Our sales on this and other Asian veg are skyrocketing!

Vegetables, plant-based foods and ethnic cuisines are still rising in demand and popularity.

It’s that time of year. Fall flavors, holiday meals, seasonal menu changes, and entertaining family and friends.

To operators, interchanging cherry tomatoes with baby heirloom tomatoes can make the difference between a common commodity to a more profitable (and more popular?) LTO appetizer, salad, tapas, side dish or accompaniment to main dish entrees.

Let’s face it, eggplant is rather dull. But after roasting and a sprinkling of pomegranate arils –they become the life of the party and Fall menus.

No matter how you slice it, blueberries are commanding more and more of fresh fruit share-of-stomach (and share of fruit sales). And our Argentinian blueberry growers are going to make sure that trend continues.

ANTHOCYANINS are antioxidants found in rich blue, black and red colored fruits. The word comes from the Greek antho for “flower” and kyaneos for “dark blue” and is a specific type of flavonoid that are responsible for numerous health benefits.

While the origin of National Dessert Month is unknown, what we do know – fall is here and operators will be offering delicious, homey baked desserts made with fresh fruits.

Baby vegetables hit French cuisines in the 60’s for their novelty and then made their way to the retail scene in the mid 80’s. Today, bite-sized vegetables are widely showcased for their miniature size and flavor but also for a healthy snacking convenience.

Operators no longer need to worry about creating new menu items due to the possibility of items going out of season.

A picture is worth a thousand words. But we want to add a few: Pizza sales in restaurants have never been better and gourmet pizzas are at the top of price point and profitability. Adding vegetables elevates the pizza and helps to diminish the carb guilt. So we’ve heard.

Yes, that is the question. Everyone loves carrots; but peeling not so much. In this case, we’ve done the work for you. Baby peeled carrots are ready to eat as is and ready to prepare. And they taste as wonderful as they look. Easy-peasy.

More than one half of consumers say they are eating more fruits and vegetables for better health and nutrition. Boomers are lessening meat intake while millennials are opting for plant-based diets.

Bruschetta with tomatoes is ubiquitous. Stepping-up an operator menu would list Marinated Baby Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta. Adding burrata cheese listed in the recipe could command a special or LTO price while providing your customers that seasonal, fresh and flavorful experience.

Operators want differentiation and a solution to offer more plant-based menu items and ones that can pack a punch – in more ways than one. These nutritionally-dense greens do just that. Sandwiches and salads made with these super powers will fuel your customer’s needs for super-charged nutrition and strengthen sales.

HARVEST SENSATIONS HERBS MAKE THE BEST CHIMICHURRI

Operators want to know about trends and how to address them – as in adding more plant-based meals to their menu. Salads, sides and main dishes featuring grilled fresh asparagus is always a customer favorite and would be a natural addition to summer menus and LTO’s.

Bad news: As seasons come to an end in the U.S., and winter starting in Peru; days of rain in Central Mexico is continuing to slow production –all resulting in decreased availability and up markets.

Berry sales are growing and use of blueberries in Foodservice can too!

It’s the season for asparagus and it is in abundance. As your operators look for more vegetable ideas for all day part menus, asparagus can be a sensationally fresh® ingredient, a side dish, or a main course.

Breakfast and lunch have the most potential for significant vegetable growth.

Also known as sea asparagus and samphire, this vegetable commonly grows in coastal salt marshes and along the shores of salt lakes. These beans are grown hydroponically which produces a higher yield vs foraged, and are sold with root balls attached to extend shelf life.

At Harvest Sensations, fresh basil is in a category all its own. Why? Because we sell a ton of it.

White asparagus accounts for 25% of the global marketplace and its the preferred variety in Europe. In the U.S., white asparagus presents opportunities for menu diversification and differentiation – meaning growth.

Canned peas rank only #5 on a consumers vegetable priority list. Not surprising for the colorless mushy rounds. But, fresh-shelled English Peas are one of the biggest trending, fresh vegetables to be enjoyed raw or prepared.

Slap, spank, whack! Sound aggressive? Only when it comes to releasing essential oils in fresh herbs and increasing operator bar sales – one of restaurant’s biggest profit areas.

Baby vegetables hit the French culinary scene in the 60’s for their novelty and then began appearing at retail in the mid 80’s. Today, these bite-sized vegetables are still showcased for their appearance and flavor but also for snacking convenience.