(This feature appears in the current issue of Produce Business magazine) By JOHN LEHNDORFF Where the asparagus originated is becoming as important as how the asparagus was grown to chefs and customers at the nation’s restaurants. “Local,” like “organic,” is no fad, but what “local” actually means depends on who you ask. With consumer interest in transparency … Continue reading
(This feature originally appeared in Produce Business magazine. Photos by Kim Long) By JOHN LEHNDORFF A giant rooster sculpture crafted from farm tools who goes by “Alfie” greets shoppers at the entrance to Alfalfa’s Market, an independent grocer blocks from the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, Colorado. On a hot Saturday afternoon in June the store … Continue reading
By JOHN LEHNDORFF (From Produce Business magazine) – Produce sales tie-ins are not exactly a new idea. Historians report that merchants in marketplaces sold fruit right next to nuts, bread and other favorites to grab the ancient equivalent of a double-ring from customers. The question isn’t whether tie-ins help sell more fresh fruit – they … Continue reading
By JOHN LEHNDORFF (This feature appears in the current issue of Produce Business magazine.) Micro greens and edible flowers are far from a “new” produce item. The baby seedlings and blooms have been consumed in one form or another since humans first farmed. They did not become a “thing” until upscale California restaurants started using … Continue reading
(This feature appears in the current issue of Produce Business magazine) By John Lehndorff Experts have noted an attitude change in American consumers this year. They are looking for change in 2016, and change is what they will encounter, at least when it comes to mushrooms at restaurants. The establishment White variety is dominant, fully … Continue reading
It’s a value proposition and increasingly Americans value what they find at fast casual eateries. It’s not small potatoes. Continue reading
By John Lehndorff (This feature appears in the current issue of the trade magazine Produce Business) Vegan. Vegetarian. Raw. Paleo. Omnivore. It’s easy to dismiss these dietary labels as just more noise about the diet du jour. After all, the most recent survey by the food research firm Technomic found that only three percent … Continue reading
By John Lehndorff (This feature was originally published in Produce Business magazine.) Nobody knows whether the Denver Broncos or the Carolina Panthers will walk off the field with the Lombardi Trophy February 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara CA, but produce retailers can earn a win before the kickoff of Super Bowl 50, America’s greatest … Continue reading
(Nov. 5, 2015) – In my spare time I like to write about vegetables. Here’s my ode to eggplant – and the business of eggplant – which can also be seen in the current issue of Produce Business magazine. “I lived on eggplant, the stove top cook’s strongest ally. I fried it and stewed it, … Continue reading
By John Lehndorff (This feature originally appeared as a cover story in Produce Business magazine). If you pay attention to what’s cooking on America’s college campuses you can catch a glimpse of the future of fresh produce. The same cafeterias that horrified earlier collegiate generations with meatloaf and plops of instant mashers, gravy, frozen green … Continue reading
Nibbles 