Fresh produce buyers will find a wealth of ideas and new sources among the exhibitors at Expo's International Fresh Produce Fair. Providing an international flavour, Zimbabwe is bringing producers to the show to promote the high quality fruit, exotic vegetables and value added prepared produce for which the country is gaining a growing European market. Similarly, Tunisian group GID is looking for new outlets for its date crop which comes in four varieties. The market for ready prepared salads will get a boost at the show with a number of launches. Soleco is featuring its first Florette fresh salad dressings range, along with new recipe salad mixes and salads with free in-pack dressing sachets. Its salads have an extended nine day shelf life which the company says provides customers with greater convenience. It is also unveiling redesigned packaging giving more product information, recipes and storing suggestions. G's Marketing is aiming to widen the market for bagged salads with the launch of Simply Salad, a range aimed at convenience shoppers. The company says the range will offer real value for money to encourage purchase among new consumers. Locally grown salad ingredients, ranging from celery and cucumber to all types of lettuce, will be promoted by Solfresh, which grows these and other products to customer specifications. Its speciality is tomatoes which it produces in every variety from tiny cherries to large beefsteaks. Carrots will be the star product on Watton Produce's stand. The company is launching peeled mini and whole carrots which can be microwaved in the bag in six and a half minutes, along with a baby carrot range for snacks and dips. Sainsbury, CWS and Budgens have already signed up for the range. The same vegetable is being promoted by Isleham Carrot Growers, whose modern plant incorporates the latest washing, cooling, grading and packing equipment, while its farming base promotes integrated crop management. Jack Buck Growers is returning to the fair after a few years' absence to promote its new division Jack Buck Foods, which produces prepared speciality vegetables, salads and organic produce to customers' specifications from a new factory. It is focusing on its own chicory, celeriac and radicchio crops, plus others under trial, and will be looking to promote its celeriac remoulade development as a coleslaw alternative and chicory and celeriac as ready meal ingredients. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}

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