New salad combinations and apple snacks from France

A total of 106 French exhibitors, 23 per cent more than last year, were on display at Fruit Logistica, in an area co-ordinated by Sopexa.

Here are five of the best of the products on show:

• Directendive, which has been growing chicory for three generations, presented new salad combinations, including “Les demoiselles de Cambrai” (Young Ladies of Cambrai). The stay-fresh pouch contains two heads of chicory of equal size. Other combinations include “Duoline”, containing two white and two red chicories in the air-permeable pack, and “Triolyne”, with one white and one red chicory and a lettuce heart.

• Lunor launched a new convenience product in November 2005: “Quartier des Champs” potatoes. The quarters have been pre-cooked in steam making them almost ready to eat.

• Sicanjou has been marketing a product known as Zapple® since March 2005. The pack contains quarters of apples, the varieties being Golden, Granny Smith, Braeburn or Gala, as a healthy alternative to high-calorie snacks.

• Pure apple juice in one litre bottles was being exhibited by Touraine Jus de Pommes, and promised “100 per cent juice without any additives, made from Pink Lady®, Tentation® and Gala apples.”

• And Germicopa, a French potato breeder, showcased three relatively new varieties which are ideal for boiling, Amandine, Cherie and Juliette.