Agreement brings grapes into Birds Eye Fresh fold
Agreement brings grapes into Birds Eye Fresh fold
Fresh grapes will be branded under the "Birds Eye Fresh" label as the result of a new marketing agreement reached Sept. 23 between Rochester, NY-based Birds Eye Foods and Pandol Associates Marketing Inc. in Delano, CA.
Lyn Hughes, senior marketing manager for Birds Eye Fresh, told The Produce News that the company had been looking to add grapes to its product line for some time, and that she and Jim Pandol of Pandol Associates initiated talks last May during the United Produce Show in Chicago.
We are very excited about adding grapes, she said. Jim brings a wealth of knowledge about the category, and he will be an ideal partner for Birds Eye Fresh.
I had looked at various programs over the years and considered both private labeling and national branding, said Mr. Pandol. The result of the agreement [with Birds Eye Fresh] is that it marries an internationally known brand name with what I can offer in the way of production and distribution experience to offer a very effective package.
The Birds Eye Fresh grape line will be launched at the PMA Fresh Summit next month in Atlanta, said Ms. Hughes. Packaging for the line will include both bags and clamshells.
Basically, we will offer retailers any type of package they want, said Mr. Pandol. We will see where the demand is and adjust production accordingly.
According to Mr. Pandol, who said he grew up in the grape industry and has worked full time in the business since 1981, the focus on sourcing will be the Americas, with product coming from California, Chile and Mexico, adding that product will come from his own acreage in California and Chile, as well as from growers with whom he works.
The initial launch will be with late-season California product, including Crimson, Autumn Royal and Red Globe varieties. I wanted to start closer to home since I have more control over the product, he said.
We want to provide a good overall eating experience that will get the consumer to come back and buy the grapes again, said Mr. Pandol.
Key to that experience is good flavor as well as providing a good quality product, including good crunch and grape size, he said.
Mr. Pandol is part owner in a couple of private breeding programs, and he said that Birds Eye Fresh product may eventually include varieties currently under development in those programs. Varieties in those programs are still a couple of years away from commercial production, he said.
The Autumn Royal is an example of a variety that has gained in popularity, according to Mr. Pandol. The black grape is large, meaty and has a muscat-type of flavor that has seen more demand from consumers. Princess is another muscat-type aromatic grape that has seen its stock soar with consumers.
We will put all of our premium-quality grapes toward the Birds Eye Fresh program, said Mr. Pandol. It's all part of the strategy to convince consumers that Birds Eye is not just frozen [product], and by using fresh experts like myself, we are reinforcing that.
Ms. Hughes said that the launch of the grape line will be supported with co-promotions with other products, such as wines, at retail. Additionally, product samplings at retail are being planned.
Pandol Associates joins three other Birds Eye Fresh partners: Wilcox Marketing in Rexburg, ID, which supplies potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes and value-added products; Fresh Kist Produce LLC in Salinas, CA, which supplies broccoli, cauliflower, lettuces and celery; and Farmer Boy Produce Sales in Bradenton, FL, which supplies value-added products.
Lyn Hughes, senior marketing manager for Birds Eye Fresh, told The Produce News that the company had been looking to add grapes to its product line for some time, and that she and Jim Pandol of Pandol Associates initiated talks last May during the United Produce Show in Chicago.
We are very excited about adding grapes, she said. Jim brings a wealth of knowledge about the category, and he will be an ideal partner for Birds Eye Fresh.
I had looked at various programs over the years and considered both private labeling and national branding, said Mr. Pandol. The result of the agreement [with Birds Eye Fresh] is that it marries an internationally known brand name with what I can offer in the way of production and distribution experience to offer a very effective package.
The Birds Eye Fresh grape line will be launched at the PMA Fresh Summit next month in Atlanta, said Ms. Hughes. Packaging for the line will include both bags and clamshells.
Basically, we will offer retailers any type of package they want, said Mr. Pandol. We will see where the demand is and adjust production accordingly.
According to Mr. Pandol, who said he grew up in the grape industry and has worked full time in the business since 1981, the focus on sourcing will be the Americas, with product coming from California, Chile and Mexico, adding that product will come from his own acreage in California and Chile, as well as from growers with whom he works.
The initial launch will be with late-season California product, including Crimson, Autumn Royal and Red Globe varieties. I wanted to start closer to home since I have more control over the product, he said.
We want to provide a good overall eating experience that will get the consumer to come back and buy the grapes again, said Mr. Pandol.
Key to that experience is good flavor as well as providing a good quality product, including good crunch and grape size, he said.
Mr. Pandol is part owner in a couple of private breeding programs, and he said that Birds Eye Fresh product may eventually include varieties currently under development in those programs. Varieties in those programs are still a couple of years away from commercial production, he said.
The Autumn Royal is an example of a variety that has gained in popularity, according to Mr. Pandol. The black grape is large, meaty and has a muscat-type of flavor that has seen more demand from consumers. Princess is another muscat-type aromatic grape that has seen its stock soar with consumers.
We will put all of our premium-quality grapes toward the Birds Eye Fresh program, said Mr. Pandol. It's all part of the strategy to convince consumers that Birds Eye is not just frozen [product], and by using fresh experts like myself, we are reinforcing that.
Ms. Hughes said that the launch of the grape line will be supported with co-promotions with other products, such as wines, at retail. Additionally, product samplings at retail are being planned.
Pandol Associates joins three other Birds Eye Fresh partners: Wilcox Marketing in Rexburg, ID, which supplies potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes and value-added products; Fresh Kist Produce LLC in Salinas, CA, which supplies broccoli, cauliflower, lettuces and celery; and Farmer Boy Produce Sales in Bradenton, FL, which supplies value-added products.
