Episode 221: Amit Patel
Jun 01, 2022
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Amit Patel is the Marketing Director at NatureSweet, the company behind those delicious, favorite Cherub, Glory and Cherry tomatoes we all love! Whether you leave them on your counter to snack on all day like Lori or use their packaging as a colander to wash in, NatureSweet’s tomatoes are a convenient, versatile way to add healthy nutrients to your whole family’s diet.
NatureSweet is a great testament to consumer trust and brand loyalty, especially during a time where the produce section at grocery retailers is fighting private labeling and during a time when we want to learn more and more about where our food is coming from. Amit has a background working for CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies like Pepsi, Cheetos and Rice-a-Roni. The benefit to those companies is “you can always make another product” if something goes wrong, whereas with produce, you’re reliant on weather and harvesting, which doesn’t always go as planned. That’s why it’s so important for NatureSweet to share their purpose of transforming the lives of agriculture workers in North America with customers, and their commitment to providing continuous, guaranteed, high quality, fresh produce.
As a part of their mission, NatureSweet has expanded beyond tomatoes and are moving into being a full, single solution for customers looking for greenhouse grown vegetables. They’re expanding into greenhouse grown cucumbers, mini cucumbers, bell peppers, mini sweet peppers, larger tomatoes and more! As Amit says, “we take the same care in delivering quality every single day of the year and having it available all year round for consumers.”
Another way NatureSweet is dedicated to their purpose is by being one of the first brands to participate in the Equitable Food Initiative, which, if you’ve listened to some of our previous podcasts, you know is an initiative focused on creating transparency in the produce supply chain. EFI certified companies adhere to the best practices in food safety, ensure their farmworkers are treated fairly, listen to workers’ issues and create solutions to make processes more efficient, and make sure the supply chain is sustainable.
One of the first things people start to realize when understanding the farming economy and supply chain is that no matter what kind of delicious product you have, there’s a great farming story and heritage behind it. For example, a fourth-generation family farm that’s sustained incredible economic and environmental setbacks. There’s a big interest in knowing more about our food, the stories behind what we’re putting in our bodies, and the people making it all possible.
Speaking of farmworkers, NatureSweet has started a program called Associates Under the Label which helps share the stories of NatureSweet’s workers with consumers. Votes are taken internally as to which associate is featured and if you lift up the seal on a NatureSweet tomato package, you’ll see a spotlight of information with a QR code that takes you to the featured agricultural worker’s full story. This is another great opportunity for you, the consumer, to connect with the brand you love and for farmworkers to get recognized for all their incredible work.
When it comes to enjoying NatureSweet’s delicious, healthy tomatoes, one thing the company is working on helping you with is taking them on the go! You might wish you had a more convenient way to take these healthy snacks with you, whether it’s to throw in your bag for lunch, a snack while commuting or even eating at your kids’ sports tournaments (which we all know can last forever!). NatureSweet has now made this easy and convenient in washed, ready-to-eat, smaller packages that are – drumroll please – crush-proof! Think of all the unhealthy, “convenient” snacks you can replace now by taking your favorite NatureSweet tomatoes on the go with you.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us – we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
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