SWEET POTATO • GROWERS • PACKERS • SHIPPERS southern-produce.com 1-800-688-YAMS
Faison, North Carolina Oak Grove, Louisiana Vardaman, Mississippi USA
Table of Contents Why Sweet Potatoes?.................................3 Delicious & Nutritious, Every Season....... 4 A 75-Year Tradition of Innovation........... 5 Capabilities: Growers................................ 6 Capabilities: Curing & Storage..................7 Capabilities: Packing & Shipping...............8 Accreditations............................................ 9 Product Safety.......................................... 10 Products: Variety Descriptions................. 11 Products: Our Brands or Yours............... 12 Products: Organic..................................... 13
Products: Sizes.......................................... 14 Products: Seasonal Offerings..................16 Products: Pet Food....................................15 International Capabilities......................... 16 For Retailers.............................................. 17 For Foodservice.........................................18 For Processors........................................... 19 Sustainability............................................. 20 Giving Back............................................... 21 Contact Information................................. 22
Learn more about sweet potatoes at Southern-Produce.com/sweet-potatoes
Why Sweet Potatoes? • Ever since the health benefits of eating sweet potatoes was discovered, the root vegetable’s popularity has skyrocketed and continues to rise • A wholesome, nutritious option for everyone, including adults, children, and diabetics • Widely established throughout the world, sweet potatoes are a staple food for many cultures • Naturally delicious and versatile, sweet potatoes can be enjoyed throughout the year • US consumption increased nearly 80% between 2000-2014, reaching 7.5 per capita1 • UK and Canada sweet potato consumption has grown significantly 1. Linda Naeve, “Sweet Potatoes.” Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, July 2015, http://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/vegetables/sweet-potatoes/.
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Learn more about sweet potatoes at Southern-Produce.com/sweet-potatoes
Delicious & Nutritious, Every Season • Recognized as super food, sweet potatoes deliver significantly high nutritional value • Nutritionists, scientists, and consumers agree that sweet potatoes should be part of any diet • Ranked #1 in nutritional value by Center for Science in the Public Interest2 • High in vitamins A & C, manganese, beta carotene and antioxidants • Rich in fiber, calcium, and complex carbohydrates • Versatile and naturally delicious, the sweet potato can be used in an almost infinite number of dishes, making it perfect for any meal 2. “Sweet Potato Offers Biggest Nutritional Gain For Your Buck” UPI, 14 March 2014, https://www.upi.com/Sweet-potato-offers-biggest-nutritional-gain-for-yourbuck/99131394829699/.
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Learn more about our history at Southern-Produce.com/about-us
A 75-Year Tradition of Innovation • 100% family owned and operated, four generations of industry leaders • Founded by Harold S. Precythe in 1942 • Pioneer in the utilization of controlled atmosphere curing and storage • Innovated computerized product sizing for more consistent quality and uniform pack • First successful overseas shipper of fresh, cured sweet potatoes • One of the world’s largest providers of delicious, nutritious sweet potatoes • Develop and maintain long-term partnerships with customers, many for over 50 years Stewart Precythe, former President of Southern Produce, is credited with helping to build North Carolina’s sweet potato industry into a global business.
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Learn more about our field to fork process at Southern-Produce.com/from-field-to-fork
Capabilities Growers • GLOBAL G.A.P. Certified farms in leading sweet potato producing areas throughout North Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi • By having farms scattered across 3 states, the chance of weather or drought affecting production greatly decreases • Handles 10,000-12,000 acres annually consisting of over 3 million bushels per year • Produces conventional and organic sweet potatoes on a 12-month basis • Hand-harvested, premier product varieties for better quality and greater consistency • Immediate field-to-controlled storage transportation to protect product quality • Product travels immediately from the field to a controlled storage facility to protect product quality
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Learn more about our curing and storage process at Southern-Produce.com/curing-storage
Capabilities Curing & Storage • Curing is an important process that enhances a sweet potato’s sweet taste and improves its outer skin, which protects it from damage • In-house curing specialists assure top notch quality and deliveries to customers • Temperature, humidity, and air circulation is monitored in a controlled environment • Sweet potatoes are kept at precisely 55°F with 85% humidity to maintain taste and quality • More than 3 million bushel storage (over 600,000 square feet) capacity ensures year-round availability • Third-party audited storage and packing facilities 7
Learn more about our packing and shipping process at Southern-Produce.com/packing-shipping
Capabilities Packing & Shipping • Computer-controlled Hagan sizing for greater consistency • A broad choice of packing and product options • Field to customer instant traceability available via GSI approved barcoding and advanced technology • Same-day order processing to optimize shelf-life of product • LTL or truckload • Located within 3 hours of 3 major seaports, minutes away from interstate highways
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Learn more about our accreditations at Southern-Produce.com/credentials
Accreditations Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) ensures our operations and products adhere to the international Good Agriculture Practice standards for product safety, environmental, and labor NSF International is an accredited third-party certification body that helps protect and improve public health and provides certification of Davis Fresh audits The Red Book Business Character Award certifies ethical trading practices, business competence, and financial stability Tesco Nature’s Choice ensures that top quality fresh produce comes from growers who use good agricultural practices, operate in an environmentally responsible way with proper regard for the health and well being of their staff Primus GFS is a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognized private scheme that establishes food safety requirements for the certification of agricultural produce. 9
Learn more about our product safety standards at Southern-Produce.com/food-safety
Product Safety: Our Highest Concern • Maintain a comprehensive food safety program that encompasses every aspect of the process, from field to fork • GLOBAL G.A.P. Certified farms adhere to Good Agricultural Practice standards to minimize risk of food contamination and provide record of food production, storage, and handling • Third-party audited storage and packing facilities • Products inspected daily by USDA trained personnel • Utilize GSI approved bar-codes and technology to track products at every stage of process from field to final consumer • Food Safety Director
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Learn more about our products at Southern-Produce.com/sweet-potatoes
Products
Variety Descriptions Variety
Skin
Flesh
Uses
Covington
Rose, smooth
Super sweet orange
A favorite for mashing or roasting; eat it whole with your favorite toppings or cut into wedges and bake as a side dish.
Beauregard
Rose, semi-smooth
Deep orange
Easy to work with and prepare; can be boiled, stir fried, steamed, pureed, baked, mashed, stuffed, deep fried, and pan fried.
Murasaki
Purple
White, dry
Distinct nutty flavor; versatile culinary ingredient that can be baked whole, pealed and roasted, boiled, mashed, or sliced and diced for a high-heat saute.
Bonita
Tan, smooth
White, dry
Very sweet, airy flavor and flaky texture; perfect for traditional potato dishes as well as sweet potato fries.
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Learn more about our branding opportunities at Southern-Produce.com/brands
Products
Our Brands or Yours • Offer very popular Pointer Brand, Chef’s Pride, Southern’s Supreme, and Cajun Supreme • Consistent high quality and year-round availability, ideal for private labeling • Retailers, restaurants, consumers, and processors have come to know and trust our brands for both quality and service
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Learn more about our organic sweet potatoes at Southern-Produce.com/organic
Products Organic
• Launched organic sweet potato program in 2015 • USDA organic certified • Organic packing facility located separately from conventional product • Available for both domestic and international market • Offer 3 lb. bag and 40 lb. box • Year-round availability • Organic sweet potato trends are on the rise in Europe3
3. “Organic sweet potatoes take off in Europe” Fresh Plaza, 31 March 2017, http://www.freshplaza.com/article/173199/Organic-sweet-potatoes-take-off-in-Europe.
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Learn more about our pack sizes at Southern-Produce.com/pack-sizes
Products Sizes
Boxes: 5, 10, 40 lb. offering
Bags: 3, 5, 10 lb. offering
International Boxes: 6, 14, 18 kg.
Shrink-Wrapped: Individual sweet potatoes
Steamable Bag: 1.5 lb. 14
Learn more about our pepper offerings at Southern-Produce.com/peppers
Products
Southern’s Summer Vegetable Program Product
Package Size
Description
Acorn Squash
Bushel boxes
Named for its acorn-like shape, it is a savory, sweet, and nutritious squash that can be baked, stuffed, or made into a soup.
Butternut Squash
Bushel boxes
Once called “the apple of God,” this bell-shaped squash is a good source for fiber and other key nutrients.
Eggplant
Bushel boxes
Containing an impressive array of nutrients, eggplant is revered for its unique beauty, taste, and texture.
Kabocha
Bushel boxes
A tasty Japanese squash, Kabocha has rich, golden flesh with a sweet flavor and a potato-like texture.
Green & Yellow Squash
1/2 Bushel boxes (Fancy) Bushel boxes (Medium)
Summer squash has thin edible skin and is rich in vitamins A and C. It can be grilled, or made into a salad, pasta, chips, pesto, and more.
Spaghetti Squash
Bushel boxes
Sought after for its unique interior flesh that separates into pasta-like strings, Spaghetti Squash is low in calories and tastes delicious.
Bell Pepper, Green, Red, Mixed
Processing
Low in calories but very high in vitamin C, sweet bell peppers can be grilled, stir-fried, stuffed, topped on pizza, and much more.
Call for seasonal availability: 910-267-0011 or 800-688-YAMS
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Learn more about sweet potatoes and pet food at Southern-Produce.com/pet-food
Products Pet Foods • Sweet potato is safe for dogs, and can provide them a range of health benefits with a sweet flavor they will love4 • The fiber in sweet potatoes can be beneficial to dogs who experience digestive issues5 • Year-round availability in your choice of size and grade • High nutritional value and little, if any, waste • Custom packing available to meet your needs • Growers, storage, and packers in North Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi 4. “The Benefits of Sweet Potatoes for Dogs” Red Barn Inc., 3 August 2016, http://www.redbarninc.com/blog/sweet-potato-for-dogs/. 5. “Taters, Precious - A Tasty Sweet Potato Treat for Hounds” Greyt Adventures, 2 March 2017, http://bit.ly/2h54yai.
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Learn more about our international capabilities at Southern-Produce.com/international
International Capabilities • A chief exporter of sweet potatoes into the UK and Europe supplying to retail, wholesale, processing, and foodservice sectors • Twenty years international sales and shipping experience • Year-round availability packed and shipped to exact customer specifications • GLOBAL G.A.P. accredited and third-party audited • Same-day order processing to improve shelf-life • Door-to-port logistics with state-of-the-art bar coding for instant tracking and tracing • Located within three hours of three major shipping terminals • Sales support available in English and Spanish
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Learn more about sweet potatoes at Southern-Produce.com/sweet-potatoes
For Retailers • Year-round providers of high-quality, fresh-cured sweet potatoes • Available as premium labeled product or store private label • Packed to meet your precise specifications and needs • Door-to-door delivery with total product traceability • Nutritional data, recipes, and serving suggestions available • Sales support in Spanish and English
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Follow Southern Produce on Twitter @BestSweetPotato for recipes and nutritional data
For Foodservice • Year-round availability of highest-quality, fresh-cured product • Packed to meet your exact specifications and needs • Flexible delivery schedules to meet your needs • Nutritional data and recipes available • Sales support in English and Spanish
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Learn more about sweet potatoes at Southern-Produce.com/sweet-potatoes
For Processors • Annual capacity 3 million bushels • Year-round availability • Growers, storage, and packers in North Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi • Customized programs to meet processor needs • Able to pack and ship sized product in bulk or by the bin
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Learn more about our sustainability efforts at Southern-Produce.com/sustainability
Sustainability: Forward Thinking • Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs • We employ precise farming techniques to ensure that only the necessary chemicals are used on conventional product and water usage is kept to a minimum • Our logistics team works diligently to fill each shipment to reduce travel time, save diesel, and decrease emissions • The cardboard boxes that package our sweet potatoes contain a percentage of recycled materials • Other sustainability measures that we have taken include:
• Pallet exchange program • LED lights used in all facilities • Lithium batteries used in forklifts
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Learn more about the worthy causes we support at Southern-Produce.com/giving-back
Giving Back
Worthy causes that we have supported and encourage you to support include: Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: For over 30 years, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC has been providing food for hungry people in 34 counties across NC. Society of St. Andrew: As the nation’s premier food rescue and distribution ministry, Society of St. Andrew has distributed more than 2 billion servings of food since 1983. Operation Blessing: This international relief organization works to provide clean water, medical relief, hunger aid and disaster relief across the globe and in the US. Feed the Children: Feed The Children delivers medicine, clothing, food and other necessities to children and families in need due to famine, war poverty or natural disasters. 22
Connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BestSweetPotato
Contact Address
Executive Management
Accounting
Phone
Sterling Cook sterling@southern-produce.com CEO
Judy Brogden judy@southern-produce.com Accounts Receivables Manager
Brenda Oglesby brendao@southern-produce.com Vice President
Jorge Maestre jorge@southern-produce.com Accounts Payables Manager
111 West Center Street North PO Box 130 Faison, NC 28341 1-800-688-9267 910-267-0011
Fax
910-267-1455
Logistics
Ashley Jach ashley@southern-produce.com Sherry Thompson sherry@southern-produce.com Ginger Lefeaux ginger1@bellsouth.net
Kelley Precythe kelley@southern-produce.com President
Wayne Hildebrandt wayne@southern-produce.com CFO
Sales
Brenda Oglesby brendao@southern-produce.com Kelley Precythe kelley@southern-produce.com Carlos Quintanilla carlos@southern-produce.com Ivan Willis ivan@southern-produce.com
Howard Fisackerly howard@southern-produce.com COO
Marketing
Brooke Britt brooke@southern-produce.com Director of Marketing
Food Safety
Dennis Harrell dennis@southern-produce.com Director of Food Safety
Food Management
Garrett Godwin garrett@southern-produce.com Farm Operations Manager
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