Microwavable sweet potato bag paying off for Southern Produce

A new value-added “steam in the bag” fresh sweet potato product was rolled out in September by Southern Produce Distributors Inc.  

The convenience pack for consumers weighs one-and-a-half pounds.

Southern Produce Distributors' microwavable fresh sweet potatoes.Brenda Oglesby, who is the sales manager for the Faison, NC, grower-packer-shipper, said the product is “something you can put in the microwave, feed the family and stay healthy. It requires no preparation.”

The microwavable bag “has been very well-received.”

Southern Produce also packs traditional sweet potato bags and cartons.  The firm has been exporting sweet potatoes to Canada and Europe for 25 years and so, of course,  it has packages for that market.

Of the domestic sweet potato market this year, Oglesby said “supplies are down somewhat.  Movement is very good, but due to rain and cool weather in the planting season, we were one month late in our harvest. Supplies are not as good as normal, but the quality is good and prices are higher.”