1st place winner Kristen and 3rd place winner Minerva (Monique was unavailable) are standing in front of the 'hint' which was the map in the executive offices which shows where our produce is grown.
What grows in Florida that Brooks Tropicals sells? The correct answer at the very least needed to include: SlimCado avocados, starfruit, kumquats, aloe, water coconuts, boniatos, mamey sapote, sugarcane and guava.
Congratulations Kristen, Monique and Minerva
We have our winners. In first place, is Kristen Pritchett, in second place, Monique Muraciov. And last but not least winner number 3 is Minerva Santiago.
Congratulations! Winners come by later this afternoon to pick up your prizes.
Brooks Tropicals grows, packs and ships tropical produce grown in Florida and the Caribbean.
For the first three employees that can name the produce grown in Florida that we sell, these winners will have their pick of a Fresh from Florida license plate, tote bag or cookbook.*
Most complete entries win based on the timestamp of your contest entry email sent to maryo@brookstropicals.com.
*For Brooks Tropicals employees only! 1st place winner can choose 1 out of 3 prizes. 2nd place winner can choose 1 out of the remaining 2 prizes. 3rd place wins the remaining 3rd prize.
It started out as a surprise baby lunch to celebrate the arrival of Craig's new baby girl. It turned into a double surprise. Cake, presents and sandwiches were all present; unfortunately Craig was delayed.
We'll save Craig the presents, a sandwich and a piece of cake. 
Excerpts from The Packer 6/23/08 article
By Haley Jones, Staff Writer
Promotions are vital in the produce industry -- especially when it comes to marketing rare and specialty varieties.
Companies that offer specialty produce are finding that information really is their strongest selling tool. Some companies have found a combination of methods effective in marketing their specialty products to their clients.
Branding
Brooks Tropicals Inc., Homestead, Fla., provides retailers with updates on lower-volume crops so they know what is in season.
"Mangoes, guavas and kumquats come in and out of season. We make sure our retailers know what's in season because some of these seasons aren't very long," said Mary Ostlund, marketing director.
Brooks is working to help retailers make unfamiliar fruit appeal to their patrons.
"We don't expect people to walk up and say, ‘I'm going to pick this up and eat it.' We've got to get it into folks' diet as part of an overall recipe," Ostlund said.
Brooks recommends serving suggestions in its tropical fruit displays to show consumers how to include the variety in their daily meals. Suggestions include blending in a mamey sapote with bananas in a smoothie or replacing tomatoes with papaya or SlimCado avocado in a homemade salsa.
"It's no longer just tomatoes in salsa. It's also not betting the whole dinner on an exotic specialty, that's new to you," Ostlund said.
Introducing customers to a new variety by incorporating it into familiar recipes makes the consumer more comfortable and likely to try it, Ostlund said.
"Salsa is the perfect 'whim' food. Chop up whatever suits your fancy. I've never known a salsa to fail and it's a perfect way to try new and exotic fruits and vegetables," Ostlund said.
Excerpts from The Packer article of 6/23/08
By Haley Jones, Staff Writer
The high cost of living on the coasts is prompting an increasing number of Florida homeowners to turn their backyards into gardens for specialty crops. Residences of Miami-Dade County are taking advantage of an agricultural tax break opportunity by growing various crops on their own acreage.
Homestead, Fla.-based Brooks Tropicals is a big supporter of the growing local produce trend, including backyard gardens. Brooks has brokered local produce since 1928, said marketing director Mary Ostlund.
"But we're losing farmland to the suburbs. We've seen acreage go from pre-1992 amounts when it was over 5,000 acres to 3,000 acres after Hurricane Andrew hit."
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2002 census, Florida farmland has decreased by almost 250,000 acres since 1997.
The unique sub-tropical climate of southern Florida provides a desirable palate for growing a variety of commodities year-round that are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Excerpt from The Packer 6/23/08 article
