Following several years in which they believed the spinach category had stalled, Church Brothers has introduced a new heirloom variety that they hope will breathe new life into the category.
“The E.Coli outbreak in October 2006 was a game-changer for the industry and it has affected the overall spinach category, ours included,” explained Ernst van Eeghen, director of marketing and product development for Church Brothers. With consumer confidence waning and sales not as robust as they liked, van Eeghen said they decided to try new things. “We wanted to breathe new life into the category with the introduction of this new, exciting item.”
Carton of 100% Heirloom Spinach™ and 50% Heirloom Spinach™
The Heirloom Spinach™, which was made available to food service channels this week after a year spent in development, is red in color and has characteristics which will appeal to both the food service sector and retail.
“It has an earthy flavor with delicate texture,” said van Eeghen. “So it lends itself to salads as well as to cooking. It has a nice flavor which makes it versatile.”
It will be grown in California and Arizona, and that ability to adapt to several growing regions is part of the reason it was in development for so long. According to van Eeghen, the year they spent developing the spinach was a little long, but it was necessary in order to achieve the qualities they were looking for.
“The reason we tested it for a year was to see how the product performed in different growing regions and through different seasons,” he said. But through extensive testing they have managed to make the item available year-round.
Additionally, Church Brothers collaborated with the Culinary Institute of America when developing the flavor profile and color of the new spinach. “We worked closely with the Culinary Institute of America to position the item,” said van Eeghen. The fruits of that collaboration and innovation have come in the form of an award, as the Heirloom Spinach™ won the PMA Food Service award for best new product. That kind of recognition validates the direction they've gone with their spinach, said van Eeghen.
“It's been a tremendous honor for us to receive such a prestigious award,” he said. “It validates our product development, innovation efforts and gives us credibility as an innovator.” But not content to rest on their laurels, Church Brothers will continue to position themselves as a market leader when it comes to greens.
Carton of Tuscan Lettuce Mix
“We will continue to expand the tender leaf category,” said van Eeghen. With sales flat for spring mix, he believes the way forward is to keep innovating. “We're going to see some new, exciting things which focus on sensory aspects like taste, flavor and texture. We're really looking to feed new life into the category through innovations and product development.”
For more information:
Ernst Van Eeghen
Church Brothers / True Leaf Farms
Tel: +1 831 796 1083
Mob: +1 831 682 2150
[email protected]
www.churchbrothers.com