Apricot Archive

Dear California Apricot Enthusiast,

On behalf of the Apricot Producers of California (APC), I would like to thank you for your continued support of California apricots.   At a time when our industry faces multiple challenges, it is nice to know you support buying American and California grown products, especially canned apricots: the most nutritious stone fruit.  

In an effort to update you on what the APC is doing to increase awareness and consumption of California apricots and to announce new products, we will be producing a monthly one-page newsletter to communicate directly with our school foodservice, dietitian, USDA, and processor friends and colleagues. Attached, please find our first edition.

Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at apricots@apricotproducers.com . If you have an item or industry development that you would like covered in our newsletter, please feel free to contact our Agency, Echo Communications, directly at 510.654.5400 and ask for Ginny Hair or Janelle Fosenburg. Your feedback is always encouraged and welcomed.

Thanks again for your support

William Ferriera

President, Apricot Producers of California

CSFSA Update

Former school foodservice director Diane Wegner Deshler is attending California School Foodservice Association meetings on the APC's behalf in an effort to build a large network of district relationships.

Deshler attended the Northern California chapter meeting on October 14 which was attended by Bay Area school foodservice directors and industry members.

Tradeshow Participation:
ASFSA & ADA

In an effort to increase California apricot consumption in schools and to better meet the needs of school foodservice professionals, the Apricot Producers of California have launched a School Nutrition "Director-to-Director" Advisory Panel. The panel, comprised of foodservice directors, supervisors and nutrition specialists, will enjoy a variety of new activities and recipes that can be used in their schools, including professional development presentations and National Nutrition Month activities highlighting apricots.

Mt. Diablo Unified School District, a large, trend-setting district of 36,000 students, has joined the panel. They are currently making/testing our new Apricot Oatmeal Breakfast cake recipe in several elementary schools.

Berkeley Unified School District has also agreed to participate in the program. This district just received the "Golden Carrot Award" from the Physicians Committee for Medicine in Washington D. C. for encouraging healthy eating in schools.

In addition, the APC has enlisted the help of Lois Black, R.D. principal of School Nutrition Solutions. Lois is a former school foodservice director (23 years). Her consulting business works with the Council for the Aging in Massachusetts and she is a big advocate of serving apricots both to the elderly and for school foodservice, her two major client areas.

Signature Fruit Company just introduced "Goodness from California" with unpeeled California Apricot Halves Sweetened with Splenda® under their Libby's label. The product comes in both cans and plastic jars

Pacific Coast Producers launched almond flavored diced California apricots in consumer-sized cans.

Need more copies?   You can print more copies directly from our website at www.apricotproducers.com .   Go to the "Newsletter" link to print out this issue and/or previous issues.

The Apricot Archive is published by Echo Communications, LLC on behalf of the Apricot Producers of California.

Comments or suggestions can be sent to: Echo Communications, 1485 Park Avenue, Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608 or emailed to: janellef@echopr.com

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