The Produce Moms Podcast

"This is the number one reusable grocery bag shopping solution."Lori Taylor (10:29-10:32)

When Farzan Dehmoubed and his wife started selling Lotus Sustainables four years ago, they thought their initial product would sell out in four months. They sold out in eight days.

With results like that right off that bat, surely the product must be great! Lotus Sustainable was created with the mission in mind to eliminate plastic from shopping. Did you know that less than 3% of plastics being made are recycled and reused? Lotus Trolley bags were created to shift how we shop as consumers and eliminate the need for single use bags, or how easily forgettable reusable bags are.

"One of our frustrations at our house was all the plastic waste in our home." - Farzan Dehmoubed (2:28-2:32)

These bags come in a pack of four that can spread out across your shopping cart. They open and close like an accordion, are extremely sturdy, have bars that sit atop the grocery cart which stabilizes them and keeps them open and upright. When they're empty, they can be rolled up like a yoga mat, making storing in your car or at home easy. There are different bags with specialized pockets for things like eggs and wine (so they won't break), each bag is insulated, and it helps you keep your shopping organized. One bag in your cart can be for produce, while one is for meat.

More than just bags, this is a system that helps solve so many problems with grocery shopping. Lotus also makes reusable bags to replace the one-us, produce plastic bags, which many customers like to also use for crafts, doing laundry, as travel bags and when buying bulk products (think rice, beans, nuts, grains).

"It really spreads out to be this all-in-one system so you can take home $250 worth of groceries in four bags. You don't have to go back and forth to your car and take four bags into your house or worry about them ripping. Quality was really big for us. We used very durable materials that are far above anything used in any other type of reusable bag. Each bag was tested to hold over 60 pounds." - Farzan Dehmoubed (4:40-5:12)

The average family uses over 1500 plastic bags a year and knowing that only under 3% of plastics are actually recycled and reused, it's staggering to think how much plastic we're using unnecessarily. When you don't think about it, you don't look at the impact, but the impact on our environment is now catching up to us. Many customers have started looking at things differently as a thanks to Lotus Sustainables, such as replacing plastic jars with glass ones, drinking water from reusable bottles, and finding new ways to do things that are sustainable, good for the environment, and healthy for your home.

For Farzan, sustainability means finding ways to reduce how and what we consume, reusing or borrowing and finding new ways of doing things, and recycling, but not just buying plastics and throwing them in the recycling bin.

"When you talk about sustainability, you have to really understand that we have limited resources in this world. How we approach our day to day and our consumption habits is so important." - Farzan Dehmoubed (11:12-11:27)

Lotus is on it's way to providing a new solution for shopping at club retailers like Costco and Sam's Club! In early 2021 you'll now find the Lotus Trolley bags in sizes that fit club retail shopping carts, so you aren't stuck taking home tons of boxes and cartons that don't even fit in your recycling bin at home! They're also working on strategic partnerships with companies like Shipt and Instacart to help grocery delivery services eliminate the use of single-use bags.

Lotus Sustainables is helping consumers like you make a bigger impact on our world, making it easier and more organized for you to shop, and eliminating time at the check out, so you can spend more time at home.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"One of the big focuses of Fair Trade is the wellbeing of the workers."Iris Madrigal (9:12-9:15)

The Fair Trade movement is now more popular than ever, but what is it exactly and how can you, as a consumer, know that the Fair Trade products you purchased truly are helping improve the sustainability and development of our world?

Iris Madrigal and her husband Alex who is the second-generation grower of Covilli Brand Organics, have owned and managed Covilli for 30 years. Covilli grows a wide variety of fresh produce products you love, like green beans, brussel sprouts, summer and winter squash, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, poblano peppers, anaheim peppers, jalapenos, serrano peppers and much more!

In 2015, the shipper and grower company became Fair Trade Certified from Fair Trade USA, a nonprofit. The Fair Trade certification process is lengthy and very detailed, much like the Organic certification process.

Fair Trade USA brought 3rd party service providers to review Covilli Brand Organics to make sure their fair employment processes are in place. Fair Trade USA has high standards for quality, sustainability, development and fair practices they look for. Everything from Covilli's working environment, wages, safety measures, opportunities for their workers, worker compensation, contracts, employee well-being, social security, and other measures they put in place to provide their workers the best life and working conditions possible was under review.

"75% of our workforce returns year after year." - Iris Madrigal (8:30-8:34)

Covilli Brand Organics is based in the Sonoran desert in Mexico (about five hours down from the U.S.-Mexican border), which, like most farms, is a very rural area. Many of Covilli's employees are migrant workers, and thanks to the on-location housing Covilli provides, the workers are able to bring their entire family to stay. All housing must meet Fair Trade standards, for example, if a family of six is living with a worker, the house must accommodate that family's size.

Having a 75% year-over-year employee return rate is very high in the industry and an example of the exemplary conditions and opportunities Covilli provides their workers. They might see that number decrease (which is a good thing) in the upcoming years because of their onsite school for worker's children. Many children grow up to enter into the farming workforce just like their parents, but with the education they're being provided, kids are being presented with a wide array of opportunities.

When you choose a Fair Trade product, there is a small premium (a few pennies at most) that is added on to each individual product. That premium goes directly to a premium fund which is owned by Covilli's workers. The employees and farm workers own the premium fund's bank account and through a democracy choose where the money goes.

Iris and Alex do not have a vote in this premium as it's fully owned by the workforce and is monitored by a Fair Trade Committee to make sure the money is allotted in a way that meets Fair Trade USA's standards. The funding has to be focused on the wellbeing of the workers and be used for something such as health, education, cultural growth or social interaction. Anything that helps develop the community, encourage sustainability, and empowers the workers.

For example, healthcare was a big gap for migrant workers and living in a rural area means access to doctors, dentists and hospitals is extremely difficult. Covilli's employees decided to invest their premium money in medical transport services, so if someone needed to go to a healthcare provider, they would have access. Next, they decided to invest in a healthcare clinic that is onsite at Covilli Brand Organics farms. Not only does it include a general MD, but a dentist as well. The employees have access as well as about 10,000 members in the local community.

"We have been able to reserve $1.2 million dollars in premiums for our workers." - Iris Madrigal (13:42-13:50)

All of that is thanks to consumers like you who make sure to purchase Covilli Brand Organics and other Fair Trade products! Covilli is focused beyond Fair Trade on their own farm, and is constantly doing all that they can to improve the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. They work with partner growers who grow pineapple, lemon, lime, and valencia oranges and make sure the deals are fair so farmers get paid what they deserve to earn. They're also working to make the farm regenerative through efforts like composting and eventually, make everything self-sustainable.

Want to see how you're helping the Fair Trade movement? Visit Covilli Brand Organics' website and you can track your specific Fair Trade premium contribution!

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"The heritage and development of the brand was asking ourselves, 'how do we bring flavor to our customers?' That's where the name That's Tasty was born." Don Helms (18:24-18:40)

Shenandoah Growers is the consumer grower for the That's Tasty brand that brings you some of the freshest, most flavorful herbs available in America.

Don Helms, Vice President of Marketing for Shenandoah Growers, and self-proclaimed flavor guru, has spent his career lifetime focusing on bringing consumers like you flavorful food in all types of forms. He's worked with packaged foods, salad dressing, sauces, restaurants, food and beverage development, and now works at the top of the flavor chain with fresh, organic herbs and greens.

If you want to make sure your holiday meals are a success, or just want to add some zest, spice or mouth-watering flavor to your family's everyday meals, you'll want to find That's Tasty's herbs and spices in your local grocery store. That's Tasty sells fresh herbs in clamshell packages of different sizes in the refrigerated area of the produce section along with beautiful, aromatic living herbs in potted plants that are grown in Shenandoah Grower's greenhouses.

"Basil: we call it the King of herbs! Everyone knows basil, everyone loves basil." - Don Helms (10:38-10:41)

That's Tasty sells 17 different varieties of living herbs that are all USDA certified greenhouse grown. Their most popular herbs are basil, mint, and some of the seasonal packs they sell, such as their Thanksgiving/holiday poultry blend or the grilling blends you'll find during summer.

That's Tasty also sells organic, stir-in purées, taking the prep work out of using herbs and making it easy to play, experiment and enjoy flavors from spicy harissa, jalapeno peppers, garlic, ginger, basil and many others. You can also get dried chiles and mushrooms from That's Tasty, which are sourced from the best places in the world to find those ingredients.

"One of the main things we talk about with our leafy greens that we think makes them unique is they're organic and indoor grown with zero pesticides, grown locally, and we harvest, hack and deliver them [to retailers] within 24 hours. It's literally as fresh as you can get." - Don Helms (14:30-14:42)

Part of the reason That's Tasty herbs are so fresh and have a wonderful shelf life is because Shenandoah Growers has optimized their growing process for plants to be grown as they would out in nature. Rather than fighting against nature, their plants are grown in soil (even though they're grown indoors). The soil is a rich proprietary mix full of natural bioactivity that helps create a nitrogen cycle for the plants to grow strong and healthy.

Shenandoah's water, which has all organic nutrients in it, is fed to plants from the bottom. This forces plants to push their roots down into the soil and draw water up, creating strong, vigorous plants with healthy tissue. This means the plant is healthier and lasts as long as possible. We all know herbs have a short shelf life once they're cut, so this process maximizes freshness and the time you can use herbs in your meals at home.

Plus, this helps in terms of food safety, creates complete traceability, and helps the growers microtune any issues they see happening in real time, allowing for adjustment as the plants are growing (rather than waiting for an entire new lifecycle). The process is then recycled along with their water, helping the farm use about 90% less water than a traditional farming operation. And since the plants are all grown indoors, there's no need to use pesticides either!

"By starting with a super healthy plant, we can give you all the time to use the fresh herbs that you purchase." - Don Helms (24:24-24:28)

That's Tasty has facilities across the US and has plans to continue to grow! Make sure to look up That's Tasty famous brining recipe for your holiday turkeys this year. This brine uses rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves, along with a little bit of citrus, garlic and salt. That's Tasty has a special poultry blend available in the fresh cut or living herb option you can use to maximize your turkey's flavor and deliver a holiday bird that's unforgettable.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"The human element that's behind each and every pear that makes it to market is really amazing and profound."

Lori Taylor (17:55-18:02)

What other fruit is as elegant as a pear, but yet approachable and available year round? Slicing up a pear will dress up any cocktail party charcuterie board or help fill your kids lunchboxes with a nutritious treat. These fruits are still harvested, packed, and sent to market with a remarkable amount of human touch.

Erica Bland is a fourth generation pear grower who's been helping run her family's Washington farm for nine years, and leasing her own orchards for four. You might know Washington state for their apples and cherries, but pears? Yes, the Pacific Northwest is great for pears because of the region specifically in the middle of Washington and Oregon state. The east is too dry, the west is too wet, but the middle is a sweet spot filled with rich, volcanic soil, cool nights and warm days, and just the right amount of rain, making it optimal for growing this delicious fruit.

"You want someone to bite into that pear and say, 'oh my gosh, I love it! I've got juice on my face and it's sticky…', that's what you want and you work for that day-in and day-out, year-round." Erica Bland (27:07-27:18)

Growing pears is an ever-changing gamble! Crop cycles start in the fall, and although harvest always goes through August and September, you never know when it's actually going to start. The harvest goes much longer than you'd typically expect and also depends on the varieties and bin counts. Erica's farm grows three types of pears: Bartlett, d'Anjou and Golden Russet Bosc, although there are ten varieties of pears available in the US.

What's more interesting about the pear growing process is the thinning of trees. You might think you want to keep as much fruit as possible on the tree as they grow, but with pear trees, heavy thinning is necessary as soon as the pears are about the size of a silver dollar. You want to keep the pears 10-12 inches apart, otherwise, some pears grow together in clusters and will never get big enough. That, or the branch gets too heavy and they block the sun necessary to grow.

So what do growers do with pears that aren't big enough or meeting retailer specs? Sometimes they go to school lunches (if they're on the smaller side) or juicers.

When it comes time to harvest, it's a gamble! Erica says, "you need to be ready to rock and roll when the field men come out and say you need to start picking", which can be at any time. All pears are hand picked and the only equipment involved in the field are tractors that pick up the bins of fruit and stack them for the trucks to pick up.

Did you know pears grown in the states of Oregon and Washington make up around 87 percent of the US fresh pear supply?

From the field to the packing shed or warehouse, pears are hand selected and wrapped in tissue before heading out to retailers, which happens on the same day! For as fast of a turnaround as that is, pears are beautiful, elegant fruit that require a lot of patience…patience that is worth every juicy, sweet, refreshing bite.

The reason pears aren't always ripe and ready to eat when you buy them at the store is because you can't ship soft fruit. They would go bad and bruise before they hit the produce aisle. If you want to know when your pear is ripe and ready to eat at home, just apply a small amount of pressure using your thumb at the neck of the pear and if it yields to slight pressure, it's ready to enjoy! Plus, they really look beautiful in a decorative bowl in the center of a table while you wait for them to ripen.

"We care so much about it. We care about our crew, we care about our fruit, we care about our consumers and getting the good fruit out there. It's a passion and it's something you pride yourself on and it's worth waking up for every day!" Erica Bland (20:48-21:04)

What's Erica's favorite way to enjoy her family's pears? Pear pie! Although she's not a huge fruit pie fan, this family recipe passed down from her mom's aunt gets her every time. Feel free to reach out to her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/e_bland and she'll give you the recipe!

Neil's favorite way to enjoy pears happens to be on pizza! Maybe you've seen this at restaurants and have hesitated to try it, or maybe you've never even thought of this innovative way to enjoy the fruit. Because the sweetness isn't overwhelming, there are tons of ways to enjoy pear on pizza. Next time you make one at home or order out, try pears with gorgonzola and walnuts or prosciutto as your topping.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"No matter what you're preparing for thanksgiving, the number one ingredient is love."Lori Taylor

Thanksgiving looks a little different this year for all of us, but one thing remains important: enjoying a delicious meal with those you love and finding gratitude for all you have.

This American holiday is such an important one to slow down, reflect on what we can appreciate in life, and the only thing we're expected to do is gather around a table and enjoy an incredible meal! We've brought together twelve of our Produce Moms' favorite guests, friends and partners to share with you what exciting, new and standby recipes you can embrace this holiday. We've got recipes from all around the country, spanning from drinks, sides, dessert, palette cleansers and of course ways to bring your turkey to life. Enjoy some of these recipes this Thanksgiving or save them for another upcoming holiday dinner!

"Everybody should try to put an eight ounce package of Baby Bella mushrooms in their green bean casserole." - Brian Jenny, Vice President of Sales for Monterey Mushrooms (6:09-6:12)

Did you know that mushrooms are one of the fastest growing categories in the produce industry and just eight ounces will give you your daily recommended requirement of Vitamin D? Brian Jenny, Vice President of Sales for Monterey Mushrooms is passionate about these superfoods which are a delicious, healthy item that can be added to breakfast, lunch or dinner.

If you're making green bean casserole this year, add an eight ounce pack of baby bella mushrooms to your fresh green beans for more nutrients and flavor. When it comes to washing, lightly rinse them in a colander for 10-15 seconds or wipe them off with a damp rag. Try not to add any more water to them otherwise they might get soggy.

"One of our most popular recipes year after year is our turkey brine recipe." - Don Helms, Vice President of Marketing at Shenandoah Growers (12:55-12:58)

That's Tasty is a Shenandoah Growers brand that is a must when purchasing items for your Thanksgiving meal. Without fresh herbs, would your turkey and dishes truly be a successful, delicious delight at the dinner table? Don Helms, Vice President of Marketing at Shenandoah Growers wants everyone to get the absolute most flavor of their food around the holidays. They call this time the "EKG chart" because of the 400% increase in demand they see around the holidays.

What are the staples Don says you need? Basil, sage, rosemary and thyme! One of That's Tasty's most popular recipes year after year is their turkey brine recipe. "The best way to do that is put all the flavor you can into it because it's such a blank canvas and it will absorb a lot of flavor," says Don.

Their recipe is extremely easy and by allowing your turkey to marinate in the juices, the meat of the turkey will absorb those incredible flavors. His recipe includes salt, peppercorns, brown sugar, and That's Tasty garlic puree, organic bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh sage and fresh rosemary leaves. Add some citrus to bring a tremendous amount of acid and make those flavors pop!

"Potatoes during Thanksgiving are a nostalgic, must have dish!" - Eric Beck, Director of Marketing at Wada Farms (23:20-23:25)

If you think you're a fan of potatoes, you surely need to meet Eric Beck aka "Spud Love". The Director of Marketing at Wada Farms in Idaho has earned this reputation around the industry and rightfully so. When asked about what type of potato to use in Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, he could've gone on for hours!

Eric suggests using a russet potato (which there are hundreds of different varieties of) if you want light and fluffy mashed potatoes. If you want a ruch and creamy consistency, use a yellow or red potato.

What's Eric's favorite way to enjoy mashed potatoes? His mother-in-law makes an incredible dish where she adds butter, sour cream, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and chives and mixes them altogether, rather than adding as a topping. Eric's also impressed with the amount of culinary, artistic creativity happening with potatoes and the power of social media, which is allowing people to share and find new, interesting ways to prepare them.

"Fresh juice, especially fresh squeezed juice… there's nothing else like it. To be able to incorporate that into some kind of holiday beverage is great." - Kim Flores, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Pro Citrus Network (39:58-40:08)

Thanksgiving is Kim Flores, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Pro Citrus Network, absolute favorite holiday, hands down. Why? Kim loves the meaning of Thanksgiving, which is to share gratitude, spend time with family, and of course enjoy the food. It's a time when, no matter what, we get to reconnect with those that mean the most to us in life and enjoy the spirit of gratitude with those you love around you.

What's on Kim's Thanksgiving table? Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet potato pie and green bean casserole all are a must! Her three favorite dishes are her mom's sweet potato souffle made with fresh sweet potatoes and marshmallows on top, fresh cranberry pear crisp made with fresh pears, cranberries and oats on top, and her family's favorite, pumpkin roll.

Kim reminds us that citrus is such a versatile thing to incorporate in any meal. For example, one time her family cut oranges in half and put sweet potato souffle in the orange skin 'bowl'. You can add oranges to cranberry relish, sangria, any cocktail or punch for Thanksgiving too!

"It all of a sudden became an instant Thanksgiving tradition where people are asking if I'm bringing the delicata squash fries again." - Mason Arnold, founder of Cece's Veggie Company (43:42-43:48)

That makes two votes for delicata squash fries at the Thanksgiving table with Mason Arnold! Mason is the founder of Cece's Veggie Company, who makes the organic vegetable noodles, riced vegetables and veggie-based meal kits you've come to know and love.

Before starting Cece's, Mason used to run a grocery delivery company that partnered with local farmers in central Texas to slaughter fresh turkeys the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and deliver them to families the day before, giving them fresh, Heritage breed, never frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving. How delicious is that!?

Although Mason's mom loves cooking big, major meals, Mason contributes his healthy treats to the Thanksgiving dinner table too. Last year he brought delicata squash fries and they've become a major hit! Mason loves the delicious nutty flavor of delicatas and the texture they have when you roast them with the skin on, creating a crispy, crunchy outside.

"Everywhere I brought it, it got cleaned out way before the sweet potato dishes did," Mason says. Try bringing the sweet potatoes some competition this year with delicata fries on your Thanksgiving table!

"Everyone has the cranberry ice, it's a core expectation." - Megan Mitchell, Brand and Business Manager at Fielding Hills Winery (51:05-51:07)

Megan Mitchell is the Brand and Business Manager at Fielding Hills Winery, a winery that originally served as a red delicious apple orchard, until 2000 when the market for red delicious started to go down hill. That's when the orchard turned into a winery, planting 24 acres (now 30) of red wine grapes in the Columbia basin in Washington.

Megan suggests starting your Thanksgiving meal off with a bottle of white (she recommends their Roussan, aka "the red wine drinker's white") and then moving into a bottle of red as dinner goes on. Her winery's bold, fruit forward Cab Sauv is the family's go-to.

You'd think wine would be Megan's favorite Thanksgiving treat (who wouldn't!), but instead, it's her great grandmother's recipe called cranberry ice. They use it as a palette cleanser between bites of turkey or after you've finished dinner and are waiting for dessert. You can make the cranberry ice yourself with cranberries, ginger ale, a fair amount of sugar, and ice to make the consistency of a sorbet.

"Everyone has the cranberry ice, it's a core expectation," Megan says. "We've even made it for people who are friends or family members, but aren't in town, and send it to them!"

"That onion and celery smell on Thanksgiving morning of starting your stuffing recipe... that's the start of the big day!" - Nicholl Towell Senior Director of Marketing at Duda Farm Fresh Foods (55:17-55:23)

"Everyone loves celery in their stuffing."

You'll probably enjoy at least one of the fresh, delicious vegetables that Duda Farms grows on Thanksgiving. Duda's the exceptional grower behind Dandy Brands celery, cauliflower, sweet corn, radishes and many other fresh produce items. Speaking of celery, we asked Nicholl why celery has those strings we love to hate in them and her response was so eloquent that you'll certainly have more respect for how this plant provides your body with nutrition!

The strings in celery are "like veins in your body. That's how nature feeds the plant and the veins are needed to feed itself or hydrate itself. If we took them out completely, we wouldn't have a plant," shares Nicholl.

As much as Dandy is known for their celery (and who doesn't love celery in their stuffing), Nicholl's family is famous for enjoying her husband Ralph's cream style sweet corn at Thanksgiving. Ralph, a Florida native, brings a little of his southern style cooking to their family in California. It's one of the Thanksgiving dishes that goes fast and everyone loves.

"The veggie I've been obsessed with these past several Thanksgivings is delicata squash" - Stefani Sassos, RN and Nutritionist with Good Housekeeping Institute (1:00:56-1:01:02)

We knew Stefani Sassos, RN and nutritionist with Good Housekeeping Institute would have a healthy, delicious favorite for Thanksgiving. Stefani has been obsessed with delicata squash because it's easier to cut than a butternut squash or other squashes for prep, and you can eat the skin of it, which is chock full of nutrients.

How does Stefani prepare her delicata squash for Thanksgiving (or any other family meal)? She chops it in half (length-wise) and scoops out the seeds to make little half moons. Next, Stefani adds a little olive oil, salt and pepper and has a trick if you have children. To get the squash to absorb wonderful flavors like rosemary and thyme without having little specks on the squash that can often be a "deal breaker" for kids, she'll just add a sprig of rosemary and thyme on the baking sheet instead. The flavors will naturally infuse into the squash and roasting brings out such a beautiful flavor.

Plus, it's a low calorie option that looks gorgeous alongside your Thanksgiving table spread!

"My two favorite dishes are the sweet potato casserole and our noodle kugel." - Stefanie Katzman, Executive Vice President of S. Katzman Produce (1:08:28-1:08:33)

Stefanie Katzman of S. Katzman Produce is part of the fourth generation in the family-owned, New York City wholesale distributor. This is one of the busiest times of year for Stefanie and the rest of the team and it's important to note the role her company plays in delivering our Thanksgiving feast. "Everything that hits your Thanksgiving table is going to come through our market," Stefanie reminds us.

She also loves Thanksgiving, which is the one guaranteed holiday her entire family celebrates together. Her favorite recipes? It's between the sweet potato casserole, which her family makes with pineapple, mandarin and maple syrup. An interesting twist on the timeless classic, the secret to the Katzman sweet potato casserole is adding marshmallows on top and sticking it back underneath the broiler to get that gooey, s'mores-like consistency.

Her family also makes two noodle kugels each year, one for dinner with spinach and one around dessert time with cheese, milk, cream, brown sugar and bread crumbs on top.

"Eat like an Italian!" - Tiffany Rose, founder of Wink Sprout (1:17:47-1:17:48)

Listening to Tiffany's accent you might wonder what she's doing on a podcast about Thanksgiving! Well, this Scottish-born, UK-raised, US transplant has happily taken on our American tradition of celebrating family and food. Tiffany recalls growing up in London where they "would only ever see Thanksgiving on Home Alone or American movies and wonder, 'why do they have two Christmas dinners!?'".

Now that she lives here, she truly understands what Thanksgiving is all about and enjoys the night before where you think about what you're going to eat the next day (and sneak double servings of).

Tiffany isn't a turkey fan, so she always roasts a chicken to go alongside American dishes like sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole. Tiffany is a huge proponent of eating healthy, just like we are at The Produce Moms, and she suggests something she learned from the Italians when working as a model and actress in Italy. They always eat a small, green salad before starting every meal! Tiffany suggests starting your dinner off this way because the fiber will help you get fuller fast and will aid in digesting the delicious carbs and sugary treats we love on Thanksgiving Day.

"We experimented and made stuffing with mango and jalapeno in it to add that unexpected spin." - Tricia Bramley, Director of Marketing and Communications at National Mango Board (1:22:51-1:23:08)

You might be thinking, mangos and Thanksgiving don't mix, but did you know mangos are the most popular produce item in the world? Tricia Bramley, the Director of Marketing and Communications at the National Mango Board is working hard to help the US understand just how delicious and versatile mangos truly are!

Tricia loves to make the traditional foods her family has always enjoyed eating around Thanksgiving, and her family's tradition starts with a turkey noodle soup made by grandma for breakfast. Her mom's stuffing is legendary and a must have on her Thanksgiving table, but Tricia loves to add dishes that are unique and different to the traditional spread, too.

This year Tricia and the National Mango Board put together a stuffing made with mango and jalapeno that adds a touch of sweet, a dash of spice and an unexpected spin on a Thanksgiving favorite.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"Ultimately it transports us back to a time when food was simple, clean and delicious." Sarah Frey (4:32-4:39)

How wonderful would it be to grow up on a farm where you get to experience the magic of what the earth is capable of, while picking blackberries and other fresh fruit that get turned into refreshing, delicious agua frescas?

That's part of the beauty that Sarah Frey, CEO of Sarah's Homegrown Produce experienced on her family farm growing up that she now owns and operates today. After picking blackberries, they'd take the leftovers back home, muddle them, add pure cane sugar, pour water over the mixture, stir it up and drink it fresh. You probably know Sarah from previous episodes where she shared her journey with her family's Frey Farms and her most popular product, Tsamma watermelon juice. Now, Sarah's Homegrown has expanded into delicious agua frescas, teas, lemonades and functional products.

"I started noticing more agua frescas pop up at smaller restaurant venues across the country and I was taken back to when I was a little girl and we would make agua frescas on the farm." Sarah Frey (13:35-13:55)

Sarah Frey and Sarah's Homegrown Produce was one of the first produce companies to go all in on beverages. They started making fresh beverages over seven years ago on the farm and most of their products are made right on the farm themselves. You could say their beverage line is the essence of sustainability because all of their products are made from clean ingredients and every part of the process is purposeful.

They're now moving into the functional category which is, quite simply, anything that makes you feel better! Whether that's a product that improves your gut health, immunity, energy, hydration or cognitive function, many of the things you enjoy can be considered a functional product.

The number one functional benefit of all Sarah's Homegrown Agua Frescas is immunity. The second is hydration.

One of the top ways Sarah's Homegrown ensures they're a sustainable brand is by using what the industry calls "ugly fruit", or produce that doesn't meet retail specs. There's plenty of wonderful, ripe, nutritious fruit that is grown and ends up being thrown away because it isn't the perfect shape or color.

It doesn't matter what a fruit looks like to end up in Sarah's Agua Frescas, and they're now able to utilize more of their crop, which would have otherwise been used for composting. Whether an Agua Fresca's fruit comes from one of Sarah's farms or one of their partners, you know the product you're receiving as a consumer was created, produced and distributed by the farmer themselves.

"Not only is it the right thing to do for the planet, but it's the right thing to do for the customer, the consumer, and the farm." Hilary Long (5:02-5:11)

Sarah's Homegrown Agua Frescas come in three, refreshing flavors: mango, strawberry and watermelon and they're working on a line of functional flavors and a flavorless vitamin pack that's approachable for customers. Especially during these times of a pandemic, it's great to have a functional drink available that's number one functional benefit is immunity and it's equally as hydrating.

Whether you enjoy one of Sarah's Homegrown Agua Frescas as an after workout treat, in a cocktail or mocktail, or with your favorite meal, know you're supporting a sustainability movement for farmers across the U.S. and enjoying something that has added health benefits.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"When you see that package of Naturipe, there's a farmer behind it."John Stauner (18:58-19:02)

Have you ever wondered what goes into bringing the magic of cranberries to your holiday table? John Stauner of James Lake Farms and Ray Hableman of Hableman Brothers bring you fresh, ripe, delicious cranberries year after year under the Naturipe brand.

John Stauner has been in the cranberry industry for over 35 years and owns two cranberry marshes in northern Wisconsin. After working in corporate management for 20 years, John's company was broken up in 2006, giving him the opportunity to purchase his marsh and convert it into an organic production. They later bought a neighboring marsh, tripling their acreage and farming capacity.

"We wanted to grow something that was good for people and we wanted to do it in a way that was good for the land on which we were growing it." - John Stauner (4:13-4:19)

Contrary to popular belief, cranberries don't actually grow in water. Cranberries actually grow in very acidic soil, usually peat or sand based, and are filled with hair which makes them naturally buoyant. This buoyancy is what allows farmers to flood the cranberry beds so the berries float right to the top of their vines, making it easy to pick them.

The cranberry growing process is quite lengthy, too, considering this fruit is really one of the only true seasonal items in produce. Starting in August when the bud of the cranberry is formed, farmers flood cranberry beds with water so a layer of ice is created during winter. This takes care of the bud until spring when the ice melts, soil temperature rises and a two to three inch vine is formed, which is what the cranberries are grown on. Coming full circle over a year later in September, cranberries produce their beautiful red color and harvesting begins. Talk about a lot of work and passion dedicated to these brilliant little berries!

John's production is 100% certified USDA organic, a process that takes over 36 months to complete. Giving up two harvests that are technically organic, but not certified yet, John was adamant about turning his farms organic not just for the niche market they're in, but because he wanted to take care of his crops and land in a way that lets future generations have the same resources.

Ray Hableman of Hableman Brothers, the world's largest, fresh cranberry grower, has cranberry farming in his blood. His great grandfather started their farm in 1907, originally only 13 acres and now spanning across three separate cranberry marshes totalling 700 acres today. Hableman's cranberries are grown conventionally and packed with antioxidants. Did you know cranberries have antibacterial properties, can help fight UTIs, support gum and gut health, and have a slew of other health benefits that support our bodies from top to bottom?

Hableman is just as passionate about caring for the land his cranberries grow on as the fruit itself. Growing up on a cranberry farm has given him an ingrained goal of leaving the land a better place than how it was started. Ray and his team make sure to take care of the weeds, have bird and duck houses on the property, pollinator gardens and clean the ponds regularly to help the land thrive. All of his foremans go through nutrient management training so they know exactly what to use and when, and they do everything they can to fight bugs naturally, only using spray when necessary.

"This is truly a year round labor of love every single day." - Lori Taylor (28:59-29:04)

There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy cranberries. John Staumer is a fan of mixing their tart flavor with horseradish, a combination that works great with meats. Ray Hableman loves making a delicious jelly sauce, adding them into stir fry's, and putting them in baked goods like muffins, cakes or cookies. Lori's a self-proclaimed traditionalist with her cranberries, having many fond memories of listening to cranberries pop on the stove during the holidays.

Enjoy your own favorite, classic recipes or try some new twists from the Cranberries Reimagined! Unlocking the Year-Round Secrets of the Other Red Berry Cookbook on the Naturipe website.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"Within two minutes of sitting down with Tony I knew that this was where we wanted to be."Chuck Sinks (2:54-2:59)

Sometimes when you meet someone and it's so organic and natural, you know you're meant to do something together. That was how Sage Fruit Company came to partner with race car driver Tony Stewart, creating a powerful, healthy relationship that's impacted the lives of thousands.

Chuck Sinks has been in the produce industry his entire life. Taking his 18 years with Sage Fruit Company and his passion for racing, Chuck headed for the Kansas Speedway in hopes of offering NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart an opportunity. Chuck has always been drawn to Tony because of his great personality, ability to speak his mind and grounded attitude.

It makes sense why the two hit it off right off the bat because Chuck speaks his mind the same way. Even though Chuck was nervous and unsure of how Tony would react to the opportunity, Tony knew within minutes of meeting Chuck they'd do something great together.

"I've learned how to eat a lot healthier now" - Tony Stewart (4:44-4:48)

Three years later and Tony's been proudly representing Sage Fruit Company and seeing the ripple effect it's had on thousands of his fans. Not only has Tony created a balanced, nutritious diet because of his athletic girlfriend, he's lost weight and begun to eat a lot healthier thanks to Sage Fruit. Sage Fruit's apples, cherries and pears are a staple item for Tony everytime he hits the grocery store.

Tony's long had a loyal and passionate fan base, but now they come up to him at the grocery store and mention Sage Fruit. They'll ask if Tony's picking up apples or cherries and they rave about the produce themselves.

"It makes the grocery store trip a little bit more fun for me to go in there and see the Sage Fruit logo. I realize I'm proud to be a part of this and I want people to see me grabbing their apples because I'm passionate about the products," says Tony.

Tony's relationship with Chuck has been a wonderful experience for Sage Fruit in that once a year they go to Tony's ranch to plan, for example, the entire cherry season. Unfortunately, they had to pass on their yearly planning retreat due to COVID-19 this year, but 2021 will be back to normal for this abundant partnership! It sure doesn't hurt having a race car driver on your side because Chuck takes plenty of Sage Fruit's customers to meet Tony at his races.

"It's been neat to change our mindset and open our minds to eating healthier, especially now during a pandemic." - Tony Stewart (15:50-15:58)

One thing Tony thanks Sage Fruit for is his health during COVID-19. Although he's implemented all the safety measures necessary, he's still gone to events and met thousands of fans this year without getting sick. He attributes his love of Sage Fruit's produce to keeping him healthy during these times.

What's Tony's favorite way to enjoy Sage Fruit's produce? He loves to cut the center out of a few of their delicious, juicy apples, slice them up, and pop them in the fridge to snack on between meals and throughout the day. Sage Fruit has some incredible recipes on their website, like apple salsa, you don't want to miss! Look out for their fresh apples, cherries and pears at your local grocery store and find a new recipe to enjoy!

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"Most of the rest of the world knows about this fruit and loves it."Karen Nardozza (16:13-16:17)

On the Florida Avocado Administrative Committee's 2021 Schedule there are 23 major varieties and 38 minor varieties of tropical avocados listed alone.

Karen Nardozza, President and CEO at Moxxy Marketing, helps brands grow and evolve in the agriculture and fresh food industry. She helped The Produce Moms become the successful, community-based business it is today and is now working with WP Produce to expand the United States' avocado category by sharing with consumers the delicious, wonderful flavors of Desbry® Tropical Avocados.

"[Our goal is to] help consumers understand that there's a difference between these avocados and the Hass avocado they're so used to." - Karen Nardozza (6:33-6:44)

Tropical Avocados were known as green-skin avocados until Moxxy conducted consumer research about the fruit, prompting Desbry Tropical Avocados to rebrand to a name that would appeal to consumers and differentiate these avocados from the Hass most people are used to. Karen tried her first Tropical Avocado two years ago, and all she could think was, "Oh my gosh! Why can't we get these? In California I had never seen or heard of a green-skin avocado or Tropical Avocado."

Tropical Avocados are often 2-4 times larger than most avocados and don't oxidize as quickly when sliced. That means when you prepare meals or save some for later, it won't brown within hours of slicing. They have a great buttery flavor appealing to families and are less rich than Hass avocados because their water content is higher.

Isn't it interesting that the average produce department has around 200 different varieties of fruits and vegetables, and most produce categories, such as apples, have multiple options. Yet, when it comes to avocados, the only option we tend to see is Hass.

Karen Nardozza and the team at WP Produce are changing that, helping the US get on board with a love for tropical avocados that most of the world already has. These avocados are great for moms who don't have to slice into as many avocados to serve a snack, and for at-home or professional chefs who will enjoy how slowly this fruit oxidizes (compared to Hass) and the opportunity to create meals that looks great and has a different flavor.

Surely Americans will fall in love with Tropical Avocados the same way the rest of the world has, but educating retailers and consumers takes time. As the Tropical Avocado is introduced to more and more retailers, some are very interested and willing to put it on shelves, while others want to see how it does in other markets before committing. So far, the Southeast and the Northeast are where Tropical Avocados are most well-known, and California, Texas and larger cities are where the avocados are headed next.

"The Dominican Republic is the second largest producer of Tropical Avocados in the world and they keep a majority of that fruit to themselves because that's how much [of it] they eat!" - Karen Nardozza (16:19-16:33)

You may not have heard of the Tropical Avocado until now, but if you've traveled to the tropics and ordered a salad, ceviche or sushi, you've certainly tried it! WP Produce sells Desbry avocados at Albertsons, Bristol Farms, Kroger, Metro, Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, and other retailers nationwide, and if you want to try the fruit for yourself but your local retailer doesn't have it, you can always request the item from the produce manager. That's what they're there for!

Check out some of the delicious recipes on The Produce Moms that you can make with Tropical Avocados and make sure to share your creations on social media to spread the word and grow our options for additional varieties of avocados in the US.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"We are like Navy Seals. Nothing can get us."Julie Krivanek (18:08-18:13)

Julie Krivanek is a self-proclaimed deep generalist, member of boards, trusted advisor to board of directors, chief strategist and Founder and CEO of Krivanek Consulting, who has helped startups to global brands in the produce industry come out on top and weather any storm.

With a background in business management and a Masters in Special Studies, she's dipped her toes in the waters of technology, mining, energy, construction and media, and has spent the last 30 years with Krivanek Consulting focused on the produce industry. Her adaptability to come into any organization and look at the holistic picture to identify a long term strategy is remarkable.

Never looking at herself as an oddity or outsider, Julie's always remained excited, enthused and interested with any business she dives into. When it comes to the produce industry, Julie's excited that "people are waking up finally."

Ironically, the one thing most people were concerned about when the pandemic hit is the one industry that has survived all of the chaos and uncertainty with flying colors.

"We walk through every kind of chaos that you can imagine and in fact, in a sort of peculiar way, we are at our best when things are at their worst. We live in a chaotic environment. Mother nature throws curveballs where everything is chaotic and we rise and shine." - Julie Krivanek (18:13-18:33)

Now, that doesn't mean every business in the produce industry has had it easy. There's been plenty of businesses that were put in desperate positions because they had too much debt, small margins, and no revenue coming in. If a business relied on a model that doesn't include a diversified portfolio, or doesn't have any cash runway, yet high operating expenses, they've surely been hit hard during the pandemic.

However, Julie reminds us that this is the perfect opportunity to fix these issues and mitigate. As a business owner (and take this into consideration when you think about your family, too), you need to remember there will be more unforeseeable events that hit us in the next 5-20 years. Take a look at what your burn rate is, how fast you're spending money and what you need to change in order to survive (and ideally thrive) as a business for the next two to three years.

"What do we need to remember? We need to remember at the end of this is long term value, long term advantage and profitable growth. We can't get stuff where we are," says Julie Krivanek, also mentioning that problems aren't solved without the right board, the right CEO and the right strategy.

Moral of the story, end of the day: you're in business for the long haul and you can apply the same thinking of business strategy to your household too! Things don't turn around and change overnight, so you have to be focused on long term strategies and solutions that benefit all. To reach the ideal vision of your business (or household), take an overarching look at what you're doing to get there along with the strategies that would get you there competitively. You have to carve out a place of value in the marketplace, otherwise you only have price to compete on, which is a losing battle.

On top of that, having the right CEO is crucial. It's a brutal job, but 40% of all big decisions are made by the CEO, so if you have a crummy one, or have appointed a family member "just because", you could be losing revenue and might lose your business. That same CEO needs to be supported by the board

"You need to do everything you can to be in a position of strength and readiness." - Julie Krivanek (25:13-25:18)

Despite a lot of businesses struggling during COVID-19, Julie is all about celebrating the produce industry this year! She's been hearing from businesses left and right that they are having their best year ever and that they aren't sure what to do with all of their profits! Doesn't sound like a bad problem to have.

If you can take anything from Julie Krivanek, it's her understanding of leadership. Whether you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or head of a household, remember that you have deep value to add and you can change the trajectory of things as long as you harness your power as a leader. Follow your passion, your curiosity and the vision you have to make things better and be proud of the produce industry, who's consumption of fresh foods and vegetables is up by 10% (pre-pandemic)!

The change we want to see for the health of humanity IS happening. Thank you for being a part of The Produce Moms and continuing to help make an impact by spreading our message.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!