FreshPoint

Produce 101: Peas, Beans, & Corn

Produce 101: Peas, Beans, and Corn This one is a little different. Today we are going to talk about three seemingly different items, but they are intertwined. How Peas, Beans, and Corn are connected The Three Sisters is an ancient, symbiotic growing method that has been utilized by Native Americans for centuries. Three different crops—corn,...

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Produce 101: Melons

Dan talks to us today about Produce 101: Melons Throughout the season many varieties of melon are available—especially during the summer. Today we are going to just focus on the most popular: cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. Few things are as delicious as perfectly ripe melon, but the challenge is how do you pick the perfect...

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Produce 101: Tropical Fruit

Dan talks to us about Produce 101: Tropical Fruit Tropical fruits are an amazing family of produce items.  So what designates a tropical fruit?  The short answer is that they are any fruit that grows in the regions between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, though many varieties have adapted to sub-tropical regions as well. ...

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Sysco | FreshPoint Support Brad and Kimberly Paisley’s, “The Store”

Sysco Nashville and FreshPoint Nashville Announce Support of Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley’s The Store to Help Feed Those in Need NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Last week, Sysco and FreshPoint leaders attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley’s non-profit organization, The Store. The Store will operate as a free-referral based grocery store, allowing people...

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Produce 101: Peppers

Produce 101: Peppers — Let’s Start with Chile Peppers Chile peppers have long been used as a flavoring agent in cuisines around the world.  Food anthropologists believe that the cultivation of peppers began in Central Mexico around 6,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest domesticated crops still in production. Peppers were not only...

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Produce 101: Potatoes

Produce 101: Potatoes Here, Dan talks about potatoes–a vast category. Here’s the basics you need to know to get started. History The potato is one of the most important agricultural crops in the world, ranking 5th. Long revered by ancient cultures in South America, it is believed that potatoes have been cultivated as a food...

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Fresh Things Video: Using Sea Beans

Hi I’m Chef Dan with FreshPoint, and I often get asked how to use sea beans.   I like ’em raw, thrown in a salad, or even as a garnish. It adds a bright crunchy texture with a vibrant salty flavor. They get their name legitimately It does taste of  salt water and of the sea. More...

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Produce 101: Cruciferous Vegetables

Produce 101: Cruciferous Here, Dan talks about cruciferous vegetables–a vast category, also known as Brassica. Here’s the basics you need to know to get started. History Cruciferous, or brassica, vegetables are an amazingly diverse group of vegetables, ranging from stalky items such as broccoli, to leafy greens such as arugula and even root vegetables such...

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Why Local Farmers Need You

When you look at a restaurant menu, one word jumps off the page repeatedly— local. The local movement is supported by every generation from Baby Boomers to Generation Z. Regardless of the size of your company, local is important to consumers and they want to see it on your menu. Nothing Beats the Taste of...

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The Benefit of Developing Leaders from Within

Why work on developing leaders from within?  Without a doubt, the most fulfilling part of my job at FreshPoint is coordinating our Leadership Development program. I feel that it is an obligation of top management in our company to grow leaders at all levels of our organization. A Structured Program At FreshPoint, we have developed...

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Produce 101: Asparagus

Produce 101: Asparagus Dan spearheads a discussion on asparagus in this edition of our series, Produce 101. Asparagus History Asparagus is a true harbinger of spring, though these days, it is available year-round. Related to the onion, this member of the lily family has been grown for thousands of years, in fact, we have historical...

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The Art of Culinary Cocktails and Mixology

mixology noun mix·​ol·​o·​gy | \mik-ˈsä-lə-jē  \ Definition of mixology  : the art or skill of preparing mixed drinks Culinary Cocktails Mixology and craft cocktails are currently two of the hottest trends in the restaurant industry. The bar is being treated as an additional kitchen, and mixologists are viewing cocktails as culinary menu items. Focus is being placed on seasonal offerings and...

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The Significant Cost Benefits of Natural Brand

Several years ago, I was on a customer call with a sales associate. The customer asked us for our price on 24ct iceberg head lettuce. When the marketing associate quoted the current price, the customer said that our price was about 20% too high.

We both walked away from the call perplexed and wondering, “How could our competitors’ price be so much better than ours when we are the leader in the industry?”

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FreshPoint Employee Donations Making a Difference this Holiday Season

“Did you know FreshPoint supports hundreds of organizations throughout North America? We give millions of pounds of produce, we participate in hundreds of fundraisers, and we are very active with charities and special causes in our communities during the year and holiday time. I feel it is very important to be involved in these causes...

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The Honeybell Orange: a sweet, but short season

When my mother was a little girl growing up in Ohio, the real treat in her Christmas stocking was not the peppermint candy canes, but rather, an orange.  Land-locked Ohio was so far, far away from the swampy Indian River of Florida where she would one day move, that this edible gift was exotic and...

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2019 Culinary Trends: What Our Experts are Talking About

Our experts are pretty passionate about produce. Here’s what they have to say on a few 2019 Culinary Trends they are reading about, eating, and seeing in the industry. Targeting Specific Diets Lisa Pettineo, Digital Marketing Manager The healthy eating trend has been around for years. Like Dan says below, the momentum of whole food,...

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Fresh Things Video: The Difference Between a Mandarin and an Orange

Hi, I’m Chef Dan, and one of the questions I get asked all the time is: “What is the difference between a Mandarin and an orange?” Well, there’s a few differences They’re both in the citrus family, and they both have that wonderful bright slightly acidic sweetness. Mandarins are smaller than regular oranges. Typically much...

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Fresh Things: How to Cook a Chestnut

Hi, I’m Francy Deskin with FreshPoint and today we’re going to talk about how to cook a chestnut. The best way to cook a chestnut is just like the holiday song would imply, roasting them over an open fire. Don’t have one of those? No problem…pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees then  you’re gonna take...

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Why are Black Winter Truffles so expensive?

*Editor’s Note: Black Winter Truffles are a luxurious addition to winter menus, and we want everyone to get the best possible quality, so a special order is required.  Please contact your account representative if you want to serve Black Truffles. Definitely not chocolate… Often confused with the other black truffles such as Summer and Chinese...

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Why Clementines are Mandarins, but not all Mandarins are Clementines…

Clementines vs. Mandarins… When it comes to Clementines vs. Mandarins, the Mandarin is the master orange of the family, and Clementines, tangerines, and satsumas all fall under this umbrella. Referred to as mandarins because they are thought to have originated in China, and as they passed through the trade route across Africa (Tangier in particular,) they...

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