Bayer-DNO collaboration makes veggies fun for kids
Bayer-DNO collaboration makes veggies fun for kids
Vegetables by Bayer and DNO Produce have teamed up to promote healthy eating habits among school-aged children. This unique and exciting collaboration empowers schools to offer fresh vegetables, while reducing food waste through maximizing the full production potential of the crop. The collaboration also addresses the needs of processors and consumers while creating opportunities for vegetable growers.
Vegetables by Bayer and DNO Produce, the exclusive provider of FRESHEALTH fresh-cut produce, are helping to make nutrition enjoyable and accessible by introducing new fresh-cut broccoli chips to K-12 school children. These chips are the sweet-tasting snack of the future, offering a tasty and wholesome option that is also fun to eat. When children understand how delicious vegetables help them grow, stay active and feel good, they are more likely to make healthy eating choices on their own.
“It’s incredibly exciting to bring a new snacking vegetable to consumers that truly has it all — sweet-tasting flavor, snackable crunch and responsible roots. This is the kind of innovation that gets people excited about eating more vegetables,” said Jenny Maloney, director of industry relations for Bayer Vegetable Seeds. “We are collaborating with DNO Produce to provide nutritious snacks to schoolchildren, making healthy habits more accessible for every student.”
Experts from the R&D team at Seminis, a brand of Vegetables by Bayer, are continuously driving innovation in vegetable breeding, developing advanced seed solutions to help meet the evolving needs of growers and consumers — leading to the development of the long-stem High Rise broccoli series.
Unlike traditional compact broccoli, High Rise broccoli features tall stems, uniform heads and few large leaves, resulting in clean stems and a product that overall helps with ease of harvest. These stems are then processed by FRESHEALTH to create ready-to-eat products for K–12 schools, which has already received a positive reception in early in-school pilots. This approach generates a new market for growers, reduces on-farm waste and improves access to healthy foods in schools.
“There’s no better place to launch a new vegetable variety than in a school cafeteria! Kids are honest, adventurous eaters and their feedback is second to none,” said Alex DiNovo, president of DNO Produce. “Our mission has always been to increase access, exposure, education and excitement around fresh fruits and vegetables. We know the green vegetable subgroup can be one of the hardest to fill, and these broccoli chips help create a crunchy, creative, compliant option for school foodservice operators.”
What was once an underused by-product in broccoli production, the tall and uniform stems can be used in multiple culinary applications. The tender and sweet-tasting stems can be processed into not only chips but sticks, stars and coin shapes. The versatility means it can also be processed into rice and noodles or used in slaw and other dishes to add texture while adding flavor. Broccoli chips are currently in the pipeline for future school foodservice offerings, with plans underway to expand availability. However, harvest timing and supply are still being finalized.
Stop by the Vegetables by Bayer booth No. 319 at the IFPA Food Service Conference on Friday, Aug. 1, for more information or to grab a sample of the crunchy snack.
