produce industry, as well as the challenges faced by growers in promoting their products.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor interviews Chris Kiser, the CEO of Spice World, to celebrate the company's 75th anniversary. They discuss the history of Spice World, from its humble beginnings as a garlic repackaging business to its current portfolio of over 250 SKUs.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back Amit Patel, Marketing Director of Innovation at NatureSweet and Jackie London, Chief Nutrition Officer for The Produce Moms. They discuss the latest innovations and products at NatureSweet, including their to-go line and a new partnership with Paw Patrol.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, three newly named National FFA Teacher Ambassadors discuss the importance of FFA in agriculture education. They highlight the diverse range of students and chapters in FFA, emphasizing that FFA is not just for those interested in farming.
The conversation with Tom Barnes, President and CEO of Category Partners, focuses on data and insights in the perishable industry. They discuss how data-driven decisions can drive business and growth for all stakeholders in the value chain.
They also touch on the importance of understanding consumer demographics and trends, the impact of lifestyle diets on produce consumption, and the role of data in making pricing and assortment decisions.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, the guests discuss the role of holiday marketing and food.
They explore the emotional connections and memories associated with holiday food choices, the influence of nostalgia in holiday food traditions, and the use of multi-sensory marketing to create emotional connections.
In this episode, Lori Taylor interviews Tina Dominguez, a physician assistant specializing in pediatric allergies. They discuss the clinical side of pediatric allergies, including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options.
They also touch on the challenges faced by families with food allergies and the importance of food allergy education and awareness.
Will Kornegay, founder and CEO of Ripe Revival, joins the Produce Moms podcast to discuss the issue of farm excess and how his company is working to bridge the gap between farm excess and food access.
Dr. Dionne Laslo Baker, founder of DeeBee's Organics, joins the Produce Moms podcast to discuss her journey in creating organic freezer pops that are both delicious and nutritious. Dr. Dionne shares her background in medical research and her passion for providing healthy treats for children.
In this episode, Lori Taylor and Jennifer Crumpler discuss the impact of cotton agriculture, the cotton value chain, sustainability practices, and the differences between natural and synthetic fibers.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor and Jackie London discuss the health benefits of cherries.
They highlight the nutritional properties of cherries, including their antioxidant content, anti-inflammatory properties, and ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The conversation with Laura Tennyson explores the significance of Juneteenth and its connection to the history of slavery in America, particularly in New Orleans.
Laura shares insights into the New Orleans Slave Trade Marker and App Project, shedding light on the deep history of slavery and the impact it had on the development of the United States.
The conversation explores the world of fancy fruits and their growing popularity, with a focus on luxurious and rare produce items. Robert Schueller, a PR hero at Melissa's, shares insights on the demand for high-end fruits, their cultural significance, and their availability in the market.
The conversation revolves around the Food as Medicine movement and the role of fresh fruits and vegetables in promoting health and wellness. The guests, Tony Freytag and Steve Brazeel, share insights on the impact of food as medicine, the challenges in the retail and healthcare sectors, and the need for collaboration between the produce industry and healthcare organizations.
Honoring and remembering our fallen heroes on Memorial Day. Learn more about The Folds of Honor Foundation and the food brands that carry the Folds of Honor logo and emblem on their packaging.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor welcomes back CarrieAnn Arias, Karen Nardozza, and Tristan Simpson to discuss nostalgia marketing and how it relates to food.
The guests share personal stories of nostalgic food experiences and discuss the emotional connections that nostalgia creates.
In this conversation, Lori Taylor and Jackie London discuss the importance of potatoes as a vegetable and nutrient-dense food. They highlight the versatility and nutritional benefits of potatoes, including their potassium content.
The conversation then shifts to Alcohol Awareness Month and the growing sober lifestyle movement. Jackie raises concerns about the marketing of sugary beverages in the sober lifestyle market.
In this conversation, Jackie and Lori discuss various topics related to health, wellness, and pets. They explore the sober curious movement and the issue of added sugar in beverages marketed as alcohol alternatives.
They also discuss the financial aspects of pet ownership and the growing trend of creating DIY pet food. Additionally, they highlight the health benefits of having pets and the nutritional benefits of pecans.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, host Lori Taylor celebrates the new leadership at Sage Fruit and discusses the importance of brand partnerships and audience engagement.
She introduces Kevin Steiner, President of Business Development and Marketing, and Nicole Gordy, the new CEO.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor interviews Chef Daniel Patino, the Executive Chef at Salad and Go. They discuss the mission of Salad and Go to bring healthy, affordable, and delicious food to everyone.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor interviews Raina Nelson, the President and CEO of WestFalia Fruit USA, about avocado oil.
They discuss the rise of avocado oil as a popular seed oil alternative, the growth of the avocado oil market, and the unique qualities of Westfalia's avocado oil.
This week represents one decade since the seven Stanley brothers helped launch the CBD industry from Colorado. Per proclamation by Governor Jared Polisin 2020, following the unfortunate passing of Charlotte Figi, April 7th is officially 'Charlotte Figi Day' in Colorado.
.Charlotte's Web Inc., the market leader in CBD products, today unveils its "Charlotte Figi Family Grant Program" as an annual initiative to honor the historic legacy of Charlotte, the little girl who suffered from seizures due to Dravet Syndrome, and her story that helped to change CBD access for millions around the world.
Lori speaks with Charlotte's mother, Paige Figi, about her extaordinary journey.
In this episode, Lori Taylor discusses the collaboration between growers and retailers with Meghan Diaz, Senior Director of Local and Regional Produce at Sprouts Farmers Market, and Brian Klumpp, Director of Sales and Marketing at North Bay Produce.
They focus on the seasonal promotion of Florida blueberries at Sprouts and the importance of connecting shoppers with the farm-to-table concept.
In 2014, Burnell Cotlon spent his life savings to open the only fresh grocery store in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. When the pandemic put many in his community out of work, he began allowing customers to take groceries on credit. Within a month, he’d opened tabs for more than 60 customers who could no longer afford to buy food.
Cotlon, an Army veteran who lived in a FEMA trailer for three years after Hurricane Katrina, missed mortgage payments on his own house as his store quickly lost revenue, but he continued to offer lines of credit and even gave away food to customers.
Find out more about his inspiring story and how he is an inspiration to so many.
Join us for a special celebration as we mark the incredible milestone of our 300th episode!
In this episode, we reflect on the journey so far, sharing memorable moments, impactful discussions, and the invaluable insights gained along the way.
In this episode, Lori Taylor and Jackie London discuss various topics related to nutrition and wellness. They start by introducing Jackie and talking about their friendship.
They then dive into National Nutrition Month and the theme of 'Beyond the Table,' which focuses on health-promoting habits that go beyond just the food we eat.
In this episode, Lori Taylor interviews Amy Duda Kinder, the Vice President of Food Safety, Worker Safety, and Sustainability at A Duda and Sons.
They discuss the importance of sustainability in farming, Amy's family farming story, the challenges faced in farming, innovation in celery, product development, and female empowerment in the industry.
In this episode of the Produce Moms podcast, Lori Taylor interviews Mack Anderson, the co-founder and chief commercial officer of Cleveland Kitchen. In this conversation, Mac Anderson also shares the story behind the brand and their journey in the food industry. They discuss the challenges they faced, the growth of the company, and the importance of building a strong brand. The conversation highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and the passion for creating high-quality fermented foods.
The episode discusses the importance of expanding funding for the WIC program and protecting the fruit and vegetable benefit within it. The WIC program provides nutrition support to low-income pregnant and postpartum women, as well as their children.
Lori Taylor reflects on the first episodes of 2024 and shares more about the upcoming 300th episode celebration.
In this episode, Lori Taylor and Jackie London discuss the importance of heart health and the role that nutrition, specifically fruits and vegetables, plays in maintaining a healthy heart.
The episode concludes with a discussion on natural fruit and veggie aphrodisiacs.
In this episode, Lori Taylor and Britton Ladd discuss various topics related to the grocery retail industry. They cover the importance of fresh produce in grocery retail, the potential Kroger-Albertsons merger, the impact of mergers and acquisitions on fruit and vegetable suppliers, the growing retail media industry, the decline in produce consumption, the power of storytelling in food and grocery retail, the food waste message, and the role of AI in grocery retail.
In this episode, Lori Taylor hosts a roundtable discussion with Karen Nardozza, CarrieAnn Arias, and Tristan Simpson, who are thought leaders in the produce industry.
They explore various trends in the industry, including plant-based foods, functional foods, flavor and culinary innovations, and convenience.
In this episode, Lori Taylor and Jackie London discuss their collaboration and the upcoming monthly podcast. They also reflect on the highs and lows of the food and beverage industry in 2023 and discuss the emerging trends for 2024.
The main themes include food as culture, the importance of convenience in consuming fruits and vegetables, and the impact of GLP-1s on food sales.
In this episode, Lori Taylor interviews Amit Patel, the Director of Innovation for NatureSweet, about the importance of innovation in the fresh produce industry.
In this episode, Lori Taylor and Pamela Riemenschneider discuss the latest trends in the produce industry.
They cover topics such as flash-in-the-pan trends vs. long-lasting mega trends, the rise of direct-to-consumer shopping on TikTok, the demand for convenient cooking at home, and the popularity of functional foods.
The conversation focuses on the potential impact of the tomato suspension agreement between the United States and Mexico. The agreement, which has been in place since 1996, has allowed for stability, innovation, and the availability of high-quality tomatoes year-round.
Terminating the agreement could lead to a significant increase in tomato prices, limited availability, and negative economic consequences for both the US and Mexico. Over 450 companies and organizations have signed a letter urging the Department of Commerce to maintain the agreement.
The conversation emphasizes the importance of consumer access to affordable and nutritious produce.
For too long, the mental health of those working in agriculture has been a silent struggle. The relentless demands of the profession, coupled with factors like unpredictable weather, market fluctuations, and financial uncertainties, have created an environment ripe for stress and anxiety. Farmers often find themselves isolated, navigating these challenges alone without the necessary support systems. In this episode, Lori Taylor celebrates Marshall Sewell as the winner of the 2023 Trailblazer Award for his work in0They discuss the importance of destigmatizing mental health in the farming community and the challenges farmers face in seeking help. Marshall shares his personal journey and the impact of farm stress on mental health. They also highlight the need for more conversations and resources in the industry and express optimism for the future.
Lori Taylor announces Marshal Sewell as the 2023 Trailblazer Award recipient for his work to raise awareness of mental health in the agriculture industry. Marshal is the founder of Mind Your Melon, and his personal story originally aired as episode 217 on The Produce Moms Podcast. Part 1 of 2 in our Trailblazer Award celebration.
In this episode, Lori Taylor interviews Jennifer Sanchez, the Vice President of Marketing at Sun World.
They discuss the global launch of Sun World's AUTUMNCRISP® grape variety. They also delve into the technology and genetics behind farming, the characteristics that consumers look for in table grapes, and the importance of meeting the needs of growers.
The episode concludes with a description of AUTUMNCRISP® grapes and information on where to learn more about them.
In the heart of modern agriculture, a growing movement is taking root – regenerative farming. This transformative approach not only seeks to sustainably feed a growing global population but also aims to restore and enhance the health of our planet.
In this episode, we delve into the world of regenerative farming, exploring its principles, emphasizing the importance of soil health, and shedding light on the challenges faced by farmers in adopting this revolutionary practice.
In a world where culinary trends shift as swiftly as customer preferences; the food service industry finds itself in a perpetual state of adaptation.
To gain insights into the current landscape and future prospects, Lori Taylor chats with Maeve Webster, President of Menu Matters, a leading consultancy firm specializing in food industry trends and consumer behavior.
Potatoes have become a culinary cornerstone in the American diet, gracing our tables in various forms, from crispy fries to creamy mashed goodness. However, the journey from field to fork involves a complex network of farmers, policymakers, and industry leaders working together to ensure a thriving potato industry.
We had the privilege of sitting down with Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council (NPC) to shed light on the efforts and initiatives aimed at advancing potatoes in the United States.
School cafeteria dining has long been associated with bland, institutional food and a lackluster atmosphere. However, there’s a growing movement to redefine this experience, offering students not just nourishment but an engaging, diverse, and healthy dining environment.
To delve deeper into this transformative approach, I had the pleasure of speaking with Diane Grodek, a visionary in the field of school nutrition and an advocate for redefining the school cafeteria experience.
In a world where fast food has long been synonymous with unhealthy indulgences, a surprising shift is taking place, led by an unexpected pioneer - Little Caesars. The popular pizza chain is breaking new ground by championing healthy changes in the way America eats, proving that convenient and delicious food doesn't have to compromise on health.
Little Caesars' commitment to change how America eats is sending ripples across the fast-food industry. By embracing healthier ingredients, providing transparency in nutrition information, offering portion control options, and encouraging healthier choices, they are setting an example that other chains are starting to follow. On today’s episode with will speak with Jessica Foust, RDN Director, Global Product Development & Menu Management for Little Caesars and Jill Overdorf, a Culinary & Foodservice Expert and founder of The Produce Ambassador.
In the bustling world of school food services, there are unsung heroes who tirelessly work to ensure students receive not only nutritious meals but also a holistic education about the food they consume.
Jessica Shelly, the Director for Student Dining Services at Cincinnati Public Schools, stands out as one such remarkable figure who is leading the charge for healthier eating habits and the importance of selecting fruits and vegetables in school cafeterias.
In today's rapidly evolving food landscape, consumers are increasingly interested in the provenance of their meals. They want to know where their food comes from and the story behind it. In response to this demand, there's been a heartening trend of farmers and restaurants collaborating to promote sustainable, locally sourced cuisines and beverages.
This unique partnership goes beyond just business transactions; it's about cultivating connections that benefit both the food industry and the community as a whole.
In this episode we will speak with Hilary Long and Clare Wilson and discuss how Sarah’s Homegrown Agua Frescas came to shelf at Jason’s Deli.
In the realm of education, the significance of nutrition in the lives of students cannot be overstated. Proper nutrition plays a pivotal role in their growth, development, and overall well-being. To delve deeper into this topic, we had the privilege of hosting Christine Clarahan, a renowned expert in school nutrition, on our podcast.
On the Produce Moms Podcast we are going to be diving into a new series focused on school foodservice. In these upcoming episodes, we're going to have some thought-provoking discussions as we tackle important topics like childhood nutrition, food sustainability, budget constraints, and the ever-evolving world of dietary preferences. Stay tuned!
In a world that often prioritizes profit over purpose, it's heartening to see businesses that put social and environmental responsibility at the forefront of their mission. B-Corp, or Benefit Corporation, is a certification that recognizes companies committed to balancing profit with a positive impact on society and the environment. One such shining example is NatureSweet®, a company known for its delicious tomatoes and dedication to sustainability. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Skip Hulett, Vice President, and General Counsel for NatureSweet®, to discuss their journey as a B-Corp and the values that drive their success.
“When I started 25 years ago doing this, there was a huge disparity between leadership roles of Latinos in kitchens.”
Chef Aarón Sánchez
Because restaurants are so prolific across the United States, there are many, many jobs in kitchen service, but historically an under-representation of Latinos in chef and managerial positions. Out of the almost 150,000 chefs currently employed in the United States, 60% are white, followed by Latino chefs at 17%.
Chef Aarón Sánchez– who you may recognize as the award-winning chef/owner of Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans, or from culinary TV shows such as FOX’s MasterChef, Food Network’s Chopped, and Cooking Channel’s Taco Trip– knows this from personal experience.
When Chef Aarón started in the restaurant industry 25 years ago, he saw the huge disparity between leadership roles of Latinos in kitchens and thought through what needed to change in order to remove barriers and excuses. In 2016, he founded the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund to begin closing that diversity gap, offering impactful opportunities that allow Latino youth to move up and be taken seriously.
The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund began with Chef Aarón and his friends hosting dinners and parties to raise money to fund scholarships for culinary education. The program grew and became more formalized, and in 2022 the Fund formed a partnership with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, a nationwide program focused on developing and supporting youth; Jennifer Killian was brought on board as Director.
As of 2023, the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund has awarded almost $1 million in scholarships to 14 individuals. Its stated mission is to uplift the lives of Latino youth across America through food, doing so through three pillars: Culinary Arts Education, Mentorship, and Human Services.
“His goal is to help uplift these young Latinos who have the vision to chase a culinary dream, because the kitchen leadership is not as diversified as it should be at this day and age.”
First, the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund provides scholarships to send young Latinos to award-winning culinary arts education programs in New York City. After they've learned foundational skills and mastered the administrative portions of their curriculum, students spend time with food leaders within different sectors to better define what arena of the food service industry they want to go into, and internships are tailored to their strengths and interests.
Chef Aarón is the primary mentor, but students are encouraged to make a list of people that they admire and would like to learn from. Chef Aarón and Jennifer then work to facilitate those mentoring relationships.
Human services work is the newest arm of the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund, giving money through grant programs that improve food access, nutrition education, and crisis feeding initiatives. The first human services grant, in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, supported a California school system with a large number of parents working in agriculture. They had been awarded a commercial refrigeration unit through a grant to help provide produce, dairy and meats to students, but lacked the funding to have it professionally installed. The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund granted gap funding for the installation, helping to triple the amount of produce that these children will be able to access.
“This is the type of work that we would like to do more of as we continue to grow. And of course, that's all based on fundraising. The more we can bring in, the more we can give and the more lives we can change.” Jennifer Killian (22:03-22:14)
The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund welcomes all donations to help support its mission, as well as opportunities to spread its message. No donation is without impact!
You can find out more about the fund at aaronsanchezimpactfund.com, and learn more about Chef Aarón (including the podcast he hosts with his mother, Cooking In Mexican From A to Z) at chefaaronsanchez.com.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
On today’s episode, we talk to Jill Castle whose career spans over two decades, during which she has dedicated herself to the mission of helping parents and caregivers lay the foundation for lifelong healthy eating habits in their children.
Her expertise extends beyond just nutritional knowledge; it encompasses a deep understanding of child development, psychology, and practical strategies for success.
Agriculture lies at the heart of our nation's prosperity, and the Farm Bill plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of this essential industry. As we approach the reauthorization of the Farm Bill in 2023, the International Farm Policy Association (IFPA) has been working diligently to ensure that the legislation addresses the ever-evolving needs of farmers, rural communities, and the environment.
On today's episode, we'll have guests, Mollie Van Lieu, Vice President of Nutrition and Health at IFPA, and Rebeckah Adcock, Vice President of US Government Relations, discussing IFPA's vital role in the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization and highlight some key areas they are focusing on.
Rebecca Margetts is the General Manager at Taylor Pass Honey Company, a leading honey producer in New Zealand that crafts award-winning Manuka honey.
Manuka honey is known to have significant antibacterial properties. Genuine Manuka Honey is only produced in New Zealand and is given a score called a Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) that indicates its antibacterial potency.
Today’s show is all about one of my favorite Superfoods: Taylor Pass Manuka Honey
Unlocking the Power of Aronia Berries with Blake Johnson, CEO of American Aronia Accelerator.
In the world of superfoods, one name stands out as a pioneer in harnessing the potential of aronia berries: Blake Johnson, the visionary force behind the American Aronia Accelerator. Through his dedication and unwavering commitment to health and wellness, Johnson has propelled aronia berries into the spotlight, shining a light on their exceptional health benefits and culinary versatility.
On today’s episode of the podcast, we will hear about how his determination led him to establish the American Aronia Accelerator, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at unlocking the berry's nutritional prowess.
In a world where health-conscious choices are becoming more prevalent, the demand for nutrient-dense foods has skyrocketed. Enter WP Produce, a company dedicated to delivering the finest tropical fruits that not only satisfy your taste buds but also provide a plethora of health benefits.
Join us as we dive into the world of superfoods packed into the Tropical Fruit Box and get to know the minds behind this nutritious endeavor, Desiree Morales and Chris Gonzalez.
In our quest for optimal health and well-being, the term “superfoods” has gained immense popularity. These nutrient-packed foods are believed to offer extraordinary health benefits, making them an integral part of many wellness routines.
But what exactly are superfoods, and how can they enhance our overall health? Join us as we embark on a journey to explore the world of superfoods with the expert guidance of renowned registered dietitian Jaclyn London.
On today's episode of the podcast, we continue our Superfoods series with a remarkable story that revolves around Joan Smith, a visionary entrepreneur who not only founded Rancho Meladuco but also revolutionized the world of superfood dates.
Her inspiring journey of perseverance, dedication, and innovation led to a groundbreaking product launch with retail giant Walmart.
We will hear about the unique entrepreneurial tale of Joan Smith and the delectable world of superfood dates.
On today's episode, we continue our discussion on Superfoods with our guest, Sarah Evanega. Sarah is a plant scientist working at the intersection of science communication and science policy, globally. Sarah’s background includes studies at Reed College and Cornell University, as well as Research, Professor, and Director roles at Cornell University and Boyce Thompson Institute. Today she is leading Stakeholder Communications at Pairwise, a company committed to building a healthier world through better fruits & vegetables. Tune in to this episode as we learn about the brand Conscious Foods and the groundbreaking use of CRISPR gene editing to enhance superfoods.
In today's episode, we have a special guest with us, Jeff Tezak, the founder of Tiiga, a popular drink that incorporates the superfood Baobab. Jeff is here to introduce us to this exciting new beverage and share his insights on the health benefits it offers.
Baobab, known as the "tree of life," is a fruit native to Africa and has been revered for centuries due to its incredible nutritional properties. It is rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, making it a true superfood. Jeff Tezak recognized the potential of Baobab and decided to create a unique beverage that harnesses its power.
Tiiga is Jeff's brainchild, a delicious drink that combines the goodness of Baobab with other natural ingredients. It is carefully crafted to provide a refreshing and nourishing experience, all while supporting your overall well-being. The combination of Baobab and other ingredients in Tiiga offers a wide range of benefits, including improved digestion, enhanced immune function, and increased energy levels.
During our conversation with Jeff, we will dive deeper into the origins of Tiiga and the inspiration behind this innovative beverage. We'll explore the science behind Baobab and its impact on our health. Jeff will share his personal journey of discovering Baobab and his mission to bring its benefits to a wider audience through Tiiga.
In a world where healthcare costs continue to rise and chronic diseases are on the rise, there's a growing realization that what we eat plays a significant role in our overall health. Recognizing this fact, Kroger, one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States, has taken a bold step towards transforming the way we think about food and its impact on our well-being. With Taylor Newman, Director of Nutrition, leading the charge, Kroger is spearheading a movement to promote "Food as Medicine" and empower individuals to make healthier choices for a better quality of life. In this episode with Taylor, we will discuss her role in the Food as Medicine movement at Kroger, Kroger’s complimentary efforts and role in the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and more!
In the realm of modern culinary arts, Chef Robert Graham stands out as a true trailblazer. With a passion for combining the healing power of food with the artistry of cooking, he has revolutionized the way we perceive and approach nourishment.
Through his groundbreaking work in the field of fresh medicine and food as medicine, Chef Graham has become a respected figure in the realm of culinary wellness. Tune in as we share the story of this remarkable chef and explore the transformative impact he has made in the world of Food as Medicine.
Access to nutritious food is a fundamental aspect of public health, yet millions of people around the world struggle with food insecurity and its detrimental consequences on their well-being. Milken Institute has been working to address this challenge. On today’s episode, we will speak with Holly Freishtat, Senior Director of Feeding Change at Milken Institute about their efforts and the market solutions they employ to scale up the implementation of Food is Medicine prescriptions, bridging the gap between health and nutrition.
For more information visit: Financial Innovations Lab: Market Solutions for Scaling Food Is Medicine Prescriptions (milkeninstitute.org)
Hello everyone and welcome back! We are excited to kick off our Food as Medicine mini series with our Co-Host, Tony Freytag, Executive Vice President of Crunch Pak. Crunch Pak understands the importance of food as medicine and strives to make healthy choices more accessible to everyone. As a leading producer of pre-packaged fresh fruits and vegetables, they offer a wide range of products that cater to diverse dietary preferences and lifestyles. We are honored to have them as a sponsor of this series.
In this series we will delve into the Food as Medicine movement, exploring its benefits and practical ways to incorporate this approach into our daily lives.
The finale of our Vol 1 Greatest Hits is here and today we are rewinding for a replay of Episode 106, which originally aired in July 2020.
When I interviewed Robyn O’Brien, co-founder of rePlant Capital and author of The Unhealthy Truth - I instantly became passionate about 2 fundamental issues of our time:
1 - Transparency in the Food Industry
2 - Food Security is National Security
Robyn’s journey of pushing on the food industry for heightened transparency on topics such as farming or sourcing practices, genetically engineered foods, began with her personal life as a mom, when her youngest child had an allergic reaction to a food.
Robyn instantly became one of the nation's leading activists and voices of authority for Transparency in food labeling - her TedX talk went viral online, earning her the nickname of “Food’s Erin Brockovich.” She is a best-selling author, an adjunct professor at Rice University, and the co-founder of rePlant Capital, a financial services firm scaling climate solutions on farms and advancing regenerative agriculture practices.
She is amazing, and without doubt: one of the most inspiring interviews I’ve ever done.
Enjoy this Greatest Hit, Episode 106 with Robyn O’Brien.
On February 23, 2022 I interviewed Heather Terry, co-founder and CEO Of Good Sam Foods. This interview originally aired as Episode 202.
This interview changed my shopper behavior and attitude towards one of my favorite indulgent foods: Chocolate.
Cacao farming in East Africa and other areas of the world has a history of using child slave labor. Despite 2 decades of working in the agriculture industry and over 40 years of eating chocolate, I did not know this.
Good Sam Foods was founded with direct & fair trade labor practices at its core. Good Sam Foods produces chocolate that is good for you, farmers, and the planet.
You’re going to love this episode. And here’s a insider fun fact: This episode came across the desk of The Drew Barrymore Show and they booked Heather as a guest to come tell this story on their show!
Enjoy this Greatest Hit: Heather Terry from Good Sam Foods discussing Cacao farming, and fair and direct trade as a means to eliminate child labor in the chocolate industry.
Welcome back to our Vol 1 Greatest Hits! Today we are sharing an episode that originally aired in May of 2019.
With our brand name being The Produce Moms and our B Corp values for inclusivity, it’s important for us to pause and recognize the fact that motherhood and parenthood can be a difficult topic for many. There’s a lot of reasons this is a difficult topic, but a leading reason is infertility.
My husband and I had 4 miscarriages between our two sons, and I vividly remember all the polarizing emotions associated with trying to get pregnant, trying to stay pregnant, and more. Members of our team struggled with infertility for years, other members of our team have estranged relationships with their mothers or parents due to neglect, abuse, personality conflicts, and more.
Motherhood is something we celebrate here at The Produce Moms - each and every day. BUT, it’s important that we also use this platform to honor people who are struggling with parenthood - for whatever reason.
Today’s greatest hit welcomes Elizabeth Shaw, registered dietitian and a 2x Amazon bestselling author of “Fertility Foods: 100+ Recipes to Nourish Your Body While Trying to Conceive.” And “The Stress-Free IVF Nutrition Guide.”
Enjoy this Greatest Hit: The Link Between Nutrition & Fertility with Elizabeth Shaw.
Welcome to our 2nd episode of the Volume 1 Greatest Hits here on The Produce Moms Podcast!
Today we are playing back episode 149, The Secret to Taking Control Over Your Mental Health With Dr. Drew Ramsey
This originally aired in April of 2021 - the world was a year into the Covid-19 pandemic and still navigating quite a bit of mental health pressures.
My team & I feel strongly that mental health awareness is always a worthy theme. So many of us are facing challenges, stress, and mental anguish that can feel unbearable.
Dr. Drew Ramsey is a medical doctor, psychiatrist, farmer, teacher, 4x author, and TEDx speaker.
When this show first aired, we were celebrating the launch of his book “Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety.” This groundbreaking book helps us all forge a path toward greater mental health through food.
A powerful line of this episode is “The most important message for people to take away is that you have an incredible amount of control over your mental health and your brain health.”
Enjoy this Greatest Hit: Dr. Drew Ramsey “Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety”
Throwing it back to January 2022 with a special episode that originally aired as EP197. This show stars my friend Brian Antle as he tells the story of his family’s farming legacy. Tanimura & Antle is famous for their premium quality produce: fresh lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and more.
lt was the first farm I ever visited in Salinas Valley - Brian and members of the Tanimura family personally toured me through their operation and to date, it’s one of the most memorable experiences of my entire life. I’ve also visited their farms in Yuma, Arizona and we work with this company as a brand partner of The Produce Moms.
I honestly thought I knew most of the incredible brand’s family farming story and legacy.
When I was interviewing Brian for this episode, I learned about the way these families came together in WWII - the Antle Family watched over the Tanimura Family’s land when members of the Tanimura family were placed in Japanese internment camps, and two of the brothers fought in the war.
What started as a relationship between two families with a love for produce and farming has grown into a global company with 30,000 acres of farmland on the west coast and 7,000 annual employees.
When I think about what separates The Produce Moms from all the other resources and creators out there - it’s our connection to the farms.
Enjoy this Greatest Hit: Brian Antle and the American Family Farming story of Tanimura & Antle.
TPM is celebrating Earth Week! Did you know, the official theme for 2023 is, "Invest In Our Planet?" That's why we're bringing the minds of Walmart and Naturipe together, so we can see how they are doing, just that!
In this episode we'll talk about Walmart's current sustainability initiatives, such as its commitment to reducing food waste, nature-based solutions such as protecting pollinator health, efforts to promote the well-being of people working on consumer product supply chains and how vendors like Naturipe are a critical part of these sustainability efforts.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Food Sport International is passionate about wellness and has successfully launched programs at leading retailers that engage customers around food and fitness. Their innovative Fit Market in-store program successfully educated consumers through a variety of programs focused on healthy choices. From community health fairs and screenings to digital incentive technologies that drive consumer behavior, Food Sport has the experience, resources and drive necessary to help focus consumer engagement around heath and fitness. They are a full service creative agency.
Suzy Monford rejoined Food Sport International, the firm she founded, after leadership positions including: CEO of Andronico's Community Markets, CEO of Quality Food Center (QFC) and Group Vice President of Kroger's eCommerce and New Markets team.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
This week represents one decade since the seven Stanley brothers helped launch the CBD industry from Colorado. Per proclamation by Governor Jared Polis in 2020, following the unfortunate passing of Charlotte Figi, April 7th is officially 'Charlotte Figi Day' in Colorado. Charlotte's Web Inc., the market leader in CBD products, today unveils its "Charlotte Figi Family Grant Program" as an annual initiative to honor the historic legacy of Charlotte, the little girl who suffered from seizures due to Dravet Syndrome, and her story that helped to change CBD access for millions around the world. Lori speaks with Charlotte's mother, Paige Figi, about her extaordinary journey.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Ever since paying off over $460,000 in debt with her husband, Sam, she's been coaching others on how to pay off their own debt by shifting their mindset, beliefs and actions around money. Today, Jade Warshaw is in her dream job at Ramsey Solutions as a Master Financial Coach, Debt Elimination Expert and Debt-Free Entrepreneur.
Durring these difficult times, Jade was determined that they weren’t going to sacrifice when it came to food. See, when she was a kid, no matter what hard times she faced, her mom always cooked an amazing meal. She almost always ate together as a family, and for her, that was peace. She remembered what that meant to her and decided she could do the same, so she started couponing and ad matching and buying whatever was on sale to make the most delicious meals she could. That was our reward for a day well done. This eventually led Jade to share her recipes online and start building a community with other people who were also trying to live the debt-free lifestyle.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
The official name of the organization is the National FFA Organization. The letters “FFA” stand for Future Farmers of America. These letters are a part of the history and heritage that will never change, which Lori explores in this latest episode with three unique members of the organization.
FFA is a dynamic youth organization that changes lives and prepares members for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
FFA develops members’ potential and helps them discover their talent through hands-on experiences, which give members the tools to achieve real-world success.
Members are future chemists, veterinarians, government officials, entrepreneurs, bankers, international business leaders, teachers and premier professionals in many career fields.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
As President and CEO of Edlong, a globally recognized food flavors company, Laurette Rondenet is redefining what it means to be a beacon in the food industry, and kicking doors open to a new era of possibilities and potential through authentic connection.
Since acquiring the company from her family, she's grown Edlong’s business by 80 percent, scaled and united the team, and she's defined what she like's to call her “Untamed Leadership.” And, while her dream of taking over the family business came true, it has since evolved to be less about my own leadership and more about enriching the lives of others.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
International Women's Day is powered by the collective efforts of all. Collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity is what makes International Women's Day impactful and today, TPM is talking with two sourcing managers from Walmart who have wonderful stories to share; making International Women's Day a day that will make a positive difference for men and women tuning in to the pod.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Jeff Tripician, Matt Byrne and Ashley Finster of SunFed Ranch belive in delivering locally produced, consistently delicious grass-fed beef that's better for our environment and better for your health.
They have their hands and hearts in every stage of raising our beef. From the first blade of grass to your dinner plate, you can feel good about the origin and quality of what we’re serving up. Their cattle are 100% grass fed and 100% grass finished, always treated with the highest level of care and dignity. Some say they like to spoil thier cattle with all the sunshine and grazing they crave…and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Their cattle are born and raised exclusively on American Family Ranches, creating jobs and opportunities in local communities. And because they utilize progressive rotational grazing and regenerative agriculture, SunFed Ranch is beef that you — and the planet — can feel good about.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
NatureSweet, the number one selling brand in snacking tomatoes is doubling down on the company’s commitment to transform the agricultural industry by partnering with more retailers and selling high-quality produce beyond snacking tomatoes. The company’s portfolio includes nationwide distribution of bulk and packaged tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. NatureSweet’s proven success in this expanded category over the last four years has perfectly positioned the company to achieve greatness in the greenhouse-grown vegetable market. Lori talks with Jennifer Halpin, External Communication, to learn more about all that's happening at NatureSweet.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
In this pre-recorded episode, Lori speaks with lead dietician for the Super Bowl bound Kansas City Chiefs, Leslie Bonci, who's also the owner of Active Eating Advice- Be fit, fed and Fearless? – A nutrition consulting company.
Find out how fruits and vegetables play an important role in the sucess of these prominant athletes and how thier diet is key to staying in peak performance shape.
Leslie's clients include: The National Dairy Council, California Dried Plum Board, The National Peanut Board, Potatoes, USA, Gatorade, Ready Nutrition, General Mills and Douglas Labs. She was also the sports dietitian for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Blue Jays, the Washington Nationals and the WNBA.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Identifying food trends is one of Pamela Riemenschneider's favorite guessing games of the year, and TPM is excited to hear what the buzz is for 2023.
Pamela talks about how we’ve navigated abrupt shifts in food at home vs. food away from home, food costs and inflation, the back and forth balance of work from home versus work in-office, and, of course, the juggernaut that is TikTok influencing not only users but every other social media platform out there, a few trends are bold standouts for Pamela and she's here to share her latest predictions based off of Jennifer Zegler, Mintel’s director of food and drink, who identified food trends based on these criteria: simplicity, versatility, escapism, and resourcefulness.
We all want something that’s not too difficult, not too specialized, not too ordinary, and that we can handle ourselves.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Rachel Cruze is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, financial expert and host of The Rachel Cruze Show. Growing up as Dave Ramsey's daughter, Rachel hated budgeting for years until she experienced the freedom of budgeting for herself. Find out some tips and tricks to healthy grocery shopping amongst these inflation driven times to food and produce.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
In our latest TPM episode, Aarón Sánchez joins us, who's an award-winning chef, TV personality, author, and philanthropist who founded the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund as a means to support Latino youth across the United States. Jennifer Killian also joins the pod, who is responsible for identifying critical funding that supports Chef Aarón Sánchez's philanthropic initiatives, as well as managing his impact programs for Latino youth. Also learn how, The Emeril Lagasse Foundation joined forces with renowned Chef Aarón Sánchez to help create the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund and more!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Solely was founded as a way to help kids in the community gain easy access to fresh fruit. CEO, Simon Sacal noticed that for many children, fresh fruit was scarce and kids were loading up on cheap processed foods at home and in school.
Solely's idea was simple: create a real fruit bite with the fewest possible ingredients to replace sugar filled, highly processed snacks. It needed to retain the nutritional benefits of whole fresh fruit, but without added sugar, additives, preservatives or chemicals.
Find out the story of how Solely became the creator of the original fruit jerkey and how it became the fastest-growing fruit snack.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Yes, Chrissie may brand herself as a “LinkedIn specialist,” but she does so much more than that. What she REALLY does is help people shine as their best selves in the business world. How does she do that? Through the written word. Which is one of the many reasons how and why Chrissie created First and Sober, a LinkedIn Newsletter, that so many of us can relate to, even in the Produce world.
Living a sober life isn't just about abstaining from a substance, it's also about living with intention and presence and TPM is excited to speak with her as we kick off a New Year with New Resolutions!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Chef Todd's career has commanded prestigious kitchens and continues to push the dining scene into relevant trends. The bounty that farmers grow locally and ranchers have raised responsibly have always inspired his menus, both seasonally and creatively which is why TPM is excited to ring in a New Year with Chef Todd!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
The Produce Moms® is on a mission to put more fruits and vegetables on every table to change the way the WORLD eats. Through our platforms and produce supplier partnerships, we educate consumers on the benefits of eating fresh produce, the growing process, and how to select, store and serve it. The Produce Moms® was founded by Lori Taylor whose experience as a mom and produce supply chain professional helped her to identify innovative ways to inspire consumers to eat more fresh fruits and veggies. She's here to share a special message to you all as we kick of 2023... Happy New Year!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Little Saints was born during the pandemic as an antidote to drinking too much alcohol and feeling terrible about it. Having spent pretty much her entire adult life as a cocktail enthusiast, Megan ignored the initial signs that alcohol was doing more harm than good to her body and her mind. Without access to any option more interesting than a “sparkling water with lime”, it was hard to convince herself to make better choices while on her own or out with friends. Which is why we want to talk to her during the biggest time of alcohol consumption, The Holidays!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
The year 2022 was an exciting time to be working in fresh produce! From sustainable harvesting to mega grocery mergers and let's not forget the many women making an impact in produce. Robert Lambert, Founder of AndNowUKnow, is constantly exposed to the latest in produce news and he's here to recap some of the top headlines in 2022. Plus, Robert shares his unorthodox entry into the produce industry after starting his early career in finance.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
The youngest of 21 children, Sarah Frey grew up on a struggling farm in Southern Illinois. At 15, she started her own fresh produce delivery business out of an old pickup truck. Soon after, she took over the family farm and started doing business with the largest grocery retailers in the country. Frey’s story is one of never giving up, negotiating with some of the biggest businesses in the nation and building a company which serves consumers with fresh, healthy products.
In addition to Sarah's amazing story, TPM is honoring her with the first ever, Trailblazer Award!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Wada farms is a premier example of what can be accomplished through hard work and tireless dedication. Originally established in 1943, Wada Farms was founded by Frank Wada who immigrated to the U.S. from Japan in 1922.
To pursue the love of farming, Frank and his family decided to settle in Pingree, Idaho, where they put down family roots. Together, they grew their first crop of Idaho potatoes on 160 acres of rented land in the spring of 1943. Today Bryan Wada has grown the family business and continues to growing delicious potatoes for all to enjoy, especially for Thanksgiving.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Visiting the apple orchard is an American fall tradition – as soon as the weather starts to cool, family favorite varieties start to ripen on the trees and call our names. This year, we were on the hunt for SweeTango, a bright red blush over a yellow cream breaking background and officially holds the Guinness world record for the loudest crunch. So we are talking with John Jacobson of Pine Tree Apple Orchard. In 2006, the Jacobson family tasted the SweeTango® apple for the first time. John recalls, “It only took one bite, and they knew that they wanted to go all in with the SweeTango®.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Portland Public Schools is extending its free meal program, now offering no-cost breakfasts and lunches at 53 of its 81 schools. Whitney Ellersick with PPS Nutrition Services says it’s about bringing everyone to the table. This is thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision Pogram. It’s part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, which provides free meals for school districts in low-income areas.
But it's not just about making food accessible, Ellersick says. It’s also about sourcing local. She says at least 32% of food is purchased in the Pacific Northwest.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
The Kroger-Albersons merger announcement came hard and fast. So has the reaction from grocery retail industry stakeholders and observers, including strategy executive, Brittain Ladd.
The $24.6 billion deal, will create a supermarket company with the reach and resources to fend off big retail grocery competitors like Walmart and Amazon.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
NatureSweet is more than the name on the freshly grown goods you see in stores. It’s also the people behind the produce. This week, we have Lori Castillo, VP of Marketing to tell us why NatureSweet is able to bring you the best tasting tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers in the world because. Plus, why they have a belief of “Unleashing the Power of People” and why this saying is what makes “Raised Right” a quality you can truly taste.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Fruits talk, and Strella Biotech listens through proprietary sensors collect data throughout the supply chain to power first-in-class shelf life data. Coupled with decision algorithms for each supply chain segment, we're putting better produce on the shelf with less waste. In this latest episode we're talking with the leadership team at Strella Biotech to learn more!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Food Forward is a Southern California nonprofit organization that “rescues” fresh local produce. The organization’s mission is to “harvest food, fight hunger and build community.” The volunteer-driven organization is dedicated to food justice and eliminating hunger in communities. The Produce Moms caught up with Food Forward’s founder and executive director, Rick Nahmias, and Communications Director, Nkemdilim Nwosu.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Our choices about what we eat represent our single biggest daily opportunity to change our environmental footprint. Eat the Change combines marketplace solutions with education and activism to empower consumers to make dietary choices aligned with their concerns around climate and health. Eat the Change was born because there's a more delicious and planet-friendly wat to eat, and we want to learn more from Co-Founder and Chief Change Agent, Seth Goldman.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Upcycled food is the easy way for anyone to prevent food waste via the products they buy. Upcycled products prevent food waste by creating new, high quality products out of surplus food. It’s an innovative approach to food waste because it is the first consumer product-based solution, making it highly scalable and economically sustainable. Co-Founder and CEO, Turner Wyatt joins us on our latest episode to explain more.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Why would we buy a packaged bag of apples when they are easy to slice, or could even be eaten whole? Easy. In our country, 40% of fresh produce is wasted, and a large portion of this percentage happens in our homes. Produce is purchased with the best intentions and then life gets in the way. Crunch Pak’s efforts are a simple, yet effective, way to take control of your grocery efficiency. Value-added produce items take the work out of produce prep. Crunch Pak’s goal is to help you incorporate more healthy snacks into your family’s diet as easily as possible. That's why we're talking to Executive VP, Tony Freytag... because this guy knows a lot about snacks!
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
In 2014, Burnell Cotlon spent his life savings to open the only fresh grocery store in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. When the pandemic put many in his community out of work, he began allowing customers to take groceries on credit. Within a month, he’d opened tabs for more than 60 customers who could no longer afford to buy food. Cotlon, an Army veteran who lived in a FEMA trailer for three years after Hurricane Katrina, missed mortgage payments on his own house as his store quickly lost revenue, but he continued to offer lines of credit and even gave away food to customers. Find out more about his inspiring story and how he is an inspiration to so many.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
September is National Fruit and Veggie Month and luckily for the produce industry, Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, President and CEO of Produce for a Better Health Foundation decided to shift her focus of study in college from medicine to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Find out how she is taking produce consumption data and educating the world. Plus you don't want to miss how various produce hacks can be turned into healthy habits.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
Find out what to expect this season as TPM Founder & CEO, Lori Taylor and TPM Executive Producer, Kristen Mehne reunite for this special “kick-off” episode of The Produce Moms.
To keep up with the latest in the produce industry, be sure to follow The Produce Moms on all of your favorite platforms, including our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. You can also watch The Produce Moms Podcast here.
“We want to make sure the contribution we make is a positive one in the world.” Joanna Jaramillo (33:57-34:00)
You’ve probably seen Wholesum’s ripe, organic Poppies or Darlings snacking tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, or bright and crisp bell peppers when shopping for groceries, but did you know Wholesum’s produce is 100% fresh, organic, responsibly grown, they use 100% renewable energy on their farms, and the company has a decade under their belt of being fair trade certified? A true, progressive leader in the agriculture industry, Wholesum was one of the first to dedicate their entire farming portfolio to organic food back in the 90’s!
Their commitment to making a positive impact on our planet is even more impressive. Wholesome has committed to the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 12, and they publish a report every year to showcase their successes, but also be held accountable by all stakeholders as a way to identify opportunities for improvement. It’s not too often you find a company who’s so willing to be criticized by all of their stakeholders, whether it’s the communities they work in, their employees, their suppliers, customers or consumers. The report captures data across the board of Wholesum’s farming operations, such as their energy use, renewable and non-renewable outputs, water recirculation, waste management ,recycling, social impact, gender equality and the impact of fair trade on their farms.
“What moved my soul when I experienced Wholesum was to see how these fair trade premiums were spent, and to see how this one farming operation, this one brand, the cucumbers I buy at Whole Foods, turn into real funds that the workers can vote on where they want their money to be spent.” Lori Taylor (3:13-3:38)
In 2018, Wholesum made a commitment to the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which is when they decided to commit to Goal 5 and 12 of the Sustainable Development Goals. We’ve talked to several stakeholders in the UN’s SDGs in previous episodes, but if you aren’t familiar, these are a set of 17 goals developed by the United Nations to get businesses and government agencies to collaborate on solving some of the world’s biggest problems. The 17 SDGs are:
- No poverty
- Zero hunger
- Good health and well-being
- Quality education
- Gender equality
- Clean water and sanitation
- Affordable and clean energy
- Decent work and economic growth
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Reduced inequalities
- Sustainable cities and communities
- Responsible consumption and production
- Climate action
- Life below water
- Life on land
- Peace, justice and strong institutions
- Partnerships for the goals
Although Wholesum’s core values align with each of these goals, and they want to ensure they are measurably making an impact towards all 17, they decided to focus on Goal 5, gender equality, and Goal 12 responsible consumption and production, because they knew they could make a direct impact towards these on their farms. As they continue to report yearly and build a roadmap of progress, they can take on more of the SDGs and incorporate them into their operations.
“Gender equality is a basic human right. We need to make sure that we, as a company, are respecting both men and women. There have been inequities for women in farming in the past, and so we need to shed light on those and be the progressive company we are and move forward to acknowledging these problems and doing something about it.” Joanna Jaramillo (23:18-23:53)
There are many ways Wholesum is ensuring gender equality is available across their entire operation. For one, they’re focused on providing equal pay, equal opportunities, and no violence or harassment is promoted in the company culture. They’re also well aware of the duties many women have in their household when they’re off from work, so Wholesum is starting projects to promote work-life balance.
During one of their needs assessments, they found that many women weren’t going to the doctor regularly because they didn’t want to take time off work or were waiting until they felt sick. Wholesum is now setting up mobile clinics on site so women can have their regular check ups and are educated on the importance of preventative care. They’re also building certain pathways for personal development and promoting from within the company for more women to have leadership opportunities. Even Joanna herself started as the Marketing Coordinator in 2018 and is now the Marketing Manager!
“It’s a very difficult task to go through each of these 17 goals and determine how to work towards achieving them all at once.” Joanna Jaramillo (17:49-18:01)
To make an impact with SDG 12, Wholesum looks at all of their inputs, all the way down to the twine they use on their cucumbers or the labels that go on their tomato packages. Everything is classified as renewable or nonrenewable and by measuring these facts, they’re able to identify what they can replace or reduce. One of Joanna’s responsibilities is looking into packaging design, which can be a challenging and complex situation. For example, she found a packaging item that was very sustainable, but when they tested on their product, the shelf life majorly reduced, which would lead to more food waste – a packaging paradox.
Wholesum has been actively creating a positive impact and evolving their company for three generations, ever since their first tomato seed was planted in New Mexico. Hopefully other companies and stakeholders are inspired to create their own changes and work towards goals like the SDGs by following Wholesum’s lead in progressive impact. You can find Wholesum’s Conscientious Company Report and keep up with their amazing progress by visiting their Instagram, LinkedIn or website!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Food is so personal, so cultural, and such an integral part of how we live life, how we celebrate… how we do everything!” Lori Taylor (3:00-3:08)
You want your kids to grow up eating healthy, and that means more than just the types of food you’re eating. Without a healthy relationship to food, your children can develop all sorts of unhealthy eating patterns that no amount of broccoli can counterbalance. Maryann Jacobsen, registered dietician, world-renowned family and nutrition expert, and four-time author, is dedicated to helping improve everyone’s relationship with food and nutrition (that goes for you, too!).
It all started when Maryann became a mom and she started doing research when it was time to introduce solids to her first child and she discovered the different ways you can truly help your child enjoy eating a wide variety of nutritious foods. Like most parents, you’ve probably experienced the “honeymoon phase” with your child when they were a baby – they’ll eat almost anything! But when it comes time for the terrible two’s and three’s, you can forget it. Your kids start desiring and trying to exercise having more independence, usually by rejecting foods. This is a completely normal part of childhood development, but a tough one for parents.
“It’s kind of like one day they’re eating everything and the next day they’re not even hungry.” Maryann Jacobsen (5:58-6:02)
This is part of the healthy relationship with food Maryann is talking about. Dealing with a picky eater? Maryann suggests you focus on exposure. Exposing kids to healthy foods and bringing them in as a normal part of life is key, especially during these picky, independent stages. Expose them to having family style meals and dinner as a meal together, too, so they have a healthy relationship with the connection and culture food brings us. Another one of Maryann’s tips is having a “learning plate”. This is a great way to plant a seed with a child who might be super resistant to tasting or trying new things. If you have a “learning plate” for them to learn about the food and be exposed to it, without there being any added pressure, you create a safe environment for them to try new things.
“At puberty, girls are all of a sudden gaining weight and body fat in preparation for their periods, and it’s a time where they’re highly at risk for developing eating disorders or disordered eating. They might be on social media comparing their bodies to other girls’ bodies and it’s a whole different ball game now,” says Maryann.
This is one of the reasons she wrote her book (and coordinating journal) called My Body’s Superpower. In the book, it teaches girls to use their “superpowers”, like hunger signals, to create healthier habits and lead a happier life overall. As kids become teenagers, they’re getting money from allowances and jobs, and they’re eating out with their friends more when you aren’t around to help guide them in their healthy decision making. The book helps girls develop a healthy relationship with food rather than slipping into common, unhealthy patterns that are seen in teenage girls, like skipping meals and binging later. Even Maryann remembers the days when it was popular to not bring food to your lunchtime at school.
“As a female myself, I truly appreciate the time and effort you have dedicated to supporting girls during that stage of puberty and helping them understand the change in their bodies.” Lori Taylor (16:44-16:56)
What are some of Maryann’s other top tips? Closing the kitchen down between meals to avoid mindless snacking, yet having healthy snacks easily available, and always letting kids know what meal they’re eating next and when. Don’t feel overwhelmed when your kids are being picky and know this is a healthy, normal part of their development!
You can start taking steps to helping your kids have a healthy relationship with food by picking up one of Maryann’s phenomenal books, The Family Dinner Solution: How to Create a Rotation of Dinner Meals Your Family Will Love, How to Raise a Mindful Eater: 8 Powerful Principles for Transforming Your Child’s Relationship with Food, From Picky To Powerful: The Mindset, Strategies and Know-how You Need to Empower Your Picky Eater, Fearless Feeding: How To Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School, and of course, My Body’s Superpower: The Girls’ Guide to Growing Up Healthy During Puberty.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We 100% know and believe here in the produce industry that with proper immigration reform we will be able to increase efficiencies on the farm and therefore drive down the price of food at the grocery store.”
Lori Taylor (7:04-7:17)
We’re all feeling the pain of rising gas and grocery store prices. Everything is going up thanks to inflation, but one remedy to fix it is through immigration reform. Congress and the presidential administration hasn’t passed any immigration reform since the Reagan Administration, which is why John Hollay, Director of Government Relations for the International Fresh Produce Association, has been working on immigration and labor policy for over 15 years.
Recently, Lori had the opportunity to join John and many other individuals representing different parts of the supply chain as a panelist for a press conference to showcase how and why this is the solution to focus on now if Congress wants to help lower our rising prices. A Texas A&M International University study just showed a direct correlation between the lack of immigration reform and the prices of groceries in the store, and quite simply, if farmers had access to the number of workers they need, they could grow more crops, and sell them to retailers and other parts of the supply chain at a lower price. Thankfully, this issue has been a bipartisan effort which helped the House pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act last year. With the Congressional election coming up in November, it’s important now more than ever to raise this issue to the top to get Congress to act on immigration law reform.
“They needed 4,000 workers and they had only four Americans apply for the job. All four were hired, and out of the four only one or two showed up, and neither worked the full day. That’s what we mean when we say there’s a labor crisis on the farm.” Lori Taylor (18:27-18:49)
A great example of why immigration reform is necessary comes from one of TPM’s active brand partners, a farm based in Yuma, Arizona, where most of our winter vegetables are grown along with a ton of export crops. This farmland has a high production rate and the owner shared with Lori just how difficult it was to get workers. The farm needed 4,000 workers for their harvest crew and in response to their job posting for it, only four applicants showed up. Out of the four American workers hired, only two showed up for work and didn’t even stay the full day.
When farmers utilize the H-2A labor program, they must first utilize all of their resources to try and secure a domestic workforce, which as you can see, isn’t that easy. It’s much easier to secure the H-2A workforce because skilled laborers are able to come here, make a very good wage, go back to their native country and use it to support not just their immediate family, but oftentimes their extended family, giving them a quality of life that wouldn’t be possible without a program that put them with American agriculture.
“We have come to expect, here in America, access to all kinds of fruits and vegetables all year round when these are fruits and vegetables that only used to be available during certain times of the year. In order to do that, we need to have the workforce that can deliver those food items and right now our farmers are struggling with that, different parts of the supply chain are struggling with that, so there’s an increase in food prices because farmers can’t plan ahead,” John tells us.
If we want to continue to produce the amount of fruits and vegetables our country demands, we need to empower farmers to have the highest rate of efficiency as possible and that must include an improved labor workforce, access to immigrant workforce, and different types of benefits for those who come here as employees that might want a pathway to citizenship. The other key benefit to hiring immigrant workers is many of them are skilled laborers and able to handle the hard, difficult work a farm demands, unlike many of our domestic workers. The lack of workforce has gotten so bad that many farmers have to plow over their healthy, plentiful crops. The supply we’re demanding is being grown! But the supply for the workforce demanded to bring those crops from the field to the store isn’t enough.
“Those workers really provide relief to all consumers out there by making sure there is a steady flow of fruits and vegetables.” John Hollay (24:03-24:18)
Part of the legislation the IFPA supports has an e-verify program which ensures immigrants that are coming over here to work are doing so legally. Farmers aren’t experts in the type of paperwork and documents workers must show, so they aren’t able to identify if papers are fraudulent or not, which is what e-verify takes care of. Border security is also a part of this legislation as these workers oftentimes go back to their home country every night (like in the case of Yuma, Arizona), and it’s important to note that most of them don’t even want a citizenship, either. They just want to do the hard work they’re skilled to do, make a good income, and take it back to their homes in their own country.
If you’re wondering what you can do to help pass immigration reform and lower our grocery prices, John says, “you need to be calling, you need to be emailing, and you need to be showing up when [members of Congress] show up when they speak in your communities at town halls. The people who show up, the people whose voices are the loudest, frankly are the ones that are heard. I would urge all your listeners to reach out to their members of Congress in any way they can whether it’s in person, text, email, tweet… however it is going to be heard.”
Take it from someone who’s worked as a former congressional staffer! John says that members of congress DO read your emails, texts and messages and it plays a huge role in helping them understand what matters.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The seeds inside will be a cross of two parent apple trees. Breeders will plant those seeds, grow that tree and just wait to see what the results come out to be. It’s very similar to having your kids.”
Brett Valicoff (21:26-21:36)
Brett Valicoff, President of Valicoff Fruit, a farm started by his great grandfather over one hundred years ago, certainly knows the complexities that go into growing apples and tree fruits. Ever wonder where some of the unique and new apple varieties are coming from? Hint: it has nothing to do with genetic modification or engineering, instead, a primitive process that’s touched by human hands as little as possible.
Valicoff’s great grandfather, an immigrant from Bulgaria, started the farm after traveling from Ellis Island to Washington while working on the railroads, settling into the very fertile Yakima Valley. Yakima Valley is quite well known for their hops, world-renowned apples, and wine grapes, and although it’s a high desert, most of the water comes from irrigation canals that flow snowfall from the mountain ranges into the deep valleys. This makes the soil extremely fertile and ideal for growing.
Valicoff is a “vertically integrated” company that’s positioned themselves well as a stakeholder in the food supply system. By diversifying what they grow as much as possible, Valicoff has the ability to generate a consistent, good return year-after-year and invest it back into the business. If a certain commodity isn’t performing well one year, another one of their commodities will, however this makes for deep risk taking in future forecasting what a consumer is going to be interested in buying in the next five to seven years time.
“Vertically integrated means we are farming our own land and growing different commodities. We’re diversified with apples, pears, apricots, peaches, nectarines and some cherries. Not only are we growing them, we also own and operate a storage and packing facility, so we bring the food that we grow along with outside growers who trust us to handle their fruit and packaging and get the best return for them that we can.” Brett Valicoff (8:53-9:34)
Why five to seven years? Apple and fruit trees have a unique growing process that’s nothing like row crops. Tree fruit take about two years of preparation time before they’re ready to be planted thanks to something called grafting. After grafting and planting, you have to train the tree for another two to four years before you can start picking, with a maximum yield not happening for up to seven years.
Ever wonder where the new, unique varieties of apples are coming from? Even though it’s easy to assume genetic modification has something to do with it, for Valicoff Fruit it’s the exact opposite. They use tree grafting, an ancient horticultural practice that adds one plant’s tissue to another, helping two plants grow into one.
Each tree is just a “root stock” (established root) and once a root stock is big enough to graft, farmers will Very similar to conceiving and having a child, when farmers graft trees, they will cut off a “scion” of the tree (the part of the stem with buds) and cut off a bud. They’ll make a notch in the root of another tree, insert the first bud into the notch, cover it completely so air is kept out, and then nature takes over to create delicious fruit varieties we haven’t ever tasted before!
“This looks like such a primitive way to change over an entire orchard or variety of apples, but it works.” Lori Taylor (16:35-16:44)
Nothing is more old fashioned or primitive than tree grafting, and when you come across a new apple variety, it was most likely created from this. Even more interesting, farmers will use seeds from tree grafting and often get 50 or 60 different looking and tasting apples from the same combination. They then have to decide which variety will grow the best and have a flavor consumers will love. If you ever have decision fatigue about all the new apple varieties, just do a quick internet search and find out what flavor and texture you can expect. Check out Valicoff Fruit’s website at https://www.valicofffarms.com/ to discover the 13 varieties of delicious apples they grow, along with other tree fruit, vegetables, flowers and more!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Nobody wakes up wanting to waste food, it’s just a matter of having the right information at the right time.”
Dana Gunders (19:34-19:41)
When it comes to food waste around the world, the statistics are staggering. We all know it’s a problem and almost every country is fighting it. What can we do to effectively decrease our food waste (and the carbon emissions that come with it), decrease food insecurity, and create the food system we desire? ReFED is the leader in data-driven solutions to fight food waste, working across the food system to cut food loss and waste in half by 2030.
Dana Gunders, Executive Director of ReFED says they can only accomplish this with massive participation. It’s estimated that over 400 billion dollars worth of food (about 2% of the GDP) is wasted, and if the food waste in America was eradicated alone, it would feed our country’s food insecure population three times over! That’s why ReFED is working in multiple ways to educate and inform, and assist the individuals and companies who want to put their dollars towards efforts that are going to implement the most change in the quickest manner.
“When folks allocative financial resources for a macro issue like food waste, they need the guidance of an institution like ReFED to make sure that investment is going towards a noble cause.” Lori Taylor (10:16-10:30)
The first pillar of work ReFED is focused on is collecting accurate data. No one’s collecting data when they’re throwing the garbage out, so a lot of estimating is still required. ReFED wants to paint an accurate picture of what’s going on so people know where to focus their efforts. One way they do this is through a data platform on their website that’s analyzed 42 solutions and their efficiency rate. Their second pillar of work is in the investment space, where they also have a capital tracker that monitors investment on their website. There’s been quite a recent explosion of innovative startups and investment directed towards food waste and ReFED wants to catalyze investment through public, philanthropic, and private dollars.
Did you know about 35% of food grown in the United States ends up in the trash? 37% of that food waste is created at the household level, with the number one product of that waste being produce, and the number two being leftovers.
Even though ReFED doesn’t work to reach consumers directly, their role in connecting companies, small businesses, stakeholders, researchers, and local governments with one another has a greater impact. For example, there’s over 200 companies globally who have made some sort of commitment to helping eradicate food waste, but they need ReFED’s help in understanding how to reach that goal. They’re also working to encourage federal agencies to create a consumer awareness campaign to spread this information further. Grocery retailers, like Kroger and their Zero Hunger Zero Waste commitment (which has already seen a 19 reduction in waste), have been doing a great job at driving forward sustainability initiatives, like educating consumers on how to use produce once it’s wilted or bruised.
“There’s a great opportunity to help people use their products better and that helps them use their food budget better.” Dana Gunders (16:25-16:37)
Considering the average family of four is spending $2,000 on food they aren’t actually eating, implementing changes that help reduce waste should be high on everyone’s list! Outside of ReFED, Dana has written her own book called The Waste Free Kitchen Handbook, which you can learn more about on Episode 79, that offers strategies, references, recipes and a directory of produce which shows you how to use food items up in a clever way when you might’ve just thrown them out. For example, Dana’s book has a delicious berry avocado chocolate mousse recipe that uses overripe berries and avocados that are brown!
There’s plenty of action for us to take across the entire food supply chain, and starting with Dana’s book or learning more on ReFED’s website is how you can make a major difference in your kitchen at home. Visit ReFED’s website at www.refed.org and listen to Episode 79 to learn more about the actionable strategies you can start implementing today with Dana’s book.%
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“To do good is in our DNA.”
Johnathan Sutton (16:41-16:43)
Westfalia Fruit is known around the world for their incredible, healthy, fresh avocados. They have the largest avocado-growing footprint in the world, plus grow fruits like mangoes, kiwis, limes, oranges, litchis, clementines, grapes, coconuts, pomegranates, cherries… the list goes on and on! What’s most phenomenal about Westfalia other than their extensive range of produce is their commitment to sustainability. The company aims to be 100% carbon-neutral by 2049, which is also their 100th birthday.
Westfalia was founded over 70 years ago by Dr. Hans Merensky, who acquired an almost irreparable estate in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. “Dr. Merensky was a very gifted prospector, an acclaimed and dedicated humanitarian, and a huge part of the good we do today… it’s in our fiber and our heritage,” Raina Nelson, President and CEO of Westfalia Fruit USA says.
Dr. Merensky was dedicated to improving his Westfalia Estate’s resources by conserving water and revitalizing the soil. These regenerative farming practices are the foundation for what Westfalia lies on today, and at the time helped the local economy by providing community relief thanks to growing avocados and using water conservation infrastructure.
“The concept of regenerative farming and regenerative agriculture practices is the foundation upon which Westfalia has been built on.” Lori Taylor (6:05-6:15)
Not familiar with the term regenerative farming? Regenerative farming comes from indigenous wisdom and offers a framework to grow food in harmony with nature while restoring the land from depletion, exploitation and harmful farming practices. Those that follow regenerative farming principles understand what the natural resource availability is, aim to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals, work to integrate animals back onto their agricultural land and prioritize soil health. Keeping the soil healthy is what ensures growers produce nutrient dense, great tasting produce while helping heal the Earth.
Westfalia is focused on using as little water as possible, keeping the rest of the plants and animals on the planet in mind who need water which is a finite resource we’re quickly running out of. They’re also focused on reducing waste by ensuring their byproducts are used to create healthy ones, specifically in the cosmetic industry.
One way Westfalia does this is by creating health products using the skins and the stones (the pit) of their avocados. These stones are ground up and used to replace microplastics that are found far too often in cosmetics. At the end of the day, it costs more money to throw things away, not just for the company but for the rest of the world who has to deal with landfills and the energy expenditure that comes with. Plus, consumers are hungry for cosmetics that have as little plastics in them as possible.
“We can’t hide behind the facts of where avocados are grown and where avocados are sold. The distance is huge and the transport routes are challenging from an environmental perspective and a water use perspective.” Johnathan Sutton (14:34-14:50)
Westfalia is certainly on track to hit their 2049 target of being carbon neutral! They’re looking at how to reduce their carbon footprint within their shipping partners and any other ways to use their resources as efficiently as possible. Recently, Westfalia found that five of their business units were carbon neutral and they are pushing for everything from the fertilizer, the packaging, the supply chain and more to become completely carbon neutral. Plus, in France, all of their products are supplied in cardboard and they’ve gotten rid of plastic! Add in Westfalia’s efforts to use biological pesticides instead of chemical ones and you’ve got one of the most impactful, sustainable, healthy companies in the produce industry making a massive dent in saving our planet.
Enjoy Westfalia Fruits’ amazing avocados at your local grocery retailer and visit www.westfaliafruit.com to learn more about their sustainability efforts!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We went from working with one band to working with hundreds of musicians and artists like Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Michael Franti, The Dead and so many others!”
Justin Levy (5:11-5:23)
It all started when Justin Levy had an idea 20 years ago to teach young people how to fight against hunger by hosting a food drive at a concert. He was attending University of Colorado at the time and as a part of his senior thesis he held a food drive at Fillmore Auditorium in March 2002 at a String Cheese Incident concert. In exchange for donating, concert goers received a limited edition poster to commemorate the experience and they ended up bringing in over 4,000 pounds of donations. Now, Conscious Alliance is a movement of artists, musicians, food makers and music lovers on a mission to end hunger in underserved communities nationwide with over 119 festivals and concerts under their belt.
The first drive benefited the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota where 40,000 Oglala Lakota Native Americans live. Pine Ridge Reservation is one of the most economically isolated communities in the country and is about the same size as the state of Connecticut. For 40,000 people it only has one grocery store! Conscious Alliance has since opened a food pantry and started working with all 15 schools on the reservation to make sure kids going to school have plenty of healthy food to eat.
“We started developing relationships with schools knowing that where the kids go every day we can reach a lot of families with the backpack program approach.” Justin Levy (14:16-14:39)
Along the way, Conscious Alliance has met plenty of “hungry heroes”, many of whom are in the natural food community, like Justin Gould from Justin’s Peanut Butter. These brands helped shine a light on the huge amount of food waste going on in the United States, which triggered Conscious Alliance to work out logistically how they can go to different brand’s warehouses as they tour with musicians throughout the country and pick up food before it hits the landfill… food that grocery stores won’t buy or will throw out because it’s, for example, within 90 days of hits shelf life, the brand is getting crowded out or is going through a reprint. Great brands like Applegate, Conagra, Hormel, and many more you know have all partnered with Conscious Alliance.
Think your kids are obsessed about trading cards? Try concert goers and their posters! At every event, an attendee can make a food or monetary donation and receive a limited edition screen printed poster with the band, venue and date on it. It’s a special reminder of the opportunity the concert goer had to give back, make a difference, and of course a memory of the amazing time they had.
Conscious Alliance was still able to make an impact during the pandemic when, of course, live music events were on pause. At the beginning of lockdown, one of CA’s board members (who happens to own a restaurant) asked Justin if he had a way to distribute meals if the restaurant made them. Justin connected with a kindergarten teacher on the Advisory Board and ended up working with three teachers who were going to their kids’ doorsteps and dropping off dinners made from various restaurants in Boulder, Colorado. This way, the teachers could check in on their students and make sure their family’s were okay, and everyone was receiving quality nutrition during this scary time.
“One of the first days of the lockdown in March 2020 we had a board member who owns a restaurant and say, ‘If we prepare meals, do you have an outlet to give them away?’” Justin Levy (16:01-16:20)
This caught the attention of the World Central Kitchen, a non-profit that sets up mobile kitchens in areas that need them most, like war zones for example. When partnering with WCK, Conscious Alliance went from serving around 160 restaurant meals a week to almost 2000, making for about 2.6 million meals total in 2020.
Now that restrictions are removed and we’re “coming back to life”, Conscious Alliance is back at it again with concerts, festivals and music events. How can you get involved or find out where they’ll be next? Simply visit their website and find a listing of upcoming events or a way to donate virtually. You might see a band or event you’ve been dying to go to, or some of your favorites like Jack Johnson, The Dead, Umphrey’s McGee and many more that you can now see live again!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We want to see farms like yours be very successful and profitable because your profit directly relates to our ability to create a more sustainable, healthy planet and continue to access and grow food.”
Lori Taylor (16:12-16:37)
Beth Bocock went from saying, “I’ll never marry a farmer!” to becoming one of the second owners of Bumbleberry Acres with her husband, working for Naturipe and being the head of Bumbleberry’s agritourism. The farm, originally 600 acres and now 44, had been around since 1857 and caught Beth and her husband’s eye when they were driving and saw a “for sale'' sign. Immediately after buying, they asked their kids, “what would you want to do if you came here to work? If this was a vacation destination, what would you want to see?”
This helped inspire the Bococks’ to add a petting zoo of miniature animals to the farm, opening the door for Bumbleberry to become a wonderful, family-friendly destination. When visitors arrive at Bumbleberry, they’re taken care of by the “Bumbleberry Girls” who are specifically trained to interact with customers and treat them like family. The girls know every inch of the farm, from the dirt, to the berries and how they are grown. Beth’s focus with the girls (they hire three every year) is to empower them to learn where things on the farm come from, so visitors too can always be learning every step of the way through their experience.
“It was important for us that families do not feel like they’re going to a farm and getting nickel-and-dimed to death.” Beth Bocock (7:41-7:48)
What’s it like spending a day at Bumbleberry Acres? Visitors can enjoy activities like the U-pick for blueberries, a corn maze and wagon ride around fall, delicious food with ingredients straight from the farm, and plenty of blueberry pies during their Blueberry Festival in August. Beth really wants visitors to understand where food really comes from, how we’re helping take care of the planet, and the responsibility and respect to her kids that comes with providing these products to consumers.
Did you know more than half of the world’s profits from produce items are not getting back to growers? Farmers are dealing with profit crunches the same way we’re dealing with a sudden rise in all of our expenses, and to not have the amount of profit they deserve hitting their pockets could damage our entire agricultural supply chain.
Beth also works with Naturipe Farms, who you know from past episodes is a great place full of empowered women! Beth says there are many more women involved at the company and farming in general than there were 20 years ago. She used to go to meetings with her husband and there’d only be a few other women in there, and women speakers were unheard of. But today you’ll even see women running a farm after their husband has passed away, completely uninhibited and capable of performing any of the tasks on a farm.
“We pay particular attention to the girls because we want to give them a stepping stone to be empowered women. We look at girls not like they’re unemployable by someone else, but that they’re not going to get the same education we’re going to teach them to be strong women.” Beth Bocock (27:03-27:13)
Beth wants Bumbleberry to empower women just as well as Naturipe has. Every girl they interview to work on the farm is looked at for their potential for future leadership, not just their personality and resume. Beth takes note of how they interact with people, how compassionate they are, and it’s paid off. Of the 36 girls they’ve hired, each have gone into a position of leadership in or outside of farming.
Whether it’s empowering consumers to understand where their food comes from and how to support farmers, empowering women to accomplish anything they want in agriculture (from the field to CFO), or empowering farmers to make the profits they deserve, Beth Bocock, Blueberry Acres and Naturipe Farms all are doing incredible things to create empowered opportunities for all.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“NatureSweet is the brand people really know and trust.”
Lori Taylor (13:22-13:31)
Amit Patel is the Marketing Director at NatureSweet, the company behind those delicious, favorite Cherub, Glory and Cherry tomatoes we all love! Whether you leave them on your counter to snack on all day like Lori, or use their packaging as a colander to wash in, NatureSweet’s tomatoes are a convenient, versatile way to add healthy nutrients to your whole family’s diet.
NatureSweet is a great testament to consumer trust and brand loyalty, especially during a time where the produce section at grocery retailers is fighting private labeling and during a time when we want to learn more and more about where our food is coming from. Amit has a background working for CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies like Pepsi, Cheetos and Rice-a-Roni. The benefit to those companies is “you can always make another product” if something goes wrong, whereas with produce, you’re reliant on weather and harvesting, which doesn’t always go as planned. That’s why it’s so important for NatureSweet to share their purpose of transforming the lives of agriculture workers in North America with customers, and their commitment to providing continuous, guaranteed, high quality, fresh produce.
As a part of their mission, NatureSweet has expanded beyond tomatoes and are moving into being a full, single solution for customers looking for greenhouse grown vegetables. They’re expanding into greenhouse grown cucumbers, mini cucumbers, bell peppers, mini sweet peppers, larger tomatoes and more! As Amit says, “we take the same care in delivering quality every single day of the year and having it available all year round for consumers.”
“Our purpose is to transform the lives of agriculture workers in North America.” Amit Patel (6:55-6:59)
Another way NatureSweet is dedicated to their purpose is by being one of the first brands to participate in the Equitable Food Initiative, which, if you’ve listened to some of our previous podcasts, you know is an initiative focused on creating transparency in the produce supply chain. EFI certified companies adhere to the best practices in food safety, ensure their farmworkers are treated fairly, listen to workers’ issues and create solutions to make processes more efficient, and make sure the supply chain is sustainable.
One of the first things people start to realize when understanding the farming economy and supply chain is that, no matter what kind of delicious product you have, there’s a great farming story and heritage behind it. For example, a fourth-generation family farm that’s sustained incredible economic and environmental setbacks. There’s a big interest in knowing more about our food, the stories behind what we’re putting in our bodies, and the people making it all possible.
Speaking of farmworkers, NatureSweet has started a program called Associates Under the Label which helps share the stories of NatureSweet’s workers with consumers. Votes are taken internally as to which associate is featured and if you lift up the seal on a NatureSweet tomato package, you’ll see a spotlight of information with a QR code that takes you to the featured agricultural worker’s full story. This is another great opportunity for you, the consumer, to connect with the brand you love and for farmworkers to get recognized for all their incredible work.
“You want to feel good about picking up a package of produce and not having to worry about looking and making sure everything is perfect and that’s one thing NatureSweet offers is quality you can trust.” Amit Patel (31:13-31:31)
When it comes to enjoying NatureSweet’s delicious, healthy tomatoes, one thing the company is working on helping you with is taking them on the go! You might wish you had a more convenient way to take these healthy snacks with you, whether it’s to throw in your bag for lunch, a snack while commuting or even eating at your kids’ sports tournaments (which we all know can last forever!). NatureSweet has now made this easy and convenient in washed, ready-to-eat, smaller packages that are – drumroll please – crush-proof! Think of all the unhealthy, “convenient” snacks you can replace now by taking your favorite NatureSweet tomatoes on the go with you.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The Produce Moms would not be B Corp certified if it weren’t for Kerrie.”
Lori Taylor (2:57-3:01)
You’ve heard us share about the exciting process of becoming a B Corp Certified business, but you’re probably wondering why this is so important. Kerri McDevitt is a Senior Consultant at Impact Growth Partners, a small consulting firm working with businesses across the world to become B Corp Certified who care about (as Kerri says) the “three P’s”: people, purpose and profit.
The B Corp Certification is given to businesses meeting high levels of standards that show they are global leaders in inclusivity, equitability and helping create a regenerative economy. Companies must go through a rigorous, long process of providing an application and documents that are analyzed and scrutinized to ensure only companies meeting a B Impact Assessment score of 80 or above pass. The B Impact Assessment allows you to create a plan for your business and is broken down into five sections: governance, workers, community, environmental and customers. Companies must also legally change their corporate governance to be accountable to all stakeholders, and be transparent in their performance level on the B Lab’s website.
For Lori and The Produce Moms, this was an opportunity to become more structured and strategic in business operations and, as Lori says, “it was a huge graduation for my business to become B Corp certified.”
The beautiful part about putting your company through the B Corp certification process is it allows you to embed your values into your business so they’ll last generations to come. The Produce Moms worked on getting certified for over 15 months and was under assessment from a specific person at the B Lab. How did TPM stack up? Well, even though the minimum score needed to pass the assessment is 80, we had a total of 117 points!
“The B- Corp journey makes one more mindful of decision making and more conscious as to what you’re doing at your company. You are going to think a little bit more through a decision than you might have otherwise when you’re looking at the bigger picture and considering all of your stakeholders.” Kerri McDevitt (18:12-18:29)
A great example of how TPM operates with a B Corp level standard happened recently when one of the team members took off work for a family member’s medical leave. It was a tough call as to what to do for Lori. This team member is unique in her gifts and skill sets with some of our publications and we couldn’t ask anyone else for the same level of creative output. At the same time, we had partners waiting for these deliverables and couldn’t delay. Lori took into consideration all of our stakeholders, farming partners, internal team members and audience to figure out how to serve everyone. She decided to slightly change the creative deliverables and when our team member came back, Lori looked at what work could be shifted back on her plate so she didn’t lose out on pay from the time she was gone.
Businesses get credit under the B Corp Assessment for having an “impact business model”. The Produce Moms was recognized for their contributions giving back to 1% for the planet, giving back to organizations that support the Earth, and being involved in the beautification of Indianapolis. TPM was also recognized for being advocates for the produce sector and farmers, and educating the public about healthy eating and nutrition.
The beautiful part about the B Corp community of other certified businesses is how collaborative it is. Everyone seems to be focused on how to help each other out, lift one another out and welcome new businesses, like TPM, through sub-committees and forums. Lori’s entrance into the B Corp community has been extremely warm and welcoming thus far!
Wondering why businesses are looking to become B Corp certified, or if there’s been an uptick in interest? COVID was certainly a catalyst for many businesses to turn in their B Corp applications. It really gave us all an opportunity to pause, reflect and open our eyes to how major of an impact climate change is making on our world, along with the inequity and injustices we may have been ignoring. A lot of companies started to reflect on how they could do better and help our community be better… like Kerri says, “businesses trying to be the best for the world, not just the best in the world, and the best for everyone.”
“This generation is looking for products and services that benefit the world, whether it’s looking for secondhand items versus firsthand, slow fashion versus fast fashion… There's a consciousness going on and it is crossing all generations.” Kerri McDevitt (27:23-27:41)
All of us are focused now more than ever on creating a positive impact – whether it’s in how we treat the environment, how we treat our employees, how we include one another, and becoming B Corp certified is one of the best ways a business can ensure this. The Produce Moms’ score is now public on the B Corp directory and you can see other businesses who are certified too. The process to become certified is lengthy, and although that can be a major setback for a company (finding the time), Kerri says you can achieve a “pending B Corp certification” first, which can benchmark your mission and make the process later on easier!
If the B Corp certification should inspire anything in all of us it’s to focus on working together for a greater purpose and the common good for us all! It’s an honor to become a part of this prestigious community and The Produce Moms will continue to strive to be a force of good, bringing you the education, information and connection you need to help support our farming and agricultural industry workers, supply chain, women, environment and more.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We’re trying to understand how different foods and different eating patterns impact anxiety and psychosis disorders.”
Dr. Monique Aucoin (5:44-5:51)
Dr. Monique Aucoin is a naturopathic doctor and senior research fellow at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and also one of the leading North American researchers in the field of nutritional psychiatry (the use of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of mental illness).
Not familiar with naturopathy, or confused on what it actually means? Dr. Aucoin says, “naturopathic medicine is a system of healthcare that combines scientific evidence with natural and traditional approaches like nutrition, herbal medicine and lifestyle counseling. Naturopathic wellness aims to address the root cause of illness and to promote wellness.”
Sure, we already have social treatments like therapy for mental health, but some people don’t find the type of treatment we have available helpful or tolerable, so we need to have other approaches available. Our current medical system isn’t reflecting the huge role diet plays in mental health. Offering dietary counseling to people experiencing mental illness is an opportunity to truly improve their health outcomes rather than just using medicine or social therapy. The problem also with our current clinical research is that it doesn’t tell us if, for example, someone became depressed because they’re eating poor quality nutrition, or they became depressed and as a result started eating poor quality nutrition.
“On an intuitive level, most people know when they eat better, they feel better, both physically and emotionally.” Dr. Monique Aucoin (7:08-7:15)
Dr. Aucoin is working with Dr. Laura LaChance to bring scientific evidence to the real world in a way that’s understandable and actionable. Most recently, they’ve put together a patient handout that talks about nutritional factors important for mental health and used lived-in experiences from those that struggle with mental illness in the process. These handouts are helping them speak to healthcare providers and train them on dietary counseling that can only further help their patients.
Ever heard of the term “emotional eating”? It’s not just a phenomenon we joke about – it’s backed by science, too. A study was performed on animals where they caused the animal a small amount of stress and gave them foods high in sugar and fat, which resulted in a reduction of their levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This may be a great, short-term fix, but long-term the foods we choose when “emotionally eating”, for example, can negatively impact our mental health.
Another clinical trial is being performed now to find out whether or not a food is causing a worsening or an improvement to mental health issues. A study called “Smiles” recently showed a large decrease in depression symptoms after 12 weeks of dietary counseling, with a quarter of individuals in the study no longer having depression at all. Dr. Aucoin and Dr. LaChance just received funding to perform their own similar clinical trial with those who have anxiety!
So, if you’re struggling with depression, anxiety or other mental health issues, what does Dr. Aucoin suggest you do with your diet? The top three nutritional factors in supporting brain and mental health are eating enough protein, eating anti-inflammatory foods and choosing complex carbs instead of simple sugars. Why? The brain is sensitive to the amount of sugar in our blood. Ever felt “hangry” before? That’s because your blood sugar is low (there’s a huge overlap between low blood sugar symptoms and mental health sugars). If you then eat something that’s high in simple carbs or sugars, it’ll disrupt your blood sugar balance even more.
“Steering away from simple carbs and choosing foods that have more fiber can have a huge impact on mental health outcomes.” Dr. Monique Aucoin (19:17-19:25)
When you eat complex carbs like foods that are high in fiber, it helps your blood sugar stay stable and well regulated. For example, Dr. Aucoin had a patient struggling with anxiety who had a diet high in foods like white bread, pasta, cookies and candy. By adding more protein and fiber, the patient’s anxiety improved tremendously. Protein is important, too, because it breaks down into amino acids which are the building blocks of our body. Most medications we use to treat mental illnesses are focused on increasing serotonin, something your body can make on its own with enough building blocks.
Lastly, people with mental illnesses have increased levels of inflammation in their brain or their body, and one of the significant factors that impact inflammation in the body is our diet. Eating more fruits and vegetables is important because they have a large amount of anti-inflammatory compounds. Getting enough healthy fats, like the omega-3’s found in flax and chia seeds, and walnuts, is important. Don’t like the taste or have picky eaters? Try hiding them in smoothies! Fish are a great source of healthy protein and healthy fats, too.
Making small adjustments to your diet can help improve your mental health drastically, whether you’re someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, or just want a “pick me up” when you’re feeling a bit down. Eating healthy and the right nutrition isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. You have to also implement other tools and support, if needed, to boost your mindset.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Sometimes we think, ‘I’m not sleeping, I’m not exercising, I need to eat healthier, I’m stressed’, and then we’re just even more overwhelmed. Overwhelm does nothing for us.”
Dr. Christopher Mohr (24:07-24:17)
Dr. Christopher Mohr, PhD R.D., is one of the world’s leading nutrition and mindset experts and he’s got a lot to say when it comes to “Minding your Melon”. He’s consulted for clients like Under Armour, Reebok, Clif Bar, Gatorade, and was the consulting Sports Nutritionist for the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s even spoken at the White House and to the CIA thanks to his incredible expertise!
Dr. Mohr is no stranger to mental health. Sure, you can practice all the “wellbeing” steps in the world, but if you aren’t handling stress properly, you won’t reap the benefits of all your “wellbeing” hard work. One thing Dr. Mohr is concerned about in regards to stress is our children. Not only have they grown up in an era of constantly being connected digitally, they’ve experienced a large amount of radical changes in a short period of time with the pandemic and virtual schooling, causing a heightened sensitivity.
Even as adults, we’re always connected to a device and lack the quiet time we need to refresh, relax and reenergize. If you’re mentally stressed out, it’s going to impact all other areas of your life and can turn into a vicious cycle of burnout. As we know, stress can turn into not being able to sleep well and get the rest you need, eating foods that aren’t healthy for you, which turns into weight gain, which can cause self-esteem issues, and then the cycle just continues.
“If we’re not making sleep a priority (in quality and quantity), that can play a big role in overall stress and mental health struggles.” Dr. Christopher Mohr (11:15-11:26)
Whether we like it or not, stress is unavoidable. There’s constantly different shoes we have to fill, hats we have to wear, and uncontrollable variables being thrown at us (like a pandemic) that we have to deal with. Now, we’re living in an era where it’s common to work from home or have a hybrid work situation, on top of always being connected through a device, there’s never enough time to shut down, disconnect and decompress from the day.
Did you know 60% of people say their stress level is at an all-time high, and many of those people were claiming to be at the level of burnout?
This is why boundaries are important, which can be difficult if you’re in a field like farming, for example, where your job truly is 24/7. Farmers’ boundary issues with work go beyond receiving an email at 11 p.m. and choosing to answer or ignore it. Farmers have to deal with their profit growing in the ground almost all year round, while fighting unforeseen variables Mother Nature throws at them. Plus, there’s labor issues, diseases, and so many other things out of a farmer’s control. Dr. Mohr likens farmers to first responders – they’re both always working and if they don’t work, we don’t eat!
For farmers and anyone else dealing with stress, Dr. Mohr suggests making a list of controllable stressors and uncontrollable stressors. There are always going to be things we deal with that are out of our control, but what is in our control is how we respond to those stressors. When it comes to your health, you do have control over what you put in your body, how and when you move it, and taking baby steps in the right direction.
“Worrying about things that we have no control over does nothing more than increase our stress and worry when we can’t do anything about it anyway.” Dr. Christopher Mohr (20:33-20:42)
It’s important to identify the pieces in your life you can control and the things you can’t, so you can then decide how to respond to them. Knowing the harmony that’s created between taking care of your sleep, diet and exercise habits in conjunction to mental stress, take just one baby step in the right direction with any area you’re struggling with. That might mean you commit to eating one piece of fruit a day, or making it a non-negotiable that you’re in bed by 9 p.m. (with your phone off!) every night.
Also, don’t hesitate to talk to someone like a licensed therapist or counselor about your stress. There are plenty of professionals who will understand your unique situation and can help you discover improvements you can make to better your mental health. Boundaries, non-negotiables and understanding what you can and can’t control are all great takeaways to “Mind your Melon” and take care of your mental health! For more great tips, advice, coaching and beyond, find Dr. Mohr’s website at www.mohrresults.com.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“My dad had the mindset that this isn’t just a profession, this is my identity. If I’m not a farmer, what else am I going to do?”
Marshal Sewell (15:19-15:28)
For the month of May, we’re doing a special series called “Mind Your Melon” and focusing on mental health awareness for the agriculture industry. Marshal Sewell, Strategic Account Manager and Mental Health “AG-vocate” for Bayer Crop Science, and fifth generation farmer, knows first hand the compounding stressors that deplete a healthy mindset while working on a farm.
Fall of Marshal’s senior year of high school was one of high stress. Like most seniors, he was trying to enjoy his last year of school, but also figure out what to do with his life. At the same time, his family and other local farmers were seeing issues with the plant quality of their winter strawberries. Local college researchers identified that there might have been diseases in the fields from the nursery the plants originated from. Marshal’s family tried to stay positive, but hardly got any strawberries out of that winter’s harvest.
“With no clue what to do and faced with this nursery borne disease, my dad didn’t see a way out and chose to take his own life. That was my indoctrination into mental health,” Marshal says.
After going through this tragedy and seeing his family struggle to overcome, plus knowing the regular farm-related stressors they had to deal with, Marshal was set on trying to identify ways to overcome this and help farmers manage their stress before it’s too late. After Hurricane Georgia hit, the Georgia Farm Bureau reached out to Marshal and asked him to share his story, hoping it will help raise awareness and show there’s hope after difficult times and tragedy. This turned into a catalyst for him to do more advocacy work and of course, after COVID-19 hit and things became even more stressful, Marshal’s been on a mission to get farmers talking honestly and openly about their mental and emotional state.
“How do we, on a farm level, manage risk and mitigate stress and difficult times, and what can we be doing more proactively even outside of the farming community to prepare ourselves for challenging times?” Marshal Sewell (10:17-10:35)
People who aren’t in the agricultural industry don’t understand the insurmountable amounts of stress on farms. There’s disease, weather changes, regularly occurring contagion, financial issues and so much more that can happen when running a farm, and there’s never an end in sight. Farmers don’t have the opportunity to pause, take a break to recharge or go on a “vacation” from these stressors. It’s compounding and only comparable to what someone in law enforcement or a Navy SEAL might go through.
Not only is there the issue of trying to be proactive in handling these issues, but getting farmers to talk about their mental health stressors openly and freely. Marshal was recently speaking to a potato farmer who deals with stress all day and doesn’t want to unload it on his family when he comes home – he wants to spend time with them. He goes to the farm the next day and deals with a brand new set of stressors, compounding on the day before. But eventually, he needs to open up to someone, whether it be his family or an outside resource.
Marshal likes to relate this to farm equipment. You wouldn’t go spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a brand new John Deere tractor just because your current one needs some TLC. Instead, you’d do routine maintenance on it, and the same thing goes for our minds and bodies which are the only things capable of operating the tractor in the first place. If we take care of ourselves actively and regularly with simple habits like getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, eating plenty of healthy, fruits and vegetables, and getting in daily, active movement, we can stay health physically, mentally and emotionally which helps us better handle stress when it happens.
“What’s the difference between a piece of equipment and our bodies and our minds, which are arguably the most valuable resource and piece of equipment at that operation, whether you’re a farmer or not. We’ve got to do routine maintenance.” Marshal Sewell (21:32-21:46)
Another important key to our mental health is some form of “mindfulness”, a taboo word in the agricultural industry. Journaling, meditating, prayer… all of these are ways to give yourself the silent reflection needed to bring peace to your mind and come back to the present moment, rather than letting stress ruin your mental health. Lori recommends the book Miracle Morning and former Produce Mom’s guest Sarah Frey’s book The Growing Season – both which we’ll be giving away on our Instagram! Do what you can each day to create these healthy habits and, if you know someone in the agriculture industry, pass along this episode so they can feel encouraged to take care of their mental health.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“If we’re robbing these neighborhoods of those green spaces, we’re robbing them of their health as well.”
Bryan O’Donnell (9:31-9:38)
What does planting trees have to do with helping reduce the daily food insecurity 38 million people around the world experience? Not only is there a huge correlation between communities that are low-income food deserts and a lack of trees, but just by planting one fruit tree you could be feeding families healthy produce for over 50 years!
Kroger’s public charity called the Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation (founded in 2018) supports organizations and innovators across the country who share the same vision of helping everyone around the world have access to affordable, nutritious food. They’ve connected with the Arbor Day Foundation, who’s helped plant and distribute 500 million trees in over 50 countries to help bring shade, food and beautify communities who need it most. The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is also on the same mission, planting fruit trees in communities around the world with the goal of planting 500 million trees in the next five years.
Arbor Day may not be something you pay too much attention to, but trees can help solve so many of our issues, from sustainability challenges, carbon emissions, creating communities free of hunger, eradicating heat waves, developing resilient communities, beautifying spaces and so much more! An issue that correlates to food insecure or food desert communities are “heat islands”, areas of cities that lack trees or green spaces. As we know, heat waves exacerbate other natural disasters and increase health issues (even death). With enough trees in these areas, some cities cool down by up to 10 degrees, and the trees also clean air, provide oxygen, absorb carbon and clean the water where it’s needed most.
“More and more we’re having the conversation about climate changes and all the different things trees actually have solutions for. We’re seeing where once trees might have been a ‘nice to have’ in the neighborhood and we’re realizing they’re actually a ‘must have’.” Bryan O’Donnell (5:51-6:04)
The work the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is doing is making incredible strides towards reducing food insecurity by planting fruit trees around the world. Arborist James Kaechele, part of the FTP, reminds us just how incredible it is to think how someone, for example, brought fig tree seeds all the way from their home in Italy, immigrated here, and planted a fruit-producing tree in his backyard of Queens, New York that has been feeding people for decades. The FTP has worked with the Havasupai Tribe located at the base of the Grand Canyon to help create the first town in the country where every family has a fruit tree in their backyard.
“We’re able to work with these awesome, local community folks who are hungry, literally, for more fresh produce, and they’re going to do all kinds of things to make sure those trees get watered and cared for for the decades to come.” James Kaechele (22:39-22:53)
James mentions the most difficult part of creating orchards or AgriParks (like in Fishers, Indiana) is the initial step of transporting and planting trees to these communities. The funding and partnership work from Kroger’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation is playing a huge role in making this movement possible. Customers who shop at Kroger are able to donate to the foundation which is helping develop urban orchard projects and ensure the communities that need trees the most are receiving them. Trees provide essential shade, beautification, food, resilience and are a great way to educate and bring people together, enjoying nature and each other.
“I think what’s so cool is that for years and years to come, way past my time on this beautiful Earth, we will be able to see the benefits of this project and see the importance of something that we have taken for granted – trees.” Ali Berman (27:13-27:30)
It’s incredible to realize all the problems that can be solved simply by planting, nurturing and growing more trees! From climate change to natural disasters, to food insecurity and bringing communities together, the work each of these organizations is doing to create clean, healthy, natural spaces around the world is essential to our livelihood for generations to come. Think about how incredible it would be if food insecurity was no longer an issue and gorgeous orchards or gardens were available in every single community, no matter where they’re located? Planting trees that are culturally-native to each area is important too, as well as educating people on how to take care of their green spaces so they keep giving back.
You can donate to the Zero Waste Zero Food Foundation at your local Kroger checkout or visiting https://zerohungerzerowastefoundation.org/! Celebrate the 150th Arbor Day with your friends and family by enjoying your local park, finding a way to get involved with a community garden and hugging a tree (even if you never have before)!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“This is an amazing liquid that’s often misunderstood in our supply chain.” Melissa Martinelli (6:06-6:11)
When you hear the word “whey”, you probably think of whey protein powder, right? There’s so much more to whey than that, which is why Melissa Martinelli created Superfrau, a sparkling, bubbly, functional whey beverage made from fresh, upcycled whey that comes from the greek yogurt fermentation process. Superfrau drinks are jam packed with vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, amino acids and so much more!
Melissa got her start as an immigration lawyer focusing on deportation defense and asylum law. Her husband introduced her to Austria’s second most popular drink, where he’s originally from, that’s made of liquid whey and fresh juice. Skeptical, Melissa tried the drink and was shocked at how refreshing and invigorating it was. Intrigued to learn more, she found out that 90% of milk from cheese and 66% of milk from yogurt ends up as liquid whey.
It was about 40 years ago larger cheese makers started manufacturing dry powder and concentrate of whey protein, but smaller cheesemakers haven’t had an outlet for their liquid whey. On top of it, because the pH of yogurt is lower and more acidic, you can’t dry it and turn it into a powder. Melissa founded Superfrau in 2018, creating her first prototype by the summer of 2019, and with the help of a Pepsi grant in early 2020, she made the drink shelf-stable (decreasing waste and making it more sustainable) and you can now purchase it at select Whole Foods and Urban Outfitters in the New England region and online.
“I think our timing is quite good because I’m not sure the consumer would have been ready for our products if kombucha hadn’t come out before.” Melissa Martinelli (10:33-10:44)
Melissa’s on a mission to redefine her whey as a “coproduct” rather than a “byproduct”, which is a term often associated with waste. Since one of the biggest causes of forced migration is climate change and contributors to climate change, it’s no surprise Melissa leaped into creating something that’s upcycled and focused on sustainability. Melissa is part of the Upcycled Food Association, an association that is focused on the impact we make on the environment and reducing the food waste in our supply chain. Upcycled Food Association also certifies entire products and singular ingredients, so if you see the UFA Certified seal on a product, you know the company is doing a great job at reducing food waste and using upcycled ingredients. Melissa’s Superfrau certainly makes the cut since 98% of her product is upcycled whey!
Even Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine” was prescribing his patients to drink liquid whey 2,400 years ago, which goes to show how powerful and historically healthy liquid whey is.
The great thing about Superfrau is it doesn’t have the often vinegar-y taste health drinks like kombucha have, and is still a great, healthy alternative to soda or cravings for something bubbly. Melissa describes Superfrau as slightly sweet, slightly tart, and the only sugar included are naturally occurring sugars. Superfrau adds a lactase enzyme to the drink, so if you’re lactose intolerant you don’t have to worry! Each bottle has 3 grams of protein, is filled with vitamins like Zinc, Vitamin B12, B6 and B3, and electrolytes like sodium, magnesium and phosphorus. Superfrau is a great recovery drink and comes in three, delicious flavors: cucumber lime, pineapple ginger, and peach mango, with a fourth flavor launching this summer.
“The first thing you’ll say when you pop open a can of Superfrau is, ‘wow that smells good!” Melissa Martinelli (11:47-11:54)
Not only is Superfrau a great alternative to soda, sugary recovery drinks, alcoholic beverages, or not-so-palatable health drinks, it’s great for the environment too. Being certified by the Upcycled Food Association, a certification process that rigorously analyzes the entire supply chain process of a product or ingredient lets you, the consumer, play a major role in reducing food waste in our supply chain and having a positive impact on the environment. You can enjoy your next bottle of Superfrau from select Whole Foods in the New England region, or shopping online at www.drinksuperfrau.com.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Beko is the Tesla of home appliances! The way you have brought technology and sustainability into real time solutions for homeowners and moms like me is amazing.”
Lori Taylor (32:43-33:02)
In 2018, we started the tradition of celebrating a brand that’s doing a remarkable job of making sustainability a priority and more accessible for all of us in our home kitchens for Earth Day. There’s no better company to celebrate this year than Beko Home Appliances, a company awarded as the Most Energy Efficient in 2022 and Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award (for the third time) from Energy Star! One of the fastest growing brands in Europe and fresh into the U.S. market for four years, and the first home appliance brand to be honored by the EPA every year since, Beko has everything from nutrient-saving kitchen appliances, refrigerators that preserve food for longer, and dishwashers that actually clean the corners of your casserole dishes.
Beko prides themselves on “already having done what others are talking about” when it comes to sustainability and energy efficiency. For example, their dishwasher uses less water than any other dishwasher on the market today, creating a new, revolutionary way of washing dishes. Their dishwasher has a self-cleaning filter (did you know you were supposed to clean your dishwasher’s filter!?), a casserole dish “section” to clean those pesky, caked-and-baked casserole dish corners, and a height-adjustable third rack so you don’t have to waste water hand-washing your pasta pots!
As if their dishwasher wasn’t incredible enough, their refrigerators, EverFresh and HarvestFresh technology will blow your mind. The Beko refrigerators have a proprietary crisper drawer technology that sucks out the ethylene gas (naturally occuring gas by all fruits and vegetables) using just air filtration. They also have created their own, unique lights that mimic sunlight, completely tricking your fruits and vegetables to continue photosynthesis, keep the vitamin content and protect the nutrient value!
“Just how cooking your fruits and vegetables can change the nutrient makeup, you can have nutrient loss as your fruits and vegetables age and get closer to the rotten stage.” Sazi Bugay (18:06-18:16)
Beko has been a household name for decades in Europe, where it’s common to always buy produce fresh and frequently, but in the USA, our purchasing habits veer towards doing our grocery shopping once a week, which is where part of our waste problem comes from. Beko wanted to find a way to tackle this issue without using additives, which is where their HarvestFresh and EverFresh technology came from. HarvestFresh is available in their current appliances and EverFresh will be on the market later this year, along with updates to their dishwashers and washing machines which use steam to save water!
Did you know the average family throws away $1,600 worth of food on an annual basis? On top of that, 40% of everything that’s harvested on the farm goes to waste and the lion’s share of that occurs at the household level.
One of Beko’s main focuses is to reduce their carbon footprint which is why, for example, the plastic tub in their washing machine is made with reused, crushed or recycled bottles. That combined with many of the pain points we have as homeowners in our own desire to be sustainable makes Beko one of the best-in-class, energy efficient companies to date. Beko’s oven is another great example of this, which they are launching later this year. The double-wall oven uses proprietary air movement technology along the width and cavity of the oven that reduces preheat time.
“Beko is a purpose-driven global company and our focus is all about creating a healthier planet. We know that with the health of our planet we have health and wellness for all. Our focus will remain to bring forth products made with sustainable materials, to continue to have best-in-class energy efficiency judged by the EPA, and to continue to bring products that help eliminate water waste.” Zach Elkin (36:31-37:06)
As moms and leaders of our household, it’s hard to feel like you’re doing a “good job” at being sustainable when things like your appliances add to our carbon footprint in a way you can’t control. With Beko, not only will your food last longer and your dishes will be cleaner, you’ll be reducing waste (and your water bill) without having to do anything at all! Plus, who doesn’t want fresher, crisper, healthier, more vitamin and nutrient-packed produce you don’t have to throw out in a few days!? Beko is also focused on making sure all of their appliances are affordable, which is why you’ll never see them head-to-head price-wise with other top of the line appliances out there. Find out where you can purchase on of Beko’s incredible refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, washing machines or appliances at: https://www.beko.com/us-en/in-stock and make your home as sustainable as possible.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“You should feel proud that this is the county you live in and these are the incredible things we bring to the market.”
Anna Genaschi (23:03-23:10)
Anna Genaschi, Director of Communications for the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, is always looking for opportunities to educate farmers, ranchers, growers and consumers alike about their local food sources and, while getting a salad one day with her coworker from a local fruit stand, she said, “wouldn’t it be great if we could take an inventory of all the restaurants in our county and see who is sourcing locally and find a way to give them a shout out?”
From there, the Farm Bureau Foodies video series was born! The Farm Bureau Foodies’ series is released every other month and highlights local farmers, growers and ranchers in Stanislaus County and the restaurants that support them. Their first episode highlighted the local dairy farmstead Fiscalini Cheese (this is where cows stay alive, are milked and delicious cheese is made right on the property) that’s over 100 years old!
This might not sound that important, but it’s educational resources like this that help diminish the spread of misinformation that’s one of the biggest threats to our domestic agriculture. For example, Anna’s mom gave her a call after watching a news story that claimed harvesting almonds kills bees. Anna explained to her mom that bees aren’t even in the almond orchard at the time of harvest! Instead, bees join the orchard during bloom in February and almonds aren’t harvested until late August to early September. The second episode of Farm Bureau Foodies even talks about how bees leave almond orchards healthier than before, and the interesting science behind why.
“The number one thing in my opinion that’s a threat to our domestic agriculture is the misinformation that’s out there and the misunderstanding of what life and the practice is on the farm.” Anna Genaschi (24:23-24:37)
Organizations like the Farm Bureau serve as a catalyst for change and improvement, as well as a safe space for their members (our farmers) to share their ideas, best practices, assembly task forces, and decide how to make the necessary changes and improvements to our agriculture industry. Creating a series that speaks to consumers is extremely beneficial for this because there are a lot of regulations farmers are up against that affect their ability to attain and sustain the labor they need to thrive. Labor laws and water regulations are the two top issues both Anna and Lori agree our farmers and growers are fighting against, and we need more voters to use their voice and advocate for what’s going to keep our farmers, growers and ranchers successful.
“Farm security and food security is national security and the only way we have food security is if we have profitable farmers.” Lori Taylor (15:28-15:35)
The goal of the Farm Bureau Foodies’ episodes is to, of course, entertain and educate consumers, but also instill a sense of pride. When you find out what your local county grows, the incredible history and hard work that goes into production and the unique, delicious meals local restaurants can create because of it, how could you not feel proud? Many people don’t know that their favorite restaurant meals are sourced locally, or what goes into making that sustainable process possible.
“We have transparency. We have nothing to hide, we are doing things in a way that we believe are our best practices and we’re not trying to hide anything about what’s happening on the farm.” Anna Genaschi (24:06-24:17)
The Farm Bureau Foodies’ series is just getting started and has already created some great episodes you don’t want to miss! Your mouth will be watering when you watch the first episode of some delicious shrimp and grits made with Fiscalini bandage wrapped cheddar cheese. Their second episode features Roberts Ferry Gourmet with a delightful milkshake that uses almond (or as the locals say “ammon”) butter. Watch and subscribe to the Farm Bureau Foodies’ series at: https://www.facebook.com/FarmBureauFoodies/.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It’s a safe assumption to make that [sexual harassment] is happening in your workplace.”
LeAnne Ruzzamenti (14:05-14:09)
The Equitable Food Initiative is raising awareness for sexual harassment prevention in the month of April and, thanks to them, all companies across the Agriculture industry have access to a phenemonenal sexual harassment prevention training and toolkit that’s helped transform company culture at businesses like GoodFarms, one of the brands under Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce.
Sexual harassment is an uncomfortable issue to talk about, but thanks to initiatives from the EFI (which started decades before Hollywood’s “#MeToo” movement), more and more business have the tools to create trust, build open lines of communication and properly handle cases of sexual harassment that previously were never spoken about.
Not yet familiar with the Equitable Food Initiative? The EFI is a skill building and certification organization that focuses on workforce development to create healthier workplaces and safer food by engaging farm workers in new and different ways in their work. They help train growers and workers to create new forms of communication and collaboration that’s most conducive to a healthy working environment. The EFI also works with retailers by helping them understand what those industry requirements are that growers like Good Farms are meeting and exceeding those. This ends up helping consumers so have a barometer for comparing fresh produce brands and grocery retailers.
Some studies show that 99.8% of people who experience sexual harassment at work never file a sexual harassment charge, and in the farming industry that can be especially true. Because of the nature of the work, employers and employees can be left at risk because workers are spread out and can be easily isolated. Many workers are under the supervision of just one person and that person might have the majority power in the working relationship, like controlling shifts in the quality of work. Plus, a large majority of the worker population speaks a different language which can make it difficult for them to know about certain policies and how to get help if they need it.
“You see women who will leave jobs. You see both men and women who are reluctant to refer family and friends to work in an organization that has harassment issues. When you’re in an industry like food and agriculture where we have a dire labor shortage, you really want to ensure your working conditions are safe and healthy and have a reason to be attracting and keeping talent, not driving them out the door.” LeAnne Ruzzamenti (12:19-12:47)
Amalia Lommel, Director of Social Responsibility at Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce (or as Lori likes to call her “the OG of the social responsibility space for fresh produce”), started the social responsibility program at Andrew & Williamson first by taking the partner owners of GoodFarms out into the field sand speaking to every different crew about EFI. Each crew was asked to nominate a representative to be the liaison for learning about the EFI program. The workers were skeptical, wondering things like if they had anything to gain from this, or if they’d be retaliated against by a supervisor, for example, if they volunteered for this program.
“We needed to teach everybody within the sexual harassment standards and the labor laws what their rights are, what their responsibilities are, and that it’s your responsibility to report and your right to be safe and not harassed.” Amalia Lommel (19:22-19:41)
At first, Amalia would ask women “how are you doing? How are you feeling?”, and their response was always “fine”. No news is good news, right? Amalia soon realized she wasn’t communicating and building trust with workers in the right way so she could break the barrier and offer a safe space for them to speak up about what they were encountering. Eventually she began to hear about sexual harassment issues and claims after consistently using the communication tools from the EFI training.
Since putting the EFI program into place, there’s been a great shift culturally at Andrew & Williamsons GoodFarms. More and more women are in decision-making roles, and women are arriving to the farm through their H2A program, a guest worker program where people from Mexico are invited to come work in the United States. Women now feel more comfortable to ask for promotions, volunteer for leadership positions and are speaking up about harassment issues they used to keep quiet about.
“If you take away the shame and retaliation and fear and you applaud people when they come forth with an issue, I think that’s a beautiful first step.” Amalia Lommel (39:51-40:01)
What can other businesses in agriculture address sexual harassment in their own organization? The EFI partnered with a University of Washington professor to create a sexual harasment prevention curriculum designed specifically for the Agriculture. The training took six years to develop and 72 stakeholders in the process including human rights organizations, state and federal agencies, grower associations, legal experts and more. This program is now free and completely available online! The course is self-guided through videos to watch, and available to order as an in-person hard copy as well! Find out more about this free program at www.equitablefood.org/harassment.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Produce waste is a trillion dollar problem.”
Lori Taylor (13:58-14:00)
Food waste is something we’re all guilty of here in the United States. Have you ever tasted an apple from your recent trip to the grocery store and felt it tasted tired? You probably threw out the rest of them without a second thought. But did you know in the United States, 40% of fruits and vegetables grown end up in the garbage?
This is something that Seth Shumate, CEO and co-founder, and Andy Tudor, Director of Marketing and Business Development of Yumbrella are working hard to change. Yumbrella is a company replacing the wax covering we’re used to seeing on our fruits and vegetables with an all-natural, transparent, odorless, tasteless coating that uses only common food ingredients and extends shelf life by protecting fruits and vegetables. Even better and what sets the Yumbrella liquid coating apart from wax is it dissolves in two seconds under running water!
How did Yumbrella get started? Seth’s co-founder Richardos was taking a cab from school in Beirut, Lebanon and the driver, who happened to be an apple farmer, was complaining that he had to throw his apples out that year because cold storage was too expensive (Lebanon’s electricity rates are often higher than Hawaii’s because they need to import their fuel). A month later, Richardos was looking at the film form around the edge of his mom’s casserole dish and got the idea to create a food-based coating, using nature’s natural processes, to slow down spoilage and preserve fruits and vegetables when they’re at their best.
“We envision Yumbrella being a truly global solution because the energy payback is what’s so extraordinary. That means it’ll be more affordable for smallholder farmers up to big packing groups in the United States.” Seth Shumate (15:09-15:13)
Why haven’t consumers heard about this technology yet? Yumbrella's first focus was to work with growers and packers and make sure they saw the value in it. They wanted to show growers the quality of preservation Yumbrella’s product provides, but also that it slows down the respiration of fruit so growers won’t lose 30% of what they purchase to weight reduction and produce shows up to retailers already being hydrated. Yumbrella’s team is doing what they can to be transparent by sharing their incredible story on their website and going on podcasts like The Produce Moms, but considering consumers will spend less than one second looking at an information placard on display, they’re leaving it up to retailers to inform the consumer how they’d like.
“We think Yumbrella is a very exciting story to tell with its sustainability aspects and washability and the fact that you’re getting a better tasting piece of fruit which means you’re going to end up throwing away less of what you actually buy. These are all super positives. We love telling this story.” Andy Tudor (17:20-17:41)
Oftentimes when someone hears about something being sustainable, they think it’ll be more expensive, which isn’t the case with Yumbrella. For example, when packers repackage apples, they use new boxes and new materials, which is costly and wasteful. Each apple takes up its own water and own energy, so with less throwaway happening, the ROI for everyone across the produce supply chain is phenomenal.
“This is a tool for us. This is great, it helps us manage our inventories and the apple is just as if it came off the packing line to the consumer so there’s no degradation over the supply chain.” Andy Tudor (7:52-8:09)
Remember, you’re automatically getting a better product when you purchase one that’s sprayed with Yumbrella instead of wax. When your produce is “covered by fresh”, it’s covered in something completely natural that has locked in the condition of the fruit or vegetable from the time it was applied. The shelf life is extended, your produce will taste better and it washes off in two seconds under running water!
Healthy, organic, safe, sustainable… What's not to love about Yumbrella? You can find out more about this powerful solution to ending food waste by visiting www.yumbrella.com.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I really want the consumer to understand the true cost of producing a product. I think with more education they’ll know what they’re investing in and will be willing to pay more for a quality product they know has a positive impact in the world.”
LeAnne Ruzzamenti (14:09-14:26)
The annual Farm Worker Awareness Week, which falls along Caesar Chavez’s birthday and along the same time when fresh fruit and vegetable production moves back to the U.S., is an important week to honor the daily contributions that farm workers make to our food system. We truly wouldn’t have access to the quality supply of products we enjoy without our farm workers who are invisible to us as consumers.
LeAnne Ruzzamenti, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Equitable Food Initiative, was raised on a family-owned apple farm in the Hudson Valley and has been in agriculture her whole life. Joining the Equitable Food Initiative in 2016 was an opportunity for her to share her passion for sharing stories that highlight the people behind our food. The EFI is a certification organization focused on workforce development and engaging with farm workers directly to create healthier workplaces and safer foods.
For example, the EFI works with growers like Misionero (the company behind Earth Greens, Garden Life and Green Wave Farms) to help train workers and create communication and collaboration that works across the entire team, and they also work with retailers so they can understand different levels of social responsibility. It’s the small, unnoticed tasks that happen every day the EFI is shining a light on for the agricultural industry and consumers.
“We know what it takes to get fresh and healthy food on our table, but most consumers probably don’t think too deeply into the supply chain. It’s really important to show our appreciation for these men and women who are the backbone of our food system and also to call on the agricultural industry as a whole to better educate consumers about where their food comes from and all the hands that are responsible for it.” LeAnne Ruzzamenti (9:51-10:17)
Nicole Minnich-Zapata works as the Marketing Director for Misionero, the company that brings you your favorite organic and conventional salads and salad kits, lettuces, bagged vegetables under brands like Earth Greens, Garden Life and Green Wave Farms. Nicole attests to what a huge part EFI plays in all areas of the business. For example, one of the concerns Misionero was hearing from employees was that the parking lot was too dark at night when they left from their second shift. This led the company to putting in new lighting in the parking lot, and making other changes like adding more paid time off and new bathrooms.
“I think Farm Workers Awareness Week should be spent dedicating and honoring the hard-working people that support getting food from the farm to the table, which is essential especially in the hard times we’ve gone through recently.” Nicole Minnich-Zapata (12:17-12:28)
Misionero has been EFI certified for over three years and just recently has started a new pilot program called The Producing Reduce Program, a zero waste initiative that launched six months ago, and a Work Process Skills pilot program which focuses on the upskilling of employees, reviewing all operation processes and adding input for areas of improvement – specifically around professionalizing agriculture workers and identifying areas of leadership opportunities for new and current employees.
“As we think about sustainability, how we treat our people and take care of that human capital is a huge part of a sustainable movement in a sustainable agriculture system.” Lori Taylor (18:20-18:31)
You can support the Equitable Food Initiative as a consumer by looking for third party certification labels on the goods you buy like fruits, vegetables, seafood, coffee and tea. When you do your part by buying these products that are verified by audits to meet labor standards, you’re making a huge difference! You can also get involved through social media and follow updates through the EFI website (www.equitablefoodinitiative.org) to start learning about each brands’ process and companies you’re buying from. Learning about each of these farmworkers’ stories and how they’re contributing to our greater food system will warm your heart and give you the valuable connection to your food resources that we’re all looking for.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We are encouraging women to bring their capabilities to the table in a way that’s unapologetic.”
Jill Overdorf (25:15-25:24)
Jill Overdorf is one of the first women who had the “boss lady” mentality and reputation in the produce industry and rightfully so! She’s strong, powerful, unapologetic and a key stakeholder in the empowerment of women across the board. She’s technically been in the industry since “starting her own culinary business” at the age of 13! From pushing hand carts, picking produce, driving box trucks and working 20 years as an executive chef, Jill has done it all without letting anything get in the way of her confident drive.
Now the Director of Business Development at Naturipe, Jill never expected to dive into the produce industry. After graduating with a major in film and communication, she went to the Culinary Institute of America and was offered two jobs directly after graduating – one in New Zealand and one opening a restaurant in Manhattan. Jill recalls, “I was terrified of Manhattan. I grew up in Boston and Manhattan scared the bejeezus out of me, so that’s the job that I chose.”
From there, Jill has worked as an executive chef at exciting locations like Dreamwork Studios and the Getty Museum, while living on every single continent as a way to embrace all of our different cultures and the way they utilize food to come together in harmony. Jill eventually came aboard Naturipe to join the already strong roster of powerful women and was wowed by Naturipe’s focus on “our ability as individuals – our strengths, our intellect and our capabilities as a person,” not gender.
“To have somebody say, ‘I need your help’, is really empowering because that means your voice has been understood and appreciated… and then to be able to say to those same people that you need help offers a reciprocal opportunity that is so important in any relationship, but especially when you’re elevating women.” Jill Overdorf (11:50-12:12)
Naturipe does an incredible job at giving everyone the ability to be as autonomous as they need to be, while also supporting one another to elevate each other and the entire industry. There’s plenty of women who reach out to one another for help and support, which Jill appreciates because it shows her/your voice has been understood and appreciated. It’s incredibly important to have that reciprocal support, especially when elevating women, and a safe environment to ask for help.
Even though COVID was challenging for Jill especially because of the lack of connectivity we all had, she loves that Naturipe made it a point to have regular team calls and a transparent line of communication. It takes a team to be successful and Naturipe is a great example of valuing everyone as an individual for their capabilities and strengths, regardless of their gender.
Lori and Jill both recall the days of attending produce industry conferences just 20 years ago where there were hardly any women there. Cat calling was prominent, cursory glances and getting “looked up and down” on the market floor by men. Now, there’s a long line to wait for the women’s restroom at these conferences and certainly less of a fight to “prove yourself” as a woman. It’s no surprise Jill has received comments of, “who do you think you are!?” because she’s never been afraid to walk in a room and ask questions without qualifying who she is or why she deserves to be there.
“Confidence is disarming. Confidence in men and strong women is disarming.” Jill Overdorf (23:56-24:10)
Whether you’re a woman just entering the produce industry looking towards the future, or one who’s been experiencing the same transformation for years, Jill reminds all women that “it’s okay to be smart, it’s okay to ask questions, and it’s okay to push the boundaries if you’re doing it in a way that’s sincere.”
We all want to better the system regardless of race, religion, creed or gender. Bringing your voice to the table to be heard (with confidence) is a must in the produce industry, and using your intelligence with apology. Your ideas, questions, observations and thoughts are needed to keep the industry evolving for the greater good. If you’re a woman who’s been in the industry for years, when you see a “rising star” or “new kid on the block”, help them out! Introduce them to their next potential job or boss, help them understand the “unwritten rules”, lift them up, empower them, and ask them for support on things you might not know too!
Jill’s last remarks are a must read. She shares with us that “it’s my personal mission to have all of my interactions be positive and impact that person’s life in a way that is memorable and important. Whether it’s the checkout woman at the grocery store or someone who’s harvesting for us in the fields, we have a responsibility as individuals to acknowledge other sentient individuals as human living beings. Be kind, be respectful, acknowledge their presence and hope that it’ll impact that person’s day in a way that’s positive.”
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“If you don’t have the next generation of kids going back to their family business or starting new farming operations, we’re going to have a problem in 20 or 30 years.”
Walt Dasher (20:24-20:35)
Walt Dasher is the proud owner of third-generation, family-owned G&R Farms where they do more than just grow delicious Vidalia and Preuvian onions, they are fostering the Future Farmers of America (FFA) through a program Walt started called Growing America’s Farmers. G&R Farms has always hired local kids in or just out of high school to do additional work during the summer, like driving tractors, for example. But in 2015, not one single application came Walt’s way when in years prior they’d always have an immediate and great response.
On top of it, many of the applicants that Walt interviewed had time restrictions, couldn’t work the hours required, and weren’t seeing this work as the great opportunity it is. Walt reached out to Katrina Jones, Executive Director of The Georgia FFA Foundation, and asked if she could help connect him to local high schoolers and teachers. Her response? Walt’s search was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
“We’re seeing that the kids who grew up on a farm or are associated with a family farm aren’t choosing to go back into the family business. They are electing to move out into other careers. Nobody wants to do what you do anymore,” said Katrina.
Walt experienced this first hand when visiting a local high school to speak and a high school boy who could inherit his family’s (very successful) local farm wanted to go into a career in accounting. Walt was stunned to find out this boy believed that “true American farming companies are going to be a thing of the past because the retail industry could care less where the product comes from, whether it’s from America or Asia or somewhere else”. Walt had to explain that the reason companies buy products in other countries is because they can’t source enough of the product domestically! If they could find everything locally in America, they would buy everything that’s available.
“I’m sitting here thinking to myself that other kids in his same position around the country have the same mindset that they feel like the American retail industry or American consumers don’t truly support American agriculture.” Walt Dasher (30:00-30:17)
Inspired, Walt shared this information with one of his retail partners and wanted to do something to change the overall perception of retailers and farms in America. Walt started Growing America’s Farmers in 2015 to raise awareness through the retail industry. They created their own packaging and point-of-sale material, put it in stores, and embarked on a fundraising program to raise awareness and help young American farmers continue on legacies that are becoming a thing of the past.
In 2015 the average age of an American farmer was 58 years old. Today it’s 60, which shows the average age of an American family farmer is still declining because grandchildren in their 20s and 30s aren’t coming back to the farm.
The majority of larger retail companies east of Texas have embraced Growing America’s Farmers, which brings FFA kids into retail locations to interact with customers. Oftentimes there are lines of 15-20 consumers waiting to talk to the FFA students, ask them questions about their family’s history, the farm’s history, their future plans, facts about growing and more. A large percentage of the kids Growing America’s Farmers was able to financially back are now continuing on into the field.
COVID-19 changed the way Growing America’s Farmers had to operate – from packing, to shipping, to transportation, to how products were being displayed, because retailers and consumers alike were terrified of what the coronavirus might bring. Walt used this as an opportunity to change their core marketing message and further drive home the point of needing to be informed of where your food is sourced and is coming from, especially with the heightened concerns COVID-19 brought us.
“You’re dealing with a pandemic that nobody’s ever even imagined. If you’re concerned about the safety of the food stores, this is why it is so critical to know more about your food source and where it comes from.” Walt Dasher (40:27-40:51)
What would you rather eat? A piece of produce grown in a country you aren’t familiar with, have no idea when it was harvested or any of the safety procedures taken when transporting it here, or a piece of produce grown right here in America, where you know the date it was harvested and from what field, and where you can meet the kids or the family who grew it?
There’s a need for the American consumer to be comfortable and know where their food source comes from and the Growing America’s Farmers program can help you with that. Their onion program is on shelves now and will be operating in three retailers east of Texas from May to June, and then west Texas from June to July. Consumers can go to their local retailer, enjoy the customized packaging which tells a story about where their food came from. Growing America’s Farmers also has the goal of getting FFA kids back into stores in front of consumers (which was ceased because of COVID-19 restrictions) so they can interact with one another and educate buyers on their farm and produce.
Find out more about G&R Farms’ delicious onions by visiting www.grfarmsonions.com and where to connect with Growing America’s Farmers next at www.growingamericasfarmers.com.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We fight through the growing pains because that’s what we love to do. We see it as failure not being an option because this is our life. It’s truly empowering.”
Carley Parsley (5:57-6:12)
Carley Parsley’s family are fifth generation farmers and third generation blueberry growers at Brookside Farms (they’ve been growing since the early 50s). Even though Carley is the Direct of Food Safety, being a part of a family owned business means you do a little bit of everything! Growing up helping out on a farm, Carley has always known this is where she belonged and she’s seen the industry go from male-dominated to one that’s welcoming and empowering of women across the entire supply chain.
Spending her summers working on her family’s farm side-by-side her dad, uncle and mom sparked a passion inside Carley that made her feel innately like that’s where she was meant to be. She interned with Natureripe Farms before graduating with a marketing and management degree in hopes it would benefit the farm. Even as a young girl involved in 4H, Carley always felt empowered by her supervisors and family with access to the tools and encouragement she needed to succeed, while growing and learning along the way.
So much has changed for Carley along her career in the blueberry industry. For example, 12 years ago, food safety used to be an afterthought whereas today it’s evolved into a full time job! And up until a few years ago, it’d be rare to see a woman attending a blueberry growers’ conference. Now? Let’s just say the last conference Carley went to only had one man that attended! Thanks to a push by leadership and a desire by women to get more involved, there are more and more job opportunities for women in the blueberry industry, even at the farm level.
“[My family] gave us the tools that we needed and the encouragement until we figured it out. We did whatever it took to get the job done.” Carley Parsley (5:35-5:45)
Carley sees a deep meaning to Women’s History Month, especially when applying it to agriculture. Women have been side-by-side male farmers and growers doing their role for centuries. During that time, women were the silent voices in farming operations and behind the scenes. Their day-to-day role was often taken for granted and now we get to honor these women!
“My grandpa was the face of our farms for a long time, and then it was my dad, and then my uncle. Now that roles and changing opportunities for women are changing, they’re taking the step to take advantage of opportunities to have a voice and say in where the industry is headed.” Carley Parsley (13:57-14:19)
The role women play in food in agriculture goes back centuries and has alway been important, but now today we can empower women even more with the unique opportunities available to be a part of the changes we’d like to see in our industry. Carley’s mom started out in the marketing office for Michigan Blueberry Growers, a co-op, and she worked with just a few other women in the accounting side of the business, but it was predominantly males. It’s changed significantly now, and Carley considers her mom a trailblazer as a woman leading the industry.
“I hope opportunities will continue to be available to women as time continues to progress and that they’ll be able to play vital roles.” Carley Parsley (19:42-19:55)
Who is Carley’s role model? Her mom. Carley says, “She’s the example of sacrifice and the sacrifice it’s taken to get our farm. She’s worked two jobs for most of our farm’s growing years just to support my dad and my uncle. She sacrifices her time and she’s never let me have the thought that there’s something I can’t do. She’s always empowered me to do whatever I set my mind to.”
Her grandma, who passed away last year, is also a role model of Carley’s and a woman who was a part of the change we’ve seen in the blueberry industry. Her grandma wanted to share blueberries with everyone and that passion and desire to educate people on where the food they enjoy has come from, which Carley credits to being one of the greatest impacts of her life.
It’s clear that across the blueberry and produce industry, we’ve evolved greatly into a space where women have opportunities to be heard, take on the roles they desire and are empowered to create the change we want to see for many years to come. You can find out more about Carley and the delicious blueberry products her family farm has to offer by visiting: https://www.brooksidefarmsmi.com/.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The system is not set up to facilitate wellness and health. My goal is to help connect regular people with the current research and help make a difference in their lives and help reduce the global burden of Alzheimer’s.”
Tamara Claunch (34:51-35:18)
Tamara Claunch had a first hand experience with Alzheimer’s that left her feeling hopeless. Her grandmother passed away in 2008 from Alzheimer’s related complications and, after watching her get sicker and sicker over many years with no way to help, it left Tamara worrying about how she would end up (both her great-grandmother and grandmother had it).
Her concern drove her to start reading the latest international Alzheimer’s research and was surprised to find out how many things you can do to reduce your risk of getting the disease. She started working for The Center For Applied Research and Dementia where she helped individuals with late-stage Alzheimer’s use a therapeutic rehabilitative approach that enabled them to re-learn how to eat, communicate and perform other basic functions we don’t usually see someone late-stage be able to do again.
Tamara went on to work with other organizations like Dementia Alliance International and Apollo Health, which further showed Tamara all that’s available for us to do to prevent and protect ourselves against Alzheimer’s. Now with her Brain Beautiful Method, taught through digital courses and one-on-one coaching sessions, Tamara teaches people how to transform their body into a Living Laboratory, cultivating a garden of brain-supportive habits unique to yourself. Her four micro-courses, Nourish, Move, Calm and Rest, focus on the core essentials of defending against Alzheimer’s (proper nutrition, exercise and stress management).
“If I had a magic wand and could make everybody eat in a Brain Beautiful way, half of their plate would be green leafy vegetables, it would incorporate probiotics or prebiotics bacteria, and include non-starchy vegetables and eating a rainbow seasonal produce.” Tamara Claunch (26:14-26:54)
We all know proper nutrition and physical activity is essential for health, but how does it affect your risk for Alzheimer’s? By following the Brain Beautiful Method and eating properly, getting the right kind and right amount of exercise, not smoking, not having unhealthy alcohol habits, and engaging in cognitive stimulation activities, you can cut your risk for getting Alzheimer’s by 60%! When it comes to fitness, what’s most important is getting your blood flowing because when blood pumps through your body, it’s bringing vital nutrients to your brain. A minimum of 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a week is standard, and exercise like high intensity interval training (HIIT) has proven to be highly effective. Even if you or someone you know doesn’t have that ability for such vigorous exercise, Tamara suggests walking! Our bodies are designed for it and if you start tracking your steps, you can do just a little bit more each day.
“One of the most important functions of sleep is cleaning out the brain at night. When we go to sleep at night and we get into deep sleep, cerebrospinal fluid washes across the surface of the brain and carries away detritus which is essentially [the] brain’s trash litter. Every thought you had, everything you read, every word you spoke [and so on] is a chemical reaction in the brain which is left behind like trash that needs to be washed.” Tamara Claunch (15:21-15:50)
Sleep is also vital to Alzheimer’s prevention and something that (as Lori admitted on the podcast) most of us aren’t getting enough of. But without getting enough sleep, which is about seven to eight hours per night, your brain can’t clean itself and your body struggles to step out of stress and into the rest, relaxation and recovery it needs. If you’re a chronic late-night phone scroller… stop! Blue light is emitted from our screens and is what stops the production of melatonin in the brain. When blue light enters the eyes, it stops the reaction of melatonin which is what helps us sleep and maintain healthy sleep-wake cycles. This is a tough habit to break for most of us, but Tamara recommends plugging your cell phone in to charge at night in the bathroom or kitchen… anywhere that’s close enough to get to it in an emergency, but not easy to grab and scroll when you should be sleeping.
Lastly, stress is something that we can never get rid of, but can learn to manage more effectively. Our natural fight-or-flight stress response was create for our ancestors to (literally) stay alive, but since we don’t have that life-threatening danger anymore, we need to learn how to turn this response off and get our body back into homeostasis, rather than hyperactivity (which raises our risk for Alzheimer’s). One way to teach your body to switch out of its sympathetic nervous system and into the parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ function is to breathe properly! A quick way to do this is to practice slow and controlled diaphragmatic breathing by breathing in slowly for a count of four, holding your breath for a count of four, then exhaling for a count of four. Repeat this for five or six times and you’ll feel a wave of calm take over previous anxiety or stress!
“We have to have a reason to get out of bed every day for the rest of our lives. It’s so important for us to have roles and purpose and meaningful connections in our own home, within our communities and with the wider world. This may not be ‘essential’ to life, but studies show that chronic loneliness can raise your risk of Alzheimer’s tremendously.” Tamara Claunch (31:25-31:55)
Tamara’s Brain Beautiful program helps you take an honest look at your nutrition, exercise, stress and sleep habits and make small, daily improvements that will make a huge difference. On top of it all, Tamara teaches how important it is for us to have a sense of purpose. Living a rich, dynamic, engaged, purposeful life is just as important as eating the right foods and getting enough exercise. Life doesn’t end at retirement and as humans, we’re hardwired for community and connection. A key risk factor of Alzheimer’s is loneliness, so make sure you’re investing in your mental health by adding more passion and purpose to your life!
Tamara has two more courses launching soon, one of which teaches you how to support your natural detoxification pathways in the body. You can find out more about the Brain Beautiful Method, Tamara’s programs and ways you can prevent Alzheimer’s by visiting www.thebrainbeautifulmethod.com.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“My goal is for someone to walk into any place where there is a board meeting and you’re looked at as an individual, not thinking that you might not be worth the position or worth being there because you’re a female.”
Aribel Aguirre-Beck (22:01-22:20)
There’s no better way to kick off Women’s History Month and The Produce Mom’s three-part miniseries than with three phenomenal, empowering, inspirational women from our incredible brand partner Naturipe Farms. Donna Lynn Browne, Senior Director Of Food Safety And Social Responsibilities, Aribel Aguirre-Beck, Chief Financial Officer And Chief Administration Officer, CarrieAnn Arias, Vice President Of Marketing For Naturipe Farms all have a lot to share when it comes to women empowerment, mentorship, and transforming the produce industry into one that values, respects, and welcomes women across the board.
Even in 2022, the age of female empowerment, it can be discouraging to see the ways different industries still don’t support and encourage the success (and equality) of women. Naturipe Farms is the exact opposite.
“I think Naturipe learned early on that women are good for business. If you read a lot of articles on successful businesses, it’s a balance. You have both male, female and different cultures in the more diverse management is expected of us and they tend to be more successful. So we have learned to empower women, give them all the tools and the additional training or support they want, says Aribel Aguirre-Beck, CFO and CAO at Naturipe Farms.
Aribel has proven to be a great inspiration for both Donna Lynn Browne and CarrieAnn Arias in part because of her role on Naturipe’s board of directors, which still remains predominantly male. It makes sense that Aribel would push past any boundaries within the produce industry and climb to the top as a woman. Her greatest advice to women starting out in the produce industry is to remember that you’re in charge of your own limits. Do whatever your heart desires and don’t let anyone limit you. If you do feel like you’re being limited, go somewhere else because women shouldn’t be limited in the produce industry, or anywhere else. She also reminds all women to speak with confidence, be who you are and go where you want to go. If you are confident, willing to work and do what it takes, you will succeed.
A perfect example of this is CarrieAnn Arias, someone who looks up to Aribel and is also a mentor for TPM’s founder, Lori Taylor. CarrieAnn started her career working in sales and marketing for an interior design business, commuting five hours a day, but deeply wanted to break into the produce industry. She decided to take a massive pay cut and leap of faith into the industry by taking on an administrative position, giving her the opportunity to learn as much as possible about the industry.
She credits her mentors for helping her work her way up the ladder. Having the support of people she could reach up to, people she looked up to, and people who would give her quality advice was key to her success. The wonderful thing about the produce industry is that it is small, so CarrieAnn Arias still regularly runs into her previous mentors at conferences and trade shows. It’s quite special to feel that type of camaraderie that many industries don’t have.
“Success for me, personally, looks like the people around you being promoted. When you’re lifting other people up you’re lifting up the whole ship! Naturipe is really strong on focusing on that type of moment of empowerment by allowing us to have the opportunity to be mentors.” CarrieAnn Arias (13:43-14:03)
Donna Lynn Browne, Senior Director of Food Safety and Social Responsibilities at Naturipe, has over 28 years of experience in agriculture and has seen the incredible turnover of women rising to the top. She started in a laboratory where she met her mentor, a man, who traveled around the world. His advice to Donna Lynn was to get out of the laboratory and into actual factory plants. Donna Lynn left the lab and went to work for a chocolate factory to get her feet wet.
“Originally the agriculture industry was pretty much a boys club because most of the growers, farmers and people that were in it were male. It has changed so much in the 28 years I’ve been doing this. You see so many women now as CEOs, CFOs, and so on, of different companies and I think they’ve realized that having a balance is a good thing,” Donna Lynn shares.
Donna Lynn also plays an integral role in social responsibility by making sure the company she works for is following all labor laws, isn’t discriminating and is treating workers responsibly. Plus, she makes sure employees receive proper training, proper education and are mentored in a way that fosters their growth. Donna Lynn wants women just starting in the fresh produce industry to know that she can believe in herself, be true to herself, honor what she thinks and speak up when she has questions.
Speaking of believing in yourself, Lori also shared a personal story about her journey with The Produce Moms. In 2015 she took the scary leap into entrepreneurship by purchasing back TPM (her idea) from her former employer. She remembers going to her first trade event after purchasing TPM (and accruing a six-figure acquisition debt), only having one small client, and feeling embarrassed. She could hardly afford the gas to drive to the trade show event in Chicago not to mention a hotel to stay at. Carrying this weight on her shoulders, feeling stressed, scared, nervous and battling all the feelings that come with entrepreneurship, she asked a question during a women’s panel at the show.
“What do you do when you feel like no one believes in you?”
Regardless of the answer, Lori had a pivotal moment of bravery and, what could be considered, a call for help. One of the women leaders came to Lori after the session and told her, “if you feel like you’re surrounded by people that don’t believe in you, that is because you’re standing in the wrong room.”
This is some of the most important advice that has stuck with Lori still to this day.
“Every step of the way as we make decisions at The Produce Moms I think, ‘if people don’t believe in what we’re doing, I’m not in the right room. I’m not surrounding myself with the right people. I’m not working with the right people.” Lori Taylor (34:09-34:17)
Every woman on this show was filled with gratitude for the camaraderie, mentorship and inspiration they’ve given each other, along with the support Naturipe has had for empowering women within the produce industry.
No matter what industry, position or role you’re in as a woman, CarrieAnn reminds you that it’s important to find (and use) your voice. For her, volunteering and mentoring is how she’s done this and found the success she needed to succeed. It doesn’t matter how old you are – you can always mentor someone else and offer the support, advice and leadership they need. Donna Lynn reminds us that we still have a long way to go when it comes to female empowerment, but the strides we’ve made in agriculture are incredible. Aribel wants us to continue the great momentum we’ve created so it no longer is a ‘surprise’ to see a woman in any type of position, and everyone can be respected for their differences. Lastly, Lori thanks Naturipe for their incredible support of women, The Produce Moms and commitment to Women’s History Month!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Black walnuts are the cadillac of tree nuts! I’ve done a lot of baking with them in my kitchen and can tell a true difference in flavor.”
Lori Taylor (2:01-2:12)
The best part about Hammons Black Walnuts isn’t how deliciously bold, flavorful, healthy and versatile they are, it’s that they are 100% wildly sourced!
Hammons Black Walnuts is a third generation family owned nut shelling business that started from Brian Hammons’ grandfather 76 years ago. His grandfather, fresh out of the Navy, connected with a company in Virginia that was looking for more black walnuts. If you aren’t familiar with black walnuts, these are different from the more commonly found English walnuts farmed in California. Seeing an opportunity, his grandfather went to Tennessee, bought a cracking machine, brought it to Missouri and started shelling black walnuts. In the first year alone, the business shelled around 100,000 pounds of black walnuts. Today, the company can process around 100,000 pounds a day!
What’s unique about Hammons Black Walnuts is they have about 230 local buying stations where individuals can bring in black walnuts they’ve picked and get paid for them. Sometimes it’s a location like a lawn and garden center, or a small business and that service helps supplement their income. Where are people picking black walnuts? Since they naturally grow wild in the midwest (and all of Hammons’ black walnuts are 100% wildly sourced), there are plenty of black walnut trees around that drop the hard, yellow, baseball-sized nuts from October into November.
“We connect with a lot of folks who have stories to tell about picking up black walnuts as a kid and now they’re taking their grandkids to pick them up and make money with them. They tell us how much money they made and what they did with it. Sometimes it was for extra Christmas money, sometimes it was boots for the winter time, and some people really needed that.” Brian Hammons (14:42-15:12)
The difference between a black walnut and an English walnut boils down to flavor and cultivation. Black walnuts have a bold flavor compared to the mild English walnut, and, as you’re finding out, black walnuts are wildly grown whereas English walnuts are cultivated primarily in California and China. Black walnuts are hard to crack and don’t have that much meat on the inside when you open them. Hammons’ yields about seven to eight pounds of sellable nut meat from every 100 pounds that they crack, while with English walnuts you’ll yield about 45 to 50 pounds!
Sure, English walnuts give you a nice crunch when cooking with them, but black walnuts offer a bolder, richer, earthier flavor that is extremely versatile. Black walnuts have more protein than English walnuts, are high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and are the tree nut with the highest protein! This has inspired Hammons’ to start selling their own protein powder.
If you see black walnut anything, whether it’s black walnut ice cream at your local ice cream shop, or a bag of Fisher black walnuts, they probably originated from Hammons’ Black walnuts. The company offers nationwide distribution and supplies over a million pounds a year of nutmeat for larger companies using their product. The good news is you can count on your black walnuts being healthy and free of any issues because Hammons ensures they follow all food safety requirements and regulations.
Traditionally, people use black walnuts in things like brownies, fudge and cakes. One of Kim Hammons’, Brian Hammons’ wife, go-to recipes is a delicious fruit crisp with a black walnut crumble on top. Outside of traditional dessert items, black walnuts have been used in salads, sausage, toasted and added as a garnish, thrown in sautéed dishes, in hors d’oeuvres… the list is endless! Kim also loves to dress fresh green beans with a handful of black walnuts, or on top of broccoli mixed with fennel seed. You can also make a black walnut cheese ball, use them in pesto, grind them up and use them as a crust for things like fish or prime rib, or inside a black walnut oatmeal cookie!
“There’s nothing more enjoyable than when I’m sautéeing something and I throw in the black walnuts. The aroma and flavor that blends together creates such a wonderful palette for your nose and you know it’s going to taste just as wonderful as it smells!” Kim Hammons (26:04-26:22)
Healthy, flavorful, versatile… What's not to love about black walnuts!? If your mouth is watering to try black walnuts, head to your local grocery retailer first, and if they aren’t carried there, check out www.black-walnuts.com. Make sure you store your black walnuts in a cool, dark place, like your pantry. You can keep them in your refrigerator door if you plan to use them regularly, or even freeze them. Hammons’ Black Walnuts is truly a company committed to the sacred art of agriculture, foraging and sustainability, so know you are supporting that when you enjoy Hammons’ Black Walnuts too!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“If you’re not aware of mushrooms, saddle up! Mushrooms are hot. They are the hottest item in the produce department right now.”
Lori Taylor (2:07-2:20)
There’s no doubt about it… mushrooms are one of the hottest items in the produce department right now and if anyone knows mushrooms like the back of their hand, it’s Mike Stephan, Director of Sales for Monterey Mushrooms. Mike has been with the family-owned company (celebrating their 50th anniversary this year) for almost two decades and loves how extraordinary this plant is.
Monterey Mushrooms sells a variety of mushroom types to grocery retailers, restaurants, national pizza chains and other food service providers. Even though mushrooms don’t have a flashy color or potent flavor, they make any ordinary meal extraordinary by bringing a hearty, healthy addition to any meal. The three main types of mushrooms Monterey Mushrooms grows are whites, baby bellas (also known as crimini), and portabella (which are what baby bellas grow into).
Mushrooms really started to shine at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone was looking for ways to boost their immune system. Mushrooms have a high Vitamin C content and, in part thanks to Monterey Mushrooms, a high Vitamin D content too. Mushrooms are the only produce item and non-animal source of Vitamin D.
“When I say it enhances people’s lives, that’s enhancing their lives by making an ordinary meal extraordinary by adding mushrooms.” Mike Stephan (6:29-6:39)
Interestingly enough, mushroom tissue acts like the skin by taking in UV light and converting it to Vitamin D. Mushrooms are an important addition to any American’s diet because 80% of the United States are Vitamin D deficient. Monterey Mushrooms was a bit of a pioneer in increasing the Vitamin D content in mushrooms because they started to expose mushrooms post-harvest to an accurate amount of UV light for the mushrooms to convert it into natural Vitamin D.
This all started when the FDA called attention to the USDA that there was a huge need for Vitamin D in our food supply. The USDA partnered with the mushroom industry and found, through research, that the mushroom crop didn’t contain Vitamin D in it because it isn’t exposed to natural sunlight, mushrooms are grown indoors to become available year round. To change this, mushroom growers have started to bring UV light to the crop post-harvest and the mushroom does the rest of the work!
Even though you might see mushrooms growing in your yard during the fall or in compost piles, the majority of the mushrooms you’ll find at the grocery store are “gregarious by spores mushrooms” and are grown on wheat straw. The wheat straw comes from the straw of the grain, and Monterey Mushrooms uses other byproducts in the agricultural industry as well such as cottonseed and gypsum hulls to create a nutritious mushroom compost. They plant new crops of mushrooms every other day. That makes for 180 crops per year!
With the rising cost of food, mushrooms are a great way to stretch out meat-based dishes and get your kids to eat healthy, nutritious produce even if they are picky eaters. Mushrooms are a great addition to chopped salads (check out our recipe at www.theproducemoms.com), pizza toppings, veggie trays, marinated as an appetizer, blended, sauteed… the options are endless.
One of Lori’s favorite ways to include mushrooms is with turkey tacos. Since turkey can be a bit dry, but it’s healthier, adding ground mushrooms to the ground turkey makes them more meaty and flavorful. It’s a great way to sneak in mushrooms for kids that don’t want to eat them - Lori’s have no idea! She also adds them to a traditional bolognese sauce made with beef by adding the mushrooms to her food processor and then mixing them into the ground beef in the skillet.
“It’s rewarding to work and pour energy into growing a crop that people purchase at a restaurant or grocery store, take home and make a meal that nourishes their family.” Mike Stephan (6:17-6:28)
The great thing about mushrooms is their versatility in how you can cook them and the flavors they’ll add to any dish. Plus, they’re basically a superfood with how much nutrition is packed in them and how much they boost the immune system! Have you ever heard of mushroom chips? If you slow roast sliced mushrooms in the oven and add any seasoning that you want, you’ll have delicious mushroom chips that you can eat alone, sprinkle on salads or baked potatoes.
Don’t be surprised if you see the area mushrooms are sold in your local grocery store grow and expand, especially because of the focus on plant-based meals and how easily mushrooms can play a role as a protein substitute!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Every time somebody picks up a Good Sam product, they know that the people who are finding it on the other end are taken care of and this is truly a fair product taking care of the planet, people, and you and your needs.”
Heather Terry (18:01-18:17)
When Heather Terry started her first company Nibmor Chocolate with co-founder Jennifer Love, the two had no idea the amount of supply chain issues they would uncover. The two eventually sold Nibmor chocolate and Heather went on to consult different retailers and also found Good Sam, a company offering vegan, sugar-free, direct trade, keto-friendly goodies for chocolate lovers of all types.
Good Sam was founded with co-founder Sam Stroot in part from the frustrations Heather had at Nibmor. There was a lack of transparency in the supply chain and she had heard from many of their U.S. farmers that the fair trade system doesn’t really work. There were too many strings attached and the farmers weren’t getting the money they needed. Sam has a great relationship with many in the direct supply chain and access to navigating that system, so she knew he’d be the perfect partner to pair up with!
The issue with the supply chain boils down to the middleman. If you are shopping for fair or direct trade items at your grocery retailer and see a higher price tag on a smaller brand, it’s typically because that product has to go through many, many different layers of “middlemen” to get their product produced. Heather knew there could be a way to eliminate extra human capital which is better for the farmers and consumers’ wallets.
“We should all be treated equally and anything you find at the grocery store you should feel good about the person planting that seed and that they are being granted a living wage, they are able to take care of their families, their fundamental needs are being met and you’re doing some good for the planet.” Heather Terry (8:38-8:55)
For Heather, her focus at her company is on the consumer, yes, but the sower of the seed, the health of the planet, and following the motto of ‘planet, people, prosperity for all’. The company specifically put the planet first in their motto because, if we don’t take care of our planet and where we live now, there won’t be anything left for us and our future generations!
Good Sam’s initiatives came at the perfect time as when Heather started the company, she saw the consumer mindset start to change as well. Whole Foods was on the rise and consumers were starting to turn over product packages, read ingredients and truly care about where their food is sourced from. Good Sam prides themselves on providing true, transparent circularity. For example, the only people that touch their chocolate bars are the trucking company that transports the cacao beans to the manufacturer from the farmers, the manufacturers in Columbia who produce the product, and the transportation company that brings it to the United States. This allows Good Sam to pay the farmers directly, a higher price at that, so they can in turn directly invest in their communities.
Good Sam also has a direct trade program. Did you know that the fair trade system (not direct trade) is a generalized system for all fair trade certifications where only 1% of a brand’s top-line sales is given to the certifier to then give back to the farmers? Good Sam’s direct trade program differs because they directly invest in the farming communities. They don’t just give money to them, they give money alongside them so they can actively manage projects within the communities to help foster growth. Sam and Heather will sit down with farmers, listen to their main concerns and decide how they can use as many of the local resources as possible to keep the ecosystem going.
Heather argues that larger corporations are missing out on what could be a phenomenal business decision when they aren’t choosing direct or fair trade. The way most corporations run their production supply chain depletes the system, which in turn causes them to lose workers, lose quality and lose consumers by constantly raising their prices. If a company isn’t taking care of their workers, their factories and their farmers, they aren’t taking care of their consumers.
One thing Heather learned when starting Nibmor is the complexity of injustices for women and children workers in the chocolate industry. Children, unfortunately, are forced to work at extremely young ages in unfathomable conditions while being trafficked and abused. We would never allow what happens to these workers in the U.S. Although there are many dark sides to the food system, Heather and Good Sam are doing what they can to make a difference with direct trade and she encourages all of us to start questioning the companies that produce our food.
“I think we underestimate the power that as consumers we all really have, and we have a powerful voice in all of this.” Heather Terry (30:31-30:39)
Want to make a difference on an everyday level without getting overwhelmed? Even if you can’t afford to purchase, for example, fair trade products, you can still say ‘no’ to certain items. You can say ‘yes’ to brands that are affordable enough in the right places. When you purchase something anywhere at a grocery store or online retailer, you’re telling the company that this is acceptable enough for you to put your money towards, so they will continue to invest in it.
You can be a catalyst for change by making requests to your grocery retailer and asking for more transparency with the products they are putting on the shelf. You can also request or check in with the customer service desk at your local retailer. Ask enough times and get enough people to talk about it to the customer service desk will make a change. Pass on information like what has been shared on today’s episode to your friends and family and share reputable resources, too!
Interested in learning more about the middleman presence in the food supply chain? Make sure to check out Episode 106 where we dive into the farming economy and the radical changes that need to happen so farmers can be financially rewarded for doing the right thing, like adopting regenerative farming practices and being transparent.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I’ve always known that when people say Idaho, I think about potatoes first!”
Lori Taylor (5:21-5:25)
As Jamey Higham, CEO of The Idaho Potato Commission, puts it, “I’ve got some potato DNA in my blood!”
Jamey was born and raised in Shelley, Idaho, a small town right in the heart of potato country. Growing up with two weeks out of school each year for potato harvest and cheering on his school team the Shelley Russets, Jamey went on to work in the produce industry after high school. He had a short break working for Ford Motor Company in their marketing and sales department, only to be pulled back to potatoes in 2002.
Now Jamey is three weeks into his position as CEO for the Idaho Potato Commission, the ones responsible for making “Idaho” synonymous with the potatoes we love. The role of the Commission is to lead, promote and protect the famous “grown in Idaho” seal. Five out of the nine Commission members are actual potato growers, with the rest representing shipping, packaging and processing of potatoes too.
“I really think that’s a tip of the hat to what you all have done at the Idaho Potato Commission to turn an entire state into being synonymous with a big, agricultural commodity that you grow.” Lori Taylor (6:01-6:13)
Did you know February is Idaho Potato Lovers Month? 50 years ago, February was declared “Potato Lovers Month”, but it became specific to Idaho potatoes 30 years ago… no wonder why! This works out in perfect conjunction with a contest the Commission runs each year. Grocery stores and retailers who enter the contest can create a display that promotes Idaho potatoes. Sometimes the Commission sees as many as 5,000 stores enter!
February is the second busiest time of year for Idaho potatoes compared to Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you are out shopping and see a big Idaho potato display, it’s not just a “contest entering”, it’s a testament to the powerful relationship the retailer has built with the Commission, and the same goes for other produce items.
Why is Idaho so great for growing potatoes? First off, Idaho has the perfect climate of warm days and cool nights, along with great soil made of rich, volcanic ash. There are many generational farms growing Idaho potatoes that have learned for decades how to grow the best quality potatoes, how to best store them and ship them around the world while maintaining their flavor, shape, structure and texture.
Harvest season for potatoes starts in the later summer, around the first part of August. Towards the middle of the harvest, potatoes are sent to a packing facility and they’re put away in two, state of the art storages where they’re shipped out so we can enjoy potatoes year round. If the potatoes aren’t harvested at the right time, there’s a risk that freezing weather will damage crops. As we know how things are changing around the world, that time of month could come earlier or when it’s unexpected.
Demand for potatoes certainly has remained steady throughout the pandemic. Because they’re an affordable, healthy option with many versatile ways you can enjoy them (plus they last long if you store them in a cool, dark location), potatoes were hard to keep on store shelves at the beginning of the pandemic. After the first four months of COVID, restaurants and fast food options started to open up again and then french fry sales were through the roof. Do you remember when lines were almost 45 minutes long for restaurants and fast food locations?
“When COVID first started and restaurants started to close down, we could not pack enough potatoes in the United States to fill the retail.” Jamey Higham (17:54-18:09)
Speaking of fast food and French fries, everywhere you go in Idaho you’ll find ‘fry sauce’ which is a unique combination of mayonnaise, ketchup and a little pickle juice. Another great way to enjoy potatoes is how Lori’s family eats them a few times a week. She suggests tossing them in olive or avocado oil, putting them in the oven in a cast iron skillet, and seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic, blackening seasoning or Chinese five spice.
Want some pro tips for storing potatoes? Make sure you don’t store them in the refrigerator! Also, keep them in a spot that is cool and dark. If you leave potatoes in the light, they tend to turn green. Planning to make mashed potatoes tomorrow? Wash them as soon as you take them out of the bag and store them in a pot of water overnight so your prep work is already done!
Make sure you keep enjoying the healthy and satisfying flavor of potatoes and look for the Idaho potato seal to ensure you’re taking home the best quality potatoes around.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I have learned so much from hosting the show because I get to listen, inquire and directly conversate with some of the most brilliant people in the world.”
Lori Taylor (35:57-36:10)
From launching The Produce Moms as an in-house marketing idea for Indy Fruit, to growing a blog, to posting weekly podcast episodes since 2018, The Produce Moms has grown exponentially from a grassroots concept to a lifestyle brand with national retail partners.
It’s been quite the journey growing The Produce Moms into the brand it is today and Lori Taylor, founder and CEO, and Helena Fox, Business Development Manager sit down to celebrate, reminisce and discuss what exciting events you can expect from us next!
After Lori Taylor left her corporate role with Indy Fruit and decided to branch out on her own with The Produce Moms, she was looking for part-time help. Lori posted on her Facebook Page one day that she’d be at a specific Starbuck and if anyone was interested, she’d buy them a cuppa to chat. Lo and behold, she was overjoyed to see Helena Fox walk in, a former coworker of hers who had also left corporate after her first child was born.
“In my heart I wanted to continue working and I wanted to make a name for myself and start my own business helping entrepreneurs and assist them in the hardship of what it is to grow their business, but also do what they love and give them that opportunity to be able to focus on that.” Helena Fox (2:31-2:54)
Helina now serves as the director of The Produce Moms podcast, scouting guests and making sure the show stays true to what the brand and podcast is all about – helping you bring more fruits and vegetables to your table! Thanks to Helina’s and the rest of TPM’s team, we had more unique downloads of our podcast in January of 2022 than in the entire year of 2018!
Even more exciting is the fact that TPM is in the process of getting our B Corp certification. To get your B Corp certification, you have to provide data to show you are a business operating in an environment that takes all stakeholders into consideration before making a major decision. The emphasis of a B Corp is that you’re operating in a way that is environmentally friendly to your employees and the workforce, and you treat the community and environment in a way that meets the United Nations sustainability standards and goals.
Less than 5,000 businesses worldwide carry a B Corp certification and The Produce Moms is among the first ten to have one in the state of Indiana! What’s also unique is the fact that this certification typically goes towards companies that, for example, sell produce, while TPM is a growing lifestyle brand.
Continuing to make an impact on moms like you and the entire produce industry is a huge focus of our work. Our mission is to get more fruits and vegetables on every table, and along with that we hope to inspire you to empower our farmers. As much as supporting our domestic farmers is important, it’s equally as important to support our Central and South America farmers because they support us with fresh produce during different harvest seasons.
Speaking of empowering, Lori and Helena remember when Lori went to record her first episode. She had met former TPM team member Brian, a podcast producer with a studio in Nashville. Even though she could record from the comfort of her own home, she took a drive to Nashville to Brian’s studio, recorded the first episode and, from there, has stayed committed to producing a weekly show since 2018. There were only three podcasts in the produce industry niche at the time, and The Produce Moms has remained the only one that’s specifically focused on fruits and vegetables.
“I am very proud to say that today we are the leading podcast on the entire internet that’s fully focused on fruits and vegetables.” Lori Taylor (32:49-32:57)
The Produce Moms continue to stay true to our mission of bringing more fresh fruits and vegetables to your table, while also reminding us all that food security is national security. It’s equally as important to support the entire produce supply chain and our local farmers that bring you fresh, quality produce. It’s always our goal to make TPM different, better, special and unique, and we are working on launching a page on our website focused on impact that you can dive into later this year!
You can expect to hear more great guests coming on soon to talk about the supply chain crisis, an awesome episode celebrating women’s history in March, and we’d love to have any ideas or guests you want to have on the show too! Do you have a friend or know someone in the business that would be a great fit for our podcast? Send them our way! All are welcome to apply and we are always looking for guests to help us share with you simple, refreshing and realistic ways to think about food, health and wellness.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Apples are the number one fruit in American households. It is a go-to. It’s something that even if it’s not on your grocery list, you’re buying it.”
Lori Taylor (23:57-24:07)
The Produce Moms has proudly co-branded with Applewood Fresh not just because of their 20 incredible varieties of apples, but because of their dedication to sustainability, protecting the environment and educating the consumer produce mom everywhere. Brian Coates has been in the business for over 35 years and has been working with Applewood Fresh for the past three years at the beginning of the farm supply chain journey.
Brian first got his start working for Meijer on the retail side working as a bagger and pushing carts, eventually moving into the produce department to become a manager. Over time, he’s bought almost every commodity there is, moving his way up to senior buyer and spending a decade focused on apples. He spent a couple of years as Director of Procurement for a Wholesale distributor in Michigan. This led him to the sales side of business with Applewood, first as a consultant and then to VP of Sales and Business Development, proudly supporting this third-generation owned business in their efforts to provide consumers fresh and new apple varieties.
How is Applewood Fresh supporting sustainability in America? Because the family owned orchards are in Michigan with growers around the state, their apples primarily travel through Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri and Texas. This cuts down on pollution from shipping with less food miles and is cost effective because of how expensive the cost of freight is right now.
“We do a lot of things from the grower, to the packhouse, to shipping for sustainability efforts through recycling, composting, reducing and eliminating fertilizers, integrating pest management, and using trickle irrigation which is much better for cutting down water usage.” Brian Coates (8:24-9:00)
Applewood Fresh also uses solar power on top of their packing facilities and eco-friendly packaging. Out of all the apple brands The Produce Moms works with, Applewood Fresh has the broadest profile in managed varieties aka branded apples in the state of Michigan. What kind of apples are we talking about? These are apples that have been bred through natural, cross-pollination methods through a deliberate effort from apple breeders who are taking key characteristics of different apple varieties that have exactly what both farmers and consumers want.
As Lori Taylor says, “an apple that is difficult for the farmer to grow is an apple that is inaccessible for the consumer. It can taste amazing, but if it’s difficult to thrive on the farm, we’re not going to be able to put it on the trucks and we’re not going to be able to sell it at a price point that’s sustainable.”
Managed brands have extra marketing efforts behind them, have branded names, and have growers from multiple regions committed to farming that apple under the brand name, using the specific growing standards of each of the different varieties. It takes a lot of work from the growers that are willing to help and go through the trials to figure out what varieties are standing out in the different growing reasons
If you’re from the midwest, you grew up going to apple orchards and drinking cider in fall until winter. After that, apples aren’t as much of a top-of-mind purchase, but thanks to the emerging varieties, different kinds of apples are being harvested later and some even have a flavor profile that’s much better after months of storing! This time of year is a great opportunity for consumers to try something different, like Applefresh’s Kiku apple, which is one of the sweetest and juiciest apples around, or the Evercrisp or Kanzi.
“One of the things with COVID that you’ve seen change is that more and more consumers are looking for something they can get in and out of the store quickly, and that’s maybe in a bag that they feel more comfortable with safety-wise.” Brian Coates (24:59-25:16)
COVID has certainly changed things across the board for consumers, retailers, farmers and growers. Grocery stores have been dealing with labor and operation issues, and consumers want quick, easy, and safe options, which is why we’ve seen a shift in how apples are being sold. More and more retailers are offering apples in three or five pound bags rather than stacking individual apples on the shelf. There’s also a big focus in retail right now to convey to the consumer what the flavor profile is of these new varieties and where the product comes from.
There’s so many brilliant ways to enjoy apples and, aside from eating them as-is, Brian loves eating apples with wine and cheese. His daughter is a budding charcuterie connoisseur, so she’s also started to include apples with her meats. A great apple pie is something Brian can’t say no to and he encourages everyone to try some of the new, great flavors available with Applewood Fresh’s varieties! If you see the Applewood Fresh and The Produce Mom’s logo at your local retailer, know this is a great brand to support if you’re focused on sustainability, and enjoying what’s healthy for the environment and your family!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It sounds like a complicated technology advancement for grocery retail, but man is it going to make the lives of the consumer a lot easier.”
Pamela Riemenschneider (14:06-14:16)
Pamela Riemenschneider is a catalyst for the produce industry. As one of our most top, celebrated trade journalists, she’s constantly pushing industry leaders to think bigger, more innovative and identify opportunities to optimize and evolve how we get fresh produce into the hands of consumers like you. With Pamela’s great foresight and pulse on what’s to come, we’re sharing with you the top five trends you can expect to see this year in grocery retail, restaurants and produce.
Across the board, Pamela predicts 2022 to be a year of evolution. From the way restaurants handle business, partnerships between kitchens and retailers, recycling initiatives and ready-to-go, convenient food options, we’re going to continue to see an evolution in how we enjoy and shop for food altogether.
First, let’s talk about restaurants. Thanks to the pandemic, restaurants have had to rethink how they provide an incredible experience and impeccable service. Some of the top restaurants in the country have found themselves competing with fast food or drive-through options. Why? As Pamela reminds us, we don’t want to think about what to cook or what to order anymore. Also, the pandemic drove us to find convenient options that were ready-to-go and meals that are quick and easy, including ones you can eat on-the-spot in your car.
Restaurants were hurting during the pandemic have two options. One is to offer smaller menus or menus that focus on what they do best and shift to “reservation only” for diners. The other is to get their foot in the door with ghost kitchens and collaborative spaces that are making it easy to enjoy restaurant-quality meals at home.
Meal delivery and meal prep companies are going to continue to optimize. They’ve been slightly confusing and not very cost effective, which is why we’ve seen a dip in consumer interest from these companies, and a push towards grocery retailers providing their own ready-to-go or take-home meal kits.
“Here’s my huge prediction that I feel I’m going to be super wrong or super right on it and it’s reservations. I think they aren’t going to be just a fine dining thing [anymore] and are going to be [used] by ‘every day Joe’ type of restaurants because they have constrained labor, hours and resources. If you want to have a great experience at a restaurant, you better plan to make a reservation.” Pamela Riemenschneider (21:09-21:31)
The pandemic took everyone’s attention away from our concerns about plastic. What was more important was figuring out and providing safe, effective ways to give consumers food while eliminating the risk of COVID-19 as much as possible. Now that we’ve accepted the “new normal”, our focus on finding alternatives to plastic that are cost effective will return.
Even though packaging like raspberry clamshells have a recycle symbol on them, they’re typically rejected by recyclers because they also have paper stickers on them that aren’t recyclable. Some companies are working on getting new labels or switching to corrugated options (that are pricey, but work well). Pamela says we need to push municipal recyclers into making recycling easier or finding a way to accept things that we originally thought couldn’t be recycled.
Another hot trend we’ll continue to see this year is produce grown from indoor farms. Indoor farming creates a fresher product, oftentimes is grown closer to the grocery retailer it’s sold at and uses less water. A ton of investment and financial backing is being poured into this industry innovation and, on top of it, indoor farming has created some incredible, custom produce we haven’t seen before!
“If you don’t have lettuce grown from an indoor farm in your store right now, it’s only a matter of time before they take over a lot of the shelf.” Pamela Riemenschneider (30:35-30:48)
It wouldn’t be a top five trend list without calling on a produce item like mushrooms, which Pamela says are having a “glow up” right now! Mushrooms are being used in a lot of different ways you might have not heard of, like as a more cost effective alternative to scallops. There’s even mushroom oatmeal at stores like Walmart, and shredded sriracha or barbeque flavored mushrooms you can eat on sandwiches! Mushroom jerky, mushroom chips… the list goes on and on with how creative we’re getting with this versatile vegetable.
Keep your eyes peeled for how some of these trends are changing the way you feed your family and enjoy healthy, delicious produce! Be sure to check out Pamela’s articles on current trends, future forecasts and more at www.producebluebook.com.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“This is the company that really changed the access the rest of the United States had to get fresh, leafy greens.”
Lori Taylor (5:28-5:35)
Even though Tanimura & Antle wasn’t “officially” launched until 1982, the families that make up this incredible fresh produce team have a legacy that stems from 100 years of growing experience. The Tanimura family and Antle family lived 40 miles apart from each other, with the Tanimura family emigrating from Japan and the Antle family migrating to California from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl in the 1920’s.
During World War Two, the Antle family agreed to watch over the Tanimura’s land while some of the Tanimura family was placed in internment camps and two of the brothers fought in the war. When the war was over, the two families had an unmatched partnership and bond and decided to join forces; the Tanimuras growing the lettuce and the Antles marketing and selling it under their brand.
What started as a relationship between two families with a love for produce has now grown into a global company with 30,000 acres on the west coast, 7,000 employees annually, and sales across the Nation and internationally. Brian Antle, who got his start on the farm at the ripe age of 14 when he would get paid to move sprinkler pipes (a vital part of irrigation), jokes that “the plan was to get to 100,000 cases of produce a week.” The company now sells almost 140,000 boxes a day and about 40 million cases a year!
Tanimura & Antle’s core products are iceberg lettuce, romaine, red and green leaf, cauliflower, broccoli and celery. They also have organic produce, greenhouse grown produce, and an Artisan line of products that are uniquely branded for their different taste profiles, colors, qualities and crunchability. The Artisan family of specialty produce includes their Artisan Lettuce, Artisan Romaine, Artisan Sweet Gem, Artisan Baby Iceberg, Artisan Sweet Red Onions and Artisan Sweet Broccoli.
“They were the first company that put iceberg lettuce on a rail car on ice and shipped it from California to New York City and it arrived fresh. From there, as they say, the rest is history.” Lori Taylor (5:45-5:56)
The cool thing about Tanimura & Antle is the many ‘firsts’ the company has ignited for the produce industry. Their family was the first to pack and wrap a head of lettuce in cellophane. They were also the first to use cardboard boxes and cool produce in vacuum cooling tubes prior to shipping, allowing the entire produce industry to move away from needing to ice everything and use rail cars.
Speaking of innovation, Tanimura & Antle even breeds their own seed genetics! The company can tailor their lettuce, to have a certain color, size or taste. They can also breed plants to become more resistant to certain disease or mildew pressures. Innovations in seed genetics ultimately allows Tanimura & Antle to harvest more product for consumption and decrease food waste at the field level. This is all done through natural plant breeding, none of these seeds are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Tanimura & Antle truly strives to find sustainability in every corner of their operations!
Another innovative practice of the company is the use of automated technology. Tanimura & Antle has a group of diversified businesses, one of those being Stout, a company focused on “smart farm equipment”. With the cost and shortages of skilled agricultural labor, farmers are being challenged with doing more with less every day. Tanimura & Antle is investing in machines that can help supplement these labor shortages, such as machines that eliminate weeds in the field using artificial intelligence and computer vision systems. Machines like this will allow farmers to [AP1] utilize the employees in areas of agricultural production that cannot be automated, such as harvesting or operating these new machines. While this type of innovation can sometimes be viewed as eliminating jobs, they’re not. Innovations like this allow farmers to supplement the shortages within their work force in order to continue to feed the world.
“The ground is the most valuable asset we have next to our employees. Without either one, there is no sustainability.” Brian Antle (29:16-29:23)
One key to Tanimura & Antle’s success is how much they value the ground they grow on. They’re constantly rotating their crops and focus on keeping the ground healthy. Without healthy soil, they know they cannot grow a healthy crop.
Tanimura & Antle views their employees as their #1 asset. They ensure their employees are taken care of by providing things like a low cost employee housing complex, access to full health benefits, a matched 401k and one of the their proudest innovations, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). They were one of the first major grower shippers to adopt an ESOP in the United States! In 2017, the Tanimura and Antle families made the decision to make their employees official business partners and sold a portion of the company to the employees, creating the ESOP. The ESOP allows employees to earn ownership stocks of the company through years of service and loyalty to the company.
When it comes to enjoying their produce, make sure to try one of their Artisan or Greenhouse Grown vegetables. You can find Tanimura & Antle in most major grocery retailers across North America, and if not, be sure to ask your local produce manager to put Tanimura & Antle’s branded items on your grocery store shelf!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Every piece of the supply chain literally is being affected by inflation, from availability issues, to transportation, starting all the way down at the plant material and taking it all the way to the consumer.”
Ryan Lockman (23:21-23:45)
In the ladder part of 2021, you’ve probably experienced several delays in packages or going shopping for items that weren’t at your local retailer. It’s clear that we’re in a crisis with the supply chain and the issues we’re seeing, especially when we shop for groceries. There’s a rising cost of goods, inflation, lack of supply to meet demand, and a struggle to get U.S. grown products in front of consumers.
Lori joined Ryan Atwood, one of the owners of H&J Farms in Florida, a blueberry grower and packer, and Ryan Lockman, the Vice President of Sales and Procurement for North Bay Produce, a long-standing partner with The Produce Moms and marketer of fresh produce. Lockman manages relationships with large grocery retailers like Kroger, Aldi’s and Meyer, and also distributes Atwood’s blueberries under the North Bay brand.
Since Ryan Atwood is someone who’s on the front lines and starting point of the produce supply chain, he’s formed a strong opinion as to where the rising cost of goods originated from. Atwood thinks labor costs went up at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of people deciding to stay home and get out of their 9-5 workforce jobs. In order to attract employees and talent, companies have had to raise their wages (something H & J Farms has done).
“Growers haven’t received the proper returns for a long time. I wholeheartedly think that our growers have needed higher returns or larger profit margins since I started The Produce Moms.” Lori Taylor (13:15-13:34)
Ryan Atwood has experienced a firsthand result of inflation with fertilizer. Every year there’s a fertilizer bid which, once the bid is received, it locks out the price for the entire year, however this year, Atwood was told fertilizer prices were only good for a mere 20 days. The fertilizer prices he was quoted in 2021 compared to 2020 completely doubled.
Ryan Lockwood also believes we’re running into some very tough times because “the cost of growing fruit is increasing, but also on a daily basis the amount of mobile money the average retail consumer has to use on purchasing groceries is decreasing because of the rising cost of goods in retail.”
Every item across the produce department is increasing in cost and the availability is decreasing for the consumer. Consumers still want to eat healthy and buy wisely, but farmers have no choice but to charge a higher price than what the produce item was in the field, which inevitably makes certain produce items unattractive to consumers, such as blueberries.
“When you look at what the price of gas costs and the price hikes we’ve seen in proteins… We haven't seen that kind of inflation with fresh produce yet, but even the small hike in price (which is inevitable and will continue) has put commodities within the grocery store and the produce department at risk.” Ryan Lockman (19:18-19:49)
We aren’t sure just yet how retailers and the supply chain are going to respond to the fact that the cost of producing and growing blueberries is rising and the result that creates when trickling down to the point of sale. There’s a longer lead time for all things in the supply chain, from packaging, to cardboard, to the cost and availability of trucking, warehouse staff, and more. Ryan Lockman thinks lead times are higher than they’ve ever been in history.
This also affects our quality of food because when it finally hits the shelf it’s a week older than it should be and also creates a delay in marketing plans for promotions and sales. Both Ryan’s want consumers to understand this because it’s important to know why you have to pay more for a superior product versus putting a subpar item on the shelf for a lesser price.
If you want to play your part in helping decrease our supply chain issues, support U.S. grown produce as much as possible. Relying on produce exports is creating a food security issue for our country and our American farmers and growers need your help.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“That’s our tagline: scratch-made quality with more convenience than a can.”
Michelle Huff (22:11-22:17)
‘Value added’ is a pretty popular term in the produce industry. It’s when someone takes a basic commodity, like a fruit or vegetable, and innovates the actual produce itself, its packaging, or turns it into something like a meal kit. But for some reason, no one has come up with a way to innovate beans, other than putting them in a can full of sodium and mystery ingredients.
Michelle Huff, who’s husband owns a farm, was constantly asking herself, “what does my husband grow that I can add value to, is innovative, hasn’t been done before yet checks the boxes of an actual, marketable product?”
Beans were the first thing that came to her mind, considering how time-consuming it can be to prepare them and if you don’t plan ahead to soak them overnight, you’re stuck using beans from a can. From 2011 to 2018, Michelle was wondering how she could take that same, incredible flavor profile you enjoy from scratch-made beans and provide it to consumers in an easy, ready made, and healthy package.
“One of the reasons I loved the product so much is they’re better tasting than canned beans and they’re a heck of a lot quicker than cooking them on my own. So often when I cook them on my own, they just get mushy and undercooked!” Lori Taylor (6:00-6:11)
Bare Beans is a completely naked bean with just two ingredients: beans and water. They’re fully cooked, ready to eat and come in a convenient pouch. There isn’t any liquid, either, so when you tear open the pouch, you can pour the beans out and pop them in your mouth as a snack, add them to a salad or add them to a delicious recipe!
Bare Beans come in four varieties: black beans, garbanzo beans, red beans and pinto beans, which are the top four varieties of beans consumers are most familiar with and are purchasing. Michelle sources 100% of the beans from her husband’s farm and, as they grow, they plan to use small, local farmers in the area to make sure they keep utilizing the local economy and sourcing only the best beans.
Did you know that legumes, the category of produce beans fall under, are the only type of produce that technically are considered a vegetable and a protein? Bare Beans are a great, protein-packed snack to give to kids at sporting events or after school.
How do Michelle’s beans go from the field into Bare Beans’ cute pouches? The beans are planted in spring and harvested in fall. When it’s time to harvest, they dry the plant out (quit irrigating), but make sure the moisture content of the beans isn’t too high. Once harvested, the beans are taken to a local cleaning and milling facility where they go through a milling process and are then stored in bean boxes which are taken to Michelle’s facility.
The beans are given another comb through to make sure no sediment, rocks or potentially harmful plant matter are in there, then soaked overnight and added to a big kettle the next day. The home cooking process is simulated as much as possible, just as beans have been prepared for decades. This is how the beans get their great, delicious flavor! The Bare Beans team then drains them, packages them, takes them through a food safety process, and packages them in cooler boxes to be sent to retailers and food service companies.
“I’ve got one customer that uses our beans religiously in their hummus! They love our garbanzo beans.” Michelle Huff (15:28-15:36)
Michelle’s favorite way to use Bare Beans is of course (being from Minnesota) a ‘hot dish’! Michelle bakes Cream of Mushroom soup, fresh tomatoes and chopped onions, ground beef, taco seasoning, Bare Beans black and pinto beans in a casserole dish and tops it off with something crunchy, like those last crumbles of tortilla chips left at the bottom of the bag.
Bare Beans would also make for a great and easy way to make black bean burgers, hummus, chili, refried beans, tacos, salads and much more! Even if you put them in your crockpot before you go to work, they’re still firm with a nice bite to them later in the day. They hold their structure and firmness, unlike a canned bean.
Ready to get your hands on some pouches of Bare Beans? Contact your local food service company and stay tuned by checking for updates on the Bare Beans website for local retailers who will carry these healthy, convenient snacks. You’ll be supporting a woman-owned and Native American owned business, and providing your family with a healthy, protein-packed snack.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“No one truly needs our groceries in 10 minutes, but we now have the ability to do it and we must embrace the technology and the business models because it’s going to improve the quality of life for everyone.”
Brittan Ladd (48:03-48:17)
You may remember Brittain Ladd from Episode 41, one of our top 20 most downloaded episodes of all time, or Episode 141 where he discussed Amazon divesting Whole Foods and predicted most of what we saw happen in the grocery industry this year. He’s also been featured in Forbes and shares his expert insight regularly on CNBC. Now, Brittain’s back with his predictions for grocery retail and how we shop as consumers in 2022!
Brittain, a former Marine turned research-obsessed rapid grocery retail consultant, started sharing his opinion in 2013, applying Game Theory to the grocery industry globally which led him to designing the Amazon Fresh stores being built today. After leaving Amazon, Brittain started his own company, working with Kroger and starting to get recognized in the media because of how accurate his predictions were.
Since Brittain is so spot on, he’s got a lot to share with us about what we can expect in grocery retail and as consumers in 2022.
“As far as 2022… what’s going to happen is there’s going to be a mass acceleration of all things technology, whether it’s artificial intelligence or whether it’s robotics, companies are going to continue to invest in robotics and automation and software as much as they can.” Brittain Ladd (8:29-8:48)
The goal for most companies will be to meet demand by leveraging automation. Since grocery retailers have already invested in a physical place to sell their groceries, they’ll need to maintain the stores by either focusing on shipping and fulfillment or investing in smart carts (like the company Instacart recently acquired called Caper), which in the long term helps companies acquire better data to understand consumer behavior on a bigger scale.
Brittain likes to say “check-in is the new check out”, meaning grocery retailers have no idea who is inside their stores until a customer checks out (hopefully) using a loyalty card or credit card that accesses the customer’s name in the retailer’s system. The current model is ‘archaic’, in Brittain’s opinion, and he is urging retailers to hop on board with “walk out and go” technology.
The retailer can track someone’s purchases and know which items they are most likely to purchase, allowing them to give specific discounts and introduce new products to personalize a customer’s experience. This will generate more revenue for the store and it’s a better shopping experience overall.
Something else Brittain has been predicting since 2019 is the move to virtual reality reach. Soon, instead of going to a website or a store, consumers will shop for groceries in the comfort of their own home in grocery stores that don’t even exist because they are virtual!
“I keep saying to companies, whether you’re a farmer, small business owner or a major corporation, you need to be asking yourself, ‘what is our metaverse strategy? How do we market ourselves in the metaverse? How do we have a presence in the metaverse?” Brittain Ladd (14:38-14:52)
Another trend we’re going to see grow is rapid grocery delivery, which has been happening in Europe and Russia where grocery companies are offering customers the ability to receive their products in 10-15 minutes. Brittain says that when we’re given the choice we’re always going to err on the side of getting things faster, so grocery retailers are going to have to make investments in technology and work with rapid grocery delivery companies or micro fulfillment centers where robotic systems are used to fulfill orders. If you live in cities like Los Angeles, you might have already seen some of the autonomous vehicles being used in bike lanes or sidewalks.
The concern for consumers with this is, of course, picking out fresh produce. Companies like Caper have smart carts that have a robotic arm extending from it and the ability to pick up even just a single blueberry at the time. The arm has a camera on it so you can watch from home and operate the arm yourself. It can even dictate how old the food is based on density or the date the food was put on the shelf, and detect things like bruises and wormholes.
Although the world and how we shop for groceries is changing rapidly, these technological changes will give us all a lot more time back in our day and improve our quality of life. Make sure to follow Brittain on Forbes or LinkedIn and listen to the full episode where he also discusses his 2022 predictions for mergers, acquisitions, inflation and more!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Food is culture. Food is what connects us all and food is a catalyst, a magnetic force for bringing people together to have the best day of their life.”
Lori Taylor (17:31-17:44)
“I have so many, so many mixed emotions. My wish for everyone is peace and joy. I want to tell everyone that is part of our community at The Produce Moms that you've been a huge part of my inner peace, my professional joy and you've made me a better person because of my ability to connect with all of you, and my ability to meet so many fascinating, brilliant people that come on as is our guest.” Lori Taylor (1:09-1:44)
Holidays are a great time to pause, reflect, and for Lori Taylor, The Produce Mom’s founder, it’s a time that reminds her how TPM began. Lori started The Produce Moms in 2012 when she was a marketing manager at a fruit company in Indianapolis and pitched the idea as a way to expand the marketing department. Lori received support from her employer to bring the idea to fruition. The Produce Moms blog kept growing and growing, and in 2015, her employer decided they were done with the blog, but gave Lori the opportunity to purchase it from them. From there, Lori’s been off to the races with TPM and the mission we’re on: to help you eat more fruits and vegetables in volume and variety, while bringing you closer to the farmers of our industry.
“That leap has brought me so much strength as a human being. I've evolved into a pretty self-confident woman. Trust me, I still have my moments, like all of us do… moments of self-doubt and insecurities that happen to all human beings, but really the journey has been very empowering and it's made me a smarter person. It's made me more of a worldly thinker. And most importantly, it's given me the great privilege, honor and blessing to help share my passion with others and help enrich your life and everyone's life who's part of this show.” Lori Taylor (3:42-4:29)
For the next few weeks into the new year, Lori and The Produce Moms team is focused on family. Lori will be hanging out with family, watching Christmas movies, making chex mix, baking cookies and relaxing, while the rest of the team finds ways to fill their soul with peace and joy.
Lori’s also focused on spending her time off learning about the big developments happening in the digital space (did anyone say metaverse?) and understanding what’s available to help further TPM’s mission to be a catalyst for supporting farmers and our industry’s stakeholders in changing the grocery retail climate.
It wouldn’t be a holiday season without plenty of delicious recipes! Lori’s going to be cooking and baking a delicious, lemon cranberry almond bread she’ll share with her boys’ basketball team, a delicious capri pasta salad (using NatureSweet tomatoes, of course!), and food art like banana candles.
Next year, The Produce Moms is focused on continuing to grow their footprint. A huge accomplishment for TPM this year was going from a content marketing platform into a well established brand that’s been featured on packages in actual grocery stores! TPM always wants to provide you with educational resources that connect you to and bring you closer to the farm, while inspiring you to eat a wider variety and amount of fruits and vegetables.
One way to do that is to check out our blog on how to request items at a grocery store. Whether you’ve learned about a new produce item on our podcast you’ve never heard of, you have a new year’s goal to be healthier and change or lifestyle, or just want to try doing something special that requires an unique ingredient, this blog will show you exactly how to request those items at your local grocery store. Even if you think you’ll never find it, remember that your local grocer doesn’t want you shopping at their competitors! Sometimes it’s as easy as telling the department manager or going online and making the request. The blog includes the top 25 grocers in the United States.
There’s also a new area on our website called ‘Produce’, found under the Menu section, where we’re teaching you how to select, store and serve the most popular produce department items.
In January, you can look forward to some incredible episodes with former guests like Brittain Ladd, who will be discussing the state of the grocery industry, and Pamela R. Schneider, agricultural journalist widely celebrated in the grocery industry space who will be discussing what hot, 22 produce department items all moms should add to their grocery list in 2022.
“We’re really going to lean into the affordability of fresh produce and strategies that we can support you with to make sure that your food dollars are going as far as they can in the new year.” Lori Taylor (10:56-11:08)
If you haven’t already, make sure to check out our annual holiday gift guide at the top of our homepage (www.theproducemoms.com). It focuses on gifts that are homemade or are found in the produce department and bring you back to your home kitchen, budget-friendly gifts, and there’s also a discount code for Fruitful Market.
Lastly, remember to put your phones down and enjoy time with your family. Be present and lean into the people that you love the most this holiday season. Enjoy your holiday traditions, make new memories, and take great pride in how much you have helped empower us all. See you in January!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We all need to work together across the entire value chain, even as consumers, to make a difference to ensure that fruit and vegetable consumption really becomes a part of everyone’s diet.”
Kelly Bristow (39:39-40:00)
The UN declared 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. With this declaration, the UN gifted Bayer with an invitation to raise awareness to the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption and the role it plays in human nutrition, food security, and health. Bayer wanted to take the year as a lens and bring together the important steps across the value chain all the way from seed to ultimately what ends up on consumer’s plates. To help increase awareness, consumption, and even enhance flavor of fruits and vegetables.
Kelly Bristow is the Science and Nutrition Partnerships Manager at Bayer and mom to two young kids. She meets with outside organizations and stakeholders to bring together influential people to think globally about how we can impact fruit and vegetable consumption. Jenny Maloney is the Strategic Account Manager for the Americas for Bayer Vegetable Seeds all while being mom to three young girls. Jenny and Kelly, along with Lori, put together a virtual event called Beyond Farm to Table: A Seed’s Journey to Your Plate. Bayer wanted to have a holistic look at the food chain, not only looking at it from a grower or retailer perspective, but also a consumer perspective. Bayer pulled together three leading experts in this space. Lori was there moderating the event. They also had David Bell, CMO at Long Vine Growing Company, Chad Street from the Albertson’s Company, and Jana Parker from IRI Fresh. All of these different perspectives made for such a great, well-rounded, interactive event.
For Kelly, it was so great to get three different people in different parts of the value together and seeing their different perspectives. One really does play off the other. It’s not often you get to see the whole process in one event. It was interesting to Kelly to hear from Jana about what are in shopper’s carts. What produce are shoppers buying and what’s accompanying it. It was great to hear that shoppers are buying an increased amount of produce and some ways to help improve that consumption even more.
For Jenny, it was interesting to hear David Bell talk about the journey of a tomato. Starting with seed selection, propagation, transferring to a grow house after eight weeks, How they’re picked by hand then sorted for quality, and then sold to consumers. The other thing that stuck out was Long Vine Growing Company’s Sustainability Program. One of their facilities is located adjacent to a natural gas power plant. They use energy from that plant to power their own greenhouse. Any water that isn’t used by the pants is recirculated. Over 90% of their water is recycled. They are ultimately aiming to grow with care.
What Chad really highlighted was the thought and precision that goes into the placement of every piece of produce in the store. There’s a whole team behind the scenes that makes it easy to shop for your produce. He was able to shed a lot of light on the behind the scenes work.
“The way we changed our shopping habits, the way we use produce differently, the way we bought produce differently. That all changed in 2020 and we’re still sorting out what that’s going to mean for the rest of 2021, 2022, and beyond.” Jenny Maloney (33:50-34:07)
Taste, convenience, and price are big motivators for consumers buying produce, but seeing Jana’s data to back this up was really eye-opening for Kelly. We see that people are cooking at home more than ever, but they’re still looking for the convenience factor. Even though people are spending more time at home, they are still looking for their fruits and vegetables to be easy and quick to buy and make at home. It was interesting to see this data through the lens of the pandemic.
This International Year of Fruits and Vegetables really helped Bayer shine a spotlight on the importance of developmental goals and looking at giving greater visibility to small scale growers. They brought more awareness to food security, nutrition, and even looked at scalable production and consumption. Everyone across the entire value chain needs to work together, even as individual consumers, to make a difference and ensure that fruit and vegetable consumption really becomes a part of everyone’s diet, promote healthy habits, and fight against hunger and malnutrition.
You can find the entire event on Seminis YouTube Channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTYjV21I2Io
How to get involved:
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“If we want to continue to see truly organic, truly sustainable produce, we need to be willing to pay a fair price for it.”
Daniella Velazquez De Leon (23:35-23:51)
Even pre-supply chain crisis, pre-pandemic, banana prices have been unfair and almost unethical. But especially in the past three years the organic banana industry has faced enormous cost pressure. Packing materials, cartons, pallets, etc. have risen close to 20%. Organic fertilizer has also increased significantly, and, of course, labor costs are rising year after year. All of these things factor into how bananas are priced, and yet, we aren’t seeing the prices rise like the rest of the food industry. This episode discusses some of the problems organic banana companies are facing during this supply chain crisis.
Audee Rios is the Sales Director at Coliman Mexico. She’s worked at the company for twelve years and develops sales plans and explores new markets for Mexican bananas. She’s now mainly focused on organics and fair trade. Daniella Velazquez De Leon is a fourth generation organic banana grower and third generation of the largest family owned banana wholesaler in the USA, Organics Unlimited. She joined the family business officially four years ago and is now the General Manager. She, of course, wears many hats. Their main focus since day one has been organic bananas.
For Coliman and Organics Unlimited, the grand majority of their banana production comes from Mexico. In terms of getting their product to the States, that hasn’t been too hard since they’re able to use trucks instead of boats. But materials, fertilizers, everything that goes into aiding the production of those bananas - that’s where the problem with the shipping containers comes in for them.
“The world’s shipping container shortage and congestion at ports has caused a significant increase in the price of freight and ultimately the price of materials. So that’s having a significant impact on the price of each box of bananas.” Daniella Velazquez De Leon (10:11-10:32)
As organic production has become mainstream and has gained popularity, large multinational companies have penetrated the organic industry. This isn’t all bad as it makes organic produce more widely available to consumers. But when we lose sight of the original mission behind the organic movement, that’s where the problem begins. What happened with conventional bananas is now happening with organic bananas. There’s been a control on the price in growing regions which are increasingly dependent on a small number of multinationals, which are forcing the price down in spite of increasing prices. Daniella’s key message to consumers is to be conscious and try to learn about what’s going on in the growing regions and who you are buying your produce from. Costs are going up so consumers should see the price of their produce go up as well. Rising costs WILL have an impact on the economic sustainability and competitiveness of the organic banana industry.
What Daniella has heard in the past is that retailers aren’t willing to sell bananas at a higher price, and consumers aren’t willing to pay more. Her response to that is that there simply will be no more production if they’re consistently selling their product at a loss. Certifications come at a cost. Paying fair wages with benefits comes at a cost. Supporting these independent growers and these smaller wholesalers who are actually living their values ensures that we are still getting truly organic and sustainable produce. Consumers have to be willing to pay a fair price for what these growers are providing.
Even with the rise in prices, organic bananas are still one of the cheapest organic options you can buy. If you’re seeing organic bananas being sold for less than a dollar, that farmer isn’t getting paid fairly. Paying a higher price for organic bananas doesn’t mean you’re getting overcharged, it means you’re ensuring the farmers and growers can survive.
You can find more information on both of these companies at their websites:
https://www.organicsunlimited.com/
https://www.coliman.com/Eng/Fruits
How to get involved:
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We never waver in what our message is. We only work with brands and we only convey a message that is sustainable, that is ethical, and that is healthy above all costs .”
Ashley Hawk (12:06-12:16)
The Produce Moms and “How Healthy Happens” have so much in common in terms of the message and the mission that they’re trying to convey. It’s kind of two-fold - increasing fruit and vegetable intake but also making sure that consumers have transparency and sustainability in all of our food systems that will see the next generation through.
From a young age, Ashley Hawk has been both behind and in front of the camera. The thing that clicked with her from day one was that if we could be transparent about everything, we’d eliminate half of the issues people face when it comes to starting out in a career. When companies are completely up front and “what you see is what you get,” people trust them. She knew that would be her first step with “How Healthy Happens.” And then came questions like, “How can we make media and entertainment relatable?”, “How can we seem approachable?”, and “How can we convey this sometimes dense and hard to understand information in a way that people everywhere will be able to access and understand it?” That’s where the combination of nutrition and media was born.
Through “How Healthy Happens,” Ashley wants to convey a message that nutrition is such a personal topic. It is one of those few things that affects every single aspect of a person’s life. If consumers don’t feel empowered about what their next meal is going to be, or what’s in your kitchen, it can be really daunting and shut people off from even thinking about it. When Ashley gets clients that are overwhelmed at trying to decipher packaging, she first focuses on breaking things down to a personal level. From there they start to address the little changes that need to happen.
“When we educate the individual, it makes it that much easier for them to make the right choices for their body.” Ashley Hawk (7:04-7:11)
The first episode of “How Healthy Happens” aired in October 2021. 2022 episodes will air starting in January. When they have a guest on the show Ashley likes to start out by asking “how did healthy happen for you?” By asking this question, not only do we find out about others’ health and wellness journey, but also about game changers - things that are literally changing the landscape of the produce market.
“How Healthy Happens” works with a range of businesses from mom and pop companies, to small businesses, to big farms. They are grateful to be able to lend a voice to these manufacturers of all types of goods in the health and wellness industry. Seeing the whole farming process really filled Ashley with gratitude. We are so lucky as consumers that we have these farms that are working so hard to give us the freshest produce possible, so that we don’t have to grow it all in our backyards.
How did healthy happen for Ashley? Exposure. In second grade Ashley’s class saw firsthand how chickens came from eggs. Once the experiment was over, Ashley’s teacher asked if anyone wanted to take the chick home. Ashley then took the chick home. Having this chicken, paired with a garden in her backyard, made Ashley realize she no longer wanted to eat meat. Ashley became a vegetarian. As she got older, people would ask her why she was a vegetarian. She would answer with “it just works for me.” When she got even older, she started wondering WHY it worked for her. Thus, “How Healthy Happens” was born.
Ashley offers a few tips and tricks to the listeners and readers here at The Produce Moms. 1. Start by adding one serving of fruits or veggies to your day. After a week you’ll start to feel better! Having the extra hydration, vitamins, minerals, and natural fibers and sugars help us to feel good and function at our best. 2. Drink more water. If you’re reading this go and take a big drink now, while you’re thinking about it. And 3. Sleep. It helps regulate your metabolism. Sometimes all you need is a nap that resets your attitude.
You can find “How Healthy Happens” on the Food Network, streaming on Roku TV, and some episodes are available on Youtube. You can find Ashley on Social Media @AshleyAnnHawk, @HowHealthyHappensTV, and https://www.ashleyhawkrd.com/.
How to get involved:
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“For us to take the love that people have for berries and then provide them in additional settings, which allows us to go into non-traditional outlets is a great opportunity. It makes us excited to get up every morning .”
Steven Ware (6:02 - 6:16)
Naturipe Farms was founded in 1917 as a strawberry co-op in Salinas, California. Today, they sell many types of berries including fresh and conventional, and have expanded their crop to include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and avocados.
The Produce Moms has been working with Naturipe for four or five years now and we are so blessed to have a relationship with such a great company. We believe in Naturipe’s values, in the way they treat everyone from their farmers all the way down to households and Produce Moms everywhere. Naturipe is a 100% farmer-owned company. Naturally, everyone at Naturipe loves their job, including Steven Ware, Vice President and GM of ValueAdded Fresh, and CarrieAnn Arias, Vice President of Marketing.
Naturipe Snacks Division is one of Naturipe’s newer divisions, started in 2012. One product that was recently launched is the Chobani Berry Yogurt Parfaits. At Naturipe, they knew that the number one thing consumers put in yogurt is berries. Berries and yogurt just go together. This partnership has been on Naturipe’s wishlist for a long time. There have been technological challenges trying to create a berries and yogurt parfait that lasted longer than a single day. Finally, at the end of 2019, Naturipe officially jumped into the yogurt category.
Naturipe prides itself in being able to bring innovative solutions to the marketplace as a small company. When Steve and CarrieAnn met with Chobani in January 2020, it was like fireworks going off. This partnership was meant to be. Both companies’ mission and values aligned, and they both had the same desires and challenges. The problem with berry parfaits in the past has been their shelf life. Once you add berries to yogurt, the berries start to break down the yogurt and the taste and texture diminish. Naturipe’s goal was for consumers to be able to stock up on their Berry Yogurt Parfaits on a Friday and be able to eat them throughout the week, having the same eating experience on Tuesday as you did when you bought it on Friday. Naturipe is very excited about the outcome of this new product!
“We had these ingredients that we just kept falling in love with, and that’s how the Bliss Bentos were born.” CarrieAnn Arias (15:48 - 15:54)
While Naturipe was working with Chobani, they were also working on launching their Bento lines. They currently have two Bento box lines - Boost Bentos and Bliss Bentos. With these Bento lines, Naturipe has found a way to give you a snack that not only leaves you satisfied, but you feel good emotionally about eating it, because it is good for you and tastes good. Naturipe wanted this line to be something consumers craved, something you can’t stop eating. They want to be a part of the movement that says snacking doesn’t have to be unhealthy. If you haven’t tried the Chocolate Cheer Bliss Bento - GO. You won’t believe it’s a chickpea.
Steven wants consumers to pause with a choice between a hot donut and whatever Naturipe comes up with and look at the Naturipe snack and say “Wow, that looks good AND is healthy, too.” They’re lucky that berries already check both of those boxes!
You can find Naturipe snacks at most of your local grocery stores, but they have expanded to selling their products in a little over 2,000 Circle K convenience stores, and are in the process of being added to about 1,400 CVS pharmacies. For a more detailed list of retailers, visit https://www.naturipefarms.com/.
How to get involved:
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Usually when people think of avocados, they think of guacamole. Fortunately we have an avocado that’s a little more versatile.”
Chris Gonzalez (07:02 - 07:09)
Avocados have become household favorites in the United States, as of late. The small Hass avocado is the most popular, but to our neighbors in Latin America, the tropical avocado is the norm. WP Produce was founded to provide these avocados to Latin communities in the United States that are familiar with them.
Vice President of WP Produce, Desiree Morales grew up on tropical avocados and it led her father to start WP Produce in 1984. While working in retail markets for a chain in the United States he realized they didn’t serve his community with the products he grew up with in Cuba. He then founded WP Produce to make those products accessible to other Latin consumers in the United States. He began with importing produce like avocados and payas from the Dominican Republic so people in his community would have foods they’re familiar with. Years later, his family continues to run the company.
Vice President of Sales at WP Produce Chris Gonzalez is not only Desiree’s cousin but a second generation grower as well. To Chris, the versatility of tropical avocados is key as you get more bang for your buck. One tropical avocado can be about the size of a softball and equal out to around four Hass avocados. The sizing is naturally larger with a creamier flavor, resulting from growing at a higher altitude. Tropical avocados also stay greener, longer.
“The main thing that consumers love about tropical avocados is the oxidation. It’s much slower. It won’t turn black as fast.” Desiree Morales (14:01 - 14:08)
Bringing tropical avocados to the United States is not about “taking over” the avocado market. Households are more familiar with the Hass avocado right now but tropical avocados bring with them different characteristics.
Chris and Desiree are proud to be able to provide tropical avocados year-round, coast to coast, a feat typically not seen in other produce markets. No one grows, sources, and ships more avocados than WP Produce.
You can find WP Produces’ tropical avocados at Publix, Weggmens, Wal-Mart and Albertsons. If you can’t find any locally, WP Produce recently launched a direct-to-consumer tropical fruit box. Everything in the boxes are packed at the WP Produce headquarters and shipped fresh.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
Live from Western Growers Annual Meeting in San Diego, California! Lori is joined by Jenny Maloney and Marshal Sewell from Bayer Crop Science to discuss this year’s events and the critical issues that America’s specialty crop farmers are facing right now.
Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide over half the nation's fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including nearly half of America's fresh organic produce. Some members also farm throughout the U.S. and in other countries so people have year-round access to nutritious food. For generations, we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers.
“It’s going to take us all to work together to get the food system in a place that we really need it to be.”
Meg Savage (14:24 - 14:30)
For some food insecure families, it’s not a simple task getting access to food, let alone healthy food. Pantries are sometimes in scarce supply, or simply don’t provide healthy options. In the five boroughs of New York, Feed Forward is on a mission to make healthy food accessible to those in need.
While working on corporate America, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Feed Forward Meg Savage discovered that she had an auto-immune condition that completely changed her relationship with food. Since then, she diverted the way that she works, bringing her to the food innovation field to find ways to get people better access to quality food. Coming together with her Co-Founders, Winston Chiu and Elizabeth Peralta Foxwell during the COVID-19 pandemic just six months ago, they set a mission to align technology and innovation with the actual needs of their communities.
At its core, Feed Forward focuses on empowering a healthy and sustainable food economy by implementing programs to help secure better food access and even getting better food into supermarkets. Feed Forward does this through their three verticals: programs, products and consultancy.
“Essentially, we view ourselves as the bridgemakers and the connectors.” Meg Savage (06:35 - 06:38)
Feed Forward’s “More Than A Meal” Program was one of the first established. The technology around the program matches food insecure individuals and families with meals and groceries. After signing up for the program, people are matched with a restaurant or grocery store within walking distance of their home and are able to order and pick up a meal. This becomes a more practical approach to helping those in need, as they won’t waste time waiting in a line for food they don’t know if they’ll eat, or even get.
Feed Forward also works closely with specific tech products that utilize blockchain to make certain food supply chains more sustainable, traceable and affordable. With different applications in tech, Meg states they are vital to making healthy food more accessible to food insecure communities.
“A lot of people who are in this situation are looking to overcome certain obstacles and need that support. Their time is so valuable.” Meg Savage (11:36 - 11:46)
Feed Forward’s consultancy arm works with organizations big and small on how they can be contributors to a better food system. Their collaboration focuses on giving back to the community and even how to actually make their operations more sustainable. Oftentime clients want to include programs that have been created by Feed Forward, as the company’s verticals typically end up crossing each other.
Aside from giving feedback on FeedFWD.com, individuals that want to contribute can do so in simple everyday experiences. Meg encourages that if consumers see the Feed Forward logo at their local grocer, to make sure they shop there as they’re aiming to get to a point where a portion of what’s purchased goes back into programs like More Than a Meal.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Pears are so versatile because they have a mild flavor that plays well with a lot of ingredients”
Lisa Carrington (10:56 - 11:02)
Pears may be a type of fruit not thought of in your daily consumption, but it should be. With a sweet, but not overwhelming, flavor, pears are a healthy addition to any recipe whether it be cooked, baked, or even mixed into your favorite cocktail.
87% of commercial pears in the United States are grown in Oregon and Washington by simple, family farms. These farms are represented by USA Pears, the brand of non-profit marketing organization promoting pears grown in the Pacific Northwest. Neil Ferguson, Creative Marketing Manager at USA Pears, expresses that the pear is such a versatile fruit while being an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C with only 100 calories per serving. Their nutritional benefits also include potassium, iron, and calcium while being sodium, cholesterol and fat free.
“There’s lots of reasons to make it a healthy addition to your menu, or as a snack.” Neil Ferguson (04:31 - 04:37)
With its versatility and over 400 recipes available on the USA Pears website, there’s bound to be a way that consumers can tie pears into their meals, or even their drinks.
Lisa Carrington, aka The Cocktail Maven, has a close relationship with pears not only in her drinks but in her personal life. Growing up on a farm in Washington, her parents grew pears and still do to this day. Living the “farm life” Lisa and her family always found different ways to eat the pears that they grew. Though cooking was her first artistic outlet of pears, Lisa says it was a natural evolution to cocktail making.
“[In 2007] In America we had a bit of an awakening. We were starting to think about what we were drinking and where those drinks came from. Distilleries popped up all over and they were familie distilleries just like family farms.” Lisa Carrington (09:22 - 09:33)
As people began to care more about what was in their drinks, cocktail makers began shifting from processed ingredients to fresh ingredients.
This created the perfect landscape for Lisa to begin experimenting with pears in her drinks and turn her self education of cocktail making into a huge passion. Thanks to her personal relationship with them, and their added qualities and benefits, Lisa assures that the pear is her favorite ingredient to use in her cocktails.
Lisa states that the versatility of pears makes it match well with almost any ingredient and liquor of choice. With a mild flavor, pears do not overtake the drink itself, merely complimenting other ingredients making it a perfect cocktail addition. As to not be overwhelming, pears can elevate a drink to the next level, making you feel a bit fancier, without the leg work.
As pear season is in the fall, Lisa says that some of the best drinks to include pears are those with spices, even putting pumpkin spice to shame.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“NO one individual, one company or one sector of the supply chain could or should be expected to come up with sustainable solutions on their own. It’s about working collaboratively and each taking responsibility to do their part.”
Nikki Cossio (25:14 - 25:23)
In the grand scheme of things, the focus of sustainability is to reduce our environmental footprint on the world. While we, as consumers, can help with minor tasks such as recycling, at-home composting or trading home items for more reusable ones, the true difference makers are large companies. When it comes to agriculture, most of the practices used are not very earth-friendly.
Andrew Duda began Duda Farm Fresh Foods after successfully growing celery as his first crop. He chose celery because 100% of the crop is usable from the leaves to the bottom of the stock, leaving none to waste. Nearly 100 years later, Duda Farm Fresh Foods is continuing that legacy by supporting internal efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. At the forefront of this initiative over the last three years is a team within Duda called the Growing Greener Generations Team. The team includes representatives from all spectrums of the company allowing a widespread contribution and input.
“Having staff involved in the management and administration of these programs is really an opportunity to build the culture around sustainability.” Nikki Cossio (10:39 - 10:49)
For Nichole Towell, Senior Director of Marketing and Packaging Procurement at Duda, her focus has mainly been on sustainable packaging. Aside from wanting companies to be more sustainable, consumers want transparency around sustainability. They want less plastic all around or if plastic is going to be used, they want to know it’s recyclable or has some recyclable material. Nichole and Duda are working with advancements in their packaging process such as including a “how to recycle” label as an educational tool for the consumer. This label will explain how to recycle each piece of the packaging they receive. Nichole says it’s been a great communication piece to explain to consumers that may not know what is and isn’t recyclable in their packaging and what to do with it.
“I really look at [sustainability] as people protecting people, planet and profit.” Nichole Towell (19:48 - 19:58)
A vital partnership in working towards more sustainability all around has been one with Measure to Improve. Measure to Improve helps agricultural producers and processors measure, improve and credibly promote their sustainable efforts for consumers. They show companies how to stay ahead of mandates and appeal to the environmentally conscious buyers. Nikki Cossio, Founder and CEO of Measure to Improve, and her team have been an integral part to the Growing Greener Generations Team for the last three years by showing Duda ways to continually track what they’re doing and how to get better at it. Since then, she’s been able to build upon their programs and even start on ones that focus solely on farming.
While the focus for Duda has been packaging, for Nichole, the natural next step is compostability. Unfortunately, the technology hasn’t caught up yet. The process isn’t as simple as creating compostable packaging with important other factors involved; It has to reduce its environmental impact, it has to be affordable, and it has to keep food safety and shelf life in mind.
Nichole is confident that Duda will be able to reach these goals in the not-so-distant future as the technology improves more and more. With partnerships with Nikki and the team from Measure to Improve, Duda is spearheading chain-wide initiatives to reduce their environmental impact along the way and hopefully inspiring other farms to do the same.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“[The branding] is a callout to help the consumer remember the apple when they go to the store and pick it up”
Vince Lopes (25:51 - 25:58)
While there are a hefty amount of different apple varieties available on the market right now, many are being taken out due to lack of consumer preference. This gives companies like T&G the opportunity to create new variations on an old favorite. At the forefront of the Envy and Jazz apples, T&G is looking to make them stand out above the rest.
If you’ve been an avid listener to The Produce Moms, this won’t be the first time you’ve heard managed varieties in produce. You’ll also know the time and effort that goes into bringing them to the market from planting the first tree, to hitting grocery shelves. The Envy apple, which is a cross between a Gala and a Braeburn apple, hit the market in 2008 but took nearly a decade to come to fruition. Other variations can even take longer.
Envy, and its sister the Jazz apple, both hold up well and last longer in transit and on retail shelves. Envy, itself, has certain characteristics that allow consumers to cut them up even up to an hour before eating without worrying about browning. While these features are thanks to natural cross-pollination, they wouldn’t have been possible if not for the evolution of the apple category.
Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at T&G Global North America Vince Lopes states that we’re starting to see less and less of older varieties becaused new managed ones are becoming more and more versatile. For example, their Jazz apple has a balance between sweet and tart, while the Envy has a specific aroma and texture you can sink into with every bite. As such, both have an expansive versatility in usage whether it’s in baking, cooking, or simply eating them raw.
These managed varieties are booming in popularity with over 60 trying to get on grocery shelves. In reality, any given retailer only holds about six. When making a specific branded variety, companies like T&G have to give consumers something to remember so that when they see it at the store, they buy it.
“We’re trying to develop programs that are appealing to shoppers.” Cecilia Flores Paez (23:59 - 24:02)
Vice President of Sales and Operations at T&G Global North America Chris Willett states that what’s unique about their branded varieties is that they have complete control from the fields to the retailer. Unlike Golden or Red Delicious apples that can be grown anywhere, by anyone, T&G have certain standards with their growers.
“We can manage volume and measure supply versus demand and grow accordingly.” Chris Willett (17:40 - 17:44)
T&G has also been working on advanced technologies when it comes to picking and packing. Some of their newer systems can see into fruits in the packaging line to point out imperfections. Others include drones that can fly over orchards for crop management and most recently they began using a machine that blows leaves off of trees therefore exposing the fruit to more sunlight for better color.
Head of Marketing for T&G Global North America, Cecilia Flores Paez is proud that T&G has gained notoriety with their Envy and Jazz apples. as of late. With a campaign partnership with Hallmark Channel, T&G recently won a Produce Marketing Excellence award for delivering a breakthrough campaign that made a difference during COVID-19 during the 2020 holidays. During the campaign, they worked on helping families celebrate the holidays with unique, new and delicious recipes that were named for Hallmark Channel holiday films. The Envy apple was also recently named “Best in Produce” by Kitchn - a food and lifestyle media outlet that debates for weeks to select and name the best grocery items to try in America right now.
Being grown in both the United States and New Zealand, T&G is able to provide the Envy apple year round at most national and regional retailers. Jazz, on the other hand, is an heirloom variety and can be harder to find, but worth it when you do.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our CEO, Shah Kazemi, felt like it was important to give back to the families that are behind the brand.”
Lindsey Occhipinti (06:47 - 06:52)
Celebrating its 50th year in business, Monterey Mushrooms has taken the “family first” philosophy to new levels over the years. Still family-owned, Monterey has given back to its employees' families over the last 30 years, assisting their children in furthering their post-secondary education goals.
Starting with just one farm in California, Monterey Mushrooms now spans nine farms with national distribution of over 200 million pounds of mushrooms every year. The company continues to be a private and family-owned business. To further support their over 4,000 employees and instill their family first ideals, Monterey Mushrooms established a scholarship program in 1992.
In 2004, the scholarship was renamed the Carl Victor Fields Scholarship on behalf of the company’s past Vice President of Marketing who was passionate about the importance of young people reaching their full potential. The scholarship is specifically for any students that are children of employees at Monterey Mushrooms looking to further their post-secondary education. The application process consists of students discussing their academic background, interests, work experience and personal achievements. Since the program was established, Monterey Mushrooms has awarded over $3m in scholarship money to children of employees.
The feeling of comradery and family atmosphere in the work environment is certainly trickled down to its employees at every level. After Marketing Manager Lindsey Occhipinti graduated from college she knew she wanted to work in agriculture. As a marketer, Lindsey stresses the importance of her beliefs aligning with her companies; if she doesn’t believe in what she’s saying it won’t come off as authentic to the consumer.
“I just got a sense of community from the brand and from talking to the people.” Lindsey Occhipinti (15:00 - 15:07)
At the time, Monterey Mushrooms wasn’t a company she was too familiar with, but after researching it more and talking to the hiring manager she got a sense of community. Lindsey discovered Monterey truly stood for a family oriented culture and it was something she could really get behind and be proud of being a member.
As a recipient of the Carl Victor Fields Scholarship, Ana Mejia’s parents have both been with Monterey Mushrooms for over 25 years as pickers and now head of the cafeteria at the Loudon, Tennessee location. With Monterey Mushrooms being part of her family her entire life, Ana knows first hand the company culture.
“It just feels like home. Everyone gets along very well and we all believe in each other and push each other to become better people.” Ana Mejia (13:33 - 13:43)
When Ana began her post-secondary education path, it was a no-brainer to apply for the scholarship. Not only did she apply, but she was awarded the scholarship all four years of her time at Tennessee Tech University earning her Degree of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting. After which, she continued to earn her Master’s and is currently working on her CPA. Ana attests that she truly wouldn't have had this opportunity if it weren’t for Monterey Mushrooms and the support of her parents. The scholarship helped her gain her career and educational goals by reducing the cost. While getting her degree she had the opportunity to gain experience working in the accounting department at Monterey, and now she gets to work closely with her parents.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Managed varieties are something that give consumers a fresher look at the categories they love”
Jennifer Parkhill (11:39 - 11:49)
All produce isn’t created equal in the agriculture industry and with the introduction of managed varieties consumers are able to find precisely the taste and texture they’re looking for. SweeTango has been a trailblazer in the apple category, providing a sweet variety you’ll come back for time and time again.
The “experiment” of the SweeTango apple variety was actually developed by the horticultural research team at The University of Minnesota as a cross between the Honey Crisp and the Zestar!. First hitting the market in 2009, it was their first shot at commercialization of the first managed variety in the apple category. As such, it truly paved the way for other varieties to come to market. Now, SweeTango has growers in New York, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Washington and even Canada, all of which are hand picked.
Executive Director Jennifer Parkhill is at the forefront at SweeTango Apples as they continue to innovate their variety and make consuming healthy fruits more enjoyable and fun. Growing up in agriculture, Jennifer’s father was a corn and sugar beet farmer in Colorado. Living in the west, Jennifer worked for US Foods for 19 years in marketing and produce category management. That position led her to the co-op that produces the SweeTango Apple trees and has now been with them for the last two years.
While varieties like Red Delicious, Fuji and Honeycrisp are legacy staples in the apple category, managed varieties are actually created through a process of cross-pollination. Because the process is so meticulous and time consuming, managed varieties typically have limited availability and scope. These varieties are created to highlight an apples’ distinct characteristics that may not have been able to occur naturally through cross pollination. Because of this, consumers really have the ability to find the specific taste and texture they’re looking for.
The process of creating a managed variety is a long and arduous one. Jennifer describes it as the ultimate in product research & development as some varieties can take 20-30 years from start to planning and getting an apple on the market.
“You have to be resilient if it takes 20 years to develop a product.” Jennifer Parkhill (06:19 - 06:22)
While most managed varieties are more limited, Jennifer states that SweeTango is starting to be released for longer and longer after the growers have seen how valuable it is and how high of a demand there is for it. For consumers, once you’re a fan of SweeTango, you don’t want any other apple; it is that good!
Jennifer says that the best part of the SweeTango apple is that they’re good for you, while tasting amazing. No parent will feel any regret when giving their kids more apples because they like the taste.
Because SweeTango apples are grown nationwide, they’re trying even harder to reduce their carbon footprint by selling the apples in the same region that they’re grown. SweeTango is also working on being more sustainable growers by cutting down on plastic usage in packaging in the next few years.
“It’s important to us to be good stewards of the land and be able to then hand land to farm for generations to come.” Jennifer Parkhill (15:10 - 15:17)
Jennifer also offers a challenge to consumers: next time you’re at your local grocery store, pick one of each variety of apples. Take them home and do a fun activity with your kids. Have your kids or friends cut and rate each apple by taste and texture. This is a fun way to find what they like and don’t like about each variety. You will be amazed at the different tastes and opinions of each of your contestants!
Finding SweeTango apples near you has never been easier. Apples can be found at Wal-Mart, Trader Joes, Aldi, Costco and Kroger. If they don’t happen to be at your local big box grocer, the company recently launched a product locator on their website making it easier to find marketers simply by entering your zip code.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
"Qi Gong helps us get into that flow state where we feel our best selves and bring our best selves into all the activities of our lives."Lee Holden (8:56-9:08)
Would you like to be able to release stress and gain energy in just a few minutes?
By practicing a form of ancient Chinese medicine called Qi Gong, you can do just that. It’s is an easy feel-good practice that can be done in just a short amount of time to access your internal energy and clear stress and tension out of your system.
Qi Gong involves stretching and breathing exercises along with flowing movements and is easier than either Yoga or Tai Chi. It is actually the most widely practiced form of exercise in the world - even though it’s not well-known in the western hemisphere.
Lee Holden, a doctor of Chinese medicine and a world-renowned teacher of Qi Gong, is working to change that. By bringing it to public television and working with corporations like Weight Watchers, Lee has been able to make Qi Gong more mainstream and accessible to westerners.
"What you've done is taken this ancient practice of Chinese medicine and translated into the modern western lifestyle."
- Lori Taylor (4:47-5:03)
The key to Qi Gong’s overall effectiveness is doing it consistently and habitually. Just as brushing your teeth is meant to be done at least twice a day, doing Qi Gong twice a day will bring the results you desire. Doing Qi breaks of seven minutes or so throughout the day recharges your whole system and makes you more efficient.
Lee often calls Qi Gong “mindfulness in motion.” By practicing Qi Gong, we can meet life's demands with relaxation and flow instead of stress and tension. Qi Gong is a means of gaining energy to flow with life's demands and not get stressed out, tense, and depleted.
Fruits and vegetables are the ultimate Qi.
In connecting Qi Gong to fresh produce and healthy eating, Lee emphasizes that eating is really about gaining energy (Qi) to give our bodies the sustenance it needs to perform. The Qi (energy) of food is important, which is why getting organic, locally produced, and good sources of fruits and veggies is so important. They give us that Qi that we need to get us through our days and keep us healthy.
"Our bodies have tremendous healing power. And if we remove the blocks and charge up the system, our bodies heal themselves."
- Lee Holden (23:41-23:50)
In our western mindset, we often think that we need to take something to make ourselves feel better. However, in the long run, taking something can create other problems. Having tools and resources to take charge of our own health and healing is tremendously empowering. The practice of Qi Gong is one of those tools.
Visit Lee’s website for 30-day Qi Gong challenge that only requires seven minutes of your time each day! It’s great for moms (and dads) to do with their kids each day to give everyone a nice dose of energy and stress relief. Qi Gong will give the whole family a wonderful resource to deal with all of life's demands.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We came up with this formula to combine produce distribution and nutrition education with a fun food experience”
Lisa Helfman (06:06 - 06:13)
At baseline, low-income families are eating so little produce, they’re ignoring it at the grocery store because they’re intimidated by it. Parents fear spending money on food that might spoil, because they are unaware of how to properly prepare it. Brighter Bites is not only exposing these families to healthy food for free, but assisting them with preparation so they can then apply it to their normal shopping and meal experience.
Early in her career, Lisa worked mostly helping non-profit organizations and government entities in public finance. From there, she got a good vantage point of the business of non-profit, particularly in schools. She went on to work for Texas Children’s Hospital which then gave her a larger view of the entire healthcare system. She noticed most of the campaigns were built around treating illness, instead of preventing them.
Lisa was already participating in a co-op in her own home which gave her family access to fresh and local produce. It was then that she noticed a dramatic changs in the eating habits of her children, as they were regularly exposed to fresh, and new, produce. After beginning to volunteer with underserved communities, she wanted to be able to give children the same access, and came up with the plan of Brighter Bites.
“I was really passionate about produce and I knew from my own health how much it could change your life.” Lisa Helfman (15:58 - 16:04)
While still under Texas Children’s Hospital, Lisa began working on Brighter Bites as a source of fresh produce to school children. Having already built a relationship with KIPP - one of the largest charter schools across the country - they were the first school that agreed to participate in the fall of 2012.
Lisa established the three pillars Brighter Bites continues to run off of: produce distribution, nutrition education, and fun food experience.
Pre-coronavirus, Brighter Bites would have pallets of produce delivered to schools with parents and volunteers bagging and handing them out to kids. Each would be sent home with two fresh bags of produce containing 50 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a week for 16 weeks. Now, the collections have turned into boxes that are pre-packed at a produce distributor before being given.
Brighter Bites also trains teachers in nutrition education to then teach their students in the classroom. Parents receive nutrition tip sheets, handbooks, and recipes which are now also available online or on their mobile app.
To show parents how they can use the produce they’re being given, while distributing produce, the Brighter Bites program gives parents samples of what is in their bag. The goal being to demystify produce and show them it can taste good.
“If you don’t teach people how to use the product they’re not going to buy it, they’re not going to eat it. You really have to put the education component with the access.” Lisa Helfman (19:30 - 19:44)
Lisa points out that Brighter Bites not only serves to help the children at the schools they’re in, but their entire families. Data shows that two years after being in the Brighter Bites program, families are eating 19 more servings of produce a week.
This fall, Brighter Bites will be in 138 schools, delivering 10 million pounds of produce to 34,000 families.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“My passion is supporting busy people so that they can have an economical, healthy and fast way to feed their families”
Katie Hotze (20:43 - 20:54)
There is always the impeding question of “what’s for dinner” at the end of every day. As we are busy balancing work and home life, the go-to meals are often recycled every week, leading to possibly bland and less healthier options. A new application is looking to help the 21st century consumer by adding a Pinterest-style shopping option to your favorite grocers.
Despite having no background in grocery or agriculture, Katie Hotze was an experienced digital marketer and performance marketer by trade. As a working mom, she, along with fellow working moms, were always struggling to decide what would be for dinner at the end of a busy day. Katie would experience the endless cycle of looking up the same items from her grocery store on her phone, adding them to her cart, but never checking out.
Imagining the perfect platform solution, Katie began mapping out wireframes while working full time and earning her MBA at night. She spent what little spare time she had sharing them with family and friends in order to get feedback from the average consumer. After being laid off from her consulting job, Katie decided to take the plunge and make her ideas a reality. Katie spent the next year conducting customer discovery that showed her every tool that every recipe to cart solution out there was either slim pickings on the side of the grocery store, or the cart fulfillment didn’t work. Most grocers websites offer recipes but the clickthrough rate in which to purchase the specific groceries required is extremely low. Truly seeing there was no streamlined solution, Grocery Shopii was able to come alive.
“Everything that we do is consumer first and retailer focused.” Katie Hotze (03:40 - 03:44)
The technology created in Grocery Shopii directly integrates with the grocers ecommerce platform, giving the consumer a seamless experience. Backed by machine learning, the more you use it, the more it learns you making suggestions better and better over time. By saving your search history, consumers can return to it time and time again to not only use favorite recipes, but get inspiration for new ones.
While the application sounds appealing to the average consumer, what’s in it for the grocer? The biggest appeal to the grocer is that Grocery Shopii encourages consumers to return as they are regularly adding new content, making it the all-in-one for recipes and groceries. The technology isn’t only available for big franchised grocers either. After it was originally initialized, it now only takes about 2-3 weeks to get fully launched with a grocer, something that Katie says is ideal for smaller markets.
Grocery Shopii’s best clients are those that don’t have the means have an in-house engineering team to design and innovate new technologies. Having access to Grocery Shopii helps them go toe-to-toe with larger grocers.
“[Grocers] want to be close to the shopper but I’ve found there’s a wild disconnect between people making the decisions and the shoppers' needs.” Katie Hotze (12:24 - 12:31)
Working with content creators has been imperative to Grocery Shopii’s success as well. Katie started with syndicated cookbook content but the groups they were looking into to license recipes just had too high of a price tag. As millennials and Gen Z shop with their phones, she knew that influencers would be the best type of contributors to the platform. With newer, fresher recipes, and added nutritional facts, these influencers were perfect to get involved with Grocery Shopii’s offerings for consumers wanting to meal plan.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“What you see on the packaging is what you get”
Dr. Lior Lewenszatin (09:03 - 09:05)
Fruits are one of the most accessible foods on the food pyramid, and yet a hefty amount of Americans don’t get the amount they should daily. When cruising down the aisles at the grocery store, fruit snacks might be more appealing especially to kids. The hard truth is that a lot of fruit snacks we see are loaded with added sugars, preservatives, and sometimes don’t even contain fruit.
After attending medical and business school, Dr. Lior Lewenszatin discovered the statistic that only ⅓ of Americans get their daily serving of fruit. Taking the issue head-on, he wanted to create a product that was convenient and that helped people consume more fruit. When That’s It began, there weren’t many variations of the snack “bar” category. As a good delivery system, they began creating simple, nutritious and accessible bars.
“It really all began just trying to get people more convenient and portable ways to be able to consume fruit.” Dr. Lior Lewenszatin (03:53 - 04:01)
At the time, there weren’t many fruit bar options that contained actual fruit. Most competitors in the fruit category had added fruit puree, concentrate, or artificial flavoring. That’s It focuses their products on actually having very few ingredients, keeping to their namesake. Just by looking at their catalog, any given product has between one and six ingredients, mainly whole fruit.
Dr. Lior Lewenszatin launched That’s It with just three fruit bar options and sold them at five farmer’s markets in Los Angeles; perfect for the company to receive immediate and real time feedback. Not taking the typical product path, the company expanded nationally to Whole Foods within months.
As their products have a very limited number of ingredients, all of That’s It’s offerings have a massive list of certifications such as organic, gluten-free, kosher, plant based and vegan.
1 in 4 Americans are making food purchase decisions based on allergies either for themselves or someone in their house. This is why one of That’s It’s largest certification is that all of their products are allergen-free. All products are not only free of the top 12 allergens, but they are manufactured in a plant free of them as well.
“We’re really excited to be able to include that community and be able to support them with offerings that they didn’t have options for before.” Dr. Lior Lewenszatin (17:28 - 17:39)
With retailer growth also comes innovation and expansion. Keeping to the core of premium fruit, That’s It have a slew of product options. Their crunchable bars are virtually the same as their fruit bars, but with a crunchy appeal to kids. A lot of kids' snacks in retailers and grocers are categorized as fruit snacks, but most don’t even actually have fruit in them at all. That’s It introduced these kids bars to bring something whole, fresh and a convenient option for parents.
“Sometimes you get these retail buyers that look at this product and say that it’s not a fruit snack. It just goes to show you that they really view gummy bears and fruit roll-ups as a fruit snack. We’re trying to change that.” Dr. Lior Lewenszatin (13:00 - 13:23)
Having started with just three flavors, That’s It has expanded to 15 fruit bar flavor options and many new products such as a Keto Kick energy bar. With an initial retail expansion in Whole Foods, you can now find That’s It products in Starbucks, Target, and CVS along with direct to consumer on their website and Amazon.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We realized what needs to happen is that we need to create a distribution network that ensures that food really makes it to the people in need.”
Dan Zauderer (14:30 - 14:47)
It’s an unfortunate truth that there are still families in this country that struggle to put food on their own tables. As we look to find ways to assist, sometimes it can be difficult to figure out what is the right thing to do to get accessible food directly to those in need. When Co-Founder Dan Zauderer saw a need at his own school in the South Bronx, he took matters into his own hands while building a hub for people in his community.
After teaching abroad for two years in Costa Rica, Dan Zauderer returned to the States and began teaching at bilingual charter school, The American Dream School in the South Bronx. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and school moved to online-only, Dan realized a harsh reality: families in his community were struggling to have enough money to put food onto their own tables.
“There were sometimes 30 faces on the other end of the Zoom class. What devastated me was the fact that 45% of those families said they had to skip meals or cut down on meals because they didn’t have enough money to pay for food.” Dan Zauderer (04:30 - 04:49)
Dan had heard of other fridge organizations that simply placed them on sidewalks filled with fresh produce, free for anyone in need 24/7. It was then that he decided this was a necessity in Mott Haven. After gathering colleagues, community organizations and members together, they were able to place their first fridge in Mott Haven.
Dan’s students at The American Dream School are primarily undoucmented immigrants. As such, many parents aren’t interested in waiting at food pantries. The Mott Haven Fridge Network gives these families accessibility to free and fresh food while keeping their anonymity.
Although Dan’s idea started with just his students, it’s expanded to an entire network around the Bronx community. During this process, Dan and his team found that even though they are a viable solution for these families they have a difficult time gaining access to larger food rescue organizations because of their smaller scale. To help keep their fridges packed, the network has created a mobile forward system where anybody that has a car can volunteer to pick up excess produce that would otherwise go to waste. The distribution doesn’t end at their fridges either. Mott Haven Fridge Network drivers are also providing food to over 20 different community hubs around New York.
“All it takes is walking by a free food fridge or being exposed to this idea and realizing that you can make a difference too.” Dan Zauderer (21:30 - 21:39)
Mott Haven Fridge Network is expanding to at least three more fridges in the area within the next month. As a completely non-profit organization, Dan and Mott Haven Fridge rely on volunteers and donations of food or money to pay for logistics, pantries, volunteer matching technology and so much more.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We want to show that you can have it all and eat really well in a way that you can feel good about it.”
Dan Riegler (03:50 - 03:57 )
Meat replacements in a plant-based society typically aren’t necessarily what they are cut out to be. As we try to eat better, we still want to enjoy the flavors we have become accustomed to. Processed meat replacements are either clearly not the same texture, or filled with ingredients that completely take away the benefits of not eating meat in the first place. Whole food product company KARANA is providing jackfruit ingredient options for those that are looking for a healthier, and tastier alternative.
Despite spending most of his career in finance and consulting, KARANA Co-Founder Dan Riegler had a drive for food and a passion about sustainability. The combination of the two led to him exploring agriculture projects, particularly in food production. After seeing issues in supply chains, he wanted to create a company focused on making positive change in the food industry. To do that, he needed to find ingredients and food products that aligned with his core values. Being a carnivore most of his life, Dan already had an understanding and appreciation of food but ventured more towards wanting to combine values of sustainability with healthier options. It was then that his focus turned to the jackfruit.
“We were looking around for ingredients and crops that both would have a positive impact on the food system and especially the farmers” Dan Riegler (06:14 - 06:22)
Although the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, and an extremely popular meat replacement, Dan says the commercialization of it hasn’t been done very effectively. Upon his research he discovered that jackfruit is actually an extremely low maintenance crop and that farmers were actually using it as a crop to shade other crops such as peppers. Because of this, upwards of 60-70% of jackfruit was going to waste. This was a product and potential profit to farmers going down the drain. By spending more time focusing on the supply chain, these farmers are able to make more money, while companies like KARANA can begin to use jackfruit to create its products.
By using the jackfruit in it’s younger maturity stage, KARANA is able to handle the crop easier because the sugars in the fruit have yet to be formed. While it’s technically still a fruit, at this stage it’s more like a vegetable. Therefore, using it as an ingredient yields less sugar. Along with that, KARANA is using the whole plant to make for a more sustainable ingredient.
Right now, KARANA focuses their jackfruit meat replacement products primarily with food services, providing to chefs in Singapore and Hong Kong. The versatility of jackfruit gives these talented chefs endless opportunities to then go on to create dishes specifically around their respective restaurant.
The innovation isn’t limited to high scale restaurants. While their offerings right now are primarily shredded pulled “pork” and ground “pork”, KARANA is currently working on its first retail product to bring jackfruit options to your home in the form of dishes like dumplings and dim sum.
“I think people are more engaged with their food and what they’re eating than ever before.” Dan Riegler (11:08 - 11:11)
Jackfruit may be the staple of the company right now, but Dan and KARANA are always looking at more diverse options of what we as consumers eat and how they can introduce ingredients in different ways. They’re also hoping to release products to the United States within the next year.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“This is a product that was created for me. It was something that I couldn’t find on the market when I stopped eating meat.”
Jason Rosenbaum (04:18 - 04:24)
The term “plant-based” gets thrown out a lot, especially in recent years, as more people are going towards a vegetarian/vegan diet. But not all “plant-based” products are created equal. While some are plant-based, they can contain a lot of other excess additives like salt and preservatives that counteracts the advantages of not being meat focused. Actual Veggies is standing above the rest, keeping true to their name and creating products that are “veggie-only”. You can see it not only in the ingredients list, but in the burgers themselves.
Actual Veggies Co-Founder Jason Rosenbaum has always been an entrepreneur but never had a company he was truly passionate about. Thinking he was eating well, and fairly fit, Jason actually had fairly high cholesterol due to his genetics. After going through different options, he decided to cut out meat in 2019. With his favorite food being beef burgers, Jason was on the hunt for a way to replace them. In his findings, he discovered there are essentially two vegetarian burgers on the market: imitation meat, which is filled with sodium and extremely processed, and veggie burgers that are frozen and packed with preservatives. That’s it.
“I started doing research and I was looking for a refrigerated fresh veggie burger because it wasn’t something that I was able to make of my own. I couldn’t find anything on the market.” Jason Rosenbaum (06:57 - 07:06)
After seeing that there wasn’t much innovation in the veggie burger market, Jason decided to take matters into his own hands.
Coming from the tech industry, primarily with small business owners and entrepreneurs, Hailey Swartz had a desire to make her ideas a reality just like them. Health conscious herself, when Hailey learned the issue Jason brought to the table, she was on board to work on executing his vision. The two, alongside Hailey’s brother Alex, all teamed up to create Actual Veggies. Not knowing exactly how to create the burger themselves, the three partnered with a chef and created four flagship burgers: The Actual Black Burger, The Actual Orange Burger, The Actual Green Burger, and The Actual Purple Burger. All aptly named as you can see, taste and smell the veggies that are in them.
While Actual Veggies are obviously veggie based, Jason doesn’t particularly like using the term “plant-based”, but instead saying they’re “plant-only” or “veggie-only” because they don’t want to be grouped with other plant-based products that might not actually be.
“There’s so many products out there that are called plant-based” then you look at their ingredients and you go ‘wait there’s not really many plants in here’” Jason Rosenbaum ( 16:34 -16:41)
Now the timing of creating Actual Veggies was tough, as it was around March 2020. But as the world shut down, they opened up. After launching officially in January 2021, Actual Veggies are already available with Imperfect Foods, Hungryroot and Fresh Direct, along with Sprouts stores nationwide and direct to consumers on their website. With no preservatives, Actual Veggie burgers are something that’s unique that isn’t really being done in the market right now. As such, they’re primarily found in the refrigerated section, not frozen.
While veggie burgers are a staple of their product line right now, Hailey, Jason, and Alex have other veggie focused foods they’re looking to innovate. Since we all eat with our eyes first, they want to focus on color to make whole, veggie-only food fun for everyone.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Michigan blueberries and varieties are just miles ahead of where we were 65 years ago when our farm started.”
Andrew VanTil (13:06 - 13:19)
Did you know there are nearly 150 different varieties of blueberries? Given any trip to your grocery store or farmers market, you’re more than likely going to be exposed to any of the 30 main varieties. As a smaller farm, Bowerman Blueberries has been family owned and operated since the 50’s and is now going on it’s fourth generation of leaders. While it wasn’t always easy to adapt to the changes in the farming industry, Bowerman has kept its focus on quality and safety throughout the years. This mission was further engraved thanks to a partnership with grower-owned co-op, North Bay Produce.
As most farms are, Bowerman Blueberries has been passed down in the family for generations. Kassie Grasmanis’ grandfather, William, planted the first blueberry bush in 1948, but didn’t have the first official harvest until six years later when Bowerman Blueberries was formed. Kassie’s father, Randy, grew up on the farm and it only made sense to begin working on it as well shortly after marrying her mother. At that time, the farm wasn’t enough to support both families, as blueberries can take anywhere from seven to 10 years to fully mature. As the crops began producing in sizable quantities, Randy was able to purchase the farm from his father along with the adjacent 40 acres to take Bowerman to the next level. Now, the farm consists of around 100 acres of blueberries, an on-site farm market store and even a bakery. The farm continues to stay in the family with six members working on the business including Kassie, her brother-in-law Andrew VanTil, and even a fourth generation of Bowerman’s.
Much like her father, for Kassie, working with the family business was a given. She grew up on the farm as well and after going to college for management and accounting, it was a simple choice to take the business into the next generation, particularly with food safety.
Andrew joining the farm, however, was not as simple.
“Before joining the farm, I couldn’t have even kept a houseplant alive.” Andrew VanTil (05:21 - 05:25)
Those of us outside of the direct farming industry might think when they see someone that works on a farm that they’re a grower. But as farming has developed throughout the years there are many many other needs for the business besides growing. And this is where Andrew came in. Despite his lack of grow knowledge, he came in to become a jack of all trades for the family business. Focusing mostly on production and sales, Andrew has also been able to advance technologies available to Bowerman to ease processes like harvest and packaging.
Food safety has also been a main focus of Kassie and Andrew’s with Bowerman’s as of late. Blueberries have some of the highest nutritional values compared to other types of fruits, along with lasting longer on shelves. Therefore, quality assurance of their crop is vital to providing their customers with top notch product.
Testing, technology and tracking are the three most important factors at Bowerman when it comes to their food safety. As an ever-evolving industry, the technology around farming has dramatically changed when it comes to harvesting, production and packaging. There are now machines that can detect bruising inside berries before it even manifests. They can even sort out pieces of fruit that have the potential to ruin an entire batch. These are the types of technologies Andrew and Kassie are working on at Bowerman to further allow an extended shelf life and top quality product.
“The biggest difference in our industry from when I was a kid versus now is probably the quantity and seasonality of blueberries on the market.” Kassie Grasmanis (07:31 - 07:38)
Kassie reflects that when she was a kid, the only time you could get fresh blueberries in Michigan was mid-July to mid-September. The way the industry used to work is that grocery stores would deal with individual farmers and as that has shifted through the years, grocers are wanting berries year-round. Communication then shifted to co-ops and marketers, which led Bowerman to search for one to join. In their eyes, North Bay co-op is top of the line, and certainly aligned with their high quality expectations.
Advancements over the years at Bowerman have reached the point that they provide 13 varieties of blueberries, all with different harvest windows. This, and thanks to the North Bay partnership, allows them to pick earlier and provide longer throughout the year.
Even though Bowerman provides blueberries year-round there is still an off-season where they continue to focus on quality assurance, and replacing varieties they grow and make available. Anything to make their jobs easier come summer time.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“There’s a food revolution underway and it’s not a fad. It’s not letting up. It’s a really exciting place to be”
Josh Schroeter (05:05 - 05:11)
Josh Schroeter is truly an entrepreneur at heart. After working as a TV reporter and journalist for years, he went head first into the food industry in 2004 after starting Sahale Snacks with his best friend. Focusing on innovation, the company truly reinvented the packaged nut and trail mix category. When they sold the company to Smuckers after 10 years, it was time for Josh to move to his next venture; bringing a one-of-a-kind sunflower seed to consumers in the United States.
After serving on the advisory board of a large sunflower seed company, who is now his competitor, CEO and Founder of South 40 Snacks, Josh Schroeter, started re-thinking how consumers view them. As a very basic snack food, sunflower seeds had not seen that much growth as it’s been dominated largely by two companies: Conagra and Frito Lays. Like with other seeds and fruits, there are different varieties, sizes, and grades of sunflower seeds; a factor the average consumer probably doesn’t realize.
“My passion as an entrepreneur is innovating and disrupting categories of snack foods.” Josh Schroeter (05:35 - 05:41)
When living in Israel as a child, Josh knew of giant sized sunflower seeds that only grew there. As he got older, and began working in the food industry, he realized he couldn’t get them anywhere else. Aside from these seeds being much larger in comparison to normal sunflower seeds, they were much easier to crack with a higher payoff. This made the process of eating them more of an “activity”.
Starting as a bit of a hobby, Josh traveled to Israel to see if he could figure out the supply chain to get these massive seeds back to the States. From there, he began shipping containers of them over, and found a partner that could help roast and pack them. Thus, South 40 was born.
The brand strategy of freshness is a highlight of South 40. As consumers are looking for healthier options, South 40 is providing that with their unique seeds with only two ingredients: seeds and salt. Using brands like Wonderful as role models, Josh and South 40 are focused on making their snacks a premium product for consumers. Displaying them in the produce section at your local grocery store is a staple to that strategy and central to how they grow and differentiate the brand from others. Making them accessible to all is also important with a direct to consumer option available on their website.
“The opportunity really is to communicate and turn consumers on to these seeds in a context and in a place where that quality gets reinforced.” Josh Schroeter (15:44 - 15:56)
It doesn’t stop at sunflower seeds with South 40. The company is also about to launch something special with raisins. If it’s anything like what they’ve done with sunflower seeds, it’s sure to be a must-have in your snack selection.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our goal is to have a product that is so close to fresh produce as you can get it, but also making it shelf stable”
Natalie Mariani Kling (04:48 - 04:55)
Attached to the Mariani name, Natalie Mariani Kling was already in the thick of growing produce and providing nutritious food to consumers. But that mindset elevated when she became a mother. In-depth research about eating habits from around the world led Natalie to focus on plant-based nutrients and whole foods in her own lifestyle. Now, Natalie and Mariani Dried Fruits are on a mission to elevate how we view nutrition and partnering with others to make it more accessible.
Mariani Dried Fruits goes back to the 1900’s when Natalie’s great grandfather, Paul, immigrated to the States from Croatia. Landing in NYC, the love of his life, Victoria, was across the country in California. Working in a coconut factory for $1 a day, he earned enough money to move to California and began working on Victoria’s family farm in San Jose - now Silicon Valley. Soon after, he married Victoria and made enough money to put a down payment on his own orchard, and Mariani Dried Fruits was born. Known for his dedication to not only his family, but all the families in their community, Paul brought something special to the Mariani name.
As the business grew, Paul passed the farm along to his children, who then expanded it worldwide by buying land in Australia to grow produce year ‘round. With Paul’s great grandson becoming the CEO in the 70’s, Mariani Fruits continued to focus on quality, innovation, and family first. Now it’s the fourth generation's turn as George Jr., Natalie's cousin, is at the helm as President. Even with many Mariani names involved, everyone has different roles to play in the innovation and “family first” mantra of the company. When it was their turn to run the company, everyone came together and discussed who they are as a company, as a family, and how they want to grow.
It simply came down to the ideals of living healthy with a family focus. They had a product they were able to take and deliver real nutrients to consumers just like them. The next step was figuring out how to elevate that into the next century.
“As a fourth generation, we sat down and realized that things are shifting and the success or failure of the company was going to be on our watch.” Natalie Mariani Kling (06:46 - 06:54)
After re-establishing their dedication to the value of health and family, Mariani Fruits began planning on how to convey that to consumers, as all changes start at home. They began working on programs to make healthy eating easier and more accessible for their community members, something the company continues to focus on. One of these adaptations is arranging how they can be a resource for busy people and families. That started with making their website a platform for things like healthier lunch boxes for kids and quick and easy recipes.
The innovation mindset didn’t just start when the fourth generation took over. When Paul started the farm he immediately began working on better technology for drying fruit like adding moisture back to make a more enjoyable eating experience. These ideals continue to this day.
“We understand. We are those busy parents and those families that are trying to do it a little bit better all the time.” Natalie Mariani Kling (21:22 - 21:29)
Within months of these collaborative discussions, Natalie met with a company called Treasure 8. After hearing of their commitment to improving the food chain and especially supporting mothers and babies, she knew the combination of their technology and Mariani’s ability to commercialize it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to impact the world together.
The two companies built this partnership by coming up with technology to preserve the cellular integrity of the food, thus locking in nutrients, flavor, texture and color so there would be no need for preservatives or artificial sweeteners. This took Mariani Dried Fruits to the next level when it comes to shelf stability. With that, Mariani dried fruits can not only be found in the dried fruits section in grocery stores, but in the produce section as well. Natalie points out this point was vital for customers to see them in a “fresh” area as 90% of shoppers at least pass through the produce section.
Treasure 8 can also take Mariani’s food waste like prune or mango pits and make them into a nutrient dense ingredient that can be applied to other foods. The partnership between the two was a no-brainer between providing nutritious food to consumers, while also looking for ways to reduce waste and be more environment-friendly.
With partnerships like these, Mariani Dried Fruit can continue their mission statement of innovation while remaining relatable and convenient for families across the globe.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I can walk out into every field and eat what I’ve worked for. It’s fun to share that product with people.”
Drew Ketelsen (10:05 - 10:13)
Family is at the center of HMC Farms, which has been owned and operated by the McClarty Family since 1887. Starting with just 40 acres of land more than a century ago, HMC Farms now grows, packs, ships and sells tree fruit and table grapes. After falling in love with plums and plumcots, HMC has discovered a new proprietary variety and aptly named it - Plumsicle.
As a fifth-generation farmer, Chelsea’s roots are deep in agriculture, but the same can’t be said for her husband, Drew Ketelsen. The two met in college while Drew was studying civil engineering. After graduation, Chelsea chose to move home to work with the family, while Drew went to San Francisco to begin his engineering career. After two years of dating long-distance, Drew made the decision to follow his heart and join Chelsea. While looking for jobs in the Central Valley, he was given an opportunity to work on the family farm.
“I was looking for engineering jobs when Chelsea’s brother and dad said, ‘Hey, do you want to be a grape farmer?’” Drew Ketelsen (07:42 - 07:52)
Growing up in Lake Tahoe, Drew knew nothing about agriculture or farming, but the family took a chance and threw him straight in. Just as he started, a table grape partner left the business, opening up an opportunity for him to redesign their table grape business from the ground up. With engineering in mind, Drew had to break out of that “shell” of wanting to map everything out so it was perfect, however his background did help him with the more technical aspects of the business and inspired him to introduce new technology into the field. To Drew, the challenge is what’s most rewarding about farm management, and now he is going into his 12th season with HMC Farms.
An ever-growing issue in agriculture is lack of labor, with people moving away from labor-intensive jobs. Less labor means less harvesting, which leads to less of a selection of produce in grocery stores.
Automated harvesting is still in the early stages of development, but in the meantime agricultural innovations like harvest platforms are helping to remove ladders from the field and make the harvest process more efficient. Ag technology is one focus for Drew, utilizing his engineering experience to bring HMC Farms toward more mechanized crops. Moving this direction is vital not only to keep farms like HMC in business, but also to keep the food supply going to consumers.
One of HMC Farms’ newest and most exciting fruits is called Plumsicle. It is unlike any other plum or plumcot, with an incredibly sweet fruit punch flavor, and it’s only grown by HMC Farms. Plums are a huge focus of HMC Farms. They are, in fact, the only company with a packing facility dedicated solely to plums and plumcots. With so many exiting new varieties and incredible health benefits, plums and plumcots, especially Plumsicle, will soon start to receive the attention they deserve.
“Nothing is being grown in a lab, it’s all cross-pollination. There’s no GMO’s” Chelsea Ketelsen (20:34 - 20:41)
With Plumsicle, almost everyone at HMC Farms had a chance to be involved in the process of getting this proprietary variety off the ground. When choosing the new variety, employees were able to taste test and choose their favorites. Most people in the office contributed options to name the new variety, and ultimately the selection came down to an old-fashioned vote. Both Drew and Chelsea agree that the name Plumsicle is fitting, as they describe it being sweeter than candy (just a healthier option).
“Somebody asked me ‘if you can put any fruit tree or vine on your property, what would you do?’ and I said ‘I didn’t grow up in Ag, but I’m 12 years into this and it would be the Plumsicle because it’s so amazing.’” Drew Ketelsen (02:24 - 02:42)
HMC Farms is currently in the thick of Plumsicle season, so make sure you head to your local store and grab some before they’re gone!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
“As more sustainable packaging becomes available, the cost will go down. We just really need to invest in that”
Kaci Komstadius (14:23 - 14:34)
While she recycled household products as a child Marketing Manager at Sage Fruit Company, Kaci Komstadius was influenced to take further steps to living a more sustainable lifestyle after seeing how conscious her fiance's family is with reducing waste. After applying it to her home, she then began to take it to her job at Sage Fruit and began researching more sustainable and earth-friendly product packaging for the company.
Owned by multiple growers, packers, and shippers, Sage Fruit Company is a sales and marketing firm of northwest tree fruits located in Washington supplying fruit year-round. While you might see Sage Fruit products in your local grocery stores, their products are shipped and sold across the globe. Memories of picking fruit at roadside stands with her grandparents drew Kaci Komstadius to the company and, as the Consumer Marketing Manager, she’s now on a path to provide more sustainable produce packaging.
Growing up, Kaci and her family recycled “easy” items like newspapers and aluminum cans but their sustainability ended there. After seeing how low-waste her fiance’s family was, she decided to pay more attention to her usage as well. It then became a passion project for her at home by finding different and easier ways to cut out waste. After just adding at-home compost, her household of two got down to creating just one bag of trash a week.
This began to translate into her job working in crop farming. Kaci began to realize the amount of packaging that was put into fresh produce and she wanted to find a way to make it better.
As much as we want to be good stewards of the earth, the grab-n-go model in grocery stores works quite well. As consumers, sometimes we want to do what’s quickest and simplest, and that doesn’t always consist of an earth-friendly option.
With that in mind, Kaci set a goal to find a different kind of packaging that is going to allow that “easy” model to still take place, without having a negative impact on the planet.
Any type of change is challenging, and Kaci certainly faced that. More sustainable options are also more expensive. Consumers want to have packaging that is more earth-friendly, but the reality is they may not be willing to pay extra for it. Growers and stakeholders still need to make their bottom line, and more times than not, sustainable packaging might not always fit in. It has been helpful, though, to see many big retailers make a public push for sustainable options like setting goals of “no plastic bags by 2023”. This shows they want these options, and that has been a driving force for Kaci to take steps to find them.
“When new sustainable packaging started coming out, I started going through and trying to research what the best option would be because we hear about microplastics that can be just as bad.” Kaci Komstadius (10:57 - 11:10)
After loads of research, Kaci and Sage Fruit are currently testing a Bio-Able bag for their organic cherries. Organic cherries were chosen as it’s more likely something the demographic of organic consumers are looking for. While these bags aren’t technically biodegradable, they do break down two years after production. Kaci found this to be a perfect option for consumers that aren’t necessarily composting at home, but are looking for a way to do something better. Even though these bags may be sent to the landfill, they do break down quicker than plastic bags and create biogases. The recycling loop closes, as landfills are collecting these biogases and then selling them to energy companies as a renewable energy source.
The biolabel bag for organic cherries is only the beginning for Sage Fruit Company. While it’s a long process, they’re continuously working on the first steps on innovation for sustainable produce packaging.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I could have learned what I did about plant-based nutrition and kept it to myself. But that’s not who I am. I need to curate some experiences for folks.”
LA Dunn (6:04 - 6:14)
As a city-kid raised in New York, Founder of Black Girls Eat, LA Dunn’s parents always made sure she had a green vegetable at dinner. As she got older and noticed some changes to her body, she decided to take her nutrition into her own hands while teaching other women how they can too.
It can be difficult, at times, to find a doctor that can advocate for your health but LA Dunn found one in a rheumatologist when she realized she was having chronic aches and pains. After taking signals from her body, LA began researching more into whole foods and plant-based nutrition. While she assumed this would limit her access to healthy and enjoyable meals, it, in fact, did the opposite.
After taking classes and doing the research, LA changed her mindset on not only how she cooks, but how she shops. Focusing more around plants for meals, rather than meat opened her up to try new things and be adventurous with her food.
With a background in education, LA always hungered to not only learn more, but share her knowledge. After learning what she did for herself, she started sharing it with other women. Discussions turned into shopping trips, and then into cooking and having these experiences together. This is what went on to inspire her to create Black Girls Eat.
“I’m here to alleviate stress, and help create a clear pathway to reach your own goals. When the goal is to eat a little healthier, we can do that together.” LA Dunn (21:17 - 21:18)
While back then it was simple to meet in-person and have these discussions about nutrition, COVID-19 made everything take a bit of a turn. As they were unable to gather and shop together as easily, LA began to focus more on virtual learning. With the ability to add more to the website, Black Girls Eat expanded to virtual coaching, and added various partnerships.
Sometimes when we hear the term “plant-based”, our minds immediately go to labels like Vegetarian, Vegan or Pescetarian. But these types of labels can be overwhelming and intimidating when looking for whole food nutrition. LA’s goal with Black Girls Eat is to be an advocate for her clients to simply eat better and differently.
Accessibility can be a major roadblock when clients consider plant-based nutrition, but LA and Black Girls Eat show that there are budget friendly options that are not also pre-packaged, processed food. Thanks to a partnership with Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York, Black Girls Eat is able to educate clients on the possibilities and ease of urban farming and sustainability.
While they can be picky eaters at times, it can be important to get children more involved as well. By explaining why you’re making certain food choices, LA tells her clients this can help with their understanding along with development of their own choices in the future.
There are a lot of things that aile our bodies and making better food choices is something that we can control. While a change might be overwhelming for some, LA wants to be that cheerleader for her clients on their plant-based nutrition journey.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Visit www.blackgirlseat.com to learn more about going from plant-curious to plant-focused with LA.
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Strong curriculum resources are part of the tool box that teachers reach into and pull out so that they are successful in delivering the lesson for the day. ”
John Flanagan (17:30 - 17:44)
Executive Director of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Nancy Bock, and President of Goodheart-Willcox Publishing, John Flanagan aim to work in tandem to recruit, prepare, and support FCS educators into the future by providing the most up to date and accurate research and curriculum.
Family and consumer sciences covers a broad range of subjects as it’s evolved throughout the years and many organizations are working together to support the industry along with bringing in more FCS educators. The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences is one of these and, thanks to a recent USDA grant, are spearheading the cause. The moment the AAFCS was aware of this grant they jumped in head first to support the effort by attending conferences, contributing staff time, and participating in collaborative efforts.
AAFCS Executive Director Nancy Bock aims to use this opportunity to take advantage of these student’s passions and help place them further into a field that will allow them to use these skills. With a drastic shortage in FCS educators, this support system with other FCS organizations will provide resources in bringing in new educators that may not have been aware of the opportunities FCS can provide.
The “norm” of FCS requirements has certainly changed over the years, as the AAFCS was formerly known as the American Home Economics Association. With a name change brought a new perspective on FCS as the AAFCS became a professional network not only for educators but for government, business, and non-profit organizations.
“When you bring FCS students into a boardroom and ask them to speak to CEOs of major companies about FCS, they are on fire. They bring such passion.” Nancy Bock (28:41 - 29:01)
Joining FCS in 1977, publishers Goodheart-Willcox has also had to adapt to changes in the FCS field from cooking and home economics to how society’s needs evolve. They continue this by providing resources from experienced educators themselves.
But President of Goodheart-Willcox, John Flanagan, doesn’t stop there when it comes to supporting FCS education. The publisher makes sure to attend conferences, build partnerships with educators and organizations and even provides sponsorships for awards in student-run organizations like the FCCLA.
“We’re passionate about supplying the curriculum resources that help solve today's problems so that tomorrow’s future looks brighter.” John Flanagan (8:46 - 8:57)
With the pandemic hitting all educators hard, both the AAFCS and Goodheart-Willcox had to adapt. The AAFCS took their research journal online, and Goodheart-Willcox was able to provide 90-day free access to online courses to FCS teachers so their students could then have easy access.
The FCS field is a much more hands-on environment than other fields and materials that Goodheart-Willcox provide are not only textbooks but lab activities, exercises, performance reviews and observations. These resources can then be used by educators to train their students for the real world.
“We have to take action to ensure that family and consumer sciences is required in every secondary school in the United States.” Nancy Bock (32:24 - 32:34)
While the USDA grant provides necessary support, there’s certainly more work to do and it starts with recruitment. Various FCS organizations collaborate regularly and with content provided by publishers like Goodheart-Willcox, the hope is that the number of educators will grow and students will not only see the opportunities FCS can provide but will feel supported by these organizations.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We’re working hard with the co-op to try and get SweeTango apples into the hands of more direct farm marketers so that consumers can find them in more grocery stores”
John Jacobson (16:46 - 17:08)
Second generation grower with Jacobson’s Pine Tree Apple Orchard, John Jacobson knew the SweeTango apple needed to be added to the farm the moment he tried it in 2006. It took a bit of convincing for the remainder of his family at Pine Tree, but after adding 10,000 trees it’s become a staple of their offerings.
As a second generation grower, John’s family roots (literally) are in apple farming. The original orchard was planted in 1904 on the shore of Pine Tree Lake extending around 25 acres. After working on the orchard for eight years, his father ended up buying it in 1958. Pine Tree Apple Orchard now stretches over 300 acres with apples, strawberries, and pumpkins. To this day, John and all five of his siblings are involved in raising and selling the crop, with family truly at the core of the business.
Not only does Pine Tree Orchard have the farm, but a full-service bakery with dozens of different apple pies, donuts and cider. As summer is somewhat of the “off season” for apples, Pine Tree is now preparing for the season by trimming trees, and topping off the processing season of freezing apples until next season.
The Jacobson’s define their farm culture with high quality fruit by choosing varieties that are unique, with an appeal to the market that they serve. Thanks to a partnership with The University of Minnesota’s fruit breeding program, Pine Tree is involved in testing of different varieties that the farm provides.
“There’s technology that can tell us the soluble sugars that are available and how sweet they are. But there’s nothing like walking through the orchard, grabbing a ripe one, eating it and knowing they’re really close to being ready to be harvested.” John Jacobson (16:46 - 17:08)
Pine Tree Orchards’ introduction to SweeTango apples goes back to 2006. John and his father were on their way to another farm in Minnesota when they swung by a friend's operation in Lake City. This friend told them there was a new variety of apples coming up and introduced them to SweeTango.
“I was sold at first bite” John Jacobson (05:26 - 05:29)
After bringing the SweeTango apple home and allowing everyone else in the family to try, John was able to push to add the new crop to the farm. But it’s not as simple as adding it and hoping that consumers like it as much as he does.
When adding a new crop to the grow list, it can be difficult to take a risk on what to invest in. As direct marketers, Pine Tree Orchard has the ability to give their customers a taste of what they’re working on and gauge their interest.
Once the family was convinced, Pine Tree joined the co-op and began with over 10,000 trees. With significant starting harvesting cost, SweeTango has been quite a successful apple for them so far, with few apples having teh same taste and texture, and coming before honeycrisp season.
Thanks to joining the co-op, Pine Tree has been able to work diligently on getting SweeTango into the hands of more direct farm marketers in the midwest and east coast so that more consumers can access them in grocery stores
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“There’s so many opportunities to travel, network, and broaden your horizons. I don’t think you can get that anywhere else. ”
Hannah Jones (10:46 - 10:56)
Kevin Homan, FCS student at Purdue University in Indiana, Hannah Jones, National FCCLA First Vice President and incoming political science freshman at The University of Kentucky and Kenzlee Camp, incoming FCS freshman at Oklahoma State University are all three students that have been involved in FCS at a young age and are now taking what they’ve learned and applying it to their separate career paths.
In previous discussions about family and consumer sciences, the main focus has revolved around how current educators got into the field. But what about their students? A recent USDA grant focuses on recruiting, preparing and supporting these educators. The former of the three tent poles is one of the most important as educators aim to get students involved by showing just how far the FCS field can take them.
While family and consumer sciences originated as middle and high school classes to teach students life trades, it’s evolved into much more. The student-run Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) organization is one of these major recruitment tools for students across the country.
As the National FCCLA First Vice President, Hannah Jones originally aimed to go into the medical field. With FCCLA, she attended a leadership convention in Washington, D.C. that allowed her and her classmates to advocate for a specific topic. This opportunity to speak directly to representatives about something she was passionate about made her switch gears to now focus on politics and eventually becoming a lawyer.
Kenzlee Camp encountered a teacher in high school at a point when she wasn’t sure where she wanted to take her career. Kenzlee could tell that this teacher had a passion and that’s when she knew she wanted to do the same.
“My advisors were really big on showing me the model for what a strong FCS teacher should look like. That really impacted me and they invested into my leadership journey. They were huge catalysts in my decision to major in FCS education.” Kenzlee Camp (08:34 - 08:49)
Like Kenzlee, Kevin Jones had an FCS teacher that influenced him to go further as an educator himself. His teacher had a knack for restaurant management and encouraged him to make a career out of it. With the assurance of job security, it was a no brainer for Kevin. Now, almost reaching the end of his college career, it’s extremely likely he’ll get a job fairly quickly after graduation.
Telling students they have career security in FCS sounds simple enough, but how do educators keep them interested and support their endeavours? As all FCS students are virtually in the same classes, Kevin thinks that students supporting each other is a huge factor as they all “grow up” together.
The stigma around FCS as just a culinary arts field just isn’t true anymore. It’s important to share the story that FCS and FCCLA teach you real world skills that you’ll take with you for the rest of your life.
Hannah started in the path of early childhood education and not only learned how to teach children but how their brains work and are affected by every little thing in life. Although an incoming college freshman, Kenzlee has already learned similar practices in her high school education about how people develop. These studies and skills can go on to be applied to virtually any field, not just FCS education.
“A practical lesson I’ve learned in all of my studies is to remember that you’re still growing. You don’t have to worry about being perfect the first time. If you mess up, that’s an opportunity for growth.” Kenzlee Camp (19:05 - 19:18)
The best piece of advice current FCS students have for any that are interested in the field is to not judge the book by it’s cover. Even if you don’t go into FCS education, the skills learned will set you up for success, no matter what your career choice is.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We want people to get this premium product, but they’re not stretching for it. They’re getting it at an affordable price.”
Noah Robbins (6:30 - 6:39)
Growing up in agriculture, CEO and Founder of Ark Foods, Noah Robbins saw a need to not only make farmers market vegetables more accessible, but to build a brand around making them enjoyable to consumers again.
The taste of the products Ark Foods provides speaks for itself but we, as consumers, eat with our eyes. Founder and CEO Noah Robbins is taking Ark Foods on a trajectory as a modern-day farming company to create an elegant brand of clean eating that is simple, yet attractive.
With his father as a citrus farmer, Noah grew up in the agriculture field. After graduating he saw there was a need to make vegetables from farm lines more accessible to consumers while encouraging them to eat clean ingredients.
“There was a moment where I thought a lot about vegetables not as the end of the process, but rather the beginning.” Noah Robbins (12:26 - 12:38)
The company started with just three acres of land and grew one vegetable, shishito peppers. They became the staple of the company as a snacking pepper with 1 in 20 being spicy, depending on the season. This brought a “fun” aspect to eating them as somewhat of a Russian roulette. Since then, Ark Foods has expanded to building strong relationships with farming partners that they source from for each of their products.
These days, other food companies are trying to cater to a higher end market for clean label ingredients and ethos. Certain foods aren’t viable for certain households because of the market prices of fresh-grown ingredients.
Ark Foods is combating this roadblock by allowing consumers to have the same experiences at an affordable price point. Products like their shishito peppers and purple bell peppers, that people may have not tried before, are now possible.
But the goal is to not only make the vegetables themselves accessible but meals, as well. Noah and Ark Foods are working on making people no longer see these as a side item but creating products solely around them. From that mindset, they’re always thinking of new products in different ways, such as their cauliflower mac and cheese.
While vegetables may be simpler to consume as adults, the same isn't always said for children. At the start of the pandemic, Noah actually moved in with his sister and brother-in-law and thus spent a lot of time with his niece and nephew. What he noticed is, while they are picky eaters like most children, they were intrigued with the experiences that food brought. They would get excited about a new take on standard food they knew, like pasta. Once they tried these new takes, like veggie and pesto pasta, they couldn’t stop eating them and that was the ultimate compliment.
“If kids like it, you know it’s a good product.” Noah Robbins (10:02 - 10:05)
Recently, Ark Foods has launched a new clean label salad line which reflects their take on the classic salads we know and love. While salads are always a healthier option, toppings and dressings are usually packed with added ingredients and sugar. Ark Foods is always tinkering with new ideas, like substituting croutons with roasted chickpeas and ensuring all dressings have clean, plant based ingredients.
You can find where to purchase Ark Foods products locally on their website and how to get them delivered through Amazon Fresh, Prime Now, FreshDirect, Farm to People and Fridge No More.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Students can go anywhere in the world, if they are an FCS teacher, and get a job”
Dr. Jacqueline Holland (23:13 - 23:21)
Dr. Jacqueline Holland, Associate Professor and Director of the Department of Family Consumer Sciences at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and Dr. Susan Turgeson, Associate Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences at The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point are both working hard on mentoring students to bring to light the vast amount of opportunities in the FCS field.
When you think of family and consumer sciences you probably time travel to home economics classes in middle and high school. These classes originally taught life trades to young adults such as culinary skills, nutrition, and personal finance. FCS in recent years has developed into much more than that, especially with the addition of the student organization Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Through FCCLA, students can further make a difference in their societies, not just as a concept, but as a potential career opportunity.
Dr. Jacqueline Holland and Dr. Susan Turgeson have both been through a myriad of careers that have led them to the field of Family and Consumer Sciences.
After 10 years of different careers, Dr. Turgeson decided it was time to go back to school for teaching. Her early Family and Consumer Sciences teacher covered different subjects she related to and, essentially, promised a job, something few fields can do.
“We typically say that within the state there’s at least three jobs for every graduate. Nationwide, it’s more like 10. The job market is so strong and it will continue to be that way.” Dr. Turgeson (12:00 - 12:14)
As the former President of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences herself, Dr. Holland started as a high school home economics teacher and then moved on to a mentoring role after seeing teachers leaving early due to lack of support.
With a decrease in students enrolling in secondary FCS programs, a recent USDA grant focuses on recruiting, preparing, and supporting family and consumer sciences educators.
While it’s important to recruit students as early as high school it’s also vital to prepare them, as teaching FCS is ever-evolving and will change throughout the years.
As Dr. Holland witnessed during her time as a high school educator, teachers are getting burnt out with the lack of support. Current educators are encouraging students to engage in organizations like FCCLA to keep them interested in the field, along with assuring them a career path moving forward.
“Back in 1996 when I went back to school for Family and Consumer Sciences I was promised a job at the end. I can still make that same promise to my students today.” Dr. Turgeson (11:48 - 11:58)
Dr. Susan Turgeson and Dr. Jacqueline Holland both aim to show students how using an FCS education can improve our quality of life, as our world changes year to year.
Service learning in the field of FCS is extremely important to our society. Students that #SayYestoFCS can apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to their career and community to further make a difference.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Sharing content all started because of an onion tree. Boring!”Shay Myers (4:10-4:14)
You’ve probably seen or heard of Shay Myers, third generation farmer and CEO of Owyhee Produce, through his TikTok and Instagram handle @shayfarmkid. He’s been educating consumers and showing them behind-the-scenes of his farm on social media, which thankfully helped him harvest this year’s asparagus when there was a worker shortage.
How’d Shay get inspired to start growing on social media? He was speaking with a produce buyer one day who was asking questions about how onions are grown and produced. Being so immersed in this knowledge for years, Shay went into a deep dive, in-depth discussion about things like the translucent scale, try leaf, onion roots, instead of just covering the basics. This was Shay’s ‘aha moment’ of understanding that his view of farming and the rest of the world is quite different. From then on, Shay has been trying to educate not just produce buyers who typically come from very urban settings, but with social media on TikTok and LinkedIn, he’s trying to fulfill the hunger consumers have about understanding where their food comes from and how it is produced.
“It took me a long time to realize that what I consider farming to be and what the average person that's not associated with farming thought farming was, were two different things and that's really my mission. Shay Myers (3:27-3:40)
So how did Shay use his social media channels and tight knit audience to create one of the most successful “U-Pick” farms the industry has ever seen?
Like most farms, Shay uses a large number of H-2 workers, which are agricultural guest workers who come to the United States to work for up to nine months at a time. The program is bureaucratically challenging, but very rewarding because of the dedicated and highly-skilled individuals that come to work for the farms. Plus, usually the same workers come back year after year. Unfortunately, there was a typo (yes, a typo) in the application this year, creating some major delays. The clerical errors weren’t caught until about 5 days after the farm needed their workers, so it was too late to do anything. In fact, the farm didn’t get approved until the last week of May when they needed workers starting March 21st (harvest starts between the beginning to middle of April).
Needing to harvest their asparagus without any workers, the farm was in a tough spot. They had enough workers to do some of the picking, but not enough for one of their entire fields, which is about 35 acres. The farm called around, trying to pull workers from California, Washington, Idaho and even Texas, but they were unable to find any more workers.
Did you know labor costs have increased by 40% over the last five years? Although what happened at Shay’s farm was a clerical error, there is a labor crisis in the farming industry and we need to do something about it.
Shay decided to get on TikTok and rant about the situation, needing to save 350,000 pounds of asparagus that was about to go to waste and wondering what to do? Somehow the local media channels picked up on Shay’s call to have people come and participate in a U-pick on the farm and the following Saturday over 6,100 people showed up to pick free asparagus.
Not only was the asparagus not wasted, but people came from as far as Astoria, Oregon, which is almost ten hours away from the farm! They were expecting around 500 to 600 people, but never over 6,100! The crowds started to get so big that people had to sign up to get in.
It may sound like this was a simple and easy solution that thankfully went viral, but it came with its challenges. FSMA, or the Food Safety Modernization Act, is a strict protocol the farm had to follow to make sure the food is safe. Everyone needed to sign the food safety documents before participating in the U-Pick. If someone didn’t sign digitally, when they arrived at the farm, they met with a team member who would also review how to appropriately cut the asparagus, making sure they didn’t walk on the asparagus plant, checking for jewelry, and so on.
Can you imagine having to implement that, unplanned, within 24 hours? It was, however, a great teaching moment to show consumers what farm workers have to go through every day to ensure proper safety measures are met.
The good news is, not only were people grateful and thanking the farm for the opportunity, but they were making comments about how they’ll never complain about the expensive price of asparagus ever again. With the amount of automation and technology we have today, it’s easy to think that things on the farm are done mechanically. In all actuality, very little is done by machines. There are some mechanized plantings, but in terms of harvesting, almost everything in the produce department is still hand harvested.
“A lot of my social content is for people to understand that farming isn't a red barn, an old rusty tractor, a chicken coop with a dozen chickens and a couple of milking cows. It's a lot more involved in that and it's fun and it's cool. It can be exciting. It can be frustrating. It can be scary. And I just like to bring people along with me along that path.” Shay Myers (3:40-4:05)
Although Shay was able to find a solution to his worker shortage during his farm’s most recent asparagus harvest, there’s a labor crisis in the farming industry we need to recognize. There’s a shortage of labor availability and the cost of labor is too high, especially when production can be moved to the Southern border and Mexico where the pay is about 10 times less than in America. A fifty cent minimum wage is a lot more affordable than, for example, Oregon’s $16.44 minimum wage. There’s political issues at play, human ethics issues at play, and, as Shay says, “from a food safety standpoint and a food security standpoint, we certainly can do better.”
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I’m definitely optimistic about the future of the restaurant industry. People always have to eat!”
Seth Karm (16:56-16:59)
Salad Savoy, a one-of-a-kind vegetable that grows in beautiful white and violet heads, is the namesake of the company behind some of the healthiest, nutrient-dense vegetables around. The company was hit hard during the pandemic, but is thankfully bouncing back with the help of the USDA and consumers like you looking to cook highly nutritional, delicious, colorful meals at home.
Famous with chefs, but not as well known to the public, Salad Savoy is well-known for their colorful chards, kale and cauliflower, which have been the company focus since 1984. With the mantra of “color, taste, nutrition”, Salad Savoy has aimed to break up the wall of green we see in the produce section with items like their gold, orange, pink, red and white Bright Lights® leafy greens, Red Ruby Swiss Chard™, Carnival® Multi-Color Cauliflower and more. They were the first company to bring Lollipops®, a fork-sized vegetable that is a cross between Red Kale and Brussels sprouts, to North America in 2012, which, unlike Brussel sprouts, have to be hand-harvested off the plant… something even the most discerning chef can appreciate.
“A lot of cooking shows these days, like on the Food Network, use the Lollipops as a mystery ingredient. It’s funny to see the looks on these chefs’ faces because they’re somewhat familiar with the item and it’s a great challenge to work with.” Seth Karm (6:13-6:28)
When the pandemic hit last year, Salad Savoy had plenty of beautiful crops they were ready to harvest and provide the supply chain with, especially getting ready for Easter. In a blink of an eye those crops were all going to be unused. “We leaned on a lot of folks like The Produce Moms with great industry contacts and it was so difficult because at that point in time, people were not going to order any extra items and just going to ‘stick with the staples’,” says Seth.
As we know, during that time, retail was king since restaurants and other parts of the food industry supply chain shut down. Within two weeks of the pandemic hitting, the company was down to 30% of normal business, in part because of the toll 2020 took on fine dining, an arena where Salad Savoy’s products are usually high in demand. So much of the fine dining appeal is the experience it offers -- being catered to, having a beautiful presentation on your plate and table, having a long, relaxing meal with a bottle of wine… that experience doesn’t transfer to a to-go container. Fine dining is just now barely creeping back for us in America and Seth says “it’s still an awkward situation. It just feels awkward,” which we can all probably agree on.
Plus, Salad Savoy provides a lot of their produce to Universities, hospitals, caterers and conventions… all suppliers that weren’t in need of produce. Getting creative, Salad Savoy instead was able to provide produce to many of the meal kit companies, like Hello Fresh, and the Farmers to Families food boxes from the USDA. Thankfully, since the beginning of February, business has been back to about 90% of what it was for Salad Savoy. Seth is grateful for the USDA’s assistance which they received financially last November. “Without that, we would not have survived,” Seth says.
“Chard, kale and cauliflower… it does not get better than that. You’ve got more Vitamin C, more calcium than in broccoli, polyphenols with colored vegetables, beta carotene on the orange cauliflower, resveratrol in the red tail and purple cauliflower…” Seth Karm (22:08-22:31)
Even though they have less staff, Salad Savoy has learned how to become more efficient with their operations, minimize their input at the field level, and minimize field labor. Potentially, automation might come into place for harvesting crops or analyzing the color of heads of salad. Seth and his team are continuing to look at solutions that save money, like auto-tuning, which is a machine that goes over the plants with a treatment after seeding in a matter of hours, when it takes days using human labor. Even Seth has had to juggle multiple hats, from CEO to sales coordinator to social media manager and food safety expert!
What does Seth have to say for you, the consumer? Remember that, with the pandemic, you need to keep your immune system strong and one of the best ways to do that is to eat Salad Savoy’s dark, leafy greens which offer peak nutrition for consumers. If you’ve been cooking at home, you’ve been learning more about the food you prepare and what foods, like dark, leafy greens, are nutritionally dense.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We are going to address our family and consumer sciences teacher shortage and truly work to increase the number of highly qualified teachers that best meet the needs of our schools and community.” Kristin Vest (5:49-6:02)
Reno Palombit, CTE Workforce Development Specialist from North Carolina, Melissa Webb, Family and Consumer Sciences Consultant at the California Department of Education and FCCLA State Advisor, and Kristin Vest, Human Sciences and Education Career Field Specialist from the Nebraska Department of Education are all passionately helping recruit, support and retain future FCS educators of America as a part of the USDA grant project and national partnership.
How is the national partnership preparing people to become interested in teaching FCS? Well, when Melissa first joined, the efforts were focused on finding individuals at the state level who were interested in helping out with the teacher recruitment campaign. Melissa created a teacher task force which will be receiving funding this year to promote these efforts. Only two universities in California, one of them being Sacramento State Northridge University, offer the teacher pipeline program for students to get their credentials. The partnership is focused on working with post-secondary colleagues to make sure this mission is happening.
They’ve put together a promotional video to spotlight the campaign that hopefully will resonate with teachers, administrators and FCS students so they’ll start thinking about becoming a teacher.
“By incorporating FCCLA into the subject area, the teacher has now opened a door for that student to achieve and be recognized for their work and accomplishment. These students get to work with industry professionals at various workshop conferences, and also get to be evaluated by industry partners, their own peers and other family and consumer sciences teachers to get feedback and recognition for their work in their class.” Melissa Webb (11:18-11:54)
There are a lot of opportunities for college students to get involved with FCCLA by providing training or workshops, going to conferences and sharing with FCCLA members in high school about what college is like as a way of recruiting them into the FCS field.
For Reno, in college, observing and microteaching was really beneficial. What’s microteaching? It’s when a FCS student goes into the classroom to teach a 20-or-30 minute lesson on a specific topic and debriefs with the teacher to start building their teaching skills.
Reno also believes going to teacher conferences as a FCS college student is a great opportunity to start building a network, get connected to professional communities and hear about job opportunities. He’s seen students have great success by taking an extra class or two at a local community college on the particular discipline they wanted to teach since studying FCS can be so wide - there’s interior design, childhood development, food, nutrition and so much more!
Another important, but not-so-fun part of the program is fiscal and policy compliance. Each state has their own rules and regulations that govern career and technical education and it’s a complex system with many different ‘buckets’ of money that each have their own regulations.
For example, the food and nutrition program at a school has a certain ‘bucket’ where funding for the groceries for a food lab comes from, which won’t come from federal money. But, let’s say a teacher wants to go to a conference to develop more skills, federal money might cover that. Managing these policies is important at a district level to make sure teachers have access to the equipment, supplies and knowledge they need to teach their curriculum.
Just like everyone else, the past year upped the occurrence of burnout and even though the public school system did an incredible job at thriving through the pandemic, many teachers may be close to burnout. In Reno’s office, although funds were limited, they sent teachers a tree with a thank you message on Teacher Appreciation Day.
“Some things we’ve done in our office to support teachers is just making them feel celebrated. In addition to all of the ways we support them at the state level and at the district level, it was important for us this year to celebrate them and show them how much we appreciate them.” Reno Palombit (27:49-28:10)
One of the biggest things Kristin does at the Nebraska Department of Education is make herself available to listen to FCS teachers because many of them are a department of one. They don’t have other colleagues to bounce ideas off of, get an opinion or lean on for support when they’re struggling with something. It’s great to be able to provide teachers with solutions as well as give them a safe space to be heard and supported. In California, Melissa was a part of putting on virtual workshops and forums over the past year which gave teachers an opportunity to collaborate, network, learn best practices from one another and share resources with each other.
To help prevent burnout, Reno suggests creating a support network by connecting with professional organizations, and establishing personal boundaries. For example, when he was a teacher, he hated grading, so he didn’t take it home because he didn’t want to bring that into his home life, but lesson planning, something he loved, was a responsibility he would take home from time to time.
Also, don’t hang out in the teacher’s lounge too long! Make sure you’re surrounding yourself with positive people whether that’s in person with colleagues and other teachers, or on social media, and check in with yourself and how supported, enriched or uplifted you feel with the people you associate with.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The great thing about cocktails is they are cultures in a glass. You can learn so much about the history of a place, its people and its traditions just by what you are drinking.”
Erin Petrey (5:33-5:41)
Erin Petrey, mixologist, cocktail coach, and longtime cocktail and culture writer for www.bourbonbanter.com, started the pandemic sharing how-to videos on Instagram to teach how to make delicious cocktails at home.
She started with the Old Fashioned, a classic, bourbon-based cocktail that is often made incorrectly. Viewers loved her content and Erin kept pumping out videos. Fast forward to today where she has taught over 3,000 people worldwide, including Fortune 100 companies, law firms, universities, associations and more!
Not only does Erin have a background in International Relations and Anthropology, a passport stamped 36 times, which makes her passionate about the culture and history behind every cocktail, she’s equally as driven about making healthy drinks and creating zero waste when it comes to making them.
“I take the same approach to cocktails as I do my cooking: I look around my fridge and see what is going bad first and then I make cocktails with what I’m not necessarily eating right now.” Erin Petrey (23:26-23:35)
Everytime Erin learns a new cocktail, she makes sure she learns the history behind it so when she’s teaching, she can pass on that knowledge, including the history behind the name, the spirits, the ingredients, and the techniques. For example, bourbon is a uniquely American spirit because in the 18th century, people were given land grants in early colonial America (now Kentucky). They were given title to the land if they raised 40 acres of corn, which meant an abundance of corn liquor! From there, bourbon as a majority corn liquor caught on.
So what does being a cocktail coach entail? In every class, Erin walks students through every step of the process. Not only can you learn how to make a new cocktail, but you can learn new skills, techniques and how to master your own home bar. Erin strives to educate consumers to be more creative thinkers when it comes to creating their own cocktails. A great way to do this - and reduce waste - is to look in your fridge and say “what can I incorporate into a drink that maybe I don’t normally incorporate?”
More often than not, that’s a fruit or a vegetable!
Did you know that the origin of wine and beer goes all the way back to the Neolithic era? That’s when crops became domesticated and there became a surplus of crops. Extra fruits and vegetables would sit out and attract wild yeast strains, which eat sugar and then excrete alcohol.
Erin also teaches on how to moderate calories and sugar with the alcoholic cocktails you’re drinking. One of her key concepts is teaching how to lengthen a cocktail, which means adding volume. You can do this by adding soda water (like San Pellegrino or Topo Chico). A typically high-calorie, high-sugar cocktail - like a Mojito or Margarita - can be lengthened with soda water so you feel satisfied and get the flavor without all the sugar. Erin’s Margarita uses rich simple syrup, which she makes herself, fresh lime juice and tequila - that’s it! Simple, clean and delicious. She also teaches a “choose-your-own-adventure margarita” that adds all sorts of flavor combinations, like one with fresh watermelon muddled with fresh basil (can be alcohol-free)!
Haven’t made simple syrup before? It’s called simple for a reason! It includes one part sugar to one part water. You can also make a thicker version - called rich simple syrup - by doubling the amount of sugar (two parts sugar to one part water). Something else you can make at home are your own infusions by boiling one cup of water with one or two cups of sugar, adding fresh produce or fresh spices, such as cloves, cinnamon, raspberry, even fennel or bell peppers, letting it simmer for a few minutes and then steeping for 30 minutes after. Infusions are a great, fresh way to add flavor to cocktails, or even iced tea, iced coffee or soda water.
Want to stay away from sugar altogether? Erin says don’t be afraid to make simple syrup out of monk fruit extract, Swerve, Stevia or your other favorite sugar alternative. Plus, if you’re using fresh produce in your cocktails, the added flavor enhancement it brings means you don’t have to rely on needing to sweeten your cocktail too much.
“Drink curious: always try new things. Don’t just drink something because people say you’re supposed to drink it or because of the brand. Keep questioning things, trying new things, and new combinations. You might not like everything you try, but you’ll be glad that you did.” Erin Petrey (35:31-35:50)
Don’t think having plenty of cocktails means you have to give up your healthy lifestyle. Erin has plenty of ideas on how to incorporate alcohol and cocktails as a part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Keep your drinks healthier by adding fresh berries, fresh citrus and other fresh produce instead of buying pre-mixed mixers which are filled with added preservatives and sugar. Use your ‘ugly’ produce, produce that’s going bad, scraps or peels you were going to throw out to make cocktails, infusions, syrups, ice cubes and garnishes that will reduce waste and give you a delicious treat!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“As soon as the student steps into their first family and consumer sciences class, oftentimes that teacher can be a pivoting point for the student.”
Sandy Spavone (15:29-15:41)
FCCLA is the Family Career and Community Leaders of America which touches over 5,400 family and consumer sciences teachers across the US and connects with students to prepare them for careers with family and consumer sciences work.
FCCLA, formerly known as Future Homemakers of America, is a 75-year-old student leadership group that works hand in hand with family and consumer sciences. They currently have 475,000 youth based in middle and high schools across the United States as well as in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The students that are a part of FCCLA have enrolled in family and consumer sciences courses and wanted to take it one step further with the leadership opportunity while exploring careers they might be interested in and engaging in competitive events.
“Our goal is to help students explore and prepare to be leaders in whatever career they choose in family and consumer sciences.” Sandy Spavone (5:52-6:01)
The connection between the FCCLA and FCS is essential. FCCLA isn’t a club or an extracurricular activity. The FCCLA is meant to be integrated as a part of the classroom to provide all of the resources and opportunities students need to succeed… resources which are crosswalked with the national standards of family and consumer sciences education.
One of the things that’s foundational to FCCLA is their competitive events, which they have over 30 of at different skill levels. The competitive events incorporate project-based learning inside the classroom. It could be anything from fashion design, interviewing for a job, early childhood Teach and Train… there are many points of exploration.
Once a student decides what they are interested in, the competition they want to enter, and what the specifications are, they then develop the project requirements, whether it be creating a portfolio or decorating a cake, and then have the opportunity to compete at a regional and state level. At the state level, they’re representing their entire state and then can compete at the national level.
Another thing about family and consumer sciences teachers that goes unrecognized is the safe space and emotional nurturing they give for students. It’s in those classrooms that a lot of emotional, social learning happens which inspires so many of those who go into the field that want to be another safe space and caring person for a student and make a difference.
How does a student win and move on to the next level? Their projects are evaluated based on a rubric and they get feedback from evaluators who are typically in the business industry or in the career field. The beautiful thing about these competitive events (unlike others) is it is a safe place to fail! Not only are they learning FCS-related skills, they’re also learning about time-management, conflict resolution, communication skills, team leadership skills, and, what kids are most excited about, is the opportunity to win a scholarship through several of FCCLA’s partners. In many of the competitions, students have the opportunity to explore different careers, which is good because they can find out, for example, they’d rather be a teacher on a particular topic, not be out in the field of that career path.
Another event called “Say Yes To FCS” was specifically designed to have students who are thinking about becoming an educator go through the process of creating a lesson plan and getting feedback on it. Kids can apply the skills they’ve learned in the classroom, explore career opportunities and prepare themselves to be successful while also contributing to their communities.
“We just tried to be more intentional about making [Signing Day] a very special event in our state so that our teachers look forward to recognizing their students and so that we can still celebrate their decision to major in FCS education.” Kayla Godbey (13:32-13:46)
Signing Day, part of the FCCLA Leadership conference, started in Kentucky and was spearheaded by Kayla Godbey, Kentucky’s Program Consultant for FCS. Signing Day is an event that recognizes a student’s commitment to FCS Education. Complete with a huge banner similar to an NCAA event, the president of the teacher association pins students on stage who then sign their letter of intent that isn't legally binding, but helps them commemorate, celebrate and welcome them into an FCS profession.
The amazing thing about a career in family and consumer sciences that was brought up in our previous episode is that the ability to find a job is extremely easy. Students don’t have to hunt and go through the pains of going through multiple job applications just to be shut down. There are plenty of positions out there and these jobs are in high demand.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I quickly learned that physically, we can heal very quickly from anything. I started to become a true believer.”
Beth McCarthy Smith (7:10-7:19)
Beth McCarthy Smith, founder of Simplicity Holistic Health, used to consider herself a typical American. Having the occasional martini and burger, wining and dining clients, and not putting much thought into what went in her body was Beth’s lifestyle.
But when she and her husband were trying to conceive their second child, she struggled with infertility issues. What did she do? What standardized, Western medicine called for. Beth ended up having six IUIs, nine IVFs, two additional IVFs with a surrogate, surgeries, and four miscarriages. She was taking tens of thousands of dollars worth of drugs every cycle and feeling like there was no end in sight.
“I had what 25% of Americans now have which was an infertility issue. I had one baby no problem, but I had secondary infertility. I did what most people do when we get a diagnosis - we go to the doctor, we stand in line, we do the drugs, we do the surgery, and I had absolutely no difference.” Beth McCarthy Smith (3:40-4:05)
Living in Chicago, Beth decided to visit an acupuncturist who let Beth know her blood was too thick and that was causing her infertility. Talk about synchronicity. Five years ago at her very first fertility appointment, Beth was reading an ad that showed (as she calls it) “pretty blood” and “ugly blood”. Who doesn’t want “pretty” and healthy blood!? But as Beth kept reading about changing your diet in lifestyle in correlation with your blood, she thought “no thanks”, and kept going down the path of surgeries, IVF, and more.
After this acupuncturist’s comments, she found the same blood doctor from the ad and set forth to change her diet and lifestyle, crying all the way through it. But just after a few short weeks of change, she started feeling healthier, more energized and happier than ever before! Instead of focusing on the child she couldn’t have, she focused on how grateful she was for the family she did have. Four weeks later, after continuing to meditate, detox and drink juices, Bhet found out she was pregnant! Three weeks later she thought ‘this is the best thing that’s ever happened to me’.
“Healing and health is all about the blood and the gut. If you clean the gut and get the gut moving, the blood starts moving, and more oxygen moves through your body. It’s amazing what people can do with this healing. We’ve worked with people with cancer, diabetes, fertility issues, everything under the sun.” Beth McCarthy Smith (11:50-12:27)
Much of Beth’s story includes the holistic component that comes with healing your body. Beth reminds us that we are so hard on ourselves, and need to learn to find acceptance, forgiveness and reach out for help. Thanks to her shift in lifestyle and mindset, Beth got pregnant with her second child at 39, and without even trying, got pregnant again at 42! This was the miracle and magic of cleansing her body, drinking cold-pressed juices, meditating and getting rid of toxic beliefs, habits and ways of eating.
When Beth moved to Indianapolis, she realized she couldn’t get the juices she used to buy retail in Chicago, so she just started making them for herself! First, she opened a colon hydrotherapy center and realized her clients didn’t know what to eat or drink afterwards. Beth started making juices at home and bringing them in. Drinkable, simple and craveable is the goal with every Simplicity product. After spending $15 on juices in Chicago that were horrible tasting, Beth only wants to create juices that are as delicious as a bartender would make!
She eventually started selling juices at a local Safeway and now, six years later, Simplicity Holistic Health is now available at Kroger, Fresh Time, market districts, and Whole Foods. To be able to scale in the refrigerated beverage section is an incredible feat because of how competitive the space is.
You can buy Simplicity on their website, at Amazon, and even Saks Fifth Avenue right inbetween the shoe department and cosmetics!
“There is no cheating. There is no falling off the bandwagon. This really revolves around you and each individual person.” Beth McCarthy Smith (2:44-2:58)
The beautiful thing about Simplicity is there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re just starting out with juices or are “hardcore” and have been cleansing or juicing for years, you can find a Simplicity product you’ll love. Beth says there’s no right or wrong way to drink her juices, but the point is to add in more good to your diet… and more good that you actually enjoy! When you do that you’ll naturally crowd out something that probably wasn’t the best for your body or digestive system. You can add in juices slowly wherever you’re at.
Simplicity’s juices are made with whole, fresh produce, and no artificial colors or preservatives. They’re also cold-pressed, which may have you wondering how it’s possible for them to have an extended shelf life. To keep the juice ‘alive’, the juice is sent to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it goes into bottles that are first put in water at 90,000 PSI (pounds per square inch) for 120 seconds, which takes the pressure down to sea level and kills all pathogens in the bottle. That’s the cold pressure process and what gives the ‘alive’ juice a longer shelf life. On top of it, the juice pulp is kept and fed to livestock, making the company waste free along with using 100% recyclable bottles.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We have found through research that the majority of states are recording a significant shortage in family and consumer sciences teachers to be able to fill the void within the classroom.”
Dr. Carol Werhan (7:05-7:18)
Dr. Carol Werhan and Alyson McIntyre-Reiger are both former family and consumer sciences teachers who are now passionately doing all they can with the FCCLA to help put an end to the national teacher shortage, specifically with FCS educators. Where is this shortage coming from?
Carol started research a few years ago to identify where the teacher shortages are, and also determine ways to increase the number of students going into secondary education and working on recruiting. Even though there’s a shortage of educators, there doesn’t seem to be a shortage in interest of students enrolling in family and consumer sciences courses. What does Carol think is at the root of our teacher shortage? For one, in the United States, there’s a downplay of respect for the teaching profession across the board, whether we’re talking about pay rate, respect or classroom size. This is a vast contrast to 50 or more years ago when parents used to encourage kids to go into teaching and educating as a highly respected career.
There’s also a misperception of how available the job is. Carol regularly meets with students at Purdue University who are interested in “people-centric” sciences, like being a family and consumer sciences teacher, but they usually have the assumption that there aren’t any jobs. In actuality, plenty of students are getting jobs as a family and consumer sciences educator months before they graduate college. On that same note, just within the past two months, Alyson has even seen seven different programs looking to hire a new teacher… not a teacher to replace someone that has left or retired, a new staff member because of growth of their program.
“We know from career exploration that sometimes people don’t make a career choice because they don’t know anything about it.” Dr. Carol Werhan (18:20-18:27)
If there’s such great interest from students, why is there a shortage? For one, underserved schools are struggling to get educators in the door. Unlike the 1950’s-1980’s when graduates would go to where the jobs are, students now have the availability to locate a job wherever they want to go. Carol says most students like to go back and teach in the area where they grew up.
There is an opportunity for underserved or rural communities to take a “grow your own” approach to finding educators. Some schools are agreeing to give high school graduates the first rights to a job when they finish college. In Indiana, for example, there’s a scholarship program from the Commission for Higher Education that will help pay the tuition for students who are interested in teaching as long as the student agrees to teach for five years.
Did you know there are only around 3.2 million teachers available to serve 98,000 of the public schools in the United States?
Alyson has played a huge role in a grant through the USDA which was inspired by the teacher shortage, especially in the Northeast/New England area of the United States, which is lacking teacher preparation programs. The USDA instigated the grant after seeing a shortage of family and consumer sciences educators as a way to try and recruit, prepare and support new educators.
How are colleges trying to support the preparation of family and consumer sciences educators? Colleges like Purdue and most states have programs that help someone transition their degree from, for example, nutrition or child development, into family and consumer sciences. If someone is interested and has an overlapping or similar background, these programs will support them in that transition.
“You can be your industry’s number one recruiter just by the way you carry yourself.” Lori Taylor (24:56-25:00)
Become a Teacher Day is a yearly event held in Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis where 32 universities are able to come and set up booths to inform and recruit students about a career path as a teacher. Just this last year Become a Teacher Day had its biggest year yet by putting 650 students into the pathway of teaching. The focus is kept on sharing with students what they need to know about entering the education field. College students also attend to share their insights on what the journey is light, set expectations and paint the picture of what it is like in and out of the classroom.
Instead of having to visit colleges individually, students get access and information to 32 different programs, helping universities get in front of the students they want to target and helping students shorten the timeline of deciding to become an FCS teacher. Carol also says they try to encourage current FCS teachers at the middle or high school level to talk about why being a family and consumer sciences educator is a great career. She hears many students talk about how they want to be like their FCS teacher and have that same passion, so having teachers share in detail acts as a seed planting recruitment mechanism.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our company is not just about making our products. What we really stand for is having a chance to have an impact.”Stephanie Paxton-Johnson (18:47-19:11)
There’s a product that you’ve interacted with countless times, that’s probably in your home right now, and plays a very important role in food safety throughout the entire food supply chain, reducing food waste, our carbon footprint, ending human trafficking and so much more!
What product are we talking about? Kwik Lok, the global leader in bag closures (y’know, the plastic ones that keep your bags of potatoes, apples, lemons, and onions sealed).
Kwik Lok was started by co-owner Stephanie Paxton-Johnson’s grandfather Floyd Paxton when he invented this type of closure in the 1950s. What gave him the idea? Floyd was working in the apple industry in Washington state and there wasn’t a way to close apples in their bags to be shipped. Stephanie’s father took over from Floyd and was the president for over 51 years, taking the company from a small business in Yakima, Washington to a global company located in over 100 countries, with six plants and over 300 employees!
Sadly, in 2015, Stephanie’s father passed away, but her and her sisters took over, making them the third generation to run this family business.
“Our closure really provides safety. It helps with traceability because people can put on the closure exactly where the item was grown, which can really help out in the world today.” - Stephanie Paxton-Jackson (7:12-7:27)
A simple, common closure you probably rarely think about is making a huge, global impact. Stephanie and her sisters are committed to making the world a better place and at the core of their business is reliability and safety. First off, the Kwik Lok helps reduce food waste. How? When you are closing your produce bag safe and securely with a Kwik Lok, you’re lessening your food waste which inturn helps lessen the negative climate impact we see from food waste.
During the height of COVID-19, Kwik Lok was able to help with restaurants that were forced to shut down and repackage their excess produce and give it to those in need. One great example of this was Kwik Lok’s ability to assist Northwest Harvest who collects and distributes 50 pound bulk bags of potatoes, onions and apples. Kwik Lok offered two of their machines to break those bags down into a household size (around 2-5 pounds) to get it to those in need. Otherwise, all of that produce would have gone to waste!
Did you know that less than one percent of third-generation owned businesses survive?
And yet Stephanie Paxton-Johnson and her sisters are growing a global company that’s determined to be a part of the solution in reducing our carbon footprint. They debuted their Eco-Lok two years ago which is made with a starch resin that’s predominantly made from corn and potatoes. This allowed them to use 20% less plastic in each closure, which is lessening the carbon footprint and manufacturing impact. How do you know if your bag of produce has a regular Kwik Lok or Eco-Lok on it? That’s a decision left up to each individual company. One of their greatest companies, Franz Bakery, uses the ecolock and has the name written on the product, along with Dave’s Killer Bread.
“We’re really excited because we’re just about to sign and certify that all of our products are 100% free from human trafficking.” - Stephanie Paxton-Jackson (15:57-16:07)
Stephanie and her sisters pride themselves on being committed to always being intentional with their company’s decisions and to always be innovating in a way that’s good for our planet. Stephanie considers their philanthropic initiatives to be very strategic in helping the values they have. By being able to certify Kwik Lok’s products are 100% free from human trafficking, they’re asking their suppliers to commit to the same values and are making a strong stance as to what’s required when working together. They also recently signed for responsible labor practices.
What’s next for Kwik Lok? They will be debuting some up-and-coming innovations at future trade shows and Stephanie’s middle sister just took over as chairman of the board! Make sure to look for the Eco-Lok label on all bagged produce items you purchase, and remember the women behind those tiny closures making a huge impact.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We really want to solve this mission. We can make the supply chain efficient and not have to exist in this space, but to do that, it requires having everyone be aware of what's going on and why we need to care about it.”Rani Zimand (6:04-6:20)
Jacob Dudley, a student at the University of Wisconsin Madison studying economics and environmental studies, and Rani Zimand, a student at the University of Washington studying food systems, nutrition and health, are both co-leaders for the Farmlink Project. More than a project, this is a movement that was started by college students in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help fight food insecurity through repurposing surplus produce.
When COVID-19 hit and many food suppliers, like restaurants, were forced to shut down, the crops that farmers had planted to supply those restaurants didn’t have anywhere to go. On one hand, there were huge lines at food banks, but on the other, farmers were throwing away all their produce. Farmlink originally aimed to make the supply chain more efficient, but now they’re on a mission to solve this problem completely, so much so it even says on their website their goal is to put themselves out of business!
The Farmlink Project got started with founders James and Aiden who saw what was happening and just felt helpless. They rented a U-Haul pickup, grabbed some eggs from a farm and drove it to their local food bank. After that, they were off to the races.
“I could not resist the opportunity to get involved with Farmlink, last summer. It really gave me a sense of agency when a lot of it was lost to the pandemic.” Jacob Dudley (3:19-3:30)
How does The Farmlink Project work? The organization contacts farms across all 50 states and has quickly become a nationwide organization thanks to their start online. First, the farms team, which Ronnie is a co-leader of, is the first point of contact with all farms and producers in the network. They do the initial outreach and managing of current relationships and partnerships on the production end. After connecting with someone who might have a surplus or unmarketable produce, a price point and donation agreement will be negotiated, then passed off to the logistics team. The logistics team finalizes the deal and organizes the transportation, and then passes it to Jake’s team, who places the food.
The project, which involves 99% fresh produce, but on the rare occasion milk and eggs, is continually doing research to keep up-to-date data on unemployment rates, food insecurities and calculating the distance food has to travel to make sure it’s ending up in locations that need it the most. The relationship will be developed and eventually handed off to the logistics team.
Food insecurity was in decline before the pandemic. Around 13.7 million households, or 35 million people, faced food insecurity in 2019. That number rose to over 50 million when COVID-19 hit in 2020. It’s truly astonishing what the project has been able to accomplish. For example, it took only one month for the project to move one million pounds of produce. At the end of 2020 they had moved 20 million pounds and as of March 11th, 2021, they’ve moved 27,301,053 pounds worth of fresh produce. All of that has been possible with a team that’s made up of 90-95% full-time volunteers that are college students!
The Farmlink even partnered with Chipotle for a Roundup campaign where anyone that ordered on Chipotle’s app were able to round up their order amount to the next dollar which would be donated to the Farmlink Project.
“While 27 million is a huge number and hard to wrap my head around, it's just a drop in the bucket. Over 70 billion pounds of produce is wasted in the United States each year, over 20 billion of that is on the farm level and we have a long way to go.” Rani Zimand (21:35-21:51)
There’s plenty of ways to get involved even if you aren’t able to volunteer full-time. The first way is through Farmlink’s weekly power hours which involve researching and calling farms to see if they have produce to donate. Other indirect ways include volunteering at a local food bank or farm, and if you don’t have time but still want to get involved, you can donate or set up your own fundraising campaign on The Farmlink Project’s website. Of course, you can always follow and share their content on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to stay up to date and spread the word about this great mission.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our family and consumer sciences professionals are on the front lines solving some of society's most pressing issues.”Dr. Lori Myers (3:06-3:14)
When you think of family and consumer sciences, you might recall your middle school or high school home economics class and learning things like how to cook, sew or the importance of the nutrition pyramid. But this umbrella of education is so much more than that.
As Dr. Lori Myers, Senior Director with the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, puts it, “family and consumer sciences is the science and art of living and working well in our complex world. It’s learning how to feed a family, healthy food, learning the value of a dollar, learning how to navigate the complexities of life and juggling the demands of life and a career. From the classroom to the boardroom, we’re instilling the essential knowledge and skills to help individuals lead better lives, be working career ready, build strong families and make meaningful contributions in their communities.”
That’s what family and consumer sciences is all about.
Dr. Lori Myers and Dr. Jan Bowers, Executive Director at the Family and Consumer Sciences Education Association, are spearheading this project, which is funded through a higher education challenge grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to overcome national shortages in the family and consumer sciences education sector and improve the education system altogether.
“In the United States, there are unprecedented levels of childhood obesity. Student debt is at an all time high. And for the first time in our history, the life expectancy of our youngest generation is shorter than that of their parents. We have an opportunity to turn the tide with a simple solution that's family and consumer sciences.” Dr. Lori Myers (2:22-2:44)
There are family and consumer sciences programs all the way from elementary age, through middle and high school, and into post-secondary education, colleges and universities.
For years there has been a critical shortage of family and consumer sciences educators in middle schools, secondary schools and post-secondary education classes. There’s also been a sharp decline in the number of institutions that offer family and consumer sciences education preparation programs in the last 30 years. There’s been a national need that isn’t supported by enough infrastructure to address this issue on a local, state and regional level.
Even though there are multiple partners providing various levels of training and support for FCS educators, they’ve lacked coordination. Education efforts have been duplicated while some areas have left gaps in meeting the needs of students. To better meet the needs for recruiting, preparing and supporting FCS educators, a national partnership of 17 organizations has been formed to coordinate, collaborate, and serve as a model for family and consumer sciences at the state and district levels, as well as encourage and facilitate relationships with education, the community and the private sector.
How did the program get started? Dr. Jan started with what matters most by communicating with key stakeholders such as the national officers of the FCSEA who represent teacher education, the state department and public school teachers asking them what is needed most to support their profession. A slew of ideas in hand, she took them to Dr. Lori at AFC, met with the national student organizations, career leaders, tech education leaders, extension leaders and teacher educators to combine their input and see their excitement grow for the project. They then had to look at the 17 different national organizations and create an infrastructure to coordinate and collaborate with each other’s efforts and eliminate duplication efforts and maximize resources.
The three main goals of this project are to recruit new educators for one of the 17 national partners, the Family Career and Community Leaders of America, or with 4H to help get kids excited about a future career in FCS education, prepare new educators to ensure they’re qualified and ready, and support them long-term with resources, professional development opportunities and anything else they need since statistically educators leave within the first three to five years.
“We're learning that there's a lot of disparity among states and how they address some of these challenges. We've gotta be creative in how we help different states with their own localized needs for a supportive leadership infrastructure.” Dr. Jan Bower (16:22-16:37)
If it isn’t clear by now, this program is really creating a much-needed transformation to the family and consumer sciences education in America. Both Dr. Jan and Dr. Lori are proud of the impact and legacy the project is leaving. Dr. Lori says, “all of our organizations have harnessed their strengths and talents to really contribute to the greater whole. It has reminded me that it really is an investment of time and energy as we bring recognition, not only to the need for family and consumer sciences educators, but to the value of what these educators and their programs bring to the table.”
Dr. Jan says, “the key thing that we need to be doing next is getting this message out to people so that they understand and value the role of family and consumer science, and how it helps individuals and communities. Our next challenge is taking all the products that we've been developing and then getting them into the public and getting them into the hands of the education administrators, the community partners, the extension partners who can use this information to strengthen families and individuals in the community.”
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Remember that health is a journey; make it your life’s journey to invest in your health.”Dr. Susan Hewlings (31:21-31:22)
Is there anything Dr. Susan Hewlings hasn’t accomplished!? Dr. Hewlings has a PhD in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology, is a Registered Dietician, full-time professor at Central Michigan University, has a graduate certificate in cannabis science, and is an author. Most of her work has been bringing research to consumers so they can make the best, educated decisions for their health.
Dr. Hewlings is director of scientific affairs at Nutrasource/GRAS Associates where it is her job to connect science with marketing. Nutrasource is a contract research organization that provides research and regulatory guidance for companies in the dietary supplements, CBD and the cannabis spaces. They help clients design or interpret studies to support their marketing claims to better inform consumers. Dr. Hewlings works with the Coconut Coalition of the Americas who aim to educate consumers and health professionals about the current scientific research related to coconuts and fats.
“You have to remember what's the definition of the word supplement. It means ‘in addition to’, not ‘instead of’ and I think CBD and cannabis should be looked at the same way.” Dr. Susan Hewlings (18:57-19:06)
You’ve probably been seeing and hearing more and more products with CBD or CBG as ingredients, but what exactly is it, how does it help, and is it psychoactive? THC, CBD and CBG are cannabinoids, or phytocannabinoids, which are the bioactive compounds in the cannabis plant that have many helpful benefits. Bioactive doesn’t mean psychoactive, and in fact, inside the human body there’s an entire endocannabinoid system. There are cannabinoid receptors throughout our body and endogenous (produce inside the body) cannabinoids are produced that bind to those receptors, just like exogenous cannabinoids (like CBD) do. The binding is what creates the health benefit, and CBD is well known for its help with pain relief, anti-inflammation, sleep, mood and decreasing anxiety because it binds with receptors associated with these responses.
The interesting thing is everyone reacts differently to cannabinoids and the research isn’t all encompassing, which is part of the reason Dr. Hewlings says we’re “at a stalemate” with the FDA on how the use of cannabinoids will be regulated. Questions are being asked like, “will this be a supplement?”, “will this be a part of its own category?”, “are things like drinks and candies allowed under that category?”, and “will it be all encompassing or limited?”.
So how do you know as a consumer whether or not a product that has CBD in it is legitimate? Right now, because it’s unregulated, you don’t, but there are a lot of companies like Nutrasource that are completely transparent with their purity testing and labeling so you can be educated on what exactly is in the product. Many reliable companies are using third party testing such as the testing provided by Nutrasource’s International Cannabinoid Analysis Program (ICAP), making sure testing is on their label, and pushing for testing to become an industry standard.
You can increase your endogenous cannabinoids without consuming exogenous cannabinoids by eating a healthy, balanced diet, filled with fruits and vegetables, and exercising regularly. Ever had a runner’s high? Your body’s cannabinoids surge in number during activities like this, crossing the blood-brain barrier and positively affecting brain chemistry.
Speaking of eating a healthy diet, a large part of Dr. Hewling’s research has been busting the myth that all saturated fats are bad for you. She wrote a research paper on coconuts, which is quite fitting since she lives in the Florida Keys, showing that the types of saturated fatty acids in coconuts are shorter-chain saturated fats, while the saturated fats in beef or butter, for example, are longer chain and therefore have different effects on health. Coconut isn’t metabolized the same way as other foods high in saturated fat we’re supposed to watch out for, which means the argument against saturated fat isn’t so black and white and coconuts can be part of a healthy diet.
“Coconut is an important crop worldwide in many communities. It's been used for centuries for antibacterial purposes, is anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants and it’s definitely one of those foods to include in a healthy diet. Just like everything else though, don't go overboard with it.” Dr. Susan Hewlings (27:44-28:10)
Whether it’s the use of cannabinoid supplements, eating coconuts, or following a healthy diet, what’s most important is to stay educated with legitimate research backing claims company’s make about their product’s health benefits. Nutrasource is helping companies provide you, the consumer, with information that supports you in making the best decision for your health.
Remember when trying CBD products on the market, they aren’t psychoactive, but benefits aren’t one-size-fits-all. Everybody’s body reacts differently and the industry is in its infancy stage. See what helps your body the most and with coconuts, they can be part of ahealthy diet and taste delicious!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We have plenty of ketchup for everyone.”
Colt Reichart (8:55-8:56)
All it took was one small statement from Heinz ketchup and the world was worried our fries, burgers, steaks and more would have to be consumed without our favorite condiment.
Thankfully, the false alarm of there being a ketchup shortage has worked in Red Gold’s favor. The only American owned, grown and made ketchup brand, Red Gold, has gained six new, large accounts from former Heinz customers alone, not to mention the need to purchase new packaging machines to keep up with ketchup packet demand.
“The Red Gold ketchup is the only ketchup that can claim it is American owned, grown and made. That’s an amazing accomplishment.” Lori Taylor (3:33-3:40)
Red Gold got its start by Colt’s great grandfather, Grover Hutchison, in 1942. Hutchison was a retired cannery owner, who reopened a canning factory when World War Two started to supply the troops with peeled tomatoes, tomato puree and tomato juice. Four generations later and Colt got his start sweeping floors, reconditioning barbeque sauce and manning the bottle washing station at the Red Gold Elwood, Indiana facility.
Red Gold, the first tomato brand to be packed in non-BPA BPS lined cans and certified by the non-GMO project, has grown into many other consumer brands and partnerships, including their Tuttorosso, Italian inspired brand, RedPack and Sacramento. They’ve just launched a Redneck Riviera barbeque sauce with John Rich, the Tomato Love brand which is a green tomatoes and green chilies product (recently picked up by Kroger nationwide), and have licensed Tuong Ot Sriracha to make sriracha flavored products. Their tomatoes are the freshest, canned around, with production from field to can sometimes happening in as little as ten minutes!
“It's been difficult to navigate through COVID, but Red Gold has always done a really good job just because our company was formed based around chaos with World War Two.” Colt Reichart (7:49-8:03)
So is there actually a ketchup shortage? Not really. Heinz Ketchup launched a press release saying there is a shortage of ketchup packets… keyword being packets. There’s plenty of ketchup to go around! In fact, Red Gold has been running at full speed, 24 hours a day, seven days a week before and during the pandemic. Considering the company was formed around chaos and during a war, they’ve always been on their “tippy toes and never on our heels,” as Colt likes to say.
What’s with the rise in ketchup packet usage? The changes the pandemic has forced upon restaurants. When restaurants were closed, people had to use packets instead of eating at the restaurant table with a ketchup bottle, and many restaurants are still relying on carryout versus dine in options, eliminating the use of bottles.
“Remember, the position of the FDA as well as the health and food safety agencies in Canada and Europe remains unchanged. COVID-19 does not spread by food or food packaging, which would include a ketchup bottle.” Lori Taylor (10:41-10:59)
What’s Colt’s favorite way to eat tomatoes? Take it from someone who eats tomatoes daily, Colt suggests an easy snack like Red Gold salsa with chips, or cottage cheese with Tutoroso’s Southern Vineyard, white wine flavored, petite, diced tomatoes. Lori loves the juices inside they’re chipotle seasoned tomatoes and adds them to her salsas and sauces at home. Red Gold has a new, flavored paste they’re launching this year with basil and garlic, a great addition to any Italian-inspired dish.
Not only are you getting fresh, pure, delicious tomatoes from Red Gold, they’ve partnered with Folds of Honor so that proceeds from every bottle purchase goes towards the organization which gives scholarships to families who have loved ones fallen or been injured in combat.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We're not all trying to be Navy SEALS or Chris Hemsworth. Focus on moving better, staying mobile and understanding what your goals are.”DaRulk (14:26-14:37)
Joseph Sakoda, aka DaRulk happens to be Chris Hemsworth’s trainer, but that’s just the icing on the cake to what this incredibly inspirational man does! DaRulk has founded the Raw Functional Training program, is a teacher on Chris’s Centr App, trains fire, police, military, special forces and ocean safety workers, and sits on the board at Children's Hospital of Orange County and Thompson Autism Clinics helping kids with sensory processing disorders.
Last but not least, DaRulk is the founder of Kore Nutrition, a supplement line filled with the highest quality ingredients at affordable costs which he’s partnered with Kroger on.
DaRulk’s background in kinesiology, biomechanics, and passion for understanding the brain-body connection has brought him to helping kids, moms, the elderly and everyone in between use their bodyweight to stay in shape, stay mentally focused and empower others to do the same. Even though he’s worked with professional athletes, Olympic athletes and actors, DaRulk became passionate about working with first responders because those are the individuals out there saving lives.
“I used to see firefighters that would be extremely physically fit and looked aesthetically fit, but they just wouldn't be able to perform at the level that they really could,” says DaRulk.
This got DaRulk even more curious about sensory processing, managing the adrenal system, organizing the nervous system, and diving deep into functional movement that anyone could do, and would get them the real level of fitness their body needs (not just the aesthetics).
“You can train doing the same movements as Navy SEALs and Chris Hemsworth, but you can do it at your own pace without any weights and do it with your body.” DaRulk (8:42-8:50)
He primarily does this through Chris’ Centr App where DaRulk shares workouts that are often only 10-15 minutes. Instead of “training like a beast” for hours at the gym, DaRulk says what’s most important is movement. The right kind of movement in just 10-15 minutes can make you feel accomplished, like daily movement is maintainable and that you had an effective workout.
What if you “know” you should “workout”, but just don’t have the motivation? Or maybe you try to train a few times a week, but always fall off the wagon because life gets in the way. Inspiration is something you’ll always find with DaRulk and his biggest message is that you need to find your purpose. Your purpose will always bring you back where you need to be in life, and will help you focus on staying disciplined. As DaRulk says, “once you have discipline, consistency, and purpose, you’re pretty much unstoppable.”
Before you get going on the Centr App or other training program, DaRulk says moms need to work on their mindset first. What kind of mindset? One where you know you’re good enough just the way you are, and you’re choosing to work out and stay consistent because you want to, for example, feel better moving without pain, or lead by example for your kids.
Following DaRulk’s workouts is just one of many benefits the Centr App offers. There’s tons of other trainers as well, with easy to follow workouts at home or at the gym, recipes, mindfulness techniques and education behind different methodologies. DaRulk says the segment of Centr users that love his training the most are moms because the workouts are easy to do at home with or without your kids and are quick! If you struggle with discipline or consistency, take it from DaRulk himself. He wakes up around 4-4:30 am every day to make sure he has time for mindfulness, personal training, and following a recovery protocol, which is just as important, if not more, to getting results with your body.
“I'm so proud of every mom out there because I know it's not easy, especially right now trying to keep your sanity, but also being the anchor of the family, which moms always are. Moms keep our families grounded, feeling safe and supported, and many times we forget that you guys also need to feel safe and supported as well, which often starts internally with yourself.” DaRulk (11:45-12:18)
The Kore Nutrition line is the perfect way to stay healthy and fuel your body with everything you need to power your day, your workout, and your recovery. Kore has everything from immunity boosters, superfood powders, sleep and recovery aids, essential vitamins and minerals, nootropics, joint support, digestive support, performance support and much more! All Kore products are NSF certified, meaning they meet some of the strictest standards for public health protection.
Kore will be available on Kroger store shelves in June, and can be bought online right now at www.vitacost.com, www.kroger.com and inside the Centr App.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We wanted to offer a product that makes the user say, ‘I can’t believe this isn’t plastic!’”Tim Busby (9:49-10:01)
When John Oakley and Tim Busby came together to create Matter™, they were dead set on creating a product that can truly be a one-to-one alternative to single use plastics. Matter™ products are biodegradable, free from heavy metals, FDA approved and making it easy for you to improve your sustainability efforts.
When you visit NatureStar’s Matter™ website, you might be confused when you see “allergen free”, “gluten free”, “non-GMO”. Reading those disclosures are typically only seen on food labels! Instead, the Matter product line includes snack bags, sandwich bags, storage bags, kitchen bags, food wrap, plates, bowls, cutlery, straws and much more. As John Oakley and Tim Busby like to say, the Matter line of products are “from nature, back to nature” and developed from a polymer that literally breaks down back to nature, unlike plastic.
“Things in our life are starting to matter more and more because we have to take care of Mother Earth.” John Oakley (10:49-10:53)
Polymer? Back to nature? What does that exactly mean? Most disposable products, like plates, cutlery, cups, plastic bags, and so on, are derived from oil and end up in a landfill where the product won’t break down for hundreds or thousands of years. In a matter (no pun intended) of months, the Matter™ products will compost and disappear into soil because they’re made from all natural, renewable and sustainable fibers. This creates something called biomass, which is like an enhancer for soil and makes a bit of water in the process.
Through composting, microorganisms will consume the material and create biomass, which is like an enhancer for soil and makes a bit of water in the process and goes through photosynthesis. The Matter products give back to nature and can be used over again through this sustainable process, unlike plastics which last hundreds and thousands of years.
Think plates and knives made from biodegradable plant materials can’t hold up a good, hearty meal? Think again! Even Lori Taylor herself has tested the Matter™ plates, serving her family steaks without worrying if the steak knives would cut through the disposable dish. Even if Matter™ products end up in a traditional landfill or dump, they will still break down in a much shorter time period when they come into contact with microbes since the products are made of starch. Some of the products don’t even take months to break down, they take a few weeks!
This product is huge for the US who is behind in terms of composting or sustainability efforts to other countries like the UK. Retailers like Target have picked up on the great opportunity Matter™ products offer consumers and, not to brag, but the company was allotted 20 shelf slots at Target stores from the getgo which is almost unheard of! Even their straws have rave reviews compared to paper ones, which unravel, dissolve, and are either too flexible or not flexible enough.
“We’ve developed a straw, and it’s not a plastic straw or a paper straw, it doesn’t unravel, it doesn’t dissolve, it’s flexible… we’ve tried to replicate what people are used to in their everyday lives without causing a problem for Mother Earth.” John Oakley (18:57-19:15)
Not only are you giving back to Mother Earth and making our planet long-lasting for our future generations, you’re also giving back to veterans with every Matter™ purchase you make. The company is partnered with Folds of Honor, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to spouses and children of disabled and deceased American veterans, and gives a portion of every purchase to the charity.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“When you give a child a thirty second rundown of what food paint is, they understand it immediately and cannot wait to get their hands on it. All they hear is, ‘this stuff's fun!’”
Tomo Delaney (4:42-4:59)
After leaving a 22-year long career in the fashion industry as a photographer and producer, Tomo Delaney became the stay-at-home parent for his two kids. The problem Tomo was facing, like many other parents, was that his kids weren’t interested in food! He remembers taking his then four year old son around local Manhattan grocery stores trying to find anything that would inspire either of his children to actually want to sit at the table and enjoy their meals.
Tomo told his family friend Pegi about his plight and she sent him an email with a business proposition that entailed presenting food to kids by color (not flavor) and giving them a purpose when they hit the table. Within ten minutes of the meeting, Noshi For Kids food paint was created. They had worked out the colors and flavors and knew that it was extremely important for the products to be organic.
“When my friend Pegi put this idea in front of me, it was like a million light bulbs going off in my head. I could immediately see what this product should be and what it could become. I immediately knew what the flavor should be, what the colors should be, what the packaging should be and I was amazed nobody had done it before. It all made sense within seconds of the idea being put in front of me.” (20:46-21:09) Tomo Delaney
So what is Noshi Food Paint exactly? Noshi Food Paint are tubes of “paint” that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy at the kitchen table. What’s ultimately a condiment, the paint set is used to entertain kids and get them to enjoy healthy nutrients. Each tube has a different color and it gives kids a great project to do at the table that’s delicious as well!
Noshi’s Food Paint is completely natural with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, is USDA Certified Organic, vegan, gluten free, soy free, no-GMO, and free of all the major allergens. The product comes in small paint tubes and has a consistency similar to premade icing, but none of the artificial ingredients! The food paint is made of over 92% individually, quick, frozen fruit (IQF) that’s blended, cooked and pasteurized. The other 8% comes from organic pear juice to balance some of the flavors and a few other ingredients that help the food paint hold its shape on the plate.
As a parent, you may be wondering why you need this product when you already have, for example, maple syrup in your cabinet, or you might be worried about the mess your kid will make.
Tomo’s whole idea with the paint was to give kids a reason to want to come (and stay at) the table. What’s his remedy for kids making a mess and squirting the food all over? We all know kids are desperate to impress us parents, so give your kids a task to complete. Depending on the age of your kid will depend on what task you give them. Maybe your five-year-old gets only one tube of paint and is tasked with spelling words or doing simple math on their piece of toast. Tomo’s daughter, who’s 14-years old, loves to take a few tubes and make pixel art on her waffle for 20 minutes.
Although it sounds messy, Tomo suggests using the tubes for babies instead of baby food since the food paint is essentially pureed strawberry, or peach, for example, and provides them a sensory experience. Even college age kids might love it!
“It can be a baby food. It can be a teenager food. It could be anything in between!” Tomo Delaney (10:53-10:56)
Noshi For Kids has some powerful brand partnerships with Peppa Pig and, coming soon in June, The Very Hungry Caterpillar which will be a part of a rainbow six-pack of paint. They also have a second fruit set coming out that looks like crayons inside a crayon box as a part of a partnership with Crayola. Most importantly though is Noshi’s work with No Kid Hungry. Noshi For Kids donates to them yearly as much as possible and Tomo’s hope is, as they grow, to keep giving more and more back.
Grab your family a set of Noshi For Kids Food Paint at www.noshiforkids.com, www.thrivemarket.com and at local Walmart retailers next to the maple syrup.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The most important message for people to take is that you have an incredible amount of control over your mental health and your brain health.”
Drew Ramsey (3:48-3:57)
Dr. Drew Ramsey, MD, psychiatrist, teacher, TEDx speaker, author of four books, and leading innovator in mental health, is bridging the gap between the food we eat and the way it impacts our happiness. What if the key to improving depression, anxiety, stress and never truly feeling happy was as simple as changing the foods we eat?
According to Dr. Drew, it is. Drew became turned on to the idea that food and our mental health is more related than we think when he was studying at Columbia University to become a psychiatrist. He started to pay attention to his diet, even becoming a low-fat vegetarian at one point (y’know, before it was trendy), while also learning about the health benefits of fish, healthy fats and Omega-3’s. He’s now on a mission teaching others how to use the power of food, specifically foods that are good for your brain, help balance moods, sharpen brain function and improve mental health.
“People have been, you know, debating on whether you should eat meat or not, or whether you should go keto or not. That’s missing the point. The bottom line is you should have an intentional diet that feeds your mental health.” Drew Ramsey (12:03-12:16)
Drew also thinks we’ve been having the wrong arguments when it comes to eating healthy. Instead of debating over eating meat or not, or things like the keto diet, you should eat foods that decrease inflammation (one of the greatest factors in brain health), are healthy for your gut biome, and help decrease signs of ADHD, depression and anxiety. That doesn’t mean getting rid of your favorite pasta or comfort foods, but finding a way to incorporate more leafy greens or Omega-3 fats with that pasta, for example.
Wondering what foods help improve mental health the most? Some might surprise you! Red beans, mussels, clams, oysters, anchovies, leafy greens, rainbow vegetables, fermented foods and dark chocolate. If you’re thinking, “how am I going to get my kids to eat mussels or anchovies!?”, don’t worry. In Drew’s latest book Eat To Beat Depression And Anxiety he has plenty of recipes that share delicious ways to add these foods to your diet, like his kid-friendly salmon burger sliders. If all else fails, there’s dark chocolate, which Drew says can be a part of your daily eating, not just saved for a special treat.
Did you know depression and anxiety affects 58 million people in the United States alone? We also saw a huge increase in depression and anxiety over the pandemic in the past year, which thankfully has opened up our conversation about our mental health epidemic.
Even if you don’t feel you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, eating the right foods now can help decrease the risk of depression later on or dementia. The reason for that is inflammation. Mental health issues and matters that affect the brain stem from inflammation, and one of the major things that regulate inflammation in the body and the brain are eating the right foods. The same goes for your kids. They might not be struggling with signs of ADHD, depression or anxiety now, but as they grow into teenagers or adults they become more at risk.
If your kids are picky eaters, remember their taste palettes develop over time. Let them evolve while still engaging them with brain-friendly foods that they might eventually enjoy. Try having your kids help you chop vegetables in the kitchen, joining one of Dr. Drew’s brain food challenges on Instagram, or celebrating the healthy foods they do enjoy. For example, when Dr. Drew has a picky eater as a patient at his clinic, he doesn’t focus on the fact that they don’t like kale or oysters, but finds a way to emphasize that they do like avocados or blueberries, which are fabulous for the brain and your gut biome.
“You don’t have to feel like a victim of these symptoms or that you'll suffer from them for the rest of your life. There are things that we all can do in our everyday lives to improve our mental health.” Drew Ramsey (15:32-15:41)
Want to give eating for mental health a try, but intimidated to get started? Dr. Drew’s latest book, Eat To Beat Depression And Anxiety, makes it simple with his Kickstart plan which gives you a six week plan that walks you through the key food categories to improve your mental health, helps you identify your challenges in motivation, and shares recipes that will help you enjoy foods you aren’t used to eating. You can take it one step further by signing up for his Eat To Beat Depression e-course, which gives you a thorough action plan to incorporate brain food into your diet!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“What we're all about is rescuing produce that is at risk of going to waste because of imperfections.”Ashley Weingart (2:53-3:03)
Ashley Weingart never set out to create a business, she just wanted to find a solution to a huge produce waste problem. While working for her husband’s family business Weingart Produce, Ashley would visit farms and witness firsthand the shocking amount of produce that was left in the field.
A perfectly good, healthy and nutritious piece of produce could be left in the field or rejected by buyers because of minor blemishes, being slightly off-sized or off-colored, which didn’t sit well with Ashley. She couldn’t watch perfectly edible produce get thrown out or plowed under when back at home, her community had people going hungry and students who don’t have access to fruits and vegetables.
“Truly every day we wake up with the goal of rescuing more of this food, not only for our customers, but also to get it into the hands of our neighbors in need.” Ashley Weingart (3:47-3:56)
Did you know that more than half of the food that’s produced in our nation goes to waste? A fire was struck and Ashley created a program for Weingart Produce to find a home for more of this produce and get it in the hands of people who don’t have enough of it. What Ashley found, however, was that the average consumer who does have access to regular produce was extremely interested in purchasing “imperfect produce”. But just one year later after starting the program in 2016, Weingart Produce shut down and Ashley had to figure out what to do next. Everyone in the community who saw the impact of what the program did in just one year encouraged her to keep going, which is where Perfectly Imperfect Produce started.
Perfectly Imperfect Produce is a subscription box model that lets consumers choose boxes of produce based on size, organic or conventional, and how much fruits or vegetables they want. At the beginning, boxes were just a mixed bag of all the different items PIP received without any customization available, but the team quickly realized that’s not what consumers wanted. Some boxes fit the needs of consumers who love the surprise element. Getting new produce items they’ve never used before and figuring out what to do with them is exactly what’s been missing! For other consumers, like the busy mom or dad who wants to provide their family with healthy meals, but don’t have time for creativity, boxes like the Salad Bar Box, Soup Box or Smoothie Box are exactly what they need.
You might be wondering why grocery retailers don’t offer more imperfect produce. There’s been an abundant amount of studies that misshapen or minorly-blemished fruits and veggies sold in brick-and-mortar retailers end up creating a larger carbon footprint because they just go to waste. It’s critical that direct to consumer solutions like Perfectly Imperfect Produce are available for the consumers who will gladly enjoy these overlooked pieces of produce.
Even the CDC shows that under 10% of Americans are eating the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, even though there’s plenty of supply to go around. Ashley’s company picks up extra produce from a local farm may have, for example, because of an overstock of items they grew for a restaurant that isn’t in business anymore or can’t utilize all of the produce because they are serving a smaller amount of customers. They also pick up items that are too small, too large, blemished, scraped, scarred, discolored and so forth from farms and local wholesalers. On top of selling to average consumers, Perfectly Imperfect Produce makes weekly donations to local Ohio food pantries to serve their mission of reducing food waste through improving healthy food access.
Perfectly Imperfect Produce has just launched a Salad Bar Box, which includes local greens and salad staples, like cucumbers or tomatoes, plus extra goodies to make a delicious, creative salad. They also have Soup Boxes with everything you need to make a healthy, soothing soup, and Smoothie Boxes which includes the exact produce you need to jumpstart your morning or fuel your workout. There’s also a new video series with local Ohio chef Douglas Katz who’s walking you through specific produce items, what the differences in varieties are, and how to chop, slice, store and prepare them. Last month Douglas dove into winter squash and explained all the differences between acorn, butternut, spaghetti and Della cotta!
“We're really passionate about demystifying fruits and vegetables and making them more approachable for the average home chef who wants to eat healthier, wants to get their kids and their family excited about eating more fruits and vegetables, but just needs a little help understanding what to do with those items.” Ashley Weingart (22:08-22:30)
Ready to get your hands on a box of Perfectly Imperfect Produce? You can purchase at their website www.perfectlyimperfectproduce.com and choose from an all fruit box, all vegetable box, or mixed box, either organic or conventional, in a size that accommodates your family. Deliveries are available Wednesday through Friday to all of Northeast Ohio, and the Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo area on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis. Meal kits are just launching too! All of the ingredients are included for a specific recipe and the produce is chopped, diced and sliced for you.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We realize that they are the ones with the skills. They have been working for a long time, for some of them even decades, and so we just try to create a space for people to shine.”
Alice Linsmeier (16:45-17:02)
The Equitable Food Initiative is on a mission to bring together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to transform agriculture and improve the lives of farm workers. It wouldn’t be a celebration of Farm Workers Awareness Week without sharing the great impact the EFI creates for all individuals in the produce supply chain.
Tony Pacheco, foreign worker and Health and Safety Manager at Winset Farms’ Delta Branch in British Columbia, Canada is their co-chair of EFI and never has a typical day-to-day experience. With about 196 workers from Guatemala and around 150-200 local workers during peak time, every day has a different set of challenges, especially when workers (and EFI reps) speak three separate languages. Whether he’s talking to a Spanish speaking, Punjabi speaking, or English speaking worker, Tony tries to connect with each worker when walking around making sure everyone is working safely. It’s imperative to keep the lines of communication open with these workers to take care of issues, for example, in their housing or with how they are working.
“Everybody has been empowered by the EFI program. It's really cool to see our meetings because I present them in English and Spanish, and then we have a Punjabi translator. Our meetings are updating in three languages and all of our posters are in three languages.” Tony Pacheco (9:33-9:49)
EFI is a training program that anyone in the produce supply chain can take and be certified by. If you’re like Maria Goreti Mireles Gonzalez, Human Resources Coordinator at Andrew & Williamson, you’re talking to workers about the EFI program from the time they sign on as an employee. Not only that, workers around the farm are always talking about how they’ve grown through EFI, what they’ve learned or asking questions, so everyone is well aware of the impact that’s available to them.
That doesn’t mean workers are eager to go through the training, however. Many workers are shy, don’t like to speak in front of people or think it’s just going to be a boring PowerPoint presentation. Tony Pacheco says, “we have workers that didn't want to be part of it and we encourage them to do it, even though they said they were very shy and they couldn't speak in front of people. After about six months of being on the program the turnaround was just amazing and their confidence level went up.”
Thanks to that confidence boost, some of the workers at Winset Farms have become forklift operators, which many were intimidated by at first because they’re used to working with their hands and don’t have as much of the same technology in Guatemala, where they’re originally from. When workers arrive, they’re introduced to electrical greenhouse cards, scissor lifts, the ability to log into computer systems to keep track of produce inventory, and the workers that went through the EFI course to become representatives are impacted greatly because their competency level is raised higher.
“After the first day [of EFI training], the workers are laughing, people that are really shy are speaking, they're making sure everyone has a space to speak, and they are just supporting each other in bringing forth the best of their skills and gifts to keep each other safe, keep the product safe and keep the environment safe.” Alice Linsmeier (18:21-18:42)
One of the main things EFI tries to do is create community and bring together all of the job functions of the farm, include women, include other languages, shine a light on the indigenous workers that are bilingual indigenous speaking and uplift in the vocabulary discussion. On farms like Winset, you’ll see workers from three different cultures coming together for potlucks, enjoying each others’ foods and learning about what each person’s unique background, no matter where they’re from, has to bring to the table. They also interview workers since they’re the ones working these incredibly hard jobs day-to-day and know first hand what needs to be changed or improved upon. That’s how EFI gets to the root causes and brainstorms solutions.
EFI has also encouraged getting more feedback from the workers. They are the ones on the field and inside the greenhouse or packing areas, after all, so they started getting more feedback than before on what needs to be changed. Tony Pacheco says this was a huge eye-opener for him because, for one, he’s in the office all day and doesn’t see what goes on in the field, but also because the workers really paved the way for how they should be thinking about these problems and brainstorming solutions. It’s made implementing change much faster and efficient, plus there’s a level of trust now between the farm workers and the company that wasn’t as prevalent before.
“It is a treasure and I have great respect and the more I work here and I share with farm workers the greater my respect is for them because it's not only the physical work that they put in; It's their life behind what they do.” Maria Goreti Mireles Gonzalez (29:52-30:11)
It’s important to remember as a consumer that products that are farm worker assured and have an EFI label are quite unique in that they’re going above and beyond to make sure everyone is safe and healthy, from their family to yours. To support the EFI when you’re shopping, look for a label that looks like a leaf and says “sustainably grown farmworker assured”.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Here's the plan: have a plant. It’s your invitation to inspire more health and happiness.”
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (38:11-38:19)
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, President and CEO of the Produce For Better Health Foundation, and return Produce Moms guest (check out episode 16 and episode 52), is serving up some interesting data about our current state of fruit and vegetable consumption.
Every five years the Produce For Better Health Foundation commissions The NPD Group, an American market research company, to do research on America’s fruit and vegetable consumption trends, which includes consumption at home and away from home as a part of the State Of The Plate assessment. State Of the Plate started in 2005, with research going back to the early 2000s, so they’re able to track consumer trends across 20 years.
In the last five years the research has shown a gradual decline in how often someone is consuming a fruit and vegetable. Even with the rise in plant-based or plant-forward lifestyles, why is this? Wendy thinks it’s because this isn’t a habit that’s formed early on and therefore when someone grows into adulthood, they don’t have those healthy habits to keep growing on.
The research is based on volume data (consumption data from the government which is measured in cups) and even though the dietary guidelines for Americans is to make half of your plate fruits and/or vegetables, only one in 10 Americans is meeting that recommendation. This equates to a 10% annual decline in fruit and vegetable consumption by Americans every year.
“These numbers can be a little disheartening when you think, ‘gosh, you know, fruits and vegetables that are being relegated to a side dish, and now they're eroding, maybe even falling off the plate entirely.’” Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (9:03-9:15)
The good news is we’ve seen an increase in how often fruit is being eaten as a snack and as a side, and before the pandemic, vegetable consumption was up in the food service sector. The downside? Once the pandemic happened, we lost options for veggies in public at restaurants and items like salad bars at school programs. There’s been an overall double digit decline in vegetable consumption with millennials and Gen Zers (who are younger parents) as well as a decline in juice.
So who is eating fruits and vegetables then? The one out of ten Americans that eat enough fruits and vegetables are eating them at every single meal and snack occasion. On top of it, the research is showing these parents aren’t as influenced by what their children say (like “mom, I don’t eat green stuff!”). These are also the types of people who are interested in trying new recipes, whereas people who aren’t eating enough fruit and veggies are more dependent on eating them away from their house and aren’t interested in trying new recipes.
How can we improve? Wendy says it’s not just about understanding how healthy and nutritious fruit and vegetables are, it’s about creating an enjoyable, pleasurable experience with them. If someone is enjoying the full experience of what they’re eating, they’re more likely to recreate the same behavior voluntarily. Parents of picky eaters, take note!
Wendy believes we need to leverage the types of emotions that appeal to all levels of consumers in all types of situations to help them create a new, pleasurable behavior, a new experience and therefore a repeatable behavior that becomes automatic. The “know, feel, do” approach is what makes this happen. One way to do this is to focus on complementary pairings. For example, the number one breakfast food people eat fruit with is cold or hot cereal. Only 10% of cereal consumers are eating it with fruit. It’s such a simple, enjoyable, repeatable meal pairing and hits a ton of emotional triggers that could make it a habit. If marketing efforts focused on reminding people to eat their cereal with fruit, we might see the data of fruit consumption increase.
The other opportunity we have is to start eating fruits and vegetables first as a part of our meal or snack. Even though there’s a lot of uncertainty in households right now and people are spending their grocery money differently, Wendy and Lori believe the myth that fruits and vegetables are expensive might be dispelled if produce was eaten first at every meal, instead of left to go bad and eventually be thrown out.
“There are other important spheres for which fruit and vegetable consumption could be very positively effectuated. That could be in the public health sector, the policy sector, retail sectors, the food service sector. There are other organizations and other leading voices that need to be a part of that coalition to then elevate this to a national priority.” Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (34:30-34:57)
What’s the PBH doing to utilize this data positively and turn these numbers around? So far, PBH is applying the know, feel, do framework by sharing this research with important stakeholders like The Produce Moms, and using “everyone’s favorite” song lyrics paired with fruits and vegetables in digital marketing. Creating a catchy play on words can start to tie memorable, enjoyable emotions to eating fruits and vegetables. They’ve also formed a new scientific advisory council that will be looking at what behavioral levers to pull for each type of consumer (high, medium and low frequency fruit and vegetable eaters).
Want to do better at eating fruits and vegetables yourself, or improve your family’s habits? Incorporate the “know, feel, do” method in your daily life! Have fun with your kids in the kitchen singing songs, cutting up vegetables and making a game out of their time spent with produce. Serve (and eat) fruits and vegetables before other parts of your meal and make it a habit to enjoy your produce in the ways you love most.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We're now democratizing local food. Anybody can get this, anybody can shop this way and we can deliver it to the door.”
Nick Carter (14:54-15:01)
Nick Carter, fourth generation farmer, author of “More Than A Mile: What America Needs From Local Food”, and co-founder and CEO of Market Wagon is on a mission to connect “agra” with “culture” so we can bring back the connection we’re missing and fabric that holds us together with food.
Market Wagon is an online “farmers market” connecting food consumers directly with local farmers and artisans. It’s a direct to consumer portal and online community where you can buy specific foods from vetted artisans and farmers in your area. On top of being able to purchase produce, meat, dairy, eggs, prepared foods, baked goods and snack foods from those local to you, you can communicate with them too! Just like when you walk around a farmers market and you chat with vendors at the booths you walk up to, Market Wagon gives you that same opportunity.
“So much socialization takes place around food. So much community is built around food and we lost that and didn't know it and we're trying to restore it.” Nick Carter (10:22-10:35)
Before Market Wagon, Nick created a startup called Husk, which he also calls one of the biggest failures in his repertoire. Although Husk looked successful on the surface by helping local farmers build a community of local suppliers to get into grocery stores, they started to find out the grocery stores weren’t such a fan of this idea. These grocery stores didn’t want to change how they sourced food, they just wanted to have a few, local items they could showcase on a marquee.
Some of our greatest failures lead to our greatest successes, which is why Husk inspired the start of Market Wagon. All it took were 12 customers to order online and come pick up their goods for Nick to know he was on to something. A few months later because of the customer demand, Market Wagon started offering home delivery. Today, the company has 24 locations (soon to be 50) with over 1,000 vendors and tens of thousands of customers.
The whole mission behind Market Wagon is to reconnect “agra” and “culture”. Over the last 20-30 years, we’ve been a period called the industrial food complex. When food was industrialized and turned into a consumer good that is manufactured “somewhere out in the world” that people purchase and eat just for calories, we lost the true meaning of food, which is a fabric that holds us together.
But wait, are all the farmers and artisans on Market Wagon really local? Yes, and Market Wagon ensures this because sellers actually have to appear at the Market Wagon facility with their food or products so Market Wagon can deliver the orders. Not only does a seller have to be local to Market Wagon geographically, but they have to participate in the online communication.
Market Wagon considers someone local to you, the consumer, if you could actually visit their farm or see them at a farmers market and get to know them. If a seller is a part of a giant factory or production, they’re not a fit for Market Wagon. A local artisan selling baked goods where you, the consumer, can get to know the person behind the food online (or in person) is who Market Wagon hosts on their marketplace. Market Wagon has also doubled down on efforts to help support chefs in converting some of their menu items into heat-and-eat prepared meals, or create build-your-own recipe meal kits.
“You can follow your favorite farmers and then you can receive updates from them. We're building a community because that connection is what food is all about.” Nick Carter (9:19-9:28)
Even though 44 million people currently have access to Market Wagon, the goal is to be available from coast to coast over the next few years. More and more people have a need to stay home and not visit the grocery store, let alone a farmers market, as often. Nick encourages you to not only purchase products and produce off of Market Wagon, but to connect with the farmers behind them. As Nick says, they love to talk about what they do and build a relationship with you, the consumer, so he suggests asking them questions like, “how did you produce this?” or “do you use chemicals or synthetic fertilizers?”.
Lastly, Nick recommends you try your hand at growing food yourself! Even if it’s just a pot of tomatoes or cilantro on your apartment balcony, by growing something edible you’re going to use in your kitchen, it’ll give you appreciation and gratitude for our farmers, the work they put in and the risks they take to feed us all every day.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“At NatureSweet, our commitment is really to transform the lives of agricultural workers in North America, no matter what.”Lori Castillo (3:02-3:11)
NatureSweet’s ability to transform the lives of their agricultural workers across North America just got stronger now that they’re partnered with Fair Trade USA! Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit organization in Oakland, California and the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in the North American market.
You’ve probably seen the Fair Trade label on your favorite produce items at the grocery store, but what does it actually mean? First, it means that the farm or factory that produced that product (Fair Trade certifies flowers, seafood and is best known for their work in textiles) is being regularly inspected against the Fair Trade standards. These standards are extensive and cover social practices, economic practices and environmental practices at the farm level.
Secondly, for every product that is sold with a Fair Trade label on it, a portion of that product’s price goes back directly to the workers on that product’s farm into a special fund just for them. No one else has access to it but the workers, who then decide how the money is used through democratic voting. The workers invest the money into projects that address the greatest needs of their communities, like access to medical and dental services, transportation for children to get to school, or making clean running water available.
It’s empowering for the farm workers to make this decision since they understand their communities’ needs best, and in turn, they can work with the Fair Trade organization to prioritize the projects and turn them into a reality.
“There's nothing more important than initiatives like this that are transforming the lives of those who work in the agricultural industry and that is exactly what Fair Trade is all about.” Lori Taylor (19:03-19:17)
If you’re concerned about the markup on Fair Trade products’ prices, don’t be. There’s a small premium put on the price of goods at the point of sale that’s merely fractions of a penny. You pay that premium at checkout, but the total cost could be, for example a few pennies per pound. That might not sound like much, but those fractions of pennies add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars and even millions of dollars.
The Fair Trade organization empowers farm workers, yes, but also ensures the economic, social and environmental practices on a farm are met at a very high standard. Things like safe and responsible working conditions, ensuring workers live in safe housing, get adequate rest and meal breaks, and that they’re paid sick and maternity leave are all examples of what these standards include.
Another important focus of Fair Trade is that there’s transparency with workers when they are being hired. Unfortunately there are plenty of times when workers don’t understand their rights under the law, how their pay is calculated, what benefits they are entitled to and what procedures are in place to gain access to those. Fair Trade eliminates that and wants to make the experience for a farm worker just as excellent as it might be for a high up executive in a corporation.
Do the products from Fair Trade farms actually differ from others? Anyone understands that if they feel safe, respected, empowered and dignified at their workplace, they’re going to be invested in the quality of their work and put in an extra level of attention to what it is they’re doing. Plus, knowing that Fair Trade also benefits a worker’s family and community increases their overall wellbeing and livelihood. You might not visibly see a difference, but you can enjoy Fair Trade products knowing the people behind it have been treated humanely, with care, respect and the highest standard of working conditions.
“This is 100% sustainability and you can contribute to the improvement of the agricultural supply chain and the advancement of our industry by purchasing these Fair Trade Certified™ NatureSweet tomatoes at Walmart.” Lori Taylor (22:17-22:34)
Not only is NatureSweet Fair Trade Certified™, they’re also certified by The Equitable Food Initiative which certifies greenhouses to ensure they meet the highest standards in the industry. Being able to invest your dollars in a company that’s dedicated to sustainability and transforming agriculture at your local Walmart is an incredible achievement for our industry! Fair Trade items were once seen as obscure or high end as they weren’t as readily available across all parts of America. Now, you can play your role in improving the industry standard for agricultural workers and the lives that bring you your favorite produce.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Anyone looking to make a more nutritious, healthy choice, my core philosophy comes back to more produce, more often.”
Jackie London (6:16-6:28)
It’s no wonder Jackie London, Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, Head of Nutrition & Wellness for WW (formerly Weight Watchers), and author of “Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less, and Feel Great About Your Body (Grand Central Life and Style)” has been on The Produce Moms podcast Episode 8, Episode 44 and now Episode 143! Her passion for helping everyone living a more nutritious life filled with fruits, vegetables and a simple approach to self-care is infectious. Jackie makes healthy eating accessible to everyone and anyone, no matter where they are on their health journey.
Jackie launched her book, “Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less, and Feel Great About Your Body (Grand Central Life and Style)” in January of 2019 to help answer your most burning, head spinning questions about losing weight and living a healthy life. The book is relatable, down to earth, digestible and offers true, evergreen advice, giving you peace of mind from all of the latest diet fads, trends, technique and confusing science. Alongside that, Jackie has been a part of WW (formerly Weight Watchers) for almost two years and is on a mission to bring out the core message of what dynamic self-care is to the world.
“I feel like we’re all in a constant state of evaluating and reevaluating self-care as a priority and what that looks like on an everyday basis… it’s absolutely different and completely dynamic.” Jackie London (2:11-2:30)
The team at WW and their latest My WW Plus program is teaching people around the world how to have a holistic approach to wellness and weight loss. It’s not about simply losing weight or trying to follow any of the recent diet “rules”, rather the program teaches you how to create simple, healthy, everyday habits that impact all parts of you as a human.
My WW Plus offers help with meal planning, snacks, increasing your activity level, creating healthy sleep patterns, mindset and quick coaching to add dynamic self-care into your life. And when it comes to fruit and vegetables, Jackie makes adding more produce, more often approachable, real and easy.
Did you know that less than two percent of teens in America are eating the recommended amount of vegetables on a daily basis?
Instead of seeing this as a horrific statistic, Jackie sees this as a growth opportunity. If you think about the lifestyle and every day habit of a teen, they’re usually on the go and convenience is a top priority. From school (virtual or in-person), to outdoor activities, sports practices, homework, spending time socially distanced with friends, and ever changing environments, it’s no wonder teens grab the easiest thing to open and snack on.
Jackie suggests adding in veggies or fruit to meals that you may already be making for your teen at home, such as an egg sandwich that has arugula scrambled in it or avocado on top. Plus, having ready-to-grab, whole pieces of produce, like apples, pears, bananas, carrots or celery, gives teens the energy they need for all of their activities and are an easy segue from the unhealthy items they might be choosing now.
Teens aren’t the only ones who need convenience… so do the majority of us! When trying to create a healthy lifestyle, Jackie says ditch the diet myths and make life simple. Consider what’s convenient for you or is an easy addition into your daily habits to eat better. You don’t have to do what all the gurus and diet fads tell you, and give yourself the permission to switch directions if something isn’t working.
“If cauliflower is the Jane Austen of vegetables, then apples would be Charlotte Bronte of my personal kitchen.” Jackie London (16:32-16:30)
When asked her favorite produce item as of late, Jackie couldn’t choose! She isn’t just passionate about helping others eat more fruits and vegetables, she can’t get enough of cauliflower, sweet potatoes and apples herself! Jackie’s favorite way to make eating fruits and vegetables fun for everyone is to add a kick of spice (she’s a salsa lover), turn produce items into dips, and create toppings bars, like with potatoes. That way, you get the same, nutritious benefits while also making produce meals fun, exciting and tasty for everyone!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The Big Honey Dekopons are the best eating piece of citrus on the market.”Jeri Elsasser (21:21-21:24)
A super sweet, easy to peel, gorgeous, delicious piece of fruit that gives you your daily dose of recommended Vitamin C? Yes please! There’s a lot to love about Trinity Fruit Company’s Big Honey Dekopon mandarins.
From conventional or organic stone fruit and pomegranates to citrus varieties like the dekopon mandarin, Trinity Fruit Company farms 18,000 acres of fruit year round in the central valley of California. One of the Produce Mom’s top items to try in 2021 is Trinity’s Big Honey Dekopon mandarins which are a Japanese-native hybrid mandarin. These delicious fruits are much larger than normal mandarins, about the size of a softball, and are easy to peel, seedless and very sweet.
“It's super sweet and in my opinion, the best tasting piece of citrus, you can have all year long.” Angela Hernandez (6:25-6:34)
Not only are Big Honey Dekopons humongous, they’re super easy to peel just by sticking your finger through the top knot of the peel. Angela loves to eat one after her workout as a light dinner, pair it with chocolate, or place it on salads. The Produce Moms just released a delicious recipe of overnight oats with pomegranates and Dekopons too!
Confused on the difference between a Big Honey and a Dekopon? Dekopons are the variety name of this type of fruit and Big Honey is the brand name of Trinity Fruit Company’s Dekopon mandarins. It’s the same correlation as Nike is to “shoes”. If someone asks you your favorite type of shoe and you say Nike, that’s your favorite brand of shoe. If you say sneaker, that’s your favorite type, or varietal, of shoe.
When the pandemic hit and Angela Hernandez was visiting friends in Los Angeles, she saw the huge lines of customers standing outside of farmer’s markets and wanted to come up with a way to help. Driving home, she got the idea for a produce subscription box and, after talking it over with Jeri and Trinity Fruit Company’s president David White, they decided to create The Fruitful Market.
It was through many FaceTime calls, research and long hours that they were able to launch The Fruitful Market last November, right before the holidays. First, they did a test run sending fruit boxes as gifts to David and Lisa White’s close friends and family, and they loved it. Next, the team opened up offering fruit boxes to the public and have had orders every single week since then. One of the benefits of the Fruitful Market is they offer fresh fruit all season long with all different types of fruit, giving customers access to new fruits they may have never tried before and helping them experiment in the kitchen with healthy, vibrant flavors.
There are three different box options. The Fruitful Market offers a season’s harvest box as a one-time shipment, which is usually an assortment of the season’s best available fruit items. A season’s harvest box subscription is also an option, which is a monthly delivery to your doorstep of the best items Trinity has available. Best of all, if you’re particular about the type of fruit you want in your box, you can customize to have one type of fruit or a specific variety in your box!
“The Fruitful Market box is just the beginning of something greater and it’s offering fresh fruits to anybody’s doorstep.” Angela Hernandez (15:07-15:19)
Right now, The Fruitful Market is shipping citrus fruit. Their season’s harvest box has a compilation of hand picked blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, navels, different mandarin varieties, lemons, Minneola tangelos, and much more! Next month, they’ll be debuting their Gold Nugget mandarin, so order your box now to taste what this new fruit has in store!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Make no mistake. COVID-19 changed everything for the grocery industry.”Brittain Ladd (5:51-5:55)
Our former guest Brittain Ladd from Episode 41, one of our top 20 most downloaded episodes of all time, joins The Produce Moms again to talk about the current state of retail and the exciting innovations we’re seeing with micro fulfillment centers.
Brittain is one of the most well-loved leaders in the produce industry and his insight into what changes we’ll see in the produce and grocery retail industries is phenomenal. A former US Marine, Brittain has traveled the world designing retail logistics and supply chain programs, strategies, theories and instigating innovations that are life changing. He was even the first person to recommend Amazon acquire Whole Foods, among many other accomplishments!
Before COVID-19 happened, online sales was only about 3% of a grocery retailer’s business. Brittain predicted this would jump to about 15-20% by 2025 and emphasized the important role companies like Instacart would play in this, but he wasn’t taken seriously. Fast forward to COVID-19 hitting and online sales, in some cases, turning into about 50% of a grocery retailer’s business. Now grocery stores are looking to micro fulfillment centers to help serve their customers closer and in a safe manner.
“Micro fulfillment is nothing more than robotic solutions that can fulfill online orders and other retail products.” Brittain Ladd (7:45-7:55)
Micro what? If you’re having a hard time understanding what micro fulfillment is, Brittain gives a great example of a rubik's cube. Imagine a rubik's cube was 22,000 square feet and each cube holds inventory. On top of the rubik's cube are robots that can move forwards and backwards, left to right, with the ability to pull cubes in and out of their spots. That’s kind of how a micro fulfillment automation store operates.
Don’t worry, your fresh produce isn’t being handled by robots. Micro fulfillment centers hold products that require “ambient air” (aka no refrigeration or freezing) and are found in the center aisle of your grocery store. If a customer orders groceries from a retailer that uses micro fulfillment centers, the fulfillment center will provide any boxed or “center aisle” products, while the grocery store will pick out the chilled or fresh products, which is about 15% of what a customer typically orders.
“That’s how you make sure as a grocery retailer that, even though you’re using automation to fulfill orders, you never ever fail to realize that quality and freshness are absolutely the main thing you have to maintain when it comes to fresh products,” says Brittain.
On average, retailers lose $25 for every online grocery order which is why more and more of them are looking to create their own micro fulfillment centers directly on site rather than working with a third party. Brittain has a big vision for the future of grocery retail that allows micro fulfillment centers to be next to a store and retailers can open up their store to allow for more fresh produce, meat, milk, eggs, dairy, better selections for cheeses and areas for cafes, seeing brick-and-mortar grocery retailers becoming a haven and playground for people who love fresh produce. This is something that Amazon is currently building with their new Amazon Fresh grocery stores.
What about Instacart? Brittain foresees Instacart opening about 100 more micro fulfillment centers by the end of 2022, and by 2025 making their own deliveries for their own customers with their own grocery brand. He also predicts convenient stores starting to provide more and more fresh produce, dairy and meat products because, again, with COVID-19, they’re realizing they have customers looking to them to fulfill a need that’s outside of soda and bags of chips.
“Any time you can fulfill faster and closer to customers, you’re keeping your fresh produce that much more fresh.” Brittain Ladd (25:30-25:37)
The incredible thing about Brittain’s insight and this episode is learning how technology, automation and robotics is helping companies come together to provide fresher produce to consumers. These innovations are helping farmers and the fresh produce industry we love, while creating fast, efficient, safe and healthy ways to provide consumers the freshest meat, dairy and produce possible.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We want that same kind of transparency and confidence in our food supply chain to know that we can bring home products to our families that are healthy and safe.”
Karen Long (13:52-14:13)
Did you know that 93% of all food purchases in the United States come from women? And the one thing women want more than anything right now with their food and produce purchases is transparency.
iFood Decision Sciences was born in the food safety space from a Consulting group that was at the front and center of the infamous spinach e. Coli outbreak in 2006. One of the biggest and scariest markers of food security in our time, the Consulting group was at the forefront, determined to figure out a way to make it easy and accessible for produce companies to collect and store food safety data and mitigate risks. iFood Decision Sciences was officially formed in 2013 to provide the tech to these companies and make food safety happen. Since then, iFood DS has been extremely focused on providing service to growers, packers, processors or anyone who’s at the beginning of the supply chain a way to focus on food safety in their supply.
2020 was a remarkable year for iFood DS with their acquisition of a company called Harvestmark, another company at the forefront of the 2006 e. Coli outbreak who worked with the Produce Association to define the standards for food safety across the board. A leader in traceability and quality, the only thing Harvestmark has been missing is the transparency component that iFood DS can provide through technology.
How does it work? iFood DS’s technology can combine even the most granular detail in food safety data - from how the farmer is running his operations to whether a production is sustainable to the date and time a piece of produce was packaged - providing consumers with traceability and transparency that gives you the confidence you want in your produce.
“Now more than ever we still want to know where ingredients were grown, where were they raised, how they were produced, whether or not it was ethical, if the farming operation was sustainable… we want that confidence and we want to feel secure in that the food we bring home to our babies will pose zero risk to them.” Karen Long (15:53-16:09)
Gone are the days where a label that says “sourced in Mexico” or “grown in Montana” will cut it with consumers. It’s not that growers don’t want to share the amount of transparency consumers want, it just hasn’t been possible without the right technological solutions. There are plenty of farmers out there still operating with a clipboard, pen and paper, and storing data in binders. If another food safety recall happens, it’s going to be a lot harder for that farmer to provide their data when it hasn’t been produced in real-time and it’s not technologically available to all parties.
Studies show that 37% of consumers would completely switch to another brand if the brand had more transparent information. Another study shows that 86% of millennial moms (who make up over 25% of the purchasing power in produce) would be willing to spend more money on a brand that has more transparent information than competitors.
Complete transparency offers retailers and growers a competitive edge that will win over the hearts of a now very discerning audience. Using technology like iFood DS helps farmers continuously improve their farming operation and build a brand. Any successful business owner knows you have to be continuously focused on making improvements through processes and operations, which in turn helps reduce costs and increase revenues… and that usually translates into lower produce prices!
Knowing what we know about studies and consumers willing to pay more or switch brands altogether who offer more transparency than their competitors, it’s obvious why using tech that provides real-time data that can be accessed by consumers anytime is important for farmers, growers, shippers, packers and distributors in the produce supply chain to utilize. This helps them establish themselves as a brand and ensure the consumer connects with them deeper. When a consumer feels trusting and bonded to a brand right off the bat, revenue will be increased and you’re more likely to get feedback from them that’s valuable to create improvements.
“It is very important that the farmers make the investments in technology and that our industry continues to strive to provide farmers with access to these powerful technologies so their stories are never lost. We can’t rely on packaging alone. We have to lean into technology.” - Lori Taylor (31:36-31:55)
How can consumers access real-time data from the produce they’re buying? Any brand utilizing iFood DS will have a QR code on its produce item. The amazing thing is that QR code is connected to data specific to that one item! When you scan the QR code, you’ll access information like growing and production details and small, little details from the beginning of the supply chain all the way to the produce item in your hands. You can also leave feedback to the manufacturer either thanking them or asking them for more information.
The technology is readily available for the transparent answers we want as moms and produce buyers.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We have a health crisis, a social crisis, an economic crisis and a climate crisis all coming together at the same time.”Derk Hendriksen (9:15-9:20)
From the Netherlands to Belgium, France then all across America, Derk Hendriksen has had an exciting career that now fuels his passion for sustainability and social enterprise. Now, as co-CEO of Treasure8, Derk is helping achieve the one thing we all desire: a healthier planet where nutritious food is available to everyone at an affordable price.
Derk started his career working in marketing for Coca-Cola until 2018 when he decided to try something different. He started Hendriksen Ventures with a focus on helping large and small organizations and startups drive purpose-driven growth. Familiar with Simen Sinek or Larry Fink? Both were inspirations for Hendriksen to help companies be successful with a focus on a just cause.
Although Derk was accused of “committing career suicide” when moving into sustainability, Derk’s work with EKOCENTER™ (part of The Coca-Cola Company) is what really lit his passion for sustainability and social enterprise. EKOCENTER™ is, as Derk describes them, a “downtown in a box” that brings clean water, electricity, connectivity and WiFi services to disadvantaged communities and empowers the women in the community to run them.
Soon after, Derk met Timothy Childs (who’s also the founder of TCHO Chocolate) who was looking for someone to help run his company, Treasure8, a technology and partnership platform on a mission to create nutrition security around the world.
“It’s about healthier people, healthier planet, healthier performance, healthier profit.” Derk Hendriksen (15:43-15:48)
What does deploying nutrition for humanity even mean? Well, Treasure8 is using their platform to meet four, major nutrition security objectives. Those objectives are: enabling technology-driven food production, reducing food loss and waste, meeting food safety and nutrition standards, and reducing food risks and crises.
How does Treasure8 do this? Timothy has acquired an exclusive license to technology from the USDA called SAUNA™, a dehydration technology that maximizes underlying nutrition when dehydrating fresh produce. It can be used in conjunction with other dehydration technologies, like freeze drying or hot and cold air. SAUNA™ provides more nutrition and more flavor while being less harmful to the environment.
With their groundbreaking approach to creating a healthy, sustainable planet where nutrient-dense food is available to all, Treasure8 has trademarked the term Resource Revolution®.
Treasure8 approaches the food system from a regenerative lens. Have you ever heard the term “value chain”? Instead, Treasure8 looks at things as a “value circle”, so they can always help their mission, help their partners, and help the ecosystem, while being regenerative.
There are five steps to Treasure8’s Resource Revolution®:
- (Re) Source produce in a sustainable manner while looking at ways to make the post-harvest or post-production a nutrition resource
- (Re) Form the process by using SAUNA-grade dehydration which maintains nutritional density and furthers Treasure8’s mission of providing nutrition to everyone in the world at an affordable price
- (Re) Deploy by generating scale through CPG companies, producers and larger businesses that can help bring nutrition to people that need it
- (Re) Fuel Treasure8’s production process by reducing their carbon footprint and using biomass to generate fuel
- (Re) Charge the ecosystem by using microbes to improve soil health and increase yield quantity
“We’re about innovation and technology. Mariani is about sourcing, manufacturing and selling. So both parties have what the other doesn’t.” Derk Hendriksen (20:18-20:24)
Treasure8 has now partnered with the Mariani Packing Company, the largest, independently family-owned, dried fruit business who’s been operating since 1906! Mariani Packing Company sources, dries and manufactures their own produce, selling their own brand and ingredients. They have a very strong, operational platform, which is exactly what Treasure8 needs in a partner. The best part about Mariani’s dried food is they use absolutely nothing to process the dehydrated produce!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Food is culture! It doesn’t matter what socio-economic status, what type of food access you have, every single person is united by food.”
Lori Taylor (16:29-16:41)
Imagine waking up each morning in early 1900s New York City, driving your horse and wagon to the local farm, filling it with fruits and vegetables, and staying out all day until you’ve sold all of your produce.
That was the start of S. Katzman Produce, which is now a 120 year old, fourth-generation owned, produce wholesaler and distributor with 375 employees and over 2,000 items they sell. Talk about a progression! Stefanie Katzman, the Executive Vice President of S. Katzman Produce, shared with us the story of her great grandfather’s humble beginnings and how they progressed to selling fruit and vegetables out of his wagon, to moving their location to Hunts Point in the Bronx, to adding specialty items to their product line, to becoming the produce industry icon they are today.
“We want to figure out, as the customer’s needs change, how we can adapt and fulfill those needs. You don’t want to tell them, ‘no, do things our way’, we want to be progressive. We want to get out there and find the next best thing.” - Stefanie Katzman (8:33-8:46)
Stefanie accredits much of their growth to the produce industry’s growth as a whole. Can you think back to what your grocery store shopping experience was like in 1995 compared to now? Luckily, most suburban and metropolitan areas around the US have access to an incredible variety of produce year-round. That wasn’t always the case. Also, as our lifestyles have changed from having family dinners every night around the table, to being more fast paced and on-the-go, the produce industry has adapted.
For example, in 2004 S. Katzman Produce started doing deliveries to their customers free of charge. Katzman works with a lot of smaller supermarkets around the New York area where, oftentimes, the owner does everything themselves. They’ll come to S. Katzman’s location late at night, do their shopping for the next day, drive back to the store, stock their shelves, and work the register without any sleep. It was that same mentality and quick ability to adapt that helped S. Katzman Produce stay successful when COVID-19 first hit.
Katzman and her team immediately provided employees with training videos, made sure they were following the CDC guidelines, offered employees protective equipment, and increased cleaning crews to two to three times a day. It was essential to keep her employees safe, but also their wholesalers, distributors and customers.
What’s just as important to S. Katzman Produce is being able to help people and children who can’t help themselves, and making a difference in children’s lives while they’re still young.
- Katzman Produce has partnered with Dream Charter School at their location in Harlem and the Bronx to donate food weekly and help ensure children are fed healthy food at a young age. When COVID-19 hit, impressively, Dream set up a distribution system within a few weeks and Katzman started donating even larger amounts of produce each week to provide fresh, healthy produce for Dream’s children and their entire families.
“If you can instill these good habits and good behaviors in children when they’re young, you’re going to create healthy people when they’re older. You’re going to create people who have a taste for these fruits and vegetables, so being able to get to them is very important.” - Stefanie Katzman (13:07-13:20)
These children and their families are getting exposed to foods they might not have ever seen or heard of before, while (hopefully) acquiring a taste for healthy food at a young age to create lasting results. The feedback Katzman has gotten is incredible! Even during a pandemic, families are reporting that they are losing weight and enjoying the best health of their life because of this.
Stefanie’s also passionate about the wide variety of items they offer and how many new products there are! New varieties of old products, new packaging, never-seen-before products, and even the science of extending shelf life keeps the produce industry and life at S. Katzman’s always exciting.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It’s really profound to think potatoes are everywhere. The boys in my family say, ‘it’s the perfect vegetable mom!’
It’s all my boys want to eat.”
Lori Taylor (2:48-3:00)
Wada Farms was established in 1943 by Frank Wada, an immigrant from Japan who migrated to the United States in 1922. Frank started out in San Clemente, California, but when World War II hit and many Japanese were being moved to internment camps, Frank moved west to Idaho where he grew his first crop of Idaho potatoes on 160 acres of rented land.
That was in 1943, where as today in 2021, Wada Farms grows on nearly 30,000 acres of farmland with 10,000 acres being dedicated for potatoes. Even cooler, they ship to all 50 states and even some exports while Brian, Frank’s grandson is now the CEO of the company. Kevin Stanger, President of Wada Farms Marketing Group has been able to see first hand the farm grow from a small operation to almost 500 workers in the farm and warehouse during harvest season!
“A potato has more potassium per serving than a banana. A potato has 45% of our daily needs of Vitamin C. Potatoes are a great source of Vitamin B6. They have antioxidants in them, which most people don’t know about!” Kevin Stanger (23:26-23:46)
Wada Farms first and foremost grows plenty of those Idaho russet potatoes we all love, but they’ve seen great growth in the colored and organic varieties they sell too. Reds, yellows, fingerlings, organic varieties and even “chippers” (potatoes specifically grown for restaurants and bars to make fresh cut fries and potato chips) are all grown at Wada.
Wondering why it’s so easy to find potatoes year round? Most of Wada’s potato varieties are planted from April to mid-May. They grow during summer and are harvested in late August through the first or second week of October. Depending on the type of potato depends on where in the country they’re grown. As you know, russets are famous for being grown in Idaho, whereas red and yellow potatoes are sometimes grown in different states.
“When anyone is buying a russet potato from winter, spring and into early summer, those generally are potatoes that have been put in large storage facilities where they are cooled. Temperatures are brought down to put them in a dormant state. There’s a lot of humidity pumped through the storages to keep them cold, crisp and fresh, and then they are brought out, washed, graded, and sent to retailers throughout the year.” Kevin Stanger (10:56-11:27)
As long as they’re stored in a cool and dark enough environment, potatoes can last weeks! Colored potatoes don’t have as long of a storage life and are usually supplied throughout the country until late spring to early summer. Each of Wada’s storage facilities holds an average of 7.5 million pounds of potatoes… and Wada has 50 of these storage facilities! That’s an average of 375 million pounds of potatoes that are supplied each year across America. Wow!
The perfect way to store potatoes is in a setting where the temperature is in the high 40s and also has high humidity. That’s a little bit difficult in most people’s homes, so the best place to keep them is somewhere dark and cool like a basement or a garage. This will make them last for weeks! Kevin wouldn’t recommend storing them in the refrigerator because it turns the starches sugary.
“Here’s the other strategy folks. Just eat them quickly and it won’t matter [how you store them]!” Lori Taylor (21:24-21:28)
If you find a green potato at the supermarket, don’t worry! It’s just from too much lighting. Cut the green part off and your potato is still just as healthy and edible. Make sure to buy firm and solid potatoes. Interestingly enough, those potatoes you see with sprouts on them are the ones growers like Wada use to plant back in the ground and grow new crops!
Potatoes are a highly versatile, delicious and nutritious food your family can enjoy year round. They’re filled with good (yes, good!) sources of carbohydrates, are certified heart healthy from the American Heart Institute, gluten free, cholesterol free, and high in potassium! Visit the Wada Farms website or scroll through our many recipes to find easy, healthy, family-friendly recipes for any season.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The fact that the peak MandaRosa season is right around Valentine’s Day and we have it the whole month of February really makes it a great item for marketing in the produce department.”
Kim Flores (7:37-7:50)
Have you ever heard of a MandaRosa? This captivating, beautiful, red-flesh mandarin was partially named by The Produce Moms community!
Kim Flores, who was previously on our Thanksgiving special, came aboard the Pro Citrus Network a few years ago as they started to expand their Eastern division. PCN is a grower, shipper, importer and exporter of the citrus category specializing in providing retailers across North America with high quality citrus year round. Yes, PCN is probably to thank for your beautiful, Christmas clementines or those oranges keeping you healthy during winter!
Kim and PCN engaged The Produce Moms during the MandaRosa product launch to help find the right name for this delicious fruit. MandaRosa was the overwhelming favorite! But what is it exactly? The MandaRosa is a specialty citrus fruit that is naturally cultivated from a blood orange and a clementine (it’s varietal name is a Manda Red Variety). PCN, who’s niche is with specialty citrus like kumquats, sweet limes or blood oranges, was approached by a grower a few years ago who wanted to see if they could bring it to market.
“I’ll never forget that day out in the groves with him cutting open that first beautiful piece of fruit which was unlike any mandarin I had ever seen.” Kim Flores (6:40-6:45)
This beautiful fruit has an exterior similar to a mandarin, but when you cut into it, it’s as red as a glass of wine. When PCN brought the MandaRosa to market in January 2020, they created a special, natural-looking type of crafts bag for the product packaging and found the fruit was quite a hit considering its peak season is around Valentine’s day.
The fruit is grown in the central valley of California and you’ll find the internal color varies and changes as the fruit matures. Some of the fruits that are harvested earlier will not be as pigmented when you cut into them, but as the season goes on, the interior color gets deeper and richer.
Sometimes the fruit has an ombre effect and even looks like a tequila sunrise! Its pigmentation is the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
An interesting fact about the pigmentation is that it’s caused by anthocyanins, which are the same antioxidants that cause blood oranges to have their deep, rich color. Anthocyanins are the most powerful antioxidants in nature! They’re found in blackberries, blueberries and pomegranates. Their health benefits are innumerable, like lowering blood pressure and diabetes. Anthocyanins are so powerful they’re considered a “super antioxidant”.
Bonus: research shows that anthocyanins are natural fat blockers. Who doesn’t want that!?
“These MandaRosas have an incredible flavor, they’re absolutely gorgeous, they’re easy to peel, they’re seedless… what’s not to love here!?” Lori Taylor (15:43-15:50)
MandaRosa’s taste is similar to a tangerine. The earlier fruit has a tartness to it, and as the season goes on they get sweeter and sweeter. Unlike the tangerine, the fruit is also seedless, giving you that same, great flavor without the seeds. A great way to eat them, especially for Valentine’s Day, is to dip them in chocolate and sprinkle coconut or nuts on top. Another favorite of Kim’s is a “MandaRosa mimosa”. Remember, these delicious fruits are hyper seasonal, so when you see them at your local retailer, grab some before they disappear at the beginning of March!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The sustainable side is here to stay.”
Jeff Watkin (23:18-23:19)
You might immediately think packaging for produce is a bad thing, but companies like Sev-Rend are manufacturing tags, labels and bags for produce that are environmentally sustainable and biodegradable.
Jeff Watkin has been the Director of Marketing at Sev-Rend, a printing and converting manufacturer specializing in packaging for the produce industry. Jeff originally got his start in the retail side of produce and moved to the production and manufacturing side when he came aboard with the Sev-Rend family. Originally, Sev-Rend was the manufacturer of tags, labels and nettings for produce, like you’d see containing a bag of onions or potatoes.
The overarching important part of packaging is profitability. Now, as a consumer, you probably think negatively about packaging when it comes to the environment, and then when the topic of profitability comes into play, you’re even more disappointed in the conversation. However, when it comes to packaging, you have to remember all the important facts it communicates to a shipper, retailer and consumer. For example, the recipes and nutritional facts you see on produce labels or the ability for you to decipher between an organic avocado and a conventional one.
Sev-Rend is passionate about creating sustainable packaging and very conscious of their manufacturing practices. Going back to profitability, this is key when it comes to making the world and our food supply system more sustainable. Why? If growers don’t have strong returns, they can’t invest in the things we know are important, such as improving practices for carbon neutrality, providing equitable treatment for all team members, and other critical areas for investing in sustainable practices.
“We have come up with a solution that we feel passionately may be a game changer for this.” Jeff Watkin (16:50-16:54)
Sev-Rend makes sure their practices are as sustainable as possible with a state of the art electrical and waste system, and using water based inks for printing. They’re also very focused on educating the consumer on how to recycle and reduce properly along with continuing research and development on product packaging. They don’t want to put a bandaid on issues, but rather find solutions that can be taken to a global scale long-term.
The company is in the midst of launching “Bio-Able Solutions” a line of products that lets current plastic structures fully degrade in almost any environment. Most importantly, it leaves behind NO microplastics!
Soon, this will become commercially available and already is FDA certified and Prop-67 compliant. With this type of plastic, if it ended up in a landfill, for example, the plastic would completely degrade in a 24 month long period… much shorter compared to the years it normally takes for plastics to break down. On top of that, if a product is already on the shelf for four months before the packaging is thrown out, the biodegrading process has already started, shortening that timeline.
Unfortunately due to COVID-19, we’ve seen a huge surge in packaging demand on the retail side of the produce industry over the past 8-10 months. Consumers are shopping less, however when they hit the store they’re buying more. Especially with our health concerns, there is even more of a stigma than usual against loose produce, meaning more shoppers are buying two, three or five pound bags of apples, oranges and other produce, which means more packaging.
“We recognize and understand it is a problem and we need to help and aid in the solution.” Jeff Watkin (20:06-20:10)
Sev-Rend is working hard with the other partners they work with to create packaging for produce companies. If packaging is going to be completely sustainable and able to break down in that 24 month period, everything on the package needs to use Bio-Able Solutions products. No one can control how anyone disposes of plastic waste, but by creating this new solution for biodegradable plastic and educating as much as possible, Sev-Rend is establishing a huge impact on sustainability long-term.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“If you employ a mom, we need your flexibility and understanding right now.”Lori Taylor (13:15-13:20)
2020 was an incredible year for us all filled with challenge, pain, community and change that no one could have expected. If anyone had it difficult, it was moms like you, struggling to maintain your work hours or pivoting your career entirely, working tirelessly to keep up with your family and children’s needs while yours go to the wayside, and attempting to navigate an entirely unexpected pandemic we’ve never been prepared for.
The Produce Moms brought together six, powerful, triumphant moms to discuss the changes and challenges they’ve had to endure during the pandemic and why the produce industry needs to now, more than ever, help us do the most important job there is in the world.
“The produce industry has to care about consumers and better plan how to market to an increasingly busy home base of digitally savvy shoppers, especially in metropolitan areas.” - Allie Coombs (33:58-34:08)
Allie Coombs is the Project Coordinator at Moxxy Marketing and mom to a five year old and a three year old, one of whom is taking kindergarten online. Even though there aren’t a lot of moms at Moxxy Marketing, understanding how to better support moms as an employer and as a marketing agency for agricultural companies has been their primary topic of discussion. It’s so important for produce companies to not appear tone deaf in their marketing and communication to the moms that are so vital to their business. Moms are shopping more and more online and virtually, so bettering that experience for them, showcasing produce more often as opposed to processed goods, and giving them an experience that’s stress-free is what we need most.
Considering we’re here in 2021 with a fresh start to a hopefully much better year, Allie hopes we can all just be nice to each other and have a really great year!
“I feel like I have become their counselor, their coach, their friend, because they are not having any of those interactions outside of the house.” - LeAnne Ruzzamenti (36:27-36:33)
LeAnne Ruzzamenti is the Director of Marketing Communications for the Equitable Food Initiative and mom of two kids both in school virtually full time. Growing up on an apple farm in New York, LeAnne’s mom was the one that kept everything going no matter what, so she put the same pressure on herself to keep up amidst everything changing. But the one thing LeAnne brings up that we can all relate to is how emotionally draining this year has been.
Instead of trying to keep up with the same level of workload or the same hours, LeAnne reminds us that the conversation we have needs to be around what’s realistic. Is it really realistic to take a few hours away from work in the middle of the day to help your kids with school, take care of the house, prepare meals, and then log back into your computer at 9pm to do more work? Not really, which is why the produce industry needs to be realistic and support employees with compassion, creativity and empathy.
“Every woman I know is so committed to doing a great job and it just kills us, especially in our mental health, if we feel like we’re having performance issues in any part of our life.” - Amelie Aust (35:13-35:20)
Amelie Aust is the 2nd generation owner of Fall Creek Nursery, a blueberry company in Oregon with nurseries and farms all over the world. She recently stepped down from her role as CEO at the company to just reside at the board level so she could take care of her one year old, four year old, and six year old (who’s taking school online). Attempting to live in the same structural system with work, keep the same hours and deliver the same level of output, especially in an executive role, just wasn’t possible while also having three kids at home due to the pandemic.
Having a hard conversation with herself in the mirror, Amelie decided she wasn’t willing to be a “less than” partner to her business partners, or in any other areas of her life. Instead of seeing her role as a step down, she’s seen it as a platform shift, an increased opportunity for her non-executives to take on more responsibility, and a way for her to channel her energy into mentoring.
She also reminds us all that, for example, helping her first grader learn how to read, is a life long, huge impact she’s making, even if it’s not the career-driven impact she’s used to!
“In business, I was always worried that if I said, ‘I can't do this meeting or I can't be on video for 20 minutes,' that they would think of me differently, choose not to invite me to project teams or potentially for me to not get promoted.” - Jenny Maloney (24:34-24:53)
Jenny Maloney is the Strategic Accounts Manager for Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds and has an almost one year old, three year old preschooler, and five year old kindergartener. Jenny has had the same fear many moms have had in their career: that if she wasn’t able to make a meeting or had to take a break because she’s nursing, her team might think of her differently, not invite her to project teams, or overlook her for promotions.
During the pandemic, Jenny quickly learned she wasn’t able to maintain the facade of what life looked like before. Our lives now require flexibility, understanding, and scheduling self care time (no eye rolls allowed!) that you’re extremely protective over. She reminds us to be in the moment instead of trying to do a million things at once and how you can tie in time for yourself while making an impact supporting small businesses.
“I’ve worked since I was 13 years old, so just the idea of stepping away really frightened me.” - Yolanda Owens (19:26-19:29)
Yolanda Owens had an interesting shift in her career when the pandemic hit. Formerly Yolanda had a full-time position as the Director of Marketing and Community Initiatives for DNO Produce, but stepped away to start her own apparel line called Forage + Black and continue her consulting at her strategic communications company, Colloquy. Yolanda has a two year old that her mom watches at home while Yolanda does homeschooling with her five year old.
Having to step away from work was a scary idea for Yolanda, who’s been working since she was thirteen, and as a parent, what frightened her even more was what her child might be experiencing in her first year of school. Creating a sense of normalcy was of utmost importance for Yolanda’s kids and she reminds us all that you can put your kids first as a priority and there’s nothing wrong with that! Your career can pivot to accommodate that.
“During the pandemic I kind of had an epiphany where I felt that everything I was doing in tech was pointless.” - Lauren Ventura (10:25-10:32)
Lauren’s previous career positions were mainly with Silicon Valley startups, but thanks to the pandemic, she was inspired to shift towards something that would make her life more meaningful. Lauren moved into the role as a Digital Marketing Manager for NatureSweet and has a seven year old daughter attending school at home. Lauren’s a single mom who has faced the challenge of finding a last minute virtual school, feeling torn between working and helping her child with homework, and that end of the day, game time decision between cooking or takeout!
Like many of our produce moms, Lauren can relate to the fear about not doing well in her job and the lack of socialization with our kids. Lauren’s biggest plea for the produce industry is for businesses to rise to the occasion and help moms out with the type of content they produce, their marketing messaging, and just positioning themselves as a resource for the consumer who’s a mom and needs solutions for the crazy, chaotic lives we live right now.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“You can deploy the vaccine in an environment where there’s already built in trust.”Chris Valadez (7:37-7:42)
“Our growers [in Texas] were really in the thick of their season when we had to adjust,” says Dante Galeazzi, where Chris Valadez’s agricultural workers (in California) were just getting started on their season when the pandemic hit.
No one could have expected or been prepared enough for the Covid-19 outbreak this year. Even though we saw store shelves empty of toilet paper, bread, and boxed goods, in most areas around the country produce remained readily available. Our frontline workers and first responders have worked hard to ensure we remain as safe as possible, and our agricultural workers, farmers and produce industry have worked just as hard to make sure safe, fresh, healthy food has kept America fed during this time.
“It is vital to maintain the food that Americans need to eat.” - Dante Galeazzi (11:16-11:20)
As soon as the pandemic hit, Chris’s Grower-Shipper Association partnered with others in the agricultural industry and with the county government to put together a best practices guide that was made publicly available. They needed to get a baseline of safety measures out there fast that made sense for everyone on an operational level, whether it was a farmer, a transportation unit, an employee housing site, or other integral part of the produce industry operation chain. The guidelines were based on what the CDC, local and state government announced.
In a lot of regions where agriculture makes up one-third or more of the job market, crowded and congested personal living situations became an issue fast. Most of these areas have a lack of available and affordable housing, which disproportionately affects many people that work in agriculture. Individuals were going home to many others where the spread of the virus (or illnesses in general) was being exacerbated.
The agriculture industry knew they needed to remedy this fast. Free of charge to farmers and ag workers, the companies that give you your most favorite food brands offered nursing, housing and feeding to help get people out of congested environments. Individuals that contracted the virus were put in this housing (for free) for a two week quarantine period, were provided with all of their medical needs and basic necessities, to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
These are efforts from the agricultural industry no one has talked about, or what would have happened if the people of this industry weren’t able to contain the spread of the virus within the produce supply chain. Growers and shippers were some of the first companies to immediately set up whatever they could, whether it was hand sanitizer stations, wood or plastic partitions, sanitized uniforms, shoes, and gloves, or even shower curtains to prevent the spread of Covid. There’s even packing houses who are implementing blood oxygenation tests!
Now that we’re seeing vaccine trials go through and vaccines being given to our first responders and medical workers, it’s time to talk about who will be next in line. These people are extremely important to our society, and after others who are high risk for the virus, such as the elderly, farmers and food workers should be thought of as top priority for the vaccine. Something that’s critical in thinking about this, however, is partnering with farmers and local clinics to administer the vaccine to the agriculture population.
“We’ve got to get our workforce vaccinated so they can keep putting food on American’s tables.” - Dante Galeazzi (16:08-16:11)
Dante and Chris both advocate for the use of the employer when administering vaccines to farmers and agricultural workers because those individuals already have a built-in trust with them versus government officials where they might be fearful, lack trust or have political views getting in the way of their safety (and the safety of our country). Both associations are doing what they can to advocate for agricultural workers to be next in line for the vaccine by speaking to the state and federal government.
What’s the risk if this doesn’t happen? If more ag workers become sick with the virus and aren’t able to work, or risk spreading it to our vital food sources, the demand for food will stay high, but the supply will decrease, meaning prices will go up. With the fragile state of our economy right now, that’s the last thing our country needs. Hopefully we continue to make progress with the virus and the agricultural industry is seen as a priority to receive vaccination next.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“This is the number one reusable grocery bag shopping solution.”Lori Taylor (10:29-10:32)
When Farzan Dehmoubed and his wife started selling Lotus Sustainables four years ago, they thought their initial product would sell out in four months. They sold out in eight days.
With results like that right off that bat, surely the product must be great! Lotus Sustainable was created with the mission in mind to eliminate plastic from shopping. Did you know that less than 3% of plastics being made are recycled and reused? Lotus Trolley bags were created to shift how we shop as consumers and eliminate the need for single use bags, or how easily forgettable reusable bags are.
“One of our frustrations at our house was all the plastic waste in our home.” - Farzan Dehmoubed (2:28-2:32)
These bags come in a pack of four that can spread out across your shopping cart. They open and close like an accordion, are extremely sturdy, have bars that sit atop the grocery cart which stabilizes them and keeps them open and upright. When they’re empty, they can be rolled up like a yoga mat, making storing in your car or at home easy. There are different bags with specialized pockets for things like eggs and wine (so they won’t break), each bag is insulated, and it helps you keep your shopping organized. One bag in your cart can be for produce, while one is for meat.
More than just bags, this is a system that helps solve so many problems with grocery shopping. Lotus also makes reusable bags to replace the one-us, produce plastic bags, which many customers like to also use for crafts, doing laundry, as travel bags and when buying bulk products (think rice, beans, nuts, grains).
“It really spreads out to be this all-in-one system so you can take home $250 worth of groceries in four bags. You don’t have to go back and forth to your car and take four bags into your house or worry about them ripping. Quality was really big for us. We used very durable materials that are far above anything used in any other type of reusable bag. Each bag was tested to hold over 60 pounds.” - Farzan Dehmoubed (4:40-5:12)
The average family uses over 1500 plastic bags a year and knowing that only under 3% of plastics are actually recycled and reused, it’s staggering to think how much plastic we’re using unnecessarily. When you don’t think about it, you don’t look at the impact, but the impact on our environment is now catching up to us. Many customers have started looking at things differently as a thanks to Lotus Sustainables, such as replacing plastic jars with glass ones, drinking water from reusable bottles, and finding new ways to do things that are sustainable, good for the environment, and healthy for your home.
For Farzan, sustainability means finding ways to reduce how and what we consume, reusing or borrowing and finding new ways of doing things, and recycling, but not just buying plastics and throwing them in the recycling bin.
“When you talk about sustainability, you have to really understand that we have limited resources in this world. How we approach our day to day and our consumption habits is so important.” - Farzan Dehmoubed (11:12-11:27)
Lotus is on it’s way to providing a new solution for shopping at club retailers like Costco and Sam's Club! In early 2021 you’ll now find the Lotus Trolley bags in sizes that fit club retail shopping carts, so you aren’t stuck taking home tons of boxes and cartons that don’t even fit in your recycling bin at home! They’re also working on strategic partnerships with companies like Shipt and Instacart to help grocery delivery services eliminate the use of single-use bags.
Lotus Sustainables is helping consumers like you make a bigger impact on our world, making it easier and more organized for you to shop, and eliminating time at the check out, so you can spend more time at home.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“One of the big focuses of Fair Trade is the wellbeing of the workers.”Iris Madrigal (9:12-9:15)
The Fair Trade movement is now more popular than ever, but what is it exactly and how can you, as a consumer, know that the Fair Trade products you purchased truly are helping improve the sustainability and development of our world?
Iris Madrigal and her husband Alex who is the second-generation grower of Covilli Brand Organics, have owned and managed Covilli for 30 years. Covilli grows a wide variety of fresh produce products you love, like green beans, brussel sprouts, summer and winter squash, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, poblano peppers, anaheim peppers, jalapenos, serrano peppers and much more!
In 2015, the shipper and grower company became Fair Trade Certified from Fair Trade USA, a nonprofit. The Fair Trade certification process is lengthy and very detailed, much like the Organic certification process.
Fair Trade USA brought 3rd party service providers to review Covilli Brand Organics to make sure their fair employment processes are in place. Fair Trade USA has high standards for quality, sustainability, development and fair practices they look for. Everything from Covilli’s working environment, wages, safety measures, opportunities for their workers, worker compensation, contracts, employee well-being, social security, and other measures they put in place to provide their workers the best life and working conditions possible was under review.
“75% of our workforce returns year after year.” - Iris Madrigal (8:30-8:34)
Covilli Brand Organics is based in the Sonoran desert in Mexico (about five hours down from the U.S.-Mexican border), which, like most farms, is a very rural area. Many of Covilli’s employees are migrant workers, and thanks to the on-location housing Covilli provides, the workers are able to bring their entire family to stay. All housing must meet Fair Trade standards, for example, if a family of six is living with a worker, the house must accommodate that family’s size.
Having a 75% year-over-year employee return rate is very high in the industry and an example of the exemplary conditions and opportunities Covilli provides their workers. They might see that number decrease (which is a good thing) in the upcoming years because of their onsite school for worker’s children. Many children grow up to enter into the farming workforce just like their parents, but with the education they’re being provided, kids are being presented with a wide array of opportunities.
When you choose a Fair Trade product, there is a small premium (a few pennies at most) that is added on to each individual product. That premium goes directly to a premium fund which is owned by Covilli’s workers. The employees and farm workers own the premium fund’s bank account and through a democracy choose where the money goes.
Iris and Alex do not have a vote in this premium as it's fully owned by the workforce and is monitored by a Fair Trade Committee to make sure the money is allotted in a way that meets Fair Trade USA’s standards. The funding has to be focused on the wellbeing of the workers and be used for something such as health, education, cultural growth or social interaction. Anything that helps develop the community, encourage sustainability, and empowers the workers.
For example, healthcare was a big gap for migrant workers and living in a rural area means access to doctors, dentists and hospitals is extremely difficult. Covilli’s employees decided to invest their premium money in medical transport services, so if someone needed to go to a healthcare provider, they would have access. Next, they decided to invest in a healthcare clinic that is onsite at Covilli Brand Organics farms. Not only does it include a general MD, but a dentist as well. The employees have access as well as about 10,000 members in the local community.
“We have been able to reserve $1.2 million dollars in premiums for our workers.” - Iris Madrigal (13:42-13:50)
All of that is thanks to consumers like you who make sure to purchase Covilli Brand Organics and other Fair Trade products! Covilli is focused beyond Fair Trade on their own farm, and is constantly doing all that they can to improve the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. They work with partner growers who grow pineapple, lemon, lime, and valencia oranges and make sure the deals are fair so farmers get paid what they deserve to earn. They’re also working to make the farm regenerative through efforts like composting and eventually, make everything self-sustainable.
Want to see how you’re helping the Fair Trade movement? Visit Covilli Brand Organics’ website and you can track your specific Fair Trade premium contribution!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The heritage and development of the brand was asking ourselves, ‘how do we bring flavor to our customers?’ That’s where the name That’s Tasty was born.”Don Helms (18:24-18:40)
Shenandoah Growers is the consumer grower for the That’s Tasty brand that brings you some of the freshest, most flavorful herbs available in America.
Don Helms, Vice President of Marketing for Shenandoah Growers, and self-proclaimed flavor guru, has spent his career lifetime focusing on bringing consumers like you flavorful food in all types of forms. He’s worked with packaged foods, salad dressing, sauces, restaurants, food and beverage development, and now works at the top of the flavor chain with fresh, organic herbs and greens.
If you want to make sure your holiday meals are a success, or just want to add some zest, spice or mouth-watering flavor to your family’s everyday meals, you’ll want to find That’s Tasty’s herbs and spices in your local grocery store. That’s Tasty sells fresh herbs in clamshell packages of different sizes in the refrigerated area of the produce section along with beautiful, aromatic living herbs in potted plants that are grown in Shenandoah Grower’s greenhouses.
“Basil: we call it the King of herbs! Everyone knows basil, everyone loves basil.” - Don Helms (10:38-10:41)
That’s Tasty sells 17 different varieties of living herbs that are all USDA certified greenhouse grown. Their most popular herbs are basil, mint, and some of the seasonal packs they sell, such as their Thanksgiving/holiday poultry blend or the grilling blends you’ll find during summer.
That’s Tasty also sells organic, stir-in purées, taking the prep work out of using herbs and making it easy to play, experiment and enjoy flavors from spicy harissa, jalapeno peppers, garlic, ginger, basil and many others. You can also get dried chiles and mushrooms from That’s Tasty, which are sourced from the best places in the world to find those ingredients.
“One of the main things we talk about with our leafy greens that we think makes them unique is they’re organic and indoor grown with zero pesticides, grown locally, and we harvest, hack and deliver them [to retailers] within 24 hours. It’s literally as fresh as you can get.” - Don Helms (14:30-14:42)
Part of the reason That’s Tasty herbs are so fresh and have a wonderful shelf life is because Shenandoah Growers has optimized their growing process for plants to be grown as they would out in nature. Rather than fighting against nature, their plants are grown in soil (even though they’re grown indoors). The soil is a rich proprietary mix full of natural bioactivity that helps create a nitrogen cycle for the plants to grow strong and healthy.
Shenandoah’s water, which has all organic nutrients in it, is fed to plants from the bottom. This forces plants to push their roots down into the soil and draw water up, creating strong, vigorous plants with healthy tissue. This means the plant is healthier and lasts as long as possible. We all know herbs have a short shelf life once they’re cut, so this process maximizes freshness and the time you can use herbs in your meals at home.
Plus, this helps in terms of food safety, creates complete traceability, and helps the growers microtune any issues they see happening in real time, allowing for adjustment as the plants are growing (rather than waiting for an entire new lifecycle). The process is then recycled along with their water, helping the farm use about 90% less water than a traditional farming operation. And since the plants are all grown indoors, there’s no need to use pesticides either!
“By starting with a super healthy plant, we can give you all the time to use the fresh herbs that you purchase.” - Don Helms (24:24-24:28)
That’s Tasty has facilities across the US and has plans to continue to grow! Make sure to look up That’s Tasty famous brining recipe for your holiday turkeys this year. This brine uses rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves, along with a little bit of citrus, garlic and salt. That’s Tasty has a special poultry blend available in the fresh cut or living herb option you can use to maximize your turkey’s flavor and deliver a holiday bird that’s unforgettable.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The human element that’s behind each and every pear that makes it to market is really amazing and profound.”
Lori Taylor (17:55-18:02)
What other fruit is as elegant as a pear, but yet approachable and available year round? Slicing up a pear will dress up any cocktail party charcuterie board or help fill your kids lunchboxes with a nutritious treat. These fruits are still harvested, packed, and sent to market with a remarkable amount of human touch.
Erica Bland is a fourth generation pear grower who’s been helping run her family’s Washington farm for nine years, and leasing her own orchards for four. You might know Washington state for their apples and cherries, but pears? Yes, the Pacific Northwest is great for pears because of the region specifically in the middle of Washington and Oregon state. The east is too dry, the west is too wet, but the middle is a sweet spot filled with rich, volcanic soil, cool nights and warm days, and just the right amount of rain, making it optimal for growing this delicious fruit.
“You want someone to bite into that pear and say, ‘oh my gosh, I love it! I’ve got juice on my face and it’s sticky…’, that’s what you want and you work for that day-in and day-out, year-round.” Erica Bland (27:07-27:18)
Growing pears is an ever-changing gamble! Crop cycles start in the fall, and although harvest always goes through August and September, you never know when it’s actually going to start. The harvest goes much longer than you’d typically expect and also depends on the varieties and bin counts. Erica’s farm grows three types of pears: Bartlett, d'Anjou and Golden Russet Bosc, although there are ten varieties of pears available in the US.
What’s more interesting about the pear growing process is the thinning of trees. You might think you want to keep as much fruit as possible on the tree as they grow, but with pear trees, heavy thinning is necessary as soon as the pears are about the size of a silver dollar. You want to keep the pears 10-12 inches apart, otherwise, some pears grow together in clusters and will never get big enough. That, or the branch gets too heavy and they block the sun necessary to grow.
So what do growers do with pears that aren’t big enough or meeting retailer specs? Sometimes they go to school lunches (if they’re on the smaller side) or juicers.
When it comes time to harvest, it’s a gamble! Erica says, “you need to be ready to rock and roll when the field men come out and say you need to start picking”, which can be at any time. All pears are hand picked and the only equipment involved in the field are tractors that pick up the bins of fruit and stack them for the trucks to pick up.
Did you know pears grown in the states of Oregon and Washington make up around 87 percent of the US fresh pear supply?
From the field to the packing shed or warehouse, pears are hand selected and wrapped in tissue before heading out to retailers, which happens on the same day! For as fast of a turnaround as that is, pears are beautiful, elegant fruit that require a lot of patience…patience that is worth every juicy, sweet, refreshing bite.
The reason pears aren’t always ripe and ready to eat when you buy them at the store is because you can’t ship soft fruit. They would go bad and bruise before they hit the produce aisle. If you want to know when your pear is ripe and ready to eat at home, just apply a small amount of pressure using your thumb at the neck of the pear and if it yields to slight pressure, it’s ready to enjoy! Plus, they really look beautiful in a decorative bowl in the center of a table while you wait for them to ripen.
“We care so much about it. We care about our crew, we care about our fruit, we care about our consumers and getting the good fruit out there. It’s a passion and it’s something you pride yourself on and it’s worth waking up for every day!” Erica Bland (20:48-21:04)
What’s Erica's favorite way to enjoy her family’s pears? Pear pie! Although she’s not a huge fruit pie fan, this family recipe passed down from her mom’s aunt gets her every time. Feel free to reach out to her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/e_bland and she’ll give you the recipe!
Neil’s favorite way to enjoy pears happens to be on pizza! Maybe you’ve seen this at restaurants and have hesitated to try it, or maybe you’ve never even thought of this innovative way to enjoy the fruit. Because the sweetness isn’t overwhelming, there are tons of ways to enjoy pear on pizza. Next time you make one at home or order out, try pears with gorgonzola and walnuts or prosciutto as your topping.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“No matter what you’re preparing for thanksgiving, the number one ingredient is love.”Lori Taylor
Thanksgiving looks a little different this year for all of us, but one thing remains important: enjoying a delicious meal with those you love and finding gratitude for all you have.
This American holiday is such an important one to slow down, reflect on what we can appreciate in life, and the only thing we’re expected to do is gather around a table and enjoy an incredible meal! We’ve brought together twelve of our Produce Moms’ favorite guests, friends and partners to share with you what exciting, new and standby recipes you can embrace this holiday. We’ve got recipes from all around the country, spanning from drinks, sides, dessert, palette cleansers and of course ways to bring your turkey to life. Enjoy some of these recipes this Thanksgiving or save them for another upcoming holiday dinner!
“Everybody should try to put an eight ounce package of Baby Bella mushrooms in their green bean casserole.” - Brian Jenny, Vice President of Sales for Monterey Mushrooms (6:09-6:12)
Did you know that mushrooms are one of the fastest growing categories in the produce industry and just eight ounces will give you your daily recommended requirement of Vitamin D? Brian Jenny, Vice President of Sales for Monterey Mushrooms is passionate about these superfoods which are a delicious, healthy item that can be added to breakfast, lunch or dinner.
If you’re making green bean casserole this year, add an eight ounce pack of baby bella mushrooms to your fresh green beans for more nutrients and flavor. When it comes to washing, lightly rinse them in a colander for 10-15 seconds or wipe them off with a damp rag. Try not to add any more water to them otherwise they might get soggy.
“One of our most popular recipes year after year is our turkey brine recipe.” - Don Helms, Vice President of Marketing at Shenandoah Growers (12:55-12:58)
That’s Tasty is a Shenandoah Growers brand that is a must when purchasing items for your Thanksgiving meal. Without fresh herbs, would your turkey and dishes truly be a successful, delicious delight at the dinner table? Don Helms, Vice President of Marketing at Shenandoah Growers wants everyone to get the absolute most flavor of their food around the holidays. They call this time the “EKG chart” because of the 400% increase in demand they see around the holidays.
What are the staples Don says you need? Basil, sage, rosemary and thyme! One of That’s Tasty’s most popular recipes year after year is their turkey brine recipe. “The best way to do that is put all the flavor you can into it because it’s such a blank canvas and it will absorb a lot of flavor,” says Don.
Their recipe is extremely easy and by allowing your turkey to marinate in the juices, the meat of the turkey will absorb those incredible flavors. His recipe includes salt, peppercorns, brown sugar, and That’s Tasty garlic puree, organic bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh sage and fresh rosemary leaves. Add some citrus to bring a tremendous amount of acid and make those flavors pop!
“Potatoes during Thanksgiving are a nostalgic, must have dish!” - Eric Beck, Director of Marketing at Wada Farms (23:20-23:25)
If you think you’re a fan of potatoes, you surely need to meet Eric Beck aka “Spud Love”. The Director of Marketing at Wada Farms in Idaho has earned this reputation around the industry and rightfully so. When asked about what type of potato to use in Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, he could’ve gone on for hours!
Eric suggests using a russet potato (which there are hundreds of different varieties of) if you want light and fluffy mashed potatoes. If you want a ruch and creamy consistency, use a yellow or red potato.
What’s Eric’s favorite way to enjoy mashed potatoes? His mother-in-law makes an incredible dish where she adds butter, sour cream, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and chives and mixes them altogether, rather than adding as a topping. Eric’s also impressed with the amount of culinary, artistic creativity happening with potatoes and the power of social media, which is allowing people to share and find new, interesting ways to prepare them.
“Fresh juice, especially fresh squeezed juice… there’s nothing else like it. To be able to incorporate that into some kind of holiday beverage is great.” - Kim Flores, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Pro Citrus Network (39:58-40:08)
Thanksgiving is Kim Flores, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Pro Citrus Network, absolute favorite holiday, hands down. Why? Kim loves the meaning of Thanksgiving, which is to share gratitude, spend time with family, and of course enjoy the food. It’s a time when, no matter what, we get to reconnect with those that mean the most to us in life and enjoy the spirit of gratitude with those you love around you.
What’s on Kim’s Thanksgiving table? Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet potato pie and green bean casserole all are a must! Her three favorite dishes are her mom’s sweet potato souffle made with fresh sweet potatoes and marshmallows on top, fresh cranberry pear crisp made with fresh pears, cranberries and oats on top, and her family’s favorite, pumpkin roll.
Kim reminds us that citrus is such a versatile thing to incorporate in any meal. For example, one time her family cut oranges in half and put sweet potato souffle in the orange skin ‘bowl’. You can add oranges to cranberry relish, sangria, any cocktail or punch for Thanksgiving too!
“It all of a sudden became an instant Thanksgiving tradition where people are asking if I’m bringing the delicata squash fries again.” - Mason Arnold, founder of Cece’s Veggie Company (43:42-43:48)
That makes two votes for delicata squash fries at the Thanksgiving table with Mason Arnold! Mason is the founder of Cece’s Veggie Company, who makes the organic vegetable noodles, riced vegetables and veggie-based meal kits you’ve come to know and love.
Before starting Cece’s, Mason used to run a grocery delivery company that partnered with local farmers in central Texas to slaughter fresh turkeys the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and deliver them to families the day before, giving them fresh, Heritage breed, never frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving. How delicious is that!?
Although Mason’s mom loves cooking big, major meals, Mason contributes his healthy treats to the Thanksgiving dinner table too. Last year he brought delicata squash fries and they’ve become a major hit! Mason loves the delicious nutty flavor of delicatas and the texture they have when you roast them with the skin on, creating a crispy, crunchy outside.
“Everywhere I brought it, it got cleaned out way before the sweet potato dishes did,” Mason says. Try bringing the sweet potatoes some competition this year with delicata fries on your Thanksgiving table!
“Everyone has the cranberry ice, it’s a core expectation.” - Megan Mitchell, Brand and Business Manager at Fielding Hills Winery (51:05-51:07)
Megan Mitchell is the Brand and Business Manager at Fielding Hills Winery, a winery that originally served as a red delicious apple orchard, until 2000 when the market for red delicious started to go down hill. That’s when the orchard turned into a winery, planting 24 acres (now 30) of red wine grapes in the Columbia basin in Washington.
Megan suggests starting your Thanksgiving meal off with a bottle of white (she recommends their Roussan, aka “the red wine drinker’s white”) and then moving into a bottle of red as dinner goes on. Her winery’s bold, fruit forward Cab Sauv is the family’s go-to.
You’d think wine would be Megan’s favorite Thanksgiving treat (who wouldn’t!), but instead, it’s her great grandmother’s recipe called cranberry ice. They use it as a palette cleanser between bites of turkey or after you’ve finished dinner and are waiting for dessert. You can make the cranberry ice yourself with cranberries, ginger ale, a fair amount of sugar, and ice to make the consistency of a sorbet.
“Everyone has the cranberry ice, it’s a core expectation,” Megan says. “We’ve even made it for people who are friends or family members, but aren’t in town, and send it to them!”
“That onion and celery smell on Thanksgiving morning of starting your stuffing recipe... that’s the start of the big day!” - Nicholl Towell Senior Director of Marketing at Duda Farm Fresh Foods (55:17-55:23)
“Everyone loves celery in their stuffing.”
You’ll probably enjoy at least one of the fresh, delicious vegetables that Duda Farms grows on Thanksgiving. Duda’s the exceptional grower behind Dandy Brands celery, cauliflower, sweet corn, radishes and many other fresh produce items. Speaking of celery, we asked Nicholl why celery has those strings we love to hate in them and her response was so eloquent that you’ll certainly have more respect for how this plant provides your body with nutrition!
The strings in celery are “like veins in your body. That’s how nature feeds the plant and the veins are needed to feed itself or hydrate itself. If we took them out completely, we wouldn’t have a plant,” shares Nicholl.
As much as Dandy is known for their celery (and who doesn’t love celery in their stuffing), Nicholl’s family is famous for enjoying her husband Ralph’s cream style sweet corn at Thanksgiving. Ralph, a Florida native, brings a little of his southern style cooking to their family in California. It’s one of the Thanksgiving dishes that goes fast and everyone loves.
“The veggie I’ve been obsessed with these past several Thanksgivings is delicata squash” - Stefani Sassos, RN and Nutritionist with Good Housekeeping Institute (1:00:56-1:01:02)
We knew Stefani Sassos, RN and nutritionist with Good Housekeeping Institute would have a healthy, delicious favorite for Thanksgiving. Stefani has been obsessed with delicata squash because it’s easier to cut than a butternut squash or other squashes for prep, and you can eat the skin of it, which is chock full of nutrients.
How does Stefani prepare her delicata squash for Thanksgiving (or any other family meal)? She chops it in half (length-wise) and scoops out the seeds to make little half moons. Next, Stefani adds a little olive oil, salt and pepper and has a trick if you have children. To get the squash to absorb wonderful flavors like rosemary and thyme without having little specks on the squash that can often be a “deal breaker” for kids, she’ll just add a sprig of rosemary and thyme on the baking sheet instead. The flavors will naturally infuse into the squash and roasting brings out such a beautiful flavor.
Plus, it’s a low calorie option that looks gorgeous alongside your Thanksgiving table spread!
“My two favorite dishes are the sweet potato casserole and our noodle kugel.” - Stefanie Katzman, Executive Vice President of S. Katzman Produce (1:08:28-1:08:33)
Stefanie Katzman of S. Katzman Produce is part of the fourth generation in the family-owned, New York City wholesale distributor. This is one of the busiest times of year for Stefanie and the rest of the team and it’s important to note the role her company plays in delivering our Thanksgiving feast. “Everything that hits your Thanksgiving table is going to come through our market,” Stefanie reminds us.
She also loves Thanksgiving, which is the one guaranteed holiday her entire family celebrates together. Her favorite recipes? It’s between the sweet potato casserole, which her family makes with pineapple, mandarin and maple syrup. An interesting twist on the timeless classic, the secret to the Katzman sweet potato casserole is adding marshmallows on top and sticking it back underneath the broiler to get that gooey, s'mores-like consistency.
Her family also makes two noodle kugels each year, one for dinner with spinach and one around dessert time with cheese, milk, cream, brown sugar and bread crumbs on top.
“Eat like an Italian!” - Tiffany Rose, founder of Wink Sprout (1:17:47-1:17:48)
Listening to Tiffany’s accent you might wonder what she’s doing on a podcast about Thanksgiving! Well, this Scottish-born, UK-raised, US transplant has happily taken on our American tradition of celebrating family and food. Tiffany recalls growing up in London where they “would only ever see Thanksgiving on Home Alone or American movies and wonder, ‘why do they have two Christmas dinners!?’”.
Now that she lives here, she truly understands what Thanksgiving is all about and enjoys the night before where you think about what you’re going to eat the next day (and sneak double servings of).
Tiffany isn’t a turkey fan, so she always roasts a chicken to go alongside American dishes like sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole. Tiffany is a huge proponent of eating healthy, just like we are at The Produce Moms, and she suggests something she learned from the Italians when working as a model and actress in Italy. They always eat a small, green salad before starting every meal! Tiffany suggests starting your dinner off this way because the fiber will help you get fuller fast and will aid in digesting the delicious carbs and sugary treats we love on Thanksgiving Day.
“We experimented and made stuffing with mango and jalapeno in it to add that unexpected spin.” - Tricia Bramley, Director of Marketing and Communications at National Mango Board (1:22:51-1:23:08)
You might be thinking, mangos and Thanksgiving don’t mix, but did you know mangos are the most popular produce item in the world? Tricia Bramley, the Director of Marketing and Communications at the National Mango Board is working hard to help the US understand just how delicious and versatile mangos truly are!
Tricia loves to make the traditional foods her family has always enjoyed eating around Thanksgiving, and her family’s tradition starts with a turkey noodle soup made by grandma for breakfast. Her mom’s stuffing is legendary and a must have on her Thanksgiving table, but Tricia loves to add dishes that are unique and different to the traditional spread, too.
This year Tricia and the National Mango Board put together a stuffing made with mango and jalapeno that adds a touch of sweet, a dash of spice and an unexpected spin on a Thanksgiving favorite.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Ultimately it transports us back to a time when food was simple, clean and delicious.”Sarah Frey (4:32-4:39)
How wonderful would it be to grow up on a farm where you get to experience the magic of what the earth is capable of, while picking blackberries and other fresh fruit that get turned into refreshing, delicious agua frescas?
That’s part of the beauty that Sarah Frey, CEO of Sarah’s Homegrown Produce experienced on her family farm growing up that she now owns and operates today. After picking blackberries, they’d take the leftovers back home, muddle them, add pure cane sugar, pour water over the mixture, stir it up and drink it fresh. You probably know Sarah from previous episodes where she shared her journey with her family’s Frey Farms and her most popular product, Tsamma watermelon juice. Now, Sarah’s Homegrown has expanded into delicious agua frescas, teas, lemonades and functional products.
“I started noticing more agua frescas pop up at smaller restaurant venues across the country and I was taken back to when I was a little girl and we would make agua frescas on the farm.” Sarah Frey (13:35-13:55)
Sarah Frey and Sarah’s Homegrown Produce was one of the first produce companies to go all in on beverages. They started making fresh beverages over seven years ago on the farm and most of their products are made right on the farm themselves. You could say their beverage line is the essence of sustainability because all of their products are made from clean ingredients and every part of the process is purposeful.
They’re now moving into the functional category which is, quite simply, anything that makes you feel better! Whether that’s a product that improves your gut health, immunity, energy, hydration or cognitive function, many of the things you enjoy can be considered a functional product.
The number one functional benefit of all Sarah’s Homegrown Agua Frescas is immunity. The second is hydration.
One of the top ways Sarah’s Homegrown ensures they’re a sustainable brand is by using what the industry calls “ugly fruit”, or produce that doesn’t meet retail specs. There’s plenty of wonderful, ripe, nutritious fruit that is grown and ends up being thrown away because it isn’t the perfect shape or color.
It doesn’t matter what a fruit looks like to end up in Sarah’s Agua Frescas, and they’re now able to utilize more of their crop, which would have otherwise been used for composting. Whether an Agua Fresca’s fruit comes from one of Sarah’s farms or one of their partners, you know the product you’re receiving as a consumer was created, produced and distributed by the farmer themselves.
“Not only is it the right thing to do for the planet, but it’s the right thing to do for the customer, the consumer, and the farm.” Hilary Long (5:02-5:11)
Sarah’s Homegrown Agua Frescas come in three, refreshing flavors: mango, strawberry and watermelon and they’re working on a line of functional flavors and a flavorless vitamin pack that’s approachable for customers. Especially during these times of a pandemic, it’s great to have a functional drink available that’s number one functional benefit is immunity and it’s equally as hydrating.
Whether you enjoy one of Sarah’s Homegrown Agua Frescas as an after workout treat, in a cocktail or mocktail, or with your favorite meal, know you’re supporting a sustainability movement for farmers across the U.S. and enjoying something that has added health benefits.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“When you see that package of Naturipe, there’s a farmer behind it.”John Stauner (18:58-19:02)
Have you ever wondered what goes into bringing the magic of cranberries to your holiday table? John Stauner of James Lake Farms and Ray Hableman of Hableman Brothers bring you fresh, ripe, delicious cranberries year after year under the Naturipe brand.
John Stauner has been in the cranberry industry for over 35 years and owns two cranberry marshes in northern Wisconsin. After working in corporate management for 20 years, John’s company was broken up in 2006, giving him the opportunity to purchase his marsh and convert it into an organic production. They later bought a neighboring marsh, tripling their acreage and farming capacity.
“We wanted to grow something that was good for people and we wanted to do it in a way that was good for the land on which we were growing it.” - John Stauner (4:13-4:19)
Contrary to popular belief, cranberries don’t actually grow in water. Cranberries actually grow in very acidic soil, usually peat or sand based, and are filled with hair which makes them naturally buoyant. This buoyancy is what allows farmers to flood the cranberry beds so the berries float right to the top of their vines, making it easy to pick them.
The cranberry growing process is quite lengthy, too, considering this fruit is really one of the only true seasonal items in produce. Starting in August when the bud of the cranberry is formed, farmers flood cranberry beds with water so a layer of ice is created during winter. This takes care of the bud until spring when the ice melts, soil temperature rises and a two to three inch vine is formed, which is what the cranberries are grown on. Coming full circle over a year later in September, cranberries produce their beautiful red color and harvesting begins. Talk about a lot of work and passion dedicated to these brilliant little berries!
John’s production is 100% certified USDA organic, a process that takes over 36 months to complete. Giving up two harvests that are technically organic, but not certified yet, John was adamant about turning his farms organic not just for the niche market they’re in, but because he wanted to take care of his crops and land in a way that lets future generations have the same resources.
Ray Hableman of Hableman Brothers, the world’s largest, fresh cranberry grower, has cranberry farming in his blood. His great grandfather started their farm in 1907, originally only 13 acres and now spanning across three separate cranberry marshes totalling 700 acres today. Hableman’s cranberries are grown conventionally and packed with antioxidants. Did you know cranberries have antibacterial properties, can help fight UTIs, support gum and gut health, and have a slew of other health benefits that support our bodies from top to bottom?
Hableman is just as passionate about caring for the land his cranberries grow on as the fruit itself. Growing up on a cranberry farm has given him an ingrained goal of leaving the land a better place than how it was started. Ray and his team make sure to take care of the weeds, have bird and duck houses on the property, pollinator gardens and clean the ponds regularly to help the land thrive. All of his foremans go through nutrient management training so they know exactly what to use and when, and they do everything they can to fight bugs naturally, only using spray when necessary.
“This is truly a year round labor of love every single day.” - Lori Taylor (28:59-29:04)
There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy cranberries. John Staumer is a fan of mixing their tart flavor with horseradish, a combination that works great with meats. Ray Hableman loves making a delicious jelly sauce, adding them into stir fry’s, and putting them in baked goods like muffins, cakes or cookies. Lori’s a self-proclaimed traditionalist with her cranberries, having many fond memories of listening to cranberries pop on the stove during the holidays.
Enjoy your own favorite, classic recipes or try some new twists from the Cranberries Reimagined! Unlocking the Year-Round Secrets of the Other Red Berry Cookbook on the Naturipe website.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Within two minutes of sitting down with Tony I knew that this was where we wanted to be.”Chuck Sinks (2:54-2:59)
Sometimes when you meet someone and it’s so organic and natural, you know you’re meant to do something together. That was how Sage Fruit Company came to partner with race car driver Tony Stewart, creating a powerful, healthy relationship that’s impacted the lives of thousands.
Chuck Sinks has been in the produce industry his entire life. Taking his 18 years with Sage Fruit Company and his passion for racing, Chuck headed for the Kansas Speedway in hopes of offering NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart an opportunity. Chuck has always been drawn to Tony because of his great personality, ability to speak his mind and grounded attitude.
It makes sense why the two hit it off right off the bat because Chuck speaks his mind the same way. Even though Chuck was nervous and unsure of how Tony would react to the opportunity, Tony knew within minutes of meeting Chuck they’d do something great together.
“I’ve learned how to eat a lot healthier now” - Tony Stewart (4:44-4:48)
Three years later and Tony’s been proudly representing Sage Fruit Company and seeing the ripple effect it’s had on thousands of his fans. Not only has Tony created a balanced, nutritious diet because of his athletic girlfriend, he’s lost weight and begun to eat a lot healthier thanks to Sage Fruit. Sage Fruit’s apples, cherries and pears are a staple item for Tony everytime he hits the grocery store.
Tony’s long had a loyal and passionate fan base, but now they come up to him at the grocery store and mention Sage Fruit. They’ll ask if Tony’s picking up apples or cherries and they rave about the produce themselves.
“It makes the grocery store trip a little bit more fun for me to go in there and see the Sage Fruit logo. I realize I’m proud to be a part of this and I want people to see me grabbing their apples because I’m passionate about the products,” says Tony.
Tony’s relationship with Chuck has been a wonderful experience for Sage Fruit in that once a year they go to Tony’s ranch to plan, for example, the entire cherry season. Unfortunately, they had to pass on their yearly planning retreat due to COVID-19 this year, but 2021 will be back to normal for this abundant partnership! It sure doesn’t hurt having a race car driver on your side because Chuck takes plenty of Sage Fruit’s customers to meet Tony at his races.
“It’s been neat to change our mindset and open our minds to eating healthier, especially now during a pandemic.” - Tony Stewart (15:50-15:58)
One thing Tony thanks Sage Fruit for is his health during COVID-19. Although he’s implemented all the safety measures necessary, he’s still gone to events and met thousands of fans this year without getting sick. He attributes his love of Sage Fruit’s produce to keeping him healthy during these times.
What’s Tony’s favorite way to enjoy Sage Fruit’s produce? He loves to cut the center out of a few of their delicious, juicy apples, slice them up, and pop them in the fridge to snack on between meals and throughout the day. Sage Fruit has some incredible recipes on their website, like apple salsa, you don't want to miss! Look out for their fresh apples, cherries and pears at your local grocery store and find a new recipe to enjoy!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Most of the rest of the world knows about this fruit and loves it.”Karen Nardozza (16:13-16:17)
On the Florida Avocado Administrative Committee’s 2021 Schedule there are 23 major varieties and 38 minor varieties of tropical avocados listed alone.
Karen Nardozza, President and CEO at Moxxy Marketing, helps brands grow and evolve in the agriculture and fresh food industry. She helped The Produce Moms become the successful, community-based business it is today and is now working with WP Produce to expand the United States’ avocado category by sharing with consumers the delicious, wonderful flavors of Desbry® Tropical Avocados.
“[Our goal is to] help consumers understand that there’s a difference between these avocados and the Hass avocado they’re so used to.” - Karen Nardozza (6:33-6:44)
Tropical Avocados were known as green-skin avocados until Moxxy conducted consumer research about the fruit, prompting Desbry Tropical Avocados to rebrand to a name that would appeal to consumers and differentiate these avocados from the Hass most people are used to. Karen tried her first Tropical Avocado two years ago, and all she could think was, “Oh my gosh! Why can’t we get these? In California I had never seen or heard of a green-skin avocado or Tropical Avocado.”
Tropical Avocados are often 2-4 times larger than most avocados and don’t oxidize as quickly when sliced. That means when you prepare meals or save some for later, it won’t brown within hours of slicing. They have a great buttery flavor appealing to families and are less rich than Hass avocados because their water content is higher.
Isn’t it interesting that the average produce department has around 200 different varieties of fruits and vegetables, and most produce categories, such as apples, have multiple options. Yet, when it comes to avocados, the only option we tend to see is Hass.
Karen Nardozza and the team at WP Produce are changing that, helping the US get on board with a love for tropical avocados that most of the world already has. These avocados are great for moms who don’t have to slice into as many avocados to serve a snack, and for at-home or professional chefs who will enjoy how slowly this fruit oxidizes (compared to Hass) and the opportunity to create meals that looks great and has a different flavor.
Surely Americans will fall in love with Tropical Avocados the same way the rest of the world has, but educating retailers and consumers takes time. As the Tropical Avocado is introduced to more and more retailers, some are very interested and willing to put it on shelves, while others want to see how it does in other markets before committing. So far, the Southeast and the Northeast are where Tropical Avocados are most well-known, and California, Texas and larger cities are where the avocados are headed next.
“The Dominican Republic is the second largest producer of Tropical Avocados in the world and they keep a majority of that fruit to themselves because that’s how much [of it] they eat!” - Karen Nardozza (16:19-16:33)
You may not have heard of the Tropical Avocado until now, but if you’ve traveled to the tropics and ordered a salad, ceviche or sushi, you’ve certainly tried it! WP Produce sells Desbry avocados at Albertsons, Bristol Farms, Kroger, Metro, Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, and other retailers nationwide, and if you want to try the fruit for yourself but your local retailer doesn’t have it, you can always request the item from the produce manager. That’s what they’re there for!
Check out some of the delicious recipes on The Produce Moms that you can make with Tropical Avocados and make sure to share your creations on social media to spread the word and grow our options for additional varieties of avocados in the US.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We are like Navy Seals. Nothing can get us.”Julie Krivanek (18:08-18:13)
Julie Krivanek is a self-proclaimed deep generalist, member of boards, trusted advisor to board of directors, chief strategist and Founder and CEO of Krivanek Consulting, who has helped startups to global brands in the produce industry come out on top and weather any storm.
With a background in business management and a Masters in Special Studies, she’s dipped her toes in the waters of technology, mining, energy, construction and media, and has spent the last 30 years with Krivanek Consulting focused on the produce industry. Her adaptability to come into any organization and look at the holistic picture to identify a long term strategy is remarkable.
Never looking at herself as an oddity or outsider, Julie’s always remained excited, enthused and interested with any business she dives into. When it comes to the produce industry, Julie’s excited that “people are waking up finally.”
Ironically, the one thing most people were concerned about when the pandemic hit is the one industry that has survived all of the chaos and uncertainty with flying colors.
“We walk through every kind of chaos that you can imagine and in fact, in a sort of peculiar way, we are at our best when things are at their worst. We live in a chaotic environment. Mother nature throws curveballs where everything is chaotic and we rise and shine.” - Julie Krivanek (18:13-18:33)
Now, that doesn’t mean every business in the produce industry has had it easy. There’s been plenty of businesses that were put in desperate positions because they had too much debt, small margins, and no revenue coming in. If a business relied on a model that doesn’t include a diversified portfolio, or doesn’t have any cash runway, yet high operating expenses, they’ve surely been hit hard during the pandemic.
However, Julie reminds us that this is the perfect opportunity to fix these issues and mitigate. As a business owner (and take this into consideration when you think about your family, too), you need to remember there will be more unforeseeable events that hit us in the next 5-20 years. Take a look at what your burn rate is, how fast you’re spending money and what you need to change in order to survive (and ideally thrive) as a business for the next two to three years.
“What do we need to remember? We need to remember at the end of this is long term value, long term advantage and profitable growth. We can’t get stuff where we are,” says Julie Krivanek, also mentioning that problems aren’t solved without the right board, the right CEO and the right strategy.
Moral of the story, end of the day: you’re in business for the long haul and you can apply the same thinking of business strategy to your household too! Things don’t turn around and change overnight, so you have to be focused on long term strategies and solutions that benefit all. To reach the ideal vision of your business (or household), take an overarching look at what you’re doing to get there along with the strategies that would get you there competitively. You have to carve out a place of value in the marketplace, otherwise you only have price to compete on, which is a losing battle.
On top of that, having the right CEO is crucial. It’s a brutal job, but 40% of all big decisions are made by the CEO, so if you have a crummy one, or have appointed a family member “just because”, you could be losing revenue and might lose your business. That same CEO needs to be supported by the board
“You need to do everything you can to be in a position of strength and readiness.” - Julie Krivanek (25:13-25:18)
Despite a lot of businesses struggling during COVID-19, Julie is all about celebrating the produce industry this year! She’s been hearing from businesses left and right that they are having their best year ever and that they aren’t sure what to do with all of their profits! Doesn’t sound like a bad problem to have.
If you can take anything from Julie Krivanek, it’s her understanding of leadership. Whether you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or head of a household, remember that you have deep value to add and you can change the trajectory of things as long as you harness your power as a leader. Follow your passion, your curiosity and the vision you have to make things better and be proud of the produce industry, who’s consumption of fresh foods and vegetables is up by 10% (pre-pandemic)!
The change we want to see for the health of humanity IS happening. Thank you for being a part of The Produce Moms and continuing to help make an impact by spreading our message.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We really do believe that what you get out is what you put in.”
Lori Castillo (5:00-5:04)
NatureSweet is a powerhouse, iconic brand selling the best tasting tomatoes in North America who’s focused on transforming the lives of agricultural workers around the continent.
Do you ever taste the difference between a take-out meal and one that you spent hours at home cooking? For some reason, you can’t explain what the difference is, but it truly does taste better. That’s exactly the difference between NatureSweet tomatoes and any others on the market. The company is dedicated to caring about their associates first, and deeply loves the products they produce. Lori Castillo, Vice President of Marketing, has reinforced that with the two principles behind NatureSweet: hard work and giving it ‘our’ all.
“We love what we do! And that’s why the quality really shows up on the shelf.” Lori Castillo (5:59-6:05)
NatureSweet started out with only a few hectares of production in 1990 in Devine, Texas and today they are one of the largest growers in North America. You’ve probably seen the iconic, recyclable containers at your grocery store and purchased them for your salads, soups, sauces or pasta dishes. They’re most well known for their Cherubs (sweet, grape tomatoes), but are helping the fresh tomato category grow with their Glorys, Twilights, Comets, D’Vines, and Constellations, all of which are flavor-packed and grown with love.
Although Cherubs are still the number one selling small tomato in the category and are a household staple, consumers are venturing out of their comfort zone and experimenting with many of the other NatureSweet tomatoes. Lori and the NatureSweet family have enjoyed seeing people play with the trend of colorful dishes with their Constellation packs and bringing in contrast to plates with Twilights.
Bringing you the best tomatoes possible starts with paying attention to how the company treats Mother Nature.
Since NatureSweet is a greenhouse grower, all of their plants are planted in coconut husks rather than soil. This helps the tomatoes resist more diseases and even uses up to 80% less water.
One of the main focuses at NatureSweet is reducing their carbon footprint and being responsible in their growing, packaging and transporting processes. NatureSweet is able to recycle some of the water they use, makes all of their packaging from recycled material, and is even looking at ways to make freight lines more efficient.
Fun fact: did you know you can keep their tomatoes in their packaging and use it as a colander? The amount of goodness NatureSweet tomatoes brings to you, the consumer, are endless! It helps to know when you are purchasing their tomatoes, you’re supporting a company that’s reducing their environmental impact and their packages can be reused as containers, and as a tool to teach kids how to count money, learn colors, and much more.
“It gives you this premium feel when you can cook with the vine on and put that beautiful presentation on a charcuterie dish or really try to impress the family, it’s not only nutritious, but delicious.” Lori Castillo (10:20-10:34)
Yes, NatureSweet even sells a line of tomatoes called D’Vine that are still on the vine. You can roast them and add them to a charcuterie board and elevate any dish, which is important now that you’re most likely cooking at home more. Seeing that pop of color and the added value of providing your family fresh produce that’s still on the vine is a way for anyone in the kitchen (novice to expert) to feel more empowered.
What’s Lori Castillo’s new obsession? NatureSweet’s Comet tomatoes. These delicious tomatoes are similar to the sunburst tomatoes that used to be popular that were yellow and very sweet. Comets have an improved flavor and are the sweetest in the NatureSweet line. Lori loves to eat them as a snack during a Zoom meeting or between calls. They’re perfect for a pop of sweet that’s guilt-free, colorful and might even be a conversation starter!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Overnight our grocery bill quadrupled.”Emily Brown (6:46-6:50)
The Food Equality Initiative is the nation's leading organization that is working to increase access to allergy friendly and gluten-free foods to individuals who need them the most. Did you know Black children are 7% more likely to have food allergies compared to white children and free-from foods cost 2-4 times what those with common allergens cost?
Emily Brown, former preschool teacher turned CEO of The Food Equality Initiative, was planning on returning to the classroom and bringing her daughter along until she was diagnosed at one year old with allergies to milk, eggs, wheat, soy and peanuts as well a food allergic condition known as EOE. Pregnant with her second daughter, who also has food allergies, and unable to return to work, Emily sought out help from WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children), only to find the foods she needed weren’t there.
Emily’s next stop? The local food bank, who turned her away because their facility wasn’t allergy-friendly and they didn’t have those types of foods readily available. Three’s a charm, right? Sometimes… in this case, Emily went to her local pantry where it was suggested the random Whole Foods or natural foods store item might be available.
“I stood in line for almost two hours, and when I got into the shop, there were only two potatoes and a jar of salsa. Those were the only safe foods.” - Emily Brown (9:37-9:45)
Emily, like so many other families, struggled to provide her daughters with the food they needed not just as sustenance, but as treatment for their illness. If providing someone the right food at the right time is truly part of the treatment, and emphasized by doctors, why is it not covered by insurance? Why is it completely inaccessible by government and charitable food organizations?
That’s when Emily founded The Food Equality Initiative in 2014 because she wasn’t the only one with a family struggling with food insecurities and food allergies. She initially set out to change WIC’s policy and quickly realized there were better, quicker ways to create change now, alongside the lengthy process of effecting policy change.
Emily opened the nation’s first allergy-friendly and gluten-free pantry in Kansas City, Missouri in 2015 and has been serving families ever since. They operate off a “pantry within a pantry” model, receiving most of their food from existing organizations.
Staff already a part of the pantry was trained on how to do distribution while Emily focused on maintaining relationships with certain brands and food manufactures kind enough to donate to her program. She also created a referral program with doctors and clinics who would give a prescription from that patients could then “cash in” with at the FEI.
Unfortunately, there were a few barriers of entry that were making it difficult to grow and scale FEI. Pantries are only open a limited number of hours per week that many in need don’t have time to make it to because of their jobs. Transportation was also proving to be an issue. Even though a few locations were initially opened, families were still not able to make it in person. Most importantly, but the least talked about, is the stigma and shape of going to a food pantry.
“I personally think it’s very brave to say, ‘I need help’, but it’s one of those things we haven’t normalized because we don’t talk about it, and because we don’t talk about it, there’s a lot of shame.” Emily Brown (15:17-15:26)
Now, FEI provides a different solution via an online code that is given by partners to clients to put in online. They can order free-from food that’s shipped straight to their door at no cost to them, eliminating the issue of time, transportation, and of course, no stigma!
Emily’s right about one thing. Real change to making free-from food equitable won’t happen unless we continue to push for policy changes and take action on bold, innovative ideas. FEI is now committed to supporting a local farm in their region and will be creating relationships with farmers across the country to make sure clients can receive fresh produce too!
Take the time to visit www.foodequalityinitiative.org and find out ways you can help support this incredible initiative and those that need free-from foods the most.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Food safety is about making the supply chain safer.”Ralph Towell (16:06-16:09)
The Produce Traceability Initiative is an industry wide initiative to properly track packages to ensure food safety events are identified as fast as possible.
Have you ever struggled to trust name brands or your local produce suppliers due to news headlines of dangerous salmonella or E. coli outbreaks? It’s hard to make sure you’re providing your family with healthy, nutritious food when there’s the fear and threat of contaminants on your fresh produce that can make members of your household sick.
The produce industry wants and needs your trust in order to survive and in order to continue to provide the world with the food that makes us thrive! That’s why the produce industry collectively came together to create a system that remedies these events as fast as possible by tracking packages from the minute a produce box is closed to the minute a grocery retailer or wholesaler opens that same case.
“The common denominator between shipper and receiver is the case.” - Ralph Towell (10:26-10:32)
In order to effectively communicate across the produce supply chain worldwide, no matter what language or country a company is in, GS1 was put in place as the global communications standards. This is the organization that creates the barcodes, item codes and SKU numbers you see on produce packages. The great thing about these communication standards is all parts of the production and supply chain can be tracked down to each case.
If you’re thinking, “Case? What about down to the unit?”, don’t worry, so is the PTI. Unfortunately, in order to track each individual unit (ie. a package of Dandy celery vs. a case of 30 packs of Dandy celery), we’d need to have printers and computers directly in the farm field where that celery was picked! Technology and a process for this is coming, but for now, having the ability to track cases from start to finish is a game changer in efficiently identifying food safety events.
“Instead of taking weeks and months to track down a particular source, if the traceability program is properly in place, you would be able to trace down and get to the root cause (once you’ve identified a cluster of events) in days.” Ralph Towell (15:27-15:47)
Having the proper protocol in place at the field level, packing level, shipping and handling level is key to food safety. This is what ensures no contaminations are introduced during the process of picking, packaging, shipping, retailing and delivering fresh produce to you and your family to eat. There’s about 15-20 touches of a case or product before it hits retail shelves.
Traceability doesn’t necessarily measure the implementation of safety protocol, but it allows for products to be tracked correctly through each step of the supply chain, so that in the event of a food safety issue, suppliers can identify where the proper protocols weren’t followed.
“It saves countless lives, countless money, and just makes the consumer’s trust in our industry much much safer.” - Ralph Towell (30:20-30:30)
There are seven key milestones the produce industry follows to ensure PTI compliance is taking place.
First, a company needs to have their prefix registered and receive their global transaction item number. Then, their entire library of items needs to have these G10’s so buyers around the world can speak a common language with them. Next, trading partners need to receive that G10 information and corresponding data.
Fourth, the company needs to make sure cases and boxes have readable information on them so in the event a backroom stocker or manager’s scan gun doesn’t work, they can still identify what’s in the case. Next, the information is encoded into a barcode on the case label. The receiver needs to be able to read this information along with the stores and restaurants that receive the produce.
Who knew the process for bringing your family fresh salad or grilled asparagus was so intricate!? Know that all industries within produce are working passionately to get traceability down to the individual package level. Find out more about Ralph’s work at Duda Farm Fresh Foods by visiting www.dudafresh.com and dive further into the Produce Traceability Initiative process and resources at www.producetraceability.org.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our children are learning by watching us. We are so important to what they believe and what they think about themselves.”
Dr. Yami (19:28-19:36)
Dr. Yami’s tagline is “pediatrician on a mission”, and for good reason. This powerhouse mom, pediatrician, public speaker and author wants children to grow up with a healthy body image and relationship with food that sets them up for success.
Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster knew she needed to find better solutions for her patients when so many of them were coming in with allergies, chronic abdominal pain and signs of not feeling well based on their dietary choices. Not only was Dr. Yami noticing issues with patients that just weren’t right for pediatrics, she also has been keenly aware of the body image and body confidence issues kids struggle with.
Going through her own struggles starting at eight years old, Dr. Yami began a dieting roller coaster that lasted a few decades and created disordered eating that interfered with her wellbeing, mental health and stole productivity from her life. Even her own son started dealing with the same issues, like wanting a flatter stomach at the age of six, so Dr. Yami started learning about plant-based nutrition, intuitive eating and lifestyle medicine.
“I really want my patients, I want my children, I want myself, I want to feel good about the choices I’m making and I want to feel confident in my body.” Dr. Yami (6:24-6:31)
It’s bad enough that most adults are worried about “losing those last 10 pounds” and trying to control what our bodies look like, but the fact of the matter is our kids are being trained to think this way starting at a young age. This is why Dr. Yami has started teaching her patients the benefits of intuitive eating.
Intuitive eating, originally founded by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, is quite simply “honoring hunger and satiety”.
Children have their own intuitive eating intelligence that gets chipped away when we try to change their natural eating habits. Kids don’t want to sit down for long, European-like meals because they’re filled with curious energy and would rather be exploring or playing. As parents, we tend to get anxious that our kids aren’t eating enough when they sit down for dinner and only take a few bites from their plate. So, what do we do? We create rules around food, we bribe them, and encourage them to ignore their intuitive eating habits.
This may calm your anxiety as a parent, but it only paves the way for a child to have disordered eating and an unhealthy relationship with their food and body. You may be wondering how you can get your child to eat more fruits and vegetables instead of unhealthy snacks.
“The only way to learn to like a food is through consistent and repetitive exposure.” Dr. Yami (28:31-28:38)
Dr. Yami’s advice is to keep exposing your child to healthy, nutritious, whole fruits and vegetables, but don’t force them. Think about how you acquired the taste for alcohol or coffee, for example. These drinks have very strong, bitter flavors, but somehow we end up enjoying them. That was because we had a deeper buy-in for liking them and it happened over repetitive exposure.
Know that your role as a parent is to decide what to serve, where to serve it and when. The role of your child is to decide how much they are going to taste today, if at all. It might take up to twenty times of putting broccoli on your child’s plate until the decide to taste it! Let go of the outcome and know that you aren’t a failure if your child doesn’t eat what you put on their plate for the first, second, or even tenth time.
We also have a responsibility as parents to develop a healthy body image ourselves. Our kids are watching us constantly and pick up on certain cues that tell them we don’t have a good relationship with our body. Every time you say something negative about your body, or constantly check yourself in the mirror, your child thinks they need to do the same thing. If it’s hard to create a positive conversation around your body, keep it neutral to start! Know that you don’t have to be perfect as a parent and you don’t have to have a body shaped by society’s standards.
Make sure to pick up a copy of Dr. Yami’s book, A Parent’s Guide to Intuitive Eating: How to Raise Kids Who Love to Eat Healthy, on Amazon and visit www.veggiefitkids.com for more helpful tips on how to encourage healthy body image and a love for fruits and vegetables with your children.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our mission is to make every home cooked meal a special occasion.”Suzette Overgaag (11:18-11:20)
Attempting to be a sustainable and healthy household is difficult when items like fresh herbs go bad in just a day or two after buying them. Wouldn’t it be nice to have living, fresh and beautiful herbs that made any meal an occasion, without being rushed to use them?
Suzette Overgaag and her third generation greenhouse grower husband, Leo, started their family farm in Coachella Valley thirty years ago with a barely-there budget and borrowed farming equipment. Today, they have over 10 acres of greenhouse space where they hydroponically grow living herbs that are available for consumers in the produce section of the grocery store.
It all started when the Overgaag’s were growing English cucumbers, but Suzette was frustrated that, when buying cut herbs from the store, they’d wilt or turn brown in just a few days. She dreamed of having an instant herb garden in her kitchen every day, which is exactly what North Shore Living Herbs does for you. They sell their clamshell “mini greenhouse” herbs and potted living herbs that, contrary to popular belief, aren’t meant to be planted, but offer a longer “shelf life”. That way, you can have a beautiful bouquet of herbs sitting on your counter and plan meals weeks in advance without worrying about your herbs going bad.
“It’s about being able to have your product be grown in a way that is friendly to the Earth, obviously, and also to humans that have to work there and grow the plants or product.” Suzette Overgaag (8:07-8:23)
Sustainability was one of the core driving factors of North Shore Living Herbs’ living herbs coming to life (no pun intended), which is why they are the first culinary herb grower in the United States to be certified as a sustainable grower by a recognized third party. They use solar energy and geothermal energy to heat the greenhouse and implement different practices that are good for employees. For example, instead of having employees bend over every day, most of the work is done at waist level, so it’s less wear and tear on the individuals as well as the environment.
North Shore Living Herbs is also the first hydroponic grower to be certified organic and they’ve found solutions to save anywhere between 75% to 90% of water with their crops compared to a cut herb program. It’s important to note they’ve been committed to this focus on sustainability well before it was popular and trendy with consumers. It’s a movement built to last.
North Shore Living Herbs’ mission is to make every home cooked meal a special occasion, something that COVID-19 has actually helped consumers around the U.S. start to focus on.
With the limited options now for eating out or dining in restaurants, more and more households are thinking about how they can make meals a special occasion. We’re cooking together more, eating together more, and not only is that great for North Shore Living Herbs’ business, but it helps drive their mission further across the country.
The wonderful thing about herbs is, even if you aren’t familiar with using them, you can’t go wrong adding them! Suzette doesn’t use recipes at all and uses whatever she has on hand in whatever amount feels right (you don’t have to measure them).
“My favorite thing is actually just using them in salads and herb butter.” - Suzette Overgaag (15:15-15:20)
Put your herbs in a butter and pour over pasta or a delicious grilled steak. Suzette also suggests putting them in cocktails or adding cucumber, mint and lemon to your regular water. You can find tons of amazing recipes created by Suzette’s daughter on their website, as well as details about all the products they offer and where you can find them locally! Visit www.northshore.farms and learn how you can start adding fresh herbs to your home cooked meals and make them a part of any occasion.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“How could we find a way back home?”Bella Hughes (6:50-6:52)
Shaka Tea is 100% plant based, project non-GMO verified, sustainably sourced and created from Mamaki, the rarest herbal tea in the world.
Native Hawaiian Bella Hughes is a trailblazer in the best way possible. With a former profession in the non-profit and contemporary art world, Bella took a sharp left turn when she co-founded Shaka Tea with her husband from a desire to, not only share the wealth and deliciousness Hawaii has to offer, but help do the most good possible to help the community and economic growth of Hawaii.
When traveling around the world or living in the UAE with her husband, Bella would always look for goods from Hawaii in grocery stores and could find consumer product goods, but they didn’t have authentic ingredients from Hawaii and the companies were never founded there.
During her second pregnancy, she was drinking tons of Mamaki which is naturally caffeine-free and similar to a mild rooibos in flavor. She’d make a fruit puree with many of the same fruits she loved from her homeland, like passionfruit, guava and mango, and would make a huge jug of Mamaki tea mixed with it, offering her tastes from home, a delicious, pregnancy friendly drink, and just a touch of sweetness.
“This tastes like something I would normally say no to. It has zero percent juice, zero calories, zero grams of total sugar, zero carbohydrates… it’s amazing.” Lori Taylor (12:23-12:35)
There are plenty of teas on the market, but they fall into two categories: sweetened, which in most cases if you were to drink them daily, you’d put 15 pounds of sugar in your body in one year, and unsweetened. Bella saw the opportunity to bring her Shaka Tea to market.
It didn’t have sugar in it (the company uses Monk Fruit), she could support small, local farmers in Hawaii, could boost the Hawaiian economy with a product that’s for everyday use (versus the expensive coffees and macadamia nuts), and provide it at an affordable price (suggested retail price is $1.98 to $2.49 in the U.S.).
Bella and her husband put a huge leap of faith into their idea by putting their life savings into 18,000 bottles without a single account signed and three SKU’s to start with. They built Shaka Tea from the bottom up, spending days driving around the main island, signing accounts and bringing in a cute baby or toddler when needed for extra support!
The supply chain for Shaka Tea has been built from the ground up.
Mamaki is traditionally foraged for when hiking or grown with a small herb garden at home. There hasn’t been mass production of Mamaki, which is the host plant for the island’s endangered pollinator Kamehameha butterfly, so Bella provides her 14 farmers seeds to plant on their 2-5 acre farms and pays them a premium price while taking care of all the drying and processing.
Unfortunately, the other ingredients in Shaka Tea aren’t available locally, but are all fair trade and sustainably sourced. Shaka Tea is more than just a healthy drink to bring about cultural awareness, it is the life source of a brand new industry which is revitalizing Hawaii’s economy and stimulating long-term economic growth.
“Our hope is that we can be a model for future businesses in Hawaii to continue that commitment to small farmers, sustainable agriculture practices and economic growth.” Bella Hughes (18:55-19:06)
Shaka Tea currently has four iced tea flavors, Pineapple Mint, Mango Hibiscus, Lemon Lokelani Rose and Guava Gingerblossom, and three herbal tea blends, Sunrise, Blue Magic, and Sunset, that are great for those kicking a caffeine habit. Shaka has won the American Masters of Taste Gold Superior Taste Award and is the second fastest growing business of Hawaii.
Make sure to check out www.shakatea.com and use promo code “SHAKA20” to get 20% off your online order!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We’re facing as a nation a fruit and vegetable consumption crisis.”Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (2:50-2:53)
September is National Fruits And Veggies Month hosted by the Produce For Better Health Foundation!
Founded by Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, President and CEO, and internationally celebrated dietician, the Produce For Better Health Foundation not only wants to help increase fruit and vegetable consumption, but elevate the behaviors of fruit and vegetable consumption as a national priority.
Unfortunately, we’re facing a fruit and vegetable consumption crisis that’s been chronic in our nation for years. You might be thinking, “yes, I know I need to eat more fruits and vegetables,” but it goes beyond that. This is something that’s negatively impacting our society, our culture and our economy.
“Every fruit and vegetable that you put on your plate, there was somebody that was growing that, there was someone that was transporting it, there was someone that was putting it either in your online shopping cart or in your real shopping cart, and it’s making its way onto your plate, contributing to your health and happiness.” - Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (8:37-8:59)
Not only is this an opportunity for the fruit and veggie loving public and industry to come together under one initiative to make this a priority, but a lot of research has come out identifying that people, in general, eat healthier meals when they’re eaten together as a family.
Eating healthier foods isn’t the only benefit to eating meals together; people greatly benefit from the connection of family and spending time together having conversations around the dinner table. Especially if you’re a family with kids, this is when important conversations happen, connection key to development is fostered, dangerous behaviours can be identified and discussed, and social behaviors are developed. The psychological benefits of connectedness are crucial during times like this.
This is why the National Fruit and Veggie Month theme this year is Have A Plant® Nation. During a national and global pandemic, this aims to act as a catalyst for creating family connections, celebrating diverse and unique ways to enjoy fruits and vegetables, improve America’s public health across the board, and elevate how the produce industry (and its influencers) advocate for fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed more often.
The Have A Plant initiative wants folks like you to align with their values and share that with the world. It’s not just about eating more fruits and vegetables daily or at every meal, it’s about sharing your beliefs on how important that is with the rest of the world. That means having conversations at home, yes, but online as well! If just one more serving of fruits and vegetables on your plate could create the same for hundreds if not thousands of people through sharing one comment or one post, you’d be helping transform the nation’s health.
“It’s one attainable thing that we can all do to make our lives better — eat more fruits and vegetables.” - Lori Taylor (15:16-15:24)
Take the pledge for Have A Plant® Nation by visiting www.fruitsandveggies.org! They have tons of resources you can download to put on your social media, phone or share with friends and your family. Start the conversation and see if you have someone in your life or even a group that wants to hold each other accountable. Make sure to use #haveaplant and #haveaplantpledge on your posts along with #nfvm2020 to support National Fruits and Veggies Month.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“When you have a passion and you can apply that type of energy to something you know is making the world a better place, it really is rewarding.”
Kurt Wagaman (30:36-30:47)
If the U.S. Navy and most hospitals have access to chemical free cleaning devices, why can’t I?
That probably isn’t a question you’ve ever asked yourself, but thankfully, it’s one Tim Busby, co-founder and managing partner of PurLite and Kurt Wagaman, general manager of PurLite asked themselves. PurLite was founded a few years ago and provides sanitization with UV-C light, which is very prevalent in medical settings, hospitals, and in the military.
“What if we could develop a product that would be something that could live in every home in America?” - Tim Busby (5:10-5:20)
Tim Busby is a true entrepreneur, always looking to fill a white space in the market, think differently and come up with new products. He had a relationship with an inventor that was looking at creating a take home device so that, for example, moms can take this level of cleaning home with them from the hospital after giving birth, rather than having to resort to chemicals.
Not only has this become a game-changing solution for moms and families everywhere, now with COVID-19, utilizing such high quality sanitization solutions such as UV-C light is essential unless you want to keep exposing your household to harmful chemicals. PurLite’s tagline is “sunshine in a box” because at the end of the day, that’s what UV-C light is!
So how does this work exactly?
When you think about it, the sun does a lot of sanitizing for us. By harnessing the power of UV-C rays (which are reflective), you’re utilizing sanitization that is chemical free, available in safe applications that limit the reuse of packing items. You can quite literally clean your household items like headphones, cellphones, remote controls, credit cards, cloth face masks, pacifiers, and more with light instead of Clorox or other well-known, chemical laden cleaning brands out there.
This medical grade technology can sanitize at a level higher than 99%. In a lab setting, PurLite tests between 99.9% and 99.99% sanitized, depending on the pathogen.
You may be asking yourself if UV-C light kills all bacterias and viruses? UV-C light does effectively get rid of E. coli, H1N1, Avian, Swine and other common coronaviruses based on the amount of time it’s exposed to the light. There’s no need to change light bulbs constantly or install any difficult equipment to use PurLite, either. One of their units is about the size of a toaster or tissue box and it takes seconds to sanitize your items.
“When you say medical grade, you’re putting yourself in a pretty high priority list.” - Tim Busby (8:06-8:12)
Tim and Kurt have been focused on providing this need well before the coronavirus pandemic because they saw the ability UV-C has to maximize a home’s cleaning regimen and improve the sustainability of our world. A true entrepreneur, Tim is always looking for opportunities to improve lives and create products that provide valuable solutions, which is why he’s so passionate about educating the market that UV-C light even exists.
It’s been Kurt’s and the rest of the PurLite team’s priority to make sure their devices are readily available when many supply chains have been disrupted. Let’s be honest: have you had at least one experience where finding cleaning items like Clorox wipes was difficult during this pandemic? Not only that, PurLite’s device is extremely affordable compared to the UV-C that’s used in hospitals and costs tens of thousands of dollars.
Yes, PurLite is an investment, but it’s an investment in the health, safety and sanitization of your entire family. Plus, it’s sustainable!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“A hungry kid can’t learn.”Adam Russo (15:01-15:03)
There’s no one size fits all for school meal programs, let alone with a global pandemic.
If there’s anyone who’s passionate about the success of school children and feeding them healthy meals, it’s Adam Russo and Mollie Van Lieu. Adam is the Director of School Food and Nutrition Services at Prince William County Public Schools located in Virginia and Mollie Van Lieu, who was on The Produce Moms Podcast 100 episodes ago (wow!) is the Senior Director of Nutrition Policy at United Fresh Produce Association.
When schools shut down in March at the start of COVID-19, state and local districts had to make fast decisions about how they would deliver (or if they would deliver) class curriculum and school meals. You may not realize it, but there are about 30 million school lunches served every day and about 72 million servings of fruit and vegetables.
“School nutrition heroes really stepped up to that and worked their tails off in the spring and summer to make sure kids are still fed.” Mollie Van Lieu (6:43-6:55)
Not only is that important to keep feeding the children of America nutritious meals, ensuring their brains are fed for optimal learning, but it’s vital to the fresh produce supply chain, especially in rural and small areas. In Adam’s school district where there are over 100 schools and centers, they’ve focused on things like all you can eat salad bars, corn husking competitions, and getting fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. One of the first things Adam’s district did to pivot with COVID-19 was figure out how to keep children fed, provide fresh fruits and vegetables, but comply with new CDC regulation standards.
They’ve started transitioning to a grocery style supplement box for families to pick up once a week, filled with fruits and vegetables that don’t have to be refrigerated since a lot of families don’t have access to heating and cooling methods for one week’s worth of food.
“We know that kids are going to learn better with proper nutrition, so giving them the micro and macronutrients they’re going to get in fruits and vegetables and the whole fruits and vegetables, especially. Having to consume that process through their body is going to keep them fueled much much longer.” Adam Russo (15:04-15:18)
Not only will they be fueled much longer, but their energy will be kept in the right place, they’ll be better behaved, more attentive in class and that’s extremely important whether they’re back at school in the public classroom or still learning virtually at home. The other benefit to providing a week’s worth of healthy food for kids and sending it home is they’re starting to take ownership of their health. This inturn is inspiring for other members of the family and helps everyone open their palettes up to fresh fruits and vegetables they might not have tried otherwise.
It’s important to note that this industry needs your help. Schools don’t get funding from the school board for school meals, even though other things like textbooks and transportation are provided for free. Without sales of school lunches, they don’t exist or the economy isn’t there to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, so if you’re wondering why your child’s school provides junk, they might not be receiving enough sales.
Profitability shouldn’t be the metric to go off of, it should be how well students are performing in class, but sometimes it’s a necessary evil of the food and nutrition services of a school. Also important is the feedback you give to these programs. If your school division is serving junk food or it’s just not up to your expectations, call the manager in charge and tell them!
“I know that our staff would do anything, they would run through a brick wall to make sure a kid was fed that day. That isn’t different across the country.” Adam Russo (25:05-25:13)
These schools want to improve and truly care about the health and livelihood of our students, even if it may not seem so with the lunches they provide. These meals are incredibly important and are a responsibility of us all to think about because they’re shaping the health, nutrition and future of our country.
Adam’s district is continuing to look at how they can provide self-service salad bars in a COVID-safe manner, and even looking at restaurant style serving options if and when children go back to the public classroom. Mollie, who’s done great work with federal nutrition policies, will be advocating for increased waivers, more flexibility and universal school meals at the Washington School Nutrition Association Conference this September and invites individuals like you to participate and help us change our country’s school meal system.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I didn’t know as a child if I would make it out alive.”Sarah Frey (12:48-12:51)
Sarah Frey is one of the most inspirational women in the agricultural industry.
Her phenomenal story starts on her family’s farm in southern, rural Illinois where they hunted, processed and grew their own food, and only had a wood burning fire stove for heat. Sarah can even recall the first time she saw a thermostat, or went to the grocery store with her mom and felt feelings of joy and overwhelm seeing packaged goods for the first time at the age of seven.
Her upbringing wasn’t the typical image of the happy little farm family and Sarah grew up with what a lot of children of farms deal with –– being called the ‘ugly duckling’, being bullied for having the school’s free lunches, hand me down clothes –– and she longed to escape every minute of it. Ironically enough, it’s these same experiences Sarah credits her courage to. In many moments of her career she didn’t think twice when most would have fainted, nodded and said ‘yes’, and figured out the ‘how’ later.
“My whole life I have let people see what they wanted to see, see what was easy to see and that was, ‘Oh this is Sarah! Isn’t she nice. She’s from the midwest. She grew up on a farm. Isn’t that great?’...I never told anyone the full story.” Sarah Frey (16:46-17:10)
How’d this farm girl turn into the CEO of Frey Farms, Founder of Sarah’s Home Grown, and United Fresh Women In Produce’s 2020 Honoree? She was thrust into it! Her mom had the same desire to create a better life for her family and kids than the farm could provide and started selling melons to local grocers. Young Sarah, still a child, was the one who waltzed into stores to do the selling, knowing she couldn’t return to the hot truck outside with defeat.
A true go-getter, Sarah started attending college while still in high school at the age of 15 while hauling melons because she was driven to get away and better her life.
It was that same drive and determination that led Sarah to march right through to the top floor of the St. Lewis Terminal Market into the bullpen, where F-bombs, fast deals and sales men live. Grateful she didn’t walk into a broom closet, Sarah, in blue jeans, a ball cap and work boots, walked straight into Stanley Greenspan’s office, an infamous buyer in the produce industry.
When it came time to sell the family farm, the same place she so badly wanted to escape growing up, at the age of 17 Sarah bought it instead. Those memories of swimming in the pond with her brothers, huddling over the stove as a family, and the heartbreak of knowing her family wouldn’t have anything to bond them together had her buy the land and set up her companies’ headquarters down the road.
Sarah’s journey is truly remarkable which is what led her to write and publish The Growing Season: How I built a new life and saved an American farm.
“I wanted to be able to share these stories to impact other people’s lives,” Sarah says.
“It moves your soul. This is a story of a champion, a story of an underdog, it’s a story of entrepreneurship, but really most importantly it’s a story of all of life’s greatest lessons — forgiveness, grace, valuing education, valuing family, valuing hard work. It’s already made a positive impact on my life.” Lori Taylor (5:02-5:24)
Frey Farms now operates in seven different states –– Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri and West Virginia –– so they can grow different fruits and vegetables year round rather than just being a seasonal operation, although pumpkins are still what they’re best known for. She was the first to market with any kind of watermelon juice with Tsamma™ Watermelon Juice which is an extremely healthy performance rehydration beverage.
Her most recent brand, Sarah’s Homegrown, launched in 2019 and helps small to mid-sized farms use more of what they grow, find market for the fruit that is normally wasted, turn those things into fresh, delicious ingredients that wind up in consumer packaged goods under the Sarah’s Homegrown brand and ultimately helps put those funds back into the hands of farmers who deserve it.
You’ll surely want to grab your copy of Sarah’s memoir, The Growing Season: How I built a new life and saved an American farm as soon as possible and see the ripple effect of transformation it has on your life!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It’s got one ingredient. What more could you ask for?”Case Samuel (10:10-10:14)
Sunrise Fresh is the #1 seller on Amazon in the dried fruit category and has been for the past four years. This fourth generation, family owned company is dedicated to producing the freshest dried fruit with no added ingredients.
Have you ever wondered why most dried fruit or products containing dried fruit are so high in sugar (or other ingredients)? It’s just fruit that’s dried, isn’t it? Quite the contrary for most dried fruit producers, who add tons of sugar back into their product to make up for the loss in weight after drying and attempting to make a cheaper product.
Not only does Sunrise Fresh not add anything else to their dried fruit, their fruit is grown specifically for their product, rather than Montmorency tarts. To increase profit, reduce waste, and provide the freshest fruit possible, they include culls to their product line, which are perfectly good fruit that are thrown out.
“Culls are perfectly edible fruit, they just don’t look too pretty.” - Case Samuel (5:29-5:32)
Culls are products that don’t meet retail specs and don’t go into a fresh box. Although they're just as good as any other fruit, they won’t sell because of bruising, a slight crack, or a stem that’s missing.
They also don’t use Montmorency tarts, which most of their competitors use. These are cherries grown specifically for production and manufacturing purposes and often need sugar added into them.
Sure, their product isn’t always the “sugary sweet” we’re trained to expect year round, but that’s what makes Sunrise Fresh’s dried cherries exceptional over many others on the market.
Mother Nature doesn’t make anything the same and we have seasons for a reason. You’ll receive the gift of tasting the variety of flavor profiles cherries can have as they won’t taste the same year round.
Most of the cherries Sunrise Fresh focuses on growing are from Washington and California to extend their season and provide for customers year round. This gives the growers a better return on their fruit by using cherries that normally get dumped.
To expedite the drying process, Sunrise Fresh places their cherries on a drying tray in a 40-foot long tunnel for “forced air tunnel drying”, which allows for the harvesting, cooling, packing and shipping process to occur in a matter of 24-48 hours. Unlike microwave or flash drying where produce loses quality and nutrients, this process slowly dries the fruit down so they maintain all of their natural goodness.
“The quicker you get that cherry to market, the more ability you will have for a customer to come in, buy that fresh cherry and want to come back and buy that cherry again.” - Jake Samuel (20:38-20:48)
Speed is important for Sunrise Fresh considering they’re the #1 dried fruit seller on Amazon for the past four years. Because of COVID-19, their sales increased by 2000% in three months and they’re now selling in Walmart. To put into perspective how much they’ve grown, just three years ago they were selling 10-15 units a day and now sell 200-300 a day thanks to Amazon’s marketplace.
Case and Jake share some phenomenal advice for other small, family-owned CPG businesses that helped them skyrocket their growth and increase the availability of their fresh, real, quality products. You can now find dried apples, peaches, blueberries and pears to the sunrise Fresh repertoire! All including just one ingredient: fruit.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“How do you communicate something so that it’s a message that people can grab onto?”
Barbara Ruhs (13:15-13:21)
The top three leading causes of death and morbidity in the United States are diabetes, cancer and heart disease, three diseases that could be virtually eliminated if people ate the recommended two to three cups a day of fruits and vegetables.
Barbara Ruhs didn’t originally set out to help change the way we eat and think about nutrition. She grew up on cookies and milk like many of us! As an avid athlete and tennis player, Barbara spent a lot of time around other athletes whose focus on what they were eating was borderline obsessive. Observing these dysfunctional, disordered eating patterns led her to her phenomenal career today studying nutrition and helping improve the narrative we have around healthy eating.
At the start of her career, Barbara worked with the Massachusetts Department of Education on making meals compliant with nutritional standards and the Healthy School Meal Initiative that started in the late 90’s. She worked with 1800 public schools and 350 food service directors in Massachusetts to provide children first, with something to eat, and then focusing on making that meal compliant with nutrition standards.
“Beyond getting into the micronutrients and nutrition, just providing something for a child to eat [is imperative] because we know that academic performance and growth is related to nourishment and eating.” - Barbara Ruhs (20:42-20:58)
The statistics today of children going hungry are horrifying. Every one in four children (about 18 million) don’t know where they will get their next meal. This is why school meals were started by Truman in 1946, to help fill the gap of missed meals, make sure the future workforce was filled with nutrition, and help farmers have a place to put their products.
Barbara’s work has led her into working as a private nutritionist for college athletes where she also witnessed an unhealthy conversation around food and borderline obsession with what they ate. so she decided her best place to create an impact was working in the food industry.
Not surprising, considering most of our conversations about health revolve around weight. Even as a nutritionist, Barbara says when she went to the doctor recently and was asked about her weight, it was triggering. Why not change our language to one that’s more positive and focused on helping people make better, healthier food choices?
We know the importance of healthy eating with children and seeing where the proper narrative is important with athletes and adults, so let’s take it one step further.
“The top three leading causes of death and morbidity, so things related to these chronic diseases, diabetes, cancer and heart disease, could virtually be eliminated if people ate the recommended two to three cups of fruits and vegetables per day.”
But instead of talking to patients about curing disease with eating fruits and vegetables, most practitioners head straight to the weight loss conversation, one that is discouraging and unapproachable for many people. Considering we spend three trillion dollars on healthcare in the United States, this could be hugely transformative for our economy and of course the health of our population.
For those that complain about how much more expensive buying fresh fruits and vegetables is, the cost difference between eating healthy and doctors appointments, surgeries and pharmaceutical meds is vastly different. Although COVID-19 hasn’t been an experience anyone has wished for, it’s causing people to rethink how they spend their money: do I keep choosing expensive medication or focus on eating healthy instead?
“When you’re conscious of having to plan meals and think about what you’re going to buy at the grocery store, there’s that moment of pause that people have in thinking about what they’re going to eat and planning. That’s a huge thing when it comes to eating healthier” - Barbara Ruhs (24:28-24:49)
You may be wondering how retail nutritionists and dieticians are helping change the way we communicate to our society about food and healthy eating. Barbara, for one, is working on helping make the decision making process to healthy eating virtually automatic. Supermarkets and corporate grocers are now offering telehealth sessions with their dieticians as a free service. If we all made these choices automatic, healthy eating would even need to be a conversation.
What are Barabara’s top actionable tips for healthy eating? Actually enjoying your food and being mindful while eating, slowing down to truly taste the flavors and making eating a fun experience. Another great tip is to fill half your plate with whole fruits and vegetables and use the other half to fill with your healthy protein and grains.
How can you make half of your plate healthy each and every day?
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Logistics are the heart and soul of our industry.”Lori Taylor (2:14-2:17)
Without advancements and logistics, we wouldn’t have accessibility to produce 365 days a year, or the array of seasonal produce in virtually any climate.
The Produce Moms Podcast welcomed today it’s very first logistics company guest, Chad Ogden, Director of Transportation for Sunrise Logistics. Sunrise Logistics is part of the Four Seasons Produce Companies and is a third party provider in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. They focus on transport and logistics for produce, but also perishable items like health drinks, kombucha, packaged meats and cheeses.
One of the best features of Sunrise is that they are still a first generation, family owned company.
“A big goal of ours is to have the capability of a very large organization, but have the feel of that family owned, very intimate relationship with our customers.” Chad Ogden (7:48-8:00)
It’s through that focus that Sunrise has been able to sustain business for themselves and the produce customers they provide for. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, where some logistics and supply chain companies failed, Sunrise thrived. They’ve remained consistent in communication, stable, and transparent about what they’re doing so customers know their product is safe in their warehouse.
What really makes Sunrise Logistics shine is the dynamic partnership they offer with their customers. Unlike many logistics companies, Sunrise can assist in transporting produce no matter what part of the world the supply is coming from, whether it be exports from Peru or shipping containers out of the Northeast. They also have their own private fleet and a brokerage ability to help cover all parts of the supply chain process.
Sunrise Logistics has a dynamic, streamlined process for growers in and out of the U.S. Not only do they facilitate the logistics of bringing supply to warehouses and retailers, they also offer services like bagging, ripening of avocados, and brokerage between customers and carriers.
Why is that important? For one, instead of having to purchase an entire truckload of space to transport product, customers can purchase just a palette of space on one of their trailers. All of their specialized equipment can tailor the logistics process to meet customers needs in an affordable and advanced fashion. They can help eliminate the middleman in certain production operations and are focused on providing the dynamic service most produce providers need.
COVID-19 was surely a time when people truly realized how important the supply chain is in produce. Where other wholesalers failed and couldn’t keep up, Sunrise was able to quickly pivot, remain stable and offer clear communication to customers. It’s a testament to the great leadership they have in their company and their commitment to the produce supply chain.
“Investing in people, technology and processes is what we really want to do at Sunrise.” - Chad Ogden (26:14-26:19)
The next big step for Sunrise is investing in other big areas around the nation, but before doing so, they’re focused on ensuring each leg of their company (such as sister company Sunrise Transport or others under the leg of Four Seasons Produce). They’re constantly improving their technology and helping keep their customer’s businesses open.
One thing’s for sure – out of all the other supply chains around us, produce shined during this pandemic thanks to logistics companies like Sunrise. When going to the store looking for items like napkins and cleaning wipes, most of us were met with empty shelves. Fortunately enough, produce aisles (for most of us) were always stocked.
The team at Sunrise is looking forward to growing and expanding their ability to help their customers worldwide deliver healthy, delicious, high quality produce from shipping containers all the way to your dinner table.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The whole family’s going to eat it and it’s going to be made with clean, real ingredients, and it’s going to taste delicious!”Jennifer Wiese (4:21-4:28)
What was originally a decision to help her son battle autism turned into a movement to help families everywhere enjoy plant-based products that are made with real, clean ingredients.
Jennifer Wiese, founder of BeeFree and mother of four sons, had to quickly find a way to help her son August when he was diagnosed with autism at age 7. At an Autism conference in Vancouver, they learned about all types of modalities to help: detoxification, hypobaric chambers, taking 30 supplements a day… but none of those options were realistic for her and her family.
Jennifer learned about gluten free (before it was “fashionable”) and it’s benefits for kids with autism, so she switched the family diet to it. Noticing a difference in her son, she started getting asked by friends and other moms at the kid’s sporting events if she would make something gluten free for them or what kind of ingredients she used.
“I saw the need for other families and other moms who were seeking knowledge and seeking information. They just wanted help.” - Jennifer Wiese (5:18-5:22)
Even fellow members of the CrossFit community were wanting an alternative snack to the typical beef jerky, almonds and hard boiled eggs. She knew she was onto something and started taking her BeeFree line to the farmers market. At first, it was cookies, cakes, and pizza dough that she sold since that’s what her son, August, loved to eat.
In 2010, Jennifer turned BeeFree into an official business! Knocking on doors seeing who would answer, Jennifer moved her products into retail, then local and regional distributors to expand her footprint quicker. Her plant based products include granola and her Warrior mix that is made of ingredients only grown from the earth.
After going gluten free, she noticed her autistic sound sleeping better, being more interactive, more conversational and responsive when he heard his name. She isn’t saying this is a cure, but truly noticed a difference when removing gluten, dairy and artificial sweeteners from his diet.
BeeFree products are a great option to fit nicely into a household already filled with fruits and vegetables. Eating a plant-based diet should include variety, which is what the BeeFree products offer. Each of her flavor mixes are named after one of her sons (hey, they put sweat equity into this too!) and every product is gluten, dairy, trans fat, soy and refined sugar free.
Her granola is truly versatile due to it being baked and then hand pieced so there are a variety of chunks and clusters. Grab it straight out of the bag, top your favorite yogurt, add it to milk, or even bake it into a pie crust! With ingredients like almonds, pumpkin seeds and coconut, this is the perfect addition to other fruits and vegetables.
“The key ingredient for every recipe is love.” - Lori Taylor (21:08-21:10)
Not only is BeeFree healthy, plant-based and delicious, the foundation of the company is built on family. Jennifer’s family has been impacted with the creation of BeeFree because of the time spent together making each product and she hopes to have the same impact on others. This is a family owned, family run business with new flavors coming out based on each of her son’s personalities!
Thankfully, August’s health has been impacted for the better and out of it came a tasty snack filled with real ingredients that can compliment any plant-based diet.
BeeFree granola and Warrior Mix is free of gluten, dairy, trans fat, soy, refined sugar and is 100% plant-based. You can purchase BeeFree directly on their website or in most major stores. Stay tuned for new flavors including salted caramel, chocolate chip and maple!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“If we can increase positive interactions with avocados, we’re going to grow as a category.”Patrick Cortes (17:13-17:17)
Food sustainability is possible without the use of harmful chemicals, but instead, with chemistry-driven technology that helps reduce waste and supports our health.
Chemistry has a bad wrap in the agriculture world, but companies like Hazel Technology are changing that. Hazel Technologies has created a post-harvest solution that manipulates the environment in which avocados are stored, making them last longer and improving shelf life.
“Every year, close to a trillion dollars in produce goes bad before it can be eaten. It’s nearly a third of all produce harvested every year.” - Aiden Mouat (2:58-3:07)
Aiden Mouat, CEO of Hazel Technologies and Patrick Cortes, Senior Director of Business Development at Mission Produce have teamed up together to delay the ripening of avocados and preserve their internal quality.
Think about how many times you’ve purchased avocados that have ripened too quickly, or you’ve opened only to find a shade of brown rather than the beautiful, golden green we all love?
By designing a technology that works atmospherically, nothing is applied to the avocado at all. No dips, waxes, sprays or coatings. Just pure biomagnetic chemistry that helps control essential biological functions, almost similar to how we think of our metabolism working. Ever heard of “biohacking”? You can think of avocados stored with Avolast similar to that –– a new, “smart” or “biohacked” avocado that’s ripening is prolonged.
Avolast’s technology leaves no residue and isn’t harmful in and of itself. It’s an antidote to the ethylene avocados produce and has been successfully used for the past 30 years in the apple industry.
The long term effects on our world with technologies like Avolast are outstanding. By using a cleaner and more sophisticated form of chemistry, we can reduce the chemical load of food (in the field and out of the field). Avolast’s solution is versatile to all country’s many diverse picking and packaging processes. There’s flexibility and control over how Avolast works in any given environment, starting from the tree all the way up to the consumer.
Not only does this benefit the consumer, but by giving a retailer a mere two to four extra days to sell a fruit, that adds up to a virtual lifetime and can cut through some of the major implications our produce throwaway has on the planet.
“We just can’t feed eight, nine, 10 billion people without the influence of chemistry.” - Aiden Mouat (23:08-23:13)
It’s a difficult conversation to have about what technology science is helping us create for our agricultural industry, but Aiden Mouat of Hazel Technologies is doing it in a very graceful and transparent way. Who knows, the next avocado you purchase may have an extended shelf life thanks to Avolast’s innovative technology rather than harmful chemical processes.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It’s one of the most important times that we maintain a focus on globalism, we maintain a commitment to multilateralism and to working together.”Beth Bechdol (34:56-35:06)
Almost 2 billion people around the world experience a moderate or severe food insecurity.
Although this trend has been decreasing for the past 20 years, we’ve recently seen a plateau and even reverse trend in some countries. Yes, COVID-19 has played a part, but that’s not the only thing we can blame our food insecurity and hunger issues on. Beth Bechdol is the Deputy Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization which focuses efforts internationally on defeating hunger, improving nutrition and increasing food security.
Growing up on a farm in Indiana, Beth brings a unique skillset to the table with the FAO. Having worked in Washington D.C. and focusing on International studies at Georgetown, she also spent much of her early career in Indiana building new concepts centered in AgTech and AgBio science to improve economic development.
Blending these two experiences together in her new leadership role has been exciting to spearhead the agenda in an entrepreneurial, creative, innovative manner.
The FAO works with five of the U.N.’s 17 sustainable development goals which are: zero hunger, working on gender equality, clean water and sanitization, responsible consumption and production of food and agriculture and life below water.
“Between hunger, food accessibility and food availability, our situation globally is not a good one.” - Beth Bechdol (12:32-12:40)
What’s the reason for this? There’s an increasing number of political conflicts, national security and global security issues that makes access to food a challenge for the most vulnerable people. Plus, we have challenging economic times in certain countries exacerbating food insecurity, and climate changes that are changing agricultural productivity.
If our immediate challenges due to COVID-19 continue, we’re going to see an even more rapid increase in unemployment. The loss of livelihood when jobs are lost immediately increases hunger and poverty.
Some countries, like small island countries in the Caribbean, countries in Latin America and Asian countries who were very dependent on food imports are struggling also because 80-90% of their economy is rooted in tourism.
On top of those already at risk for being put in a chronic hunger state or a food insecure system, there are 120 million more people now put in that position because of the disruption of our current supply chains.
We may be in a humanitarian mindset and crisis mode across the board, but what Beth’s concern is with the FAO is that their initiatives don’t breed instant gratification results. Our attention span is very short these days, and they need individuals to stay focused on making impact long term.
Inequality is also driving this crisis. America is seeing a current rise in activism against inequality, however it’s increasing in many parts of the world. There are lower incomes, a decrease in purchasing power, families having to reduce their food budget, lack of food availability and inequality with women.
The number of conflicts around the world don’t help, as they are creating price increases which, theoretically would give our farmers an opportunity to increase production, productivity and their income. Instead, rising prices are a ripple effect stemming from governments closing down markets, so farmers can’t market their goods and products.
If farmers had the economic opportunities, social protection, productivity resources and access to markets necessary for them to thrive, we would help decrease the food insecurity in many regions and communities.
“Some of the smallest scale farmers and food producers who actually produce almost 80% of the food consumed worldwide are the ones more likely to suffer from food hunger in their own countries.” - Beth Bechdol (29:37-29:55)
Who else is primarily affected from chronic hunger? Right now we’re seeing it concentrated in sub saharan African countries, western Asia and southeast Asia. This is triggering a divide in hemispheres as the North increasingly becomes the developed world and the South is still developing. Getting these countries access to the food and food equality resources they need is imperative to the survival and growth of us globally.
The FAO is asking individuals to hold organizations like them accountable to make sure they’re doing their best with the resources they have. Creating long-term solutions to defeat global hunger and food insecurity issues isn’t an overnight process. We need focused attention, partnerships, innovation, entrepreneurs, creativity and partners of all kinds to dedicate themselves to this agenda.
Beth reminds us of the importance entrepreneurs play in creating the change we need because clearly the methods we’ve been using, and the new crises we’re faced with require different solutions. We need to think about our issues on a global scale and commit to working together, even if you don’t think food insecurity is something that affects you, it will soon enough.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Anytime one of us is brave enough to stand up and speak on an issue, it does inspire other people to do the same.”Robyn O’Brien (13:19 - 13:26)
Food security is national security, and this is one of the most fundamental issues of our time.
Robyn O’Brien, Co-Founder of rePlant Capital, Found of Do Good, Found of AllergyKids Foundation, author of The Unhealthy Truth, and Adjunct Professor at Rice University Business School, has a unique perspective on what’s going on in our food industry in the U.S.
Frustrated that she didn’t understand the language of finance and accounting, she went to business school and was eventually thrown into a job as an analyst covering the food industry for a team managing 20 million dollars in assets.
“I was not somebody that was interested in food. I didn’t know how to cool. I gave up diet coke every year for lent.” - Robyn O’Brien (3:39 - 3:46)
Her passion for food didn’t really start until January of 2006 when her youngest of four children had an allergic reaction. She started to look at the condition her child had from a data perspective and that’s when she realized the lack of transparency in the labeling of new products we bring to market.
Since the 1990’s when the U.S. started to introduce genetically engineered crops, there wasn’t any traceability or accountability, so the industry could use the blanket statement of “there’s no substantial evidence of harm”, which is partially why we are in the position we’re in today. Robyn worked on federal and state campaigns in an effort to bring labeling to genetically engineered foods.
Robyn really became known for taking a stance on this issue after doing a TedX talk where she identified the double standard we’re experiencing with our food companies who produce products with artificial ingredients here in the U.S.m yet in other countries, they produce the same products either with real ingredients or labels providing transparency so consumers can make educated decisions.
Around eighty percent of consumers are now trying something organic and seventy-five percent of all grocery store categories now carry something organic. Yet only one percent of our farmland is organic.
Robyn’s business background has come into play with her ability to help drive this conversation across our food industry because she understands the pressure farmers and food industry companies are under to meet the quarterly demands of Wall Street. After her TedX talk, she’s consulted for a number of different companies to help navigate these difficult conversations.
Unfortunately, there’s still a huge discrepancy in the information we’re told as consumers. Not only is there lack of transparency, but the financial system attached to our subsidizing model is keeping farmers bankrupt. Even if they want to grow organic crops, or for example, utilize just one percent of their land to help out their local community during COVID-19, they don’t have the flexibility to do so. The icing on top is now we’re reliant on an agri-chemical model that requires a portfolio of pesticides, herbicides and insecticides that we’re concerned makes us sick.
The key thing to look at is how can we make our food system regionalized and increase the direct to consumer access for farmers. There’s been a number of accounts from farmers this year who have a small e-commerce shop on their website stating that in the first three weeks of COVID-19, they did more sales than they did all of 2019.
Do we really need all of the middlemen involved in getting our crops to consumers, taking cut after cut as our farmers stay bankrupt?
“The people who are in service to our country as farmers deserve so much more recognition and so much more than we have given them.” - Robyn O’Brien. (22:56 - 23:03)
Not only are our farmers struggling under the model we’ve been stuck under since the 1920’s, our children aren’t expressing interest in farming. So what happens when no one from our younger generation wants to step into farming next?
If you think about all of the favorite places you like to go out to eat, for example to Indian, or Chinese, or Mexican, and all of the diversity it provides, that same culture, wisdom and knowledge is missing from our food system right now. Again, the younger generation isn’t expressing interest in farming and those that do tend to our crops are being denied entry to our country or sent back to their original home.
Diversity needs to be an immediate focus in our food system, from the bottom of the chain to the top. If we’re asking for diversity in our products, we need to ask for the same diversity in our leadership teams because without it, we remain one sided, with a narrow vision, leaving us vulnerable to what isn’t known by those in these roles.
If we continue to push forward for transparency on our food labels, opportunities for more organic farming, amending our current food and financial systems, and developing inclusive diversity across all boards, we’ll potentially be able to reverse the troubling (and, as we’re learning, sickening) state of the food system in the U.S.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Empowering women to trade benefits everyone.”Liz Becerra (5:19-5:22)
The SheTrades Initiative is on a mission to help connect three million women entrepreneurs in Agriculture by 2021.
The United Nations and World Trade Organization have come together to create the SheTrades initiative in order to create a sustainable economic impact globally. By helping women entrepreneurs, buyers and partners connect, collaborate and develop lasting relationships, SheTrade can empower women with the resources they need to overcome gender inequality in our food supply market.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with three powerful women who are helping spearhead this Initiative, Susan Mugure Wambugu, Frederine Derlot, and Lizbeth Becerra.
Susan is the Agriculture Sector Specialist for SheTrades in the Commonwealth at the International Trade Centre in Kenya where she helps small and medium sized enterprises owned by women in Kenya connect with international buyers and markets.
Frédérine is the fresh fruits and vegetables expert for the International Trade Centre in Geneva, Switzerland and specializes in market linkages, coaching and connecting exporters from developing countries to international buyers and markets. She’s worked for 15 years as an international buyer for the European food industry and is very involved with trade related technical assistance projects.
Lizbeth is an Associate Programme Officer at the International Trade Centre in Geneva, Switzerland and helps monitor and evaluate the project implementation with SheTrades Initiative.
“[Women] are 50% of the agriculture workforce and it’s even higher in Africa, for example, where 70% of food production is done by women, and 80-90% of processing and storage is done by women .” - Frédérine Derlot (9:20)
Clearly, women are a critical part in farming around the world, but the agricultural ecosystem is suffering in developing countries because women aren’t given the same opportunities as men. With SheTrades, women are able to connect virtually with other women owned businesses, mentors, and women in the supply chain so they can have the knowledge and support necessary to grow their businesses.
Women entrepreneurs from all over the world are welcome to join and they’ll gain access to quality data, help gaining government contracts, networking opportunities to create business deals and assistance starting and growing their business. This is the fostering women need to exchange new ideas, and get support with important decisions like handling difficult customers, production issues and specific transactions.
Why focus on women?
Women are key components and agents of change in food production and farming. Gender equality is more than essential for the security, production, nutrition and supply of our food globally. The United Nations has 17 sustainable goals, one of them being gender equality, which act as a blueprint for our collective sustainable future. Women and children are at the center of this agenda, not only because children are our future, but many countries are not reaching key performance metrics primarily because women don’t have equal access there.
Gender equality isn’t the only UN Sustainable Goal SheTrades helps achieve. Other goals include:
- No poverty
- Zero hunger
- Good health and wellbeing
- Quality education
- Gender equality
- Clean water and sanitization
- Affordable and clean energy
- Decent work and economic growth
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Reduced inequalities
- Sustainable cities and communities
- Responsible consumption and production
- Climate action
- Life below water
- Life on land
- Peace, justice and strong institutions
- Partnerships
Because of COVID-19, the global, regional and local demand completely collapsed for food service.
Not only has the safety and quality been at risk for our health, planting and harvesting haven’t been happening properly because of import and export delays, farmers getting sick and cash flow becoming scarce. Transport of food products has been hurt without as many passenger planes flying, coffee farmers haven’t been able to get their coffee into ports and many farmers have been at risk because of their age.
Our experts estimate that it will take months for agriculture to recover which is where SheTrades comes in handy, teaching members everything from cash flow management, how to effectively lead during a crisis and helping women create partnerships that will create prosperous ripple effects in economies globally.
The great thing for the women involved in SheTrades is that everything is right at their fingertips virtually, so although the global economy has been affected, the learning, growth, and networking of women in agriculture hasn’t slowed down.
“Women invest 90% of their income back into their families, compared to only 35% from men.” - Frédérine Derlot (25:30)
What Susan, Frederine and Liz want to help women understand is that even if you’re not professionally involved in food and farming, you create just as much of an impact when you make informed shopping decisions. By understanding where your food is shipped from, where your products are created and the developing countries you are supporting with your purchases, you can make a difference. Your choices act as your voice of what global economies you support, and even the smallest purchase can impact developing families and communities.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Family mealtimes are more important than ever right now to create unity in the family, to be connected, and have an opportunity for meaningful communication at the end of the day.”
Stefani Sassos (9:00)
Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CSO, CDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has been involved in everything from clinical work, work as a fitness instructor, private practice, and is also Board Certified in Oncology as a Nutrition Specialist.
As the head of the Nutritional Lab for Goodhousekeeping institute, Stefani gets to be involved in the testing of all sorts of new fitness equipment and products.
We probably don’t even need to tell you this, but, the realm of fitness, wellness, and nutrition is full of misinformation. Trends and fads slide in and out of the public eye, each one touting incredible results.
Goodhousekeeping is committed to thoroughly testing anything before it gets a seal of approval, and their seal of approval is backed by a warranty. They understand that just because something is trendy doesn’t mean that it is legitimate or a quality product.
Stefani joined us in a conversation this week to talk about the benefits of family mealtime, how to make mealtime fun for your kids, and the incredible work Good Housekeeping is doing in their Wellness and Nutrition labs.
The Benefits of Family Mealtime
For many of us, the recent pandemic has brought us back to the dinner table. Schedules are cleared, and everyone is home. This new shift in family ritual can come with some major positive long-term effects for your children.
Studies have shown that something as simple as regular family dinners have major benefits for your children
- Better self esteem
- Better academic performance
- Lower rates of drug and alcohol use
- Healthier eating habits
- More fresh produce consumption less sugar
- Healthier body weight
- Lower likelihood of develop disordered eating habits
- Lower risk of depression
Important Principles to Teach Your Children
In the midst of the trends and fads foods are on an ever oscillating list of “good” or “bad” foods. Both villainizing food, and treating it as a best friend can lead to negative long term consequences for your children.
“It always comes back to increasing consumption of produce in volume and variety” - Lori Taylor. (3:00)
Instead of assigning moral value to food, help children understand that food is for nourishment. Encourage them to eat fruits and vegetables by modeling this behavior! It’s important for them to see YOU eating nourishing foods.
Make it Fun!
- Make dinner prep a family affair! Assign different tasks to different children and work together to prepare something new (or something you all love).
- Fruit or Veggie of the Week. Let your child pick out the “fruit or veggie of the week.” Walk through the produce section and allow your child to pick one item that catches their eye. You may find your new favorite fruit!
(Or take the Produce Challenge!)
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Create Your Own “Episode” of Chopped. The challenge is simple, your family has to create a meal by scavenging the fridge and using only the ingredients you have on hand. See how creative you can get!
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Stay Hydrated! Ok, this tip may not fall within the “fun” category, but it is crucial. Pushing hydration is the number one thing you can do for yourself and your family. When you are hydrated you feel better and your make better choices with your food and nutrition.
Whether you adventure into new territory with a starfruit or kohlrabi, or stick to the tried and true, make it a point to make fruits and vegetables something your kids want to eat, instead of something they have to eat.
The Wellness Lab
Good Housekeeping Institute houses seven different testing spaces, including the Wellness Lab.
Wellness is a buzzword that has grown so much, especially in recent months. Historically, Good Housekeeping hasn’t had a notable fitness/wellness presence, but they are currently working to expand into this space, and are producing incredible, quality content that holds enormous value for readers.
From fitness equipment to yoga apps and everything in between, the staff is committed to making sure they are recommending the very best items on the market. Stefani, and her team at Good Housekeeping, understands that in order for wellness products to work, they need to be accessible to you wherever you are.
Each Wednesday staff in the Wellness Lab participate in “Wellness Wednesday.” They all come together for a group meditation or workout.
Try it at home. Make Wednesday a “Wellness Wednesday.” Whether you take a little “me” time, or let your kids join in the fun, Good Housekeeping has compiled lists of some handy apps that can help you intentionally focus on your wellness.
- Best Meditation apps
- Best Workout apps
- Best Yoga apps
“Nutrition and wellness is either a way to fuel your body, nourish your body, and create longevity, or its a way to fuel illness if you aren’t taking care of yourself.” - Stefani Sassos (18:00)
Nutrition Lab
The Nutrition Lab at Good Housekeeping rigorously analyzes and assesses new trends in the nutrition realm. Their goal is to thoroughly research and then translate the research to the reader. The internet is full of long studies that can look like gibberish, Good Housekeeping cuts out the nonessentials and gives you what you actually need to know, in a way that is easily to consume.
There are countless fad diets out there, and Stefani shared that it’s really important to remember that there is no one-size-fits all diet. However, there is almost always something positive you can take away from each diet.
Drinking more water, eating less refined sugars, eating more produce, maybe the rest is junk full of empty promises, but these components are the building blocks of any healthy diet.
When the Nutrition Lab tests products there is a long list of criteria they check off before giving it the Good Housekeeping seal of approval. They analyze nutrition and ingredients, but also validate the claims about the products usage (i.e. does the product actually lower cholesterol?).
Stefani and Good Housekeeping is doing such an incredible job of researching, testing, and sharing incredible information to their readers. Check out their website, get connected, and continue on in this journey towards a healthier life for your entire family!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Visit Good Housekeeping’s website for more incredible information of fitness, wellness, and a host of other topics.
- Follow Stefani Sassos on Instagram or connect with her on LinkedIn.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Restaurants are not just good for business, but good for life.”
Lori Taylor (19:54)
As a champion of the fresh produce industry, The Produce Moms has made it a top priority to cover the recent pandemic, and its effects on the produce industry, from the front lines.
We have so many friends and partnerships who have been directly affected by the recent events, and we have watched in awe as they have regrouped, pivoted, and continued to do their best to supply us with fresh, safe produce.
Fresh Edge, a longtime friend of The Produce Moms, is a family of fresh food distributors. This includes Indianapolis Fruit, which wholesale distribution to retailers, Piazza Produce and Get Fresh, both of which supply restaurants and the food service sector (hotels, event centers, retirement homes, etc.).
Greg Corsaro, President and COO of Fresh Edge, and Michael Grinstead, General Manager of Get Fresh, gave some timely insight on how they are continually innovating and doing their best to keep the produce industry thriving during such uncertain times.
The United Fresh Produce Excellence in Food Service Award Program
This month Fresh Edge, in partnership with the United Fresh Produce Association, honored nine of the country’s most innovative chefs and food services professionals as part of the United Fresh Produce Excellence in Food Service Award Program.
The profession of a chef is, perhaps, one of the most taxing career choices. It is one that comes with 20 hour days, high-stress environments, and adapting to an environment that is always changing.
This year the category of Supermarkets and Retail Operators has been added to the award program. While most of the chefs honored work in a traditional environment, grocery store prepared food sections in certain stores rival those of restaurants.
Because of the current events, there will be no in person recognition for these chefs. However, they are being honored all summer long in a FREE virtual expo, United Fresh 2020. This is a fantastic opportunity to interact with the nominees and learn more about Fresh Edge.
Trucks Full of Produce with No Destination
The memory of the day life as we knew it came screeching to a halt is still fresh in the minds of most. Most of us quickly realize that with the closure of schools, restaurants, and hotels the produce industry was direly affected.
What most probably realize is the abrupt nature of these decisions were just as abrupt for the produce industry as they were for us.
Billions of dollars of perishable produce were sitting in warehouses or riding in trucks enroute to destinations. Trucks full of produce that no longer had a place to go.
As orders were cancelled and food banks were overwhelmed by produce suppliers across the nation trying to make the best of a horrendous situation, Greg shared that they tried to donate as much as possible, but the waste of so much produce was probably as devastating as the loss of revenue going forward.
“Throughout this whole pandemic, with the emphasis placed on proper hygiene and sanitation measures… we haven’t had to alter our practices.” - Greg Corsaro. (7:20)
One encouraging aspect of all of this for Fresh Edge has been to notice that in proper hygiene and sanitation measures, they haven’t had to alter their practices in food handling. They have been, and still are, an incredible source of safe fresh produce.
Now, as our economy begins to reopen, growers still aren’t sure what to plan for. The world is far from “business as usual,” and Greg joked that it feels much like the Jelly of the Month club from the cult classic Christmas film, National Lampoons’ Christmas Vacation. It’s the “gift that keeps on giving.”
Amidst so much uncertainty, one thing remains.
“Food security is national security… we have to keep food moving in this country.” - Lori Taylor. (6:54)
The produce industry must keep food moving.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
It has been amazing to see how different links of the supply chain have gotten creative to continue to provide produce to customers.
From the moment the crisis unfolded, Fresh Edge began working hard to find a home for their produce supply. In the days after businesses began shutting down, they donated to employees, food banks, agencies, and began seeking out alternative revenue sources.
One of the ways they have continued to supply produce is through their pop up markets in the Indianapolis area! Customers can pre-order from an array of boxes - fruit, vegetable, protein. Trucks are parked in a centralized location and customers can then simply drive up and pick up their order.
“A lot of peers in the food service industry have had amazing innovation out of absolute desire just to survive.”
- Michael Grinstead. (15:32)
Are meal prep boxes, pop up markets, and simplified menus here to stay?
For Fresh Edge, it’s too difficult to tell right now what will stick around on the other side of present necessities. For some, the success of these new business strategies will become foundational pillars of a new business model to survive the new normal.
The produce industry is a resilient community who is fighting hard to remain strong, solvent, and able to provide YOU with fresh produce. They are depending on you.
How can you help?
The best way for you to do your part is to continue supporting the produce industry. Keep buying and eating your fruits and vegetables, and encourage friends and family to do the same.
We’ll get through this together.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Gain FREE access to United Fresh 2020, a live expo bringing people together to learn, to create value, and build our future together.
- Learn more about the incredible Fresh Edge family.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“There is such an incredible profile of nutrition in each tiny button of a mushroom.”Mike O’Brien (15:20)
Founded in 1971, Monterey Mushrooms is the national leader in mushrooms. Their 4000 employees supply retailers and restaurants around the country with over 200 million pounds of fresh mushrooms each year. One of the best things about Monterey Mushrooms is that they are always locally grown!
Bruce Knobeloch, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, and Mike O'Brien, Vice President of Sales and Marketing are passionate about mushrooms. They are both long standing key players in the produce industry supply chain, and have a deep appreciation for all of the workers who are doing their best to serve you during this uncertain time.
“Ultimately we service the consumer. That’s what we do, and that’s what we think about 24/7.” - Bruce Knobeloch. (5:10)
You, the consumer, are the top priority for Monterey Mushrooms during this time. As members of the produce chain, Bruce and Mike have great insight into how the recent pandemic has affected the industry, and how suppliers are continuing to move forward.
Mushrooms are trending up!
While the food service industry has taken a hit to the gut, and produce as a whole has suffered, retail sales have spiked as consumers are preparing more meals at home. We’ve said this before, but one of the silver linings of this chaotic time is the return of family to the dinner table. More families are staying home, buying fresh, and planning and preparing healthier meals.
Produce sales have increased by 11%, and retail mushrooms sales are up 24%!
If you’ve had any concerns about purchasing fresh, Mike shared that produce is safe! It’s always important to wash your produce before you use it, but these are the only precautions you should take to make sure you are putting safe, clean produce on your family’s plates.
Vitamin D mushrooms.
Did you know that mushrooms grown in the sun produce vitamin D? However, most mushrooms today are grown indoors. Monterey Mushrooms partnered with the USDA to come up for a solution to this problem. They have created a unique environment to replicate sunlight and grow mushrooms that contain notable amounts of vitamin D.
A two-thirds cup of sliced Monterey vitamin D mushrooms, or 5 medium button mushrooms, provide 10mcg vitamin D. That’s 50% of the recommended daily amount!
Making sure you have adequate amounts of vitamin D in your diet can lower risk of osteoporosis, enhance immune function, and help with concentration and memory.
Mushrooms and the rise of plant-based diets.
Plant-based diets have been gaining popularity for some time, and mushrooms have had a ‘center of the plate’ view! Their natural umami flavor and meaty texture make them a great candidate for a meat alternative. The portobello has been taunted as the original meat alternative!
Need some ideas on how to serve portabella mushrooms to your family?
“Mushrooms have had such a ‘center of the plate’ view of the plant-based diet.” -Bruce Knobeloch (12:30)
If your family isn’t ready to sub mushrooms for meat, that’s ok! There are so many easy ways to ‘sneak’ some mushrooms onto your family’s plate. They make an incredible nutrition boost to any meal you’re serving.
Mince your mushrooms and add them to your burger meat.
Blend mushrooms into your sauce the next time your family has pasta night.
Blending mushrooms into your meats is a great way to eat more plants. We want our children to eat all of the fruits and vegetables, but there are certain items that can be a challenge. And don’t forget the budget component! Adding mushrooms to your meat is a fantastic way to make your meal go a little further. Leftovers, anyone?
Storing mushrooms at home.
When it comes to mushrooms, the process is simple. The most important thing to remember is to keep them cool - the sooner you can get them into the fridge, the better.
If you’re planning to use them right away, that’s all you need to do. However, if you are planning to store them for several days, take the mushrooms out of the packaging, put them into a brown paper bag, and return them to the fridge.
Make sure to thoroughly rinse immediately before use.
It’s that simple!
As we navigate this current unexpected season, we are committed to keeping you informed, while helping you and your family stay safe and healthy. The next time you grab your groceries, look for Monterey Mushrooms! They’ll be a delicious addition to your dinner table.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- For more information on Monterey Mushrooms, including some delicious recipes, visit their website.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Food safety is the paramount goal for everyone in agriculture.”
Lori Taylor (16:42)
Jennifer Pulcipher is the Director of Food Safety and Compliance at North Bay Produce. With a degree in Food Safety from Michigan State University, and nearly a decade of experience in the field, she is an expert when it comes to keeping your food safe from the field to the fork. She oversees all programs related to safety and security of the supply chain to secure the integrity of food we buy in our local grocery stores.
North Bay produce is a grower owned cooperative with farms located throughout North and South America, and are also a big importer and exporter, supplying consumers in the United States with safely grown berries, apples, beans, peas, and dried fruit.
Whether the produce is grown practically in your backyard, or exported from around the world, the strictest standards are implemented to keep your food safe!
All of their suppliers are third party audited to the Global Food Safety Initiative - the overarching body that sets the highest standards for farms around the world- with a focus on ag practices, manufacturing practices, fair treatment of employees, hygiene, and cleaning/sanitation.
“Regardless of where your food is grown, if it’s sold in the United States are food safety regulations that are required of all growers.”
- Lori Taylor (3:20)
World Food Safety Day is just around the corner (June 7th), but really, food safety is of paramount importance every single day in the produce industry! This is a great time to talk about the steps taken in every single link of the supply chain to ensure you have safe, nutritious produce in your refrigerator.
What is food safety?
Food safety is somewhat of a buzzword today. We hear it tossed around a lot, but what exactly does it mean?
Technically speaking,
“Food safety is the practice of preventing chemical, physical, and biological contamination of food by using science and risk to evaluate systems.” Jennifer Pulcipher (4:50)
Simply put, food safety is an everyday practice of protecting the food from field to fork
And it’s important to know that everyone- even you- has a role to play to ensure they consume safe nutritious vegetables.
What are the day-to-day steps to ensure safety?
From the seed in the ground, to the smile on the consumer’s face, food safety is implemented every step of the way.
“We all want to provide safe, nutritious, wholesome food for our families.” Jennifer Pulcipher (9:00)
Let’s take a look at some of the measures put in place to make sure your food is clean and ready to eat!
Growing
Safe produce starts with healthy soil. North Bay Produce makes sure the soil growing your produce has adequate levels of minerals and nutrients to grow hearty, healthy crops.
When it comes to irrigation, clean water is crucial. This is one of the very first steps taken to ensure safety.
Harvesting
Healthy bodies are the epitome of what it takes to harvest clean specialty agriculture crops. These crops are delicate and require a human touch, as opposed to a mechanized harvesting process. For this reason, harvesters have to maintain strict hygiene standards, and are trained in best practices to ensure your food is clean from picking to packing house.
Packing
A lot of hands are involved in the packing process. Produce is put into boxes or clamshells and then packed to be transported. This is the most involved stage, and a lot of consideration has been put into a data driven, technological system to help each piece of produce reach its final destination in a safe and hygienic manner.
Shipping and distribution
This part of the process is almost seamless. The packaged food goes straight off the packing line into a warehouse, and then is transported to its new home - schools, restaurants, grocery stores, and ultimately your home!
Food Safety Standards in Your Home
Like we shared earlier, YOU are a part of the food safety process. Practicing The CORE 4 - Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill - is the best way for you to ensure the food that goes into your family’s mouth is safe for consumption.
When it comes to your produce, remember...
- Fresh fruits and vegetables should be Clean. Rinse them under cold, running water. Nothing else is needed.
- Separate your produce from raw meats and eggs to avoid any contamination.
What about recalls?
Never do we hear more about food safety than when there is a recall. With so much information swirling around on the internet, how do we make sure we have the most up to date information?
The FDA is the most reliable source, as they are the first line when initiating a recall. You can even subscribe to their recall notifications so you receive information first hand anytime something is publicized!
North Bay Produce partnered with the United Fresh Produce Association in their Recall Ready Team. This is a program specific to North Bay Produce to focus on prevention. Their goal is to assess issues and mitigate them before it becomes an actual problem for the public.
If there is one thing we hope you take away from this article, it’s that there is a whole team of people who are looking out for YOU, the consumer. Our highest priority is to provide food that is delicious, fresh, and safe! Happy World Food Safety Day!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Visit The Partnership for Food Safety Education - for more information about food safety and preventing food borne illness, including fun, educational games for your kids!
- You can find North Bay produce on their website, or on social media platforms.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We have created this content over Zoom and in our home kitchens. It’s inspiring to look at how many people are enjoying it, and bringing this goodness into their homes.”Lori Taylor (30:38)
Celebrating our beginning and looking towards the horizon.
Eight years ago Produce Mom founder, Lori Taylor had her first healthy cooking demo at a local Indianapolis library. She welcomed ten visitors to join her in a celebration of the flavor, freshness, and the enjoyment that can be found in putting together a meal that is as nutritious as it is delicious.
Since then, we have welcomed millions of individuals onto our website and have been welcomed into homes, cars, and afternoon walks all over the world through our podcast.
At The Produce Moms we feel so strongly that food is culture. It doesn’t matter where you live, what career you pursue, or what family means to you, food is a common thread that unites us all.
We are so excited to be celebrating the 100th episode of The Produce Moms Podcast! Wow! If you know anything about podcasts, then you must realize that starting a podcast is hard, and maintaining one is even harder.
We want to take a little time to talk about The Produce Moms, take a look at what’s on the horizon, and thank the people who made it possible- YOU!
Everything has changed, but nothing has changed.
It felt most fitting, as we take a look back at the past two years, to start with the most recent events. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. In the midst of so much uncertainty, we have adapted but our core values and our mission has remained unchanged.
Our number one priority is you, and our goal was to tell the stories from the frontline. We wanted you to have the chance to hear from the growers, the retailers, and the individuals in between, so you can fully understand why things look a bit different in the grocery store lately.
In episode 99, we shared more about the produce that was thrown away to help you understand why. We know that to become a trusted resource, you have to always speak the truth and stand by the evidence and facts.
“We have made a commitment to purpose. We are moms, and we are for moms. We are right there with you… at the end of the day, no one cares more about safe and healthy than moms” Lori (13:56)
Most importantly, we want you to know that your produce is safe and healthy. No one cares more about this than moms! If there is anything good in the midst of all of this, it’s that we have brought food back to the kitchen table. When schedules are cleared and family is home, there is an opportunity to cook together, eat together, and spend intentional time around the dinner table with those we love the most.
What’s new with The Produce Moms?
There are so many exciting new things happening with The Produce Moms! We want to feature just a few. From new ways to engage your kiddos with fresh produce, to new ways for you to represent The Produce Moms in your home, hopefully they’ll get you just as excited as we are.
Eat Like Your Favorite Animal
This spring we launched a new initiative with your families in mind. I don’t know about you, but in our homes we are ALWAYS searching for new ways to help our kiddos fall in love with produce and explore new foods.
That’s why we started Eat Like an Animal, a fun way to learn more about your kids’ favorite zoo animals, while introducing them to new foods! Every three weeks we release content about a different animal and their eating habits, complete with a recipe.
Show the World that You’re a Produce Mom
We also recently launched an online shop with a wide variety of products. From shirts and onesies to mugs, pet beds, throw pillows, and more, our team has created some products that you are SURE to love.
Be on the lookout soon for our special 4th of July line, full of timeless Americana memorabilia.
“Thank you to every single guest who has made the podcast what it is. We’re just getting started!” - Lori Taylor (37:21)
If you’ve just recently found us, or you hopped in in the middle of our podcast, we want to invite you to take a listen to our first episode. It was, by far, our favorite! It’s full of information about how we got started. It’s been inspiring to us to see how far we’ve come, and we think it would be inspiring for you too.
We at The Produce Moms want to thank you one more time for joining us in this journey! We are committed to helping you find the Produce Mom that can be found in all of us. Here’s to 100 more episodes!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The events our American farmers have endured in such a short amount of time with no notice leaves me without words.”
Lori Taylor (26:00)
Seth Karm is the CEO of Salad Savoy. Salad Savoy is the brainchild of founder John Moore. After a trip to Sweden, where Moore was blown away by the enticing colors and flavors of the produce grown there, he returned and developed an entirely new vegetable! Since 1984 Salad Savoy has led the way in producing unique, vibrant vegetables that young and old enjoy; as they maintain their focus on color, taste, and nutrition.
Karm has been a longstanding partner of The Produce Moms. He is a business partner, colleague, mentor, and most of all friend. As a member of the produce supply chain, he offers great insight into how the current pandemic has affected the produce industry.
The world [of produce] changed overnight.
March 11th, 2020 is a day that will be marked on our memories, and probably in future history books. It was on this day that the WHO declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic, and life as we knew it screeched to a halt.
Grocery staples flew off the shelves and the doors of so many of the businesses we know and love were locked, boarded, and abandoned.
Everyone has been affected by the current crisis, but we would be remiss to not take an opportunity to share with you how your produce supply chain has been affected, and highlight the resiliency, perseverance, and community of an industry that refuses to be defeated by this hardship.
When supply becomes so much greater than demand.
On March 11th, as our world shifted by the hour, Karm was in Yuma checking on the Salad Savoy crops that had been growing through the winter season. He shared how beautiful they looked with all of their vibrant colors. Crop supply had been bolstered to prepare for the rise in purchase for Easter celebrations across the country.
Easter celebrations that would not happen this year, as families and friends were forced to celebrate quietly at home in isolation.
Overnight, demand for Salad Savoy crops, and produce around the country was drastically reduced, orders being reduced or cancelled.
“It’s so disheartening to know you have this beautiful crop ready to be harvested, and people to harvest it, and generally historical demand for that is just gone” Seth Karm (9:54)
In one week, American farmers experienced $6 billion dollars of loss.
In the midst of all of this loss, there were voices of uproar as pictures of “wasted” crops were uploaded onto the internet.
Photos of crops dumped, plowed over, tossed away and left to rot, urging people to take a stand for something so “unjust” as millions of people in the world are undernourished.
People scoffed that farmers would waste so much produce as people around the world suffered from starvation, including individuals experiencing hunger in our own neighborhoods around the US.
Why Was So Much Food “Wasted?”
So, why was food left to rot, instead of being donated?
There are a few different reasons.
The pictures fail to show the whole story
Those who are frustrated with waste, fail to recognize the amount of food that was donated by farmers.
Salad Savoy donated 100,000+ units to a food bank. Farmers around the country flooded local food banks with produce that no longer had a place to go. There were so many shippers bringing truckloads that some food banks eventually had to turn them away. The supply overwhelmed the demand.
“No one donates more food than farmers. Ask Feeding America. Ask the local food banks. Farmers themselves and partners in the supply chain are making donations” Seth Karm (11:52)
At the end of the day, farming is a business, and the livelihood of the farmer.
Many forget that produce is more than just a staple in our fridge, it is the livelihood of the farmer and the other individuals on the supply chain.
When the demand is gone, oftentimes it doesn’t make sense to harvest, cool, and transport a product. At each of these stages there is a cost of both materials and labor. Following through with all of these steps would create a massive loss for the farmer, who is already navigating decline in demand for their product.
“We want healthy people and we’ve got food in the field, but we can’t afford to pack that up for free or we’d be broke in six months”
- Seth Karm (16:48)
How is the Produce Industry Coping?
Increasing the standard of safety.
Karm has assured us that safety has always been the top priority at Salad Savoy.
As food is harvested and prepared for transport, the utmost measures are being taken to ensure that food is safe for consumption. It is a strict operation with regular sanitation, PH tests of the water supply, and regulations for workers and equipment.
If there has been any doubt in your mind, you can rest assured that you don’t need to worry at all about food from certified shippers. Salad Savoy is a smaller operation that employs the strictest guidelines, and a good indication of the measures that are being implemented by certified shippers all over the country.
“Food safety has always been the ultimate standard and goal within American agriculture. We have always worked to raise healthy food.” - Lori Taylor (23:33)
Partnership with the government
As we all work to find our footing and adjust to a new normal, initiatives are being created to help the produce industry survive and find a new way to thrive.
The USDA recently introduced a new program that will allow the US government to buy produce from farmers. The health and nutrition of our population is more important now than ever, and it is incredible to see how the government is stepping in to join with farmers.
Competition becomes community
Perhaps the brightest spot in all of this chaos is the community that is popping up in unlikely places. As our worlds have grown smaller, community has gotten bigger. Links of the produce chain have started working with their competitors - (for example sharing trucks that would have been half empty), working together to stay afloat and keep the supply chain going.
We all want restaurants to be operational again. We all want to go back to some semblance of normalcy. We’re all in this together, and it’s together that we will all make it through.
In this time of so much uncertainty Karm encourages us to, “embrace the people around you. Embrace your competitors. Embrace your customers. We’re all going through this together, and we’re going to be a lot stronger for it.”
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Eat well. Move Daily. Be Healthy. That’s my mantra. I live by it and try to help others live by it too.” Dr. Wendy Bazilian (38:44)
If you love snacking, you aren’t alone.
Dr. Wendy Bazilian is a writer, researcher, educator, food enthusiast, award-winning journalist, and a lover of snacks. She is also an ambassador for California Walnuts, and is full of incredibly insightful information about the power walnuts have to fuel a healthy, active lifestyle.
“Today, 95% of US adults say that they snack daily, and 70% say they snack two or more times each day.[1]” - Wendy Bazilian
If you find yourself at the pantry or fridge between meals, you aren’t alone! Research indicates that snacks are a regular part of nearly everyone’s diet.1
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee report showed that 1 in 4 of our calories come from snacking.[2] This means that a whopping 25% of our daily energy comes from snacks. However, consumer studies also show that snacking accounts for 42% of our daily allowance of added sugars.2 That’s a lot of sugar!
Snacks fulfill a variety of needs. They satiate hunger, but also can facilitate comfort, fun, and the sense of community that comes from sharing food. With snacks playing such a big role in our day to day life, there is a huge opportunity for it to fuel a healthy lifestyle!
“You can have flavor, fun, comfort, crunch, you can have all the things you want in a snack… but we should aspire to have a little more nutrition in our snacks when possible.” - Wendy Bazilian
With walnuts you can have your “cake” and eat it too.
When it comes to snacking, you don’t have to forego fun or flavor in order to make a healthy choice.
Walnuts are an excellent versatile snack option that provide taste and texture, alongside incredible nutritional qualities. Below are a few of the benefits walnuts provide.
- Research has shown that regularly eating walnuts may support cardiovascular and cognitive health.[3],[4]
- Walnuts are the only nut that contains an excellent source of Omega-3 ALA, at 2.5 grams per ounce.
- Walnuts also deliver 4 grams of plant-based protein and 2 grams of fiber per ounce.
- Walnuts contain a host of These are substances found in plant foods that may be beneficial for our health.[5]
Tips to make nutrient-dense choices the easy choice.
To make a healthy snack the easy choice, it’s important to find snacks that hit a variety of levels. Even during this time of working from home, it’s important that snacks are convenient. One of the beautiful aspects about walnuts is their versatility. They compliment both the savory and the sweet snacking tendencies, and they are the ultimate multitasker.
Here are a few different ways to snack on walnuts!
- Just grab a handful! (The recommended serving size of walnuts is 1 ounce, or about 12-14 halves. A handful is an accurate and “handy” approximation)
- Incorporate them into baked goods
- Blend them into walnut butter
- Puree them to add to dips or spreads
- Use them to top your morning oatmeal
- Top a quick, afternoon salad with a handful
A walnut recipe for your arsenal.
This recipe is an incredibly creative and simple way to incorporate nuts into a snack or even a meal. The ingredients and amounts can be altered to work for your tastebuds and the ingredients you have on hand.
Walnut “Chorizo” Crumble
- Walnuts
- A small amount of liquid (stock or oil)
- Vegetables (Use whatever you have on hand! We like zucchini and mushrooms).
- Beans (Our favorite is black beans!)
- An arsenal of spices to your liking (go spicy, Mediterranean, south of the border, be generous and get creative)
Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until nice and crumbly.
This can be put into grain bowls or tacos, added into hummus or spread on a cracker. The flavors are delicious and the possibilities are endless!
“This is down to earth, approachable nutrition.”
- Lori Taylor (36:57)
When it comes to nutrition, it doesn’t always have to be so complicated. The numbers show us that we ALL like snacking! With just a little bit of planning, and intentional choices day-to-day, we can eat snacks that fuel our body and help us to live healthier lives! Next time you’re rummaging for that afternoon snack, give walnuts a try. Happy snacking!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- To find more great snack recipes visit the California Walnuts website.
- Connect with Wendy Bazilian and learn more about all she does in the world of food!
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
[1] Mintel Snacking Motivations and Attitudes Report – US, January 2019
[2] Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. 2015. Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Washington, DC
[3] Guasch-Ferré M, Li J, Hu FB, et al. Effects of walnut consumption on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors: an updated meta-analysis and systematic review of controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(1):174-187. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy091.
[4] Arab L, Ang A. A cross sectional study of the association between walnut consumption and cognitive function among adult US populations represented in NHANES. J Nutr Health Aging. 2015;19(3):284–290. doi:10.1007/s12603-014-0569-2
[5] Walnuts offer a variety of antioxidants (3.721 mmol/oz), including polyphenols (69.3 ± 16.5 μmol catechin equivalents/g) and gamma tocopherol (5.91 mg/ounce). The data for antioxidant capacity of foods generated by test-tube methods cannot be extrapolated to human effects. Clinical trials to test benefits of dietary antioxidants have produced mixed results.
“The Do Anything sauces are a seriously simple way to bring everyone to the table.”
Lori Taylor (17:05-17:12 )
Do Anything Foods is real food for real life.
As with so many fantastic brands we feature on The Produce Moms, Do Anything Foods was created by busy moms like you who weren’t willing to compromise quality for convenience. When Monica Solhotra became mom, she was completely overwhelmed with all of the new responsibilities that accompanied parenthood.
She would plan meals and fill the fridge with fresh fruits and veggies. When life inevitably got in the way and she found herself with a fridge full of produce at the end of each week, she realized she needed a solution to keep them from going bad, and to make them tasty enough for the pickiest eaters.
“To eat healthy you need to be able to take simple ingredients in your home and turn them into a meal, and we all need help… Our mission is to bring healthy shortcuts to the kitchen through smart, accessible products.” Monica Salhotra (6:20- 6:34)
Each week, she began blending together an assortment of leftover veggies to clear the fridge. This magic sauce became a dip, marinade, pasta sauce, stew base, etc. You name it, she served it! It was truly a multipurpose concoction that packed a powerful punch of nutrients in the myriad of meals served throughout the week.
Monica Salhotra and Allie Shanholt founded Do Anything Foods, and their magic sauce can now be found online and in stores on the east and west coasts.
What is Do Anything Foods?
Do Anything Foods puts super nutrient dense fruits and vegetables in sauces that you can do anything with.
It’s no secret that more people are trying to get back into the kitchen to regularly prepare fresh meals. This sauce is truly a game changer!
They have created a delicious line of five different sauces that have the potential to create countless meal options.
Cauliflower alfredo, kale pesto, butternut squash sauce, tomato veggie sauce, and beet pesto all provide dynamic flavors, vibrant colors, and most importantly, vital nutrients for your whole family. These sauces are all extremely versatile and fit perfectly in place of their more traditional, less nutritious, counterparts.
What is NOT in these sauces.
We already know that Do Anything Foods are full of nutritious and delicious ingredients, but let’s talk about what they DON’T put into their sauces.
In the early stages of production, so many people told Monica and Allie that it would be impossible to create their product at scale without taking some shortcuts. Most products you find on the shelves have been heated at a high temperature for long periods of time. This degrades the nutrients. Do Anything opts to use High Pressure Pasteurization to keep ingredients vibrants and fresh and maintain the highest quality and nutrient content.
These magic sauces are organic, non-GMO, with NO preservatives, filler ingredients, or emulsifiers. The only oil they use is organic EVOO, and the products contain seeds instead of nuts to make them safe to pack in a lunchbox for school!
“We are steadfast in our belief that convenience and delicious flavor does NOT mean that you have to take shortcuts in terms of ingredients” - Allie Shanholt (11:25-11:40)
Try this “no recipe” recipe with Do Anything Foods sauces.
When it comes to talking about how to use these sauces, they are so versatile that the sky's the limit!
One easy, delicious favorite is a super simple grain bowl. This is a fantastic go-to for a busy weeknight.
- Prepare grain of choice - we like quinoa or rice
- Add a protein - chicken, tofu, ground turkey, etc.
- Grab some greens and roasted veggies.
- Add all ingredients to the bowl and top with Do Anything sauce of choice!
Believe it or not, the beet pesto is a huge hit. It’s sweet and savory flavor combo makes it a great sauce for sandwiches. Try it on a pizza with goat cheese and arugula, or spread it on a burger with some sprouts and avocado.
The tomato veggie sauce is perfect for a soup, stew, or curry. It also makes a delicious pizza sauce!
Finally, for a quick way to take a box of mac and cheese to the next level - prepare as directed and then add the butternut squash sauce! It’s rich, creamy, and great way to sneak those veggies in!
Do Anything Foods can be found online and in stores across the East and West coast. Use their store locator to see if their sauces are carried in a grocery store near you.
Do Anything Foods wants to give you an exclusive discount. Order on the website and use the code PRODUCEMOMS15 to get $15 off your first purchase!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Sustainability is the common thread that unites us all in the world of agriculture.”
Lori Taylor (20:15)
The Velazquez de León Family are Pioneers in the Organic Industry.
Mayra and Daniella Velazquez de León are an ultimate mother daughter duo, continuing a rich heritage in the agriculture industry that stretches for four generations. Mayra’s father was the first commercial organic banana grower in the world, before the standards for organic farming were even in place.
In 1974, the goal wasn’t to be “organic” or to make huge profits, but to grow the bananas “wild” and get them to consumers.
This dream has evolved over the last 40 years. Mayra is the President and CEO and Daniella is the Logistics Manager of Organics Unlimited. Founded in 2000, Organics Unlimited is the largest family-operated organic banana company in America and is the world’s top producer of organic bananas. Their supply chain stretches from the West Coast into Canada, and parts of Asia.
Organics Unlimited is committed to providing premium quality organic bananas through a culture of sustainability, caring for communities, and excellent customer service.
“We’re giving you something that nature has given back to us and we wanted to make sure we could produce more with an organic system” - Myra Velazquez de León (7:47)
How Organics Unlimited Gives Back.
In 2005, Organics Unlimited began Grow, a program focused on giving back to the growers and growing communities. Historically, the regions where the bananas are grown are underprivileged. Organics Unlimited is working to break the poverty cycle and provide better lives for the workers. For each box of bananas that is purchased, $.60 is donated to the Grow fund. To date, they have contributed over $2.7 million. The funds are managed independently to give accountability and provide transparency, and the main portion of the funds go to scholarship programs to help bolster the education of the communities, and provide a promising future for upcoming generations.
Some Helpful Terms.
When looking at organic produce, it can be helpful to understand a couple of terms that are typically used.
USDA Certified Organic
All Organics Unlimited bananas are labeled with the USDA Certified Organic seal. In order to receive this certification, certifiers visit growing sites each year to test soil, leaves, and fruit. Certified growers are also required to leave a minimal carbon footprint.
Fair Trade
While there are designated fair trade certifications, for a company to be considered “fair trade” they must practice ethical business practices and also do their part to give back to the community.
Why Should You Purchase Organic Bananas?
It can often be difficult to determine whether to purchase organic or conventional produce. While more and more individuals are making the switch, it’s helpful to understand the benefits of organic bananas.
People often don’t understand the cost involved when growing and distributing organic bananas. In fact, bananas are often sold at a loss in local grocery stores. Supporting companies, like Organics Unlimited, helps ensure that you are putting high quality produce in your body, and supporting a company that believes in the value of caring for the banana growers.
“Of course it’s profit driven, but at the end of the day we want to make sure that the growers are getting a fair price for their fruit. Bananas are a product that in supermarkets are often sold at a loss… consumers need to know what the true cost is, so at the end of the day the growers can get a fair price for their product.”
- Daniella Velazquez de León (17:40)
Organics Unlimited believes in taking care of our environment, stewarding the soil by not polluting it with traditional pesticides. Their farming methods contribute to soil health, increase biodiversity and improve water quality.
Not to mention, the bananas are practically grown in our backyard. Ninety-five percent of Organics Unlimited bananas are grown in Mexico, and the other 5% in Ecuador..
Conventionally grown bananas often spend 2-3 weeks in transport before they reach our shores. Organics Unlimited bananas spend an average of 2-4 days. This means the bananas are fresher, and the carbon footprint is smaller. In fact, Organics Unlimited has the lowest carbon footprint.
The next time you are grabbing a bunch of bananas at your local grocer, think of the growers, the soil the bananas were grown in, and the myriad of individuals who have put in hours of work to get that bunch into your cart. Organics Unlimited is doing their part to pour intentionality into every link in the produce chain, and hopefully one of their bananas, grown with love, makes it into your cart.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“In agriculture, it’s Earth Day everyday!”
Lori Taylor (33:12)
Happy Earth Day!
In the produce industry, every day is earth day. From the farm to your kitchen and beyond, Naturipe is a golden example of what it looks like to live sustainably, taking care of the one earth we have so others will be able to enjoy it for generations to come. They are industry leaders, and we are proud to call them a brand partner of The Produce Moms!
In true celebration of this day, there is no one better to gain knowledge from than Janic McIntosh, a true expert on all things sustainability, and the Director of Marketing Innovation and Sustainability at Naturipe Farms.
“Farmers are caretakers of the earth. Their factory floor is out in front of them, and they have to maintain it.” Janis McIntosh (26:12)
Naturipe was founded in 1917 in an effort to support local farmers. The term “local” has broadened in definition, as Naturipe has expanded into several regions of the country and into South America. While the area of influence has multiplied, the mission remains the same. Local growers bring local produce to your local grocery store, and Naturipe supports those efforts all along the way.
These farms grow strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and avocados, both organically and conventionally.
The farmers of Naturipe farms have been practicing sustainability for generations. They are the caretakers of the earth, and the practices they maintain have allowed them to continue to pass down their livelihood to their children, and their children’s children.
Janis’ work with Naturipe and Berry Sustainable.
Janis has been working with Naturipe for the past 15 years, and she is passionate about sustainability. Naturipe is a very innovative brand, and has given ample room for Janis and other employees of Naturipe to be forward thinking in their efforts to take care of our planet. Her primary focus has been on produce packaging.
The Evolution of Berry Packaging.
In the 1990’s berry packaging moved away from those little green strawberry baskets and paper blueberry crates to the plastic clamshell packaging we see today. This one decision resolved many food safety issues and drastically food waste that was incurred during transportation.
What many people don’t realize about those plastic containers is that it is made up almost entirely of post-consumer recycled plastic. In the midst of so much negative press regarding the use of plastic, it’s encouraging to see that, when used properly, plastic can be a benefit to sustainability.
“We have to continue to seek out, as consumers, products that are packaged with 100% recycled materials.” - Lori Taylor (23:05)
The “jam” in the system.
While this new packaging is recycled, and is ready to be recycled again, there has been one major issue. The paper label creates issues in the recycling plants, at time rendering the clamshell unrecyclable and sending it to landfills.
The Berry Sustainable initiative has created a solution. Plastic labels are being created that will make the recycling process a breeze!
Naturipe has partnered with competitors to help find the solution to this issue. By the year 2025 all berry farms will comply with the new packaging standards.
What an incredible example of coming together in unity to help make our world a better, cleaner, more sustainable place to live!
“We need the big companies to change the packaging. They will drive the whole economy out to local companies… it starts this whole closed-loop system” - Janis McIntosh (24:00)
When big companies, like Nestle, begin implementing sustainability measures into their practices, the whole economy begins to transform. Local companies have the supply of recyclable goods that can be sold to the big companies, creating an incredibly beneficial closed-loop system!
Sustainability is more than just taking care of the earth.
Naturipe understands that packaging is just one aspect of sustainability. They cultivate with care, and are very involved with the communities where they farm, doing their part to give back. Initiatives like charitable giving, providing dental services to children, school lunches, trash pickup, and even providing a town in Chili with internet so the children would have access to educational resources. To take care of the earth, it’s important to also take care of the people who live in it.
How can we do our part?
Sustainability doesn’t rest solely on the shoulders of big retail companies, local recycling plants, or companies like Naturipe. There are several things that we, as consumers and Produce Moms, can do to help!
“People don’t realize that part of the issue is that our recycling infrastructure is broken” Janis McIntosh (17:30)
- Be educated on the products that should and should not be recycled.
-
- Be mindful of what you put into your recycling. There are often things that make it into recycling that don’t belong there. There are real people sorting through your recycling by hand in those plants.
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Be an advocate for recyclable goods.
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Use your voice! Contact your local recycling plant and urge them to recycle other things. They may be unaware of the changes happening in the industry that are making way for more products to be recycled.
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Look for the How2Recycle label.
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The How2Recycle movement is giving great instructions to help the public know how to recycle packaging. Look for the black and white label on packages, and visit their website to see who recycles what.
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Clean your recycling.
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This is a simple, but important thing you can do to help recycling efforts. Before you put packaging into recycling simply wipe it out. There is no need to wash, or even rinse, just a simple swipe with a cloth or paper towel will do! Remember, there are real people sorting through your recycling by hand.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- To learn more about the incredible work of Janis and Naturipe Farms visit their website here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“One thing I do know is that this industry, the produce industry, we’re unstoppable together. I have never been more proud to work in agriculture than I am right now”
Lori Taylor (27:53)
In the face of a global pandemic, our produce industry is stronger than ever.
Ashley Nickle is the Retail Editor for The Packer Newspaper and Editor in Chief of the Produce Market Guide. Ashley has been part of the Trade Press for almost four years, and is a respected journalist focused on the produce industry.
As so much in our world is rapidly shifting, it seemed so fitting to bring Ashley in as an expert to speak to the effects of COVID-19 on every aspect of our produce chain - from grower to consumer.
“There has been a reverberation throughout the whole supply chain.” Lori Taylor (16:30)
In the span of a week, our produce industry experienced an unprecedented shift. Historically, the industry has been a 50/50 split between food service and retail. However, as the recent pandemic has ramped up in our country, the entire supply chain experienced a seismic shift.
Restaurants have all but shut down, and establishments without an established carryout/delivery model have been forced to reevaluate and restructure their business model, cancel orders, and some have had to close down completely.
In the midst of such bleak events, Ashley was able to share the silver linings that can be found, and the remarkable resiliency of the produce industry that provides a needed reminder to us all that the world may look a little different right now, but in the end everything is going to be ok.
What effect is COVID-19 having on retailers and how are they responding?
I’m sure you’ve noticed the ways that your local grocery store has shifted in operation over the last few weeks, all in an effort to keep stores stocked, and keep you, as the consumer, safe.
In the final week of March, and the first weeks of April, grocery store sales rose to that of Thanksgiving week. However, unlike Thanksgiving week that is accounted for with extra staffing and early preparation each year, the unforeseen nature of the bump in sales necessitated some quick thinking in the retail industry. As consumers, we see the end result, shelves being stocked or empty. However, every link of the chain was affected - packing sheds, loading docks, growers, the workload changed for everyone overnight.
“A supermarket is just a supermarket until something big happens, and then everyone realizes they really are community institutions... it’s really amazing and remarkable and they’re doing really important work.” - Ashley Nickle (39:04)
And it’s astounding how well the supply chain has weathered the demand. Ashley has spoken to a number of different supplies - potatoes, onions, berries, bananas, and the message they’ve given is important, and reassuring.
In the face of increased demand, the supply is doing great. Rest assured that our produce industry is resilient, prepared, and capable of handling the increased purchases as the world cooks at home.
“Our supply chain has this under control. Stores are getting restocked consumers are able to purchase what they need, and oftentimes in such a simple format like a curbside pickup or even having it delivered right to their home” Lori Taylor (19:46)
The power of teamwork.
It has been incredible to witness the innovative partnerships that are being formed because of the current pandemic. Associations such as the United Fresh Produce Association and the National Grocers Association are banding together to help make sure produce isn’t wasted and consumers have access to the food they need.
As restaurants, schools, and other establishments no longer have the need for sizable orders of produce, UFPA and NGA are connecting those companies that wouldn’t traditionally work together. Instead of cancelling orders, the distribution is reallocated (i.e. instead of going to a restaurant, a delivery is taken to a local supermarket that has been unable to keep up with the increased demand).
Why you should feel confident purchasing more produce during this time.
People are cooking at home in a way they never have before. This may be one of the most positive aspects of this dire situation. We are returning to a simpler time. Returning to the dinner table as a family whose obligations have been cancelled and schedules have been cleared. We are cooking at home, a “task” that is timeless in nature.
As we all try to stay safe and healthy, produce plays such an integral role. Various expert sources have reassured the public that COVID-19 is NOT transmitted through food or food packaging. Now is the time to increase produce consumption to bump up your immune system. It’s good for body, mind, and spirit.
“COVID-19 is not transmitted through food or food packaging… the stores are doing everything they can to maintain proper sanitation at point of sale. Continue to purchase fresh produce, eat it with confidence, and lean on us in the industry if you need inspiration or have any questions” Lori Taylor (22:59)
As you may be adjusting to life at home, and perhaps more time spent in the kitchen, we’re here to help you get creative. Our website is full of resources to help you keep things fresh and exciting, with recipes for the whole family. The produce industry is resilient, and will keep up with increased demand in the face of such uncertain times. Now is the time to join together like never before.
As an industry, a nation, and a world, we are unstoppable together!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Stay up to date with the news on COVID-19 and produce, and other important information at The Packer.
- For a treasure trove of recipes to help you keep cooking at home exciting, visit our website.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
“Schools are a gateway to changing the consumption habits surrounding fruits and vegetables in the United States.”
Lori Taylor (13:12-13:26)
School meals are a vital part of creating an environment for students to succeed.
Dr. Katie Wilson, Executive Director of the Urban School Food Alliance, has a contagious passion for all things child nutrition and school food service. She and her team at the alliance pour countless hours and energy into making sure the children of some of the largest school districts in the world are receiving nutrient-dense, thoughtfully planned meals. They believe that “when students eat well, they do well in school.”
The Urban School Food Alliance was established in 2012 when the six largest school districts in the country came together with a mission to use their collective experience and sheer numbers to make an impact in the school nutrition arena.
“Schools are meant to teach kids, to get them ready for adulthood and to be successful in their lives and careers. The school nutrition program is no different.” - Dr. Katie Wilson (13:30-13:55)
The Urban School Food Alliance serves 3.6 million meals per day - 635 million meals annually - in 12 of the largest school districts in the United States. To give some perspective on just how big these districts are, each district must enroll at least 50,000 students annually to be eligible for the alliance!
The Alliance invests around $800 million in procurement each year, and $95 million of those dollars are spent investing in the local communities, providing locally sourced produce and grains to schools. They are dedicated to changing policy, and leveraging their influence to increase quality and lower cost because they believe wholeheartedly that nutritious school meals are a vital component to a child’s success in school and in life.
The districts in this alliance are passionate about making sure students have access to best quality food, and they have made phenomenal progress for the school nutrition industry. This is the organization that went after antibiotic free chicken for school lunches. Their effort not only affected the meals our schools serve children each day, but you can thank them for the antibiotic free chicken that is served in most fast food restaurants today.
The missing piece in our education programs.
Schools are meant to educate children, and the school nutrition program is a piece of that education puzzle that is often missing.
There are so many opportunities within schools to introduce children to a wide variety of produce and encourage lifelong healthy eating habits.
Some schools in the Urban School Food Alliance have incorporated a “Produce of the Month” program. Local grocery stores in the area have even been included, so they can make sure to supply the produce item being highlighted. This is a fantastic opportunity for the child to have the opportunity to educate the family!
Some districts are also being intentional to incorporate new cultural food experiences in their school. Food has a powerful way of bringing people of all ethnicities and countries of origin together. Stories of children new to the country, finding comfort in a familiar meal that is shared with new classmates have shown the power of connection that is found when we introduce students to new experiences and educate them on the value of culture.
“School meals are the best safety net this country has to teach children health and wellness.” - Dr. Katie Bell. (21:30-21:39)
Make a difference in your child’s school.
School lunches often get a bad wrap. You may fear your child won’t get a nutritious, quality meal from the cafeteria.
Here are a few things to consider.
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Investigate. There’s a great chance that there are more options available for your child than you are currently aware of. Often, schools have a fresh fruit and veggie bar available to students. Take the time to introduce yourself to the staff that is serving the children of your school each day. Do some investigating and don’t just believe everything you read.
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Participate. If you find that your school isn’t up to par with your expectations, it’s important to recognize that this program needs participation to be successful. When you simply withhold’s participation in the program, you’re contributing to the inability for the nutrition program to meet the needs of your child.
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You have the power as a parent to evoke change in your district! The local food program can only be as good as the local administration gives support for. Share your needs, and join with other parents who feel the same.
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Contact your legislature and let them know that school nutrition is important! Moves like this can increase funding and increase the value of the nutrition for your child’s school.
At The Produce Moms, we strongly believe that school meals are one of the best investments for the health and wellbeing of our children. The Urban School Food Alliance is leading the way in making incredible, positive changes in our school lunch programs around the nation.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Crop One is among the largest vertical farms in the world. Their mantra is the future of farming. Their mission is to solve the world’s food problems, one crop at a time.”Lori Taylor (1:15-1:24)
Crop One is changing the way the world grows produce.
Dr. Jenna Bell is the Vice President of Nutritional Science for Crop One, one of the largest vertical farms in the world. She leads nutrition and brand communications and supports the plant science R&D program, product innovation, marketing, and international business development.
“One-third of our land that has traditionally been farmed on is becoming unusable.” Dr. Jenna Bell (2:42-2:50)
The Benefits of Vertical Farming
Approximately ⅓ of the land traditionally farmed on our earth is becoming unusable. With limited resources, and growing global need for a resilient food supply, Crop One has stepped up to provide an innovative solution.
Crop One uses 95-99% less water than traditional farming! This means, for every gallon of water used in traditional farming, Crop One uses 1 ½ drops. The purified water they do use is preserved by the further purification by the plants.
Because the environment is controlled, energy can be conserved. LED lights can be turned on and off, and biofeedback is available to eliminate overfeeding plants. Crop One puts great priority on reducing their carbon footprint. They are not yet carbon neutral, but making great strides towards neutrality. Plants need CO2 for growth, but the hope is that eventually they will be able to give them just enough to help them become carbon synced on their own.
While there are other vertical farms in the market, Crop One is one of the largest and most successful. Their yield is more than double the yield of other vertical farms, and they operate at a 40% profit margin. They are truly on the cutting edge of ag technology.
“We want to make sure we’re growing more with less… providing fresh, local, high-quality safe produce in areas that could not grow previously. We grow an enormous amount of food in a tiny amount of land with a tiny amount of water to complement traditional farming.” Dr. Jenna Bell (26:50)
“Simply Put, Vertical Farming is the Conversion of Electrons to Calories.”
Crop One builds high-density, high-yield farms in completely controlled and contained vertical hydroponic farms. One acre of Crop One fields is equal to 400 acres of outdoor farmland!
The crops are grown in boxes, utilizing a modular system. Each field room is individualized to give complete control over the individualized environment for the specific crop being grown. Imagine them as building blocks or Legos. It looks quite fantastical. However, everything they do is based upon the way that the plants grow the best, and healthiest.
Interesting facts about your plants and their nutrient content.
Did you know that the phytonutrients and antioxidants your plants provide you are created by the plants in response to their environment? When a plant encounters the elements, water, sun, heat, etc. it builds a defense system.
Crop One is able to maximize nutrition content by eliminating the unpredictable nature of these elements. They have complete control of the environment - light and dark, amounts of CO2, temperature, humidity, nutrient provision, even nitrogen content. They take samples from each crop to make sure all factors are ideal for the healthiest, most nutritious plant.
They’ve had great success increasing the phytonutrients of plants, and are currently working on making the tweaks necessary to boost antioxidant production. Kale and Romaine produced by Crop One contain higher amounts of potassium, and Romaine contains more calcium.
Crop One currently has produce in 43 stores in the greater Boston area, and recently announced a joint venture with Emirates Flight Catering.
Technology is evolving, and with it, the sources of our produce. With companies like Crop One, fresh produce is becoming more dependable, accessible, and more nutritious. Crop One is truly solving the world’s food problems one crop at a time!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
Part of the innovative industry controlled environment ag
Grew out of global concern.
“The need for resilient food supply is becoming a global issue”
“Crop One is building high density high yeiled farms in completely controlled and contained vertical hydroponic farms”
3:50-4:05
“Crop one is among the largest vertical farms in the world.” (7:37)
told the whole story emphasized the way you ahve mitigated the cost of the operation.
“This whole industry is really electrifying agriculture… from the beginning, we have had our eye on carbon neutrality. We want to make sure we maximize our yeild while being as efficient as humanly and technologically possible”
(11:45 -12:19)
Long-term - align with electic companies - share the cost - the energy they produce used by
“What we’re doign is try to grow with technology and infastructure so people can have fresh produce locally. Use less land, a fraction of the amount of water required..but wer’e also motivated by food resilience and human health.
“We want to make sure we’re growing more with less… providing fresh, local, high-quality safe produce in areas that could not grow previously. We grow an enormous amount of food in a tiny amount of land and a tiny amount of water to complement traditional farming.” (26:50)
“This is plant-based with all the taste. A truly delicious non-dairy dessert… and the best popsicle on the market” Lori Taylor (1:30)
When life gives you lemons, make strawberry lemonade popsicles.
When Julie Podolec’s son was teething, she wandered the aisles of the grocery store to find a natural frozen treat to help soothe his sore gums. However, as she read the ingredient lists she quickly realized that these weren’t products she would be purchasing for her child. The treats were characteristically high in sugar, low in fruit, and/or listed water as the first ingredient.
Instead of becoming discouraged, Julie went home, rolled up her sleeves, pulled out her blender, and made the treats that she couldn’t find in stores.
And The Modern Pop was born.
Julie Podolec is the Founder and CMO of this fun, bright, natural frozen treat brand that is taking over the West Coast. Julie and her husband have worked to weave the California sunshine right into their brand.
“The brand commitment is ‘fruit first.’” Julie Podolec (5:15)
What’s in Modern Pop… or more importantly, what isn’t?!
If you, like Julie, were to seek out a frozen bar for yourself or your family, you would find that fruit doesn’t make a mention until about halfway down the ingredient list.
Modern Pop isn’t satisfied with a middle-of-the-pack fruit bar, and is committed to making fruit the first ingredient on the list! They don’t stop there! The fruit they use is individually quick frozen (IQF), meaning it is picked and preserved at the peak of harvest. This method maintains high nutrient value and produce integrity, and is highly regarded in the produce industry.
All of their bars are vegan certified and non-GMO. They steer clear of additives like gums and keep their ingredient list to a minimum.
“Our purpose is to be as close to homemade as we possibly can.”
- Julie Podolec (7:47)
Creating a healthier indulgence.
Modern Pop began with the frozen fruit bar, but they have recently embarked into new territory. Their goal was to create an indulgent bar that could still be dairy free, nutrient dense, and not loaded with sugar.
The building blocks of a frozen dessert indulgence (like your very favorite ice cream) typically include dairy, fat, and sugar.
Modern Pop began to seek out a healthier way to incorporate all of these elements.
Avocados are no stranger to produce fans, but utilizing them in dessert? Modern Pop took these nutrient-dense fat bombs and began experimentation.
The result? A creamy, dessert base with a flavor mild enough to complement new imaginations of classic desserts! Mint Chip. Chocolate Fudge. Cookies N’ Cream. All vegan, dairy free, and most importantly, delicious and full of nutrients for your family.
Modern Pop is dedicated to creating products that everyone can enjoy and love. Julie is an incredible example of a Produce Mom who saw a need and stepped up to create a solution. And we’re so glad she did!
Modern Pop is than a product, it’s a passion that Julie and her family have dedicated their lives to pursuing and sharing with the world.
Grab a box today, and take a bite of the California sunshine!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Use Modern Pop’s location finder to see if they are in a grocery store near you
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“What I love doing is figuring out what scientists are doing and then applying it in the field to make people’s lives better.”Vonnie Estes (4:24)
From Growers, to Packaging, to Your Table, Technology is Revolutionizing AG.
When it comes to agriculture technology, Vonnie Estes is the most brilliant woman that the Produce Moms has crossed paths with. She is truly a thought leader in the industry and has done a tremendous amount of work to revolutionize the way technology is utilized in agriculture.
Vonnie Estes is the Vice President of Marketing at the Produce Marketing Association. She studied Horticulture and Plant Pathology, but quickly realized that she loved science, but had no desire to be a scientist. Her gift is in taking the advancements made by scientists and applying it in the field to make people’s lives better through agriculture. She is passionate to work on the edge of scientists advancements and be the navigator to apply those incredible discoveries to the world of agriculture.
The Importance of Technology in AG
In the rural farms of Chile, there are still farmers who manage their entire business on pen and paper in a stack of notebooks.
As our world moves forward, and technology plays a part in every single aspect of our lives, it makes sense that it has a place in the food industry
The terms “biotechnology” and “genetically modified” often instill fear in the hearts of the consumers. However, these terms encompass much more than we realize, and are a crucial component to the support of the produce industry.
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Technology enables farmers to create a digital footprint and help you, as the consumer, know exactly where your produce comes from.
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Technology is creating opportunities for robots to do the hard work, allowing workers to move out of positions of grueling, long hours of work that damages their bodies (i.e. pruning and harvesting) and into jobs that empower their health.
- Technology provides software that equips farmers to manage their crops and workers.
- Technology increases efficiency - giving farmers real-time data to help them eliminate water waste, and increase crop yields.
Perhaps one of the leading advances in technology that we often hear about is genetic modification. The presence of GMOs represents groundbreaking work in AG technology, but we often hear about them in a negative light.
“35% of rural America has no connectivity at all. 60% of farmers, when asked if their connectivity is good enough to run their business, said no.” - Vonnie Estes. 15:20 - 15:35
The Lowdown on GMOs
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is a term that is tossed around regularly in the produce world, and it has created a lot of confusion. Consumers are often afraid of its implications, and more and more individuals are grabbing their produce from the “Certified Organic” shelves.
But what is genetic modification, and is it actually dangerous?
“90% of scientists think GMOs are safe, including The American Medical Association and National Academy of Sciences.”
- Vonnie Estes. (20:01 - 20:08)
Genetic modification, using tools to change the DNA of a plant cell, started in the 1990s. There are two main traits that scientists work on to increase a crop’s resilience, and increase the harvest.
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“Roundup ready” - Scientists have created a crop that is more resilient to herbicide.
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Bug Resistant - Scientists insert insecticide genes into the plant. This protects the plants from being eaten by pests.
It can be disconcerting to think that there is foreign DNA in the foods you consume. However, it’s important to understand that genetic modification is highly regulated and well tested, and isn’t as widespread as some may think.
“When you think about it, we in the US have been eating genetically modified food since the 90s. 60% of processed food on the grocery shelf has some kind of genetically modified thing in it.” - Vonnie Estes 20:25
It’s also important to note that genetic modification is not a widespread practice for all produce. A genetically modified crop takes 10-15 years to get to market. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent for the regulatory process of development and testing. Only the biggest companies and crops (i.e. corn, soy, canola) can even afford it.
So, what products ARE genetically modified?
There are currently three crops on the market that have been modified. Only one of the three are readily available for consumer purchase in grocery stores.
Potatoes. There is currently a potato crop available for commercial purpose that doesn’t brown when cut.
Arctic Apple. The Arctic Apple has been genetically modified to not brown. They are not available everywhere, and are well-marked in locations where they can be purchased.
Papayas sourced from Hawaii. Genetic modification literally saved the papaya industry in Hawaii. When a virus threatened to destroy the entire crop 20-30 years ago, a resistant strain of papaya was developed.
The Future of GMO
New labeling protocols are being implemented to help consumers understand which products they purchase contain GMO’d ingredients. Products only have to identify their products as GMO’d if they contain a certain percentage of modified ingredients.
“It’s great to know labels are going to be on all of the [GMO’d] products so we can minimize consumer confusion and increase consumer confidence.” - Lori Taylor (25:24)
Why support conventional produce?
According to Vonnie, if you are passionate about sustainability, organic may not be the way to go.
Why?
When only one person is touching everything - it becomes elitist. There is limited potential for scale, increased cost, and limited accessibility for the masses. If you really care about regenerating the soul, and sustainability, organic may not be the best choice. It’s important to consider how things are being grown, and how your choices affect the rest of the population.
Technology is feeding the world.
The goal of biotechnology and genetic modification is to create food to feed the world. Vonnie Estes and scientists in AG Tech want people to eat better, to feed more people, navigate challenges like climate change, and do all of this in a sustainable way that takes care of our earth.
When you look at all of these factors, it becomes easy to see that technology is a necessary component to help produce food in a way that is efficient, sustainable, and accessible.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- If you’re interested to learn more about the future of AG Tech, listen to EP29: How Drones, Artificial Intelligence and Farmers Work Together with Mary Snapp, Corporate Vice President and Lead of Microsoft Philanthropies
- Connect with Vonnie on LinkedIn
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“[Plastic reduction] is being demanded now in a way it never has been before. There is a consumer awareness of what it means to live sustainably.”
Lori Taylor (6:35-7:00)
Changing the world, one package at a time.
Andrea Watson, Founder and Chief Brand Ambassador of Nature Knows, is passionate about sustainability, and is using this drive to change the world through packaging. Nature Knows is an eco-friendly packaging company who aim to make sustainability accessible to all. Andrea has been voted the Canadian Woman Food Entrepreneur of the year, and Nature Knows received the award of Duke’s top innovative product of 2019.
“We’re all busier, and that’s not going away… We created a package that helps us... eat more fruits and vegetables on the go, but do it sustainably and get rid of all of that plastic.”
- Andrea Watson (3:45-4:18)
When Andrea’s daughter started school, and Andrea found herself packing the lunch box each day, she realized that something had to shift in the way we package produce. The bags, boxes, and wrappers that ensure our produce makes it safely into our homes are contributing to astronomical amounts of waste.
Since 1950, over 8.3 billion tons of plastic has been generated.
However, currently statistics show that only 9% of plastics are being recycled.
One look around the produce section and you’ll notice that most of the packaging is plastic.
And almost 90% of all of it will end up in landfills.
As a society, we’ve been talking about sustainability for years now. However, most of the focus has been placed on better stewarding our natural resources like water and energy, while not doing enough to reduce the amount of waste being created.
It’s time to do something about it! And doing your part could be much simpler than you even realize.
What is Nature Knows?
Andrea and her team at Nature Knows have created an amazing, innovative solution to cut down on plastic waste.
They provide fresh fruits and veggies that are already washed through a special proprietary, all-natural process and packaged in containers come from the earth, and return to the earth.
Compared to traditional produce packaging, the cost increase is minimal, and completely with it when you think of the waste eliminated (both plastic and produce), and the convenience simply grabbing your veggies ready to eat straight out of the bag or box!
Ready to eat packaging helps ensure those fruits and veggies get eaten, on the go or at home, instead of browning beyond recognition at the back of your fridge. So much produce waste actually happens in our homes. Life is busy, and taking the time to prep your produce isn’t always feasible.
These products are good for the planet, but also a lifesaver for your produce!
“We increase freshness 50% more than if it was in a plastic cup or tray. It’s huge in terms of saving the food waste.” - Andrea Watson (8:45)
Not only is Nature Knows eliminating produce waste, but plastic waste as well. The packaging, called “eco-friendly plastic,” is made from corn. It looks and performs like plastic, but it’s a breathable material that is fully compostable.
“It’s called ‘eco friendly plastic,’ but really it’s made out of corn. A breathable material that’s fully compostable. It comes from the earth and goes back to the earth.” - Andrea Watson (7:58)
What if I don’t compost?
With busy lives that can feel as if they’re getting busier by the day, composting may not make it to the top of your list of priorities.
That’s ok!
Nature Knows products are created with everyone in mind!
What comes from the earth WILL return to the earth, whether in a compost pile or a landfill. Because the packaging is natural, it will break down WITHOUT creating more chemicals in our landfill. When it goes into the landfill, it does add to the amount of waste, but Nature Knows has lovingly nicknamed it, “good garbage.” While the product will break down more quickly in a home or commercial compost setting, it will still return to the earth over time.
So, whether you are an avid composter, or you feel accomplished when the empty produce bags make it out of the fridge and into the trash can, Nature Knows is for you.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- You can find Nature Knows products, and learn more about how they are doing their part to reduce waste here.
- Follow Nature Knows on Instagram!
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It matters when you feed your kids to think about nutrition for their brains. Their brains are developing really rapidly. The same way you pay attention to their bones and muscles… you should be paying attention to feeding them for their brain health.”
Jonathan Wolfson (23:01-23:33)
Necessity is the mother of invention.
When Jonathon Wolfson, Founder and CEO of Brainac Kids, began asking researching nutrition for his children, he quickly realized that there was much more he could be doing to make sure they had proper nutrition to support their quickly developing brains.
We often focus on our little ones’ calcium and protein intake to support healthy bones and muscles, but what about DHA? EPA? ALA? Choline?
These are nutrients that we often focus on during pregnancy and the first year of a child’s life, but the brain is rapidly developing through adolescence. Both breastmilk and formula provide babies with these essential nutrients, but after that children’s diets often fall short of the recommended intake.
The more information Jonathon gathered, the more he realized that he needed to do something for the health of his children and yours.
In the light of this research, Brainiac Kids products came to life.
“There’s an enormous amount of attention paid to the first 1000 days - conception through age two - but a huge percentage of the important development in areas like the prefrontal cortex happens later for kids.” - Jonathon Wolfson (5:13- 5:37)
Startling Statistics.
Perhaps your children love their vegetables. We encourage our children to try everything, and The Produce Moms has some fantastic resources to help you find new ways to get your children to explore the world of produce.
Braniac Kids is a strong proponent of reaching nutrient requirements through whole foods, but this can be a challenge with the nutrients that support brain development.
Do your children love salmon, walnuts, broccoli, flax seeds, trout, and brussels sprouts?
Are they eating them on a weekly basis?
American children, on average, are only getting 20% of the recommended daily amount of DHA, and only about 66% of the recommended amount of Choline.
All of these are essential for healthy brain development and function.
“DHA and EPA are critical nutrients… making up close to 15% of a child’s brain. It provides the infrastructure on which the whole brain is built.” - Jonathon Wolfson (8:03)
Before you spend the rest of your day trying to figure out how to get your toddler to enjoy trout, read on to hear about how Jonathon and his team has used innovation to help children everywhere get the nutrients they need through healthy, delicious snacks!
Brainiac Kids products are delicious and nutritious!
The team at Brainiac Kids have developed a line of yogurt and applesauce products, and are working on a whole host of snack products. Their Science and Nutrition Advisory Board researched the nutrients and amounts that were most crucial to support a child’s growing brain.
The yogurt is offered in both tube and drink format, and in delicious flavors like cherry vanilla, strawberry banana, and strawberry.
The applesauce comes in strawberry, cinnamon, and apple, a variety of different flavors tested thoroughly with children to find the right formula to taste delicious, while staying low in sugar and nutrient dense.
In fact, the yogurt tubes contain 40% less sugar than leading kids’ yogurt brands, and the yogurt drinks 50% less!
“I’m a big fan because my son is a big fan… What a moment it is when the product my child chooses is a product that’s actually really healthy for them!” - Lori Taylor (19:03)
All of the products include the “Brain Pack,” essential brain nutrients blended into tasty snacks for your children.
- 130mg of Omega 3 -DHA/EPA
- 120 mg of Choline
- 160mg of Omega 3 ALA
Brainiac Kids has worked hard to make sure they are providing the most important nutrients at the right levels to provide optimal health for your child’s developing brain.
Brainiac Kids is good for your child’s health, and for the environment.
Despite being under one year old, Brainiac Kids is B Corp Certified, meeting the highest standards for overall social and environmental standards for health. There isn’t a higher certification that businesses can get.
Their team has sourced the yogurt from pasture-raised, non-GMO verified, grass fed cows, doing their part to ensure the products they deliver to you are the highest quality, and are sustainably sourced.
Find Brainiac Kids Products
Brainiac Kids strives to make their products accessible in both availability and cost, healthier and better, while delivering a delicious product that nourishes your growing child’s brain.
You can find their products online on their website, on Amazon, at Whole Foods, Target, or a host of other regional grocery stores. Use the Location Finder on their website to find a location near you!
It can be challenging and overwhelming as we think about making sure our children, especially the picky ones, are getting all of the nutrients needed to support their growing bodies.
We are so thankful to have found Brainiac Kids. Our children can snack away on delicious foods they love, while taking in the nutrients needed for their rapidly developing brain!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Baze is a young, global company, well positioned to make this concept and truth of personal nutrition accessible for all.
Lori Taylor (19:03)
The future of personalized nutrition is NOW.
Allison Baker is a Registered Dietician, the VP of Business Development at Baze, and an absolute superstar in the realm of personalized nutrition.
Baze was founded in 2014 with a mission to revolutionize the personal nutrition industry. Baze utilizes cutting edge technology to test client’s blood nutrient levels, tailor a unique supplement plan. They take the guesswork out of nutrition and believe they hold the key to provide optimized healthcare for all.
“The whole purpose of our brand is to empower individual wellness for all.” - Allison Baker (29:02)
We are surrounded by supplements, but still in the dark.
When it comes to supplements, there is no shortage. In fact, 73% of the US takes a multivitamin. And yet, 33% of individuals have a nutrient deficiency.
Across the board Americans are deficient in every micronutrient except sodium.
Furthermore, the measurements used to determine the “standard” RDA for nutrients are only aimed to keep you from being deficient, not focused on getting your levels optimized for exceptional health.
The system is broken.
How do we actually know what we need, and how much we should be taking?
We don’t.
When we rely on guesswork to help us choose which micronutrients to supplement, and how much of each we should be taking, the statistics show we drastically miss the mark.
This is where Baze comes in.
Nutrition is a personal journey. Your needs are as unique as you are. Baze can help.
Baze is a pioneer in blood nutrient technology.
Nutrient testing through your general practitioner is expensive, time-consuming, and is not typically readily available for the comprehensive set of nutrients tested by Baze. Our healthcare system is focused on treating disease after it happens. Baze believes that focusing on preventative healthcare now will change the future of our wellness and increase our longevity.
It’s important to know where you’re deficient, and also to know the dosage of nutrients you need to close the gap and optimize your health.
How does Baze work?
The process is simple. Baze sends a testing kit right to your door. The device uses an array of tiny needles paired with suction to provide a virtually painless process. You return the kit, and your blood levels are analyzed.
You then receive a personalized report and supplements are recommended, using a dosing algorithm based on the results, and they are shipped directly to you.
A dietician approves every single dose before it goes out the door.
Three months later your levels are reassessed.
Clients who reassessed saw a 73% decrease in deficiencies. These results are absolutely phenomenal, and unheard of in this industry.
What are the results?
What does it look like to have your nutrient levels optimized? Baze clients have experienced some incredible results.
Including…
- More energy
- More focus
- Optimized Immune System
- Healthier Skin
- Weight Management
If you’re like many of us, and struggle to fall into a regular routine of taking a daily supplement, Allison said, “It’s ok!” Even taking your personalized supplement every couple of days will still bring your levels to an optimal level. It may just take a little bit longer than the average 12 weeks.
“If we just focused on eating the micronutrients that we need to be healthy… and started eating towards that, and supplementing appropriately and smartly, it would change everything.”
- Allison Baker (30:00)
When you give your body the nutrients it needs, it performs in the way it was designed. It was created to thrive, and be healthy.
We spend too much of our time focusing on the things we need to cut out of our diet in order to be healthier. But what if, optimal health wasn’t found in the things we eliminated from our diet, but rather the nutrients we put in?
When Produce and Supplements Partner Up.
“Baze is really focused on the mission. This is a company that cares about the end result, to the point that they are actively collaborating with complementary industries… it’s really cool to see how authentic the Baze company is.” - Lori Taylor (28:19)
Food is the foundation of everything we do. At Produce Moms we know that optimal health begins with an optimal diet.
Supplements are just that - a supplement.
Recently, Baze has partnered with companies like Monterey Mushrooms and Eat Local to pair necessary supplements with real food.
Initiatives like increasing the amount of Vitamin D in Monterey Mushrooms through enhanced UV exposure are revolutionizing your ability to get the nutrients you need from the food you love.
Baze and Eat Local partnered to create pre-prepared meals that contain the most common nutrients that are deficient in our diets. Deploying the power of your personalized vitamins, while tailoring your food intake in support is literally a 360 degree solution to optimize your health.
Optimal health has never been more attainable. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and our families to give our bodies the nutrients it needs to live a long, healthy life! So what are you waiting for?
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Listen to Allison’s previous interview on the Produce Mom’s podcast.
- Learn more about how Baze can help you optimize your health here.
- Learn more about Baze’s partnership with Eat Local here.
- Learn more about Baze’s partnership with Monterey Mushrooms here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I try to remind folks that we aren’t going to run out of potatoes. We still have 13 billion pounds of potatoes that we are shipping across America and around the world.”
Frank Muir (7:20-7:35)
Frank Muir has served as the President and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission for the past 17 years. He is leading the charge to help consumers around the world understand that Idaho potatoes are delicious, nutritious, and extremely affordable.
The media is buzzing about a “potato shortage” that could leave us fry-less.
Concerned consumers and businesses alike have been writing in to The Produce Moms to get the scoop on the potato shortage. With dramatic headlines insinuating that America could run out of potatoes - Frank Muir wittily described it as French Fry Famine Fear - we decided to go straight to the source to gather some facts, and put minds (and stomachs) at ease.
In 2019, an early frost and inclement weather from Hurricane Dorian threatened to destroy potato crops not just in Idaho, but in the midwest and parts of Canada.
Idaho farmers and harvesters worked around the clock days before the frost to gather as much of the harvest as possible and were able to get 85% of the crop into storage before the severe weather took out the rest. Some of the remaining crop was salvageable. The yield varied between 0-5%, meaning some fields did experience a total loss.
While it’s hard to determine the long-term impact of a loss of this magnitude, many focus on the loss without taking time to consider all of the facts.
The 2019 harvest yielded 13 billion pounds of potatoes! That’s enough to fill an entire football stadium end-to-end and one mile high.
The bottom line: There are still plenty of potatoes for everyone.
“They aren’t just good to eat, but they’re actually good for you. We’ve made big strides in returning the Idaho potato to its rightful pedestal as America’s favorite vegetable.”
- Frank Muir (2:30-2:45)
The Harvest Cycle of the Idaho Potato.
To fully comprehend the impact of a diminished harvest on the farmers and consumers alike, it’s helpful to understand a little bit more about the harvest cycle of Idaho potatoes.
In Idaho, potatoes are grown along the Snake River Plain that stretches across the bottom third of the state. Potatoes are harvested only once per year, and are then placed in extremely sophisticated climate controlled storage facilities, where they wait to be shipped, sold, and eaten by you!
If you do your best to mimic the climate controlled environment utilized by Idaho potato distributors, your potatoes can last much longer!
“At the end of the day, Idaho potatoes are, dollar for dollar, one of the most nutrient dense foods in the world. I don’t know if there is a more affordable commodity in the produce department.”
- Lori Taylor (19:05-19:20)
Impact on the Consumer.
As a Produce Mom, I’m sure you are very familiar with the concept of supply and demand. When supply is down, price increases.
So, how will this affect our potato purchases?
While there’s potential for price to increase as the Idaho potato supply tightens, the potato will remain a frugal, nutrient-dense purchase.
Consider this - even if Idaho potatoes doubled in cost, they would still only cost on average between $2.00-$5.00 for a 5lb bag.
Can you think of another vegetable in the produce section that you can purchase for $1 per lb?
“Potatoes are the most economical vegetable you can purchase. Even with a tightening supply and prices going up a little bit, it’s still going to be the most valuable return for produce that you can purchase in the grocery store” - Frank Muir (9:45-10:15)
‘Potato Lovers Month’
Did you know that February is the month to celebrate potatoes?
Baked, fried, or instant, Idaho loves potatoes and wants the world to celebrate with them.
Be on the lookout for displays in one of the over 5000 local grocery stores who participate in the annual display contest, and follow the Idaho Potato Commision on social media to join in the fun!
The Takeaway.
The media outlets have overdramatized the potato crop shortage, leading consumers to believe that the crop may not last through the year.
The Idaho Potato Commission is still promoting and advertising, alongside the vast number of restaurants and grocery stores.
So, never fear, the salty companion to your ketchup should stay hot, fresh, and ready to be dipped for the duration of 2020.
When you’re shopping, always look for the ‘Grown in Idaho’ seal, to buy the very best potatoes have to offer!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Be sure to check out The Produce Mom podcast EP39, also featuring Frank Muir, to learn more about why the Idaho potato is so special.
- Visit the Idaho Potato Commission’s website for recipes and more, and follow them on social media to join in all of the ‘Potato Lover’ fun!
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“You took a non-existent category in the value-added produce section to what today is over 700 million in retail sales.”Lori Taylor (2:11-2:18)
Crunch Pak is Proving that Convenience and Health Can Go Hand-in-Hand.
Tony Freytag, Executive VP and co-founder of Crunch Pak, is an absolute legend and pioneer in the produce industry. He took a nonexistent category in the value added produce section and grew it to $700 MILLION is retail sales. Each week, Crunch Pack produces over 250,000 cases of apple products.
Tony was born into the produce family. While he grew up in the city, he was from a family of farmers and each summer would get “shipped off” to the farm. While he grew up immersed each summer in this industry, he decided early in life that agriculture was NOT his career path of choice. However, life came full circle, and eventually he began helping a prominent pear business develop an anti-browning solution. Now he is passionate about getting fresh, delicious produce into the hands of families around the country.
“When it is fresh-cut and ready to eat, it is less likely to end up in the trash, and more likely to be consumed. That is why I never hesitate to purchase things from the value-added section for my family.” - Lori Taylor (22:37-22:52)
What is Crunch Pak?
Crunch Pak provides the most convenient delivery of produce into the hands of your family. Fresh apples and pears, sourced from Washington farms, are sliced, packaged and placed in groceries around the country, giving your family the gift of time. Because, let’s face it, as moms our lives can get pretty hectic. Crunch Pak wants you to snack healthy, without the stress or hassle of fresh food preparation.
Crunch Pak and the Value of Value-Added Foods.
Why would we buy a packaged bag of apples when they are easy to slice, or could even be eaten whole?
Easy. In our country, 40% of fresh produce is wasted, and a large portion of this percentage happens in our homes. Produce is purchased with the best intentions, and then life gets in the way.
Crunch Pak, is a simple yet effective way to take control of your grocery efficiency. Value-added foods, typically located near the bagged lettuce section in your local grocery, takes the work out of produce prep. Crunch Pak’s goal is to help you incorporate more healthy snacks into your family’s diet as easily as possible.
Is Crunch Pak Safe for My Family? Is It Healthy?
If these thoughts were rolling through your mind, you aren’t alone. Tony has been asked this question countless times over the years.
The answer is a resounding YES!
Crunch Pak’s anti-browning agent is made of Calcium and Vitamin C. It is a natural, flavorless additive that keeps produce fresh until you’re ready for a snack.
Snacks On Snacks On Snacks
The snack category continues to boom, accounting for $2.6 billion each year.
Crunch Pak works hard to provide healthy snacks that have a well-rounded nutritional profile. They are continually innovating to keep their products on trend and appealing to a wide range of consumers.
With more adults doing “deskside dining,” and families constantly on the go, snacks that offer a source of protein go along away to keep your family fueled up. Check out their products page to look at all of the options they have for healthy, convenient snacking.
Crunch Pak has done a fantastic job of partnering with brands that appeal to children. They have proudly co-branded with both Nickelodeon and Disney. Your kids are future consumers. The healthy choices you are helping them make today, will shape the healthy choices they make as an adult.
“Kids are our future customers… The healthier we can make kids today, the healthier they will be later in life.”
- Tony Freytag (15:50-15:55)
It’s no secret that kids are a target demographic. In fact, Crunch Pak’s competition is not other produce companies. There is a beautiful camaraderie between many different companies. The competition comes from the center of the store. The cereal and candy giants who have a fortune to spend on advertising are also targeting the younger demographic. They provide convenience, but will never measure up to the nutritional benefits fresh produce has to offer.
“Everything we do is co-branded because we want strong values and brands to be associated with Crunch Pak. We are co-branding with The Produce Moms because of the value you bring to Crunch Pack.” - Tony Freytag. (10:33-11:22)
Exciting News!
Produce Moms is so proud to announce that we are co-branding with Crunch Pak! Crunch Pak is very selective about the businesses they choose to share their name with, which means that this exciting partnership is an incredible honor.
Be on the lookout for co-branded Crunch Pak items in a grocery store near you.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Find out more about Tony Fretag and Crunch Pak here.
- Connect with Crunch Pak on Facebook.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Fair Trade empowers the workers and allows them to uplift their living conditions and this is very important for us as a company.”
Iris Madrigal (6:12-6:21)
Located in Sonora, Mexico, the mountainous region extending from northern Mexico to southern Arizona, Covilli Brand Organics was formed in 1965 as of Terry Poiriez’s pursuit to do things right and take no shortcuts.
Long before organic produce was a thing, Terry and his co-founders were growing food, free of harmful pesticides, chemicals, additives and genetic modification. From the beginning, they believed it was the right thing to do for consumers, farmworkers and the planet.
As a second-generation grower, his son, Alex Madrigal, is now President of Covilli Brand Organics. Alex’s wife, Iris is the Marketing Manager as they continue to grow and build Terry Poiriez’s legacy and brand.
First Company to be 100% Organic and 100% Fair Trade
After an extensive process, Covilli Brand Organics obtained Fair Trade Certified ™ status from Fair Trade USA in 2015.
Fair Trade is a program that seeks to empower family farmers and workers around the world while enriching the lives of those struggling in poverty.
It goes beyond community development. They obtain both financial literacy and employment literacy. Helping workers understand what their rights are as employees.
For every pound of produce sold, farmworkers earn an additional income earmarked for critical community projects like education and healthcare.
“$800,000 in community development premiums is what the products grown by Covilli has been able to produce through the Fair Trade certification and programming .” - Lori Taylor (7:34-7:47)
To use the Community Development Fund, workers form a Fair Trade Committee; elected amongst themselves. The workers at Covilli chose to call their Committee Nuchi Sansekan, meaning all together in Nahuatl. This name signifies that only by working together can a community attain its goals and true purpose.
Taking care of workers needs
After the Fair Trade Committee was formed, a basic needs poll was conducted to determine the needs of the workers and their families. Covilli’s Nachi Sansekan, conducted in-depth personal interviews with over 450 workers. It was concluded that health was a primary need of the workers and their families. Based on these results, workers were offered several Community Project ideas.
One of the largest projects was a health clinic which was inaugurated in January 2019. The clinic was fully funded by Fair Trade Premium Dollars collected from the sale of Covilli Brand Organics Fair Trade Certified™ products and managed by Nuchi Sansekan. The clinic offers general primary and preventative care services for men, women and children; as well as general dentistry services.
“This clinic brings access not only to our farmworkers, but their families, the people from our community and the people from surrounding communities... between 7,000-10,000 people that are with this clinic, receiving access to dental and general health .” - (Iris Madrigal 16:30-16:46)
Today, Covilli’s Farm, Agricola Ciari in Guaymas, Mexico, grows the Covilli brand’s core items (warm weather crops) in multiple varietals: tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, peppers, peas, cucumbers and brussels sprouts. All of these crops and the farm are certified organic and fair-trade.
Look for these items in your local grocer and remember, if you don’t see something you want, feel free to request it from the produce manager.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It takes 706 gallons of water to make 1 cotton t-shirt. That’s enough water for humans to drink for 2 ½ years.”
Gina Lee (6:39 - 6:47)
Gina Lee is the Founder of The UPcyclers Network and is a passionate advocate for businesses that are creating value from “waste.”
Gina has over 15 years of experience working in the areas of corporate social responsibility and social impact in the United States, China and Germany with organizations including the Aspen Institute, the American Sustainable Business Council and Mercy Corps.
Gina believes that social entrepreneurs will change the world, and she founded The UPcyclers Network to challenge our reliance on natural resource extraction and build a sustainable economy where waste is simply a resource out of place. Building a sustainable economy is imperative for all industries, especially agriculture. This vision lays the foundation for the circular production model of the future.
What is a Circular Economy?
A circular economy is presented as a system of resource utilization where the elements of reduction, reuse and recycle prevail. The goal is to minimize production to a bare minimum, and when it’s necessary to use a resource, to go for the maximum reuse of the elements that can’t be reused and recycled.
Gina recognizes that there is no solution for our world’s ever-increasing consumption of consumer goods. With the World Resource Institute and Brookings Institute predicting consumer spending to increase three-fold, action from consumers and producers is needed now. It starts with reduction, but we also need to figure out a more sustainable consumption system.
“As consumers/retailers we need to advocate to have more recycled content in our stuff...not just say-is this material recyclable? Because otherwise, this stuff is all just recyclable, but no one's buying that recycled material back. It doesn’t work.” Gina Lee (9:29-9:47)
Waste as a resource
How do we create value from waste that we currently send to the landfill? There are numerous ways. For example, recycling aluminum saves 95% of energy and recycling glass saves 34%. When you take a car to a junkyard and they scrap metal, that can reduce greenhouse emissions by a thousand pounds which is equivalent to 400 gallons of gasoline.
Being able to reuse recyclable materials has a huge environmental footprint. When we buy products; furniture, household goods, clothing, it creates a large stress on our planet because you need a ton of resources to consume “stuff.” Landfills are filling up so fast and we need to develop an industry that will reduce the need for landfills and make sustainable products from waste.
“While environmental problems are growing, we do each have the power individually and through sharing with our families and loved ones about more sustainable ways to live...” Gina Lee (9:29-9:47)
Call to Action
As Gina explained, the earth recently reached a point where our resource consumption exceeds the earth’s capacity to regenerate resources. It all comes back to reduction.
Recycle what you know can be recycled but also lower your personal environmental footprint by purchasing items that are re-used or second hand. If consumers are demanding it, then corporations will follow.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Learn more about Upcyclers Network.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Mushrooms are a superfood. They are nutrient-packed with fiber, B vitamins, potassium, selenium, copper and ergothioneine”
Lindsey Occhipinti (11:07 - 11:12)
With the gloomy winter months upon us, especially here in the Midwest, we can all use more vitamin D. Thankfully, we have innovative farms like Monterey Mushrooms who have teamed up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to replicate vitamin-D rich sunlight indoors for a much higher concentration of the vitamin normally found in mushrooms.
“Monterey Mushrooms is a national brand but is locally grown always.” - Lori Taylor. (8:08 - 8:11)
Monterey Mushrooms has grown from a single farm in 1971 to producing mushrooms on nine farms across North America. Monterey Mushrooms strive to provide fresh, locally grown mushrooms to everyone’s favorite grocery stores and restaurants. Lindsey Occhipinti is the marketing manager at Monterey Mushrooms. She has spent nearly a decade working in the fresh produce industry and specifically focused on mushrooms.
Monterey Mushrooms harvest a large variety of fresh mushrooms including White Button Portabellas, Oyster, Shitake, Brown beech, White beech, King Trumpet and Portabellini®.
All the mushroom varieties from Monterey Mushrooms can be used to make diverse and tasty meals in the kitchen, including meatless dishes. Mushrooms make a great side dish or topping to any meat. Lori suggests cooking them with garlic and shallots. You can reduce your salt intake by cooking with mushrooms. Mushrooms are versatile enough to compliment almost any meal that you craft.
Try introducing mushrooms to your family in creative ways by adding them to your family's favorite dishes. At home, Lindsey replaces a chicken breast with a portabella cap in her favorite chicken marsala recipe. Using Monterey Mushrooms will reduce your reliance on vitamin D supplements as mushrooms are a natural source.
“What we’re really trying to do is accomplish what's done out in nature. So in rough terms what happens in nature in 20 minutes, we have figured out how to do in about 20 seconds .” - Lindsey Occhipinti (14:27-14:43)
The high vitamin D content of Monterey Mushrooms is produced from an expedited process where the Ergothioneine is converted to vitamin D through a post-harvest process involving the exposure of the mushrooms during packaging to a precise wavelength of ultraviolet light.
Most Americans are not getting the necessary amount of vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for absorption in the body of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which helps to maintain bone strength.
Beyond being essential for bone health, vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in diabetes, colon, prostate, and breast cancer, hypertension, depression, multiple sclerosis and arthritis. In general, vitamin D is critical to overall health and is a major contributor to the immune system.
Unfortunately, dietary sources of vitamin D are limited to certain types of fish, animal livers and eggs and fortified foods.
Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable that naturally contain vitamin D.
Now, through exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, Monterey Mushrooms can naturally increase the stable level of vitamin D within mushrooms to well above 50 percent of the FDA’s recommended daily value.
Monterey Mushrooms has made it easy for you to consume “high in vitamin D” mushrooms. Look for a vitamin D enhanced label found on select packages of Monterey Mushrooms’ white buttons, baby bellas, and portabella mushroom caps. Where can you buy these? We have you covered! Follow this link https://www.montereymushrooms.com/where-to-buy-high-vitamin-d-mushrooms
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Want to learn more about Monterey Mushrooms, then follow them on their website here.
The Produce Moms Podcast is live on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. If you like what you are hearing on the podcast, reviews, subscriptions & ratings will help us keep this going! It would mean the world to hear your feedback, and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
Let Food Be Thy Medicine with Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Cali’flour Foods, Amy Lacey
“Healthy food has to taste as good as it makes you feel.”Amy Lacey (25:04-25:07)
Amy Lacey is the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Cali’flour foods. When her business exploded in 2017, Amy went from “CEO” of her household of five, to managing the expansion of a wildly successful, and much needed company.
While many new products hit the shelves of grocery stores as a result of the monetary dreams of an entrepreneur, Cali’flour was born out of Amy’s personal health struggle, and the vegetable that changed her life.
Let food be thy medicine.
When Amy Lacey suddenly fell ill, she received a Lupus diagnosis, and a plethora of new medications. The pain, depression, and horrendous side effects of all the medications made it difficult for Amy to make it through each day. This wife, and mom of three, decided that enough was enough, and began to research ways to use food to treat her condition.
When Amy began cutting grains and sugar from her diet, she saw a dramatic shift in her health. Eventually she was able to come off of ALL her medications, and lost 40 lbs in the process!
The return to “normalcy.”
In an effort to return some normalcy to family life, after this 9 month struggle, Amy sought out a way to make their family game night favorite - pizza. In the midst of her search she found cauliflower.
It’s so easy to swap unhealthy foods for more healthy options, but it is not as easy to make it taste good! Using a recipe found online, she attempted to create a cauliflower pizza crust. After a few failed pizza crusts, Amy Lacey was able to adapt a recipe that her whole family enjoyed - even the son who refuses to eat his vegetables!
From there, the rest is history. The crust became a family favorite, and a friend convinced Amy to sell the crust at a local Farmer’s Market. Amy then utilized her background in ecommerce to set up shop on the web.
And Cali’flour was born.
“Cali’flour is making a food product, but it’s so much more than that. They have created something that is capilizating on… the fact that food is culture. Cali’flour empowers people regardless of dietary restrictions - to maintain the cultural component of food, which is the essence of life in so many ways.” - Lori Taylor. (22:05-22:29)
Where healthy food meets culture.
There is something so universal about the way that food brings people together. Food ingrained into each culture. One of the beautiful aspects of Cali’flour is the way they are able to provide healthy alternatives to traditional comfort food products. Amy’s goal is to create products that are reminiscent of the foods you love.
Why cauliflower?
Amy uses the word “bland” to describe cauliflower, which is so accurate. However, she shares that the mild flavor makes it absolutely perfect. It has the ability to take on the flavor of other foods, and it has a consistency that gives it versatility as a flour alternative.
Cauliflower is high in Vitamin C and antioxidants. It is a quiet vegetable with loud benefits!
“There’s no better time to make those healthy swaps than the start of a new year.” - Lori Taylor. (17:43-17:48)
What sets Cali’flour apart?
I’m sure you’ve noticed that Cali’flour is now one product of so many that have gotten creative with cauliflower. Look down the aisles of your local grocery and you’ll find rice, pretzels, and several crust options, to name just a few products.
In the cauliflower product industry, Cali’flour reigns supreme. While many other brands use cauliflower that has been powdered or pureed - and imported from China - Cali’flour’s produce is grown in California goes directly from their farm to their manufacturing plant.
They are avid about avoiding waste, and thus, utilize all parts of the cauliflower!
When shopping for cauliflower products, it is so important that you take time to read the ingredient list. Fillers result in a lower quality food, and likely indicate that an alternative form of cauliflower has potentially been used.
Where to Find Cali’flour
Cali’flour products are in grocery stores nationwide. You can visit their website to find a store near you!
Amy and her team have developed a cookbook with 125 recipes that utilize cauliflower!
Cauliflower changed Amy’s life, and now she is on a mission to change yours. If you’re looking for food items that nourish your body, and your family’s body, while still tasting good, Cali’flour can help!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It takes so many resources to grow, transport, store, cook, and get food to our plates. When we throw food out, we throw those resources out with it.”Dana Gunders (8:10-8:28)
The average American throws away around $30 worth of uneaten food every month. When you factor in the food being wasted by restaurants, grocery stores, and other points along the supply chain, it’s easy to see how big of a problem this is becoming.
Dana Gunders is the author of Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook: A Guide to Eating Well and Saving Money By Wasting Less Food. Her work has been featured on media outlets that include NBC, NPR, CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Known as the “food waste warrior”, Dana began exploring the issue of food waste while working in the fruit and vegetable industry.
Dana was taking part in finding ways to make agriculture more sustainable by reducing the use of water, fertilizer, and energy on farms. She started looking into the waste component and stumbled upon some surprising numbers.
- 40% of food in this country goes to waste.
- 25% of its water is used to grow food that’s never eaten.
Dana’s report titled Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40
Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill looks at how food is treated throughout the supply chain. The report played a huge role in bringing the issue of food waste to the public’s attention.
Dana is the new interim Executive Director Speaker for ReFED, an organization dedicated to addressing the food waste problem in the U.S. Their efforts are geared toward providing data, money, and other resources to enable others to take action on this important issue.
“When you look at all the food that’s wasted, households produce most of it. We waste more food than supermarkets, restaurants, farms or anywhere else in the supply chain.” - Dana Gunders (7:10-7:30)
Households produce most of this country's food waste, and households with kids tend to have even more food waste. Fruits and vegetables are the number one food product wasted in today’s homes.
It takes a lot of resources to grow, transport, store, and prepare food. It involves labor and other natural resources. When we throw food out, we throw all of those resources out along with it.
Wasted food is equivalent to about 37 million cars worth of greenhouse gases.
If food waste were a country, it would rank number three in terms of its carbon footprint, second to the U.S. and China. In fact, food is actually the number one product entering landfills today,
One of the best ways to combat food waste at home is to make smaller shopping trips. There are plenty of options to help you do this. Whether it’s curbside pickup, grocery delivery, or the technologies grocers are using to help consumers shop more efficiently.
“When I did bigger shopping trips, it would be the demise of a large portion of my food. My berries and lettuce would freeze because my fridge was stuffed full.” - Janelle Lara (14:31-14:40)
Turn a weekly trip to the grocery store into multiple smaller trips. You waste less food at home while saving money by not throwing any food out.
People care about this issue and nobody wants to waste food. But they don't necessarily know what to change in their lives to stop doing it.
The important thing is to start somewhere. Even doing a little bit makes a big difference. Taking the right steps to reduce waste can help you do your part in helping solve this problem. Buying (and eating) fresh fruits and vegetables contributes to your family’s health while helping to save our valuable and limited resources.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
Transcription: Tpm79tpm79
“It’s the juiciness that stands out with the Cosmic Crisp® apple. It's unusual to have an apple that’s just that juicy.”
- Kate Evans (16:34-16:42)
Kate Evans, a professor at the Department of Horticulture at Washington State University, has been instrumental in leading the University's apple breeding program within its Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center.
The center is focused on researching tree fruits from the horticultural perspective as well as looking at aspects related to pathology and entomology. The results of their research are shared with the produce industry, and the center works to educate the next generation of researchers and industry members.
“The Cosmic Crisp® apple continues to stand out to my team. We’ve tasted every fruit in our lab, but we still go back and have an extra bite at the end of the day.” - Kate Evans (15:58-16:19)
The Birth of the Cosmic Crisp® Apple
The process of breeding a new apple is pretty straightforward. Researchers take two parents based on the qualities they’re looking to improve. They take the pollen from one variety and use it to pollenize the stigmas of the other variety to produce the seed resulting from that cross-breeding.
The apples they produce must demonstrate a level of robustness that helps them survive the refrigeration, packing, and other processes required to bring fruits to market.
The Cosmic Crisp® is the Best of Both Worlds
The Cosmic Crisp® apple was tested against the popular Gala and Honeycrisp apples, and researchers received positive results from consumers on the apple’s appearance, taste, and texture.
The apple stands out for its high level of juiciness, and the flavor of the Cosmic Crisp® apple is a balance between tartness and sweetness, giving consumers the best of both worlds.
The Cosmic Crisp® apple is a beautiful fruit. The fruit got its name from the deep red color of the apple combined with the white pores in the peel, giving consumers the impression of looking at the cosmos.
“We have tart apples, we have super sweet apples, and then we have the Cosmic Crisp®, which is the best of both worlds.”
- Lori Taylor (17:37-17:43)
The Cosmic Crisp® apple bakes well, but you can enjoy it raw or by adding slices to a charcuterie board to pair with your favorite cheeses. Another important characteristic of this apple is that it’s slow to oxidize, which means it won’t brown quickly.
The introduction of the Cosmic Crisp® apple is another example of the delicious new varieties of fruits making their way to local grocery stores.
As more consumers taste different varieties of apples and other fruits, they can expand their palates when it comes to choosing healthy fruits and vegetables. To learn more about the Cosmic Crisp® apple, visit www.cosmiccrisp.com to see what’s in store.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Growers are becoming smarter each and every day in their quest to raise the most flavorful food for us all.”Lori Taylor (15:09-15:17)
As we wind down another year and look to 2020, The Produce Moms team is taking a look back on our biggest takeaways, favorite podcast episodes, and industry trends to look out for.
“We're close to a perfect five-star rating. We have amazing reviews, and when I read them, it motivates me to stay dedicated to this platform. When we get that feedback from our audience, we know it's worth it.” - Lori Taylor (11:37-12:01)
We’ve done some amazing work this year with Kroger Health and supporting their mission to spread their message of health through their Fresh for Everyone initiative and other projects. We’ve added new brand partners and have had some breakthrough media opportunities, which is helping us reach an even larger audience.
The Fresh Summit, the Super Bowl of the fresh produce industry, brings all brands involved in the industry together to showcase their new products. We were so proud to be involved in the event and see the Produce Moms logo on the packaging of one of the Crunch Pak products. The company’s Apple Slices product is a perfect fit for our company and the audience we serve.
Most Memorable Moments of 2019 on The Produce Moms Podcast
The podcast is one of my favorite platforms for spreading our message of better health through fresh fruits and vegetables. It lets us highlight the remarkable people who are helping the industry achieve so much more.
Interviewing the founder and CEO of Hazel Technologies was a personal favorite podcast moment. Hazel Technologies is working to reduce food waste, which is a critical issue for the global food supply.
In other episodes, we discussed the process of recycling as well as how the produce industry is leading the way in packaging innovations. We highlighted the role that plastic can play in mitigating food waste—something that most people don’t understand.
We did an episode on the coconut fruit and its misclassification as a tree nut by the FDA, which is a big problem when you consider the impact this can have on food labeling. Fruits and Vegetables are Here to StayThe growing interest in plant-based eating is an indication that fruits and vegetables are here to stay. A trend to watch out for in 2020 is plant breeding that focuses on flavor first in a way that’s never been done before. Today’s growers are using new methods for enhancing the quality of the foods they produce and distribute.
Medjool dates have emerged as a healthy, satisfying, sweet, and natural treat. It's like nature's candy. If you've never tried a Medjool date, 2020 is your year to try them.” - Lori Taylor (12:58-13:13)
Jicama, celery juice, and dried fruits continue to become popular among health-conscious consumers. Herbs like basil are being recognized for their ability to make just about anything taste better.
Many people have reached out to The Produce Moms team about pomegranates. Most people’s experience with this delicious fruit is through drinking pomegranate juice. But the fruit’s small edible seeds can also be found in your local grocery store.
Reflecting on everything we’ve done this year gives us a tremendous feeling of gratitude. We could not be more thankful for everyone who supports the work we do here at The Produce Moms.
It takes a lot of passionate people bringing their talents to the table, and we look forward to what 2020 has in store for us and for you and your family.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We want to make sure that when consumers pick up an Applewood Fresh apple, they're getting the best eating experience for their money.”
Nick Mascari (16:04-16:13)
Farmers want to farm. They don't always want to get involved in the marketing and sale of their products.
Applewood Fresh works with family farmers to bring their products to market. They represent over 34 Michigan apple farmers, spanning 11,000 acres throughout the state of Michigan.
Nick Mascari, President of Applewood Fresh, grew up in the produce industry. His great uncle started a company that served as a distributor to restaurants and grocery stores. His father took over the business, giving Nick the chance to learn about the industry.
Nick went on to work for Chiquita and Dole before returning to the family business and then venturing out on his own. He soon landed in Michigan as the Vice-President of sales and marketing for Applewood Fresh before becoming its President and a managing partner.
Growing Apples in the Midwest
The nutrient-rich soil found in Michigan is optimal for growing apples and other agriculture products. The area’s unique climate protects the fragile spring buds, which can extend the growing season into late fall.
“Sunny days and cool nights sharpen the apple’s flavor, color, and crisp bite. What you get in Michigan is a tasty, juicy, crunch-packed apple-eating experience.” - Nick Mascari (9:53-10:06)
Applewood Fresh has three packing facilities in Michigan. They distribute to 20 states, including major retail chains, food service companies, universities, and hospitals.
Applewood Fresh grows 21 varieties of apples. But their Kanzu, Rave, and Sweet Tango apples are what set the company apart from others in the industry.
A hybrid apple is a cross between two apples. Growers take a specific kind of apple and breed its characteristics with another to grow high-quality apples for consumers.
The Most Popular Apples on the Market
The Gala apple has become the most popular apple. But other apples like the Honey Crisp are also popular among consumers, and many growers are using the Honey Crisp as the parent for growing new varieties.
“When you choose an Applewood Fresh apple, you're making an excellent choice.” - Lori Taylor (15:32-15:35)
If you can’t keep up with all the different apples that appear on the market, the first step is to know what you like. Here’s a good rule of thumb: Try them all and find your favorite.
You can find Applewood Fresh apples in Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, and other major retailers.
Applewood Fresh wants you to explore the apples at your local grocery stores. There are so many varieties that range from tart to sweet and everything in between. Try them all and try them often.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
Transcript available here:
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“Without exception, I’ve never talked about Brighter Bites and not had someone say, ‘That's amazing. I want to support that. I want to be a part of that.’”Rich Dachman (22:09-22:23)
Rich Dachman is the former vice-president of produce for Sysco and was an executive at Sysco for almost three decades. He is now the CEO of the Brighter Brights.
The road that led him to Brighter Bites started with a newspaper article he read about a Lisa Helfman, a woman on a mission to bring more fruits and vegetables to families. After spending so many years in the produce industry, Rich saw this new opportunity as a higher calling to make a difference in the lives of others.
“It's pretty much impossible to be healthy if you don't eat fruits and vegetables.” - Rich Dachman (2:49-2:56)
Rich connected with the Brighter Bites founders Lisa Helfman and Dr. Shreela Sharma and was soon on the board of directors before ultimately becoming the CEO and running the organization. He’s playing a major role in carrying out the non-profit’s mantra and ethos: Creating communities of health through fresh food.
Brighter Bites mission focuses on behavioral changes that support health. When Lisa Helfman first started Brighter Bites, she wanted to start a food co-op to give out produce to families at schools. Over time, Brighter Bites began partnering with food banks around the country.
They now provide fresh and healthy produce to families through schools alongside a nutrition education program that helps students and their families understand the essentials of healthy eating.
“The produce industry is a higher-calling industry. It’s a mission-driven industry. We’re supplying the world with the most nutrient-dense food....period.” - Lori Taylor (03:52-4:05)
Brighter Bites started in one school, and now it’s in over a hundred schools. A project that started with just a few families now reaches over 25,000 families with that number continuing to grow.
The Impact Brighter Bites is Making to the Fresh Produce Industry
Businesses in the produce industry tend to focus on consumption...both for business and public health reasons.
Brighter Bites wants people to eat more fruits and vegetables as part of the goal of combating obesity and diabetes, especially in children.
Brighter Bites is the only non-profit program that actually gives the food to the families, educates them on health, and has a direct impact on their wellbeing.
Brighter Bites is focusing on making healthy eating fun. They’re helping food-insecure communities get the nutrition they need. Creating a community around health makes the process of giving food to families an extraordinary experience for the organization, its volunteers, teachers, and parents.
The services that Brighter Bites provides is free to families. They organization welcomes donations on their website and offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities.
When people read about Brighter Bites, when they hear about it and see it, they want to get behind it.
Brighter Bites is creating consumers for the produce industry in a sustainable way. Schools and their families continue to eat fruits and vegetables long after they’re no longer in the program. Creating new consumers is good for health and for humanity. It’s good for the entire produce industry.
How to get involved
- You can learn more about Brighter Bites and their mission by visiting their website at www.brighterbites.org.
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Sunbelt is really focused on three things: food, people, and relationships. When we hire people, we want to make sure that people fit that culture.” Stacy Ward (14:13-14:21)
Stacy Ward is on the executive board of Coastal Sunbelt Produce. With decades of experience under her belt, Stacy is a super-focused and disciplined professional and mom, and she loves produce.
After working for Sysco, Stacy met a salesperson for Coastal Sunbelt who thought she would be a good fit for their company.
She knew it would be something different and a new challenge for her. At the time, Sunbelt was a small company, and Stacy was hired to manage a contract for a hotel division—something the company had never done before.
“I didn't ever dream that I wanted to be in the produce industry. But this is a great industry. There are so many different things that one person can do in this industry.” - Stacy Ward (9:58-10:13)
Stacy’s Path to Leadership in the Produce Industry
Within the first three to five years of managing that division, it was tremendously successful. The company was soon taking over 60% of the market in their area. They started hiring more people and expanding. The hotel division is now well over $25 million in annual sales. Stacy has worked her way up to having a seat in the boardroom and becoming a partner.
In 2008, Stacy had the opportunity to manage more contract business in their multi-unit chain business. She had no idea what she was doing. but she was willing to learn and work hard every day to figure it all out.
In 2010, Stacy was awarded a position on the board. She worked closely with the CEO and the partners on that board. She showed them that she wanted to learn, and she quickly realized she’d found the right place and wanted to continue to grow.
Taking Care of the Coastal Sunbelt Team
Coastal Sunbelt takes care of its team members as well as it takes care of its customers. The company has an on-site nurse practitioner who employees can turn to for healthcare needs at no cost.
They provide a produce store where employees can grab some milk, eggs, or healthy produce.
“If we take care of our people and we take care of our customers, everything else will take care of itself.” - Stacy Ward (14:25-14:31)
The company’s traditional flag-raising ceremony recognizes the diversity of its team. It allows every employee’s home country to be represented at work. This is a source of pride for everyone whose flag is displayed.
The company has an open-door policy that allows everyone to have access to every executive, including the CEOs and company presidents.
At Coastal Sunbelt, everyone is treated equally and with respect. If you’re just starting your career in produce, or you’re considering getting started, Stacy reminds everyone of the importance of taking chances.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get involved. The more you learn, the bigger the impact you can make in the industry and the world.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“When you marry aquaculture and hydroponics, you get aquaponics.”Kurt Wagaman (5:04 - 5:09)
Kurt Wagaman is the GM at Superior Fresh, an industry-leading aquaponics facility specializing in leafy greens, Atlantic salmon, and Steelheads. Their facility is situated on a 720-acre native restoration property nestled in the Coulee Region of Wisconsin. Superior Fresh’s flagship facility is the largest of its kind, filled with state-of-the-art equipment and technology.
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics can be broken down into two separate technologies
Hydroponics, which is growing leafy greens in a greenhouse, and aquaculture, the practice of raising fish in a facility. When you marry the two, you get aquaponics.
Aquaponics lets companies like Superior Fresh get certified as organic and achieve rapid and sustainable growth.
Superior Fresh’s Incredible (and Sustainable) Output
Superior Fresh can produce 8 million pounds of leafy greens annually and 1.6 million pounds of fresh fish. They use a fraction of the land and water when compared to the same output from regular land and water farming.
Superior Fresh is the first landlocked Atlantic salmon farm in the United States using recirculating aquaculture technologies. Their state-of-the-art systems allow them to bring in certified disease-free eggs and have complete control of the life-cycle from hatch to harvest.
A Commitment to Sustainability
Superior Fresh isn’t backed by your regular venture capitalists. They’re funded by philanthropists who want to create an example of using aquaponics to grow large amounts of healthy foods in a way that is sustainable and beneficial to the local area.
Superior Fresh has led restoration efforts to the point where they’ve restored hundreds of acres of land and water to where they were a hundred years ago.
“Our commitment to sustainability carries as much gravity as one can possibly imagine from a startup.”
- Kurt Wagaman (12:48 - 12:59)
Superior Fresh is focused on nutrient recycling. The vast majority of the water they use is recycled and plays a role in farming for both their fish and leafy greens.
Superior Fresh supports local organizations, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as well as local high schools. They participate in focus study groups for the University of Wisconsin’s marketing programs.
“Superior Fresh is a solution to some of the threats and problems that agriculture is facing.” - Lori Taylor (9:24 - 9:33)
Two of the biggest threats facing agriculture are sustainability and the ability to feed an ever-growing global population. Superior Fresh addresses both of those problems by providing healthy nutritious (and delicious) food in a way that benefits the planet, and the local communities they operate in.
If you want to experience first-hand what Superior Fresh is offering, pick up some of their products at a local retailer near you.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Learn more about Superior Fresh.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Joy Bauer is passionate about inspiring children and people of all ages to eat the healthiest foods and live their best lives.”Lori Taylor (7:24 - 7:37)
Joy Bauer is one of America’s leading health authorities. She’s a New York Times number 1 best-selling author and the health and nutrition expert for NBC’s Today show.
Joy is also the host of the TV show Health and Happiness with Mayo Clinic. She’s a mother, and the author of Yummy Yoga, a new children’s book that promotes wellness, exercise, and glorifies fresh produce in a fun and artful way.
Fresh Produce: The Pinnacle of Living Your Best Life
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is essential to healthy living. They give us nutrients that include vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants.
“Fruits and vegetables are high in volume and low in calories. They fill you up without filling you out.” - Joy Bauer (8:08 - 8:15)
Health and Wellness is a Lifestyle Shift
Weight loss, health, and wellness require a lifestyle shift. You can maximize your results by setting goals and following a plan you can stick to long-term. Plan for choices that fit your lifestyle. Set short-term goals while creating a long-term vision of where you want your health to be.
Don’t beat yourself up about making mistakes, because they’re a necessary part of the journey. The key is to get back on track with your healthy lifestyle right away.
Inspiring Children to Make Healthy Choices
As a mother, Joy Bauer understands the importance of making healthy choices for children. Every parent wants their child to be comfortable, happy, healthy, and thriving.
“Yummy Yoga makes health education fun. It gets kids engaged and excited about making healthy choices.” - Joy Bauer (18:54 - 19:01)
But it can be hard to get kids to try new vegetables or go outside and move. This is especially true in today’s world of technology and over-stimulation from smartphones, tablets, and video games.
That’s what inspired Joy to write Yummy Yoga, a children’s book that makes health fun and engaging. It encourages kids to try things like yoga and new vegetables through interactive and innovative strategies.
Exercise has been shown to boost the immune system, enhance confidence, and improve general health. Yoga can help with focus and stress-reduction, which can improve a child’s quality of life.
The choices your family makes today will have a lasting impact on your health and wellness for years to come.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Check out JoyBauer.com for delicious produce recipes.
- Find out more about the children’s book Yummy Yoga.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Part of the obesity problem is that health care providers aren’t sufficiently trained to give the information patients need to make healthy choices.” -Dr. Amanda Velazquez
Dr. Amanda Velazquez is an obesity medicine doctor and a nutrition specialist, and she is board certified as an internal medicine doctor. Dr. Velazquez helps her patients with weight loss so they can improve their health and address medical conditions, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
“Let food be thy medicine.” - Hippocrates (The Father of Medicine)
The concept of food as medicine was first presented by Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician who is considered by some to be the father of medicine. But the topic of food doesn’t come up as often as it should when doctors are advising patients on treatment plans. The good news is that nutrition is becoming more mainstream in medicine. But there is still a long way to go.
“Be cautious how you take in media coverage of diet and weight loss programs. You need the support from your doctor and a trained professional.” - Lori Taylor
For some doctors like Dr. Velazquez, nutrition is a critical component of health. She gives food equal power as the medicines she prescribes when it comes to treating various ailments. She emphasizes the value of food in conversations with patients, so they can realize the power of nutrition in health.
What we eat plays a critical role in treating a wide range of ailments such as arthritis, diabetes, and excess body weight, among many others. The issue often is that many doctors are not well equipped with nutrition knowledge through their medical training.
An effective nutrition plan has to be unique and customized to each patient’s unique circumstances, taking into account various factors such as schedule, family life, budget, and other factors.
Obesity is not about body image, it’s a health crisis.
Carrying extra weight over a certain amount can be harmful to health. It can contribute to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, joint health issues like arthritis, and other ailments.
Weight is still a taboo topic, and many people who suffer from it don’t get to have the right conversation with their medical provider. With extra body weight, hormonal balance is disrupted, which can alter how the body functions.
You might experience changes in blood sugar. This can contribute to diabetes, prediabetes, and blood pressure issues. If left unchecked, things can progress to a point where organ systems are affected by the extra weight.
People who have gained a certain amount of weight can find it almost impossible to lose because their body doesn’t burn fat like it used to.
Obesity isn’t about body image, it’s a health crisis. We’re not trying to conform to unrealistic body image standards often portrayed in the media. We’re trying to maintain optimal health so we can be happy and energetic. You don’t need to lose 100 pounds. Just losing 10 percent of body weight can go a long way for people that are suffering from obesity.
How can fresh produce be the solution to the obesity crisis?
Consuming fresh fruits and veggies is a crucial component to addressing obesity. It’s one of the healthiest ways we can get macronutrients and micronutrients in our diet in a natural way. The body receives all the nutrition from food to nourish itself. This can affect our hormones, cardiovascular health, and metabolism.
“Don’t strive for a perfect body image. Instead, focus on improving your health.” - Amanda Velazquez
Talk to a medical provider who can guide you with a nutrition and exercise plan that will work for you. Taking small steps towards a healthier lifestyle can go a long way in developing sustainable habits and a healthy life for you and your family.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Connect with Dr. Amanda Velazquez on Instagram.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The Coconut Coalition of the Americas was founded in order to fight the negative perceptions of coconuts resulting from false reports.”Traci Kantowski (2:35 - 2:45)
Traci Kantowski, of the Coconut Coalition of the Americas (CCA), has over eighteen years of marketing communications experience in corporate and non-profit sectors. She’s leading the CCA’s communication efforts to develop educational materials, promote the organization throughout social media, conduct media outreach.
The Coconut Coalition of the Americas
The Coconut Coalition of the Americas (CCA) consists of coconut manufacturers, growers, and various other stakeholders. Its purpose is to combat the negative perceptions that result from false reports about health risks. The CCA is currently focused on removing coconuts from the FDA’s list of major food allergens.
They educate the public about the numerous health benefits of coconuts and coconut oil. Coconut water is delicious, and it’s rich in electrolytes needed for hydration. Coconut oil is a healthy source of dietary fat, low in calories, and can add flavor to most of your meals.
What’s So Great About Coconuts?
Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which can kill harmful bacteria and viruses. Coconut also promotes healthy cholesterol levels, and it might support brain health. If that wasn’t enough, you could use it topically for healthy, supple skin. So, why does the CCA need to fight negative perceptions about coconuts?
The FDA’s Major Food Allergens List and FALCPA
The FDA identified the foods that are responsible for 90 percent of the food allergies that people have. Things like milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and others.
In August 2004, they enacted the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) to help consumers avoid these foods.
“The biggest thing hurting the produce industry is a perpetual state of consumer confusion. Sometimes, we can’t even get the labeling right to identify food items correctly.” - Lori Taylor (8:14 - 8:42)
The FALCPA is a critical resource for many people that live with food allergies because they have no cure, and the health consequences can be severe.
Coconuts have been wrongly classified as tree nuts. In fact, they’re in a similar category as cherries, plums, and many others.
This has had a cascading effect on consumers and manufacturers of coconut products. Even if a coconut product doesn’t contain tree nuts, manufacturers of products that contain coconut still have to mention that it includes tree nuts in the labeling. As a result, people with tree nut allergies avoid coconuts.
Manufacturers may avoid using coconuts so they don’t have to avoid mentioning tree nuts on their labels. They might use palm oil, which has more calories and is less beneficial to health than coconut oil.
There may be some individuals who have minor allergic reactions to coconuts, but that’s no different from other fruits. Some people have allergies strawberries, watermelons, bananas, and other common fruits. But, most people who have tree nut allergies can safely consume coconuts and enjoy the health benefits they provide.
What the CCA is Doing to Update the FALCPA
The CCA is focused on spreading the message that coconuts aren’t tree nuts. They're working with allergen advocacy groups to set the record straight about coconuts.
But, the most significant project they’ve undertaken is the Allergen project. It’s a citizen petition to remove coconuts from the FDA list of allergens. It’s also one of the best ways to get the FDA’s attention because they’re legally required to respond to citizen petitions.
“People with food allergies already have to limit what they can consume. It’s a shame if they have to miss out on the beneficial nutrients available in coconuts.” - Traci Kantowski (12:31 - 12:43)
If you’re interested in being a part of correcting a mistake that’s preventing countless people from enjoying the benefits of coconuts, please take the time to visit the CCA and support their efforts today.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- For more information about coconuts, and to support the Allergen Project citizen’s petition, visit the Coconut Coalition of the Americas.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We’re transforming agriculture by enabling local production within farms in major cities...where the people are.”Marc Oshima (2:07 - 2:13)
Marc Oshima is the co-founder and CMO of AeroFarms, one of the most innovative companies in the world, according to Fast Company. They were selected as a winner in Environment for the 2018 World Technology Awards.
AeroFarms disrupts traditional supply chains by building farms on major distribution routes and near population centers.
What is AeroFarms all about?
AeroFarms is on a mission to transform agriculture by building and operating environmentally responsible farms throughout the world. They enable local production at scale to nourish our communities with safe, nutritious, and delicious food.
They’re a global leader when it comes to local, delicious, and nutritious produce grown indoors without sun or soil. AeroFarms is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, and they’ve built nine indoor farms to date.
“Our primary focus should be to develop delicious food products. At the end of the day, it’s not nutrition until it’s eaten, and no one is going to choose food that doesn’t taste good.”
- Lori Taylor (7:45 - 7:59)
AeroFarms is a mission-driven organization that aims to grow the best produce possible for the benefit of humanity. They’ve developed patented and award-winning aeroponic technology (the process of growing plants in the air without the use of soil) that provides the perfect environment for plants to grow.
They’re all about celebrating flavorful food and having a beneficial impact on people and the planet. AeroFarms isn’t just focused on the United States. They want to reach the entire world.
What is AeroFarms growing?
AeroFarms produces over 700 types of plants, including short-stem leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens. Growing indoors focuses on identifying where the business opportunities are and where AeroFarms can add value to the consumer.
A hundred years ago, there were almost five hundred varieties of lettuce available for people to consume. Now, that number is somewhere around forty. Having full control over the production process allows AeroFarms to re-introduce many of those varieties back to the market, adding richness in variety, flavor, and nutrition.
AeroFarms can grow short-stem leafy greens in less than fifteen days. They do this by having a deep understanding of plant biology and giving the plant what it needs with extreme precision.
They do all this with 95 percent less water than what’s required in a field farm. They don’t have to use pesticides since they’re growing indoors, minimizing the environmental impact and improving the health of the produce.
A global mission with a local focus.
An increase in production can go a long way in ensuring that there is enough food produced for the masses, which is one of the components of the mission. The world population is expected to hit nine billion by 2050, and traditional farming resources are declining.
“Buying local is the number one trend in retail. It’s even bigger than organic. People want to have a connection with their food. They want to know where it’s coming from.”
- Marc Oshima (12:52 - 13:01)
Even as they aim to feed the entire world, AeroFarms maintains a focus on the local community where they serve consumers. Being able to grow in cities where people live, they can provide consumers food that is sourced locally, while at the same time benefiting the local economy.
People want to buy local food even more than organic. And through their retail brand Dream Greens, AeroFarms hopes that you’ll soon be able to enjoy locally grown, pesticide-free, flavorful, and nutritious produce all year round.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Learn more about AeroFarms.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Onions are in every home and restaurant. They’re a part of everyone’s recipes, whether it’s a gourmet restaurant or grandma’s family recipe.”
Lori Taylor (4:13 - 4:26)
Jessica Peri is a fourth-generation farmer at Peri & Sons Farms, one of the leading onion growers in the country. Starting with only 100-acres in 1979, Peri & Sons Farms has experienced incredible growth while maintaining the company’s reputation as one of the most well respected family-owned onion farms in the industry.
“When people get a recipe that requires onions, they often go for yellow onions simply because that’s what their grandma used.”
- Jessica Peri (5:06 - 5:14)
Looking Beyond Yellow Onions
Whether it’s a chef at a fancy restaurant, or your grandma making her signature pasta dish, onions are a staple in most recipes. But American consumers often miss out on the variety of onions available on the market and their unique characteristics. Yellow onions may be your go-to choice because that’s what was used in your family growing up. Or, you might have never given it too much thought, and you just pick the yellow onions because they typically occupy the most shelf space at the store.
If that sounds familiar, then you may be missing out. There is a wide array of onions for you to choose from, including red onions, white onions, sweet ones, and others. But white onions are one of the most underrated onions available.
Why You Should Be Using More White Onions
White onions are one of the best types of onions for cooking. They’re flavorful, cook better, and don’t taste bitter. They can also add a crispy texture to the meal. The market for white onions is mostly untapped, and there’s a big opportunity to introduce white onions to consumers to broaden their cooking and taste horizons. White onions are widely used in Mexican, French, and Italian cuisines, which are known for their exceptional flavor.
“White onions are truly an untapped market. They cook better than yellow onions, have no bitter taste, and maintain a crispy texture.”
- Jessica Peri (5:20 - 5:32)
Consumers might not be using more white onions because they’re typically given a small section on grocery store shelves. But don’t let that stop you. Next time you’re at the store, choose some white onions and give them a try. You might be surprised by what you discover.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Connect with Peri & Sons Farms on their website, on LinkedIn, or on Instagram.
- Learn more about Peri and Sons Farm’s famous white onions.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Companies like Hazel Tech are a part of the solution to the global food waste crisis.”Lori Taylor (17:26 - 17:33)
Aiden Mouat is the CEO and co-founder of Hazel Technologies, a company passionate about saving resources and reducing global food waste, and they’re doing it in an eco-friendly way.
Food Waste is a Global Crisis
How can we produce enough food to give everyone around the world enough calories and adequate nutrition? With advancements in technology and agriculture, it’s still troubling to hear that there are people who don’t have access to enough food.
“Even though agriculture touches everyone on the planet, hasn’t been much progress in reducing pollution and waste when compared to other industries.”
- Aiden Mouat (2:02 - 2:26)
But did you know we already produce enough food to give everyone enough nutrition? The issue isn’t production, it’s the amount of food goes to waste. Approximately one-third of all the produce that’s harvested perishes before reaching the local market, the grocery store, or your dinner table.
Hazel Technologies Offers a Solution
Hazel Technologies is a Chicago-based company developing biotechnology for reducing waste in the agricultural supply chain. This extends the shelf life of perishable produce. The company is dedicated to solving the problem of food waste in an eco-friendly and sustainable way. Hazel Technologies is funded by the USDA, and they’re growing fast.
Hazel Technologies creates active packaging inserts that can be inserted into standard commercial packaging for produce. They’re placed in big produce storage units as they’re transported through the supply chain from the growers to the retail stores. While in the box, the insert time releases active materials into the atmosphere to increase the shelf life of the produce, significantly reducing the amount of food that is unnecessarily wasted each day.
The technology works with items like apples, pears, cherries, melons, okra, leafy greens, herbs, and even avocados. Hazel Tech plans to bring their products all the way to your kitchen countertops and refrigerators. How awesome would it be if you could eat half an avocado and store the rest with a tiny sachet and keep it fresh for days?
That’s precisely what they’re working on. Hazel Technologies recognizes that if they want to spread their technology through every level of the supply chain to extend shelf life for perishables, then they need to have a product that works at every level, from the grower to the consumer.
“If we want to reduce waste throughout the supply chain, from the growers to the consumers, then we need to have a product that works at every part of that chain.” - Aiden Mouat (15:17 - 15:30)
Food waste is a global crisis. Millions of people around the globe don’t have access to adequate nutrition, causing significant harm to the economy. Hazel
Technologies wants to bring waste down to zero through innovative solutions, and we can only hope more companies will follow their lead.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Check out Hazel Tech!
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
Eating Healthy on the Go With Alison Velázquez
“Fresh produce is not only a cornerstone of my brand. It’s a cornerstone to my own diet as well.”Alison Velázquez (6:45 - 6:53)
Drinkable soup is the newest food trend you definitely want to get in on. When you’re in a hurry for your eight o’clock meeting but haven’t eaten breakfast yet - what do you reach for? A thick Clif bar? Strawberry Pop-tarts?
Alison Velázquez is raising the bar for grab and go meals. The Chicagoan is the Founder and CEO of Skinny Souping, a line of drinkable plant-based soups designed for deliciousness hot or chilled. You can feed your body the real food it needs for optimum health.
“Most people struggle to survive on protein shakes and bars stashed in their cars. But what they really want are real veggies and real nutrition.” - Alison Velázquez (3:47-3:54)
Alison was born in Mexico City. When her family relocated to Chicago, they brought with them their traditional dishes. “Soup was always at the center of our table,” Alison remembers. Every meal was fresh and made from scratch.
As life got busier, Alison found it challenging to stick to her healthy values. There had to be a better alternative to protein smoothies for a quick grab and go meal.
Your Body Needs Real Food
Soup is filling and nutrient-dense. But it’s hardly been the first choice for a mess-free grab-and-go meal. Now you can enjoy it anywhere and anytime. Skinny Souping makes it easy for you to grab and go with their single-serve bottles (BPA-free of course). There are plenty of unique flavors for you to choose from like Lemon Broccoli Arugula and Red Pepper Chickpea Basil. Or you get your chef’s hat on and try out Alison’s personal recipes from her latest book.
Real food means fresh produce and veggies.
Skinny Souping only uses all-natural and simple ingredients. “The majority of the product in these soups are all fresh,” Alison states, “We’re really working to get as much local produce as possible.” The nutrition label doesn’t read like hieroglyphics. That’s because the Skinny Souping flavors are simple, vegan and gluten-free with no preservatives. A single-serve holds no more than 300 calories with less sodium than most soups on the market.
“Look for natural ingredients you know in your food products. The Spicy Super Greens soup has tons of fresh produce. I love it!”
- Lori Taylor (4:54 - 5:00)
You can find Skinny Souping at select stores. If you don’t see a store near you, then head to your local store and make a product request. Don’t underestimate the change you can make. The consumer's voice is powerful. Ditch the sugary and unfilling meals. Drink fresh today to look and feel your best.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- If you love soup, then follow Alison Velázquez on her website here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“A third to a half of all the food we produce is wasted. There's a food supply gap that we can begin to close and make an impact on if we just waste less.”Natalie Shuman - (4:58-5:12)
Apeel Sciences is one of the most buzz-worthy brands and products in the produce industry, agriculture, and the entire world. Natalie Shuman paved her path in the fresh produce industry. She’s the director of marketing for Apeel Sciences, a company developing a product line of solutions made from the materials found in the fruit we eat. They’ve created a peel that can increase the shelf life of the produce you find in your local grocery store, benefiting the entire supply chain all the way to consumers’ homes.
Apeel Sciences is making a tremendous impact on our global food supply chain and mitigating food waste. The demand on the global food supply is expected to increase by 70% between now and 2050, and we currently waste a third to a half of all the food we produce.
“You'll never feel bad about inspiring and encouraging people to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.” - Natalie Shuman (8:23-8:29)
The company has some of the smartest and innovative scientists and business people behind it. They love food and want to protect their families as they face threats to our global food system. They’re applying their knowledge and skills in the mission to find solutions that work with nature, not against it.
Apeel Sciences is elevating the produce industry and every human being that lives on this earth with a product that extends the shelf life of foods. The product is applied to produce in the post-harvest stage of the supply chain. This minimizes food waste from the time that the produce is packed and transported. It’s been tested and shown that it can double or triple the shelf life of foods.
“We can't take a bad piece of fruit and make it better. What we can do is take a great piece of fruit and extend the length of time that fruit can be consumed.” - Natalie Shuman (12:27-12:38)
Apeel Sciences is partnering with top growers and suppliers in the country and around the world to extend quality and freshness in foods. It’s helping increase sales for retailers who reduce the amount of food they have to throw out. This also indicates how consumers are responding, showing an even greater demand for produce solutions. The product is made from the materials that you can already find in the peels, seeds, and pulp of fresh fruits and vegetables. The product is a solution that uses food to protect food. Apeel Sciences products are making their way into many popular grocery stores. Their brand is proving to be an important one for agriculture and the world.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“People love CBD because it doesn’t get you high but has all the benefits of cannabis, including pain relief and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.”
Emily Kyle (5:04 - 5:20)
Emily Kyle is a registered dietician and holistic cannabis practitioner. She offers a compassionate, understanding holistic healthcare approach designed to fit each individual and their circumstances. Emily has a Master's of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from SUNY Oneonta and a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Nutrition Management from Rochester Institute of Technology. She helps others understand cannabis and CBD while giving them the resources they need to make decisions that support their health and wellbeing.
What is CBD, and how is it different from cannabis and marijuana?
Cannabis is a plant from which we get marijuana, hemp, and CBD. Marijuana and hemp are different strains of the cannabis plant, and they have different levels of THC in them. THC is the substance responsible for the high that people experience with marijuana. Hemp contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, and products derived from it are non-psychoactive, so they won’t get you high. Just like THC, CBD is another compound in the cannabis plant. CBD is the second-most abundant cannabinoid found in cannabis and is non-psychoactive when derived from hemp.
“Cannabis is the name of the plant from which we get marijuana, CBD, and hemp.” - Emily Kyle (3:27 - 3:39)
CBD has gained a lot of attention recently due to its potential health benefits. In 2018, Congress passed a law that lifted several federal restrictions on the cultivation and sale of hemp-derived products, including CBD. The biggest difference between CBD and marijuana is that CBD is non-psychoactive and won’t get you high. However, you can still get a lot of the health benefits of the cannabis plant.
How does CBD work, and what are its benefits?
CBD influences the endocannabinoid system, the human body’s own endogenous cannabinoids that regulate various critical functions like mood, sleep, pain, appetite, immune response, and others. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) consists of endocannabinoids, which are cannabis-like compounds produced by the human body, and the cannabinoid receptors that are present throughout the nervous and immune system.
People can experience the benefits of CBD when addressing pain management, anxiety, and depression. It can aid in the treatment of autoimmune disorders due to the endocannabinoid system’s role in regulating immune response and inflammation.
What’s the best way to take CBD?
One of the best ways to take CBD to ensure maximum absorption is through a tincture. You simply place a desired amount of CBD underneath the tongue, and it gets absorbed into the body. It’s estimated that CBD has a 30 percent bioavailability through tinctures. Other common ways people take CBD is by eating CBD products, taking capsules, or applying it topically as a cream or lotion.
How do I know if my CBD is high in quality?
Here are four things you can look for to ensure that you’re getting high-quality CBD.
- Made in America - Look for CBD that is sourced from organic hemp grown in the USA.
- Extraction Method - Supercritical CO2 is currently the gold standard in extraction methods.
- Ingredients - It is ok for the CBD to be blended with carrier oils like MCT oil and hemp oil, but avoid CBD products with fillers or other artificial additives.
- Third-Party Tested - Look for third-party verified lab tests that verify the potency and purity of your CBD.
“There’s a lot of gray area when it comes to CBD regulation. People need to do their own research to make sure that what they’re buying is legal, safe, and effective.” - Lori Taylor (10:44 - 10:52)
Although hemp-derived CBD is legal to purchase at a federal level, the laws regulating CBD vary from state to state. Please be sure to check your local state laws before purchasing CBD. Knowing what to look for and getting the best quality CBD products can help you get the health benefits that CBD has to offer.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- For more information about CBD, as well as learning resources and community, check out Emily’s website.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Krissy Farms brand is about putting together food, fun, families, and farms. It’s a lifestyle brand that promotes health and wellness from the very first bite.”Kristyn Lawson (7:58-8:15)
The food mothers feed their babies lays the foundation for long-term health. Organic food products sourced from high-quality produce are essential to their development. Kristyn Lawson is the founder and CEO of Krissy Farms, an organic food line for babies that parents will soon find in their local grocery stores. Products like these are disrupting the baby food market and improving the ways parents can connect their children with delicious and healthy produce.
“My whole produce career has been about engaging shoppers and people in the produce industry and doing things that make food more accessible, easy, and flavorful.” - Kristyn Lawson (4:52-5:03)
The birth of Krissy Farms.
The idea for Krissy Farms came about 10 years ago when Kristyn saw a void in the baby food market. Working in the food industry, Kristyn saw new products being introduced while always expecting someone to develop amazing baby puree products. But those products never appeared. So Kristyn took it upon herself to develop and market foods that focus on delivering fresh fruits and vegetables for everyone at every age. Kristyn’s grandparents owned a farm, giving her the ideal environment for learning the value of fresh produce.
Kristyn’s work in the produce industry guided her towards developing her own organic food line for babies. Kristyn knew that many food products fell short in delivering the nutrition babies need and the flavors that influence healthy eating. Some products had soapy or strange flavors. Knowing that a person’s taste buds develop early in life, Kristyn saw the importance of delivering the foods babies would enjoy.
Great tasting food starts with vegetables and fruit.
Over 4 million babies are born each year, leading to a tremendous opportunity for Krissy Farms to make a positive impact on their future. Their organic baby food line is just one example of how today’s food companies can support the relationship people have with the foods they eat. Mothers want to know that the foods they put in their babies’ mouths are responsibly sourced. Kristyn’s experience in the food industry taught her the importance of food sourcing. She learned how the growth and harvesting process can impact a food’s flavor. So when it came time to create Krissy Farms line of baby food products, she knew that great tasting food starts with fresh vegetables and fruit. Krissy Farms is launching six flavors consisting of three sweet and three savory options. This gives parents the flexibility they need to ensure that their children have the variety and great taste they need to grow up healthy.
“If you're going to spend your money anywhere in the grocery store, make sure you're spending your money in the produce department first.” - Lori Taylor (12:34-12:38)
Organic baby food products support mothers who are making an effort to provide delicious and nutritious foods to their families. There’s not always enough time to prepare food from scratch. So choosing organic food products offers a convenience that helps parents deliver the nutrients their children need. Health-conscious moms know that if we’re going to spend money on groceries, we need to spend the majority of it in the produce department. Krissy Farms will make its way to grocery store shelves by the end of this year with coast-to-coast distribution on the horizon in 2020! Having a brand like Krissy Farms provides the perfect option to feeding our children, giving us security and confidence that our little ones are getting the best foods available.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“If we integrate more women and balance the boardroom, then we can have a huge impact on the environment.”Julie Escobar (11:34 - 11:46)
The International Mission of Global Women Fresh
Julie Escobar has worked on an international scale with growers, consumers, and retailers in the agricultural industry for the past 20 years. Throughout her business expeditions in Latin America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, one factor remained constant: There were almost never any other female representatives present at sit-down meetings.
Where were all the women? This question led Julie and two close friends, Viviane Schappo and Monica Bratuti, to establish Global Women Fresh. Their goal is to help women, like you, take stronger positions in the industry for a better future in fresh produce.
“We really wanted to take it to the next level and unite people from Latin America, Europe, the U.S.A., and Asia together on one platform.” - Julie Escobar (3:40 - 3:50)
Connecting, Inspiring, and Empowering Women Across the World in Agriculture
Global Women Fresh is the first global network created by women and for women in agriculture.
Connect. Lack of capital is the biggest reason women-led businesses fail to succeed in agriculture. Global Women Fresh overcomes this obstacle by strategically networking and connecting investors. They bring in private equity groups and partner with financial institutions that educate, guide, and provide loans. Global Women Fresh also utilizes recruiting agencies and talent incubators to generate more jobs and opportunities for women everywhere.
Inspire. Global Women Fresh fosters open conversations on urgent current events. The non-profit organization specifically focuses on five pillars: Food Waste, Sustainability, Social Impact, Technology, and Innovation. Discussions are inclusive to every tier of the industry, from farmers to executives. Together, we can build a better economy and face the issues of our industry.
Empower. When you walk into a grocery store, you’re likely to see more mothers than fathers pushing carts down the aisle. Between 80% to 90% of shoppers are women. That’s right! We make most of the consumer-based decisions in our homes. Imagine what would happen if you, and more women, directly stepped into a place of responsibility and power in the produce supply chain?
“Food is there for women, whether you’re sitting in Indianapolis, Indiana, Los Angeles, California or South Africa. It’s the common denominator and love language around the world.”
- Lori Taylor (17:24 - 17:40)
Food brings us together in times of celebration and grief. But the vegetables and fruits brought to the table need to be handled and monitored more responsibly. You can have a direct impact on and in the produce supply chain.
Are you ready to join Julie and her team? Don’t be shy! The industry needs women like you. Head over to www.globalwomenfresh.com to send an email and learn more about how you can get involved.
Represent and lead. The future of agriculture is counting on you.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Elisabeth Watkins is 18 years old. She is the Founder of Farm Girl Chef and she won Chopped Junior on Food Network when she was a freshman in high school!”Lori Taylor (0:48 - 0:55)
Elisabeth Watkins from Farm Girl Chef.
Elisabeth Watkins is only 18, but she has already accomplished so much. She won Chopped Junior, a reality-based cooking television game show on the Food Network when she was a freshman in high school. Elisabeth has won numerous awards, including the Youth in Action: Healthy Living 4-H. She is a mainstay on live TV in the Sacramento area, appearing over 50 times. She is also the Founder of Farm Girl Chef, a blog that works to reconnect consumers to where their food comes from.
“The mission of Farm Girl Chef is to reconnect consumers to where their food comes from and how its produced.”
- Elisabeth Watkins (6:08 - 6:14)
Having grown up on a farm in Linden, California, Elisabeth is intimately familiar with the diversity of agriculture in the state. She grew up all around specialty produce commodities like walnuts, almonds, cherries, peaches, and she naturally grew an inclination to start cooking with a wide variety of fresh-grown ingredients. Now, Elisabeth has been able to take her passion for cooking with locally grown produce and turn it into a communications business. She teaches consumers about food grown in California through appearances on local television, radio, and through her blog.
Farm Girl Chef’s mission.
Growing up, Elisabeth was surrounded by farmers. Her family is full of farmers, and all her neighbors are farmers as well. Needless to say, she has witnessed first-hand the amount of effort farmers put it to make sure that our food is safe for consumption and of the highest quality. She also knows that the farmers don’t have the time to educate the consumers about the benefits of buying locally grown produce.
For that reason, Elisabeth Founded Farm Girl Chef to reconnect consumers to where their food comes from and how its produced. She also wants to inspire people to get back in the kitchen and cook with fresh ingredients.
Elisabeth’s favorite produce items.
When she’s on TV in Sacramento, or when she’s posting a recipe on her blog, Elisabeth focuses on ingredients that are in season. Also, the more unusual or under-the-radar the produce item, the better. For example, California used to grow a lot of asparagus, but due to various reasons, now there’s only one grower left in the state. So, Elisabeth has been trying to do her part to promote asparagus.
Besides in-season and under-the-radar produce items, Elisabeth has a thing for brussel-sprouts. She’s also a fan of eggplants, and she has been known to cook up some delicious eggplant lasagna from time to time.
“I want to inspire people to get back in the kitchen and cook with fresh ingredients.” - Elisabeth Watkins (6:48 - 6:53)
If you’re interested in learning more about produce that is grown in California, as well as across America, be sure to check out Farm Girl Chef. You will also learn about Elisabeth’s farm background, and find some delicious recipes that are sure to be a hit at your next party.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Connect with Elisabeth on Farm Girl Chef, on Pinterest, or on Instagram.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We have to trust in the capacity of women, not only to farm and to have kids, but to run families and … nations, and the next generation.”Lorena Muro (9:02-9:11)
Lorena Muro is a powerful force, elevating females in agriculture, specifically within the fresh produce sector. She is the CEO of Mama Pacha, a ten-year-old company from Peru which exports organic superfoods from the Amazon highland, especially organic ginger and turmeric.
Lorena loves being part of the produce industry. She believes that the value she can bring to the table is the voice of all the women doing hard-working jobs in the jungle and who are not being heard.
“In order for a Peruvian woman to stand on her own feet and take care of her family - especially when there isn’t a man around - we have to give her opportunities to grow economically.”
- Lorena Muro (8:38-8:47)
After analyzing the situation of the 100 women who work in their processing facility in Peru, Lorena and Mama Pacha discovered that many of these women are single mothers who rent out their farms.
By opening a school to provide education and care for their children while their mothers work, Mama Pacha assists these women in managing their businesses growing ginger on the farms they already own. They then sell the ginger to Mama Pacha while continuing to work in the processing facilities.
Seventy percent of the volume of ginger that Mama Pacha now distributes to the United States has been managed directly by women. Lorena believes that there no better empowerment they can give to these women than that of economic empowerment.
The Special Meaning of the Name, “Mama Pacha”
In the Inca language, “Mama Pacha” means “Mother Earth.” Mother Earth is the energy that provides and sustains life on this planet. The mission of the company is to protect the overall health of life. Mama Pacha is embracing the female creative power that exists in men as well as women in an effort to reduce the gender gap and provide greater opportunities for everyone.
“I personally consume a lot of ginger, because it makes me feel better. I juice ginger, and grate it into my vegetable dishes... let’s talk about what makes it such a great choice for health and wellness.” - Lori Taylor (11:40-12:15)
What Makes Peruvian Ginger a Good Choice for Health and Wellness
The ecosystem in the highland Amazon jungle where Peruvian ginger grows allows it to have three times the essential oil concentration than any other ginger in the world. This means that it also provides three times the anti-inflammatory effect as ginger grown in other regions.
Lorena’s Mission
Lorena has a passion for helping Peruvian women understand that this is a beautiful and responsible business to be in that will open doors for a lot of people. She believes that by women embracing their own power, energy, and beauty, they have the capacity to create life, transform generations, and make a better world for us to live.
What better way to do this than to provide our world with life-sustaining fresh produce?
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Plastic is not the problem. It’s plastic waste that is problematic.”Dave Beck (12:27 - 12:31)
Dave Beck is the National Sales Director at rPlanet Earth, a company dedicated to the mission of zero plastic waste on planet earth. rPlanet Earth is a well-capitalized, innovative manufacturer reusing post-consumer plastics as a feedstock to produce the highest quality packaging with the lowest carbon footprint.
The problem with eliminating plastic.
Today, the consensus seems to be that plastic is the enemy. Plastic isn’t biodegradable, like paper, and it can hang around in the environment for a long time. A lot of plastic waste ends up in the oceans, and it harms the ecosystem.
Contrary to what we may think, eliminating plastic isn’t the best answer. In the United States, we can easily access clean water, and we take it for granted. However, in many parts of the world, people rely on plastic bottles to keep their drinking water clean.
In America, plastic plays a vital role in keeping our produce fresh as it is transported from the growers to the consumer, and it prevents a significant amount of food waste. Eliminating plastic would cause produce prices to skyrocket, which might contribute to lower vegetable consumption and more diseases like obesity.
“Globally, human beings buy a million plastic bottles per minute. There are many parts of the world where people depend on plastic bottles for the basic life necessity of clean drinking water.” - Lori Taylor (10:38 - 10:57)
Plastic isn’t necessarily the problem. What’s problematic is how we reuse plastic, and how much of it is wasted. When you recycle plastic, it typically gets downcycled into things like carpet fiber. While that’s definitely better than the plastic ending up in the ocean, in an ideal world there would be a way to recycle a plastic bottle back into a bottle or container.
That’s precisely what the company rPlanet Earth aims to do. Their founding vision is to eliminate all plastic waste from the planet. They’ve integrated recycling and manufacturing under one roof.
Their founders recognized that too much of the plastic packaging that could be reused to make new plastic was ending up in landfills. Driven by their concern and care for the planet, the rPlanet Earth founders created a manufacturing process the reuses post-consumer plastics as the raw material to produce the highest quality packaging with the lowest carbon footprint.
How rPlanet Earth is combating plastic waste for sustainability.
rPlanet Earth collects the plastic bottles and food containers the consumers throw away. They extract the PET, the type of plastic most widely used in consumer packaging products, from the waste and run it through an intensive wash cycle. Through this process, rPlanet Earth can re-produce plastic that is FDA-approved for use in creating food packaging.
Through their unique plastic processing techniques, rPlanet Earth can recycle plastic back into consumer products over and over again. So, they’re reducing waste, and the need to produce new plastic bottles and containers. rPlanet Earth has partnered with Plastic Recycling Corporation of California (PRCC), a non-profit organization, to source plastic waste from all over the state.
“The biggest technological breakthrough in PET plastic recycling, in recent years, has been the ability to boost all the physical properties of post-consumer plastic to a virgin state for an infinite number of times.” - Dave Beck (6:38 - 6:50)
For the sake of our planet, we need more organizations like rPlanet Earth to make elimination of plastic waste a priority. The responsibility doesn’t lie with business and government agencies alone. As citizens of planet Earth, we all have the duty to join together and help care for our planet.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- We only have one planet. To learn more about how rPlanet Earth is helping to make the world a better place, visit their website.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“In addition to a lot of international regions, especially in Latin America, in the United States, mangoes are grown in Florida, California, Hawaii, and in territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.”Eve Sapp (6:46 - 7:05)
Eve Sapp is a board member at the National Mango Board, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. She works to educate the U.S. consumer about the flavor, culture, and health benefits of mangos. Her family has an extensive agricultural background in the state of Florida, where Eve is currently a grower of domestic mangoes.
Mangoes are grown right here in America!
We tend to think of mango as an exotic fruit, one that is eaten in countries in Latin America or in South East Asia. While it's true that a lot of mangoes are grown in those regions, there are plenty of mango growers right here in America. In the United States, mangoes are grown in Florida, California, Hawaii, and in territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
In South Florida, there are the farmers' markets in Ft. Lauderdale. In California, one can buy locally grown mangoes from farmers in Santa Monica. However, for reasons that still remain a mystery, mango consumption in America lags far behind when compared to most other regions in the world where mangoes are available.
“If you don’t like one variety of mango, try another. There’s definitely a mango out there that will move your soul.”
- Lori Taylor (10:42 - 10:45)
On this National Mango Day, let's try and change that. In this article, we'll take a look at how many varieties of mangoes there are, and how to select the best mangoes at the market.
What are some of the main varieties of mangoes?
There are currently 1600 (yes, that many) varieties of mangoes worldwide. And new ones are being cultivated even now. In American stores, assuming you're one of the people that do buy mangoes, you're probably most familiar with ones like Kent, Tommy Atkins, Ataulfo, and Champagne mangoes. Some of the lesser known, but still delicious and nutritious varieties are Hayden, Madam Francis, and Palmer.
The thing to note is that these mangoes have entirely different flavor profiles and characteristics. So, if you've only tried mangoes once or twice, and you weren't crazy about them, there are more than 1500 other varieties in the world for you to try. And we'd be willing to bet that one of them will move your soul.
What's the best way to select a mango when you're at the store?
While the abundance of mango varieties makes it more likely you'll find one that you love, it also makes it confusing when it comes to picking one at the grocery store. Should you select the green ones? Or is it best to go with the reddish ones? How do you know if they are ripe?
The answer is that you should follow a similar process as you would when you’re buying peaches or avocados. The fruit should have a bit of softness to indicate ripeness. Contrary to popular belief, color is not the right way to judge if the mango is ready to eat. We tend to associate redness with ripeness. But mangoes get red due to sun exposure. A ripe mango could be green, yellow, or red.
If you’re looking for ways to prep mangoes to serve your family, be sure to check out the National Mango Board’s YouTube channel for ideas and inspiration.
“We think of mangoes as being an exotic fruit. And it is, in fact, grown in many places with what we might consider as colorful cultures. But the fruit is available in grocery stores and markets all around us, and we can bring that brightness and culture to our own homes.” - Eve Sapp (20:29 - 21:02)
Mango is really one of the fruits that is a unifying force around the world. Globally, it ranks number one in consumption. If you visit markets around the world, you’ll see mangoes everywhere. People are picking them, bargaining over their prices, and eating them.
While we may consider mangoes to be an exotic fruit, they are readily available in stores and markets around us. They can immediately add vibrancy to your recipes, not to mention they are incredibly nutritious.
This National Mango Day, get out there and fill up your shopping basket with a few different varieties of mangoes!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Check out the National Mango Board’s website, and connect with them on Facebook and Instagram.
- For ideas and inspirations on how to prep and serve mangoes, check out The Mango Board’s YouTube channel.
- Connect with Eve on LinkedIn and stay up-to-date on her upcoming book about how mangoes exemplify the concept of food as culture.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Get into the kitchen and play. Get the children involved. Have them peel something or taste it when it’s raw... we're all in it together.”Brandon Fortener (31:32-32:06)
Brandon Fortener is the Product Development Chef for the Kroger company, which is the nation’s largest supermarket retailer. Produce is one of the first things that Kroger’s nine million daily customers see when they walk into the store.
Brandon is also a self-proclaimed Produce Dad and a big fan of The Produce Moms. He cooks a lot at home, which enables him to take all of those wonderful ingredients from Kroger’s produce department and create meals for his family.
“Food is culture. It’s how people celebrate. The more I meet people at Kroger, the more I’m seeing that alive within the Kroger team. -Lori Taylor (8:15-8:24)
Must-Know Produce Tips
Tip # 1: Taste it. As you’re cooking any produce, taste it when it’s still raw, then as it’s cooking, and again right before you serve it. The flavor and texture of produce changes as it is cooking. Tasting it as you go is the best way to observe how.
Tip # 2: Keep fresh produce around. If you keep fresh produce in your refrigerator and pantry, they will be available and easy to incorporate into your meals.
Tip # 3: Look at different ways to use produce as it’s going through its cycle. For example, when greens are young and tender, they’re really good raw and tossed with a little lemon juice and olive oil. But when they’re more mature, cook them and additional flavors such as apple cider vinegar, onion, and red pepper flakes.
Tip for Reducing Produce Waste
Kroger’s Zero Hunger/Zero Waste program is part of Kroger’s commitment to ending hunger in the communities they serve and to eliminating waste across their company.
One of Brandon’s tips for reducing produce waste is to throw the peelings and trimmings into a gallon ziplock bag. When it gets full, dump the bag’s contents into a pot of water and cook into vegetable stock.
“One in eight Americans struggle with hunger, but we’re throwing away 40% of our food.” - Brandon Fortener (17:35-17:41)
“Wilted to Wonderful” is a series within Kroger’s Zero Hunger/Zero Waste program that provides great recipes to transform produce that’s “on the edge” into delicious dishes.
Tips to Inspire Children to Eat More Produce
Tip 1: Be a good role model. Let your kids see that you’re eating fruits and veggies, which will inspire them to eat fruits and veggies, too.
Tip 2: Make it easy to eat. Buy pre-cut fruits and veggies or cut them up at the beginning of the week so they’re easy to pull out and eat. For produce that gets brown when cut, such as apple slices, toss with a little bit of lemon juice.
Tip 3: Cut produce into different shapes and sizes. When Lori switched from baby carrots to carrot “chips,” it increased her kids’ consumption of them.
Tip 4: Turn vegetables into sauces and purees. Carrots pureed into a sauce, for example, is wonderful. It’s such an easy way to “sneak” extra produce into your family’s meal.
Tip 5: Introduce kids at a young age to seasonings and extra flavor. Start with adding extra flavoring to something they already love. They may not love it the first time. Try again! Our children are growing and changing day by day, and may need another chance to adapt to a new flavor.
You can find many more tips from Brandon and his team at Kroger.com under the tab “Discover.” There you’ll see information about Zero Hunger/Zero Waste, Wilted to Wonderful videos, thousands of recipes, and many articles loaded with cooking tips.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
"Qi Gong helps us get into that flow state where we feel our best selves and bring our best selves into all the activities of our lives."Lee Holden (8:56-9:08)
Would you like to be able to release stress and gain energy in just a few minutes?
By practicing a form of ancient Chinese medicine called Qi Gong, you can do just that. It’s is an easy feel-good practice that can be done in just a short amount of time to access your internal energy and clear stress and tension out of your system.
Qi Gong involves stretching and breathing exercises along with flowing movements and is easier than either Yoga or Tai Chi. It is actually the most widely practiced form of exercise in the world - even though it’s not well-known in the western hemisphere.
Lee Holden, a doctor of Chinese medicine and a world-renowned teacher of Qi Gong, is working to change that. By bringing it to public television and working with corporations like Weight Watchers, Lee has been able to make Qi Gong more mainstream and accessible to westerners.
"What you've done is taken this ancient practice of Chinese medicine and translated into the modern western lifestyle."
- Lori Taylor (4:47-5:03)
The key to Qi Gong’s overall effectiveness is doing it consistently and habitually. Just as brushing your teeth is meant to be done at least twice a day, doing Qi Gong twice a day will bring the results you desire. Doing Qi breaks of seven minutes or so throughout the day recharges your whole system and makes you more efficient.
Lee often calls Qi Gong “mindfulness in motion.” By practicing Qi Gong, we can meet life's demands with relaxation and flow instead of stress and tension. Qi Gong is a means of gaining energy to flow with life's demands and not get stressed out, tense, and depleted.
Fruits and vegetables are the ultimate Qi.
In connecting Qi Gong to fresh produce and healthy eating, Lee emphasizes that eating is really about gaining energy (Qi) to give our bodies the sustenance it needs to perform. The Qi (energy) of food is important, which is why getting organic, locally produced, and good sources of fruits and veggies is so important. They give us that Qi that we need to get us through our days and keep us healthy.
"Our bodies have tremendous healing power. And if we remove the blocks and charge up the system, our bodies heal themselves."
- Lee Holden (23:41-23:50)
In our western mindset, we often think that we need to take something to make ourselves feel better. However, in the long run, taking something can create other problems. Having tools and resources to take charge of our own health and healing is tremendously empowering. The practice of Qi Gong is one of those tools.
Visit Lee’s website for 30-day Qi Gong challenge that only requires seven minutes of your time each day! It’s great for moms (and dads) to do with their kids each day to give everyone a nice dose of energy and stress relief. Qi Gong will give the whole family a wonderful resource to deal with all of life's demands.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“One of the things I love about Chadwick is that he understands and practices the idea that food is how life happens.”Lori Taylor (28:03 - 28:14)
Chadwick Boyd is a food and lifestyle expert. He is the host of Reel Food, the first food entertainment series in movie theaters nationwide. Chadwick also appears on TV shows like Hallmark’s Home & Family, Food Network's The Kitchen, and many other shows all across the country. Chadwick's Recipe Collection, Entertaining with Vegetables, is now in its 6th printing and was chosen by TED as one of the 78 books to help you recharge your life.
How Chadwick Boyd became a food and lifestyle expert.
Chadwick Boyd, one of America’s leading food and lifestyle experts, didn’t start out as a chef. He began as an actor, and his primary interest was in the area of arts throughout his teens and his early career. Chadwick didn't discover his passion for food until his late twenties. However, after falling in love with food, he has grown into a leader and an innovator in the culinary arts space. Not only is he excellent at what he does, fresh produce plays a vital part in the majority of his work!
“Regardless of age or background, food is the one thing that can connect us all.” - Chadwick Boyd (9:18 - 9:35)
As Chadwick grew in his knowledge of food and recognized the room for creativity within the craft, he began combining his cooking skills and his background in storytelling to create unique experiences for the audience. This innovative approach landed him on prominent networks like CBS, NBC, and the Food Network. Today, after 25 years, he continues to change the world through food and words for the millions of people through various media outlets.
How Chadwick Boyd is changing the world for good through food and words.
Reel Food - Reel Food is the first food entertainment series screened in movie theaters nationwide. Every month a new episode hits 15,000 movie screens across the country, reaching approximately 40 million people. Reel Food brings a little bit of knowledge and a whole lot of fun to the silver screen before the main show. Each episode aims to be playful, exciting, modern, and fresh, and they are only 1-3 minutes long.
Chadwick’s Mission - Chadwick’s mission is, “to change the world for good through food and words.” That purpose informs his work regardless of whether he is on HLM talking about watermelons, or if he is advising his clients at Campbell soup. He aims to tell a story around food that helps people be better, learn something new, and connect with food, because he understands how central food is to our lives.
Fresh Produce - Fresh produce accounts for around 65% of the entire body of Chadwick’s work. It’s not something he has to strive to accomplish. It happens naturally because of his love for fresh fruits and vegetables. He appreciates the opportunities the produce section offers in terms of flavors, nutrition, and creativity, and he is passionate about bringing those ideas to his audience. For example, one way Chadwick helps increase the value of broccoli is by slicing it and using the stalk, instead of chopping it off and losing half of the vegetable.
“I’m always looking for little ways to help people not only get more value, but to also play a little bit more with their produce.”
- Chadwick Boyd (19:35 - 19:45)
Food can be delicious, nutritious, and creative without being complicated. Simple tweaks to how we usually prepare our meals can enhance flavor, texture, and how much we enjoy them. If you want to impress the guests at your next dinner party, Chadwick’s recipes are a great place to start. And make sure to check the theaters near you to catch the next episode of Reel Food.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Check out Chadwick’s website for delicious and simple recipes.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The interest that consumers have in understanding where and how their food was grown is only going to increase.”Wendelyn Jones (30:51-31:01)
In 2017, Dow Chemical and DuPont Chemical merged with the intent of spinning out into three different companies. Its Agriculture Division forms a company known as Corteva Agriscience with a purpose to, “enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come.”
Dr. Wendelyn Jones is the Global Leader of Food Chain and Brand Protection at Corteva Agriscience. Lori was privileged to meet her at the Produce for Better Health Foundation Conference and found her to be a compelling presence who exemplifies leadership in action.
“I’m going to be a better steward of agriculture with what I’ve learned from Wendelyn, carrying that forward as we educate consumers on all of their top questions and inquiries as it relates to agriculture and fresh produce.” -Lori Taylor (36:16-36:26)
While the farmer is Corteva’s main customer, they understand that they need to enrich the lives of the consumer as well as the farmer. While they continue to do the work they’ve traditionally done as it applies to the farm, the products that come out of the farm in the harvest of fruits and vegetables is also important to them. Farming is ultimately about keeping people healthy, active, and well-fed, and Corteva plays a vital role in this end goal.
In addition to supplying the farmer with seeds, Corteva also supplies crop protection in the forms of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides - all important tools for the farmer in producing nutritious, pest-free fruits and vegetables. The farmer strategically applies these to both organic and conventional crops to protect them from insects, weeds, and diseases.
Corteva’s customer driven, global business service, Connext, links its seeds and crop protection products to farmers, food processors, food retailers, and ultimately, consumers. It provides leadership throughout the food supply chain to collaborate the work of the farmers, food processors, and retailers to meet the changing tastes and trends of the consumers.
Authenticating Products to Prevent Counterfeit and Illegal Products
About 10% of the seeds and crop protection products sold worldwide are fake, impacting sustainable development around the world and creating a serious threat to consumers. Corteva is committed to combating and stopping this criminal activity.
Authentic products go through intensive testing and regulatory evaluations before they are placed on the market, ensuring that the start of our food - the seeds that farmers plant and the care they give those plants - is genuine and authentic.
Counterfeit products don’t go through any of this testing, resulting in products that cause harm to the environment, to water, to food, and to farmer yield. Illegal products cost everyone billions of dollars.
Putting a stop to criminal activity requires a joint effort. All the players in the food and ag space need to be committed to buying and using only authentic products.
Blockchain is quickly becoming the standard in this effort. Blockchain is a list of digital records contained within a QR code or other kind of label tag which contains transaction data. When food processors, retailers, and consumers scan this code from a label on a product, they can trace that fruit or vegetable all the way back through the distribution channel and know what seeds and crop protection products the farmer used to produce it.
“We play a role in helping support the consumer availability of the needed quality, nutrition, and safety.”
- Wendelyn Jones (17:15-17:26)
If you want to find out more about Corteva, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. If you would like to connect with Dr. Wendelyn Jones on LinkedIn, feel free to reach out to her.
Wendelyn looks forward to accepting connections through The Produce Moms and to continuing to work with Lori in helping to drive change in food and agriculture.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“So much of life is centric to food, and being a picky eater can become problematic.”Lori Taylor (7:00 - 7:14)
Liz Weiss MS, RDN, is the Founder of Liz’s Healthy Table, where she shares healthy recipes and mealtime wisdom through blog posts, cooking videos, and podcasts. Liz has been passionate about healthy food and family nutrition for over 20 years. Her previous company, Meal Makeover Moms, received an incredible response from families and fellow health professionals over the years, and even won the 2015 Media Excellence Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics!
It is possible to overcome picky eating tendencies.
Almost all of us have picky eaters in our lives. It could be your kids, your spouse, or it could even be you that’s more particular about your food choices. Picky eating is entirely normal. It could be due to evolutionary reasons that we’re hardwired to be cautious about what we put into our bodies. While the tendency to be selective about food might have served us well in the caveman era, it does create some nutritional challenges in today’s world.
A recent survey of over 600 moms revealed that picky eating was their biggest challenge when it came to feeding fresh fruits and vegetables to their kids. That’s problematic because a diet rich in a wide variety of fresh produce is an essential element for a healthy life. And it’s not just about nutrition. Food plays a central role in our social and professional lives, and being too picky could cause problems in those areas as well.
“After surveying a community of over 600 moms, what we found was that picky eating was the biggest obstacle to getting kids to eat a healthy diet.” - Liz Weiss (8:57 - 9:13)
The good news is that there are strategies to overcome the tendency for picky eating. This is especially true for kids, but it could apply to adults as well. Below, we’ll share some tips for parents who might be wondering what they can do to get their kids to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Tips to help your kids overcome picky eating.
Don’t label your kids as picky eaters - The first thing you can do is you can stop calling your kids “picky eaters.” Instead, focus on the fresh produce items they do enjoy, even if it’s only a few. Maybe they only like berries, carrots, and watermelons. While the goal is to add new fruits and veggies to that list, whatever they currently eat is a great place to start. Remember, even something like guacamole, which most kids enjoy, is a fresh produce item you can start with.
“Build your own” nights - The more you involve your kids in the process of shopping and making meals, the more likely they’ll be to try new things. One creative way to get your kids excited about the meal preparation process is to turn it into an art project. Schedule nights where they “build” their own meals. Even if they prepare fun items like pizzas and tacos, you can make sure that some of the ingredients are healthy veggies.
Market nutrition to your kids - You can help your kids try new things by making it more fun for them. Assign a silly name to bell peppers, like “power peppers,” or take a sharpie and put a smiley face on a banana peel. One thing that works well with kids is to playfully pretend that you don’t want to share with fruits or veggies with them. If you act like you don’t want them to have any of your cucumber and hummus, it is sure to pique their curiosity.
“The more you can eat dinner together as a family, the more opportunities you have to be a role model. If you eat a lot of veggies, your kids are more likely to make similar choices.”
- Liz Weiss (21:40 - 21:49)
Remember that everyone is unique, and they respond to different things. While the tips mentioned above are an excellent place to start, it might require some experimenting on your part. The goal is to keep trying so that your children can eventually get to a point where they are comfortable with trying new things. When you have dinner as a family, you can lead by example. If they see you eating a lot of fruits and vegetables regularly, they’re more likely to emulate your behavior and start making healthier choices on their own.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- For a whole host of valuable resources like coloring cookbooks with healthy recipes, podcasts, and other freebies, check out Liz’s website.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The new generations of Millennials and Gen-Zers are passionate about the connection between food and agriculture, and they’re passionate about plant-based diets.”Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (5:18 - 5:29)
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN is the CEO and President of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). She is a leader within the agriculture and produce industry, and has re-invigorated PBH. Wendy has also played an integral role in creating the innovative ‘Have a Plant’ campaign that seeks to reshape how Americans eat so they can lead happier, healthier lives.
The ‘Have a Plant’ Campaign is Changing the Way America Eats
The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is an organization whose mission is to create an environment that encourages people to include fruits and vegetables with every meal they eat. They aim to educate and bring awareness to the public about the numerous benefits of eating a diet that is rich in fresh produce.
They’ve previously brought us the 5 A Day campaign that recommended that we eat at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health issues, based on advice from the World Health Organization (WHO). PBH was also behind the More Matters campaign, which recommended a higher amount of fresh produce for some Americans, based on updated research.
“As a member of the fresh produce industry, and as someone who has the privilege of working with farmers here in America as well as globally, I am very passionate about how we are going to take ownership of this plant-forward movement.”
- Lori Taylor (7:09 - 7:35)
While these campaigns succeeded in bringing awareness to Americans about the importance of eating fruits and veggies, they weren’t moving the needle on actual consumption in a significant way. ‘Have a Plant’ is the latest campaign from PBH that aims to not only educate consumers but also to encourage them to take action when it comes to consuming enough fresh produce.
Although the message of increased vegetable consumption can apply to everyone, the Have a Plant campaign is heavily focused on reaching the Millennial and Gen Z consumers. And given that almost 90 percent of Americans still don’t eat the recommended amount of fresh produce regularly, now is the perfect time for this new initiative from PBH. The ‘Have a Plant’ campaign is a call-to-action for consumers to make better consumption choices and improve their quality of life.
Addressing the Root
The Have a Plant campaign is not only based on nutrition science, but also on behavioral science. What researchers have found is that when people hear terms like “plant-based”, they often think of vegan or vegetarian diets. However, plant-based can include a variety of diets as long as fresh fruits and vegetables are an integral part of them. PBH has done extensive research on the psychology behind food consumption, and they have crafted the ‘Have a Plant’ campaign in a way that encourages consumers to take action when it comes to eating more fresh produce. The campaign seeks to invite people to make better food choices, instead of preaching to them, an approach more aligned with the preferences of the Millenials and Gen-Zers.
The Research Behind ‘Have a Plant’
Inspired by global research, PBH decided to take a more in-depth look into the conversations and behaviors that shape our daily food choices, and how they affect our quality of life. They leveraged data from social media and documented the food choice journeys of the younger people, their primary target for the ‘Have a Plant’ campaign. They found that more fresh produce people consume, both in terms of the number of days per week and the overall quantity, the more likely they are to experience higher life satisfaction and happiness. The research also looked into how certain food choices influenced the consumer’s emotions.
With all of the newly available data, PBH created the ‘Have a Plant’ campaign in a way that is focused on the consumer’s knowledge, emotions, and actions. Instead of only providing information about the benefits of fruits and veggies, which most people are already aware of, this new campaign aims to influence people to act on their knowledge, to eat more fresh produce, and live a happier and healthier life.
“Everything PBH will do going forward will be based on what the consumers know about plant-based diets, the emotions they feel, and the actions they take when it comes to food choices.”
- Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (26:33 - 26:44)
Most of us are still not eating the recommended amount of fresh produce regularly. This creates a perfect opportunity for the produce industry to join forces with an innovative campaign like ‘Have a Plant,’ and to take a leadership role as consumers keep shifting towards plant-forward diets. The American farmers that grow our fruits and veggies, the produce industry, and PBH all share a common purpose - to help consumers make better food choices so that they can live happier and healthier lives.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- To learn more about how PBH is helping consumers live healthier and happier lives, visit fruitsandveggies.org.
- Connect with Wendy and PBH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Food is one of the main things that glue our communities together, and the Latinos take that concept to a whole new level.”Sylvia Klinger (5:46 - 5:53)
Sylvia Klinger is a registered dietician (RD), the Founder of HispanicNutrition.com, and an industry thought leader when it comes to Hispanic nutrition. Listen to this week’s episode of The Produce Moms Podcast with Sylvia Klinger to learn more about the fresh produce consumption trends in the Latino community.
How Cultural Influences Affect Nutrition in the Hispanic Community
While we each have different needs when it comes to nutrition, our culture, family, and friends play a significant role in what we eat on a regular basis. Sharing meals is one of the primary ways we connect to those around us. This is especially true in the Hispanic community. Food is central to every celebration in the Latino community whether its a wedding, graduation party, or another one of their many fabulous festivities.
The rich food culture doesn't come without its challenges. Some of the most popular dishes in the Latino communities, while incredibly delicious, can be lacking in nutritional quality. They are often deep-fried and processed foods. Also, they may not contain an adequate amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are an essential element of a well-balanced diet. The key is to come up with ways to continue enjoying the cultural aspect of food without sacrificing nutritional requirements.
“Nielsen shopper data tells us that the Hispanic community is filling their grocery basket with more fresh produce than other shopper demographics.” - Lori Taylor (8:15 - 8:34)
There are, however, some positive trends. According to Nielsen shopper data, the Hispanic community is buying more fresh produce at the store when compared to other demographics. One of the reasons for this trend might be the fact that Hispanic shoppers often buy food to cook for the entire family, which could be eight to ten people. While the statistics are encouraging, there are still some challenges when it comes to enhancing the nutritional quality of the Hispanic cuisine.
The Barriers to Increasing Nutritional Quality in Hispanic Cuisine
Lack of Variety - As human beings, we are creatures of habit. Consequently, we often end up eating the same things repeatedly, and the Latino community is no different. When it comes to fresh produce consumption, they might only eat a couple of items on a regular basis. However, it’s more beneficial to consume a variety of fresh fruits and veggies to get a wide range of healthy nutrients.
Large Portions - With Hispanic food being as delicious as it is, overeating can be a natural by-product. Also, in the Latino community, it is customary to finish the entire plate, especially in a fun, social setting with friends and family. But that can lead to a variety of health conditions like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, among others.
Preparation Methods - Another nutritional challenge facing Hispanic cuisine is that a lot of their most popular preparations are deep-fried, sugary, or contain processed foods. Nutritionists within the Latino community are looking for ways they can transition eating habits and switch to a diet more abundant in fresh produce.
Quick and Easy Tips to Improve Nutrition in Hispanic Cuisine
There are a few easy changes that can be made to honor rich tradition of Hispanic cuisine, while still promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Add More Veggies - No matter what meal, there are always opportunities to add more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Make a vegetable smoothie with for an energy-boosting breakfast. Or add some leafy greens to your soup for lunch. You can also get creative and make some delicious snacks with jicamas, avocados, or other everyday Hispanic cuisine items.
Make Smaller Portions - Instead of cooking in a large tray, prepare smaller portions and serve them in little containers. This is especially helpful when it comes to the indulgent menu items in Hispanic cuisine.
Explain the Benefits - If your family is reluctant to eat more fruits and vegetables, help them learn about the specific benefits of eating a particular produce item. For example, you can tell them how eating berries or leafy greens will boost collagen production, and how great their skin will look because of it.
Make it Enjoyable - Eating an orange can become an experience. Learn to enjoy the aroma as you’re peeling the skin. Take in the bright color. The goal is to associate fun with eating fresh produce. This tip can be especially helpful when teaching kids to appreciate fruits and vegetables.
“As a nutritionist, my goal is to wow people with fruits and vegetables. I want to make sure that the food they want to eat the most is also the healthiest for them.” - Sylvia Klinger (17:34 - 17:46)
The Hispanic community isn’t the only one that could benefit from better nutrition. It is estimated that around 90% of Americans don’t get an adequate amount of fresh fruits and vegetables regularly, and it is contributing to a variety of health conditions in this country. So, regardless of whether you’re a part of the Hispanic community or not, just remember to add more fresh produce items to your shopping bag next time you’re at the store.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- To connect with Sylvia, check out her website, or follow her on Instagram.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We at The Produce Moms are working on being a comprehensive, authentic, and highly engaged resource to empower you in your journey to eat more fruits and vegetables.”Lori Taylor (31:10-31:23)
On the 50th episode of The Produce Mom’s podcast, we reached out to some of our partners, friends, fans, followers, and supporters to gather questions for Lori.
Question #1: Where does your passion for produce come from?
I studied abroad in college and was able to immerse myself in other cultures. One thing that stuck with me is how we’re all the same: we celebrate life with food. Every single occasion that is memorable- food is part of it. It’s a common thread that unites all of us.
Also, from working at the sales desk at Indianapolis Fruits selling fruits and vegetables to grocery stories of all different sizes, formats, and regions of the U.S., I realized that it doesn’t matter where someone lives, everyone wants produce.
Question #2: What was the most rewarding aspect of your work when you first started back at Indy Fruit?
The most rewarding moment was when I said to my bosses, “We should start a blog called The Produce Mom and base it loosely off my life as an industry professional and a mom,” and all of my bosses gave me the green light. They empowered that most vulnerable stage of any startup. I didn’t have the executive knowledge that I have today. Now, when I look back, I realize the graceful way they empowered this journey with their habitual support day after day for so many years. And then, they allowed me the opportunity to buy it and take it to where it is now.
Question # 3: What is the most rewarding thing about what we are doing now at The Produce Moms?
I’ve assembled a team that agrees and understands what it means to work for a mission-driven brand and work for a greater purpose - something that is solving a problem. That problem is that we are the most food-secure nation in the world and yet 90% of our population doesn’t eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. That’s a problem. It’s a health problem. It’s a problem for our farmers. And we know better.
So everything we do has to serve that mission and we as a team are committed to that.
The work that is most important is the work we do with schools. Empowering school employees and administration has been so uplifting. Nothing is better than seeing a kid try a fruit or a vegetable for the first time, or seeing a kid walk down the cafeteria line and be excited about the vegetable offering of the day, which is a recipe that we created at The Produce Moms.
“There are plenty of entities out there that share our mission. Our relationship with the growers and with the supply chain is one of the ways that we are unique. That being said, I think The Produce Moms is poised to be a lifestyle brand.” -Lori Taylor (17:31-17:50)
Question #4: What do you envision as the future of The Produce Moms and what do you want to accomplish in the future?
I’ve got a lot of big dreams and goals for this business. First of all, the work that we do to empower the supply chain will always remain at the helm of our core purpose and what motivates me as the executive and the founder of The Produce Moms. I want to make sure that we continue to serve as an extension of their internal marketing team, helping them tell their story to consumers, or creating innovative ways for them to connect with schools. That will always be the point of differentiation between The Produce Moms and everyone else. There are plenty of entities out there that share our mission. Our relationship with the growers and with the supply chain is one of the ways that we are unique.
That being said, I think The Produce Moms is poised to be a lifestyle brand. When you think about some of the best brands out there, the brands that move your soul when you see their products on the shelf, those are the brands that have created a lifestyle. They’ve created a movement, something that moves people’s souls. We at The Produce Moms are poised to be that brand for fresh produce. We are something that, in partnership with the growers and supply chain, can get people excited about fruits and vegetables. That’s what I’m working towards every day.
Question # 5: Balancing home and career is a problem for all moms. The Produce Moms has been growing by leaps and bounds, how do you balance it?
I don’t! What I hang onto is a quote that I learned in one of my continuing education courses, “There is no balance. There is only balancing.”
I remind myself of that probably 25 times a day, because by my standards, I’m always failing at something. I have this mental vision of buckets that represent each part of my life. I’ve got 100% and I visualize how I am going to divvy that up each day. Some days I have to put less in some buckets than other days. So be it.
Another thing is being mindful of how much I am present with my kids, as opposed to dwelling on the one day that I’m not.
Question # 6: What do your boys think about you being The Produce Mom and you spreading the message of eating more fruits and vegetables?
I’d say they’re used to it. It’s become part of our family culture. Kids are right there alongside their parents when there’s a family business.
Question # 7: What’s one simple step that anyone could take today to increase their fruit and vegetable intake?
We have a mantra at The Produce Moms,
“Try them all and find your favorite.”
You’re not going to find something new unless you actually taste it. Push yourself to try something that you’ve either never consumed before or you’ve consumed in the past but didn’t like. It’s proven that our taste buds change. You may start to like something that at former stages you didn’t like, so don’t give up trying.
Also, don’t beat yourself up. If you really like to dip your veggies in ranch, then dip your veggies in ranch. Don’t believe someone who tells you that it cancels out the fact that you’re eating veggies. That’s not true.
Apply that same concept with your children, and know that any time you serve a fruit or vegetable, you are doing a great job. Both of my children have a definite favorite, and sometimes that’s the only vegetable they will eat for an entire week. That’s okay. Yes, introduce new things as often as you can - we want to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in volume and variety - but if you have a stubborn kid who only likes one thing, that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Just serve their favorite and know you’re doing a great job, and they’re doing a great job by eating it.
Question # 8: What do you see as some of the biggest obstacles of increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables?
We are creatures of habit. Most households rotate the same menus over and over again. The big learning curve for many in consuming fruits and vegetables is how to select, how to store, and how to serve it. I think that is where education has to come in.
Question #9: With all the new formats and trends to the retail profile these days such as grocery apps, shopping online, home delivery, and meal kits, what solutions are being found in the produce department to improve selection and delivery in these formats?
It is certainly a data and insight-driven world. Your grocer is really just as much of a tech company as they are a food retailer, leveraging consumer insights as well as broader data to help identify what people actually want.
As an industry, we want fruits and vegetables to be an easy choice. Consumer data tells us that more than 70% of society says they want to eat more fruits and vegetables, but only about 10% actually eat the recommended amount on a daily basis. I think we’re going to see the produce industry innovate to make fruits and vegetables an easier choice.
We’re also going to see things evolve like ready-to-eat choices. Grocers will come up with strategies to compete with entities like DoorDash and Uber Eats which are new disruptors for the food retailer. The way that food service is competing with food retail is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.
Question # 10: If you could snap your fingers and magically change one big thing affecting the produce industry, what would it be?
Propaganda, no question. Pseudoscience and propaganda have absolutely plagued not just the fresh produce sector, but all of food and agriculture. One thing that motivates me every single day are people that are misinforming society.
All produce is good for you. Period. No questions asked. If you are shopping in the produce department, be very proud of that. If you’re eating fruits and vegetables, you’re putting more nutrition in your body than from any other food item available in that grocery store.
I would also shake the media and tell them to quit spreading this nonsense. Call me the next time you want someone to report on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen. Call someone who is actually a fact-based resource and that uses third party auditing and research to educate the general population.
Question # 11: Did you like veggies as a kid?
I liked them on my tacos! On taco night, I was always the one loading up my taco with every single topping my mom put out.
I was born in 1981 and remember when strawberries were something only available during the summer time. Retail and food access today is nothing like it was when I was growing up. That’s how quickly the food supply chain in America has changed.
One thing my parents did very well, was to always serve a vegetable at every meal, usually a green vegetable. Now we’re more educated and there’s more variety, so we can promote the rainbow.
Question # 12: “If veggies were people, which one would you pick to be your best friend?”
I’m a down-to-earth traditional person. I wouldn’t pick anyone too flashy or super trendy, so I’ll pick something that’s tried and true and that everyone would want on their veggie plate. So I’ll say celery.
Question # 13: We’ve all heard and seen pictures of the newest member of the Taylor family who is only a couple years old, “the produce pup,” Duke. What is Duke’s favorite fruit or veggie?
Duke is a massive Great Dane whose Instagram handle is #theproducepup. He looks just like Marmaduke and weighs about 180 pounds, but is the sweetest thing you’ll ever meet. Duke was raised on fruits and veggies. Sweet potatoes are probably his all-time favorite.
When Duke was in the rapid growth stage as a puppy, we were going through a 40-pound bag of dog food every week. So I did some research (we’ve got great content on The Produce Moms website about fruits and vegetables that are safe for dogs). I started putting foods like sweet potatoes, watermelon, and blueberries into his food bowl because it was a lot more cost effective and I knew he was getting the nutritious foods that he needed to grow.
“The work we do to empower the supply chain will always remain at the helm of our core purpose and is what motivates me as the executive and the founder of The Produce Moms.”
-Lori Taylor (16:24-16:38)
Question #14: This has been a fun 50th episode. What is one final word you’d like to say at this milestone?
Every single day of my life I’m inspired by the people we work with at The Produce Moms. I have great pride in knowing that we are doing work that helps feed the world and that helps people close that gap on the consumption discrepancies in the United States as it relates to fresh produce.
I’m motivated every day by messages from our fans and followers that say things like, “I served your recipe for my friend’s bridal shower and here's a photo of it; everyone loved it.” There’s nothing better than seeing what you work hard to produce being put into people’s lives.
The Produce Moms wouldn’t be what it is today without you! Thank you for taking the time to read, listen, and contribute to this community of Produce Moms. Don’t forget, there is a produce mom in all of us. Here’s to 50 more episodes!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Solving the problem of getting food from the ground to the dinner table is a pretty big job, and we have to do it right.”
- Chris Sutton
Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
Chris Sutton is the Sales Manager at the Salad Savoy Corporation. He is one of the most dynamic personalities in the produce industry, and he is passionate about bringing tasty and nutritious vegetables to dinner tables across America.
What is Salad Savoy?
Fresh fruits and vegetables are an essential element of a well-balanced and nutritious diet. Dieticians and physicians recommend that we get a wide array of fruits and veggies to maximize the nutrients we get to support various functions within the body. Some of the most nutrient-rich vegetables include kale and members of the Brassica family, like cauliflower and broccoli. Salad Savoy is a delicious vegetable that is a cross between kale and the Brassica genus, making it is a nutritional powerhouse.
Dubbed as a “sleeper superfood,” Salad Savoy has it all. The natural sugars in Salad Savoy give it a delicious sweet flavor, and its earthy texture is an excellent complement to other vegetables, like spinach, that have a silkier texture. It has a unique, vibrant color mix of violet and white, making sure that you get plenty of flavonoids. Salad Savoy is packed with vital nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K. It is also full of antioxidants, and helps reduce inflammation in the body.
“One of my favorite Salad Savoy recipes is a coleslaw we prepared as part of our summer series. We used a spicy chipotle dressing, and it is right up there with some of my favorite things to eat.”
- Lori Taylor (8:01 - 8:25)
What’s even better is that Salad Savoy is simple to prepare. You can saute it with some and garlic, or make delicious Salad Savoy chips, just like kale chips. There are countless other tasty Salad Savoy recipes.
John Moore is the Founder of the Salad Savoy Corporation. While on a trip to Sweden in 1983, he was inspired by what he saw and tasted, which led to the research and development of a new vegetable trademarked under the name Salad Savoy. Soon after, it was recognized by Venture magazine as one of the top new ideas of the year.
John is a dynamic salesman who is passionate about the food industry. He is also a visionary. He was able to predict that people would start eating vegetables with different colors long before it became a trend. Today, consumers are well aware that eating a variety of colors helps them get a wide range of flavonoids and antioxidants.
The Myth Surrounding Specialty Vegetables
Many people mistakenly think that specialty vegetables are artificially grown. They believe that cauliflower should always be white, and if it is orange, then it must have been injected with some sort of a chemical. But that is not the case! Growers have actually discovered how to use the plant breeding process to bring produce to life in a brand new way.
When growers notice anomalies in their crops that have specific desirable characteristics, they observe the plant, and keep an eye out for anomalies within their other crops. When they find multiple anomalies with desirable traits, they cross-pollinate between the plants to reproduce those traits. It’s a completely natural process, and the end result is a plant that has more of the taste, texture, and color that consumers desire.
“If you like broccoli and cauliflower with a little bit of honey on it, you’re going to love Salad Savoy.” - Chris Sutton (18:21 - 18:28)
As we become more conscious about the food that we put in our bodies, plants like Salad Savoy are expected to continue to rise in popularity. Today, more than ever, people are paying attention to the source and nutritional qualities of their food. We are growing in our understanding of the dangers of processed food and the transformational benefits of eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. As more people taste the delicious flavor of Salad Savoy and learn about the health benefits, it very well might become the next avocado. With its vibrant colors, it’s like Salad Savoy was made for Instagram!
Visit Salad Savoy’s website to learn more about their colorful history, and to find a distributor near you!
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“There’s quite a bit of scientific research that shows a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean plant-based proteins can be really conducive to fertility health.”Elizabeth Shaw (4:15 - 4:45)
Elizabeth Shaw is a registered dietician (RD), a certified personal trainer, and the Founder of Shaw’s Simple Swaps, where she provides fact-based nutrition advice. She is a regular contributor to major magazines like Parents Magazine, Fit Pregnancy, and more. Liz is extremely knowledgeable, and a real voice of authority when it comes to fertility nutrition. She is the co-author of the Amazon bestselling book Fertility Foods: 100+ Recipes to Nourish Your Body While Trying to Conceive. She is also the author of the brand new book The Stress-Free IVF Nutrition Guide.
Fresh fruits and vegetables can help you improve fertility health.
We know that proper nutrition is one of the primary foundations for a happy and healthy life. Eating a well-balanced diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables has been linked to numerous health benefits like lower blood pressure, better heart health, improved digestion, and more. But what about fertility? Is it possible to boost your reproductive health by adjusting your diet?
“We already know that omega-3 fatty acids are vital for heart and brain health. Now we’re seeing research connecting omega-3 consumption with fetal development and growth, especially in those first thousand days of life.” - Elizabeth Shaw (9:15 - 9:31)
Just like many other aspects of your health, eating a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables can, in fact, have a positive effect on your fertility. Some nutritionists even refer to fresh produce as “fertility foods.” In this article, we’ll explore some tips on how you can eat the right foods to boost your fertility, along with your overall health.
Both men and women can benefit from fertility foods.
A diet that is conducive to fertility can benefit both the father and the mother. Some studies have shown that foods that are high in antioxidants, like berries and kale, can boost sperm health in men. Although the research has been primarily focused on women so far, it takes both parents to create a life. With that in mind, future fathers would be well-advised to add antioxidant-rich fertility foods to their diets.
Three nutrients you can add to your diet to improve fertility.
Fertility is just one aspect of overall health. If you’re eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies regularly, you’re more likely to enjoy better health, which includes reproductive health. However, consuming more of the following three nutrients can specifically improve your fertility health.
Choline - Choline is an essential nutrient that is similar to vitamin B, but almost 90% of Americans aren’t getting enough of it. It plays a critical role in promoting health in all stages of life, but choline is particularly vital for the development of the fetal brain health. Egg yolks are one of the best sources of choline, along with dark leafy greens. One of the ways you can include more choline in your diet is by adding some steamed collard greens or spinach to your omelet for breakfast.
Omega-3 fatty acids - We know that omega-3 fatty acids are essential for keeping the heart and the brain healthy. We’re now discovering that it also plays a vital role in fetal health and development during the critical first thousand days of life. You can add more omega-3 in your diet by eating flax seeds and chia seeds, or by increasing your seafood consumption.
Fiber - Fiber is another vital nutrient when it comes to fertility health, but most Americans aren’t getting enough. Consuming adequate fiber will help your body remove excess hormones and keep your blood sugar balanced, keeping you feeling full longer. You can add more fiber in your diet by eating more fresh produce, both raw and cooked.
Can supplements replace natural food sources for essential nutrients?
The answer will vary depending on the person, and the nutrient in question, because different people process certain nutrients differently. For example, some people have a gene mutation which makes it difficult for them to break down and absorb folic acid. They require a methylated form of folic acid to be able to process it and use it to support fetal development and growth.
That being said, the general rule to follow is to try to get all of your nutrients from food sources first. Then you can use supplements as a safety net to cover any nutrients that might be missing from your diet.
“One thing we always recommend at The Produce Moms is to simplify the process by choosing a diet that has an abundance of fruits and vegetables, both in volume and variety.”
- Lori Taylor (16:46 - 16:58)
With all the conflicting information we see on the news and on social media, it can be easy to get confused about nutrition. It is now more essential than ever to follow credible sources, and to only consume science-based information. You can simplify the process by eating plenty of fresh produce. Make sure to include a variety of different fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains and lean proteins. That is your best bet for getting a wide array of nutrients to support all the functions in your body, including fertility.
Check out Elizabeth's book - The Stress-Free IVF Nutrition Guide. A one stop shop for your nutrition needs as you prepare for IVF or egg freezing. No gimmicks. Just sound science based advice by a trusted professional. Use the discount code "producemoms" for a special discount just for TPM! https://shawsimpleswaps.com/product/stress-free-ivf-nutrition-guide/ How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Connect with Liz on Instagram for nutrition advice, and also for fertility tips.
- Check out Liz’s website, Shaw’s Simple Swaps.
- Buy Liz’s Amazon bestselling Fertility Foods Cookbook.
- Buy Liz’s new book, The Stress-Free IVF Nutrition Guide.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We believe that it is not only our duty to be sustainable in our own operations, but also to motivate and inspire other businesses to do the same during this critical moment our planet is going through.”Hans Sauter (4:16 - 4:39)
Hans Sauter is the Senior Vice President of Research & Development and Agricultural Services at Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. He has over 30 years of experience in the produce industry, and he is responsible for developing programs to deal with Del Monte Fresh’s environmental impact consciously and efficiently. With Hans’ help, every day is Earth Day at Del Monte Fresh.
How Del Monte Fresh is promoting sustainability through its farming practices.
It’s that time of the year again - it’s time to celebrate Earth Day 2019. Earth Day is an annual event held in over 190 countries around the world in support of environmental protection. Since fresh produce and environmental sustainability go hand-in-hand, now is a great time to take a look at what Del Monte Fresh, one of the leading suppliers of fresh produce in the world, is doing to promote sustainability.
Del Monte Fresh views sustainability from a scientific point of view. They measure their processes to create awareness within their organization. They’ve also developed programs to deal with their environmental impact in the most conscious and efficient ways. Along with prioritizing ecological consciousness in their own farming practices, Del Monte Fresh believes they can also inspire other businesses to embrace sustainability in this crucial moment for the planet.
“When it comes to sustainability, Del Monte Fresh is fully committed to the common good and to the mission at hand. They even work hand-in-hand with their direct competitors to promote sustainability.” - Lori Taylor (12:19 - 12:35)
The following are just some of the measures and practices Del Monte Fresh has adopted as they aim to bring high-quality, healthy, and nutritious foods to people in a way that protects the environment, and builds strong ties to the communities they operate in.
Protecting Flora and Fauna
The reality of farming is that it has an effect on flora and fauna. It affects the local ecosystem by displacing the species that previously inhabited there. Del Monte Fresh recognizes that if they don’t provide a new space for them to flourish, then they’d be competing with the local flora and fauna, which harms the environment.
Before farming on new lands, Del Monte Fresh studies them carefully to decide which new areas would be best suited to be set aside for the displaced flora and fauna. They also take into account the impact on the water supply which is not only critical to the farming process, but also to the local communities.
Protecting and Conserving Natural Resources
Del Monte Fresh makes it a priority to protect and conserve as many natural resources as possible. Resources like air, water, soil, and energy are essential for any agricultural activity. Del Monte Fresh has invested in more efficient irrigation systems like Drip Tape, which delivers water right at the plants where it is needed instead of wasteful and inefficient spreading of water. They’ve also redesigned the water tanks in some of their packing houses so that they can operate with less water.
Additionally, they have designed agricultural process to limit soil erosion, and they continue to invest heavily in solar and wind energy, both in the United States and internationally.
Sustainable Waste Management Practices
Del Monte Fresh has been practicing sustainable waste management practices. They reduce, re-use, and recycle waste to diminish the impact on the environment. They were early adopters of plastic recycling in their banana farms. They’ve also been using drone technology and GPA-guided tractors to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides, to localize them only where they are needed.
Sustainable Packaging Practices
Reducing plastic in packaging is a big concern for consumers of fresh produce, and Del Monte Fresh has taken the initiative to transition to sustainable packaging practices. For the last 20 years, they’ve been working to reduce the raw material requirements for their cardboard boxes by 30%. On top of that, all of the cardboard that is used to transport fruit is tracked and recovered at the destination, and then recycled. Reducing the use of plastics in packaging requires an extensive amount of research, and Del Monte Fresh is continually exploring more sustainable alternatives.
Empowering and Developing the Community
Being a global company, Del Monte Fresh operates in many communities throughout the globe. They also work with other growers in many countries, and they’ve actively made it a requirement that their partners are certified and internationally recognized as sustainable. As of today, close to 78% of Del Monte Fresh’s entire volume of produce is certified as sustainably grown, and they are pushing for 100% in the coming years. With numbers that impressive, it is important to mention that all of their sustainability reporting relies on third-party audits!
Del Monte Fresh recognizes that taking care of Mother Earth means not only protecting the environment but also empowering the communities they work in. Throughout the many countries where they have farms, Del Monte Fresh has created programs to support schooling infrastructure, and they’ve provided students with scholarships and school materials. One of the most rewarding effects of their social agenda has been the fact that many of the beneficiaries of their scholarships now hold administrative and managerial positions with Del Monte Fresh around the world.
“In Del Monte Fresh operations around the world, we are committed to making sure that those communities and our operations are working synergistically, and that we're helping to develop those areas.” - Hans Sauter (19:59 - 20:15)
As a company, Del Monte Fresh continues to take deliberate action to protect the environment and the communities where they operate. One of the unique things about them is that they work collaboratively even with their competitors to establish infrastructure and best practices to protect the environment. When people choose Del Monte Fresh Produce, they’re really using a product that allows people around the globe to enjoy healthier lifestyles - from the people who grow the produce all the way to the consumer.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Learn more about Del Monte Fresh Produce on their website.
- To learn more about Del Monte Fresh Produce’s sustainability efforts, connect with them on Instagram.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“One thing that draws me into your work is that you really have a way to make the topic of nutrition and meal prep and relatable and easy to execute for people.”Lori Taylor (7:08 - 7:28)
With over 18 years experience in the food and nutrition industry, Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN is a leading dietitian and recipe developer who believes that healthy and wholesome can also be delicious. She is also the author of several books, including the Wall Street Journal best-selling "5-Ingredient Healthy Cookbook" and the Amazon bestseller "The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook."
Introductory Statement. Overview of what the article is about.
For many people that are busy with work and family, maintaining a nutritious diet can be challenging. That’s where meal preparation can be helpful, which is the process of cooking your meals in batches ahead of time. In addition to convenience, meal prepping will allow you to eat a well-balanced diet. You can plan ahead and make sure you eat an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables throughout the week, which is crucial because close to 90 percent of Americans aren’t eating enough fresh produce regularly.
“There are so many ways to utilize greek yogurt in preparing healthy meals. You can make the dish creamier, and replace some of the artery-clogging saturated fat found in many recipes.” - Toby Amidor (4:09 - 4:23)
Some people never get started with meal preparation for various reasons. They might feel intimidated and think it's only for expert chefs, or they might be apprehensive about the amount of time they’ll have to dedicate. However, with a few of the tips and hacks that we’ll discuss in this article, meal preparation will become a fun and simple process, providing you a steady supply of delicious and healthy meals.
The 7 pantry ingredients that go a long way.
When you look at the beautiful pictures of prepped meals on Instagram, it can seem like you could never do anything similar. However, if you keep these 7 essential ingredients in your pantry at all times, you’d be surprised how easily you can also create delicious meals like the ones you see online. These powerful ingredients are cooking spray, salt, pepper, honey, garlic, olive oil, and fresh lemon. Chop up some cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and add some salt, freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil, and pepper for a quick and delicious chopped salad.
Use plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
When you prepare meals for the week, or even a few days, you want to make sure that you’re setting yourself up for a healthy and balanced diet with a lot of fresh produce. You can get creative with how you use fruits and veggies for your meals. You can switch out tomatoes with strawberries in your salad for a creative twist, or use pineapples in your stir-fry. Add extra flavor to your salads by adding fresh herbs like mint and parsley. A quick tip - wait till before your meal to add the dressing, so the salads don’t get soggy.
The power of greek yogurt.
Greek yogurt has exploded in popularity in recent years, and with good reason. It is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your meals. It has a higher protein content than regular yogurt, and it is full of healthy fats and other powerful nutrients. A quick web search will bring you countless ideas on how you can use greek yogurt to enhance the taste and nutrition of your prepared meals.
Plan for efficiency.
Making plans ahead of time will increase your meal preparation efficiency. Whether that’s cooking once, twice, or more per week is entirely up to you. Having a few recipes set beforehand will also make the shopping and cooking processes easier. If you have your recipes pre-selected, you can make a shopping list for each section in the store and breeze through the aisles in no time. The cooking process will be more straightforward as well since you’ll already know what you need to do.
“Whether you prefer organic, conventional, local, or some other form of veggies, the important thing is to get more fresh produce in your diet to enjoy the numerous health benefits, and to prevent diseases.” - Toby Amidor (24:44 - 24:58)
With all the different recipes and diet plans we hear about, it can be easy to get confused about what kind of meals to prepare. For a detailed nutrition plan, it’s best to speak with a registered dietician. They will be able to recommend meals tailored specifically for you based on your health and preferences. Otherwise, you can keep it simple and remember that when in doubt, opt for more fresh fruits and vegetables to increase the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in your diet. Take some time this week to select a few meal preparation recipes, and to create your shopping list.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- To learn more about Toby, check out her website.
- You can find all of Toby’s healthy meal prep cookbooks here.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Being a mother, I remember going through the difficulty of trying to get my son to eat an array of fruits and vegetables when he was growing up.”
- Linda York (2:59 - 3:12)Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
Linda York is the Founder of Sticky Lickits, a company committed to making fruits and veggies fun for kids. As a mother and grandmother, she has experienced the difficulty of getting children to eat their fruits and veggies. She created Sticky Lickits to solve that problem for parents across America.
Sticky Lickits is Changing the Way Kids Think about Produce
Fresh fruits and vegetables are essential elements in a balanced and healthy diet for children. They contain a wide range of vitamins and nutrients that are crucial for kid’s development and growth. The challenge is that kids are typically very picky about what they want to eat, and vegetables aren’t their favorites. A lot of them even stop wanting to try new fruits and vegetables, making it unlikely for them to develop a taste for those items. As a result, almost 90% of the kids in the United States aren’t getting an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables regularly, according to available consumption data.
That is the problem that Sticky Lickits is committed to solving. They make edible stickers that make fruits and veggies fun for kids. The stickers are tapioca based, and they are made entirely from food, including the colors. There is nothing artificial in the stickers, and they are peanut free, tree nut free, gluten free, vegan, Non-GMO, and kosher. The only added ingredient is fun!
“We are the most food secure nation in the world, and yet close to 90% of our nation's children are not getting their recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.”
- Lori Taylor (6:08 - 6:18)
Today, parents need a product like Sticky Lickits more than ever before. Parents used to be more proactive about finding solutions to get their kids to eat fruits and vegetables. However, today they are more likely to identify only a couple of fruits or veggies that their children like and keep those items around the house. Children need a wide array of fresh produce to get the most health benefits. Sticky Lickits makes eating veggies fun for kids, making it easier for parents to introduce a wider variety of fruits and veggies to their children.
Using Sticky Lickets
One of the questions parents often ask is if Sticky Lickits modify the taste of the fruits and vegetables. Sticky Lickits stickers don’t have a distinct taste. Kid’s taste buds vary widely, and it is difficult to identify natural flavors that would be universally liked by them. Sticky Lickits stickers have a neutral flavor, so the children develop a taste for the actual vegetable they are eating. However, the stickers do have a feature that makes them irresistible to kids.
To pique children’s interest in the stickers, Sticky Lickits has partnered with Nickelodeon. The stickers feature PAW Patrol, SpongeBob, and other fun characters that many kids love, and are loyal to. The response has been great. Kids love slapping a few of their favorite characters on an apple or a potato. All of a sudden, eating fresh produce becomes a fun game for them. They end up eating a more extensive array of fruits and vegetables, and they get more of the crucial vitamins and minerals that they need.
“Nearly 2.5 billion dollars are spent each year by food and beverage companies to market unhealthy products to children with the help of cartoons. Why can’t we do the same to promote foods that are healthy?” - Linda York (17:24 - 18:14)
Sticky Lickits is a mission-driven brand committed to increasing consumption of fresh produce by children in all communities. They are using all natural edible stickers to help as many populations of children as possible to eat more fruits and vegetables. They are doing this by partnering with produce companies, hospitals, and schools in areas where children tend to have less access to fresh vegetables. In an era when children are inundated with billions of dollars in marketing promoting unhealthy foods, a company like Sticky Lickits is precisely what many parents need.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more here.
- Keep an eye out for a list of Sticky Lickits’ retail partners across the country, or shop online here!
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“What I’m concerned about is that when we see negative headlines over and over again, we start thinking that we need to avoid these healthy vegetables.” - Jackie London (10:08 - 10:27)Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
Jackie London is the Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping magazine, and she is a repeat guest on the podcast. She is also the author of the book Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked), which is a book that debunks diet myths and removes mental blocks that keep you from reaching your health and weight-loss goals.
Misleading information is leading to lower consumption of fresh produce.
Eating a wide variety of fresh produce is a crucial element of living a life full of energy and good health. A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables contributes to heart health, lower blood pressure, better digestion, and many other health benefits. Unfortunately, many Americans are not getting enough fresh produce in their diet. It is estimated that less than 10 percent of Americans get their daily recommended amount of veggies, and less than 50 percent get enough fiber.
One of the issues that leads to a less than ideal amount of vegetable consumption is that consumers are continually getting misleading and contradictory information from the media. Some myths and misconceptions become a part of the mainstream narrative, and they make the situation worse when it comes to people eating enough fruits and veggies.
“The data tells us that Americans need more fruits and vegetables in their diet. Anything we do to discourage that consumption has a negative effect on our health as a nation.” - Lori Taylor (11:39 - 11:55)
Let’s debunk some of today's most common misconceptions surrounding fresh produce so that you can make more informed choices.
“Kale is unsafe to eat because of pesticides.”
In 2019, Kale was placed on a list of vegetables deemed as the “Dirty Dozen” by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) due to the use of pesticides during the growing process. This got a lot of attention in the media, and the headline was that kale is no longer safe to eat. But no credible, peer-reviewed research shows that pesticides that are used in the United States harm human health.
There is, however, strong evidence that links kale with many health benefits like reduced risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol, weight loss, and more. Pesticides are a natural part of the growing process meant to protect crops from getting destroyed by pests. The real health issue that needs to be addressed is that Americans aren’t getting enough vegetables in their diet. As long as consumers wash the vegetables thoroughly, they need to be eating more nutrient-dense greens like kale.
“Kale juice will ‘detox’ you.”
While kale is a nutritional powerhouse, drinking kale juice will not help you detox and compensate for an otherwise unhealthy diet and lifestyle. It is true that kale, and other dark leafy greens, have specific compounds that aid in a small number of biochemical pathways involved in liver detoxification. But to suggest that kale alone will help you remove toxins from your system is a giant stretch that is frequently used to market detox products and programs.
Your liver is what is really responsible for converting toxins to waste, metabolizing nutrients, and cleansing your blood. So, what you should focus on is eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables that support liver health, instead of relying on specific detox products. Some of the best foods for the liver are grapefruit, blueberries, beetroot, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, mustard greens, and yes, kale.
“Following a ketogenic diet is the best way to lose weight.”
The ketogenic diet is a recent trend that has become popular among people trying to lose weight. People on the keto diet, as it is commonly called, get most of their calories from fats, a moderate amount from protein, and a meager amount from carbohydrates. The diet plan was initially developed as a last resort measure to treat children suffering from seizures, and not for regular people trying to maintain a healthy weight.
While the keto diet can be beneficial for weight loss in the short term, mainly due to loss of water weight, it is an extremely restrictive diet that is difficult to sustain in the long run. More problematically, it cuts out many highly nutritious produce items. Almost all fruits are off-limits due to their natural sugar content, and even some vegetables like beetroot, carrots, and sweet potatoes are a no-go. Removing these foods from your diet can result in nutrient deficiencies in the long run. A better way to maintain a healthy weight is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and exercise regularly.
“I wish that there was a way to mimic the ketogenic diet for life without cutting out some of the most nutrient-dense foods.”
- Jackie London (25:41 - 25:49)
In the age of the internet, we’re susceptible to misinformation more than ever before. We see certain things over and over again, and we assume them to be true. When it comes to the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, there is only one thing that is important to remember - better health means eating more fresh produce more often. Instead of worrying about every new report that comes out, focus on how to make fruits and veggies more palatable to you and your family. Consistently eating an adequate amount of fruits and veggies is the best way to ensure that you remain free of chronic diseases and that you enjoy a healthy life full of energy and happiness.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
- Connect with Jackie on Instagram to keep up with all the nutrition myths she debunks on a regular basis
- Check out Jackie’s book “ Dressing on the Side” on Amazon.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Gathering goodness is a mindset to have in all walks of life.”
- Laura Hearn (23:28-23:36)Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
The amount of food that’s wasted each day is just another example of the unnecessary depletion of limited resources. Much of the food that goes to waste never finds its way onto store shelves in the first place, further adding to the severity of this problem. Farmers have to find a use for the excess produce that never makes it to stores. Produce is often left in the fields because their size or shape doesn’t meet the standards of food retailers and consumers.
Laura Hearn co-founded Glean, a company focused on providing nutrient-dense food products to families. Glean gives consumers healthy food options in the form of single-ingredient vegetable flours and powders made from cauliflower, beets, sweet potatoes, and other produce. Other products include healthy treats for pets and gummy products made from fruits and vegetables.
“Forty percent of what farmers harvest can’t be considered Grade 1 produce. So they have to figure out if it’s worth the time and investment required to harvest these products.” - Laura Hearn (8:20-8:38)
Laura co-founded Glean with her brother. Together, they grew up in a family where food played a large role in everyday life. Their experiences in the food industry allowed them to see the hard work that farmers and others put into providing the food we eat. But they also saw that much of the food being produced was going to waste. If produce doesn’t look perfect, it doesn’t end up on store shelves. Farmers are forced to determine how to invest their time and money to harvest items that might not be sold because they don’t look perfect.
Glean was born out of a need for turning produce that doesn’t make it to market into products that people can use. Laura began with flour made from dehydrated and milled sweet potatoes. She was able to create a product that maintained its flavor and nutrition while giving consumers an alternative to traditional cooking ingredients. Vegetable-based flours are beneficial for people who have food allergies and other nutritional concerns. Glean’s products represent the company's willingness to do more and have a positive impact on those in need. For every pound of product they sell, they donate a pound to food banks and other organizations that help people struggling to meet their nutritional needs.
Growing Into Something Bigger
Working in the food industry helped the Glean founders address inadequate food labeling practices. Many products on the market aren’t clearly labeled, making it difficult for health-conscious consumers to make the right choices for their families. This gave Laura the inspiration to help consumers who need to know what’s in their food due to concerns over gluten, allergens, and other ingredients that can compromise health.
Along the way, Glean has grown into something bigger. The brand resonates with many people, and its growth has occurred organically over time. Laura and the Glean team have learned how to launch products, break into new industries, and develop new categories. Their products can now be found in retail stores throughout the southeastern part of the U.S. as well as online and in specialty health food stores.
It’s going to take a lot of innovators to solve the food waste crisis in America… There’s too much of a consumer mindset to have picture-perfect produce in this food-secure nation.” - Lori Taylor (22:50)
Glean’s products are gluten- and allergen-free, and the company’s work has been recognized by the American Farm Bureau. The future of Glean includes the development of new products using patented technologies and creating products no one else can. They’re fighting the idea that produce has to look perfect to be good. This common belief is one of the reasons why food waste has become such a huge problem.
By focusing on creating good in all areas of life, you can make an impact on the work you do and the people you serve. Glean encourages others to eat more fruits and vegetables while learning the stories behind the food we eat every single day.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
- Learn more about Glean, their mission, and their products by visiting Visit liveglean.com. Use the promo code “TPM” to get 20 percent off any product.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We're now working on robots that can go through a field, and through imagery, differentiate between weeds, plants, and insects, and target them as they go along.” - Jenny Maloney (11:24 - 11:47)Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
Jenny Maloney is a Food Chain and Sustainability Manager at Bayer Crop Science. She is extremely passionate and knowledgable about the agriculture industry, and she has been instrumental in starting many of the farmer's markets in the Fresno, CA area. She grew up on a small farm, and she has witnessed the transformation of the agriculture industry first-hand.
Technology Has Transformed the Agriculture Industry
Technology has had an enormous impact on almost every industry during the last few decades, and agriculture is no exception. In the earlier days of the twentieth century, farmers and growers had to be creative to remain profitable. Animals were heavily involved in the harvesting process, and approximately 30% of the workforce took part in agriculture.
Today, we have robots that can go through the fields, and through imagery, differentiate between weeds, plants, and insects. We can use drone imagery to see the changes in a field over the span of a few years. Growers have access to large amounts of data that enable them to make better decisions. Also, agriculture only accounts for 2% of the workforce today, as a result of the vastly increased efficiency in the industry.
“For any young women that are interested in a career in agriculture, the opportunities are endless as long as they are eager to learn, and are willing to work hard.”
- Jenny Maloney (15:31 - 15:49)
The Increased Role of Women in Agriculture
Traditionally, women’s roles were limited in the agriculture industry, but today the opportunities are endless, and there are various ways to get involved. For example, women can identify consumer trends like the rising popularity of avocados, and create marketing plans that encourage people to eat more avocado toast. They are also increasingly active on the field. With an understanding of crop weather patterns, they can help in making decisions on when to harvest, when to fertilize, and more.
The industry mindset has significantly evolved regarding women's role in agriculture. It is no longer uncommon for women to occupy upper management roles in industry-leading companies like Bayer, both in the United States and globally. Today, for young women that are willing to learn and work hard, the sky is the limit in the agriculture industry.
Modern Agriculture is Encouraging Kids to Eat Fresh Produce
Fresh fruits and vegetables are a crucial part of a healthy diet for both adults and kids, but research has shown that most kids in America are not getting their daily recommended amount. It is a difficult problem to solve because children generally aren’t predisposed to liking vegetables. Modern farming and innovative companies like Bayer Crop Science are taking a multi-prong approach in making fresh produce more palatable for kids.
Bayer and other companies are partnering with various school districts and donating equipment to make vegetables more accessible to kids in those communities. They’re also working to encourage kids to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables when they are not in school. However, there’s more to making vegetables appealing to kids than just introducing it to them. It helps to pique their interest in fresh produce and to make it fun for them to eat.
To help make vegetables more exciting and fun for kids, Bayer has undertaken some innovative projects. They are working on home garden products, which can be an excellent opportunity for kids to grow their own food in their backyards. This would help them develop a connection with healthy produce, and they’ll be more likely to eat it. On a larger scale, they are working on seed technology, the vast majority of which are non-GMO, that makes fruits and vegetables more palatable to kids, in a way that's sustainable to all stakeholders.
“I think a lot of people probably have no idea about the incredible things happening at the seed level to help increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.” - Lori Taylor (33:19 - 33:30)
Organic vs. Conventional Farming
Many people are confused about whether or not it is really important to eat organic vegetables. With current farming and environmental standards, they’d be happy to know that it is absolutely safe to eat either kind. The difference lies in how they are grown. There are rigorous standards in place to get the USDA Organic seal, and growers are not allowed to use any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. So, organic farmers have to come up with more natural, and mostly manual, ways to prevent pests from destroying their crops. As far as vegetables that are farmed conventionally, the EPA has stringent rules in place for both the development and use of synthetic crop protection products.
As technology increases, the produce industry will continue to move forward as well. However, in the midst of all of the change, the importance of fresh produce remains the same. Organic or conventional, make sure your family is getting plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, to stay healthy and strong.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more here.
- You can connect with Jenny on LinkedIn, and keep up with all the new innovations from Bayer Crop Science.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“People are reluctant to buy fresh food items online because they don’t trust other people to pick the freshest produce for them.” - Brittain Ladd (7:02 - 7:18)Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
The Online Grocery Shopping Trend
As consumers, we have become increasingly comfortable with online shopping throughout the years, except when it comes to fresh food products. What we put in our bodies is rather personal, and we don’t like having other people pick out our apples and broccoli for us. However, recently there has been an emerging trend of online shopping services that have aimed to serve busy consumers by doing their grocery shopping for them.
Brittain Ladd, founder and CEO of Six-Page Consulting, was integrally involved in Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods. He is an industry and thought leader, and does work around the globe. He has worked with other corporate giants including Kroger, Walmart, and Dell, all of which have implemented strategies or made acquisitions Brittain recommended. Brittain is a strategic thinker and focused on global logistics in his work with Amazon. He first made the recommendation that Amazon acquire Whole Foods in 2013. He is a logistical expert and has much to share about the emergence of technology in the grocery industry.
While the idea of having someone deliver grocery items that you order through an app can be appealing to busy parents and professionals, it has its own set of drawbacks. By design, these services prioritize efficiency and speed, not the highest quality of produce for the customers. As a result, customers often end up with rotten food items in their grocery bags. The best way to make sure you’re picking the highest quality meats, fruits, and veggies, is to visit the local grocery store personally.
“Amazon is a major disrupter and grocery is no exception. Every major grocer is embracing e-commerce and other digital strategies to compete.” - Lori Taylor (14:29 - 14:44)
The Convergence of Tech and Grocery Industries
The recent acquisition of Whole Foods by Amazon has been a significant catalyst for the convergence of the tech and grocery industries. Many grocery retailers have signed agreements with third-party fulfillment services like Instacart, or they have installed e-commerce capabilities of their own.
They did this to compete with Amazon, but it might have been a shortsighted move on their part. A large number of grocery stores that have installed e-commerce capabilities only serve 1 - 2 % of their customers through online sales. The cost of having digital ordering systems in place is exceptionally high when compared to the revenue they are generating from them. Instead of panicking every time Amazon makes a move, grocery chains would be better served if they operated more intelligently, and gained a better understanding of what their customers are looking for.
One area of investments that might serve retailers better is in logistics and supply chain. Grocery stores work hard to get customers in the door, or to convince them to place an order online, and they need to make sure they have an optimal supply chain to meet customer demands across all channels. There's no point in marketing services that can’t be efficiently executed, and logistics is a significant part of execution for grocery retailers.
The Future of the Grocery Industry
Amazon will continue to expand. Amazon continues to disrupt many industries across the board, and grocery is no exception. Acquiring Whole Foods might only have been the beginning. It is estimated that Amazon will be the largest retailer of groceries in the United States by 2030.
This is excellent news for consumers. Amazon’s expansion will force all the competitors in the marketplace to find creative and unique ways to attract customers, resulting in a more positive shopping experience. It is also likely that consumers will enjoy lower prices and better choices.
Baked-on-the-way trucks. A significant trend that is expected to emerge in the coming years is baked-on-the-way trucks. Customers will be able to order meals from their local stores. The stores will prepare the meals with fresh ingredients, bake them in their delivery trucks as they are on the way, and deliver hot meals just in time for dinner. This is expected to cause significant disruptions in the grocery industry, as it will virtually eliminate the need for consumers to visit grocery stores.
“It doesn't do any good to market a service if you can't execute, and execution is absolutely what logistics is all about for a grocery retailer.” - Brittain Ladd (19:38 - 19:49)
Today, luxuries like personal chefs are unattainable for most people. However, soon many people might be able to order a freshly prepared meal from their grocery stores through a smartphone app. The grocery industry is also expected to play a more pro-active role in public health, by empowering their customers to make healthier choices, and by helping reduce healthcare costs. These innovations, and others, certainly make it an exciting time to be a consumer.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more here.
- Brittain would love to connect with you on LinkedIn!
“The rich vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in fresh fruits and veggies are the building blocks of a healthy childhood diet.”
- Dr. Rachael Bilello (5:48 - 6:01)Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
Childhood obesity is a growing issue in the United States.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), almost 90% of children in America are getting less than the recommended five servings of fresh of fruits and vegetables per day. Moreover, around half of all food consumed by children is processed, unhealthy snack food.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are the foundations of a healthy diet at any age, but are an integral component for children. They provide multiple vitamins and minerals that are essential for their development and are a good source of fiber which promotes better gastrointestinal health. Consuming an adequate amount of fruits and veggies fights childhood obesity, and it puts children on the path to a happy and healthy life.
“Data shows that in America, the most food-secure nation in the world, close to 90% of all children are not getting the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.” - Lori Taylor (7:38 - 7:58)
The higher consumption of processed foods, coupled with the lack of fruits and veggies, has led to a childhood obesity crisis in America. It is estimated that one in five kids are now obese in this country. That’s around thirteen million children between the ages of 2-19. It is a significant problem, and parents, pediatricians, and school nutritionists across the country are looking for solutions to counter these disturbing trends. While the task may seem daunting, adopting relatively simple habits at home can go a long way in improving the health of our children.
How to promote a healthy lifestyle for your children.
When promoting a healthy lifestyle with children, it’s important to keep in mind that we are holistic beings. This encapsulates much more than our diet. Adequate fruits and vegetables are a fundamental component, but a healthy lifestyle also incorporates habits like exercise and quality rest.
Your child is never too young to start incorporating healthy habits that will stick with them throughout the rest of their life. There are simple things you can do to help your child make better choices.
Infants. Breastfeeding has been associated with a lower risk of obesity in childhood and adolescence. The positive correlation has even been shown, at times, to reach well into adulthood. It has also been known to help with immune function and improve gastrointestinal health.
Toddlers. At the 4-6 months stage, as you introduce solids, include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your child’s diet. This can be a difficult stage, with food preferences, and sensitivity to textures. If they are reluctant, find creative ways to help them get their recommended amount. For example, try parboiling carrots if for a toddler who doesn’t want to eat them raw.
School-Aged Children. Help children make healthy choices at school by looking through the menu beforehand and pre-selecting the fruits and veggies they could order for lunch. Helping your child understand healthy choices beforehand can help them be more likely to order a turkey salad or an orange instead of those greasy nachos. It is also helpful to make sure your children eat breakfast. Those rushed mornings can make it feel impossible to make breakfast and get to school and work on time. However, even something small, like a fruit or a whole grain toast with peanut butter, can prevent children from being overly hungry at lunchtime and overeating, or making unhealthy food choices.
At home, family meals are a great time to connect with your kids and to set an example of healthy food choices. Plan to include plenty of fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains at the dinner table. Your children will follow your lead, and if you aren't eating your veggies, they aren’t going to either.
“Your kids are not going to eat vegetables if you're not eating them. Set a positive example. Kids watch us, and they do what we do.”
- Dr. Rachael Bilello (13:02 - 13:12)
Health and nutrition is a lifelong journey. It’s never too late to start promoting a healthy lifestyle! Start with some small choices this week to incorporate healthy choices in your family. Those little things are sure to grow into big change in nutrition, lifestyle, and health.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at on our website.
- Connect with Dr. Rachael Bilello on her blog, Instagram, and Twitter. If you’re close to Long Island, NY you can contact her at her private practice.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Even as a little girl, I connected Idaho to potatoes. The branding has become synonymous with the crop and it’s quite impressive.” - Lori Taylor (3:04 - 3:10)
Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms
Not all potatoes are created equal.
Potatoes are one of the most widely used food sources in the world, and they have an abundance of benefits that make them a staple in many different diets. They are packed with nutrients, they are affordable, and nearly everyone loves them, even children. Potatoes provide complex carbohydrates, potassium, fiber, and various other vitamins and minerals, making them an ideal food for athletes.
However, not all potatoes are created equal. Idaho potatoes are of the highest quality you can find in the United States. There are over twenty varieties grown in Idaho, and they are even certified as heart-healthy by the American Heart Association (AHA). A combination of characteristics sets Idaho potatoes apart from the rest. From the ideal climate and growing conditions, and the creative marketing and community outreach by the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC), Idaho potatoes are simply the best.
“If you’re looking for a food that’s high in potassium, good for hearts, and good for families, the Idaho potato is perfect.”
- Frank Muir (7:33-7:38)
What makes Idaho Potatoes so great?
Idaho has near-perfect conditions for growing potatoes. The high desert climate provides warm days and cool nights during the growing season, resulting in delicious potatoes with a fluffy texture. The Snake river supplies a steady stream of clean, clear water along the river valley, and the fertile volcanic soil is rich with trace minerals that are ideal for growing potatoes. Although the potatoes are harvested once a year in the Fall, Idaho has a sophisticated storage system with controlled humidity and temperature, making sure fresh potatoes are available year-round.
Besides growing great potatoes, the IPC also engages in creative marketing and community outreach programs. Every year, they tour the country with the Idaho Potato Truck to raise awareness for various charities. They have supported Meals on Wheels and Go Red for Women, along with numerous other local causes across the country. The IPC also partners with Racing for Orphans with Down Syndrome (RODS), an event that raises funds to find homes for orphaned children with Down Syndrome from around the world.
“Sometimes I’ve referred to the Idaho potato as the world’s largest multivitamin because it’s loaded with micronutrients and potassium.” - Frank Muir (19:34 - 19:43)
Potatoes suffered through a period of decreased consumption during the low-carb phase, but recent consumer trends data has shown that they are making a comeback. That’s excellent news because potatoes provide you with some of the best nutritional value for the price you pay. Remember to look for the “Grown In Idaho” seal the next time you’re at the store to make sure you’re getting the highest quality potatoes from Idaho.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
“We hope that when anyone comes into a Jason’s Deli, it feels like family. And they know that the people in their family are making decisions on what food to bring in.” - Kimberly Andreason (5:37-5:50)
It’s not always easy to know where your food comes from when dining out. Parents who want their families to eat nutritious foods need to know that a restaurant truly cares about the produce it serves. Kimberly Andreason is a true food superstar. Her role as Produce Director for Jason’s Deli has allowed her to play a major role in the health-promoting changes made within the company.
Kimberly is passionate about the produce industry, and her work with Jason’s Deli has been an integral part of their mission to promote a higher consumption of whole fruits and vegetables among families. With 275 delis in 28 states, Jason’s Deli is making a big impact on the future health of today’s consumers. The company continues to grow, opening between 12 and 15 delis each year with the goal of having a Jason’s Deli in all 50 states.
“If we wouldn’t serve it to our families, we wouldn’t serve it to our customers.” - Kimberly Andreason (4:13-4:17)
What makes Jason’s Deli even more unique is the fact that its founder Joe Tortorice Jr. is still involved in the business. A dedicated family man who’s passionate about the quality of the food he serves, Joe has been an inspiration to the entire Jason’s Deli team. Joe believes that if he wouldn’t serve it to his family, he wouldn't serve it to his customers. This principle is at the heart of Jason’s Deli’s mission to advance the food industry.
In 2005, Jason’s Deli became one of the first restaurants to eliminate trans fats and high fructose corn syrup from their menu. They went on to introduce organic produce in 2006, and now proudly serve healthful items like organic spring mix, spinach, carrots, and apples. More importantly, they’re always looking to expand their organic produce options over time.
The restaurant’s tagline “It’s a Family Thing,” sums up its approach to business. Their goal is to make dining at Jason’s Deli feel like a family affair. In fact, its origins are rooted in the family business. Joe Tortorice Jr. grew up in Beaumont, Texas. He worked at his father’s grocery store where he noticed the construction workers who would come in to buy bread and other ingredients for their sandwich lunches. Joe quickly saw a need he could fulfill. He was soon selling pre-made sandwiches, and in 1974, Jason’s Deli was born.
“Every single day there’s an abundant offering of fresh fruits and vegetables at Jason’s Deli.” - Lori Taylor (10:04-10:14)
As the Produce Director, Kimberly Andreason oversees the purchase and coordination of produce for all Jason’s Deli restaurants throughout the United States. The company works with over 30 produce growers and 33 distributors to determine what items will appear on the menu.
In 2018 alone, Jason’s Deli served over 34 million pounds of fresh produce to their customers. This abundance of fruits and vegetables makes it easy for families to get a healthy meal while on the go. Kimberly and the entire Jason’s Deli team are passionate about fresh produce. At Jason’s Deli, you know where your food is coming from, and this is just as important to the company as it is to today’s moms who are feeding their children for the future.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Kimberly Andreason - 0:42
- Jason’s Deli’s Food Values - 3:20
- Founder’s Story - 5:55
- Kimberly’s Role as the Produce Director - 7:58
- How Much Produce Does Jason’s Deli Serve? - 9:10
- The One Thing to Know About Dining Out at Jason’s Deli - 12:25
- Wrap-up - 14:30
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
- To learn more about Jason’s Deli, visit their website at www.jasonsdeli.com. You can also connect with Kimberly Andreason by visiting her on LinkedIn.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
The Produce Moms Podcast EP 37
Food Safety - Truth, Evidence, and Facts with Sonia Salas of Western Growers
“Food safety is an issue that affects all consumers of fresh food across the USA and the world.”
- Lori (01:21)
As consumers, it is crucial to have confidence in the fresh produce that we are purchasing and consuming. As I’m sure you remember, two days before Thanksgiving in 2018 there was a recall that left consumers without access to romaine lettuce. There has been total chaos and misunderstanding surrounding the E. Coli outbreak that occurred. As a result, it can be difficult to know who to trust, and the appropriate course of action to take when these recalls occur.
Sonia Salas, the Senior Director of Science and Technology at Western Growers, was right in the midst of the action during the outbreak. Western Growers is an association representing local and regional farming families in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Colorado. Their members produce nearly half of America’s organic produce and 94% of the leafy greens grown in California and Arizona. Their members are working hard to find long-term solutions to navigating recalls and outbreaks and building assurance with consumers.
“Last year was very difficult for Romaine producers … the industry basically closed down resulting in millions and millions of dollars in losses to crops that weren’t necessarily implicated.” - Sonia (14:02)
Romaine farmers are devoted to providing fresh, safe produce to consumers, and take any potential effect on public health very seriously. The outbreak brought many issues regarding not only public health but food waste and massive economic loss. It is important to understand that this outbreak affected a highly perishable crop. Within three weeks, any contaminated lettuce was decomposed and no longer edible. When a food supply is contaminated it most definitely must be handled in a serious manner and pulled from the shelves. However, the threat to public safety is short-term. In this situation, the threat was managed, but in late December it was still difficult to find romaine in many grocery stores.
Being educated is a key to navigating food recalls as a consumer. Let’s break down the facts. It only takes two individuals who have become sick due to the consumption of a specific food to insight an “outbreak.” Once a situation is designated an outbreak by the CDC and FDA, an investigation is launched to determine whether or not a recall is necessary. There are times when recalls aren’t related to an outbreak, but to quality, a safety issue, mislabeling, or a potential for cross-contamination. When the investigation confirms that a particular food item is responsible for the illness, the public is notified through an advisory and/or a recall.
There has been substantial action taken since the romaine outbreak. A Leafy Green Taskforce was assembled before the official FDA report was even released. There is also a Romaine Lettuce Taskforce that is continuing to identify areas for improvement. One such improvement is the implementation of new labeling systems for leafy produce. This labeling process will increase traceability to help determine the region responsible for any future outbreaks.
“I do think the romaine labels are a step in the right direction, but we are far from a solution that's going to give consumers the restored confidence they need to have and that they, quite frankly deserve after an outbreak.”
- Lori (21:20)
Our hope is the the produce industry is free from further outbreaks like the one experienced in November. However, in the event of another advisory and recall, the CDC and FDA will deliver the most up-to-date and reliable information. You can also reach out to trade associations like Western Growers. With an internet full of speculation, opinion, and hearsay make sure you are seeking out verifiable information.
Trade and leadership organizations such as Western Growers are actively working in unison with federal agencies to achieve the best outcome for growers and consumers. They believe in being proactive and focusing on preventative controls to reestablish confidence in the market. You can find more information about them on their website.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Sonia Salas - 01:49
- Who are Western Growers - 02.44
- How Does Food Safety Impact Members of Western Growers? - 05:20
- How Does an Outbreak Start? - 08:07
- What is the Difference Between Mandatory and Voluntary Recalls? - 11.30
- How the Romaine Outbreak Affected Western Growers? - 13:48
- Wrap-up - 23:47
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at on our website.
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“One of the most beautiful parts of responsible sourcing is the effort put into raising communities and empowering the farm workers that feed our families.” - Jessie Gunn (3:52)
When mentioning responsible sourcing in the produce industry, most people may immediately think of the standards implemented to yield healthy, safe produce. However, responsible sourcing is about more than just the produce itself. It’s important to recognize that people, planet, and resources are all symbiotic. The same parents who are providing healthy, sustainable food sources for their children also want to make sure that they have a beautiful green part to play. It’s crucial to treat farm workers fairly, and also make sure that the crops they are harvesting and handling each day aren’t poisoned with countless chemicals. It takes health awareness in each area to establish sustainable and responsible sourcing.
“If we want to provide good, healthy work environments for workers, we have to be environmentally sound as well.” - Jessie Gunn
While the words “Fair Trade” are often thrown around, not everyone is aware of what this standard entails. In order for a company to be fair trade certified, they have to be willing to submit to third-party audits, both scheduled and unscheduled. These audits include interviewing farm workers and reviewing documentation and growing practices. The standard encompasses much more than just the produce.
With the rise of awareness through social media and technology, consumers are demanding responsible sourcing. In fact, the last two years have shown a 19% increase in purchases of items including “free from” labels, Certified Fair Trade, B Corp produce, and products that support empowering women. This is the most dramatic increase in purchasing power in decades.
Listen in to this week’s episode to learn more about responsibly sourced produce, internationally sourced produce, the rise in consumer awareness, and how you can make a difference in the produce industry.
“Food feeds your whole person. It feeds your values, it feeds your moral alignment. It is about feeding your family what’s best for them to grow them into better human beings.” - Jessie Gunn (26:02)
To learn more about responsible sourcing practices, find Jessie Gunn on LinkedIn, and visit fairtradeusa.org. Be intentional about your produce purchases. If you buy fruit or vegetables that make claims about their sourcing, go to their website and do your research. Be more informed, be more responsible, and help us increase responsible sourcing for a more sustainable produce industry.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Jessie Gunn - 1:18
- What is Responsible Sourcing? - 3:12
- Understanding Fair Trade - 7:13
- Fresh Produce is an International Collaboration - 12:13
- Environmental Standards - 15:25
- 2017 Data Points and Consumers’ Interest - 19:43
- The Main Takeaway - 25:12
- Wrap-up - 28:49
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“You know the garlic is USA grown when it’s grown by Christopher Ranch.” - Lori
With the rise of awareness and education, consumers are becoming more conscious regarding the sourcing of their produce. When seeking responsibly sourced garlic, look no further than Ken Christopher and his family at Christopher Ranch, the only family-owned garlic farm in the United States. The ranch is rich with family legacy and has its roots deep in the California soil.
Their story began with Ole Christopher who migrated from Denmark in the 1880s in hopes of finding land to settle. His grandson, Don, learned the ropes of farming from his father and grandfather and then bought 10 acres of his own to begin farming garlic. In the past 60 years, Christopher Ranch has scaled those 10 acres into over 5,000, and last year harvested 110 million pounds of California Heirloom Garlic. If you were to visit the ranch today, you would find that they are still family owned and operated, brother, father, grandson, and cousins working side-by-side to grow and harvest exceptional produce.
“It’s so critically important for us to not be holed into a faceless corporate board or faceless directors interested only in profits. As a truly family run company, we can do what is best for our product, what is best for our legacy, and what’s best for our community.” - Ken Christopher
While Christopher Ranch is a leading supplier of garlic, they are also invested in making a positive impact in their community. They have provided scholarships for area schools, vehicles for sports programs, and even donated Chrome Books to each classroom in the local school.
In the past year, Christopher Ranch has ignited change in the political arena. Illegal Chinese garlic imports have been an issue for garlic farmers since the 1990s. Hundreds of millions of pounds of garlic illegally make their way into the US each year, pulling down the price of international commodities. Because of Ken Christopher’s relentless pursuit of action, on September 24th a new tariff for garlic went into effect.
“We find education to be the silver bullet for so many of our society’s ills.” - Ken Christopher
Look for a Christopher Ranch product in a produce aisle near you! FInd information about Christopher Ranch, their products, and delicious recipes at christopherranch.com.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Ken Christopher - 1:17
- Family Owned and Operated - 6:25
- Community Impact - 6:34
- Political Involvement - 10:17
- Unique Garlic Product Offerings - 13:20
- Ken’s Favorite Way to Eat Garlic - 16:38
- Wrap-up - 17:36
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Julie is authentically passionate about raising awareness of our industries’ critical issues and teaching academic standard in the process. It’s really a remarkable approach to education.” - Lori
When it comes to innovation in the classroom, 6th-grade teacher Julie Cates, 2015 AG in the Classroom Teacher of the Year, is an inspiration. While she and her students live in Central Valley, a region considered a major producer of stone and citrus fruits, nut products, and the #2 dairy producer in the US, they are also in a food desert. Most of her students live in rural areas, and mini-marts stocked with convenience foods become the main staple for the dinner tables. Many of the children in Julie’s classroom come from low-income families and are classified as Title 1 students, and some had never eaten even the most common fresh produce. One student had never tried a fresh strawberry.
“There are students who have never tried a strawberry, or romaine lettuce, or green beans. When they can help make the food, they have buy-in, and enjoy trying new things.“ - Julie
Julie has been a follower of the Produce Moms and subscribed utilized the Produce Challenge to revolutionize the way her students experience fresh produce. Each week Julie focuses on a new item of produce through her Find Your Favorite campaign. Not only does she allow students to help prepare the food, and eat the food, she incorporates the items to help meet academic standards through educational activities. She and a colleague have developed a Breakout EDU game to help educate the students about invasive pest species that affect the crops in their region. Julie leverages the critical issues in the industry to students become more invested in a local problem that affects the global market. The work she is doing is changing the eating habits of her students and empowering them to live healthier lives.
“We are educating students on a local problem that affects a global market. We really want the students to become citizen scientists.” - Julie
If you are ready to incorporate more fresh produce into your life, it may be time for you to take the Produce Challenge! Receive weekly emails with recipes, produce tips, and tutorials to make the challenge easy. The Produce Challenge is a simple way to reach that goal of eating healthier in the new year.
If you are interested in the ways Julie has seamlessly incorporated produce into her academic lessons, follow her on Twitter (@cates_julie) or find her on Instagram (@teachercates).
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Julie Cates - 1:15
- How Julie Uses the Produce Challenge - 4:12
- Living in a Food Desert - 7:02
- Innovation and Education/Math and Produce - 10:09
- What is AG in the Classroom? - 12:47
- Julie’s Work With Flip Grid - 20:03
- Education and Inspiration - 25:25
- Wrap-up - 27:22
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our mission is to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the US and change the way America eats”
In this pilot episode of the The Produce Moms Podcast, we hear from THE Produce Mom, Lori Taylor. Lori has 10+ years of experience in the produce industry and is working every day to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Her passion to “change the way America eats” comes from her expertise in the industry and her responsibility as a Mom to make the best, and most healthy, choices for her family.
“We’re helping people understand the many different ways that they can eat more fresh produce and simplifying the process”
Lori shares her story and unique perspective on what it means to eat more fruits and vegetable, the vision for The Produce Moms, and why we decided to start a podcast. From a late night decision to buy the url theproducemom.com to what the brand and community is today is truly an amazing and inspiring journey. Lori shares some defining moments in the process and how she had to stand up for herself in corporate America to be able to make the impact that she’s making today.
“I paid more for my idea than my home”
In 2018, The Produce Moms is a thriving community with an intense focus to resource America with a healthier alternative to what we’re bombarded with everyday. The produce section is a guilt-free zone and we can be a part of changing the way America eats by shining light on the produce industry and all of it’s benefits.
“We have almost 40K subscribers from 30 countries and all 50 states”
Join the movement today, and help us change the way America eats.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction - 0:45
- Why We Started a Podcast - 2:15
- The Vision and Story of The Produce Moms - 3:30
- Lori and 10+ Years of Experience in the Produce Industry - 8:35
- How Lori Got Her First Marketing Job - 10:30
- Our First Blog Post - Who is the Produce Mom? - 16:30
- Resources that TPM and this Podcast Offer - 23:50
- The Community Component of TPM - 25:39
- Topics to Expect on This Podcast - 27:10
- Coming up in Episode 2 - 32:35
- Wrap-up - 33:50
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Sustainability is meeting the needs of the future without compromising future generations.”
This week on the Produce Moms podcast, we are learning more about sustainability from Nikki Rodoni, the Founder and CEO of Measure to Improve. Measure to Improve exists to help producers and processors measure, improve and credibly promote their sustainability efforts. They provide analysis, resources, and training, among other services.
“The produce industry truly defines what sustainability means. We’ve been in business for second, third, fourth generations, and we’re still in business.”
Contrary to popular belief, sustainability expands beyond the confines of being environmentally friendly. Learn more about the Three P’s of Sustainability - People, Planet and Profit - and the work Measure to Improve does to implement greater sustainability in all of these areas. Nikki Rodoni saw a need for sustainability in our produce markets and used innovation to provide calculated impact and measurable results. Listen in to learn how you can join Nikki and Measure to Improve and make your own efforts in achieving sustainability and zero waste!
“This industry is not only growing the highest quality and the safest produce, but they do it with integrity. And that story has never been told... I want to help the average customer appreciate how hard it is to get this food to their table, and do it with integrity.”
Visit earth911.com to get more tips and techniques and learn how to be more sustainable. It’s important that we all commit to a more sustainable lifestyle!
You can find out more about all of the work Nikki and her team are doing at measuretoimprovellc.com, and find them on Facebook.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Guest - 1:16
- What is Sustainability? - 3:22
- Recognizing the Need for Sustainability: Nikki’s Journey - 8:02
- Measure to Improve and Households and Consumers - 13:55
- The Future of Sustainability Programs - 15:48
- Defining “Zero Waste” - 17:42
- Tips to Become More Sustainable - 21:58
- Measure to Improve’s Current Work - 23:17
- Wrap-up - 26:05
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“AgSafe is a critical resource that helps farmers in doing what they do best.” - Amy Wolfe
This week on The Produce Moms Podcast, we’re talking with Amy Wolfe, the President and CEO of AgSafe. AgSafe’s mission is “to advance the food and farming industries commitment to a safe, sustainable workforce and food supply, by providing practical education and resources.” Their aim is to provide support for farmers, advocate for farmworkers, and provide assurance to consumers that the food that made it to their tables was grown and harvested in a responsible, clean, and safe manner.
“The average education of a US farmworker is 3rd grade in their native country. 89% of farmworkers speak little to no English.” - Amy Wolfe
AgSafe has grown over 700% in the last 6 years. They are resourcing farmers and farmworkers, and providing integral education to help the work environments of farms meet regulatory standards to ensure the safety of the workers. Amy discusses the various methods they employ to make sure they are affecting positive change and making an incredible impact on the produce industry.
“If you’re a consumer of fresh produce, you have a voice, you have a purpose, and you have a ton of power when it comes to how our entire agriculture community makes decisions and moves forward to serve you better.” - Lori Taylor
You can learn more about all of the work AgSafe is doing at agsafe.org. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter. Amy is on Facebook Live each week. Listen in to stay informed, and learn more about the efforts of AgSafe.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Amy Wolfe - 1:14
- What is AgSafe? - 2:42
- What Resources Does AgSafe Provide? - 4:03
- What Are Farm Labor Contractors? - 10:01
- The Formation of AgSafe - 15:32
- Advancements of AgSafe - 20:56
- The Future of AgSafe - 27:02
- Wrap-up - 30:00
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Connect with Amy on Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amychristensenwolfe/
- Be sure to visit www.Agsafe.org to find out more.
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“There was really a need to help preserve the produce because it is so fragile and can quickly die without the proper environmental controls that help it stay fresh. My grandfather saw the need and we've been developing products ever since.”
This week on the Produce Moms Podcast, we’re joined by Emily Stavrou. Emily is the Vice President of Corrigan Corporation of America, also known as Corrigan Mist. Corrigan creates the misting systems you see in the produce section of your local grocery. They have been in business for 40 years, manufacturing misting systems, humidifiers for meat and seafood, and water filtration systems.
“Misting actually helps to retain vitamin and nutrient content within the produce… And really also the color and the integrity of the produce as well. Also, once produce is harvested, it immediately begins to lose water… once it gets to the store, the produce misting is really there to hydrate and revive it and make it happy.”
In this episode, we’ll learn more about the science behind misting, and what exactly is being misted onto our vegetables. Corrigan believes that proper care of the vegetables from start to finish will lead to less food waste. Emily also gives some useful tips to help your vegetables last longer at home! Don’t miss this episode of The Produce Moms!
“We've been innovating new solutions that humidify and hydrate the produce all the way through the supply chain. And the really cool thing about that is if it is treated properly from start to finish every step of the way, not only is the produce fresher and better looking when it gets to the grocery store, but it's fresher when it's in our homes and our kitchens.”
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Emily Stavrou - 1:14
- What is Corrigan Mist? - 4:31
- Where Are Corrigan Products Being Used? - 8:05
- What is in the Mist? - 8:41
- Why Is Misting Important? - 9:15
- Corrigan: Eliminating Food Waste - 15:06
- Wrap-up - 18:45
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Artificial intelligence helps us figure out answers using data that we wouldn't have been able to know before, maybe even sometimes to predict famine or food insecurity in different parts of the world. ”
What do drones and artificial intelligence have to do with farming? This week on The Produce Moms, we continue our adventure inside the Blue Room at FFA Convention. Lori and Mary Snapp, Corporate Vice President and Lead of Microsoft Philanthropies discuss how the advancement of technology is benefiting agriculture in a phenomenal way. Microsoft Philanthropies is focused on advancing a future for everyone, making our farms more sustainable, productive, and regenerative.
“There are 250 different agricultural careers. All of them are going to be impacted by technology.”
Agricultural careers are one of the top fields affected by the advancement of technology. Listen in to hear how agriculture and technology have grown together, and the impact that women have gained as these areas have evolved! The Philanthropies division of Microsoft reaches far beyond FFA. You’ll hear about their impact in local schools, how they are influencing the technology of tomorrow, and how they’re generosity provides food, technology, and healthcare for the impoverished today.
“We're doing some work to try to bring high speed broadband in rural areas.19.4 million Americans in rural America do not have broadband. You can't farm without broadband these days with any sort of scale.”
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Mary Snapp - 1:15
- Artificial Intelligence and the Blue Room - 3:30
- Mary’s Passion for Innovation - 5:48
- The Importance of Agriculture to Microsoft - 8:56
- Blue365 and Microsoft’s Humanitarian Efforts - 10:33
- Tasty Recipes - 15:11
- Wrap-up - 18:42
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Agriculture is here to feed the world, to protect the planet, to make people's lives better.”
This week, on The Produce Moms, Lori takes us on location to FFA Convention, inside The Blue Room, presented by Agrinovus and powered by Microsoft. Lori talks about the evolution of the FFA organization with Beth Bechdol, the President and CEO of Agrinovus Indiana, and the visionary behind this room full of cutting edge technological and agricultural display. Beth is a sixth generation farmer, passionate about the future of our AG industry. The Blue Room was birthed from a desire to put Indiana on the map as a leader in Bioscience and talent innovation.
“The vision of the Blue Room was always to showcase the diversity of who's involved in innovation, who's working on technology. A lot of the coolest innovation is coming from an entrepreneur or one person who's trying to solve a problem, trying to build a technology, trying to start a business”
When people think of AG, they may envision an old, dusty legacy. However, the AG industry and the FFA organization has evolved greatly in the last several years. At FFA Convention, the leaders of tomorrow’s produce come together to learn about the future of the AG industry. Listen in to learn more about The Blue Room, and strides being made to catapult agriculture into the future.
“We now all realize agriculture is about so much more than just than just farming. Still fundamentally important. Still an entrepreneurial activity. Still something I hope young people get excited about. But now they can be business leaders, they can be scientists, they can be researchers, they can be digital marketers. ”
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Beth Bechdol - 1:14
- What is FFA and why is it so important to American agriculture? - 3:56
- Beth’s History with AG - 6:29
- A Look Around the Blue Room Presented by AgraNovas and Powered by Microsoft - 10:05
- The Story Behind the Blue Room - 13:29
- Wrap-up - 18:01
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“A proper nutrition program is vital for athletes of all ages and all levels, whether you are training to get a PR at your next road race, in high school looking to go on and play college sports, or even if you are just simply a frequent user of your local gym.”
This week on The Produce Moms Podcast, Lori Taylor and Beth Miller, Director of Sports Nutrition for Duke Athletics, discuss the importance of fueling our body, and the role fresh produce plays in the nutrition of Duke’s top athletes. Beth is a Registered Dietician, and has been the Director of Sports Nutrition at Duke since 2017. Beth shares that nutrition is about finding the balance of foods to fuel your life. This is important for every individual, from the elite athlete to the soccer mom. Fresh produce plays a vital role in that balance!
“My mission as a sports dietician is to teach our athletes not only how to fuel themselves for their sports here and now while they're at Duke, but also to teach them skills to fuel themselves for the rest of their lives. And I think that that can go into play for every athlete of any kind and just any human being. Fuel your life. ”
Throughout the episode, we learn insightful information about Sports Nutrition, how Duke fuels their athletes, and the role of fresh produce in that process. When used properly, nutrition can give athletes the edge they need to dominate training, performance, and recovery. If you have ever been curious to learn more about dietetics, and how this science operates hand-in-hand with our best athletes, you won’t want to miss this episode!
“You need to fill your tank up with high quality fuel in order to receive any results that you're looking for. Whether that be in your sport, your workout routine, or just in general. Never run on empty, and never run on poor quality fuel.”
In the episode, Beth mentions some fantastic resources for those interested in learning more about Sports Nutrition. Below are the links to their sites, that are full of resources and also information about dieticians in your area.
- College and Professional Sports Dietetics Association
- Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition Group
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Guest - 1:15
- What Sets Sports Nutrition Apart? - 3:05
- Sports Nutrition Resources - 6:33
- Beth’s Definition of Nutrition - 9:58
- Produce and Duke Athletics - 10:59
- Beth’s Favorite Moment at Duke - 14:22
- Nutrition Advice for the Listener - 15:55
- Career Opportunities with Sports Nutrition - 16:47
- Wrap-up - 19:55
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“One of our top priorities is how we can shift components of our plate to make them more nutrient dense and to bring in more of these under consumed vegetables into our daily diets. This product is a turn-key solution.”
This week on The Produce Mom’s Podcast, we sit down with self-proclaimed “Veggie Nerd,” and Founder of Cece’s Veggie Co., Mason Arnold. Mason is also on the board with The United Fresh Produce Association. It is amazing how many guests on The Produce Moms have inspired change out of the necessity for innovation in their own lives. Cece’s is named after Mason’s daughter, and was created in 2015 as a way to provide a healthy and gluten free alternative to pasta.
“Everything we do is meant to be fast and easy… the faster I can put things together, and still make sure my kids get vegetables as a major part of my dinner, helps to continue to inspire innovation at Cece’s.”
Cece’s is Certified Organic, Whole 30 Compliant, Certified, Non GMO, and free of major allergens. They work closely with their farmers to determine vegetable variety, growing season, and to determine the very best timing for harvest. Mason is full of intention, purpose, and passion, and his goal, and the goal of Cece’s as a whole, is to move veggies to the center of the plate in a fun and delicious way.
‘One thing I’ve learned is having that balance and finding the things that are both nutrient dense, sustainable, and healthy, but also can be done in a way that everyone can access them, and help everyone in the country eat healthier.”
Check out Cece’s Veggie Co. at cecesveggieco.com for tons of resources, including recipes, more information about the company, and to find Cece’s in a store near you!
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Mason Arnold - 1:31
- Backstory for Cece’s - 3:12
- Product Line - 6:02
- Partnering with Farms - 10:52
- One Thing Learned in Forming Cece’s - 16:02
- What’s Next for Cece’s?! - 18:36
- Wrap-up - 21:36
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
Our vision is to bring together the global produce and floral industry to grow a healthier world. Not only in consumers and what they eat, but also our members and our members’ prosperity.”
This week on the Produce Moms Podcast, Lori spoke with Lauren M. Scott, CMO of the Produce Marketing Association. The Produce Marketing Association is a global, member-led association that reaches to 46 countries and has 2900 member companies. The vision of the Produce Marketing Association is to bring together the global produce and floral industry to grow a healthier world. They are on a mission to empower the industry, and the members that make up the industry.
“The goal of the Produce Marketing Association is to make our members’ opportunities bigger, while making their problems smaller. We are led by members for the members.”
In this episode, Lori and Lauren discuss topics that are so relevant to Produce Moms around the world. In an era that is so full of innovation and fresh looks at packaging and marketing for our produce, The Produce Marketing Association is working hard to see consumers and members empowered to live healthy lifestyles.
One intriguing topic discussed in this episode is The Produce Marketing Association’s interest in researching the dichotomy that exists between what people say they eat, and what they actually eat. Many times people claim to eat fresh produce a few times a week, and that may be the goal. However, when life gets busy, many times convenience will surpass our best intentions. The aim of The Produce Marketing Association is to connect our instincts and desires to fresh produce. If our only reason for eating produce is that it is “healthy” we are boxing ourselves in. There are other needs fulfilled through food consumption that can be associated with fresh produce!
We cover this and more on this week's episode. You don’t want to miss it!
“We are ripe for growing our industry, but also growing our culture… we have an opportunity to command a level of voice, culture, and influence.”
Discover more about what The Produce Marketing Association is doing at www.pma.com
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Lauren Scott - 1:31
- What is the Produce Marketing Association // Goals and Impact? - 3:56
- Lauren’s Background - 7:22
- Lauren’s Influence in PMA // Proposed Panel - 11:02
- What PMA Does for Women - 17:57
- Next Big Trend in Food - 23:01
- Connect with PMA - 25:12
- Wrap-up - 26:50
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I had been paying attention to the food I was putting into my body, but not the drinks… I swapped out diet soda for water and 2 ½ weeks later I had lost 24 lbs, my skin was clear, and I had so much energy.”
This week on The Produce Moms Podcast we hear from the Founder and CEO of Hint Water, Kara Goldin. Kara shares the story of Hint, birthed from her own journey to find health and wellness. She truly is a voice and public figure in the produce community, and an example of someone with grit and ability to create true change! Hint is one of the only products out there that is created with only real fruit, and is free from additives and sweeteners. Hint has still water, sparkling water, caffeinated water, and even a line of sunscreens!
“By eating good quality food, and staying away from things I didn’t need in my system, my body was capable to resetting itself to the weight that I once knew. ”
Kara and Lori discuss the school and grocery distribution process, and the unique obstacles that have presented themselves as Hint has worked to implement healthier drink options. From major corporations to federal guidelines, it has been challenging for Hint to be readily available in schools, grocery stores, and markets in the United States. However, Kara is passionate and has persevered through the challenges and has seen over 200% growth in the past couple of years.
“Hint is more than just a water, it’s a lifestyle.”
Go to drinkhint.com to find a store that carries Hint, or to order directly online.
Outside of her work with Hint, Kara has a phenomenal personal brand. Connect with her at karagoldin.com. You can also find her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn - @Karagoldin.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Kara Goldin - 1:31
- Inspiration Behind Hint - 2:57
- Hint Flavors - 11:12
- Hint and School Distribution - 17:26
- The Grocery Industry: Getting Shelf Space - 28:22
- Kara’s Podcast - 34:02
- Wrap-up - 37:08
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We’ve always been focused on communities and schools that have less access… we’ve made sure that our meals are healthy, fresh, nutritious, and delivered everyday, but also that they are fully reimbursable through the federal meal reimbursement program.”
This week on The Produce Moms, Kirsten Saenz Tobey, Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of Revolution Foods shared about the incredible impact being made in schools around the nation. Revolution Foods provides 3 million meals a week to over 3000 school sites in 16 States. Their mission is to provide fresh, healthy meals that are fully reimbursable through the federal meal reimbursement program. Children who may not have access to healthy meal options are given the opportunity to receive the nutrition they need to help set them up for academic success.
“You’re operating with the principle that food is culture. Food is such a part of how we celebrate life, family traditions, and I love how that principle carries forward in Revolution Foods ”
One of the unique aspects of Revolution Foods is their attention to crafting culturally relevant foods for the schools in each region. Revolution Foods has a unique approach to how the food is designed. They are kid inspired and chef crafted!
Revolution Foods is partnering with schools to help implement breakfast programs, and working to make this option as convenient as possible for schools and students. Their foods are free of artificial colors, sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, and so many other additives that are found in so much of our food offerings in the current market.
“We’re incredibly focused on making sure that kids always have access to fresh, whole produce.”
For more information about Revolution Foods, check out www.revolutionfoods.com.
If you have been inspired by the work Revolution Foods is doing, peak with the education administration about bringing them to your children’s school!
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Kirsten Saenz Tobey - 1:39
- What is Revolution Foods? - 2:25
- Fresh Food Access in Public Schools - 4:48
- Partnership with Schools - 10:01
- Target Demographics and Growth - 16:08
- Fresh Produce and Revolution Foods - 18:10
- Lessons Kirsten Has Learned - 21:34
- Wrap-up - 23:50
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We call ourselves the innovation factory in produce.”
This week on The Produce Mom’s Podcast, we have the honor of chatting with Jacob Shafer, the Senior Communication Specialist for Mann’s Foods. Mann’s operated as a family-owned company from 1939 until earlier this year, when it was acquired by DelMonte.
Mann’s is a personal favorite at The Produce Moms, and we were so ecstatic to spend time discussing Mann’s innovative food strategies, including their Nourish Bowls. If you haven’t tried the Nourish Bowls yet, let me personally recommend the Cauli Curry Rice!
“We are targeting customers who are active, who are conscious of what they put into their body, and people who are seeking adventurous flavors.”
Mann’s is known for their Value Added Produce. In the episode, we define and discuss this concept, and Jacob shares some sneak peeks on products that are still to come at Mann’s. They are truly on-trend, and even trendsetters in the produce industry. Their Nourish Bowls are full of nutrients, and many are high in plant-based protein.
“Not only is Mann’s dedicated to innovation... but they’re also really good stewards of sustainability!”
Mann’s loves to encourage at-home innovation with their products. With campaigns like “Girlfriend Guides” and “Beyond the Bowl” they encourage you to take their products and personalize them to meet your unique taste and lifestyle.
Find out more at www.veggiesmadeeasy.com/newsroom/girlfriends-guides
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Jacob Shafer - 1:31
- What Are Nourish Bowls? - 3:31
- What is “Value Added” Produce - 8:42
- How Does Mann’s Come Up with New Ideas - 10:48
- Nourish Bowls on the Today Show - 17:46
- Broccolini Birthday Bash, Innovation and Sustainability - 20:01
- What’s Next? - 25:27
- Wrap-up - 28:30
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“It’s about total nutrition. Fruits. Vegetables. Whole grain, along with low fat and fat free dairy.”
This week on The Produce Moms Podcast, Lori spends time chatting with Marc Blake, Vice President of Business for the National Dairy Council and Mac Riggen, Director of Marketing for Chelan Fresh. Chelan Fresh is a Washington-based produce provider of pears, apples and cherries. Chelan Fresh has been collaborating with the Dairy Council, the USDA, and the NFL for the past 7 years in a program called Fuel Up to Play 60. Fuel Up to Play 60 is a nutrition and physical activity program implemented in schools to help encourage healthier lifestyles in our youth.
“We’ve seen the environment change. 14 million students eating healthier and 18 million students more physically active through this program.”
Mac and Marc discuss a new program launching that will place breakfast and salad bar carts in schools around the nation. Their mission is to provide more nutritious options for our students, that will lead to greater impact in their academic performance, and ultimate success in life. Through this current endeavor, over 9000 students will benefit, and over 1.3 million nutrient dense meals will be provided.
This episode demonstrates the way different companies and councils in the food industry are coming together to help impact the produce industry in a healthy way!
“We know when these students are fed breakfast and lunch, they do better on tests, they go to class, they have a higher graduation rate… things we have seen in some of our research.”
If you would like to find out more about Fuel Up to Play 60 visit fueluptoplay60.com. More information about Chelan Fresh can be found at chelanfresh.com and the National Dairy Council’s website nationaldairycouncil.org is full of resources and recipes!
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Guest - 0:56
- What Is Fuel Up to Play 60? - 3:40
- What is Ahead for Fuel Up to Play 60? - 9:36
- USDA School Meals - 12:52
- What Food Items Are on These Carts? - 15:02
- The Impact of the Food Carts - 17:25
- Wrap-up - 20:02
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The solution to our food insecurity lies within the networking and donors. ”
This week on The Produce Moms Podcast, Lori spends time talking to Shara Merten, the CEO of the Yuma Food Bank. This community food bank is the largest food effort in all of Yuma and La Paz County. To give perspective, Yuma itself has 205,000 inhabitants, and there are 200,000 individuals that benefit from the food bank! It truly is a vital part of the community.
“We are the end of the supply chain for all of the fresh grown product. That way it doesn’t go into the landfill. We find places for it.”
While the primary focus of the food bank is the community of Yuma, the produce that thrives there in the winter is the only source of US-based produce! Not only are they feeding the food-insecure in Yuma, but they are feeding America during the winter months. The most challenging time of year for the community is summer, when less produce is readily available, and children are out of school. During these months, the Yuma Food Bank partners with the Feeding America Network, to make sure the individuals in their community still have access to fresh produce.
“Volunteers are really the foundation of the work staff that we have. Getting people to volunteer their time is a treasure... Having community time with your family at the food bank has a double side. It teaches our youth that there is more to the world than what revolves around them.”
The Yuma Food Bank is such an amazing example of a network of people who have joined together to help make the community and the world a better place.
Check out yumafoodbank.org to learn more! You’ll also want to head over to feedingamerica.org, a partner in Yuma’s efforts, and one of the nation’s leading resources for providing hunger relief.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Shara Merten - 1:30
- Where is the Yuma Food Bank - 3:40
- The Impact of the Yuma Food Bank - 6:08
- Yuma’s Distribution - 10:41
- About the Feeding America Network - 13:12
- How to Get Involved - 17:06
- Looking at the Legacy of Yuma and Moving Forward - 20:30
- Wrap-up - 25:36
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“She saw that there was a huge surplus of fresh fruits and vegetables that were being discarded every day... and on the other hand there were families who were suffering from diseases and not living their best lives because there was scarcity.”
In this Episode of The Produce Moms Podcast, Lori had the privilege of speaking with Ashley Miyasaki. Ashley is the Co-Founder of Pulp Pantry, a company on a mission to eliminate the waste created from juicing, while providing the world with delicious, healthy snacks! For every pound of juice, approximately four pounds of pulp is created. Pulp Pantry was created when the founders realized that most people just discard the pulp. The pulp contains vital nutrients that were simply adding to the waste piled in landfills across Los Angeles, and the country.
“We see ourselves as a sustainable food company that is on a mission to make fruits and vegetables as ubiquitous as grains and sugar.”
What kind of snacks does Pulp Pantry sell? The snacks created resemble granola. Think of your favorite childhood snacks, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, only healthier. Each Pulp Pantry snack contains 50% vegetables, filled with fiber, prebiotics, and is free from common allergens. Pulp Pantry believes that food should be delicious, but also make you feel good!
“You can have the healthiest products in the world, but if it’s not tasty, people won’t buy it. And we won’t have the impact that we want to have, both from a nutrition/health and sustainability perspective.”
You can find Pulp Pantry at www.pulppantry.com, and check them out on Instagram @pulppantry
For a limited time, you can use promo code “MOMS” to get a discount on your next order!
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Ashley Miyasaki - 1:33
- How Did Pulp Pantry Get Its Start - 3:55
- What are Pulp Pantry’s Products - 8:48
- Sustainability and Gut Health - 14:04
- Pulp Pantry’s Mission - 19:56
- Wrap-up - 21:18
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“The Watermelon Board represents 1500 shippers and growers in the United States”
In this episode of the The Produce Moms Podcast, Lori sits down to discuss one of America’s favorite fruits with Jesse Wiggins. Jesse is a fifth generation farmer and the President of the Watermelon Promotion Board. At 25 years of age, he is the youngest individual to ever hold this position and brings fresh perspective to the market. Jesse and Lori discuss the importance of the Watermelon Promotion Board, and why it holds significance for growers, shippers, and also consumers.
“The biggest time for watermelons is in July. That’s when it’s the hottest, and it’s grown in every state.”
We now have access to watermelon 365 days a year! It is produce that can be grown in every state, and also imported, which gives the growing season its year-round boost. Jesse tackles the age-old question, “Is watermelon a fruit or a vegetable?” and gives some great facts about watermelon. Lori and Jesse share some delicious watermelon recipes, that you have probably never thought to try!
“Watermelons are 92% water. So, if you don’t like to drink water… cut up a watermelon, and you’re still getting a good source of hydration.”
The Watermelon Promotion Board’s website is full of great information, recipes, and scientific facts that you’ll want to be sure to check out. You can find our more at watermelon.org.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Jesse Wiggins - 1:16
- Why is This an Important Board? - 2:50
- Jesse’s Watermelon Heritage and Rise to Presidency - 5:35
- Watermelon 101 - 8:20
- Watermelon Recipe Ideas - 12:40
- Wrap-up - 19:45
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We have to think beyond what’s on the menu, because people are starting to care more about, not just how things taste, but they want to know that the food is good for them, and it’s also good for the world. ”
In this week’s episode, Lori had the honor of chatting with Missy Shaaphok, RD. Missy is the Manager of Global Nutrition and Sustainability for Taco Bell. Her mission is to continue finding new ways to integrate healthy food into the fast food market. Over the past several years, her team has been responsible for many of the monumental steps towards greater nutrition offered on the Taco Bell Menu. From removal of artificial ingredients, to the addition of cage-free eggs, Missy’s team has been working to provide fresh and healthy options for Taco Bell customers. Some have claimed that Taco Bell is the healthiest fast food restaurant!
“Nutrition is so much more than people typically think. It’s a combination of science and emotion… How the food is grown… emotionally everyone has a personal and cultural connection with food… It’s the connection with food and culture that brings out the joy in eating and consuming the food that nourishes our body. ”
There are over 46 million customers served at Taco Bell each week, which makes Missy’s job no small feat. She and her team are continually working on new ideas that will reach a very large customer demographic. Missy shares about her team’s food innovation and ways that they have worked to make the Taco Bell menu work for anyone’s dietary preferences. She shares that anything on the menu can be customized and gives some examples of modifications that can help you stick to your healthy eating plan.
“We want to make eating well the easy and convenient choice for you.”
Missy has a passion to provide nutritious food options, and increase the amount of produce consumed by Taco Bell customers. She even shares some insight on future plans for the Taco Bell menu.
“The introduction of our power menu increased our fresh produce offerings by 175,000,000 pounds per year”
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Guest - 1:15
- How Do You Bring Nutrition into Taco Bell? - 3:15
- How Do You Define Sustainability - 5:45
- How Do You Define Nutrition? - 7:20
- Creating Menu Items for the Millions - 10:42
- Customer Feedback - 16:20
- Missy’s Insight on the Produce Industry - 20:20
- Increasing the Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables - 24:20
- What’s Next for Taco Bell - 27:20
- Wrap-up - 30:58
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We as consumers have to re-educate ourselves. It’s my hope that Produce Moms can be a vehicle to educate us to shift our mindset.”
In this episode of The Produce Moms, Lori takes some time to recap all of the incredible episodes that have been released so far on the podcast. Lori’s passion is to help moms everywhere become more educated on produce, and the issues that affect sustainability, availability and price of produce. She gives a brief history of the mission behind Produce Moms before recapping some of the more notable podcasts from this season.
“We truly want to make sure this produce is showcasing the work that matters the most.”
Lori gives some brief previews of episodes to come on The Produce Mom. Listeners can be on the lookout for some exciting guests, including the dietician from Taco Bell. Who know that those words could be in the same sentence?! There will also be an episode with the Director of Sports Nutrition for the Duke University Basketball team. As well as many others. You won’t want to miss a single episode.
“The truth needs to be told about your fresh produce. There is too much misinformation out there. We will speak the truth, and bring in experts to talk about the topics that matter the most.”
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction - 1:18
- A Brief History of Produce Moms - 2:30
- The Healing Qualities of Fresh Produce - 9:20
- Nature Ripe and Breeding Produce - 11:34
- Tonya Antle and Organic Produce - 13:30
- Future Episodes - 15:30
- Hot Topics in the Produce World - 21:12
- Wrap-up - 27:12
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our concept of fresh produce got exploited in the marketing of food. Color television, magazines, food network... changed the consumers mindset about produce. They took seeking out ‘fresh’ to seeking out ‘perfect.’ We’re seeing food that has been waxed or dyed, or sorted out because it doesn’t stack in those beautiful pyramids you see at grocery retailers...”
Stacy Carroll, Director of Partnerships for Hungry Harvest is passionate about eliminating waste, and eliminating hunger in our nation. From dorm room, to Shark Tank, to a booming food delivery business, Hungry Harvest has experienced incredible growth. Hungry Harvest markets the produce that was deemed “off-spec,” and would have been thrown out, instead of placed in grocery stores for purchase. They believe that fruits and vegetables are a right, not a privilege, and every fruit and vegetable deserves to be eaten.
“Our huge impact came from small steps… your contribution matters. It’s so important to get started. Not knowing what you’re doing can be one of your greatest assets. You won’t overthink it. Just putting one foot in front of the other can lead to great impact.”
Hungry Harvest has a multifaceted approach to solving the problem of food waste. They’re aim is to create new customers that wouldn’t be able to afford, or potentially wouldn’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Their approach creates a win for all individuals involved. Additional business is provided to farmers, consumers have convenient and affordable access to fresh produce, and with each purchase, a donation is made to local partnerships who feed individuals in need.
“Every year, 40% of food in the US is going to waste. 20 billion pounds of that waste is produce that is lost before it even leaves the farm. Food that farmers have grown the water and love has gone into it and they can’t harvest because they can’t connect it to a buyer. So, they can’t afford to pull it off the plant.”
Hungry Harvest is here to collaborate and replicate these concepts. They desire to work towards the bigger mission of fighting hunger nationwide.
You can find them at Hungryharvest.net.
Input your zip code to see if they deliver to your area.
Get $5 off your first delivery with PROMO CODE- MOMS.
If they don’t deliver to your area (yet), give them your email to stay connected, and help bring Hungry Harvest boxes to your area!
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Stacey Carroll - 1:15
- What is Hungry Harvest? - 2:56
- What Does Hungry Harvest Do? - 7:34
- The Story of Hungry Harvest- 11:42
- Why is Food Waste Such a Critical Issue? - 16:20
- What Makes Hungry Harvest Unique? - 20:52
- The Concept of Food Justice - 25:39
- Wrap-up - 30:05
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Over 90% of the produce items USDA is purchasing for schools are dried, canned, or frozen… The opportunities created by the Farm Bill could be the only time that a child has access to fresh fruit and vegetables.”
Mollie Van Lieu, Senior Director of the Nutrition Policy for United Fresh Produce, spends her days on The Hill, promoting change in our government regarding nutrition. Her mission is to increase the availability and consumption of fresh produce in our homes and schools. Before joining forces with United Fresh Produce, Mollie was the Senior Associate for Government Relations at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She was also the Senior Policy Strategist for the National PTA.
“We have been working with the Senate and House to ensure that fruits and vegetables are incentivized… ensuring that we can grow these programs where the most people are shopping is really important.”
In this episode, Lori and Mollie discuss the upcoming Farm Bill, and its potential impact on schools and government assistance. Mollie explains the political nature of nutrition, and delves into some of the different programs that are supported through Farm Bill.
“Get as involved as you possibly can with United Fresh. I became a much better advocate, a much more passionate participant in our industry when I started getting involved with the political action.”
Mollie is influencing lasting change in our government. However, you don’t have to be a Senior Director in Washington DC to have an influence in policy. If you would like to do your part, below are some quick, easy, effective ways that you can be a part of impacting our nation!
-
Click the link below to advocate for fresh produce - http://www.unitedfresh.org/action/
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Visit the website of your members of Congress. Send them an email sharing your
desire to continue providing fresh produce (instead of all forms- frozen, dried, canned) to our children!
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Mollie Van Lieu - 1:19
- What is United Fresh Produce Association?- 3:40
- Why is Nutrition a Political Issue?- 7:02
- What is Farm Bill, and What Programs Does it Support?- 9:55
- What are the Critical Issues Regarding Child Nutrition?- 12:45
- How You Can Get Involved- 18:42
- Critical Issues Represented in Farm Bill- 24:36
- Wrap-up - 26:21
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We sell Health. We sell lifestyle. We’re selling fresh fruits and vegetables and getting consumers into the produce department.”
Tonya Antle, Co-founder and EVP of the Organic Produce Network (OPN), has been a driving force in the farming and produce industry for the past thirty plus years. She grew up on her own family’s table grape and citrus farm in Delano, California. She is recognized as a top spokesperson and a true trailblazer for the organic produce segment, helping to propel organic produce from the fringe to mainstream mass-market retailing.
“When you go into the produce department, there are farmers, marketers, sellers, packers, and many more behind those products that are stocked on shelves every day”
She previously held the position of vice president of organic sales for over 13 years at Earthbound Farm, the country’s leading brand of organic vegetables and salads, and was an instrumental leader in helping to build the brand to its half billion dollar sales level. Tonya has also consulted for leading U.S. venture capital firms about investments in the organic category.
“Organic is now in every format across the country”
Tonya is the 2016 co-recipient, along with her husband, Rick, of the United Fresh Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2003 recipient of the Women in Produce achievement award. In 2010, she joined the Ag Business Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, as an adjunct professor in Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Marketing. She also enjoys guest lecturing at Hartnell Junior College’s Ag Business Department and, most recently, at California State University Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) School of Business. She currently leads the Women’s Fund Leadership Council which is a field of interest fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, where she recently completed a $1.5 million endowment campaign for this fund. Tonya also serves on the CSUMB Foundation.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Tonya Antle - 1:14
- How Tonya Got Started in The Organic Produce Industry - 4:12
- About the Organic Produce Industry - 9:50
- Defining Organic Food - 11:08
- Tonya’s Introduction to Organic Produce - 17:10
- The Organic Produce Network - 19:35
- How Consumers Buy Today - 22:40
- Tonya’s TED Talk “Why Stop Here?” - 26:42
- You Don’t Get What You Don’t Ask For - 30:12
- Wrap-up and Takeaways - 31:58
Check out Tonya’s TED Talk that we mentioned in the episode!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkZxI7OyZrM
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“At Sage Fruit, our primary focus is on apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches, and nectarines”
In episode 12, Lori Taylor has a chat on all things fresh fruit with Kaci Komstadius of Sage Fruit. Sage Fruit Company is a sales and marketing firm of northwest tree fruits, located in Yakima, Washington. They are owned by five grower/packer/shippers who joined for the purpose of delivering high-quality produce to consumers. They seek to supply fruit world-wide, year-round.
“We’re always listening to what you say and what you want in the produce department”
Their team consists of numerous horticultural specialists who work with growers in the field. They ensure your fruit is grown to the highest standards, and harvested at the peak of freshness. Once at the warehouse, a team of quality control personnel inspects the fruit prior to packing, during packing and before shipping. Their job is to make certain only the very best makes it to the fresh market.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Kaci Komstadius - 1:15
- What is Washington Tree Fruit? - 5:58
- The Expansion of Multi-Generation Brands in the Produce Industry - 7:32
- What is a Stone Fruit? - 9:30
- The Organic Expansion at Sage Fruit - 13:50
- What it Takes to Sustain an Orchard - 20:10
- What Sage Fruit is Doing for the Local Community - 22:55
- How to Get Involved - 26:02
- Wrap-up - 27:45
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Salad Savoy® is a one-of-a-kind veggie that grows in bright violet and white heads”
In this week’s episode, Lori has a conversation with Seth Karm of Salad Savoy®. Salad Savoy Corporation is the brainchild of John Moore in 1983, following a trip to Sweden. While he was there, he visited a vegetable garden and was struck by what he saw, and tasted! Through detailed research and development, not only did he create an entirely new vegetable, trademarked under the name Salad Savoy® , he named his entire company after it.
“I’ve made a ton of Kale chips using every variety of Kale, but nothing tastes as good, and cooks up as evenly as the Salad Savoy® chips”
From Sweden to Salinas, California, where it currently calls home, John knew Salad Savoy Corporation was going to be the next big thing. He was so confident in its success that he formed a family business around it. Salad Savoy® officially entered the marketplace in 1984. Soon after, it was recognized by Venture magazine as one of the “100 Best New Ideas of the Year.”
“All of our items at Salad Savoy® are Non-GMO. We don’t do any type of genetic editing.”
We hope this episode inspires you to try something and add Salad Savoy® to your shopping list! For more information visit www.saladsavoy.com
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Seth Karm - 1:15
- What is Salad Savoy®? - 3:52
- The Process of Developing a “New” Vegetable - 10:50
- Clearing up the Confusion about Non-GMO - 15:45
- The Development of “Lollipops®” - 19:25
- The Versatility of Salad Savoy® - 23:20
- What’s next for Salad Savoy®? - 26:45
- Wrap-up - 32:30
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“When our middle daughter, Shiloh, was 3 months old, she got very sick. She spent 96 days in the hospital, most of which she was intubated. As a result, she lost the ability to eat by mouth and ended up with a G-Tube. ”
In episode 10, Lori sits down with a real life Produce Mom. Like we mentioned in the very first episode, many of our topics on the show are inspired by our community of Produce Moms. We want to inspire and encourage Moms all across the globe by showing them that it is possible to incorporate more fresh produce into their diets and that the long term effects for them and their families are truly life-changing.
“She’s just a one-year-old who needed healthy food grow, be strong, and feel good. Once we switched to that, that’s exactly what happened”
Andrea is a mother of 3 children. Her second daughter, Shiloh, was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, struggled with tube feedings, and was not responding well to the formulas that the doctors were prescribing. Andrea decided to take matters into her own hands, followed her “mom” instinct, and started feeding her daughter fresh produce and other balanced whole foods through her feeding tube and she saw a complete reversal of some of the problems her daughter was having.
“Our goal for every meal is a grain, a protein, dairy a few times per day, a fruit, and a vegetable”
There’s a Produce Mom in all of us, and Andrea’s story is just one of the many that we hear about every day. Fresh produce is more than just something that’s on the food pyramid. It is changing lives, healing bodies, and helping our families become stronger and live happier, healthier lives.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Andrea Mann - 1:15
- Andrea’s Story and Becoming a Mom - 4:02
- The Doctor’s Response to Shiloh’s Turnaround - 10:10
- Creating Healthy, Balanced Meals for Your Family - 11:52
- The Power of “Mom” Research - 15:22
- Shiloh’s Miraculous Progress - 17:03
- Wrap-up - 19:00
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Traditional Plant Breeding is simply a selection process”
In episode 9, Lori sits down with Plant Breeding Specialist, Ellen Thompson. Ellen is the Plant Breeding and Research Director at Pacific Berry Farms, a berry grower that is in partnership with Naturipe Farms.
Unique to the produce industry, Naturipe Farms is a partnership between four highly-esteemed fresh berry growers, whose fields are spread across the globe. As a group, our growers are able to provide consistent and diverse seasonal crops.
By sharing resources, skills, labor and knowledge, we are better farmers and in turn strengthen the farm community. To ensure year-round availability with a commitment to seasonal produce, our fresh berries are farmed in the most optimal growing regions throughout North and South America.
“Classic Plant Breeding has been around for thousands of years”
In this episode, Ellen answers some common questions about how your food is grown, the process of plant breeding, and the difference between classic plant breeding and GMO. It’s important to know where our food comes from and hearing the heart and passion behind what Ellen and her team does is extremely insightful as to how the farming process works.
“We’re always trying to overcome any challenges that may be in front of us, and through plant breeding, we can, very slowly and meticulously, overcome through that recurrent selection process year after year”
At TPM, we’re always trying to find innovative ways to share the importance of fresh produce in today’s food culture. By understanding where it comes from, how it’s grown, and some of the specifics when it comes to farming, we can help you find ways to eat more fresh produce and promote health in your families and communities.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Ellen Thompson - 1:15
- What is Plant Breeding? - 3:10
- The Process of Plant Breeding - 6:05
- The Difference Between Plant Breeding and GMO - 8:40
- What is the Purpose Behind Plant Breeding? - 12:32
- Varieties of Berries in Research - 14:45
- Naturipe Farms - 20:35
- Wrap-up - 22:38
Check out our Facebook Live video with Ellen that was mentioned in the episode here:
https://www.facebook.com/TheProduceMoms/videos/1684766218303034/
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“More vegetable and more fruit - that’s easily the most important thing that is involved in good nutrition and what nutrition really means”
In episode 8, Lori sits down with Jackie London from Good Housekeeping. Jackie writes and reports on nutrition news and trends, noteworthy products, “myth-busting” diet fads, weight-loss tips, eating advice, and diet stories for the magazine. She also conducts GH’s taste-tests, in which she’ll establish nutritional criteria for products in a food category and then conduct large-scale taste-tests to report in the magazine.
“It’s not nutrition until it’s eaten”
Jackie also reviews all of the food products that want to use the Good Housekeeping Seal, and evaluates packaged food claims (“low-sodium,” “high-fiber”) to make sure they’re legit. Jackie is one of the visionaries behind the Good Housekeeping Nutritionist Approved Emblem, which launched in 2016 and serves as a new Good Housekeeping Seal for food products.
“It’s only one day at a time and one meal at a time”
Jackie’s work is featured in the “Ask Jackie” column in Good Housekeeping Magazine as well as the Health section of the GH website.https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/ Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Jaclyn London - 1:15
- What is Nutrition to You? - 4:20
- Projects that Jaclyn is involved in at Good Housekeeping - 8:22
- The “Ask Jackie” Column - 12:50
- The Good Housekeeping Nutrition Seal - 17:15
- The Emblem Program - 25:31
- Wrap-up - 29:25
Find Jackie under the “Health” tab at www.goodhousekeeping.com by clicking on “Nutrition” and the “Ask Jackie” column in each edition of GH Magazine!
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
Also, be sure to connect with Allison on social media! Follow her on instagram @hangryrd
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“There’s a Produce Mom in all of us”
In episode 7, Lori sits down with someone that has been in the Produce industry as long as she has. Pamela Riemenschneider is the Editor of Produce Retailer and serves many roles at 2 of the Produce Industry’s leading trade journals. She is at the helm of what kind of stories are being published and how we are educating retailers on fresh produce.
Pamela is also the host of Pamela’s Kitchen where she puts fresh produce to the test on youtube and instagram as well as other innovative marketing techniques.
“I want consumers to believe that their retailer buyers get around the table and decide, ‘this is the produce that we’re going to buy and offer to our consumers’”
As a Produce Mom, you want to feel like your retailers are working for you, right? We believe there’s a day coming where retailers will be so educated that even the clerk at your favorite supermarket will be educated on fresh produce to be able to advise and recommend what’s best for you and your family.
The internet has changed the way we eat and also the way we get our groceries. With Amazon’s recent acquisition of Whole Foods, we’re going to see a massive shift in the future in how we shop and get our fresh produce into our homes.
“I need to get serious with digital... yesterday”
In this episode, Pamela and Lori talk about everything from oranges to boxed meal subscriptions and everything in between. The future of buying groceries and fresh produce is here. Are you ready?
“I predict that were going to see a definite shift in what’s going on in store versus what’s available online”
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Pamela Riemenschneider - 1:15
- A Day in the LIfe of Pamela - 7:53
- Understanding “Use by” Dates - 10:15
- Meal Kits: Good or Bad? - 11:55
- The Start of Pamela’s Kitchen 17:10
- Cara Cara Oranges and Blood Oranges - 21:12
- Amazon’s Acquisition of Whole Foods - 25:01
- What Shopper’s can Expect From Grocer’s in the Near Future - 31:11
- Wrap-up - 20:50
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Food is at the center of all that we do”
In episode 6, The Produce Mom, Lori Taylor, sits down with Allison Kuhn. Allison is the director of retail nutrition solutions at Kroger, and she also has many accolades including the Top Woman in Grocery Rising Star Award. She has also been recognized by Produce for Better Health Foundation as Dietician of the Year and a host of other distinguished recognitions and awards.
“We’re all about using food in the best possible way we can to enhance our health and our life”
One of Allison’s biggest recent projects has been developing and implementing the Kroger Opt Up App. Opt Up is helping shoppers simplify healthier shopping by providing easy-to-use nutrition scoring and recommendations based on what you're buying today.
“Our goal at Kroger is to help people live a healthier life”
Your OptUP score lets you know how healthy your grocery purchases have been over the last eight weeks. You can also see how your purchases break down between high, medium and low scoring foods.
You can view nutrition scores from 1-100 for items you’ve recently bought in the Purchased section. Tap any product to view nutrition info and to add the product to your favorites for future shopping trips. Swipe left to add any item to your cart.
Their proprietary OptUp Analyzer™ provides personalized, better for you options to help you on your health and wellness journey.
Allison is helping Kroger change the way America eats! We hope you enjoy this episode and find new and innovative ways to eat more fresh produce.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Allison Kuhn - 1:15
- What is Nutrition? - 4:58
- The Kroger Opt Up App - 9:01
- The Gamification of the App - 14:05
- Dietary Guidelines of the App - 16:25
- Allison’s Role in the Nutrition at Kroger and the Opt Up App - 17:35
- Wrap-up - 20:50
Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info
Also, be sure to connect with Allison on social media! Follow her on instagram @hangryrd
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“I want to empower women through education, leadership development, and community engagement”
In episode 5, Lori sits down with Produce Industry Legend, Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin. Margaret has been an advocate, inspiration, and example for women her entire career. She has made a positive difference in the community, the nonprofit sector, and the agriculture industry, both locally and globally.
“What you’re putting in your body makes a huge impact on your ability to think, function, and feel your best”
Margaret spent 22 years as executive vice president of sales and marketing at D’Arrigo Bros. She has more recently spent the last several years as vice president of community development at Taylor Farms. She served as Director of the industry’s leading trade organization-- Produce Marketing Association. She was named Woman of the Year by Ag Against Hunger. Her leadership in the non-profit sector includes President of the Grower Shipper Association Foundation, Vice President for Hartnell College Foundation and president of the Salinas City Elementary Educational Foundation.
“My journey didn’t come easy. I had to push and climb, but I never gave up”
Margaret serves on the board of directors Children’s Council of Monterey County, Literacy Campaign for Monterey County, Thrive Foundation, Salinas City Center Improvement District, and Steinbeck Innovation Foundation. She is co-founder of IMPOWER, a primarilyy woman-focused group whose purpose is to get others involved in making our community a better place. She also currently serves as Secretary of Salinas Valley Memorial Health Care System.
These accomplishments are testimony to the passion Margaret feels for her community and industry. She has a vision for what is possible and has proven that it is also achievable.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin - 0:45
- Margaret’s Background and Experience in Produce - 2:45
- How Fresh Produce Can Help You Reach Your Full Potential - 7:30
- Margaret’s Role in the Produce Industry - 9:43
- The Importance of Having Mentors - 14:01
- What is the One Thing Moms need to know about Fresh Produce - 18:35
- Advice from Margaret - 19:20
- Wrap-up - 21:40
For more information about Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin and the work she is doing to empower women and make waves in the produce industry, visit https://www.margaret-inc.com/ and https://www.impowerwomen.org/ to connect with her and her team.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
The Produce Moms Podcast EP 4
From 7th Grade Volleyball to the Entrepreneurial Journey that is The Produce Moms, with Kristin Ahaus
“The Produce Department should be a Guilt-Free Zone”
In Episode 4, Lori sits down with The Produce Moms Director of Content and Communications, and life-long friend, Kristin Ahaus. Kristin was Lori’s first hire at TPM and has been recognized by Produce Business Magazine as one of the Top 40 Under 40 within the produce industry. While complete opposites, Lori and Kristin compliment each other so well and make everything at TPM possible.
“We’ve impacted over a billion annual school meals”
The Produce Moms has made a huge impact in the lives of students all over the country, as they continue to bring new ideas, fun, and a fresh way to introduce produce. Lori, Kristin, and the whole TPM team are constantly creating new ways to connect with schools, as well as families, to help change the way America eats.
“We’re such a huge sounding board and advocate for the produce industry as a whole”
Sign up for our email list and follow TPM on Social Media to stay up to date with everything we’re doing!
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Kristin Ahaus - 0:45
- The Story of The Produce Moms - 2:45
- Reaching Schools with Fresh Produce - 7:30
- Biggest Takeaway for Moms of TPM - 12:02
- Where We See TPM in 5 Years - 13:40
- Role Models in the Produce Industry - 20:01
- Wrap-up - 23:40
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“We’ve been known for introducing a variety of fruits and vegetable to US supermarkets”
In Episode 3, Lori talks all things fresh produce with the eldest daughter of Frieda’s Specialty Produce CEO Karen Caplan, and the granddaughter of founder Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, Alex Jackson Berkley. She joined the company in 2011 after graduating from George Mason University, making Frieda’s a three-generation family-business success story.
“We try to make produce relatable through something fun that’s going to make people smile and laugh at the same time”
Alex started in Frieda’s marketing department before moving into the sales department in 2014 as an account manager. In 2014 at age 24, Alex was the youngest produce professional to be accepted into the United Fresh Leadership Program Class. That same year, Alex earned a certificate of Produce Executive Development from Cornell University’s Food Industry Management Program.
“Food is a common language of our world”
In 2017, Alex was named one of the “40 Under 40” by Produce Business Magazine for her success and leadership in the produce industry.
Alex served as a member of the Produce Marketing Association’s Women’s Fresh Perspectives Advisory Committee and was co-chair from 2015 to 2017. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Westerly School of Long Beach, a California K-8 non-denominational private school.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Alex Jackson Berkley - 0:45
- What is Frieda’s Specialty Produce? - 2:55
- Understanding the Fresh Produce Supply Chain - 7:25
- What it’s like to run a family business - 11:25
- Predicting the Culinary Trends - 17:05
- Final Questions - 22:10
Watch the Documentary “Fear No Fruit” The Frieda Caplan Documentary - http://fearnofruit.com/
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“There’s a disconnect on how food affects our health. I want to be having that conversation, so people understand what a direct impact it has ”
For several years, Lisa Helfman and her family took part in a weekly fruit and vegetable co-op, and she watched her children’s eating habits dramatically transform. So much so that her little boy turned down a piece of cake at a birthday party, craving instead the blueberries he’d grown fond of eating at home.
“We believe that our only goal is to make an impact”
Like most moms, Lisa realized this was a fairly significant decision for a six-year-old, and she wondered what kind of influence regular access to fresh produce might have on all children. Especially if that produce was free to families.
“You can be empowered to take control of your health and live a happier healthier life by eating right - and the key to eating right is fresh produce”
She was inspired to replicate this type of positive change in underserved communities identified as “food deserts,” or areas where access to grocery stores stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables is sorely limited. Because nutrition education in these communities is often equally lacking, Lisa’s vision was to bring a produce co-op to schools in these neighborhoods that included an educational component.
“People are sick in our community and they could be healthy just by eating right”
She created a collaborative partnership between the Houston Food Bank and Dr. Shreela Sharma, an expert in nutrition and a professor of epidemiology at UTHealth School of Public Health, and they launched the program now known as Brighter Bites. Four years later, Brighter Bites has delivered more than 8,000,000 pounds of fresh produce to over 20,000 families at over 90 sites in Houston, Dallas, and Austin.
When she isn’t pushing kids to eat kale smoothies, Lisa is Director of Real Estate for H-E-B and is working on the company’s significant expansion in Houston. Prior to joining H-E-B, Lisa served as Director of Real Estate Services at Texas Children’s Hospital where she created the Real Estate Services Department in order to centralize the hospital’s real estate operations. Lisa worked at Texas Children’s for seven years after leaving Vinson & Elkins where she represented many urban redevelopment clients, non-profits, and government entities in financings, real estate, and other general matters. Lisa received her JD from University of Houston Law Center and her BA from Tulane University.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction // Lisa Helfman - 0:45
- Give Healthy Food Drive - 2:05
- How Brighter Bites got started - 3:15
- Why Fresh Food? - 5:09
- Brighter Bites and the “Access Issue” - 6:40
- Brighter Bites Programs - 11:30
- Integration with schools and kids - 14:30
- The Bright Bites Audience - 17:15
- The Myth of Food Shortage - 24:12
- How Brighter Bites is Changing Lives - 27:00
- How You Can Get Involved - 32:20
- Wrap-up - 35:29
We are hosting a “Give Healthy” Food Drive to support the amazing work that Lisa and her team at Brighter Bites are doing. Text the words “Give Healthy” to 55498
We will send you a link to the “Give Healthy” Food Drive as well as a Brighter BItes Wish List!
For more information, visit www.brighterbites.org
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!
“Our mission is to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the US and change the way America eats”
In this pilot episode of the The Produce Moms Podcast, we hear from THE Produce Mom, Lori Taylor. Lori has 10+ years of experience in the produce industry and is working every day to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Her passion to “change the way America eats” comes from her expertise in the industry and her responsibility as a Mom to make the best, and most healthy, choices for her family.
“We’re helping people understand the many different ways that they can eat more fresh produce and simplifying the process”
Lori shares her story and unique perspective on what it means to eat more fruits and vegetable, the vision for The Produce Moms, and why we decided to start a podcast. From a late night decision to buy the url theproducemom.com to what the brand and community is today is truly an amazing and inspiring journey. Lori shares some defining moments in the process and how she had to stand up for herself in corporate America to be able to make the impact that she’s making today.
“I paid more for my idea than my home”
In 2018, The Produce Moms is a thriving community with an intense focus to resource America with a healthier alternative to what we’re bombarded with everyday. The produce section is a guilt-free zone and we can be a part of changing the way America eats by shining light on the produce industry and all of it’s benefits.
“We have almost 40K subscribers from 30 countries and all 50 states”
Join the movement today, and help us change the way America eats.
Some Topics we talk about in this episode:
- Introduction - 0:45
- Why We Started a Podcast - 2:15
- The Vision and Story of The Produce Moms - 3:30
- Lori and 10+ Years of Experience in the Produce Industry - 8:35
- How Lori Got Her First Marketing Job - 10:30
- Our First Blog Post - Who is the Produce Mom? - 16:30
- Resources that TPM and this Podcast Offer - 23:50
- The Community Component of TPM - 25:39
- Topics to Expect on This Podcast - 27:10
- Coming up in Episode 2 - 32:35
- Wrap-up - 33:50
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
- Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you’re at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com
If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!