New product winners and losers: Playing the long game

I can’t think of a company that introduces more new items to the fresh produce category than Los Angeles-based Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, Inc. BB #:111686 Every fall, I...

By Pamela Riemenschneider
September 24, 2021
1 minute read

I can’t think of a company that introduces more new items to the fresh produce category than Los Angeles-based Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, Inc. BB #:111686

Every fall, I get a dozen new product sheets from Robert Schueller, director of public relations.

While you may think of things like jackfruit pods or steamed beets, you’d probably be surprised to know that out of the 1,500 items the company offers, the top product was introduced way back in 1995.

That item is Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes, and by 2007 they were leading sales. “They became the number-one selling specialty baby potato by 2010,” Schueller says.

Among the attributes for DYPs, as the company calls them, is they’re quick cooking thanks to their small size, and for retailers they’re a safe bet on shrink.

“It’s the only baby potato that doesn’t ‘green’ under lighting or sunlight, making it a shrinkless variety in the produce department,” Schueller says.

Melissa’s continues to support the product’s sales, which included a DYP cookbook in 2016.

This is an excerpt from the cover story of the September/October 2021 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine. Click here to read the whole issue.

Pamela Riemenschneider is Retail Editor for Blue Book Services

nn-cta-image (1)

News you need.

Join Blue Book today!

Get access to all the news and analysis you need to make the right decision --- delivered to your inbox.

Subscribe
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

It’s not what you know,
it’s who you know.
Luckily, you know us

Membership
symbol Got a tip for us?
Here is how to submit

What to read next

Melissa’s Produce now offers Organic Harry’s Berries
melissa's

Melissa’s Produce now offers Organic Harry’s Berries

Los Angeles, CA (March 2025) — Melissa’s Produce BB #:111686 is excited to announce the start of the organic Harry’s Berries strawberry season, now available exclusively through Melissa’s for retailers nationwide. “For years, Harry’s Berries were a hidden gem in Southern California, sold only at farmers’ markets where crowds would line up just to get […]

Melissa’s Produce starts Ojai Pixie tangerine harvest
melissa's

Melissa’s Produce starts Ojai Pixie tangerine harvest

Los Angeles, CA (March 2025) — The Ojai Pixie Tangerine season is officially underway, and Melissa’s Produce BB #:111686 is proud to support the hardworking co-op of family-run citrus growers in the Ojai Valley. This year, the Pixie harvest is looking especially promising, with a strong harvest of smaller fruit that is already Brixing up […]

Melissa’s Lent promotion features potato giveaway
melissa's

Melissa’s Lent promotion features potato giveaway

Los Angeles, CA (March 2025) — Lent season is here and Melissa’s Produce BB #:111686 is excited to kick off its second annual Seafood Boil Program and Giveaway. This easy-to-execute program helps participating retailers take full advantage of the surge in seafood sales during Lent by putting fresh produce at the center of the action. […]

A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Fraud on the Rise
fraud

A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Fraud on the Rise

Executives in all segments of fresh produce continue to grapple with changes in the industry, including more frequent extreme weather events, high prices impacting suppliers and consumers, an evolving labor pool, and the integration of artificial intelligence, among other trends. Here’s what they’re thinking at the start of 2025 and a look at the months […]

A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Expanding Produce Access 
produce blueprints

A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Expanding Produce Access 

Executives in all segments of fresh produce continue to grapple with changes in the industry, including more frequent extreme weather events, high prices impacting suppliers and consumers, an evolving labor pool, and the integration of artificial intelligence, among other trends. Here’s what they’re thinking at the start of 2025 and a look at the months […]

A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Marketing Trends
marketing

A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Marketing Trends

Executives in all segments of fresh produce continue to grapple with changes in the industry, including more frequent extreme weather events, high prices impacting suppliers and consumers, an evolving labor pool, and the integration of artificial intelligence, among other trends. Here’s what they’re thinking at the start of 2025 and a look at the months […]

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2025 Blue Book Services. All Rights Reserved