Marketers fill demand for niche produce items

Excerpts from a 6/21/10 The Packer article written by Susie Cable

Deciding whether a produce item is a specialty item can be tricky because there's no universally accepted definition for the category. Geography, clientele, availability and handling requirements can all play into whether an item is considered a specialty.

Brooks Tropicals LLC., Homestead, Fla., sells about 30 tropical stock-keeping units, said Mary Osltund, marketing director. The Caribbean Red papaya is the company's top seller; followed by its SlimCado-brand avocado, starfruit, Uniq fruit and limes. Ostlund said she sees papayas as being mainstream items now.

"There are certain markets where I think it's a highly prized staple," she said.