Menlo Park, California
December 11, 2002
Landec Corporation (Nasdaq:LNDC) a developer and marketer of
technology-based polymer products for food, agricultural and
licensed partner applications, announced today that during the
third week of November its food subsidiary Apio, Inc., recorded
its highest one week sales volume in its history for its value
added products division.
Over the past year, Apio has introduced several new fresh-cut
vegetable items for the retail grocery segment. Products
include: individually wrapped broccoli crowns shipped in
Intellipac(TM) iceless case liners, a newly designed vegetable
party tray and a variety of vegetable snack trays. Apio has
already been shipping broccoli crowns in case liners using
Intellipac specialty packaging and has now added individually
wrapped crowns to increase convenience in handling for the
retail grocer and consumer. The use of Intellipac specialty
packaging can compensate for temperature abuse and can result in
substantial savings on freight expense by eliminating the weight
and space needed for ice, and by reducing spoilage for the
retailer.
The newly launched Eat Smart(R) party tray is designed to look
like it was freshly made in the retail grocery store. The
product includes an array of fresh-cut vegetables packaged in a
unique, patent-pending tray design, which utilizes Intellipac
specialty packaging technology. The new party tray is two and a
half pounds and includes: broccoli, mini slim cut carrots,
celery, grape tomatoes and ranch dip. The rectangular tray
design allows for convenient storage in consumer's refrigerators
and compliments the Company's existing party tray line.
Additionally, the Company is commercially launching smaller
ready-to-eat vegetable snack trays under the Eat Smart Snak
Pak(R) line. These convenient precut and packaged vegetable
snack trays include the 16-ounce Veggie Snak Pak and the 7- 1/2
ounce Mini Snak Pak. Both packs contain carrots and celery
coupled with dips. The Snak Pak line is in response to the
recent trend toward healthier food alternatives for consumers
with busy lifestyles. All of the items have a 17-day shelf life
adding ease to
distribution and merchandising.
"The introduction of these new Apio products is consistent with
Landec's goal to increase Apio's revenues from value-added
Intellipac packaged products by at least 20% over the coming
year," said Gary Steele Landec's Chief Executive Officer. "The
new products are in addition to eleven other value-added
products introduced by Apio in fiscal 2002," Steele added.
Since 1996, Apio has commercially marketed a complete line of
fresh-cut vegetable products using Landec proprietary Intellipac
specialty packaging under the Eat Smart brand. Intellipac
provides the ideal atmosphere within the package to extend shelf
life and preserve the freshness of the product and allows the
company to distribute its products without ice. The product line
includes broccoli florets, broccoli slaw, broccoli and carrots,
broccoli and cauliflower, cauliflower florets, vegetable medley
and vegetable stir-fry in twelve-ounce, two-pound and
three-pound packages. In addition to fresh-cut bagged
vegetables, Apio has a full line of fresh-cut vegetable party
trays packaged with Intellipac specialty packaging.
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