Frieda's Highlights Jackfruit as the Next Hot Trend
LOS ALAMITOS, CA - According to Frieda’s, retailers looking to stay on trend should check out “The Next Hot Trends in Food” article by the Wall Street Journal. The findings? Jackfruit is coming up, thanks to its appeal as a meat substitute for vegetarians, and it’s time for buyers to get on board.
“You cannot miss a pile of jackfruit at retail—it’s definitely a ‘wow’ item that sets stores apart from the competition,” said Karen Caplan, President and CEO of Frieda’s, according to a press release. “What people may not realize is that fresh, ripe jackfruit is very sweet and fragrant, and has qualities of many of your favorite tropical fruits—all in one bite.”
Historically, inquisitive shoppers may have felt intimidated by the large tropical fruit due to its size and lack of signage or labeling. At the recent PMA Fresh Summit in Orlando, Frieda’s introduced a solution with its new eye-catching ElastiTag label, which showcases the jackfruit’s unique interior flesh while, also explaining how to eat the giant fruit. Simple step-by-step instructions can be found on the reverse of the label, along with the URL to Frieda’s “How to Open a Jackfruit” video.
Frieda’s new label is large enough to double as POS signage “like a wearable ‘take me home’ sign,” Caplan described. “Jackfruit at retail can weigh anywhere from 8 to 25 pounds, so it’s important that both retailers and consumers know how to handle and prepare it. Although it takes time to extract the edible pods, one jackfruit can yield a great amount of fruit, so we recommend sharing it with friends and family.”
Offering labeled jackfruit in two packs, a 4 count and 2 count, Frieda’s suggests making jackfruit the center of the luau or island-themed party and inviting friends over to learn how to open the fruit together, then sending guests home with their own portions. Allowing shoppers to process their own fruit, rather than fresh cut, gives them greater control over the shelf-life as the pods tend to oxidize when exposed to air.
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