Nash Produce has good sweet potato crop news
Nash Produce has good sweet potato crop news
When attendees at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations show drop by the Nash Produce booth on the expo floor, they’ll be in rare company.
Nash, coming off a season with very tight supply, will have new-crop sweet potatoes at the event, which doesn’t happen most years. The North Carolina harvest usually starts around Labor Day, too late for Southern Innovations.
Although Nash Produce managed its inventory throughout the year to ensure it made good on a promise for year-round product, this harvest — almost a month early — helps smooth the transition to the new crop.
Hurricane and flood damage during the development of last season’s crop wiped out more than a third of the typical production. Robin Narron, marketing director and sales support at Nash Produce, said changing the planting and harvest schedule underscores the message the company will have for current and potential customers.
“Nash Produce is here to do what we have to do to make things easy for our customers,” Narron said. “So, we put them first. We always made sure that we had enough sweet potatoes for them through the hard times like last year. We’re here to do what we say we’re going do, and that’s to pack premium, North Carolina sweet potatoes year-round.
“We want to take all that worry off their plate, and this past year is a prime example of that,” she said.
Nash Produce considers Southern Innovations and the SEPC’s Southern Exposure in February to be a “local” event, with many opportunities to meet with customers. Southern Innovations, which is a smaller event, gives Nash Produce the opportunity to spend quality time meeting people.
“I think there’s a lot to be said for face-to-face conversations versus Zoom or telephone calls,” Narron said. “You really get a sense of who people are, and we hope that that’s what our customers or potential new ones get from us. They get a sense of who Nash Produce is and what we can bring to the table with those face-to-face conversations.”
At Southern Innovations, Narron will be joined by Thomas Joyner, president; Randi Ricks, domestic sales; and David Bradley, director of business development. Nash Produce will be at booth No. 216 on the expo floor.
“There are so many connections to be made, and we take full advantage of every opportunity that SEPC offers to make those connections,” Narron said.
Nash Produce packs a variety of stock-keeping units under the Mr. Yam brand, including 2-, 3- and 5-pound mesh bags, Steamable Sweets, Individual Microwave wrapped sweet potatoes, tray packs and bulk product, as well as a private-label program.
On the organic side, the Covington variety dominates the segment, but other varieties are becoming more available, including the purple-skinned, white flesh Japanese variety, Narron said.
Shifting planting/harvesting helps with the crop transition but also sets the tone for the season, positioning Nash Produce for the shipping surge leading into Thanksgiving, she said.
