Leamington, ON (October 17th, 2023) – As consumers continue to look for unique snacking options to fuel their busy lives, Pure Flavor®’s innovation pipeline is again yielding fresh results that are injecting new life into the category. 

The launch of Tiki Tomatoes™, a vibrant, cosmic-colored, tropically sweet & juicy cherry tomato (that has already garnered an international taste award), and Oronai™ Sweet Charentais Melons, a personal-sized French inspired delight (and the 3rd greenhouse grown melon in Pure Flavor®’s industry leading program) are the latest new product innovations from the leading greenhouse fruit & vegetable brand. Both products will be unveiled at the upcoming IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, Ca October 19-21.

“Consumers want innovative products to WOW them; size, color, consistency of availability, and most importantly, flavor – are all core traits of a greenhouse grown specialty snacking tomato but with our new Tiki Tomatoes™, we really have something special that is all of the above and more”, said Matt Mastronardi, Executive Vice-President. “We continue to strategically invest in R&D to bring items to market that create niche and incremental opportunities to help our retail & foodservice partners grow their business. The flavor profile of the Tiki Tomato™ checks all the boxes of what a snacking tomato is all about; sweet, bite-sized, versatile, and full of flavor!”, said Mastronardi.

Tropically sweet and juicy, Tiki Tomatoes™ recently received the prestigious Superior Taste Award Certification from the International Taste Institute (Brussels, Belgium). The reviewing Jury, consisting of more than 200 renowned European Chefs & Sommeliers from over 20 countries, critically tested & analyzed the Tiki Tomato™, highlighting these characteristics to award cosmic colored wonder the Superior Taste designation:

  • A tasty tomato with a crisp, crunchy skin that contrasts well with its soft flesh
  • This tomato has an impressive visual appearance, with an original color that stands out from the crowd
  • The taste is sweet and fruity, with some acidity that helps to balance out the sugars; the taste persists for a long time on the palate
  • The product is very versatile, suggested pairings:
    • White Wine, e.g. Chardonnay: The Tiki Tomato™ has a rather mellow taste, which would marry well with a crisp white wine.Cheese: The sweetness of the tomato would make a great partner for a variety of different cheeses
    • Fish or shellfish; The tomato would bring a wonderful freshness to the table, creating a fantastic color contrast while infusing sweet flavors
  • A simple snack; sweet, crunchy, and juicy with the right amount of acidity!

Tropically sweet and juicy, Tiki Tomatoes™ unleash a crunchy burst of fresh flavors, creating beach vibes with sunny & tangy waves—a taste that transports you seaside with every delightful bite.

“Creativity fuels innovation and when you are in a forward-thinking environment, the ‘what’s next question’ never gets old as our teams are always looking ahead; fresh ideas, new products, better products – it’s what helping us we grow forward”, commented Mastronardi.

“When we launched our Solara® Mini Galia & Alonna™ Canary Melons, the next melon in line was already in trial to ensure it could be grown at scale and in a controlled environment. This week, at the IFPA Show in Anaheim, we are excited to launch our 3rd greenhouse grown melon: the Oronai™ Sweet Charentais Melon – a small, fragrant French inspired delight, renowned for its sweet, juicy, and floral-infused flesh”, said Matt Mastronardi.

Oronai™ Charentais melons, hailing from the Charente region of France, are a beloved heirloom variety. Greenhouse grown and weighing approximately 850-900gr, Oronai™’s are personal in size, round, and feature a finely netted, fragrant skin. Inside, Oronai™’s vibrant orange, succulent flesh offers a delectable combination of sweetness and floral notes. These gourmet melons are a prized delicacy for their exceptional flavor and aroma.

It has been a very active year for Pure Flavor® who are on a significant growth path, not only with hot new products but with new farms & distribution centers. The acquisitions of DeTemporada Farms, Cervini Farms C5, and most recently, MightyVine®, have strategically added key acreage to the Pure Flavor® family of growers. The opening of a second distribution center in Texas (McAllen) is helping further service both retail & foodservice customers throughout the southwest and beyond.

“As a lifestyle-focused consumer brand, being in tune with consumer trends is key to our brand & product development. Earlier this year, we surveyed thousands of consumers as part of our #LoveForFresh campaign with more than 90% of consumers noting that convenience is the most important factor when looking for a healthy snack option – our new products are dialed right into that”, said Chris Veillon, Chief Marketing Officer. Pure Flavor® conducts annual omni-channel consumer research campaigns to support its content creation strategies and new product development initiatives. “Growing our snacking category options is at the forefront of our R&D strategy which this year has yielded award winning products like the Tiki Tomato™ and the Oronai™ Sweet Charentais Melons, with more still to come”, added Veillon.

Both the Tiki Tomato™ and the Oronai™ Sweet Charentais Melon will be on display at Booth 1545 at the upcoming IFPA Show in Anaheim, CA October 20-21. To learn more please visit http://www.pure-flavor.com/ifpa/.