Mastronardi targets premium snack segment with new tomato branch

Mastronardi Produce is doing a double whammy on the traditional produce aisle with two recent innovations—one focused on premium merchandising and the other on snackable convenience. 

Peppe Bonfiglio, VP of Sales at Mastronardi, told FreshFruitPortal.com that the newly launched Tomato Branch on-the-vine and Pop Its mini cucumbers are designed to attract distinct consumer segments and usage occasions, with early indicators showing strong demand and repeat-purchase potential in key international markets.

The Canadian firm’s latest strategy aims to drive incremental growth and expand category reach far beyond conventional tomato and cucumber purchases.

Branching out: Premium tomatoes for premium returns

The Tomato Branch product targets higher-margin sales, Bonfiglio said. Its distinctive packaging was designed “from the ground up with both the retailer and consumer in mind.”

“The unique triangular form, high-end finishes, and the visual drama of the on-the-vine cluster presentation command attention in a category that has historically relied on clear clamshells and repetitive formats,” the executive noted. “In a busy produce section, stopping power is real and measurable in trial rates and basket attachment.”

Mastronardi positions the product as an occasion-driven item rather than a substitute for everyday tomatoes. Cross-merchandising near specialty cheese or deli items may help retailers capture additional basket spend from shoppers who would not typically purchase tomatoes, Bonfiglio noted.

“From a pricing strategy standpoint, the package does the heavy lifting for the retailer. The premium materials and luxury aesthetic clearly signal that this is not a commodity tomato—it's an experience and a gifting-level product. That gives retailers the confidence to position it at a premium price point without needing to over-explain the value to the shopper,” he added.

The product uses a fully recyclable cardboard carrier, aligning with retailer sustainability goals and consumer expectations around environmentally responsible production. Additionally, and like all the company’s products, Mastronardi tomato branches are greenhouse-grown, a practice the Ontario firm has pioneered commercially in North America since the 1940s.

Snack attack: Mini cucumbers compete beyond Produce

With Pop Its, Mastronardi is targeting the broader snacking category and competing with packaged snacks. The key, Bonfiglio stressed, is to remove the prep-time hassle from the equation.

“Cutting, prepping, packing, any barrier between the impulse and the snack is an opportunity to lose the consumer to a bag of chips or a packaged granola bar. Pop Its eases that friction. At up to two inches, they're genuinely bite-sized. You rinse and go. That's it,” he explained.

With a “bigger crunch and higher Brix level”, the product emphasizes flavor and texture as key features. 

“If the experience isn't satisfying and craveable, the health halo alone won't drive repeat purchase,” Bonfiglio said.

The product’s packaging design also reflects changing consumption patterns, with an oval format sized for portability. “Snacking is increasingly a mobile, on-the-go occasion. Lunch boxes, car trips, after-school pick-up lines, these are the moments Pop Its were designed for,” he stated.

Bonfiglio said that early performance data from international markets support the strategy. “The UK market has been a standout. Pop Its have consistently sold out since launch there, which is a strong signal that the product is resonating beyond novelty and driving genuine repeat demand,” he noted.

The VP also reported that efforts across social media, PR, and influencer channels have driven awareness and engagement.

“When an influencer puts Pop Its in a lunchbox video, and the comments are full of people saying they need to find these, that's the kind of organic momentum that moves product,” he stressed.

*All images courtesy of Mastronardi.

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