Spicing Up Agriculture: A Taste of Sweet Seasons' Exotic Produce Revolution
Mar 14, 2024
Craig Slate & Ed Bertaud
Join Us for a Special Episode of The Fresh Cut, recorded Live @ SEPC's Southern Exposure in Tampa, Florida. This episode features Yasmani Garcia from Sweet Seasons, a trailblazing produce company from McAllen, Texas, known for their commitment to innovation, quality, and flavor. Yasmani shares a peek into their exciting innovations in the fresh produce industry and what they're showcasing at SEPC's Southern Exposure.
In This Episode:
Spotlight on Sweet Seasons: Discover the buzz around Sweet Seasons' first exhibition, their spicy super peppers, versatile jackfruit, and exotic cacao beans, showcasing their innovative approach to produce.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Our Partners: A big thank you to our partners, Sunfed & IFCO, for leading in quality produce and packaging, and to Zubelle Industries for their expertise in sustainable packaging and design. A special shoutout to Sweet Seasons for their collaboration and support, making this exploration of fresh produce innovation possible.
Mark Your Calendars: Don't miss "The Credible Vegetable Report with Paul Manfre" launching March 29th for insights into the latest fresh produce trends, available on your favorite podcast platforms.
Stay Connected: Follow The Fresh Cut on social media for up-to-date episodes and deep dives into the fresh produce world. Your engagement matters to us and enriches our community.
Experience the innovation at SEPC Southern Exposure with Sweet Seasons in this enlightening episode of The Fresh Cut. Join us on this flavorful journey!
Stay Tuned for a Special Treat: As a thank you for joining us on this flavorful journey, don't switch off just yet! We've saved a special treat for those who've made it this far. At the end of our interview, we'll share an exclusive 1.5-minute highlight clip from the Sweet Seasons booth at SEPC Southern Exposure. Get a glimpse of the innovation, energy, and vibrant produce that made their booth a standout at the event. It's a vivid snapshot of the passion and creativity fueling the fresh produce industry, brought to life by Sweet Seasons. Don't miss it!
Join Us for a Special Episode of The Fresh Cut, recorded Live @ SEPC's Southern Exposure in Tampa, Florida. This episode features Yasmani Garcia from Sweet Seasons, a trailblazing produce company from McAllen, Texas, known for their commitment to innovation, quality, and flavor. Yasmani shares a peek into their exciting innovations in the fresh produce industry and what they're showcasing at SEPC's Southern Exposure.
In This Episode:
Spotlight on Sweet Seasons: Discover the buzz around Sweet Seasons' first exhibition, their spicy super peppers, versatile jackfruit, and exotic cacao beans, showcasing their innovative approach to produce.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Our Partners: A big thank you to our partners, Sunfed & IFCO, for leading in quality produce and packaging, and to Zubelle Industries for their expertise in sustainable packaging and design. A special shoutout to Sweet Seasons for their collaboration and support, making this exploration of fresh produce innovation possible.
Mark Your Calendars: Don't miss "The Credible Vegetable Report with Paul Manfre" launching March 29th for insights into the latest fresh produce trends, available on your favorite podcast platforms.
Stay Connected: Follow The Fresh Cut on social media for up-to-date episodes and deep dives into the fresh produce world. Your engagement matters to us and enriches our community.
Experience the innovation at SEPC Southern Exposure with Sweet Seasons in this enlightening episode of The Fresh Cut. Join us on this flavorful journey!
Stay Tuned for a Special Treat: As a thank you for joining us on this flavorful journey, don't switch off just yet! We've saved a special treat for those who've made it this far. At the end of our interview, we'll share an exclusive 1.5-minute highlight clip from the Sweet Seasons booth at SEPC Southern Exposure. Get a glimpse of the innovation, energy, and vibrant produce that made their booth a standout at the event. It's a vivid snapshot of the passion and creativity fueling the fresh produce industry, brought to life by Sweet Seasons. Don't miss it!
Speaker 1:
So we're here, live at SAPC Southern Exposure in Tampa, Florida. Thank you for being with us. We've now been joined by Yasmine Garcia from Sweet Seasons out of McAllen, Texas. Yasmine, thanks for being with us. Thank you for having me. Sweet Seasons is also. I'm going to go out on a limb and say proud partner of the FreshCred, but give me some grace there.
Speaker 1:
OK, the proud partner of the FreshCred. So we definitely thank you for your support. If it wasn't for our partners, we couldn't do what we do and, honestly, we've shared with our audience and followers in the past. This is a passion project that Craig and I started. We both have day jobs, but the fact that after now we've done a bunch of podcasts, virtually, but also seven or eight trade shows, I'm still loving it. I mean it's super interesting, it keeps us busy. I think Christmas Day was the last time that I sat down and since then it's been go, go, go seven days a week, because if we're not taking care of our customers for the day job, it's working on this kind of stuff. We actually have a new product, if you will. If you know Paul Manfrey he was out there earlier, I do OK, so Paul does a blog of sorts or a podcast show that he puts on LinkedIn, but we joined forces with Paul and Paul we created the credible vegetable report with Paul Manfrey.
Speaker 1:
And so that's in addition to the FreshCred family. So we're going to be posting that out here pretty soon, on March 29. So I guess that's a good reminder. Shameless plug March 29, right, mason? Ok, perfect. So am I hearing correctly that this is your first year exhibiting here?
Speaker 2:
This is, yeah, as the company. This is the first year we have a booth exhibiting Correct. Ok, that's correct. The company has showed up to the show maybe for the last three years, but this is the first time we actually have a booth here. What do you think? I love it, I love it. I've been here for 24 hours and I can't get enough of it.
Speaker 1:
The show is great. We talked about it earlier. We've had several guests on definitely the daddy of the regional shows, in my opinion. I've started coming right after these guys kicked it off in 1999. What is new and exciting at Sweet Seasons? What do you have at your booth? We're going to go over there here in a little bit, but maybe while we're here talking you can share with our audience a little bit about what's new in the line of offerings from Sweet Seasons or why.
Speaker 2:
Sure. So one of the things at Sweet Seasons we're always looking for something new. We don't stay in the same thing every year. Every year we have a different season for a different item. This year, our new line of super peppers, and these are the most spicy known to man.
Speaker 1:
So they're not just super in color, they'll make you run super fast as well.
Speaker 2:
You wanna be next to a waterfall when you try one of these, so I'm not gonna challenge you now, but we will challenge you at a blue point.
Speaker 1:
I have to fly them.
Speaker 2:
You'll take the sweet season challenge hopefully over at sweet season as well. We wanna show you more tropical stuff. But yeah, that's what we do. We try to innovate, we try to bring new stuff every day. We are not still at any time and of course, we have our main items. But every year we have a joke in the company that we just don't know what we're gonna end up selling. Maybe what's gonna be seafood next year. You know, we're just constantly changing what we're doing, and this year is super peppers and we're having a lot of fun with it. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:
So that's. There's a parallel there. So I know somebody that's in pharmaceutical sales. They don't know what they're gonna be selling next year, but this is the best medicine Fresh produce. We've talked about it being the best. Cleaning, burning energy, no demand, right so. But that's really interesting the fact that you'll have to stay that nimble, right. So there's something to be said for somebody that moves the same thing year in and year out. But there's also something to be said for some, for an organization that can shift on the fly like that and spool people up and become experts in a new item. So I'm not gonna taste that, but it's, they're beautiful. I'd be afraid to touch them because who knows what would happen, but so this is what how many ounces?
Speaker 2:
This will be 1.75 ounces, so just a little bit under two. This is the yellow version. They're both Carolina Reapers, and this is the yellow version and the red version. Most people associate the red one with being the hottest one, and I think it's true.
Speaker 1:
Now, I've watched the show. I don't remember if it's on Netflix or not, but it's about folks that are just crazy about hot peppers. I don't know if you've seen it or not, but I'm only like two episodes in and they were talking about the Carolina Reaper, but they say that there's another pepper that's hotter Now. Is that arguable or is that?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I guess you can argue a ghost pepper is on there on the top as well, and there's just more varieties coming up every year. So yeah, I'm pretty sure that there is a constant debate about that, but so far I think everybody is. You can kind of say the Carolina Reaper is on the top right now.
Speaker 1:
So this is retail. Obviously Is there a food service demand for this type of product.
Speaker 2:
So we do have this in bulk as well for wholesale. But yeah, this is mostly like a retail presentation and that's really where the demand is Beautiful. We're catching a lot of fire, not only by eating it, but also because there's a trend going on with all these peppers where fast food places are trying to incorporate come try this burger with ghost pepper and so we're catching on that trend as well. So that has really helped us to get this product known. A lot of people didn't know about them, but now they start hearing that these fast food places carry it, or that maybe chips like Doritos or something like that carry them or start incorporating into their flavors, and that has really helped us take off.
Speaker 1:
Interesting.
Speaker 2:
So, but almost like a challenge as well. Right, it is a challenge. Yeah, we have the sweet cheese challenge and it is a challenge, you know, at any time to try one of these, do not do it at home and be sure you have the right, proper amount of water around you. Is it true that milk helps? It helps, it helps. But when it comes to Carolina Reaper, it can only do so much. You know, it'll maybe numb you for a little bit, but after that you're on your own Tequila. Does that help? It helps you forget. It doesn't help you overcome the spiciness.
Speaker 1:
See, that's what I think I should be able to do, Like if I ate one of those. You have a bottle of Lalo's, my favorite, but okay, well, let me think about it, yeah let me think about that. Yeah Well, awesome. Now I know you all supply a bunch of other items as well. Correct, we're going to go to the booth here in a minute, as mentioned. I think Jackfruit's one of them, right?
Speaker 2:
That's correct, Jackfruit. It's one of the items that we do in large scale and you'll be able to see it when you guys walk into our booth right now.
Speaker 1:
So Jackfruit is interesting. So Jackfruit's been on the market for a couple of years now. Right, if you haven't had it. I've had it a bunch of different ways. I've had it as a substitute for pulled pork. I've had it processed, obviously, I've never actually cut one apart. I've watched YouTube videos. I hear that they're very messy and that you should probably do it outdoors.
Speaker 2:
If you do do it, there's a couple of tips we can incorporate to that. One of them is using or sinking your hands into olive oil, because once you cut the Jackfruit, it becomes very sticky, very, very sticky, and that sticky will not leave you for a week?
Speaker 1:
Is that like the same latex that a banana would expel?
Speaker 2:
It's similar but only this one will never go away, I guess. The other one you can just rinse it off. This one you can't really rinse it off, so you want to use gloves and you want to soak your gloves or your hands into olive oil. And also, whatever knife you use Hopefully it's not your favorite knife, because it's the last time you'll use it Unless you also take that extra step and soak it into olive oil and maybe you can salvage it. But most of the time we end up losing the knife with which we cut Jackfruit. Don't use your favorite knife for Jackfruit.
Speaker 1:
So when we see value added Jackfruit, like the flesh itself, that's what's around the actual. I call it the nut or the pit that's in the fruit.
Speaker 2:
That's really all you're looking for in there.
Speaker 1:
But I hear that I don't know where the Jackfruit originated. I know somewhere in Central America, I believe it's Asian Really.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, the origin could be traced back to Asia, but our Jackfruit particularly comes from Mexico.
Speaker 1:
Really Okay. So let's just say we're Jackfruit originated. I would assume that every part of the Jackfruit was used the fiber, the pit the fruit, everything right. That's not even a thing. You don't see people doing that.
Speaker 2:
No, not here. Most of the customers we have. They'll only look for the yellow slimy stuff and that's it. That's as far as it goes. You said you used it as a substitute for a pulled pork. Does that mean you're vegetarian?
Speaker 1:
No, but I had it at a restaurant in McKellen.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, okay, yeah, because that's exactly what they're known for as well. Vegetarians will use Jackfruit as a substitute for meat, which doesn't make sense to me Because it's fruity, but it makes sense to a lot of people, I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 1:
So that caught my attention when you said that it's like the flavor is, do they say it's the saueras right?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that's how I always like to explain it.
Speaker 1:
It tastes like a banana papaya mango.
Speaker 2:
I compare a lot with those yogurts that you mine in a store that are multi-flavor. They could be pineapple with papaya. That's kind of what it tastes like to me. It's hard to pinpoint say this tastes like this. It tastes like terrible things at the same time. So pretty cool. Yeah, it's just a lot of work to get in there. It is a lot of work.
Speaker 1:
What y'all sell, is it bulk or value-added, or is it processed or currently we just do bulk.
Speaker 2:
Okay, so we are looking into moving into offering it in some kind of clamshell already peeled, because we noticed that a lot of people Will not go through the work you know to enjoy it not after you scare, not after.
Speaker 1:
I scared people.
Speaker 2:
That's part of the reason to but yeah, you can't, you can't deny it. There's a lot of work behind it and you know you have to be really a fruit lover to really yeah, we're talking about earlier with a produce nerds like everybody, everybody we've had on.
Speaker 1:
As a produce nerd Like you get excited about, you know, going to the store and seeing new things. Now, aside from jackfruit, what are?
Speaker 2:
the products are y'all moving? Okay, so we're doing cacao beans right now. That's one of them, our latest items, and it's been a nice hit. This one comes from South America. We carry it in fresh, so once you slice it you can actually eat the the flesh that's around the seat, which is really slimy and and not that abundant. It's really just a very, very short supply of flesh. But people are after the seats because with the seats you bake them and you make chocolate. So that's really, if you're into that, that's kind of like a nice thing to do at home. Hmm, you can make your own chocolate.
Speaker 1:
That's interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing that. We'll see it at the booth right now. Okay, perfect, anything else? Exciting new initiatives, new something on the horizon that you could share With our listeners?
Speaker 2:
well, at this point, we are basically just excited to get more people to try our super peppers as her main focus for the 2024 Other items that we, that's for the whole year. That that'll be a play. Yes, yes, that'll be in supplier for the whole year. We started slow, but the supply is catching up, or demand is catching up, so we're trying to keep up with it. So that's gonna be our main focus for this year. We don't know how the year is gonna end. We're probably gonna bring something crazy from a different country. We're always looking for that.
Speaker 1:
Have you thought about entering any of these in a contest?
Speaker 2:
You know they have these Preparating contest we actually just had a contest in in Mexico with it was a Walmart squad leaders and they went in and what they were challenged to try these and there's a whole video behind it. It'll be in our area. That's awesome. Again, we're gonna have the challenge right now, don't, don't watch somebody.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, you'll watch it. You'll all right, hell, I'll even pay somebody, but I can't. If I was at Home.
Speaker 2:
I would do it, but yeah, yeah, you have to be in the right scenario to try that, to be in a safe spot. And other exciting stuff yet. Like you mentioned, jackfruit is pretty exciting for us. It's a big mover for us. Cacao beans and super peppers would probably be our most exciting items of this year.
Speaker 1:
That's cool, great. Well, we're gonna go over to the booth here in a minute and check that stuff out, so you all can see it as well. We'll watch Mason do the Carolina Reaper challenge. Huh well, I've got a 20 on me. I think is that enough? I'll add another 20 and we'll pitch in. We'll get you a nice price. Hey, it's getting interesting now, buddy. Okay, so Seriously, thanks for the support. Thank you for being here, sweet seasons, we really appreciate it. Thank you, you, you, you, you, you you.