US fresh produce importer Baloian Farms has expanded its bell pepper production following the addition of a Mexican hothouse programme starting this month (November), with availability through May 2013.
The move comes in response to a 3 per cent hike in US consumer purchase behaviour for bell peppers in 2012 compared with 2011, according to Fresh Trends 2012 research.
In partnership with Cueto Produce of Guadalajara, Mexico, the deal will provide expanded availability and loading options for the company’s current year-round pepper supply.
The new hothouse deal includes red, yellow and orange bell peppers in a variety of packs including bulk, stoplight, sunrise and single colour packs, according to a press release from Baloian.
Bulk product will be available in the BIOMAsur label and all consumer packs will be available in the Pam Pak brand, the firm said.
The expansion of Baloian’s bell pepper volume comes on the heels of continued growth in the group’s traditional bell pepper deal, as well as its value oriented Oddbell pepper supply and premium, baby bell specialty programme featuring BellaFinas.
“Bell peppers are a core part of our business and our goal is to offer customers high quality, competitively priced products and Mexican grown hothouse peppers allow our customers another choice,” explained Jeremy Lane, sales manager at Baloian Farms.
Fresh Trends 2012 report states that bell peppers were one of the top vegetable items US consumers were currently buying more of behind asparagus and avocados.
“We believe that the trends speak loudly, and it’s our job to listen,” Lane noted.
“Consumers are telling us with their purchase behavior that bell peppers are an important part of their shopping basket and we want to make sure that our retailers have plenty of SKU’s to populate their category and give their consumers a choice.”
Baloian Farms is a fourth-generation, vertically-integrated family farm, with year-round operations specialising in peppers and mixed vegetables grown in California and Mexico.
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