CitraPac, Inc. Partners with Sweetbay Supermarkets to Expand Florida Distribution of Fruit Pearls®
Dundee, Fla. (April 25, 2011) – CitraPac, Inc. announced a new partnership with Sweetbay Supermarket to distribute Fruit Pearls® frozen snacks in 104 Florida stores. “Sweetbay’s aggressive promotion of healthy eating and lifestyles makes them the perfect partner for a small, innovative company like CitraPac,” stated Gregg Harshman, president, CitraPac, Inc. “This relationship will provide consumers in central and Southern Florida with access to healthy snack options.”
Fruit Pearls frozen snacks combine the individual juice cells from fresh oranges and tangerines with pearl-shaped pieces of additional fruit purées. The fruit is flash frozen to maintain all of the natural juices, nutrients and texture, creating a fun-to-eat snack. Fruit Pearls are available in 3.25-ounce cups in the frozen food section of supermarkets and come in four flavors: Guava Mango, Tropical, Wild Berries and Cream and Chocolate Strawberry.
Fruit Pearls utilize a unique process invented by the Florida Department of Citrus in 2001. Scientists discovered how to separate individual juice cells from fresh citrus fruit while preserving the integrity and taste of the fruit, thereby creating “citrus pearls.” CitraPac was granted an exclusive license to produce Fruit Pearls using the citrus pearls technology.
“The Florida citrus industry supports the successful expansion of Fruit Pearls through additional retail channels,” commented Ken Keck, executive director, Florida Department of Citrus. “Our mission is to expand the market for Florida citrus and Fruit Pearls offer consumers a non-traditional way to enjoy citrus year round.”
Fruit Pearls are also available at Wynn’s Market in Naples, Fla; Sprouts Markets in Ariz., Calif., Colo. And Texas; AJ’s Markets in Ariz.; Market Street and Village Market in Texas; and in 60 Barnes & Nobles Booksellers locations in 27 states.
“We will continue to seek out strategic marketing partners nationwide,” Harshman said. “Fruit Pearls provide retailers with a unique consumer product that promotes healthy eating and supports the Florida citrus industry. This is truly a win-win proposal for everyone.”
For more information, visit www.fruit-pearls.com.
For Fruit Pearls Nutrition Facts CLICK HERE, and for Nutritional Comparison chart CLICK HERE.
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About CitraPac, Inc.: For the past decade, CitraPac, Inc. has been committed to the research and development of products that create new uses for Florida citrus. Through the use of proprietary cryogenic technology, frozen citrus products are available year round and can be distributed through numerous retail, foodservice and institutional marketing channels.
About Florida Department of Citrus: The Florida Department of Citrus is an executive agency of Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. Its activities are funded by a tax paid by growers on each box of citrus that moves through commercial channels. The industry employs nearly 76,000 people, provides an annual economic impact close to $9 billion to the state, and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues that help support Florida’s schools, roads and health care services. For more information about the Florida Department of Citrus, please visit www.FloridaJuice.com.