Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1061591
& A look at the events, issues, and innovations shaping specialty food, plus industry news, trends, and more. trends happenings THE RETURN OF THE MILKMAN Milk boxes have returned to doorsteps across America, but they're filled with much more than fresh milk. Local ice cream, butter, artisan bread, and cold brew coffee are turning old-fashioned milk delivery into a modern con- venience. This may be a viable way for dairy farmers to contend with the excess organic and conventional milk supply, plummeting prices, mega-size dairy farms crossing state lines, and the burgeoning global plant-based dairy market, which is forecast to hit $16.3 billion next year, according to Innova Market Insights. While some dairies charge a fee for the service, others, like Washington state's Smith Brothers Farms, a local family-owned and -operated dairy that has been serving the greater Puget Sound area for more than 90 years, offer free delivery for orders over $10 of its organic dairy products, as well as an array of local and artisan groceries, to more than 50,000 homes a week. It also supplies an insulated porch box, and a dedicated delivery person. Produce Coating Reduces Food Waste A new plant-based coating has taken produce aisles by storm with its claims of slowing oxidation, therefore rotting and spoiling, which saves grocers money, and reduces waste. Made of plant-derived materials that naturally exist in the peels, seeds, and pulp of fruits and vegetables, Apeel Sciences' coating was launched on avocados and can double the lifespan of produce without refrigeration by keeping moisture inside and oxygen out. This allows growers to let the produce ripen naturally before the journey to the store. Colorless, odorless, and tasteless, Apeel's coating can be applied to the surface of more than two dozen types of harvested fruits and vegetables. Costco and Kroger are two giants that are selling Apeel avocados, helping them meet their goals of reducing food waste while providing better-quality produce. And Midwestern grocery chain Harps reported that it has reduced the amount of avocados it has to throw out by 60 percent in just a few months. PHOTO: APEEL SCIENCES 16 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com