Inserra Rolls Out Taste Me, Do Good* Produce
Inserra Supermarkets ShopRite Inc. has introduced the Taste Me, Do Good* produce program at some of its stores. The organic Fair Trade line provides premium-quality fruits and vegetables, the production of which helps farmers, workers and the environment through Fair Trade, organic and biodynamic practices throughout the United States and Latin America.
"The program perfectly aligns with our family and company values of providing healthy and nutritious foods to people, giving back to the community, being committed to environmental sustainability and taking care of the farmworkers who do the hard work of producing the foods we enjoy,” noted Carl Inserra Jr. of Mahwah, N.J.-based Inserra Supermarkets, which owns and operates 17 ShopRite stores in New Jersey and New York. “For us, it's a win-win – great products, a great story to tell, and a meaningful experience to bring to our customers."
Added Lindsey Inserra, the chain’s VP of corporate retail health and wellness: "When you put good things in your body, you feel good. And with these products, you're doing something good for others as well, and that feels great. We are a family-owned business, and helping other families – from our customers to our vendors, growers and well beyond – is one of our core philosophies. This project does just that in its support of dedicated farmers, farmworkers and their families, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
To publicize the produce line, which includes pears, apples, blueberries, strawberries, and tropical items such as pineapples and mangos, the company will feature Taste Me, Do Good* bin displays and signage, and engage shoppers via social media. "On top of this program being very in line with our company values, we're focused on bringing more and more organic items into our stores and providing the best-quality product to our shoppers while creating great value for them,” said Inserra Director of Produce Eric Beelitz. “I'm really happy with what I've seen so far."
“Our work creates a model for an agriculture of the future,” explained Rafael Goldberg, CEO of Brooklyn, New York-based Interrupcion, marketer of Taste Me, Do Good* products, which are grown with the highest levels of food safety and strict social and environmental standards. “Consumers get premium-quality, great-tasting, organic and Fair Trade products at a great value, and farmers and workers get dignified treatment and investment back into their communities. Our focus on organic and biodynamic agriculture is also a powerful way to protect the soil, water, and environment for future generations. It’s a win-win-win relationship for everyone involved.”
Operating model best-practice farms in Latin America and the U.S., and collaborating with associated farmers, often small and medium-sized operators, cooperatives and rural workers, Interrupcion offers various services to enhance product quality, and create social and environmental impact. “We’re raising the bar on what food and agriculture can be,” continued Goldberg. “We provide financing, quality assurance, agricultural technology and capacity building, technical support for organic farming and Fair Trade processes, bio-fertilizers and supply chain logistics services – all with the goal of growing exceptional produce that changes the world for the better, provides organic nutrition to consumers, and positively impacts lives and communities.”
Taste Me Do Good* products are now available at Inserra ShopRite stores in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties in New Jersey and in Rockland County in New York. Shoppers will currently find several varieties of Fair Trade organic pears and apples from Argentina, and organic blueberries from North Carolina and Washington state.