The food industry is expected to undergo significant changes in the next decade. These changes are due to a wide variety of reasons, such as changing tastes, food morality, and consumer experimentation.
Understanding these changes is critical for shippers to stay up to date on the latest trends in the industry while meeting the ever-growing demands for new food items.
Always staying informed of these trends is one of the main ways shippers can maintain short-term and long-term success in the food transportation industry.
Here are five produce items growing in demand for 2019.
New varieties of tomatoes continue to appear on the market, as many of these producers must follow extensive technical requirements for optimal results. These superior tomatoes are available from November to May, and they are cultivated in traditional areas known for growing tomatoes.
The size of these tomatoes is less of a factor of importance compared to producing a high-quality flavor. New varieties of tomatoes give consumers the freedom to choose from a wide-ranging selection that will only continue to become more diverse.
One of the growing trends in the produce industry is that consumers are more likely to experiment with many different types of fruits and vegetables. Consumer experimentation and changing tastes have created a significant rise in specialty produce items.
A few examples of these specialty produce items include wild mushrooms, turmeric, and green garlic. Many supermarkets offer samples of these items, as most consumers are not as familiar with them compared to more traditional items. Hatch peppers are also becoming more popular, as they are a great addition to soups, sandwiches, and salsa.
Peruvian asparagus is always a popular choice, especially during the holiday season. Supermarkets have played a key role in increasing the use of this product by educating consumers on the various ways to use asparagus while also highlighting the health benefits.
Guatemala continues to experience steady growth in demand for a wide range of specialty fruits and vegetables. Guatemala has provided 147 million pounds of fresh vegetables on an annual basis over the past five years, and this number will only continue to grow.
Many of these products include English peas, baby corn, snow peas, blackberries, baby carrots, and heirloom tomatoes. Guatemala is only a short distance away from US ports, which makes it the perfect location for growing a wide range of fruit and vegetables year-round.
The produce market will continue to experience many changes due to the ever-increasing popularity of less common fruits and vegetables.
For example, star fruit is a low calorie and low carb fruit that is filled with vitamin C and fiber. Star fruit is a great addition to a vegetable platter or a fruit salad.
Green plumcot is also another favorite vegetable due to its sweet flavor, as it is grown in California.
Chinese cabbage is another popular item due to its flavor while also containing large amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C. All of these new fruits and vegetables will only continue to increase the ever-growing amount of demand of delivering produce.
As the market continues to shift in the produce industry, it's important to network with companies who constantly keep their finger on the pulse of everything related to the inland freight industry - Cargobot.
Cargobot is an industry leader in enabling shippers and carriers to work directly. Their easy-to-use platform opens a network of certified carriers nationwide. Easily track freight in real-time, remove hidden broker fees, keep all important documents organized, and access 24/7 support from a dedicated customer service associate.
Keeping up with the ever-growing demand in the produce industry is a full-time job, and Cargobot is your trusted partner in keeping you informed with the latest news and updates from the inland freight industry.
Learn more today by visiting Cargobot Academy and download the app on iOS or the Google Play Store.