“Southern Specialties is in the process of creating an extension to our popular microwavable specialty lineup, all under the popular ‘Southern Selects’ brand,” Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties, headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, told The Produce News. “The line additions will include a French bean medley, which is a blend of green and yellow beans. And our play on the ever-popular peas and carrots will include hand-peeled baby carrots and sugar snap peas.”

Charlie EagleThe new items will be on display at Southern Specialties’ booth (No. 1447) at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in New Orleans, Oct. 18-20. In addition to Eagle, other company representatives will be at the show to meet and greet visitors. Included in the staff lineup at the Summit will be Robert Colescott, president and chief executive officer, Daryl Johnston, vice president of sales and Carlos Solf, director of procurement, as well as additional representatives from the sales and procurement departments.

Southern Specialties is geared up for its French bean program for the holidays.

“This continues to be a strong growth category for our company,” said Eagle. “Our hand-selected French beans are pre-trimmed on the stem end, making them a favorite among chefs. Consumers also love the convenience. The program includes eight-ounce, one- and two-pound microwavable bags, as well as two-pound resealable pouch bags with handles. We also offer foodservice packs in performance extended shelf life packaging.”

The company’s Peruvian asparagus, both green and white, were hitting their stride in late August. He noted that the company is looking forward to another year as a leading grower and importer of fresh asparagus from Peru.

The company’s asparagus program offers customers numerous packaging choices. Its traditional one-pound bunches, packed 11 to a box is a popular pack with foodservice operators. Its value added packages, which carry the “Southern Selects” brand name, are available in numerous sizes and packages, including microwavable packs, for retail and club stores. Southern Specialties also offers private labeling detailed specifically for every customer.

Eagle added that purple asparagus is expected to be arriving in the United States by October.

This season, Southern Specialties has expanded its Persian lime program from Guatemala, and it is transitioning it to the “Southern Selects’” label.

“In the past our limes were marketed under the ‘Paradise Tropicals’ label,” said Eagle. “We are making the transition to ‘Southern Selects’ with exciting new boxes and PLU stickers. Our limes are available in traditional bruce and pony boxes, as well as two- and three-pound bags.”

Persian limes from Guatemala, he said, have a higher juice content and greater flavor than limes from Mexico, and that, “they are lighter in color when ripe —proving that a dark skin lime is not necessarily a sign of great flavor.”

The specialties’ category is faring better than ever today, Eagle said. The company attributes the continued strong interest and growth of the category to the retail arena.

“Growing consumer awareness of the flavors, colors and nutritional values of these products that we grow and market make them very tempting for today’s home cooks,” he added. “Often people are introduced to a new specialty item at a restaurant, and they then want to make it at home.”

For the past several years, Southern Specialties has been growing and shipping radicchio from its farms in Guatemala, and the company sees a strong future for the product.

“We have gained a lot of experience during those years, and we’re now reaping the rewards,” said Eagle. “We have greatly refined the varieties and our growing methods. The radicchio we offer is the high quality being sought out by chefs nationwide, and we are proud of the responses we get from this product. We also monitor health news related to fresh produce, and it appears that radicchio may be gaining superfood recognition.”

Southern Specialties offers radicchio in nine- and 12-count boxes with year-round availability. As with the other popular products in the company’s line, it is also producing radicchio varieties that will ultimately expand the category.