New York based importer and distributor Jac. Vandenberg is planning to showcase its Sunrays® mandarin brand in a unique way at this year's PMA Fresh Summit in Anaheim. The company has designed its booth to host a live cooking demonstration by an Instagram influencer.

"She will be featuring one recipe for each day and both recipes will be centered around our premium Sunrays® brand mandarin oranges," shared John Paap of Jac. Vandenberg. "Visitors to our booth will not only be able to watch these delicious snacks be made but also enjoy eating them! Furthermore, while attendees are enjoying their Sunrays snacks, they will be able to view a series of videos that share why Sunrays is a true “snack with impact”® and interact with our new plastic free packs."

Third consecutive year exhibiting
Paap said Jac. Vandenberg is excited to incorporate food sampling for the first time in their booth this year. This will be the third consecutive year the company will be exhibiting at PMA Fresh Summit, after having attended for many years prior. The show provides an opportunity for the team to meet with people and share with them the company's history as well as the products it offers.

"It’s all about the visibility and personal encounters," Paap said. "Exhibiting gives us the opportunity to meet new faces and reconnect with existing ones that we may not otherwise see on a regular basis. It also provides a great platform for us to tell our story and allow attendees to have a hands-on experience with our products and services."

New plastic free packs highlighted
This past summer, Jac. Vandenberg began packing its Sunrays mandarins in plastic free 3lb boxes and 2-count snack packs, which it says are the first of their kind in the United States. These will be on display at the booth, and the company is also introducing for the first time the Sunrays plastic free 1lb and 2lb boxes.

"We are all too aware of the challenges that face our planet today," Paap explained. "From climate change to plastic pollution, our planet’s future is at a crossroads. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to join the fight to save our planet."

He added that the packs were awarded the Plastic Free Trust Mark during summer, "This makes it the first food and beverage product in the United States to be awarded the world’s first plastic free trust mark – we are very proud of this accomplishment. These packs are produced in mills where virtually all the energy is generated from biomass and the packs themselves are made 100 percent from virgin tree fibers. These packs are game changers in reducing our carbon footprint while also reducing single-use plastic waste. We are excited to be leading the citrus category in creating a more sustainable future."

Upcoming programs
Jac. Vandenberg is currently gearing up for its upcoming Peruvian grape and winter citrus programs which will begin in late October/early November. Paap also mentioned the work the company has done to raise money for Save the Children.

"Since we launched Sunrays in June 2017, we’ve donated over $160k to Save the Children," he said. "Sunrays continues to grow in recognition for its top eating-quality while also giving back for every package packed – the first and only giveback mandarin orange brand in the United States."

Visitors to PMA Fresh Summit will find Jac. Vandenberg at Booth #2864. The company will also have a shelf at the Fresh Ideas Showcase that will feature the plastic-free Sunrays packs.