Volume X
Authentic Guacamole
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Grand Grapes from West Coast....1
Chef’s Table....................................2
Fun with Fruit.................................2
Trivia Time.....................................2
California Summer Grapes............3
Now Showing..................................3
Locally Grown................................4
I Issue: 21 I Week of June 1, 2016
Grand Grapes from the West Coast
Red, green, black. What color of California grapes do you prefer? With so many
varieties to choose from, it’s sometimes
just best to pick them all!
A whopping 90% of consumers buy
grapes to use for snacking, but there are
a few other uses for these delicious fruits
as well. You can use them in salads, in
jams and jellies, in tarts, and even as
salsa!
Unlike some fruits, grapes do not continue to ripen after they’ve been harvested. This means they should be purchased
at peak quality and sweetness. Look for
grapes that are firm, plump and firmly
When merchandising grapes, make
sure your displays include all three
colors - red, green and black. This won’t
only look nice, but give the customers
a wide variety of fruit to choose from.
It’s also a great idea to sample them as
well - some stores see around a 15% in
bump in sales when sampling is involved.
If you want to get more creative, halve
and scoop out a cantaloupe and fill with
grapes before overwrapping. For more
merchandising ideas, see the article on
page 3!
AUGUST 10, 2016 - BLOOMINGTON
WWW.RDWPRODUCESHOW.COM
RDW Produce Show.......................4
Contact Info...................................4
SAVE THE DATE - 2016 PRODUCE SHOW
attached to the stems. Avoid ones that
are wet, moldy or shriveled. Also, don’t
be alarmed if there is a white-powdery
coating on your grapes - this is good! It’s
called bloom and it is a naturally occurring substance that protects grapes from
moisture loss and decay.
Chef´s Table
Paleo California Grape
and Broccoflower Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serving Size: 6
Ingredients:
• 1 12oz. Crazy Fresh Wrapped Broccoli/Cauliflower
• 1 cup California grapes, halved
• 6 slices bacon
• 3/4 cup paleo mayonnaise, made with natural oil
• 1/4 chopped onion
• 1/4 cup slivered or chopped almonds
•1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions:
1.Place the slices of bacon in a large
pan on medium heat and cook for
about 8 minutes on each side until
crispy.
2. While bacon cooks, cut the broccoli
and cauliflower into small florets.
3. Mix the florets with the almonds,
chopped onion and halved grapes.
4. Once the bacon is cooked and
crispy, crumble and add to the salad.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the
SAVE THE DATE - 2016 PRODUCE SHOW
FUN WITH FRUIT
mayonnaise with the lemon juice.
6. Mix the dressing with the salad,
mix well, serve and enjoy!
Summer is a great time to show off
the fun and exciting things to do
with fruit. Whether it’s a fun recipe
or a cool carving, show off with the
examples below. For more ideas,
visit our Pinterest page!
Your partner in the produce aisle,
Chef Nate
TRIVIA TIME
How many varieties of grapes are
there around the world?
AUGUST 10, 2016 - BLOOMINGTON
WWW.RDWPRODUCESHOW.COM
2
California Summer Grapes
Quality and volume look promising
Background: The California table grape
harvest has begun in Coachella, the southernmost US producing area. Initial assessments
suggest unusually good quality and volume
above last year. In early July, harvest will move
north to the San Joaquin Valley.
Store: Refrigerate. Keep dry. Store away from
direct air flow to help prevent dehydration.
Stack no more than 2 layers of bags on display.
Lacking refrigeration, seek to turn display
inventory at least daily (indoors) and within 4
hours for outdoor sales. Always strip rotate.
California bagged grapes are typically packed
in 19-pound, not 18-pound, cases. Most are
field-packed as opposed to being shed-packed.
Forced-air cooling removes the field heat which
lengthens product life.
Prepare: Regardless of use, always rinse and
pat dry. To freeze, remove from stem, place on
wax paper and freeze. Serve before thawing.
Many grape varieties are grown in California.
These are among the most prominent:
Flame: Red seedless; Medium to large;
Rounded; May-September.
Summer Royal: Black seedless; Medium to
large; Rounded; June-October.
Sugarone: Also marketed under the ‘Superior
Seedless’ name; Greed seedless; Large oval;
May-September.
Thomopson: Green seedless; Medium to large;
Cylindrical; July-December.
Choose: Knowing what you are buying will
help you get what you are paying for. You
should know the size - large, X-large, or jumbo.
Differences in color depth (especially in red
varieties) can also change cost. Grapes picked
near harvest’s end are likely more mature
and will also have more shatter, resulting in
less value for your customers. Grapes should
be firm, well-colored and have green, pliable
stems.
SAVE THE DATE - 2016 PRODUCE SHOW
Nutrition: Grapes are fat and cholesterol
free and very low sodium. A 3/4 cup serving
of grapes has about 90 calories. All colors of
grapes are a natural source of antioxidants.
To sell more: Do these things.
1. Handle larger-size and better quality.
2. Quality control the produce in your display.
3. Offer green, red, black and organic variety.
4. Expand display space now. Add centeraisle display and position early in wall rack.
5. Advertise at least each 3 weeks and
otherwise promote with in-store savings at a
good margin.
About 2/3 of Midwesterners bought grapes
last year. They’re the 3rd most purchased fruit
and 28% bought organic at least once. Green
and red are equally preferred with about 10%
preferring black. 90% of buyers use as snacks.
NOW SHOWING
These are the items to merchandise
now for the most sales and profits!
• Crazy Fresh Watermelon Spears
• Crazy Fresh Guacamole
• Organic Cantaloupe, Grapes, Mangoes, Nectarines, Peaches, Pluots, Blueberries, Raspberries
• Organic Green Beans, Carrots, EBF Salads, Vidalia Onions, Tomatoes
• Organic Croutons, Marzetti Dressings
• Seedless New Crop Grapes
• Nectarines / Peaches / Mangoes / Plums / Pluots
• Berries / Cherries
• Cantaloupe / Mini Watermelon / Seedless Watermelon
• Tomatoes / Dole Salas
• Asparagus / Artichokes
• Green Beans / Sweet Corn
• Celery / Bell Peppers
• Zucchini / Yellow Squash
• Vidalia Onions
• Bag Potatoes - Crazy Fresh Locally Grown
ORGANIC COUNT
414
AUGUST 10, 2016 - BLOOMINGTON
WWW.RDWPRODUCESHOW.COM
3
Locally Grown & Featured Items
2016 RDW Produce Show!
LOCALLY GROWN
Conventionally Grown:
- Asparagus
- Rhubarb
- Red and Russet Potatoes
Organically Grown:
- Russet and Yellow Potatoes
-Parsnips
-Rhubarb
-Green Kale
-Asparagus
-Radishes (Red)
Look for more locally-grown
fruits and veggies in the
upcoming weeks!
TRIVIA TIME ANSWER
The date and location has been set for this year’s Produce Show! Keep your eyes open for
the registration packets in your order guides coming soon. Be sure to check out the official
RDW Produce Show website at: www.RDWproduceshow.com.
Over 8,000!
Jamestown, ND
1411 17th St. SW
Jamestown, ND 58401
888.702.4739
Phone: 701.252.2946 • Fax: 701.252.2946
La Crosse, WI
3145 Airport Road
La Crosse, WI 54603
800.214.4981
Phone: 608.788.1700 • Fax: 608.788.5862
Russ Davis Wholesale
“Serving you for over 50 years.”
266 4th St. NE
Wadena, MN 56482
800.332.7104
218.631.3070
Fax: 218.631.5068
Hammond, WI
1940 Ridgeway St.
Hammond, WI 54015
800.645.2720
Phone: 715.796.4400 • Fax: 651.645.1389
Merrill, WI
1200 Commerce St.
Merrill, WI 54452
888.539.2803
Phone: 715.539.2800 • Fax: 715.539.2899
4