NEW YORK CITY — From a newcomer in the greenhouse-grown tomato space determined to be different to the challenges facing the apple industry to new products and packaging, the New York Produce Show, Dec. 2–4, set the stage for compelling conversation.
Pluck'd Aims to Set New Bar for Tomato Flavor
“We call ourselves the ‘Fresh Flavor Saviors,'” says Ben Alexander with Pluck'd, who adds the new Austinville, Va.-based greenhouse grower tested thousands of tomato varieties before landing on its varieties of choice.
The high-flavor, U.S.-grown tomatoes on the vine will be available year-round from its Virginia greenhouse strategically located 12 hours from Boston and Miami, and six hours from Cleveland, Nashville and Washington, D.C., says Andrew Shields with Pluck'd.
Pluck'd tomatoes will be harvested ripe and can be to markets in 24 to 48 hours.
“Picked today and in D.C. tomorrow,” Alexander says.
Alexander and Shields say the Pluck'd greenhouse will be ready to plant at the end of January and be on shelves by April. Eventually the 65-acre facility will bring 250 jobs to the area, they add.
Pluck'd says it has invested in an automated packaging line and the latest irrigation systems.
“If you get the water wrong, it affects the flavor of the tomato,” Alexander says.
At NYPS, the team presented three of its greenhouse-grown tomatoes set to launch in April, including:
· Preemos: high-flavor slicers.
· Plucculents: tomatoes on the vine with high flavor that Shields describes as a “two-biter cocktail tomato.”
· Plucklings: a snacking strawberry variety tomato with a deep red color. It's this tomato, Shields says, that “made me realize I never had a [flavorful] tomato before.”
Value-Added Celery Convenience
Duda Farm Fresh Foods featured its “best-in-class” celery sticks in a variety of cuts and sizes, as well as sweet corn and radishes from Florida.
The Duda team says they've seen a lot of growth in the value-added category since the pandemic, and it hasn't slowed down since.
New Look for Ready-to-Eat Salad Greens
Misionero's Hana Mohsin showcased the company's newly rebranded conventional Garden Life line, debuting later this month. The company is now using a pre-printed film instead of a sticker on the seal. It also featured its Organic Crispy Green Harvest Blend and Organic Crispy Green and Red Harvest Blend.
“We've noticed people enjoy the pre-washed convenience of ready to eat with its 100% yield and no waste,” Mohsin says. “Organic salad sales are No. 2 behind berries because the consumer is loving the convenience and taste.”
Organic Apples: Challenges and Opportunities
At the Washington-based CMI Orchards booth, Danelle Huber discussed some of the challenges and opportunities facing the apple industry.
“The price gap between organic and conventional continues to get closer on the retail shelf, but the cost to the organic grower is going up and up,” she says. “Labor is a huge part of that. Organic growers can't use chemicals and have to do things by hand.”
Huber says growers are balancing their conventional and organic crops to make up for losses on the organic side.
“There's also been a lot of consolidation in the last two years,” says Huber, adding that two apple shippers merged with CMI in the past two years.
On the upside, Huber says, “the organic apple category has huge potential, and we can all work together to grow that. The apple category is also changing by the minute, with new higher flavor varieties to try, so there's still consumer excitement out there.”
What's Next in Ornamentals
With this year's pumpkin season a wrap, the team at Bay Baby Produce is already looking ahead to 2026. What's next for the Washington-based company? Its currently testing a new 5-pound bag of larger-size ornamental pumpkins at select retailers and plans to do a full launch next year, says Lindsey Lance.
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