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What’s Up with Wawona, October 2022

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Welcome to the first edition of our new monthly website article, What’s Up with Wawona! This editorial content will include the latest updates on “What’s Up with Wawona”, industry updates and trends, and fast facts about frozen foods.

We are starting to slow down on the fresh production side. To date, we have processed 46,872,893 pounds of peaches across our 3 processing plants – Clovis, Fresno, and Watsonville.

The Valley Children’s Hospital Employee Giving Challenge is under way! Every dollar donated by an employee is matched by Wawona and is also matched by the Smittcamp Family.

Our top priority to close out 2022? Innovation, innovation, innovation! Our R&D, Marketing, and Sales teams are working together on some new frozen baked good items that will rival homemade cookies, cobblers, and pies! These delicious new items could be hitting the shelves this upcoming winter. Stay tuned!

Fast Facts about Fruits and Vegetables from the PBH

We are excited to celebrate October with fast facts about fruits and vegetables from the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH).

Everyone knows how healthy fruits are for us. That’s indisputable. But, what we are starting to understand and appreciate is just how good they can make us feel! There’s a growing body of evidence that eating fruits is predictive of increased happiness, life satisfaction, and well-being. And, PBH’s research indicates that those who eat fruits and veggies most days per week say that they experience physical, emotional, and social benefits now and into the future.

Here are some fruit-related tips to try:

  • Adding frozen fruit to oatmeal for breakfast is a great way to add flavor and nutrition to the start of your day.
  • Did you know cereal is one of the most frequent ways people enjoy fruit? Consider pairing fruit with cereal for a quick and easy, plant-packed breakfast or snack.
  • Try frozen berries in your yogurt.
  • Think salads are just all about the veggies? Frozen fruit is a sweet, flavorful complement to your favorite greens.

Looking to incorporate more frozen fruit into your dishes? Visit www.fruitsandveggies.org for more information.

Frozen Fruit 101

Frozen fruit is your answer to hit PAUSE on Mother Nature. Freezing fruit at the peak maturity and ripeness holds in all the fresh flavors and natural nutrients that can be enjoyed year-round.

Here are several additional benefits that operators, schools, and consumers can expect when choosing FROZEN over FRESH:

  • Cost Savings
    • Frozen fruit can be more than 50% less expensive than fresh alternatives (*Forbes. 2017. Cut Food Costs By Going Frozen, Without Sacrificing Health Or Taste, shorturl.at/hlY05).
  • 100% Yield
    • Frozen fruit eliminates food waste, straining time, and produces finished items with no water pools.
  • Thaw and Serve Convenience
    • Simply remove from bag, thaw, and serve! Frozen fruit reduces wasted time and adds efficiency to your food prep.
  • Available Year Round
    • Frozen fruit allows you to enjoy your favorite fruits even when they’re not in season. Bake a peach cobbler in March or enjoy a strawberry shortcake in January! Frozen fruit offers year-round convenience, consistency, and fresh flavor.
  • Health Benefits
    • Frozen fruit is picked at peak ripeness to lock in bountiful nutrients and flavor. In some cases, frozen foods can be even more nutritious than fresh fruit because the freezing process preserves the freshest flavor and highest nutrient content.
Wawona Peaches

The Best Ways to Use Wawona’s Peaches

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Wawona offers succulent, delicious peaches that can be used in various ways. Read on to learn about the best ways to use Wawona’s peaches.

Related: Learn the History of National Peach Month

How to Use Wawona’s Peaches

Wawona sells frozen peaches in bulk that are great for school cafeterias and school lunches. While these peaches taste great on their own, you can also incorporate them into some delicious dishes.

You can use Wawona peaches to make baked goods and desserts. For example, you can make a classic peach cobbler or mix things up a bit with peach crumb bars, peach ice cream, peach galette, peach pudding, or peach parfaits. If you want to make something healthier, use the peaches to make a fruit salad.

You can also use the peaches in smoothies or use them as salad or pizza toppings. You can buy Wawona peaches sliced, diced, halved, or pureed. You can also choose from Freestone or Clingstone peaches.

Click here to learn more about Wawona’s peaches!

Wawona Peach Month 8.2.22

Learn the History of National Peach Month!

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National Peach Month has been celebrated every August since 1982.

National Peach Month History

In June of 1982, President Ronald Reagan declared August as National Peach Month. Peaches are a great source of vitamins A and C, and they’re also great for your gut. The president wanted to celebrate this delicious and healthy fruit by dedicating a month to it. Many people celebrate National Peach Month by attending a peach festival, going peach picking, or baking peach desserts.

You can help your customers celebrate National Peach Month by partnering with Wawona. Wawona offers frozen peaches in bulk, which are great for restaurants and schools. The peaches can be thawed and served as fruit, or they can be used to make fruity desserts, such as peach cobbler, peach ice cream, peach crumb bars, or peach pie. We offer our peachs in a variety of different styles: halves, sliced, diced, bits & pieces, puree, and more!

 

Click here to learn more about Wawona’s peaches!

Top Ten Ways to Enjoy Blueberries!

Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Blueberries!

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There are many ways to implement blueberries into your menu for your customers to enjoy. Wawona Frozen Foods offers its foodservice clients fresh frozen blueberries as a year-round staple to use in traditional breakfast and dessert dishes. Chefs have expanded the menu uses of blueberries as their popularity have skyrocketed in recent year as diners have recognized it as an antioxidant superfood and a leading source of vitamin C and potassium.

Here are ten ways to use blueberries in your menu:

  1. Salads
  2. Pancakes/Waffles
  3. Juice
  4. Bran Muffins
  5. Oatmeal
  6. Fruit Kabobs
  7. Smoothies
  8. Parfaits
  9. Quesadillas
  10. On their own!

To utilize blueberries in your operation, contact us at Wawona today!

Wawona Frozen Foods Business Journal Family Owned Business Award

Wawona Frozen Foods: A peach of a family business

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The name Smittcamp is synonymous with entrepreneurial ventures in the Central Valley. With its recent Family Owned Business Award in the large business category, the family continues to build on its business legacy.

Wawona Frozen Foods, founded in 1963 by Earl Smittcamp, specializes in growing and freezing of fresh fruits — namely, peaches. In 1945, after returning from fighting in the Pacific Theater of World War II, he and his wife Muriel bought a 200-acre spread in Clovis called Wawona Ranch.

Wawona began as the 15th largest frozen peach operation in the United States. Today, it is the only one left of the original group.

Earl instilled a sense of discipline and hard work in his four children.

“My father being a Marine, each day he had us stand and salute as the Marine Corps Hymn played,” Bill said with a laugh. “I didn’t put my kids through the same drill.”

Today, the company ships more than 100 million pounds of frozen fruit annually and is the largest peach processing facility in the nation, turning out 65 to 75 million pounds in about 120 days of its season.

Wawona Frozen Foods is being led by both the second and third generations of the family. Bill Smittcamp is president and CEO, with Bill’s son Blake Smittcamp serving as vice president of sales.

A key part of the company’s success, Bill said, is treating everyone like family. He said Wawona Frozen Foods has had employees who worked for the company a whopping 55 to 60 years.

Blair Smittcamp-Martin, Bill’s daughter and Wawona’s marketing and special projects coordinator, said that when you’re born into a family with a business, you’re in the business.

“When you have a family business, you’re in it from the very beginning. My brothers and I started working at the fruit stand at the age of 10, and then on the line, and now we are at an official capacity with Wawona,” Blair said.

The Smittcamp family is also synonymous with philanthropy and advocacy. In June, Bill testified at the U.S. House of Representatives AG Committee meeting to urge Congress to ensure frozen foods are included and promoted in nutrition programs in the writing of the 2023 farm bill.

Wawona Frozen Foods has been a Best of the Central Valley Winner for Best Family Owned Business from 2017-2021. In 2021, Bill was awarded the Fresno Chamber of Commerce’s Agriculturalist of the Year award.

“The key is the family approach. We take ownership of what we have. Every peach that goes by is being looked at by someone — its family. Every employee that is looking for a defect in our fruit is part of the family,” Smittcamp said.

The below article was originally published in The Business Journal on July 29th to celebrate Wawona Frozen Foods winning the Large Business Category of the 2022 Family Owned Business Awards (FOBA).

Wawona Frozen Foods Peaches In A Crate

Here are Four Delicious Ways To Enjoy Peaches

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By Emily Parent, RD, LD

Summer is here and do you know what that means? Peaches. While I love all in-season summer produce, to me there’s not much that beats the deliciousness of biting into a fresh peach and having juice run down your hands. As a produce enthusiast, not only do I love consuming my peaches raw, but they add the most incredible flavor to a variety of summer dishes. Check out four of my favorite peach recipes below:

  1. Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Peaches – With grilling on everyone’s mind this time of year, why not add fruit to the mix. This recipe really hits the mark with flavor and nutrition!
  2. Grilled Halibut with Jalapeño-Peach Relish – If you’re trying to consume more fish these days, try adding peaches and jalapeños to the grill, too and make a knock-your-socks-off jalapeño-peach relish that goes well with just about everything.
  3. Goat Cheese and Roasted Peach Toasts – If you’re looking for a summertime appetizer to wow the crowd, this one has you covered!
  4. Peach Rosé Bellini – What pairs well with a delicious grilled dinner or appetizer? A fancy drink of course! With four simple ingredients, you have an elevated drink that is sure to please the crowd. Sober curious? Try replacing the sparkling rosé with sparkling cider.

Voila! There you have it—four tasty recipes that will have you eating (and drinking) peaches all summer-long!

Click here to read the original article from the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH).

Enjoy National Peach Ice Cream Day with THESE Recipes

Enjoy National Peach Ice Cream Day with THESE Recipes

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For National Peach Ice Cream Day, make sure that you have plenty of these golden beauties on hand with the help of Wawona Frozen Foods! Treat your guests to the holiday’s official recipe or a scratch-made peach milkshake. Another idea, place a scoop or two of peach ice cream on top of a still-warm peach cobbler. Or, top off the ice cream with an indulgent peach wine! Try your hand at making your own with this detailed guide. Just be sure to stock up on fresh or frozen peaches in bulk, because these summery sweets are guaranteed to be popular menu items! Wawona Frozen Foods has all of the answers for your peachy needs.

Have a look at these delectable peach recipes!

Related Link: Peach Tree Fruit Stand

Wawona Peaches 5 Jul 22

Peaches: The Summertime Staple!

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The American Heart Association says that peaches are perfect for summertime, fuzzy and full of nutrients! Typically in season from July to September, peaches are a staple of summertime salads, meals and desserts. They’re also a popular choice for nutritionists, who say their sweet taste makes it easier for people to add them to their diet.

Known for their golden orange color and delicate, fuzzy skin, peaches are packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants, which research suggests may help prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer. The fresher and more ripe they are, the more antioxidants they contain.

They’re low in fat, high in potassium, and free of cholesterol and sodium. They also are loaded with fiber, both soluble and insoluble, which improves satiety and can contribute to good digestion and gut health.

Peaches work well when paired with any number of foods. They can be added to salads or served with a scoop of yogurt. Peaches also can add a surprisingly sweet taste to salsa, be blended into beverages like tea or smoothies, or even grilled in a kabob with other fresh fruit.

If peaches are frozen shortly after being picked at peak ripeness, they maintain their nutritional value. At Wawona, we do just that! Wawona Frozen Foods is the industry leader in the growing, processing and production of fresh frozen peaches. Whether conventional or organic, Wawona grows and processes both Freestone and Clingstone varieties of peaches and offers year-round availability – in many different styles and packs to meet the product needs of customers.

To learn more about all of the benefits of peaches, click here:

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/07/05/fuzzy-and-full-of-nutrients-peaches-are-a-summertime-staple

Wawona Mangos

Beat the Summer Heat with Cool Mango Treats

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When the summer heat hits hard that’s where frozen mango desserts come in handy. We’ve rounded up several desserts from sherbet to popsicles to help you beat the heat! Use Wawona’s delicious frozen mangos to create these amazing treats for your customers!

Grilled Mango with Balsamic Caramel & Vanilla Ice Cream

If you haven’t already tried grilled mango on your menu, maybe adding ice cream will entice you! When placed on the grill, the sugars in mango caramelizes adding a delicious depth to the flavor. A scoop of ice cream and warm balsamic caramel glaze drizzled on top is just a bonus!

 Mango & Raspberry Sour Cream Sorbet

Fresh juicy mangos, raspberries, light sour cream, and little sugar goes into a food processor and the rest is taken care of by your freezer. What’s so great about this no-fuss recipe is that it doesn’t require churning, and the sour cream really helps boost the fat content to keep the texture smooth and satisfying to the tastebuds.

Mango Berry Pops

Mangos mixed with berries is one of the best summer combos! And better yet, Wawona has all of the ingredients to help you make these delicious treats.

Click below to learn about more “cool” options for your operation!

https://www.mango.org/blog-beat-the-summer-heat-with-cool-mango-treats/

the powerbowl, healthy eating

Mango Recipes Your Customers Will LOVE!

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Mangos are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and folate. Mangos are also a good source of vitamin B6, fiber and copper. Mangos contain no fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium. Adding mangos into your menu is easy with the help of Wawona Frozen Foods! Here are some recipe ideas:

Mango Lassie Smoothie Bowl

Combine the yogurt, orange juice, ¼ cup water, cardamom in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add the mango and chia seeds and blend until very smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Taste for sweetness and add honey or agave, if you desire. This is light and refreshing for the summer!

Quinoa Chicken Bowl

Add grilled chicken, quinoa, black beans, corn, and any other vegetables you desire with mango, adding cilantro and lime for a little pop!

Tropical Fruit Guacamole

This sweet and spicy version of guac is the perfect topping for summer fish tacos! Make guacamole as you would, adding diced mango. Add a serrano pepper to spice it up, too!

Finish off National Mango Month in style by adding mangos to your menu all summer long.

Contact Wawona Frozen Foods for more information!

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