Produce / Floral

According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), which has released the results from its 2009 Organic Industry Survey, U.S. sales of organic products, both food and nonfood, reached $24.6 billion by the end of 2008, growing an impressive 17.1 percent over 2007 sales, despite tough economic times. While the overall economy has been losing ground, sales of organic products reflect very strong growth during 2008.

Coca-Cola’s Fanta Orange, the top-selling fruit-flavored sparkling beverage in the United States, has tweaked its recipe so that the ingredients are now 100 percent all natural.

Snacks have taken center stage in American eating, according to the "Snack Foods Culinary Trend Mapping Report" from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts.

Tesco-owned Fresh & Easy’s 40- to 45-ounce family-size prepared meals, introduced last month to help customers trying to feed their families on a budget, are now the six top-selling lines of the grocer’s more than 110 prepared food items.

Schnuck Markets Inc., is gearing up to feature two “hot” Mexican vegetables for at-home Cinco de Mayo fiestas -- fresh jicama and tomatillos -- which the regional grocer will feature as its produce Picks of the Month throughout May.

Sea Star Seafood, one of the first seafood processors to embrace steam-cooking technology, has introduced the Beacon Light Steam Series line of microwavable seafoods.

Eating just one-and-a-half servings of tart cherries could considerably increase antioxidant activity in the body, according to new University of Michigan research reported at the 2009 Experimental Biology meeting in New Orleans. In the study, healthy adults who ate a cup-and-a half of frozen cherries had higher levels of antioxidants, specifically five separate anthocyanins, the natural antioxidants that give cherries their red color.

Internet grocer Peapod, LLC has expanded service to the Madison, Wis., area. Deliveries began April 17 to residents of Madison, Sun Prairie, Middleton and Waunakee can now visit www.peapod.com to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, meat and dairy in addition to home and office needs, popular national brands and private label items.