In a recent press release about its new fresh-cut melon line, Fresh Express Inc. in Salinas, CA, claims that it uses Chilean fruit because it is "far sweeter than the cantaloupe or honeydew usually offered in the United States during the winter." That statement, and other language contained in the release, has left a sour taste in the mouths of a number of melon importers and marketers.

The release, which was published recently in The Produce News and elsewhere, promoted the sweetness of Fresh Express?s new fresh-cut, clamshell-packaged melon product. In part, the release stated, "Fresh Express will guarantee a super-sweet Brix level of at least 10.5 on its Chilean melons? and that melons "typically carry a Brix number of eight or nine? during this time of year.

Del Monte Fresh Produce Inc. in Coral Gables, FL, was one of the marketers that took issue with the claim. John Loughridge, vice president of marketing for Del Monte Fresh, told The Produce News Feb. 8, "I think the issue is that a company that apparently sources melons " that is not a grower-shipper " feels that if they have to go all the way to Chile to get a melon with high Brix, that is their prerogative. We have been growing good melons for years with the same Brix closer [than Chile]. The analogy would be if Del Monte insinuated that you couldn?t get decent lettuce from the Salinas Valley and we launched a new bag of lettuce and slammed everyone else in the industry. When someone makes comments like that, we?re not going to take it sitting down."

Mr. Loughridge added, "Del Monte will have weeks because of weather or whatever where the Brix level is not as high. It is an agricultural product. But to damn an entire growing region for an entire season is very irresponsible."

Mr. Loughridge, who has worked for Del Monte for seven years, said his firm was in the melon business long before he arrived, and is "definitely the largest offshore melon importer. We import 40 percent of the fruit. They say we?re marketing No. 2 melons because we can?t get a good No. 1. I think I?d know. If what we import is not Del Monte grade, we dump it as a second brand. Maybe that?s what they?re picking up. We and CAPCO (Central American Produce) and Fresh Quest and Sol Tech and Chiquita will all tell you that from January to April, there are plenty of high-Brix melons [from Central America]. They would all question why you have to go all the way to Chile to get decent fruit from January to April when there is plenty of fruit closer by? in good supplies and produced with strong quality-control measures.

Del Monte imports honeydew and cantaloupe from Costa Rica and Guatemala. Del Monte?s domestic melon deal is sourced from Arizona, California and also includes Eastern melons.

?This is something we built over time," Mr. Loughridge said of his melon business. "Del Monte is the leading melon marketer on a year-round basis. We agree with Fresh Express that the key is to have consistently good-tasting fruit. But we went at it the hard way by building grower-shipper operations to control the raw materials and logistics from field to processing as quickly as possible. We handle first grade, top-quality fruit and get it to market through good cold chain management so the consumer receives good-quality melons. It's concerning for us to take the time and effort if there are people who maybe are not taking all the steps."

Mr. Loughridge said that "Del Monte? brand precut melons are sourced from only first-quality product. "What does not have the right Brix level goes into non-Del Monte brands for cut shops."

Michael Warren of Central American Produce in Pompano Beach, FL, said, "We are all in disbelief of the unfounded accusation of Fresh Express. All that was left out is that Central American melons taste like the sole of a shoe. Come on, we all know better than that. Melons from Central America also can have these Brix and higher. At the moment, we have melons with Brix from 10-13 arriving.

?The reality is that Central America is capable of these Brix [numbers] and producing melons that meet and exceed these claims," Mr. Warren added. "There are times, depending on conditions, when there may be a variation. We are supplying product to major processors which are in line with these claims as is the spec for fresh-cut fruit.

?Please take a sampling of the fruit that is available," Mr. Warren continued. "There are great-tasting melons available right now from many sources and companies. They are in the fresh-cut fruit, they are on the grocery store shelves, " they are being packed as we speak. I believe that the professionals in our industry have enough experience and sense to know that a blanket statement like this is absurd in an industry that produces melons for the market from mid-November through mid-May from many regions throughout Central America and from a host of competent growers. I encourage the promotion of melons, and I support our great industry and those that strive to supply winter melons to the marketplace."

Lou Kertesz of Fresh Quest Produce in Pompano Beach, FL, said that the Fresh Quest melons are "a muskmelon and are not a true cantaloupe. That?s what it realistically is. At any given point, everyone tries to use a gimmick." A year ago one company guaranteed a melon with 10 percent sugar levels. "Meanwhile all the other companies had melons at 12-13 percent."

?The Brix could be up or down depending on weather," Mr. Kertesz said, adding that Guatemala at the end of its first cycle this season had viruses and weather that did not allow high Brix levels.

But, Mr. Kertesz added in a Feb. 8 interview that Honduras was shipping melons at 14 percent sugar. "In Honduras the weather has been ideal and sugar is probably outdistancing " is probably better than muskmelons " without the aftertaste. The Brix levels fluctuate with the weather and seed variety. In Georgia and the Southeast, they grow a muskmelon which appearance-wise is not as pretty, but it's good eating.

?Chile is not in a position, as far as I understand, that can compete on the open market, with their ocean freight costs," Mr. Kertesz continued. "As far as day-to-day operations, Central American operations are high-tech. Both of our facilities are HACCP-certified. We have a lot of technical experience and education to produce the best fruit possible."

Mr. Kertesz credits Fresh Quest and its Central American melon competitors for all being "at that level, trying to achieve that."

Mr. Loughridge elaborated that Del Monte Fresh Produce "is extremely concerned about the problems other fresh-cut companies reportedly are having in securing high Brix melons during the offshore season. This inability to source higher Brix melons can adversely affect the growth of the burgeoning fresh-cut fruit category. Besides Brix, food safety or traceability problems by companies sourcing on the open market could impact Del Monte?s fast growth in this category if inconsistent taste or other issues give consumers a bad experience."

Mr. Loughridge stressed that as the largest vertically integrated grower-shipper-processor of melons year-round in North America, Del Monte has extensive controls over its raw materials that other companies might lack. During the critical January-through-April time period, Del Monte has for years averaged over 10.5 Brix for cantaloupes and over 11 Brix for honeydews.

?With short supply lines from Guatemala and Costa Rica, [Del Monte] is able to bring sweet, fresh product of first quality to its extensive network of local fresh-cut facilities," said Mr. Loughridge. "The patented Del Monte Mel-O-Vac brand system allows the company to pack riper fruit from the field and bring it to market. The company?s own fleet of ships and trucks also gives it an advantage in speed to market with its fresh produce."

He stressed that Del Monte uses first-quality fruit from its extensive domestic and Central American growing and sourcing operations. "The product is quality checked in the field, at the port of arrival and then again at each Del Monte distribution center or fresh-cut facility upon receipt," he said. "Besides Brix, Del Monte also performs sensory, texture and aroma checks on its raw materials."

?If the problems reported by Fresh Express last week are common among companies who lack agricultural operations, we are concerned," said Bryce Edmonson, senior vice president of North America sales and product coordination at Del Monte Fresh Produce. "We first built a leadership position in all the key fruits used in fresh-cut, like melons, pineapples and grapes, before we began building our network of fresh-cut facilities. Cut fruit must be the freshest and of the highest quality to give the consumer a prepared-at-home experience. We were patient in building our fresh-cut business. If other companies are offering inconsistent quality or are forced to buy lower- or second-quality fruit to cover their needs during the year, this may have a dampening effect on sales for this exciting category."

Calls to Jeff Lemmon, vice president of fruit for Fresh Express, were not returned by this publication?s deadline.