Duda Farm Fresh Foods introduced its new Dandy Snacking In A Snap!-brand  product line at the Global Produce and Floral show this October. The inaugural product, “celery dippers”-brand, is a petite two-inch celery stick designed for bite-size snacking. 

On Oct. 21 at the Anaheim convention, FreshFruitPortal.com interviewed Mark Bassetti, president of Duda Fresh Farm Foods, which is based in Oviedo, FL.

He says the new products won’t be released to the market until February 2024 so as not to interfere with Dole’s existing marketing plans that are set through the end of the holidays and this football season. That period “is our peak production and we don't want to disrupt our business that we're currently doing because we're the market share leader. We have close to 70% retail space in the in the U.S. and we don't want to disrupt that.” Once the new products are on the market, they will then be a permanent fixture in Duda’s product line.

An Oct. 23 Duda press release indicates “As with all Dandy branded celery products, this new item is grown from Duda Generations' proprietary celery varieties, ensuring they are naturally sweeter and crispier. It is also processed with water jet cutting technology for a clean cut and shipped within 24 hours to ensure consistent quality and flavor.”

Mark Bassetti, president of Duda Fresh Farm Foods.

Bassetti notes the new snacking kits are good for party trays and also for portion control in packing in kids’ lunch boxes. 

He adds that Additional Snacking In A Snap! products are in development and Duda will begin rolling these out in 2024.  

The press release quoted Nichole Towell, senior director of marketing and packaging procurement at Duda Farm Fresh Foods saying, “Shoppers will love the versatility of celery dippers for assembling a chic charcuterie board, packing a wholesome bento box, or just adding a big, bold crunch to a favorite snack dip! And for added convenience, shoppers can choose between eight-ounce and 1.25-pound resealable bag sizes.”

Duda also notes that the launch of the Snacking In A Snap! product line is in response to consumer snacking trends and informed by ongoing consumer research. Duda Farm Fresh Food’s position as the celery category leader was the deciding factor for celery dippers being the first of the new snack items announced.