Redefining specialties by uniqueness, quality, price and trends
Redefining specialties by uniqueness, quality, price and trends
"Specialty produce" might be one of the more vague terms used in the fresh produce industry. What defines a specialty produce item and when is it no longer "special?" When does a specialty product become conventional? And who makes these decisions?
Ever since the term "specialty produce" was first used to define a category, it has been impossible for the industry to designate a specific list of commodities to fill it. It is difficult to define because produce items that make the list don't always stay there long.
The kiwifruit is an example of how quickly a specialty produce can become a commodity. At one time, the item was considered exotic and unique. Today kiwifruit is a commodity that is as common as bananas in grocery stores.
Mangos are another good example. Cultures in the Far East, Middle East, Asia, South and Central America, Caribbean and most of the Southern Hemisphere have consumed mangos throughout history. In the United States, however, mangos were initially introduced as a specialty item, although the predominant varieties are quickly evolving onto the commodity list.
Also, some of the oldest produce items known to man can make the specialty list because the market has not been flooded with them, making the adage that evolved from the fashion industry; "everything old is new again" also true when applied to fruits and vegetables.
For those who think that we'll run out of new produce items to make the specialty list at some point in the future, think again. There are virtually hundreds of varieties in nearly every category of fruits and vegetables just waiting for their "day in the sun."
Take bananas as an example. The Cavendish is the most predominant variety traded commercially today, representing a $4 billion-a-year business. More banana choices have surfaced at retail stores in recent years, including the Manzano, Red, Baby and Burro. Plantains are also in this category, and growing interest in Latin foods has resulted in the common plantain being offered in nearly every grocery store in the nation today. But there are over 1,200 banana varieties grown in the world, and dozens more are hybrids now in the testing stages. Only a few are grown for commercial use, however. In coming years we could see "specialty" bananas such as the Popoulou, a cooking banana from Polynesia; Colatina Ouro, a dessert fruit banana now being tested in breeding programs; Mbouroukou, a cooking banana from Cameroon; and many others reach grocers' shelves. Any that do will undoubtedly be marketed initially as specialty products.
Among the recent "buzzes" in produce are heirloom varieties, and this too is an example of what the specialty category represents. Fifty years ago, it would be difficult to find anything but heirloom produce on grocers' shelves. Local farmers supplied their communities, either directly or through small independent retailers, with products that were native to their areas. If it wasn't in season, it simply was not available.
During the following decades, however, the face of the grocery industry changed radically. Mergers, partnerships and conglomerations necessitated a different type of product procurement. The demand was for fresh produce that would attract masses of people, in volumes that could satisfy the demand, at prices they could afford and that promised longer shelf life. The result was the breeding of varieties that could fulfill these needs.
The industry also was affected by another change during this same period of time. Women left their homes and entered the workforce during the day, and they have remained there. Today, many people consider cooking a hobby instead of a daily chore. For many, it is a way to spend time with friends and family.
Some professionals believe that "foodies" -- people who follow cooking trends -- drive the specialty category. This coterie places enormous emphases on food procurement and preparation, and one need only look at how the industry supports the trend to agree. Chefs, consumer magazines, cooking shows on television networks and the hundreds of thousands of Internet web sites that focus on food and cooking are a good indication of the amount of energy, time and money that is now dedicated to culinary topics. It's hard to say if the chicken or the egg comes first, but one is creating demand while the other is rushing to introduce the newest and most unique products to the market.
Changing lifestyle trends also help to push the specialty market. More emphasis is being placed on family time and improving the quality of life. Cooking is an integral part of the effort to reinforce or even reestablish the bond that is so central to family life. If that helps to sell more fresh produce, then all the better.
(For more on specialty produce, see the April 10 issue of The Produce News.)
Ever since the term "specialty produce" was first used to define a category, it has been impossible for the industry to designate a specific list of commodities to fill it. It is difficult to define because produce items that make the list don't always stay there long.
The kiwifruit is an example of how quickly a specialty produce can become a commodity. At one time, the item was considered exotic and unique. Today kiwifruit is a commodity that is as common as bananas in grocery stores.
Mangos are another good example. Cultures in the Far East, Middle East, Asia, South and Central America, Caribbean and most of the Southern Hemisphere have consumed mangos throughout history. In the United States, however, mangos were initially introduced as a specialty item, although the predominant varieties are quickly evolving onto the commodity list.
Also, some of the oldest produce items known to man can make the specialty list because the market has not been flooded with them, making the adage that evolved from the fashion industry; "everything old is new again" also true when applied to fruits and vegetables.
For those who think that we'll run out of new produce items to make the specialty list at some point in the future, think again. There are virtually hundreds of varieties in nearly every category of fruits and vegetables just waiting for their "day in the sun."
Take bananas as an example. The Cavendish is the most predominant variety traded commercially today, representing a $4 billion-a-year business. More banana choices have surfaced at retail stores in recent years, including the Manzano, Red, Baby and Burro. Plantains are also in this category, and growing interest in Latin foods has resulted in the common plantain being offered in nearly every grocery store in the nation today. But there are over 1,200 banana varieties grown in the world, and dozens more are hybrids now in the testing stages. Only a few are grown for commercial use, however. In coming years we could see "specialty" bananas such as the Popoulou, a cooking banana from Polynesia; Colatina Ouro, a dessert fruit banana now being tested in breeding programs; Mbouroukou, a cooking banana from Cameroon; and many others reach grocers' shelves. Any that do will undoubtedly be marketed initially as specialty products.
Among the recent "buzzes" in produce are heirloom varieties, and this too is an example of what the specialty category represents. Fifty years ago, it would be difficult to find anything but heirloom produce on grocers' shelves. Local farmers supplied their communities, either directly or through small independent retailers, with products that were native to their areas. If it wasn't in season, it simply was not available.
During the following decades, however, the face of the grocery industry changed radically. Mergers, partnerships and conglomerations necessitated a different type of product procurement. The demand was for fresh produce that would attract masses of people, in volumes that could satisfy the demand, at prices they could afford and that promised longer shelf life. The result was the breeding of varieties that could fulfill these needs.
The industry also was affected by another change during this same period of time. Women left their homes and entered the workforce during the day, and they have remained there. Today, many people consider cooking a hobby instead of a daily chore. For many, it is a way to spend time with friends and family.
Some professionals believe that "foodies" -- people who follow cooking trends -- drive the specialty category. This coterie places enormous emphases on food procurement and preparation, and one need only look at how the industry supports the trend to agree. Chefs, consumer magazines, cooking shows on television networks and the hundreds of thousands of Internet web sites that focus on food and cooking are a good indication of the amount of energy, time and money that is now dedicated to culinary topics. It's hard to say if the chicken or the egg comes first, but one is creating demand while the other is rushing to introduce the newest and most unique products to the market.
Changing lifestyle trends also help to push the specialty market. More emphasis is being placed on family time and improving the quality of life. Cooking is an integral part of the effort to reinforce or even reestablish the bond that is so central to family life. If that helps to sell more fresh produce, then all the better.
(For more on specialty produce, see the April 10 issue of The Produce News.)
