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1. Taylor Farms Supports Career Pathways Program To Attract Next Generation of Talent to Agriculture Industry

   June 8, 2020 6:56 pm

   In an increasingly complex, technology driven business environment, Taylor Farms and others in our industry work hard to seek out, retain, inspire and advance the people we need to help us stay competitive as we move into the future.

   That’s why we strongly support programs like the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Center for Growing Talent and its Career Pathways Program, now in its tenth year. PMA collaborated with industry leading companies to build the program as a talent and age gap was recognized.The produce industry needed to find a way to bring the best and the brightest talent into the industry.

   

   Taylor Farms has contributed over $150,000 to help fund the program. Today, 13 students from Hartnell College, Chico State and San Jose State are here in Salinas to tour our facilities, learn more about us, and consider the opportunities open to them in the industry. This is the second year this tour has been conducted.

   Career Pathways is a proven success, growing from 24 participants the first year to 806 today, including this year’s students. So far, more than 350 new young professionals have been attracted into our industry’s workforce, including two Taylor Farms Retail employees, Christina Barnard, Director of Marketing and Rachel Molatore, Business Development Manager.

   Each year, eight Career Pathways programs operate in conjunction with major industry conventions and trade shows. Each Career Pathways student pairs up with industry mentors to help  immerse themselves in the industry and to facilitate networking opportunities that aid in their placements for internships or careers in agriculture.  

   “Mentoring Career Pathways Program participants has allowed me to give back to an industry that has supported me while finding amazing fresh talent for Taylor Farms,” said Michelle Story, a past mentor.

   The PMA Center is celebrating its 10th year of growing talent in the industry with a “10 for Talent” campaign, asking 10,000 industry professionals to donate $10 to raise $100,000 in support of the ongoing programs to attract, develop and retain talent.

   

    

   Taylor Farms is proud to help Career Pathways encourage talented young people to become part of our vital and growing industry.

    

   

2. Taylor Farms Snack Trays a Perfect Way To Celebrate National Eat Your Veggies Day

   6:33 pm

   It’s National Eat Your Veggies Day and our Taylor Farms Snack Trays are the perfect way to celebrate while getting your daily servings of fresh veggies.

   According to a recent survey from Humana and Reader’s Digest, fewer than 26 percent of American adults eat the recommended 3-5 servings of vegetables a day.  That means three out of every four of us miss out on the beneficial nutrients in vegetables that help keep our skin healthy, improve eyesight and help decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

   Our Snack Trays provide a range of choices so you can have a different snack every day of the week, including:

   • Healthy Harvest, featuring delectable apples, sweet carrots, premium cheddar cheese and raw packed almonds.
   • Little Dipper, with carrots, crisp celery, waffle pretzels, juicy tomatoes and Hidden Valley Ranch Dip.
   • Lovin’ Veggies is packed with carrots, celery, tomatoes and creamy Hidden Valley Ranch dip.
   • Protein Punch gives you a kick to get through your day with cheddar cheese, almonds, broccoli, and Hidden Valley Ranch dip.
   • Pure Veggies is our organic option with organic carrots, organic broccoli, and organic tomatoes and ranch dip.
   • Better Cheddar is loaded with waffle pretzels, premium cheddar cheese, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, and Hidden Valley Ranch dip.
   • Bursting with Goodness includes broccoli, carrots and juicy tomatoes with Hidden Valley Ranch dip.

   You can find our Snack Trays at Save Mart and Lucky’s, Stater Brothers, Wal-Mart and Safeway.

   On National Eat Your Veggies Day and every other day of the year, be sure to grab Taylor Farms Snack Trays. Your taste buds and your body will thank you.

   

3. Taylor Farms Showcases Flavor of Fresh at PMA Fresh Summit!

   June 4, 2020 5:12 pm

   This past week, Team Taylor ventured to Orlando, FL to connect with industry partners and showcase our latest product innovations at the always-exciting Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit Convention & Expo. Our Taylor Team brought the “Flavor of Fresh” to the Sunshine State, highlighting our newest on-trend offerings that feature innovative flavor profiles, premium ingredients and clean labeling initiatives.

   

   

   We featured our mouth-watering trio of “100% Free From” Chopped Salad kits – including our Avocado Ranch, Buffalo Ranch, and Maple Bourbon Bacon flavors – and our revolutionary Chicken Chopped Salad Kits, — Caesar, Cheddar Ranch, and Club. These premium salad kits are the first of their kind to be launched at retail stores and include ready-to-eat antibiotic-free grilled chicken, fresh veggies and savory dressing – delivering more than 30 grams of protein per bag!

   

   

   During a special industry session, our own Bruce Taylor took the stage to interview former NFL all-star quarterback Peyton Manning in a session titled, Forum for the Future: Lessons in Leadership Both On and Off the Field. This dynamic interview related insightful lessons Manning has learned during his football career to business strategy, growth and effective leadership. Manning emphasized powerful takeaways during the session – embrace disruption to ensure growth, be resilient and learn to pivot, develop deep communication skills, master the art of teamwork, always be open to learning, and NEVER stopped being coached. When asked what has been one of his greatest takeaways from the game – Manning answered “people and relationships – when a team is truly connected it radiates power.”

   

   Bruce Taylor of Taylor Farms and Peyton Manning

   Our team always looks forward to celebrating with our industry partners at PMA Fresh Summit and eagerly awaits many more years filled with innovation, growth and of course, delicious fresh offerings!

   As an added bonus – check out these flavorful recipes that were featured at PMA!

   

   Get the recipe.

   

   Get the recipe.

   

   Get the recipe.

4. Taylor Farms Salad Products Hit Sweet Spot of Consumer Demand

   4:52 pm

   Who would’ve thought healthy lifestyles can be contagious? A new survey by Nielsen Perishables Group reports that a majority of respondents in the U.S. today report that they’re eating healthier now than they were two years ago. Nearly two thirds said they are trying to buy healthier foods.

   However, not surprisingly, many indicated eating right in an “on-the-go” lifestyle is a challenge. That’s where Taylor Farms comes in, right in the sweet spot of the growing health-conscious consumer demand for packaged salad kits that provide a convenient, delicious and healthy choice.

   

   The Nielsen research showed that salad kits, like Taylor Farms Chopped Salad Kits, are stealing the spotlight by placing a sweet spot. Packaged salads overall accounted for $3.7 billion in sales over the past year, up eight percent from the prior year.  But complete salad kits are growing the most — a whopping 31 percent from the previous year.

   Prepackaged organic salads – like our spring mix and baby arugula, kale, romaine, and spinach — also are growing faster than the average, with a 12 percent increase in sales over the previous year. The survey reports that nearly half of consumers choose natural and organic options when available.

   

   Taylor Farms Organic Spring Mix

   Packaged salads that include a protein accompaniment – like our Single-Serve Salads that include chicken, turkey, ham and bacon – also are popular with consumers. Nielsen reported that 61 percent cite products that are high in protein as an important influence when making purchase decisions.

   Busy people crave healthy meal options and simple ways to prepare a fresh, tasty, healthy salad in minutes. Taylor Farms packaged salads are the perfect solution.

   For even more inspiration for quick, healthy meal options, take a look at our latest recipe videos.

5. Taylor Farms and Sakata Seed Surprise Salinas Community with Flower Bouquets

   3:48 pm

   Yesterday Taylor Farms and Sakata Seed America partnered to participate in the Society of American Florists’ “Petal It Forward” flower giveaway event in Salinas, CA to promote paying it forward initiatives.

   Representatives from Taylor Farms and Sakata Seed surprised people on the streets of Salinas City Center and surrounding areas with two flower bouquets, encouraging them to keep one and gift the other. The teams handed out over 400 bouquets of flowers, each of which, as an added bonus, included a Taylor Farms coupon!

   

   A new survey has found that, when it comes to flowers, it’s just as good to give as it is to receive. With this data in mind, the program is not only spreading happiness to the people who received the flowers, but arming those recipients with the tools they need to “Petal It Forward” and spread happiness to others.

   A very special thank you to Kitayama Brothers and Green Valley Floral for donating the flowers to this project. Without their generous support, this event could not have happened.

   

   The “Petal It Forward” program took place in more than 273 cities across 50 states and was designed to promote the understanding of the emotional value of giving and receiving flowers.

   “I loved being part of this program. Seeing the look on people’s faces when we handed them bouquets was priceless,” said Katrina Gargiulo of Taylor Farms. “I’m so grateful to be a part of a company that  gives us opportunities to participate in special programs like this one and to Sakata Seed for their partnership.”