Pure Flavor launches North America’s first commercial greenhouse melon

Pure Flavor has launched what it claims to be the North American fresh produce industry’s first greenhouse grown melons.

Solara is described as “mildly cool, sweet, and juicy”, and “the first personal sized, sustainably grown melons from greenhouses that use just the right amount of light, nutrition, and water to deliver the same sweet tastefully tropical flavour, regardless of the season”.

The melon is the culmination of a process begun in 2014 that has seen Pure Flavor put many varieties through rigorous product testing before settling on an exclusive variety that the company said is scalable and ticks all the boxes to meet product, brand, retail, foodservice and consumer expectations.

“After many years of research and development, we are excited to bring the first commercially available greenhouse grown melons to market,” said president Jamie Moracci.

Partnering with Cornell University during the product development process, the company’s R&D team was able to gain valuable insights on both product and plant health to help maximise yield and most importantly, flavour.

“Our product trials told us a great deal; we knew that it had to be something special that we could scale commercially to meet the demand. After eight years, we have launched a unique product that our customers are excited about and will breathe new life into the category,” commented Moracci.

“Roughly 500g in size, the sweetness and personal size of the Solara melon makes it a great partner with foods like prosciutto, shrimp, basil, mint, pistachios. We are even using the melon as a yogurt and granola snack – the product pairings are endless,” said Matt Mastronardi, the company’s executive vice-president.

Reducing food waste is a key product trait of the Solara melon as a single serve opportunity; slice in half, easily scoop out the small seed cavity and enjoy! The new personal sized melons are available in both single and multi-pack formats.

The name “Solara” (Latin for “of the sun”) was chosen because it connotes a tropical setting and a “Fresh Taste of Paradise,” the slogan under which Pure Flavor will market the brand.

“The consumer-centric brand strategy is simple: it’s the one sitting snack, meal, appetiser, post-work out re-hydrator,” said chief marketing officer Chris Veillon.

“It’s for me and only me. Fits in the palm of my hand. Up close & personal - yes, the perfect size, just for me. It’s the ME melon!”

Like other products in the Pure Flavor snacking line, the Solara personal sized melon product launch will be supported with digital content that includes a wide variety of recipes and a detailed ‘goes well with’ feature.

“The strategic investment in R&D is done to help grow the industry and help increase fresh produce consumption,” said Moracci. “We are working on more melon varieties and look forward to rolling them out shortly.”