Three new melon varieties join 'Santa Sweets' line
Three new melon varieties join 'Santa Sweets' line
PHILADELPHIA -- Procacci Bros./Garden State Farms, here, is introducing a new series of proprietary melons that will be collectively marketed within the "Santa Sweets" brand melon program.
Company President Mike Maxwell told The Produce News shortly before the United Produce Show in Chicago, where the new additions to the melon program were unveiled, that the volume of the melons is increasing and should be in strong supply by June. "We're getting pumped up," Mr. Maxwell said.
Santa Sweets is providing point-of-sale and merchandising literature for retailers to help introduce the melons.
The patented and trademarked varieties include the Can-A-Dew, which is a high Brix melon with a husk like a thin-skinned cantaloupe that has green flesh with a taste similar to honeydew. The Can-A-Sweet resembles a cantaloupe with orange flesh, high sugars, a small cavity and long shelf life, and the fruit has an "ultra-thin rind," said Mr. Maxwell.
Procacci Bros. is also introducing Santa Sweet mini-seedless watermelons, which weigh three to six pounds, have a rind that is one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch thick and is five to eight inches long. "These are all very high sugar," Mr. Maxwell said. "We don't want to be a commodity."
Procacci developed these varieties after four or five years of testing in Chinese fields. China is important for seed research because inexpensive labor is critical for the requisite labor-intensive cross-pollination activities, according to Mr. Maxwell, who said that hundreds of seed varieties were tested before choosing these three.
Taste, sweetness, yields, shelf life and other factors were considered in selecting the best varieties to serve a premium melon market. While these are very high-quality melons, Mr. Maxwell said that they would be price-competitive. "They are affordable, for sure," he said.
All three of the new melon varieties are available either through conventional or organic production.
The Santa Sweet melons will be shipped in a five-melon European open-display carton. The Can-A-Dew and Can-A-Sweets will be wrapped in foam socks.
The melons will be available year round, coming from Sonora, Mexico from April through June plus November and December; from Baja from July to August; and from Colima, Mexico, from January to April. Mr. Maxwell said that the Santa Sweet melon production and marketing is "100 percent" controlled by Procacci Bros.
At the United Produce Show, Procacci Bros. also promoted its Ugly and grape tomatoes. The Ugly tomatoes came into abundant supply in early May and are being shipped from northern Florida. "It's a great item. We're growing more and more of them," he said.
Interviewed May 3 -- the first day Procacci began shipping Ugly tomatoes -- Mr. Maxwell said, "We'll have plenty of supplies, God willing. We don't need any more hurricanes, that's for sure."
Procacci Bros. owns "the best seed" for the grape tomato category. "It's proven we will outsell any variety," he said.
Procacci Bros. precools its grape tomatoes before and after packing to extend the shelf life. Thus, "our customers and the consumers don't see them fall apart the first day they have them. We're gearing up for a big spring. We're in the heart of the deal now."
Company President Mike Maxwell told The Produce News shortly before the United Produce Show in Chicago, where the new additions to the melon program were unveiled, that the volume of the melons is increasing and should be in strong supply by June. "We're getting pumped up," Mr. Maxwell said.
Santa Sweets is providing point-of-sale and merchandising literature for retailers to help introduce the melons.
The patented and trademarked varieties include the Can-A-Dew, which is a high Brix melon with a husk like a thin-skinned cantaloupe that has green flesh with a taste similar to honeydew. The Can-A-Sweet resembles a cantaloupe with orange flesh, high sugars, a small cavity and long shelf life, and the fruit has an "ultra-thin rind," said Mr. Maxwell.
Procacci Bros. is also introducing Santa Sweet mini-seedless watermelons, which weigh three to six pounds, have a rind that is one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch thick and is five to eight inches long. "These are all very high sugar," Mr. Maxwell said. "We don't want to be a commodity."
Procacci developed these varieties after four or five years of testing in Chinese fields. China is important for seed research because inexpensive labor is critical for the requisite labor-intensive cross-pollination activities, according to Mr. Maxwell, who said that hundreds of seed varieties were tested before choosing these three.
Taste, sweetness, yields, shelf life and other factors were considered in selecting the best varieties to serve a premium melon market. While these are very high-quality melons, Mr. Maxwell said that they would be price-competitive. "They are affordable, for sure," he said.
All three of the new melon varieties are available either through conventional or organic production.
The Santa Sweet melons will be shipped in a five-melon European open-display carton. The Can-A-Dew and Can-A-Sweets will be wrapped in foam socks.
The melons will be available year round, coming from Sonora, Mexico from April through June plus November and December; from Baja from July to August; and from Colima, Mexico, from January to April. Mr. Maxwell said that the Santa Sweet melon production and marketing is "100 percent" controlled by Procacci Bros.
At the United Produce Show, Procacci Bros. also promoted its Ugly and grape tomatoes. The Ugly tomatoes came into abundant supply in early May and are being shipped from northern Florida. "It's a great item. We're growing more and more of them," he said.
Interviewed May 3 -- the first day Procacci began shipping Ugly tomatoes -- Mr. Maxwell said, "We'll have plenty of supplies, God willing. We don't need any more hurricanes, that's for sure."
Procacci Bros. owns "the best seed" for the grape tomato category. "It's proven we will outsell any variety," he said.
Procacci Bros. precools its grape tomatoes before and after packing to extend the shelf life. Thus, "our customers and the consumers don't see them fall apart the first day they have them. We're gearing up for a big spring. We're in the heart of the deal now."
