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Produce

by Eli Hudson

PDC Food Show Spring 2009  

 PDC Produce Mission Statement

  •  To Grow, Harvest, Process, and deliver the highest quality fresh “Cut to Order” Produce to the Food Service Industry.
  • To provide premium service at every level
  • To strengthen our relationship with the customer by providing cutting edge technology, competitive pricing, and efficient items to fit your back of the house needs. 
Marketing Support
  •  Pate Dawson corporate representatives and sales consultants are available to support, train, and motivate associates and operators on the features and benefits of “Fresh Cut to Order” Produce from Pate Dawson.
  • Product development and research
  • Product specifications and recommendation for various applications to better fit the customer’s needs.
  • Recipe and menu from – concept to conversion. 

What really makes Pate-Dawson Co. the best!

  • High quality products bought in accordance with PDC’s high standards and rigid specifications.
  • “COLD CHAIN” shipping, and receiving processing system means increased quality, freshness, and maximum shelf life of our products.
  • Permeable packaging ensures freshness that is environmentally friendly and allows the product to breathe.
  • No preservatives or additives – Our products are 100% natural.
  • Our value added products are 100% useable – No waste disposal problem or yield loss.
  • A strictly followed quality assurance means healthy and safe food for your customers.
  • Eliminates injuries due to in store cutting, dicing, shredding, chopping (processing), and lifting of bulky commodity products.
  • Stable pricing and year round availability for predictable and easy food cost planning with consistent flavor profiles.
  • Double washed and ready to use straight from the case.
  • Food cost control – Exact specifications provide consistent ingredients for your recipes.
  • Convenient and consistent knife cut sizes every time.
  • Peace of Mind = Profitability.

 

Fresh cut vs. Bulk

  • Food Cost savings
  • Additional savings
  • Peace of Mind
  • Quality and Consistency
Food Cost Savings:
Cost comparisons between Fresh-Cut produce and commodity produce requires the inclusion of those additional costs associated with the conversion of a commodity product into a finished product. When the customer is buying bulk product they are becoming a processor whether they realize it or not. This can be a dramatic cost consideration for food service operations and large volume institutions.
 
Hidden commodity costs:
  • Preprocessing activities for raw material – (ordering, receiving, inspecting, storing) and training.
  • Interim processing – (cleaning, restocking, disposing of trimmings, washing, storing finished product, supervision), and training.
  • Post – processing labor – Waste removal and sanitation, work station clean up and employee hygiene, handling finished product, determining the forecasted needs for their finished products, and training.
  • Other labor cost – Scheduled and non scheduled breaks. Interruptions, delays, downtime, and slowdowns; redoing work; prepping too little or to much; loss time due to on the job injuries; and continuous training of new kitchen staff.
  • Equipment costs – The purchase and continual maintenance of expensive processing equipment.
Peace of mind:
Workers Comp. Claims:
  • Lifting heavy boxes, cartons, or bags of bulk produce. (No fresh-cut produce box is more than 20 pounds.)
  • No peeling, slicing, or chopping. - NO LABOR = NO TRAINING!
Food Safety:
  • 100% natural, no preservatives, or additives.
  • Washed and double washed, which kills bacteria, fungi and yeast.
  • Packaged in permeable bags, which allow product to breathe and release the gases that would otherwise deteriorate the product in the bag, thereby extending shelf life of the product.
Quality and Consistency:
Portion control and consistent yield:
  • Predictable/Accurate number of portions per bag with very little variance on a year round basis.
  • Requires up to half the storage space
Reduce waste and disposal cost:
  • No large bulk produce packaging
  • No trimmings, peeling, or coring needed
  • Packaging – non wax cartons, no staples
Product uniformity:
  • Ideal for food service and operations that mandate uniform plate presentation and recipe consistency.
Fewer Deliveries:
  • Products have a shelf life of 10 to 14 days when stored at proper temperature of 34 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Two no more than Three deliveries per week depending on the amount of volume being used.
Reduce Personnel Training:
  • Teaching people how to open, use and store ready-to- use bags

     VS.

  • Instructing how to trim and clean products for minimal waste, with operating the equipment, and/or cutting for a uniform size and appearance.
Pricing programs:
  • Tailored programs to fit the operator’s needs
  • Stable, consistent pricing.

 

Some familiar terms used in the industry: 

Epidermal Peel (E.P.)
Associated with:
Cold Temperatures

Cold injury where blister has ruptured. Will peel and quickly become discolored allowing access for pathogens.

 

 

 

Burst
Associated with:
Warm Temperatures

Growth crack affecting three or more cap or head leaves.

 

 

 

Big Vein
Associated with:
Cold Temperatures

Cleansing of the tissue next to leaf veins makes veins appear enlarged. Plants may fail to form a tight head.

 

 

 

Brown Bead (Broccoli only)
Associated with:
Warm Temperatures

Flowering beads within the broccoli crown turn brown as head matures. Caused by many factors: lack of nutrients, warm temperatures, rapid growth and fertilizer/chemical burn.

 

 

 

  

Growth Crack
Associated with:
Warm Temperatures

Horizontal separation (crack) of mid rip on head affecting not more than two cap leaves. Caused by rapid growth spurt i.e. warm temperatures, heat, fertilizer, water.

 

 

 

Ribbon Burn
Associated with:
Hot Temperatures

Brown discoloration along internal leaf edges in various stages of breakdown. Allows entrance for bacteria and pathogens, which can cause decay.

 

 

 

 

Tip Burn
Associated with:
Hot Temperatures

Edges of internal leaves are brown and discolored. Provides an entry site for rot-producing organisms. Many contributing factors including moisture, heat, nutrient deficiency, and sudden water stress.

 

 

 

Weak Tip

Beginning of, or very light stages of, tip burn.