Stackable Snackables Wins Joe Nucci Award for Product Innovation

Village Farms Stackable Snackables™ series of exclusive specialty tomatoes in new top-seal packaging won the Joe Nucci Award for Product Innovation at New York Produce Show and Conference sponsored by Produce Business Magazine last week held at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York City. The new packaging features bold, eye-catching colors and designs while keeping sustainability and consumer convenience top of mind and delivering concise retailer benefits.

The clear resealable top-seal film is rimmed with original illustrations depicting the spirit of each variety in a fun and lively way. Available in 10 oz. sized containers are Heavenly Villagio Marzano®, Lorabella Blossom®, Maverick Mix®, Cabernet Estate Reserve®, Cherry No. 9 Fall in Love Again® and Lip Smackn’ Grapes®, all are exclusive tomato varieties from Village Farms.

Last year the company was one of ten Innovation Award winners for its newest specialty tomato variety, Lorabella Blossom®, a tomato that boasts a blissfully bright flavor profile. This year in addition to being an Innovation Award winner the company was also the overall award winner of the competition for Stackable Snackables™ receiving the prestigious Joe Nucci award. Village Farms Director of Brand Marketing and Communication, Helen L. Aquino, accepted the award from Jim Prevor, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of Produce Business magazine and Joe Nucci’s sister, Lorri Koster, at the Thought-Leader breakfast.

“We are elated to win the overall Joe Nucci award,” Aquino said. “Our marketing team worked diligently in creating, testing, and trailing this program. The graphics embody the spirit of each variety in order to entice consumers on shelf with the overall intention of increasing tomato consumption while the Stackable Snackables™ series delivers clear benefits for our customers hence the old axiom used as the programs tagline, ‘Stack ‘em High and Watch ‘em Fly’.”

Retailers are embracing the Stackable Snackables™ program for its three-fold benefits; more items per square inch of merchandising space allowing five-high container stacking, increased shelf life compared to bags or clamshells and reduced plastic waste compared to clamshells making top-seal better for the environment.