fbpx
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram RSS Feed

A Tour Inside Melissa’s Warehouse

What amazing fruits and vegetables lie within Melissa’s warehouse? At Melissa’s/ World Variety Produce  Inc., the country’s largest distributor of specialty produce, a whole world of produce awaits your discovery. And if Melissa’s has its way, you’ll soon enjoy more varieties of fruits and vegetables than you ever knew existed.

Cherry bell and yellow chile peppers are boxed up and ready for the supermarket

Recently we had a chance to tour through Melissa’s 300,000-square-foot office/warehouse complex, located just east of Los Angeles. We took this tour as a part of our Real Food series to learn more about where our food comes from and how it gets to our kitchens. The tour gave us a fascinating look at the many varieties of produce that are out there. It also renewed our resolve to incorporate more varieties of fruits and vegetables into our routine.

What’s Inside Melissa’s Warehouse?

All told, Melissa’s distributes more than 1200 varieties of fruits and vegetables throughout the year. On any given day, there are about 750 varieties in the Melissa’s warehouse (depending on seasonal availability).

The complex hums with activity 24/7. Deliveries arrive at the building throughout the night and workers sort and pack produce for delivery throughout the day. The warehouse (find out here) is basically a sprawling maze of different rooms. Each room is a different temperature according to the needs of the specific fruit or vegetable. The coldest room, for example, houses baby veggies and greens like rapini and bok choy. Meanwhile the papayas, cucumbers, and mangoes hang out in a 65-degree room.

These lemongrass stalks have had their roots chopped off so they are evenly sized and more presentable for the supermarket

In the massive produce prep area, workers sort the produce and get it package-ready.  Even the smallest black spot on a pepper can doom the whole shipment, so workers sort out the “bad” ones (they are sent out to compost).

Packaging and Presentation

Some of the packaging involves a certain amount of presentation. The celery root, for instance, is basically a big brown root ball with a bunch of green sprouts coming out the top. The workers snip the wilted green sprouts but leave the sprightly ones intact.

At another table, a worker trims the dirty roots off the base of lemongrass stalks so they look a little “cleaner” and more uniform in size at the market. And at yet another station, a worker packaging Dutch Yellow and Ruby Gold potatoes keeps a careful balance between the two varieties.

Workers pack Dutch yellow and ruby gold potatoes packed in trays, then cover them in plastic for individual sale.

Inspiring Consumers

“Our new products have always been the lifeblood of our company,” says director of public relations Robert Schueller. To illustrate this, we sat down to a snack of unusual fruits including rambutan, passion fruit, and baby kiwi (there’s no fuzz on baby kiwis, so you can just eat them whole). “We want consumers to get inspired beyond the ordinary carrot or celery. There are just so many options out there.”

On this tropical fruit tray, clockwise from top left: Muscato green grapes, Dutch baby pineapple, more grapes, more pineapple, halved passion fruits, baby kiwis, mango, rambutan, more pineapple and passion fruit, and finally persimmon (the bright orange pieces)

Melissa’s would love to see Americans eat more produce, especially in light of new federal dietary guidelines. “America doesn’t know enough about produce,” adds Scheuller. “And when people think that fries and ketchup count as a vegetable and a fruit, we’re really off the mark.”

That’s one of the reasons Melissa’s has published several books to educate people on different varieties of produce. The newest book will take a look at the 50 most nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables.

Pepino melons all packed up for delivery

Among the fruits that was completely new to us on our Melissa’s visit were the pepino melons, pictured above. They’re not technically melons. They’re a member of the nightshade family so they’re more closely related to tomatoes or eggplant. With a not-so-sweet flavor somewhat akin to a cucumber, you can eat them plain or chopped up for salads or salsas.

Convincing Kids To Try New Things

Of course while Melissa’s loves to introduce grownups to new fruits and vegetables, they’re trying for the kid audience too. The company has developed educational/outreach lessons and materials that it uses in elementary schools.

If you get kids interested in fruits and vegetables while they’re young, it’s easier to make it a lifelong habit, says Schueller. “Plus, I’ve never heard of a parent saying, “No, I’m not going to buy you grapes.”

Note: You can find Melissa’s products at most major supermarkets around the country. If you’re looking for something specific and you don’t see it in your store, you can order online from melissas.com.

Blogger disclosure: I was a guest of Melissa’s for a tour of their warehouse. I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

, , , , , , , , , ,

7 Responses to A Tour Inside Melissa’s Warehouse

  1. Lana October 10, 2012 at 6:20 pm #

    I love Melissa’s! I have learned so much from Robert Shueller and I know that there is still so much more he can divulge in the future:)

    • Jeanne October 10, 2012 at 8:53 pm #

      Thanks, Lana – I agree – I learned so much just walking through the door! : )

  2. Dorothy at ShockinglyDelicious October 11, 2012 at 1:14 pm #

    I was lucky enough to get a tour of their warehouse as well, last year, and it was completely fascinating! Would make a great “where our food comes from” documentary.

    • Jeanne October 11, 2012 at 2:14 pm #

      Agreed! Thanks, Dorothy!

  3. Jeanette October 13, 2012 at 8:26 pm #

    I love what Melissa’s is doing to try to broaden the palate of kids and adults. There are so many fruits and vegetables that are overlooked. Eating the rainbow is the best way to ensure you get the most nutrients. I’ve been introducing new and more exotic fruits to my kids over the years and now they love kiwi fruit, papaya, mango, and dragon fruit in addition to berries, stone fruits, grapes, apples and citrus fruits.

    • Jeanne October 13, 2012 at 9:31 pm #

      I love hearing that! Thanks for stopping by, Jeannette!

  4. My Pyramid October 19, 2012 at 6:12 am #

    Nice images. I like the way you try to find great food for kids and to keep parents up to date on the latest nutrition news.

    The tropical fruit tray looked really yummy!

Leave a Reply