“At the moment, we are harvesting our mini sweet peppers in Tennessee,” says Scott Seddon with Pero Family Farms. All Pero’s mini sweet peppers are grown in the open field and Pero continues to harvest in Tennessee until the first freeze, usually around mid-October. “From there, we transition to Florida where we will harvest from late fall until late spring,” adds Seddon. This allows Pero to supply domestically grown mini sweet peppers year round.
Grown in open-field
“Because our mini sweet peppers are grown in the open field, they are crunchier and crispier,” says Seddon. Sun, wind and rain toughen them up and give them a sweeter flavor as well as a longer shelf-life. “They stand out from peppers grown in greenhouses.” The weather has been cooperative this season. As result, this year’s supplies are good and have allowed for lots of promotional opportunities at the retail level.
Mini sweet peppers/snack rings
Pero’s mini sweet peppers are sold in 2 lbs., 1 lb. and 8 oz. bags that contain the product as a whole. In addition, about two months ago the company launched mini sweet pepper snack rings. They are available in the same size bags as the mini sweet peppers. In addition, they come in small 2 oz. snack bags with a Greek yogurt ranch dip.
Consumption of mini sweet peppers continues to grow. “We have the media behind us who promote a healthy lifestyle, which continues to drive growth of the overall produce category. In addition, the consumer is excited about the bright colors of the mini sweet peppers. It makes for a colorful plate and consumers prefer the small size pepper as it reduces waste.”
