Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties, headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, told The Produce News that the company has become a licensed grower of “Kalettes,” a brand new vegetable, blooming with the best flavors of kale and brussels sprouts.

“This is the most recent kale-related sensation,” said Eagle. “This cross between kale and brussels sprouts results in a vegetable that is loaded with nutrients and has a wonderful nutty flavor.

The ‘Kalettes’ website concurs. It states that the inspiration behind ‘Kalettes’ came from a desire to create a kale type vegetable which was versatile, easy to prepare and looked great.

The result is a truly new vegetable with fantastic flavor which combines the best flavors from brussels sprouts and kale, resulting in a fresh fusion of sweet and nutty.

Southern Specialties will introduce “Kalettes” in an eight-ounce bag as well as a foodservice option, and the item will be launched this fall.

Robert Colescott, president and chief executive officer, founded Southern Specialties in 1990 with a mission to provide the finest restaurants and hotels in the nation with the best quality specialty produce. After years of success as a grower and supplier to the foodservice industry, it expanded its product line to include a variety of offerings for the retail sector.

The company controls all aspects of growing, importing, processing and distributing its ever-expanding menu of specialty fruits and vegetables from the best farms in the Americas.

“As we come into the fall season the demand for our Peruvian asparagus is, as always, increasing,” Eagle added. “The demand for our Southern Specialties-grown, ‘Southern Selects’ true heirloom tomatoes that are greenhouse grown also continues to be strong heading into fall.”

Also in strong demand during the holiday season are “Southern Selects” hand-peeled brussels sprouts.

“We are introducing purple brussels sprouts this season, and we expect a really good response to this unique version of this highly popular item,” Eagle added.

And no one can ignore Southern Specialties extensive line of “Southern Selects” microwaveable micro specialty vegetables that are packaged for convenience, flavor, color and nutrition. The line includes French beans, yellow French beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, baby hand-peeled carrots, baby hand-peeled rainbow carrots, English peas, hand-peeled brussel sprouts, trimmed asparagus tips and baby squash. Combined, the line makes for an eye-catching colorful retail display.

“We are also offering Fair Trade French beans,” Eagle added. “And we may be offering other Fair Trade items in the future.”