The United Fresh Produce Association has announced the winners of its New Product Awards. Visitors to the association’s annual convention and expo in Chicago have a chance to vote throughout the show for more than 40 fresh fruit and vegetable innovations competing in five categories.
Crunch Pak’s Marvel Apple Snacker range of snacking apples featuring Marvel Super Heroes on the packaging won best new fruit product, while Mastronardi’s Y.E.L.O. tomato won the best new vegetable category.
The winner of the best new food safety solution was FoodLink for its FoodLink Fresh, a web-based food safety and quality inspection solution. Josie’s Organics Romaine Hearts from Braga Fresh Family Farms scooped top prize in the best new packaging product and Turatti was named winner of the best new packaging/processing equipment category for its Strawberry Capper Mod. Frazer, a machine that removes the strawberry calyx and cuts the fruit in half.
“These winning products have been selected by United attendees as outstanding representations of the new approaches, ideas and processes that are driving the fresh fruit and vegetable industry forward, and we applaud them for their product development,” said John Toner, United's vice president of convention and industry relations. “From its very beginnings, the show has been the undisputed home of innovation for the produce industry, and these awards continue to showcase the best and brightest minds in the produce business.”
The finalists in each category were on display in the United Fresh Membership Booth on the trade show floor.
