MONTEREY, CA — The Organic Produce Summit featured more than 1,700 attendees at the Monterey Convention Center, with about 175 exhibitors.
Events kicked off with field tours and a reception on July 10, and education sessions and a five-hour expo on July 11.
As a serial expo attendee and trade media expert, I see a lot of new items. I have a method for my trade show browsing that involves a full canvass of the floor while things are really busy at the beginning, and more detailed perusal later in the day.
Then, toward the end, I see what is still drawing attendees’ eyes.
The organic show typically is a little different when it comes to new products, as it’s not just new bags of salad, if you know what I mean (though there are plenty of new bags of organic salads to be had!)
Here are eight things that got me to stop by and take a second (or third) look:
Hippie Organics’ BB #:129973 Mango Fries: I thought these were genius. I’ve seen fresh-cut mango before and most of it doesn’t really appeal to me. I’m more of a stand-over-the-sink-and-gnaw-the-pit kind of mango consumer, but these look fun and reimagine the firmer texture necessary for successful fresh-cut mango.
Fresh Energy Medjool Dates Sunnies Date Bars: You’ll see a lot of date exhibitors, especially on the west coast. Caramel Naturel enticed me to stop with a new bar option that reminds me a little of Fig Newtons. Sunnies are available in three flavors: Blueberry, Strawberry, and Apple Cinnamon. My hot and cold relationship with dates is well-known. These might have made the cut.
Fresh Prep’s BB #:115577 Fair Earth Farms organic salad kits didn’t just grab my attention because of the salad kit. It was the bold call-out about the bag itself. “This bag is made from plants and is fully compostable,” is featured as large as the name of the salad, right up front. I definitely think an organic consumer is looking for this kind of messaging.
Cal-Organic BB #:136544 took its signature color and dark, leafy greens and brought them into the modern convenience of fresh-cut. I loved the look of the rainbow chard, which I’m used to seeing the stems artfully displayed in a wet rack, showing prominently through the bag’s windows. Way to keep that fresh look in a packaged product.
Lipman Family Farms BB #:110471 is coming out with some banded packaging for cucumbers, yellow squash, and zucchini that I think will help retailers and consumers identify their organic offerings. The prototype was bright and colorful, but with a natural feel.
Rowdy Rabbit BB #:297408 is now offering a shrink-wrapped packaged option for a wide variety of organic items, from bell peppers to zucchini. For now, the shrink wrap is a standard plastic, but the company is testing other, more eco-friendly options.
A lot of the new products on the show floor were focused on packaging concepts that have greater appeal for organic shoppers who are looking to minimize their plastic footprint. Mother Earth LLC BB #:263387 has a new compostable mushroom till for retailers looking for that option.
Giumarra’s BB #:113366 new plastic-free bagged avocados didn’t just catch my eye because they’re plastic-free. I was more interested in the “How to Recycle” prominently on the back. This was a concern that came up in an education session – making sure consumers know exactly what to do with new packaging concepts – so I was happy to see it get space where a consumer can’t miss it.
