Small Bites, Big Momentum: A Q&A With Veg Fresh Farms

Our industry is amazing at many feats, but one thing I know for sure is that fresh produce growers know how to take a small format—like a fruit or vegetable—and dial in the eating experience so precisely that it creates big flavor, memorable moments, and lasting impressions for the consumer. These programs are layered like strata, systems built ever so distinctly to support something meaningful. Between R&D, marketing, labor, sustainability, efficiency, growing, packing, and shipping, a piece of produce is shaped in remarkable ways—from taste and texture to name and aesthetics.

It is the gift our growers give to the world. Not without its challenges and complexities, but better because of them. Just ask the team at Veg Fresh Farms.

As the company turned the page into the new year through now, its momentum has picked up—carrying a sensory experience through to buyers and consumers alike in new and pleasurable ways. Debuting several expansions to its already expansive portfolio, Veg Fresh has been under the steady guidance of leaders like Chris Jacoby, Sales Director, and Dino Cancellieri, General Partner, as they visualized what lay on the horizon—and then executed it.

Jordan Okumura-Wright: Veg Fresh Farms has always been a humble but powerful operation, in my opinion. Your team’s decisions are thoughtful, and your plans are carefully laid. As we head further into 2026, what market signals or customer needs drove the decision to invest in your key commodity expansions?

Chris Jacoby, Sales Director, Veg Fresh Farms: Recently, we have made strategic moves with our Bitty Bites baby cucumbers, and extended PreCut Solutions.

For Bitty Bites, the cucumber category continues to evolve as consumers increasingly seek convenient, healthy snack options on the go. Building on the strong success of our Persian cucumber programs, we saw an opportunity to further expand our cucumber portfolio with baby cucumbers—a new variety that aligns well with both retail and foodservice needs and what today’s consumers are seeking.

We are continually exploring new varieties and product offerings that respond to consumer demand, and we believe Bitty Bites represents the next evolution in the snacking cucumber category.

Dino Cancellieri, General Partner, Veg Fresh Farms: The value-added space is generating increasing demand, and our PreCut Solutions program—launched just over three years ago—has grown rapidly. It has expanded beyond diced and sliced items to include whole peeled onions and customized blends. 

Our team works closely with customers to tailor products to their exact needs—whether that’s adjusting heat levels in a pico de gallo or delivering a fajita mix cut to precise specifications. The addition of whole peeled yellow, white, and red onions further supports labor and time savings, helping kitchens and deli operations improve efficiency without compromising quality.

It has been an exciting first half of the year for us, and we do not anticipate that momentum slowing.

Jordan Okumura-Wright: What an incredible evolution of your program. Convenience and efficiency feel like strong indicators of successful investments these days. Let’s start with Bitty Bites. Chris, can you tell me more about this new launch? How does this new baby cucumber line perform in terms of flavor profile, pack formats, and versatility—and where are you seeing the strongest opportunities in retail versus foodservice?

CJ: Bitty Bites baby cucumbers deliver a convenient, grab-and-go snacking solution designed for today’s busy, health-conscious consumers and families. With a crisp, refreshing crunch and consistent quality, Bitty Bites prove that being teeny tiny can deliver big flavor.

These baby cucumbers are ideal as a fresh standalone snack or sliced into salads, bowls, and meal prep applications. Bitty Bites are available in three 9 oz packaging options for retail: a bright, full-color pouch bag; a clamshell with an eye-catching sticker; and an overwrap tray designed to stand out on the shelf and drive trial. In retail, Bitty Bites add excitement to the cucumber set and support impulse purchases, in-store snacking programs, and party trays.

In truth, Bitty Bites offer versatility for both retail and foodservice, making them well-suited for on-the-go consumption, kids’ meal components, and portion-controlled applications that reduce waste. For foodservice, Bitty Bites provide a consistent, ready-to-use cucumber option that supports labor efficiency and menu flexibility, while retail benefits from multiple merchandising formats that encourage trial, leading to repeat purchases and category growth.

Jordan Okumura-Wright: While you are increasingly focused on flavor, convenience, and more versatile eating experiences, I know your eye is also trained on creating a more efficient operation for your customers. Dino, as you note, PreCut Solutions remains a major growth area across the industry and for Veg Fresh. Can you expand on how the company has reinvested in PreCut Solutions, and what operational or labor challenges these offerings help retailers and operators solve?

DC: As I mentioned earlier, the expansion of our PreCut Solutions program to include whole peeled onions has been driven by growing demand from restaurants and delis seeking solutions to ongoing labor and efficiency challenges. By transitioning to peeled onions, operators can reduce prep time and labor costs while increasing efficiency, allowing them to serve food faster without compromising freshness or flavor.

Our sliced and diced offerings further support restaurant chains by lowering labor requirements and streamlining kitchen operations. In addition, we’ve partnered with Aptar for our trays to help extend shelf-life, reducing shrink and keeping products like our pico de gallo fresher for longer without compromising taste.

PreCut Solutions goes beyond foodservice, delivering strong results in deli operations where our customized cuts and blends streamline prep time, and our ready-to-eat grape and cherry tomatoes add convenience and value.

Jordan Okumura-Wright: You constantly touch on a recurring theme in our conversations with the Veg Fresh team: partnership. Across these expansions, how is Veg Fresh thinking about partnership—whether that’s custom specs, packaging, or program development—to help customers differentiate in a crowded produce set?

CJ: At Veg Fresh, strong partnerships are at the core of what we do. On the retail side, Bitty Bites baby cucumbers are offered in a variety of packaging formats—including clamshells, trays, and bags—with flexible specifications and portion sizes that can be tailored to meet each retailer’s needs.

From seed selection to shelf placement, our programs are designed with purpose. Partnering with growers allows us to secure top-performing varieties, while working directly with retailers ensures our packaging and portion sizes meet the needs of today’s shopper.

DC: Through PreCut Solutions, we partner directly with operators to create customized products that help maximize kitchen efficiency while enhancing flavor profiles. From fajita mixes with customized bell pepper combinations—red, yellow, and orange or just red and yellow—to adjustable slice thicknesses (3/8" or 1/4"), we design solutions that fit each operation. Our ginger offerings also provide flexibility, with customizable pack sizes available in both shredded and peeled options.

"…Bitty Bites offer versatility for both retail and foodservice, making them well-suited for on-the-go consumption, kids’ meal components, and portion-controlled applications that reduce waste."

Chris Jacoby, Sales Director, Veg Fresh Farms

Jordan Okumura-Wright: Looking ahead through 2026 and beyond, what does success look like for Veg Fresh Farms—and what should retailers and foodservice operators know about how you plan to support their growth in the year ahead?

DC: We remain focused on continuing to evolve our PreCut program, recognizing that labor efficiency, cost control, and consistency are key drivers of demand. Applications for diced, sliced, and ready-to-eat items extend well beyond traditional foodservice, creating opportunities across multiple channels.

We also look for synergies by developing new varieties that generate excitement and drive demand for our retail partners, while seamlessly supporting our PreCut program.

Veg Fresh is unique in our true Farm to Fork approach leveraging our farm operations and supply-side control to deliver consistent value and quality to our retail and foodservice partners year-round. 

There are many opportunities on the road ahead; you just need the right team, the right perspective, and the right plan.

From bite-sized innovation to operational precision, Veg Fresh Farms is proving that momentum is built through intention. By aligning flavor, efficiency, and partnership, the company continues to turn small, thoughtful decisions into growth—both meaningful and valuable.