Duda Farm Fresh Foods Becomes USDA Nat’l Strategic Partner

Duda Farm Fresh Foods, a major grower, shipper and marketer of fresh citrus and fresh and fresh-cut vegetables, has been accepted as a National Strategic Partner of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Nutrition Communicator’s Network. In this capacity, Duda will conduct promotional activities in support of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate messages, starting with “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.”

To emphasize the importance of smart snacking as part of an overall healthy diet, Duda has launched the “Plateless MyPlate On-the-Go” campaign. The promotion features a microsite, www.simplesnacking.com, highlighting the company’s portable snacking options and serving as a platform for MyPlate and Dietary Guidelines for Americans messaging.

Duda also recently teamed with fellow USDA National Strategic Partner Stemilt Growers LLC, a Wenachee, Wash.-based tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company, to conduct the first of two scheduled Twitter parties using the hash tag #snacksmart. Hosted by Momspark Media, an online community of mothers that shares information on recipes, product reviews and travel, the Twitter party yielded more than 11 million impressions, drove traffic to the Duda microsite and helped raise awareness of MyPlate.

“During our busy lives, it can be easy for people to make unhealthy choices when it comes to snacking,” observed Nichole Towell, Duda’s director of marketing. “Duda’s portable fruit and vegetable snack items are healthy and convenient solutions to help keep kids and adults at their peak throughout the day.”

The company’s line of portable, fresh fruit and vegetable items, sold under the Dandy and Citrines brands, are prewashed, cut and ready to eat. With primary locations in Florida, California, Arizona, Georgia, Texas and Michigan, Duda Farm Fresh Foods is a wholly owned subsidiary of Duda, a family-owned, diversified land company in Oviedo, Fla.