The Produce Moms Podcast

Lori takes some time to recap all of the incredible episodes that have been released so far on the podcast. Lori’s passion is to help moms everywhere become more educated on produce, and the issues that affect sustainability, availability and price of produce. She gives a brief history of the mission behind Produce Moms before recapping some of the more notable podcasts from this season.

"Our concept of fresh produce got exploited in the marketing of food. Color television, magazines, food network... changed the consumers mindset about produce. They took seeking out 'fresh' to seeking out 'perfect.' We're seeing food that has been waxed or dyed, or sorted out because it doesn't stack in those beautiful pyramids you see at grocery retailers..."

Stacy Carroll, Director of Partnerships for Hungry Harvest is passionate about eliminating waste, and eliminating hunger in our nation. From dorm room, to Shark Tank, to a booming food delivery business, Hungry Harvest has experienced incredible growth. Hungry Harvest markets the produce that was deemed "off-spec," and would have been thrown out, instead of placed in grocery stores for purchase. They believe that fruits and vegetables are a right, not a privilege, and every fruit and vegetable deserves to be eaten.

"Our huge impact came from small steps… your contribution matters. It's so important to get started. Not knowing what you're doing can be one of your greatest assets. You won't overthink it. Just putting one foot in front of the other can lead to great impact."

Hungry Harvest has a multifaceted approach to solving the problem of food waste. They're aim is to create new customers that wouldn't be able to afford, or potentially wouldn't have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Their approach creates a win for all individuals involved. Additional business is provided to farmers, consumers have convenient and affordable access to fresh produce, and with each purchase, a donation is made to local partnerships who feed individuals in need.

"Every year, 40% of food in the US is going to waste. 20 billion pounds of that waste is produce that is lost before it even leaves the farm. Food that farmers have grown the water and love has gone into it and they can't harvest because they can't connect it to a buyer. So, they can't afford to pull it off the plant."

Hungry Harvest is here to collaborate and replicate these concepts. They desire to work towards the bigger mission of fighting hunger nationwide.

You can find them at Hungryharvest.net.

Input your zip code to see if they deliver to your area.

Get $5 off your first delivery with PROMO CODE- MOMS.

If they don't deliver to your area (yet), give them your email to stay connected, and help bring Hungry Harvest boxes to your area!

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction // Stacey Carroll - 1:15
• What is Hungry Harvest? - 2:56
• What Does Hungry Harvest Do? - 7:34
• The Story of Hungry Harvest- 11:42
• Why is Food Waste Such a Critical Issue? - 16:20
• What Makes Hungry Harvest Unique? - 20:52
• The Concept of Food Justice - 25:39
• Wrap-up - 30:05

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you're at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com

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!

Stacy Carroll, Dir. of Partnerships for Hungry Harvest is passionate about eliminating waste, and eliminating hunger in our nation. From dorm room, to Shark Tank, to a booming food delivery business, Hungry Harvest has experienced incredible growth. Hungry Harvest markets the produce that was deemed “off-spec,” and would have been thrown out, instead of placed in grocery stores for purchase. . . fruits and vegetables are a right, not a privilege, and every fruit and vegetable deserves to be eaten.

"Over 90% of the produce items USDA is purchasing for schools are dried, canned, or frozen… The opportunities created by the Farm Bill could be the only time that a child has access to fresh fruit and vegetables."

Mollie Van Lieu, Senior Director of the Nutrition Policy for United Fresh Produce, spends her days on The Hill, promoting change in our government regarding nutrition. Her mission is to increase the availability and consumption of fresh produce in our homes and schools. Before joining forces with United Fresh Produce, Mollie was the Senior Associate for Government Relations at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She was also the Senior Policy Strategist for the National PTA.

"We have been working with the Senate and House to ensure that fruits and vegetables are incentivized… ensuring that we can grow these programs where the most people are shopping is really important."

In this episode, Lori and Mollie discuss the upcoming Farm Bill, and its potential impact on schools and government assistance. Mollie explains the political nature of nutrition, and delves into some of the different programs that are supported through Farm Bill.

"Get as involved as you possibly can with United Fresh. I became a much better advocate, a much more passionate participant in our industry when I started getting involved with the political action."

Mollie is influencing lasting change in our government. However, you don't have to be a Senior Director in Washington DC to have an influence in policy. If you would like to do your part, below are some quick, easy, effective ways that you can be a part of impacting our nation!

1. Click the link below to advocate for fresh produce - http://www.unitedfresh.org/action/

1. Visit the website of your members of Congress. Send them an email sharing your

desire to continue providing fresh produce (instead of all forms- frozen, dried, canned) to our children!

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction // Mollie Van Lieu - 1:19
• What is United Fresh Produce Association?- 3:40
• Why is Nutrition a Political Issue?- 7:02
• What is Farm Bill, and What Programs Does it Support?- 9:55
• What are the Critical Issues Regarding Child Nutrition?- 12:45
• How You Can Get Involved- 18:42
• Critical Issues Represented in Farm Bill- 24:36
• Wrap-up - 26:21

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you're at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com

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!

Mollie Van Lieu, Senior Director of the Nutrition Policy for United Fresh Produce, spends her days on The Hill, promoting change in our government regarding nutrition. Her mission is to increase the availability and consumption of fresh produce in our homes and schools. Before joining forces with United Fresh Produce, Mollie was the Senior Associate for Government Relations at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She was also the Senior Policy Strategist for the National PTA.

"We sell Health. We sell lifestyle. We're selling fresh fruits and vegetables and getting consumers into the produce department."

Tonya Antle, Co-founder and EVP of the Organic Produce Network (OPN), has been a driving force in the farming and produce industry for the past thirty plus years. She grew up on her own family's table grape and citrus farm in Delano, California. She is recognized as a top spokesperson and a true trailblazer for the organic produce segment, helping to propel organic produce from the fringe to mainstream mass-market retailing.

"When you go into the produce department, there are farmers, marketers, sellers, packers, and many more behind those products that are stocked on shelves every day"

She previously held the position of vice president of organic sales for over 13 years at Earthbound Farm, the country's leading brand of organic vegetables and salads, and was an instrumental leader in helping to build the brand to its half billion dollar sales level. Tonya has also consulted for leading U.S. venture capital firms about investments in the organic category.

"Organic is now in every format across the country"

Tonya is the 2016 co-recipient, along with her husband, Rick, of the United Fresh Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2003 recipient of the Women in Produce achievement award. In 2010, she joined the Ag Business Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, as an adjunct professor in Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Marketing. She also enjoys guest lecturing at Hartnell Junior College's Ag Business Department and, most recently, at California State University Monterey Bay's (CSUMB) School of Business. She currently leads the Women's Fund Leadership Council which is a field of interest fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, where she recently completed a $1.5 million endowment campaign for this fund. Tonya also serves on the CSUMB Foundation.

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction // Tonya Antle - 1:14
• How Tonya Got Started in The Organic Produce Industry - 4:12
• About the Organic Produce Industry - 9:50
• Defining Organic Food - 11:08
• Tonya's Introduction to Organic Produce - 17:10
• The Organic Produce Network - 19:35
• How Consumers Buy Today - 22:40
• Tonya's TED Talk "Why Stop Here?" - 26:42
• You Don't Get What You Don't Ask For - 30:12
• Wrap-up and Takeaways - 31:58

Check out Tonya's TED Talk that we mentioned in the episode!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkZxI7OyZrM

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you're at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com

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!

Tonya Antle, Co-founder and EVP of the Organic Produce Network (OPN), has been a driving force in the farming and produce industry for the past thirty plus years.  She grew up on her own family’s table grape and citrus farm in Delano, California. She is recognized as a top spokesperson and a true trailblazer for the organic produce segment, helping to propel organic produce from the fringe to mainstream mass-market retailing.

"At Sage Fruit, our primary focus is on apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches, and nectarines"

In episode 12, Lori Taylor has a chat on all things fresh fruit with Kaci Komstadius of Sage Fruit. Sage Fruit Company is a sales and marketing firm of northwest tree fruits, located in Yakima, Washington. They are owned by five grower/packer/shippers who joined for the purpose of delivering high-quality produce to consumers. They seek to supply fruit world-wide, year-round.

"We're always listening to what you say and what you want in the produce department"

Their team consists of numerous horticultural specialists who work with growers in the field. They ensure your fruit is grown to the highest standards, and harvested at the peak of freshness. Once at the warehouse, a team of quality control personnel inspects the fruit prior to packing, during packing and before shipping. Their job is to make certain only the very best makes it to the fresh market.

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction // Kaci Komstadius - 1:15
• What is Washington Tree Fruit? - 5:58
• The Expansion of Multi-Generation Brands in the Produce Industry - 7:32
• What is a Stone Fruit? - 9:30
• The Organic Expansion at Sage Fruit - 13:50
• What it Takes to Sustain an Orchard - 20:10
• What Sage Fruit is Doing for the Local Community - 22:55
• How to Get Involved - 26:02
• Wrap-up - 27:45

Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you're at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com

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!

Lori Taylor has a chat on all things fresh fruit with Kaci Komstadius of Sage Fruit. Sage Fruit Company is a sales and marketing firm of northwest tree fruits, located in Yakima, Washington. They are owned by five grower/packer/shippers who joined for the purpose of delivering high-quality produce to consumers. They seek to supply fruit world-wide, year-round.

"Salad Savoy® is a one-of-a-kind veggie that grows in bright violet and white heads"

In this week's episode, Lori has a conversation with Seth Karm of Salad Savoy®. Salad Savoy Corporation is the brainchild of John Moore in 1983, following a trip to Sweden. While he was there, he visited a vegetable garden and was struck by what he saw, and tasted! Through detailed research and development, not only did he create an entirely new vegetable, trademarked under the name Salad Savoy® , he named his entire company after it.

"I've made a ton of Kale chips using every variety of Kale, but nothing tastes as good, and cooks up as evenly as the Salad Savoy® chips"

From Sweden to Salinas, California, where it currently calls home, John knew Salad Savoy Corporation was going to be the next big thing. He was so confident in its success that he formed a family business around it. Salad Savoy® officially entered the marketplace in 1984. Soon after, it was recognized by Venture magazine as one of the "100 Best New Ideas of the Year."

"All of our items at Salad Savoy® are Non-GMO. We don't do any type of genetic editing."

We hope this episode inspires you to try something and add Salad Savoy® to your shopping list! For more information visit www.saladsavoy.com

Some Topics we talk about in this episode:

• Introduction // Seth Karm - 1:15
• What is Salad Savoy®? - 3:52
• The Process of Developing a "New" Vegetable - 10:50
• Clearing up the Confusion about Non-GMO - 15:45
• The Development of "Lollipops®" - 19:25
• The Versatility of Salad Savoy® - 23:20
• What's next for Salad Savoy®? - 26:45
• Wrap-up - 32:30

Get the Kroger Opt Up App on the App Store and Google or visit www.optupapp.com for more info

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you're at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com

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!