Category Advisor: Tomatoes: Mastronardi Produce

Strong brand recognition and an unusual tomato variety, combined with unique packaging, have made Mastronardi Produce a leader in the tomato category.

Each year Mastronardi tests hundreds of varieties of tomatoes in search of unique flavors, shapes and colors. In the past year, its latest innovation, Sunset Zima Seriously Sweet tomatoes in a recyclable PET clamshell, has won seven awards in North America and Europe for its packaging and taste.

The clamshell’s resealable top label peels back to expose an opening that’s wide enough to allow the tomatoes to be dispensed. Plus, the bottom piece has vent holes that allow the water to drain for rinse-and-serve convenience.

In a category dominated by red, the Zima orange grape tomato is a refreshing color break. Plus, the stackable clamshells bring new merchandising options to the category.

In addition to being an innovator in specialty produce, Mastronardi is committed to using sustainable packaging. The clamshells are made with FDA-compliant, post-consumer recycled bottles/post-industrial recycled plastics, or with plastics that have been developed from renewable resources. The PET products used contain more than 70 percent post-consumer recycled material.