Southern Selects shipping French beans, heirloom tomatoes
Southern Selects shipping French beans, heirloom tomatoes
“The Florida heirloom tomato deal will be starting soon,” Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties in Pompano Beach, told The Produce News on Oct. 17. “Our ‘Southern Selects’ brand of heirloom tomatoes are packed in single layer variety packs. We ship three varieties to each box, and each variety is selected for its flavor and color.”
Mr. Eagle added that the box is foam lined to protect the fruit from damage. The tomatoes are maintained at a constant temperature all the way to delivery to ensure the longest possible shelf life. “Southern Selects’“ heirloom tomatoes are sold to both retail and foodservice customers.
“We will start shipping heirloom tomatoes the first week of November,” said Mr. Eagle. “The program will run through next May.”
The company is also offering its one- and two-pound “Southern Selects” French beans with a holiday label starting in November.
“The bright red ribbon and colorful graphics on the holiday package is a nice reminder to consumers that these sizes are ideal for serving family and friends at holiday dinners,” said Mr. Eagle. “We will ship the holiday packages during November and December.”
Southern Specialties featured three new “Southern Selects” presentations in the New Produce Showcase at the annual Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit on Oct. 26-28 in Anaheim, CA.
“The new items are large format pouch-type bags with handles,” said Mr. Eagle. “The line includes a two-pound pouch of hand-peeled Brussel sprouts, a 26-ounce pouch of French beans and a 26-ounce pouch of sugar snap peas. The pouch has a high-graphic design on it that is eye-catching and appealing, and all three items carry the well-known ‘Southern Selects’ label.”
The company is also shipping “Southern Selects” blackberries out of Guatemala currently, and will add Mexican blackberries to its offerings in early December.
“We also have our ‘Southern Selects’ blueberries from Argentina available now, which will then transition to our Chilean blueberry program,” Mr. Eagle added.