By George Anderson
Chiquita has announced that it will begin selling single-serve bananas through convenience store next month.
A new packaging system developed by Landec Corp. of Menlo Park, CA extends the shelf life of the bananas. Core-Mark International will handle distribution.
"Premium single-serve Chiquita bananas meet the consumer's desire for quality and freshness in the convenience store channel," said Fernando Aguirre, chairman/CEO of Chiquita, Cincinnati. "Retailers benefit by being able to offer ready-to-eat healthy snacks with better margins and a longer shelf life. Chiquita benefits because c-store sales provide incremental profitable growth."
Chiquita said it expects to have the bananas, which will retail between 75 and 99 cents each, in more than 5,000 convenience stores in 12 states by the end of the year.
Moderator's Comment: What impact do you think this new packaging technology will have on the banana business? Are there other product categories that hold the promise of being transformed by new packaging innovations? - George Anderson - Moderator