CASTROVILLE, Calif. (November 22, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms Brussels sprouts are currently headed into the peak fall crop, just in time to meet shopper demand during the busy holiday season. Known for their Gold Standard Artichokes, Ocean Mist Farms also provides high quality, exceptional Brussels sprouts which are being harvested out of Castroville, CA. through January, and will be coming out of Coachella and Mexico beginning in late-December.
“The fall crop is peaking now along the central coast of California, right in time for both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays,” said Mark Munger, Senior Director of Marketing at Ocean Mist Farms. “Although Ocean Mist Farms grows Brussels sprouts year-round, the crop peaks during November, which is a reason Brussels sprouts continue to grow in popularity as a holiday favorite. The season will begin shifting to the Coachella Valley in late December and we expect the central coast harvest to continue well into January. We anticipate a very smooth transition into our desert growing region with supply coming out of all three regions during the December holidays.”
Ocean Mist Farms’ Brussels sprout volume has increased steadily over the last couple of years to meet demand. The company’s release of the “Season & Steam” pack created further interest with this convenient cook-in pack. This past year, as the company has added a wider range of value-added products, including the 16 oz. and 32 oz. family size form & fill packs as well as halved and shredded Brussels sprout packs, demand has risen sharply. During the holidays, Ocean Mist Farms also offers Brussels sprout stalks, a fun way to purchase, display and even cook Brussels sprouts. Stalks are limited to only the holiday season.
According to a recent article, shoppers spend $4.3 million on Brussels sprouts every year at Thanksgiving. This holiday season, Ocean Mist Farms encourages retailers to let their shoppers know this nutrition-rich vegetable may look like cabbage but has a denser texture and milder flavor. When it comes to providing options for shoppers, Ocean Mist Farms has a library of information, recipes, and more for consumers to learn how to prepare and cook their fresh Brussels sprouts. Recipe inspiration includes year-round ideas for weeknight dinners as well as holiday dishes, such as Shredded Brussels Sprouts With Bacon & Pecans, Supershreds Cesar Salad, and Apple Glazed Brussels Sprouts.
“We’ve found that when retailers merchandise a range of pack options, including bulk, packaged whole, and fresh-cut, sales increase significantly,” said Munger. “We also recommend displaying sprouts in the value-added case and also in the wet rack, providing a variety of convenient options within arm’s reach.”
Brussels Sprout options offered for shoppers and operators from Ocean Mist Farms:
Through Ocean Mist Farms rigorous food-safety practices and procedures, the company provides shoppers with only the best quality Brussels sprouts. Shoppers can visit this page for the latest information about where Ocean Mist Farms Brussels sprouts are currently being produced. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms food safety commitment, click here.
For more information, please reach out to contactus@oceanmist.com.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (October 20, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the U.S., is pleased to announce Mark Munger has joined Ocean Mist Farms as Senior Director of Marketing. With this hiring, Ocean Mist Farms has brought on an experienced professional with over 36 years in the produce industry.
In his new role, Munger will be responsible for leading the day-to-day management of trade and consumer marketing initiatives at Ocean Mist Farms. Prior to accepting the position, Munger served as VP of Marketing & Strategy at 4Earth Farms, and before that he served as VP of Marketing at Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce. Munger’s career also includes marketing positions with Driscoll’s, the Produce Marketing Association, and various California commodity boards. He earned his BS in Agricultural Science and Management from the University of California, Davis.
“Bringing on a professional of this caliber to lead our marketing team ushers in an exciting time at our company,” said Rick Bravo, VP of Sales & Marketing at Ocean Mist Farms. “With his proven track record and experience in produce marketing, Mark will bring immediate value to Ocean Mist Farms and the marketing and sales teams. His skill set will be instrumental in our overall success.”
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2022 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (October 19, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the U.S., will attend IFPA’s Global Produce & Floral Show in Booth #1661 October 27-29, 2022.
Ocean Mist Farms will feature their new Broccoli Slaw and 2lb sizes from the value added product line (Broccoli Florets, Vegetable Medley, and Brussels Sprouts) at the Global Produce & Floral Show. The company will also be showcasing their Gold Standard Artichokes to those who stop by the booth. With artichokes grown in Ocean Mist Farms growing regions of Castroville and Coachella, the company looks forward to showcasing their produce to attendees around the country this month.
“We look forward to being at the Global Show this year and to speak to customers in person about our new Broccoli Slaw and 2lb sizes from our value added product line for the first time,” said Rick Bravo, VP of Sales & Marketing at Ocean Mist Farms. “Being able to present our products with current and potential customers is of the utmost importance to us and we appreciate the opportunity to make these meaningful connections.”
To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, stop by booth #1661 at the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show October 27-29. For more information, please reach out to contactus@oceanmist.com.
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2022 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (May 12, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the U.S., continues to emphasize education for students, media, and influencers as a pillar of the company’s marketing efforts. Remaining true to the Company’s purpose of fueling health and happiness through foods that matter, experiencing a vegetable harvest firsthand in the field serves to not simply educate, but builds a brand connection with these different audiences who will spread the word of what they learned and as well as deepen their perspective and understanding of California agriculture.
“Although we share photos and videos on a weekly basis on our social and email channels, nothing takes the place of an immersive field or cooler visit,”: said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing of Ocean Mist Farms. “Our commitment to sharing what is unique about our cultivation practices and giving visitors a chance to harvest an artichoke and speak directly with the grower is a memorable experience that informs each visitor's future relationship with Ocean Mist Farms, artichokes, and field-fresh vegetables in general.”
Most recently, influencers and culinary students have taken to the Ocean Mist Farms’ fields in Castroville, California to learn about the Gold Standard of Artichokes®' designation and experience both an artichoke and iceberg lettuce harvest. As part of the immersive experience, for those willing and able, Ocean Mist Farms provides canastas, or baskets, to try and harvest a few artichokes themselves to understand the depth of skill and technique needed to ensure that only The Gold Standard of Artichoke(s) is harvested and delivered to grocery stores in North America.
“With each of these educational experiences, the role that Salinas and Castroville growing region plays in California’s agricultural production is elevated and more broadly appreciated,” said McClean. For more information on how to include Ocean Mist Farms Gold Standard artichokes and other fresh vegetables in your store, please reach out to contactus@oceanmist.com.
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over thirty fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2022 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (April 12, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the United States, celebrates the 98th year of growing the flagship crop in the Castroville, CA growing region. This nearly century-long commitment to bringing customers and shoppers the very best artichokes available has earned Ocean Mist Farms the reputation for being the Gold Standard of Artichokes®.
“While our company’s artichoke farming legacy began in the Mediterranean-like climate of central California over nine decades ago, we are very proud of our ability to successfully expand our proprietary artichoke program to the Coachella Valley during the winter months,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing of Ocean Mist Farms.
“Our team worked tirelessly to develop just the right seed variety for Southern California’s desert climate to expand the availability of our Gold Standard quality artichokes year-round. Now, with our third purple artichoke season under our belt, we look forward to continuing to develop innovative ways to share this iconic Italian vegetable with shoppers across the country.”
Commitment to Gold Standard
Ocean Mist Farms' vertically integrated operations means the company oversees every stage of the artichoke production process. From seed R&D, land selection, cultivation and planting all the way to harvesting, processing, cooling and distribution, Ocean Mist Farms maintains Gold Standard best practices at every step in the farming and distribution supply chain.
Shopper Touchpoint
Ocean Mist Farms also brings a Gold Standard level of attention and detail to shopper education, offering retail partners a robust library of petal inserts, shelf tags, display bins and recipe cards that provide high impact visibility for artichokes in the produce department. “We also work with chefs and influencers to create simple artichoke recipes and cooking class videos that align with today’s diet trends like gluten free and vegan and cooking trends such as the Instant Pot,” shared McClean. “Then we share these recipes and videos with our mailing list of nearly 100,000 consumers!”
For more information on the Gold Standard or to include Ocean Mist Farms Gold Standard artichokes in your store, please reach out to contactus@oceanmist.com.
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2021 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (March 28, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the U.S., will appear at CPMA this year and feature their spring artichoke production and value-added product line. The company is looking forward to being back in Canada after the past two years. For more information, please reach out to contactus@oceanmist.com.
WHO: Ocean Mist Farms
WHAT: Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business located in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines.
WHEN: April 5-7, 2022
WHERE: Booth #1018
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business located in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2022 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit https://www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (March 7, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the U.S., announces the availability of their proprietary purple artichokes. This seasonal, limited addition to the Ocean Mist Farms artichoke family is a colorful variety selected for superior flavor and appearance.
WHO: Ocean Mist Farms
WHAT: Ocean Mist Farms proprietary Purple Artichokes are back for a third consecutive year. For nearly 100 years, Ocean Mist Farms has cultivated superior artichoke varieties in California. Tapping into this experience, they have developed a purple artichoke variety to enjoy alongside the lineup of other Ocean Mist Farms products and their traditional green varieties.
Characteristics of the Purple Artichokes include a vibrant purple exterior that when cooked may transform into shades of green and purple depending on seasoning and cooking method; the look and flavor of a Mediterranean old-world variety; tender, meaty leaves; and a rich, earthy artichoke flavor.
Size 12 and 18 will be the first purple artichokes harvested at the start of the season, and will then transition to a medium size to fit into the 4-count clamshell Ocean Mist Farms will offer. This will be in addition to the loose artichokes with the tag (pictured above).
WHEN: Ocean Mist Farms expects the heaviest production period to be March 27 – April 23
WHERE: Grown in Castroville, California and available nationwide
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business located in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2022 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit https://www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (February 7, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation Grower Shipper located in Castroville, CA, is pleased to announce the promotion of Bobby Bellew to Director of Farming, Serafin Ruiz to Director of Harvesting, and Glen Alameda to Director of Supply Chain and Compliance.
In Bellew’s new role, he will oversee and guide Ocean Mist Farm’s Northern California farming operations and work to increase cost efficiencies, quality, and yield. Bellew’s expertise and detailed focus on farming will allow him to continue building and coaching talent across the Production and Farming Department and focus on areas where Ocean Mist Farms can utilize science and technology to foster efficiency.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the performances of these three individuals,” said Chris Drew, President and CEO of Ocean Mist Farms. “Bellew, Ruiz and Alameda have all shown growth in their individual areas of expertise year over year. As a result of this development, the promotions of these three key figures at our company positions Ocean Mist Farms for a new era of continued success.”
Ruiz’s background and experience with Ocean Mist Farms harvesting operations and equipment engineering has propelled him to lead the way to increasing efficiency, minimizing product loss, capitalizing on higher yields, and placing a stronger focus on mechanized harvest opportunities. In his new role, Ruiz will manage the Commodity Management Department including both internal and external harvest companies and procurement operations across Ocean Mist Farms’ different production regions.
Alameda’s past role as Logistics Manager has allowed him to glean knowledge of Ocean Mist Farm’s entire supply chain, how it works, and where we have opportunity to improve. In his new role Alameda will oversee all our post-harvest supply chain operations including inventory management and flow, packaging, QA, as well as Customer and Regulatory Compliance.
“We look forward to seeing the shining future these three individuals hold at Ocean Mist Farms and greatly anticipate their work ahead,” said Drew.
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2021 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
CASTROVILLE, Calif. (January 24, 2022) – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the U.S., announces the launch of the Coachella artichoke production season. Growing in the region for over 20 years, 2022 also marks the fourth consecutive year of Ocean Mist Farms’ highly successful Peace Love & Artichokes messaging campaign.
“Every year is different, with Mother Nature being in charge. said Jeff Percy, VP Production in Coachella for Ocean Mist Farms. “Artichoke harvest is in full swing a bit earlier than last year, and we are pleased with the demand for our Frost Kissed® chokes. Looking at production volumes we have good quality and supply for the balance of the Coachella artichoke season.”
Promotable volumes of Ocean Mist Farms artichokes will be available for the majority of the Coachella season and Artichoke buyers are encouraged to connect with their Ocean Mist Farms salesperson to discuss opportunities.
Artichokes traditionally grow in a Mediterranean-like climate, as the vegetable requires mild temperatures and plenty of moisture. However, Ocean Mist Farms has honed a desert-grown proprietary seed variety specifically for the Coachella Valley climate. By utilizing Coachella’s optimal growing conditions during the winter-to-spring months, Ocean Mist Farms is able to maintain their high-quality standards year-round.
Ocean Mist Farms will be issuing a bi-weekly video field report as part of their Trade Email campaign to show off Coachella artichoke production during February. This is just one trade activation being employed to elevate Ocean Mist Farms branded artichokes with decision makers.
To further incentivize shoppers to put artichokes in their baskets, Ocean Mist Farms is launching a multifaceted campaign, launching next week and lasting through April 8. The campaign will include email marketing to a robust community of artichoke shoppers and produce buyers, social media & Google advertising, and sweepstakes prizes – all to drive sales, brand engagement and in-store demand.
To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit www.oceanmist.com. To receive weekly trade information, please sign up HERE. For more recipe inspiration and tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Castroville, CA. and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2021 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
