UglyRipes ready for national distribution
UglyRipes ready for national distribution
PHILADELPHIA -- It's been 100 days since the U.S. Department of Agriculture cleared Florida-grown UglyRipe tomatoes for distribution outside the Sunshine State, and the product's grower-marketer is now anxious to meet the large consumer demand for the tomato.
Mike Maxwell, president of Procacci Brothers Sales Corp., here, told The Produce News that his firm expected to be shipping much larger volumes of tomatoes than it had in the past.
The UglyRipe was bred in Procacci's own tomato research facility in Florida, and while the tomato is not necessarily pretty on the exterior, it is a throwback to the heirloom tomatoes of old, complete with excellent flavor. In an effort to maintain quality, UglyRipe tomatoes were not in the plans when the Florida tomato industry established its trade rules many decades ago. Mr. Maxwell said that the Florida Tomato Committee "was set up to prevent No. 3 grade from leaving the state."
Marketing order rules forbid certain shapes and grades of tomatoes from leaving the state of Florida, and UglyRipes didn't fit those permissible standards.
Since developing the UglyRipe, Procacci limited its Florida production to what could be sold in state until the marketing order rules could be revised for current plant breeding technology and changed market demands.
Mr. Maxwell said that his firm couldn't speculate on when the final USDA rule change would go into effect. That came on Jan. 17, and the company immediately went to work to greatly expand production there.
"In two weeks, we'll have volume and will push the UglyRipe" for national distribution, Mr. Maxwell said May 1. "The weather in Florida slowed us a little, but once we start, we won't be out again. Now we can really get out and promote."
The USDA will constantly monitor Procacci shipments with DNA testing required to distinguish UglyRipe from another ugly tomato that wouldn't make grade. "They want to assure we're not shipping gas greens out of state," he said. An identification program has been set up to do this work. It is the first program of its kind, said Mr. Maxwell, who approved the procedure. Procacci packs the UglyRipe tomatoes in protective stockings -- like those used on Asian pears -- or in 15-pound single-layer boxes. Small-sized UglyRipes are places in three-packs. The packaging protects the soft tomatoes, and he said that the tomatoes should be protected from loose merchandising and the subsequent consumer handling, though he said that not all produce managers follow that guideline.
UglyRipes "eat like candy," he said. "They offer backyard taste in mid- February with good success."
If there is a "silver lining" in getting UglyRipes certified for sale outside Florida, it came "when we had product staying in Florida. We pushed it in Florida to the snow birds." Those people from Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin and other northern states became familiar with the brand and wondered why it wasn't available at home. "Word of mouth definitely spread. They inquired through our web page" on how to find UglyRipes.
Now, he said, "we will have national distribution 12 months a year, God willing."
Mike Maxwell, president of Procacci Brothers Sales Corp., here, told The Produce News that his firm expected to be shipping much larger volumes of tomatoes than it had in the past.
The UglyRipe was bred in Procacci's own tomato research facility in Florida, and while the tomato is not necessarily pretty on the exterior, it is a throwback to the heirloom tomatoes of old, complete with excellent flavor. In an effort to maintain quality, UglyRipe tomatoes were not in the plans when the Florida tomato industry established its trade rules many decades ago. Mr. Maxwell said that the Florida Tomato Committee "was set up to prevent No. 3 grade from leaving the state."
Marketing order rules forbid certain shapes and grades of tomatoes from leaving the state of Florida, and UglyRipes didn't fit those permissible standards.
Since developing the UglyRipe, Procacci limited its Florida production to what could be sold in state until the marketing order rules could be revised for current plant breeding technology and changed market demands.
Mr. Maxwell said that his firm couldn't speculate on when the final USDA rule change would go into effect. That came on Jan. 17, and the company immediately went to work to greatly expand production there.
"In two weeks, we'll have volume and will push the UglyRipe" for national distribution, Mr. Maxwell said May 1. "The weather in Florida slowed us a little, but once we start, we won't be out again. Now we can really get out and promote."
The USDA will constantly monitor Procacci shipments with DNA testing required to distinguish UglyRipe from another ugly tomato that wouldn't make grade. "They want to assure we're not shipping gas greens out of state," he said. An identification program has been set up to do this work. It is the first program of its kind, said Mr. Maxwell, who approved the procedure. Procacci packs the UglyRipe tomatoes in protective stockings -- like those used on Asian pears -- or in 15-pound single-layer boxes. Small-sized UglyRipes are places in three-packs. The packaging protects the soft tomatoes, and he said that the tomatoes should be protected from loose merchandising and the subsequent consumer handling, though he said that not all produce managers follow that guideline.
UglyRipes "eat like candy," he said. "They offer backyard taste in mid- February with good success."
If there is a "silver lining" in getting UglyRipes certified for sale outside Florida, it came "when we had product staying in Florida. We pushed it in Florida to the snow birds." Those people from Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin and other northern states became familiar with the brand and wondered why it wasn't available at home. "Word of mouth definitely spread. They inquired through our web page" on how to find UglyRipes.
Now, he said, "we will have national distribution 12 months a year, God willing."
