Seal the Seasons, which sells locally-grown frozen produce, has launched Farmers Blends smoothie offerings in over 1,000 retail locations. Farmers Blends comes in varieties like Mango Mix, Carolina Smoothie Blend, Maine Mango Mix, and New York Power Smoothie Blend.
Piloted in late 2020, Farmers Blends dollar sales have grown 68 percent in the last 12 weeks vs the prior period. Initially launched in the Carolinas with retailers like Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Lowes Foods, Farmers Blends will be available soon in Wegmans, Park Slope Food Coop, select Safeway divisions, and some UNFI warehouses. The company will announce new west coast partnerships when California grown Farmers Blends hit the market later this year.
“Our customers told us how often they added ripe mango or banana to Seal the Seasons local blueberries or local strawberries – why not make it easy for them?” said Seal the Seasons co-founder and CEO Patrick Mateer, in a statement. “Listening to our customers is the start of our innovation process.”
The company currently has more than 65 local SKUs available, supporting over 70-plus farms and utilizing more than 12 freezing and packing sites across the United States.
Kroger is expanding Seal the Seasons distribution this month to Fred Meyer, QFC, and the Kroger Atlanta banners. The retailer will add locally grown Peaches, Cherries, Blueberries, and Berry Blends to their assortment.
“Locally grown items have a renewed importance for Americans coming out of the pandemic,” said Mateer. “Kroger recognizes their shoppers are seeking local overwhelmingly to support their community and family farmers.”
Related: Organic Sales Reach $61.9 Billion; Convenience, Comfort, Plant-Forward Drive Specialty Frozen Food Sales.
Image: Seal the Seasons