We’ve all seen that Florida’s Natural commercial where the juice company promises “to bring the grove to you.” Now, a new company is promising to bring “Orchard Perfect” fruit to your grocer’s freezer.
Warm weather creates the optimum time to grow tasty fruit and vegetables but Stop & Shop is combining a special handling process with fresh fruit growers to introduce Orchard Perfect fruit in all of the company’s 389 stores.
Orchard Perfect is a specialty line of summer fruit that has been carefully ripened under the warm Californian summer sun and hand picked at the peak of perfection. Once the fruit is picked it’s gently layered by hand into single layer cartons to prevent bruising. This process assures that the fruit is immediately ready for consumption once it arrives in the stores. Orchard Perfect fruit is exclusive to Stop & Shop and includes peaches, nectarines, plums, white flesh peaches and white flesh nectarines.
The Orchard Perfect program uses the latest farming practices including packing and shipping systems to provide consumers with the sweetest, juiciest, tastiest fruit available today. Orchard Perfect peaches and nectarines are pre-conditioned with a special “temperature management” process that enhances ripening prior to shipping making these summer fruits taste as if they were just picked.
“This unique ripening process allows us to offer consumers fruit that is juicier, consistent and much more flavorful,” said Andrea Astrachan, Vice President of Consumer Affairs for Stop & Shop. “Pre-ripening also protects the fruit from internal breakdown, such as discoloration, browning and mealiness. This all-natural process gives our consumers the ultimate eating experience.”
About Stop and Shop
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, based in Quincy, Massachusetts, employs more than 59,000 associates and operates 389 stores throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, New York and New Jersey.
The 
I’ll be on the road again this week blogging about precision agriculture at the InfoAg Conference 2007 in Springfield, IL.
After a few days at the National Appaloosa Horse Show I sure know a lot more than I did about showing horses but I also realize how little I know. I was very impressed with the people I met in Oklahoma City and think that a horse show is a great event for families. I wasn’t there for the first half of the show when they had all the kids there. I can only imagine what that was like.
I found these last week just before July 4th and they were on our table after roasting them in the oven. I think 
I think some of the best looking corn I’ve seen growing during my travels lately is in north central Missouri. I thought it looked good enough to stop for a picture. It’s what a self timer is made for.
It’s time for the agriblogger to hit the road again and head on home. The National Appaloosa Horse Show has been a lot of fun and a real educational experience. Like this rope race. I’ve never seen one before. It’s a real highlight event here for participants.
I had to wait until late in the show to get a few minutes with Keri LeForce the show manager. She’s a staff member of the ApHC and for the show lives here on site for almost a month making sure everything is set up and running smoothly.