Florida's tomato industry consists of about 50 multi-generational farming families who together produce more fresh market tomatoes than any other state in the U.S.
Florida's crop accounts for almost half of national fresh market tomato production in the U.S. each year. Our harvest stretches over nine months from October to June, moving up and down the state's peninsula with the change of seasons. The biggest production areas are in Central and South Florida where warm year-round temperatures allow growers to produce through the fall, winter, and spring -- seasons where very few field-grown tomatoes are produced in the rest of the U.S. More than one billion pounds of red round, plum / Italian / roma, grape, cherry and specialty tomatoes are grown in Florida each year and shipped to customers throughout the U.S. and Canada.
WHY FLORIDA?
FIELD -GROWN FLAVOUR (MADE IN THE USA).
When local field tomato production is out-of-season in the rest of the U.S. and Canada, Florida is the ONLY source for field-grown tomatoes produced in the USA. Retailers and foodservice operators can used this differentiation to provide their customers with an option beyond hothouse-grown and / or imported tomatoes from Mexico, Guatemala, etc. Annual shopper surveys consistently show that consumers prefer the taste and flavour of field-grown tomatoes over greenhouse / hothouse tomatoes by a margin of almost 4 to 1. In a sea of greenhouse options throughout the winter, adding Florida field-grown tomatoes to one's category or as a menu ingredient can benefit sales, profitability and most importantly, the joy of taste by your patrons.
NATURE'S PERFECT SLICING TOMATO.
There's just something about tomatoes grown in real soil under real sunlight that provides an interior texture perfect for slicing and dicing! Whether you're a mom-and-pop restaurant, a national chain or a broadline foodservice distributor, you need high quality tomatoes that can be sliced and diced with high yields and without a watery mess. Unlike greenhouse / hothouse tomatoes, Florida tomatoes are renowned for their consistent great taste, firm meaty texture and "slice-ability" (think burgers, sandwiches, subs, salsas, soups, sauces and salads) which makes them the go-to tomatoes for at-home enjoyment or as a trusted menu component demanded by QSRs and other food establishments across the country. Florida growers offer a wide array of sizes of red round and roma tomatoes as well as grape, cherry and specialty tomato options perfect for snacking and salads.
FOOD SAFETY & TRACEABILITY.
Nothing is more important to Florida's tomato growers than the confidence of their customers when it comes to quality and food safety. The Florida tomato industry has been a pioneer in the field of food safety. In fact, the state of Florida, at the behest of its tomato growers dating back to 2008, became the first U.S. state to adopt a comprehensive science-based food safety program with mandatory government inspection and audit for tomato production and packing. Every Florida tomato grown is hand-picked, packed and shipped is documented, ensuring the highest level of compliance with food safety standards. Annual training, certification and inspection is the law!
Florida tomatoes are at peak volume this spring, and Florida IS the closest source of field-grown tomatoes for Canadians through early June. Displaying Florida tomatoes at retail is the perfect way to offer shoppers field-grown tomatoes they've long trusted for more than 75 years before Canada's July field tomato season begins ...
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