Steinbeck Country Produce now offering baby Iceberg lettuce
Steinbeck Country Produce now offering baby Iceberg lettuce
Steinbeck Country Produce is now offering baby Iceberg lettuce as a complement to its full line of vegetables. This specially developed variety produces grapefruit-size heads of Iceberg lettuce that the company says feature a sweeter, more flavorful taste than conventional Iceberg.
"Customer reaction has been extremely positive to our new baby lettuce," Chris Huntington, chief executive officer of Steinbeck Country Produce, said in a statement. "We're working with several local chefs on developing recipes using the babies, and they have had overwhelming success by adding it to their menus. Restaurants are always looking for something new and different, and this product offers unlimited applications."
Mike Howard, owner of the Tres Pinos Inn in Tres Pinos, CA, agreed. The Inn's staple salad for 20 years has been a classic Iceberg wedge salad. Mr. Howard has now replaced traditional Iceberg with Steinbeck's baby Iceberg, and said, "The baby Iceberg is more airy, sweeter and looks better on the plate. It's a great product."
Another local restaurateur, Phil DiGirolamo, owner of Phil's Fish Market in Moss Landing, CA, also is excited about the baby lettuce. He has been featuring it as a salad special, using a full head cut crosswise into fourths and spread out like a star. This becomes the base for blackened chicken, or blackened prawns and scallops with cilantro vinaigrette.
"Customers love this lettuce. It's sweeter than regular Iceberg -- it's really great," he said.
In addition to professional chefs, retail consumers are the target market for this product. The small heads are ideal for singles and smaller families, as one head yields one large salad or two side salads. The size offers unlimited culinary possibilities, whether cut into wedges or halves, or separated into leaves for wraps.
Retailers are encouraged to display the babies in the value-added section or next to other salad ingredient vegetables, with point-of-sale materials offering usage suggestions and recipe ideas.
Baby Iceberg lettuce is available from Steinbeck in three- and six-count zip- lock bags, 24 to a carton, as well as a 24-count naked liner pack, 96 cartons per pallet. It will be grown year round in Salinas, CA, and Yuma, AZ.
"Customer reaction has been extremely positive to our new baby lettuce," Chris Huntington, chief executive officer of Steinbeck Country Produce, said in a statement. "We're working with several local chefs on developing recipes using the babies, and they have had overwhelming success by adding it to their menus. Restaurants are always looking for something new and different, and this product offers unlimited applications."
Mike Howard, owner of the Tres Pinos Inn in Tres Pinos, CA, agreed. The Inn's staple salad for 20 years has been a classic Iceberg wedge salad. Mr. Howard has now replaced traditional Iceberg with Steinbeck's baby Iceberg, and said, "The baby Iceberg is more airy, sweeter and looks better on the plate. It's a great product."
Another local restaurateur, Phil DiGirolamo, owner of Phil's Fish Market in Moss Landing, CA, also is excited about the baby lettuce. He has been featuring it as a salad special, using a full head cut crosswise into fourths and spread out like a star. This becomes the base for blackened chicken, or blackened prawns and scallops with cilantro vinaigrette.
"Customers love this lettuce. It's sweeter than regular Iceberg -- it's really great," he said.
In addition to professional chefs, retail consumers are the target market for this product. The small heads are ideal for singles and smaller families, as one head yields one large salad or two side salads. The size offers unlimited culinary possibilities, whether cut into wedges or halves, or separated into leaves for wraps.
Retailers are encouraged to display the babies in the value-added section or next to other salad ingredient vegetables, with point-of-sale materials offering usage suggestions and recipe ideas.
Baby Iceberg lettuce is available from Steinbeck in three- and six-count zip- lock bags, 24 to a carton, as well as a 24-count naked liner pack, 96 cartons per pallet. It will be grown year round in Salinas, CA, and Yuma, AZ.
