20 Years and Counting

Twenty years doesn’t seem that long for an industry, but for the fresh-cut produce industry it’s been two decades of constant change, development and refinement of a fresh and healthful product.

Fresh Cut magazine will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and after looking through many past issues it is amazing to see how the industry has improved the fresh-cut product.

The fresh-cut industry was first organized in 1988 when the National Association of Fresh Produce Processors (NAFPP) was formed. In 1995, the NAFPP became the International Fresh-cut Produce Association (IFPA). In late 2006, IFPA and the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association merged, launching a new era of service to the produce industry by becoming the United Fresh Produce Association.

The sales growth of the fresh-cut industry has been nothing if not phenomenal in the past two decades. Prepared fruits and vegetables are now a $2.46 billion industry and growing, according to The Perishables Group. Sales of prepared fruits hit $1.5 billion and prepared vegetables $863 million in 2010. (See their article about the future of the fresh-cut industry.)

The convenience factor was the main reason for the growth of the fresh-cut industry, but now the healthy eating trend is helping to make this sector even stronger as moms – who control 80 percent of household expenditures – look for healthy alternatives to snack foods.

Fresh Cut magazine has also changed and grown over the past 20 years. No longer just a magazine that crosses your desk each month, our website is now a 24/7 resource that you can go to for the latest news or to search for information about a specific topic. Our monthly e-newsletter is another source of the latest information and in-depth coverage of the issues you are dealing with.

This month’s magazine has a new and improved look. We have taken the past year to redesign and update the publication so it can be more useful to you. Just as you look to improve and refine your product, we use the same passion to continue giving you what you need, when you need it.

Here’s to another great 20 years together!