For many producers, insects and other wildlife are an important factor when it comes to their products and growing seasons. For Red Sun Farms, a North American greenhouse grower, it's the Monarch butterfly that they have embraced. At this year's PMA Fresh Summit, along with exhibiting their products, they will be spreading the word on Monarch conservation.
"The Monarch Butterfly is an integral part of our company," said Leona Neill, from Red Sun. "We are the largest fully vertically integrated greenhouse grower with farms in Canada, the United States and Mexico. As a result, our products are available all year. The Monarch begins and ends their migration in each of our farm regions and we believe it is a symbol of strength and quality. For this reason it is part of our company logo."
Special products on display
As part of their exhibit at Fresh Summit, Red Sun also aim to raise awareness of the Monarch Butterfly by highlighting their associated program. "We have joined forces with Save Our Monarchs Foundation, and as part of this, we will be talking about the program, and giving out milkweed seeds (one of the Monarch's favorite food sources)," continued Neill. "In 2015, we launched the Monarch Orange Grape Tomato, a mild tomato which is versatile for snacking or in any of your favorite tomato recipes."
"Our booth is designed to simulate a store lay out, highlighting a wide selection of our produce throughout the displays,” Neill added. “We are also very excited to be showcasing the launch of our new holiday packaging for grape tomatoes and bell peppers. This new packaging will certainly bring a festive touch to the produce aisle.”
Chance to interact with industry peers
The Red Sun Farms team are looking forward to networking with customers and colleagues. For them, it is an opportunity to learn about new technologies and to showcase their products in a way that retail customers can get a better view on how the produce can be displayed in their individual store environments, whether that's in a fresh market setting, or in an artisan manner.
"The PMA Fresh Summit is a great way to network and to see what's out there in terms of new technologies and innovation," Neill said. "It's also a way to benchmark our products and see what other growers are presenting. By meeting with new and established customers, we can build on existing partnerships and establish new customer relationships. We are excited to be part of this important industry event, and look forward to what PMA 2017 will offer."
You can find Red Sun Farms at the PMA Fresh Summit at booth 4937.
For more information:
Leona Neill
Red Sun Farms
Tel: +1 (519) 733-3663