Overview

Fresh Express is a United States-based producer of fresh-cut, ready-to-eat salads and salad kits, sold primarily through grocery retailers nationwide. The brand traces its roots to the 1920s and 1930s, when founder and produce farmer Bruce Church grew and sold lettuce and later formed an ice company to ship fresh heads of lettuce across the country in ice-packed rail cars — a practice that gave rise to the term "iceberg lettuce." In 1989, Fresh Express created an entirely new produce category by becoming the first company to successfully package and nationally distribute fresh-cut, ready-to-eat bagged salad. A few years later it introduced salad kits that included everything needed for a complete salad, including dressing. Today Fresh Express produces nearly 40 million pounds of salad each month, and consumers eat over 20 million servings of its salads every week. The company operates regional farms and facilities across the East, West, South, Midwest and Southwest of the United States, using a refrigerated "cold chain" and refrigerated truck transportation to deliver salads quickly. Its patented Keep-Crisp® breathable bag technology is designed to let salad leaves breathe and stay fresh without preservatives. The product line has expanded from simple bagged greens to chopped salad kits, gourmet cafe salads, salad bowls and snack offerings such as Chiquita Bites, developed in partnership with Chiquita. Fresh Express is part of Chiquita Brands International, a global produce company. The brand maintains a consumer-facing website with recipes, product information and a Fresh Rewards Club e-newsletter. Its positioning centers on freshness, convenience and innovation in salad-eating, backed by a freshness guarantee on every salad.

History

The Fresh Express story began in the 1920s and 1930s, when founder and produce farmer Bruce Church grew and sold a plot of lettuce. He later formed an ice company to ship fresh heads of lettuce across the United States in ice-packed rail cars. People began calling the produce aboard those ice trains "iceberg lettuce," and the name stuck. In 1989, Fresh Express created a completely new category of produce: bagged salad sold nationwide. The company was the first to successfully package and nationally distribute fresh-cut, ready-to-eat bagged salad. A few years later, it introduced its first salad kits, which included everything needed for a salad, even the dressing. Over time, Fresh Express continued to innovate with packaging such as the patented Keep-Crisp® breathable bag, designed to keep salads fresh without preservatives. The brand expanded its product range to include chopped salad kits, Gourmet Cafe Salads®, salad bowls and snack items like Chiquita Bites, developed in partnership with Chiquita. Today, Fresh Express produces nearly 40 million pounds of salad each month, and consumers eat over 20 million servings of its salads every week. The company operates regional farms and facilities across the East, West, South, Midwest and Southwest, using a refrigerated cold chain and refrigerated truck transportation to deliver fresh salads quickly. Fresh Express is part of Chiquita Brands International.

1990
Fresh Express introduces its first salad kits, including dressing.
1989
Fresh Express creates the bagged salad category, becoming the first to nationally distribute fresh-cut, ready-to-eat bagged salad.
1930
Bruce Church forms an ice company to ship lettuce in ice-packed rail cars, popularizing the term 'iceberg lettuce'.
1920
Founder Bruce Church begins growing and selling lettuce.

Products and positioning

Fresh, convenient, ready-to-eat salads with innovative packaging and a freshness guarantee.

Tropical Mango Crunch Chopped Salad Kit
Zesty Hawaiian Crunch Chopped Salad Kit
Creamy Mushroom Caesar Chopped Salad Kit
Italian Herb & Parmesan Chopped Salad Kit
Orange Sesame Chopped Salad Kit
Creamy Goddess Chopped Salad Kit
Mediterranean Herb Chopped Salad Kit
Bacon Chicken Caesar Gourmet Cafe Salads®
Salad Bowl
Farmhouse Ranch Chopped Salad Kit
Twisted Caesar Avocado Caesar Chopped Salad Kit
Twisted Caesar Greek Caesar Chopped Salad Kit
Twisted Caesar Asian Caesar Chopped Salad Kit
Butter Supreme

Controversies

2020
Fresh Express product recall over possible Cyclospora contamination
Fresh Express issued a voluntary recall of products produced at its Streamwood, Illinois plant because of the possibility of Cyclospora contamination. The article reports about 200 illness cases and says affected products were sold in Michigan and other states.
Source
2020
Fresh Express recalls Southwest Chopped Kit
Fresh Express voluntarily recalled specified lots of its Southwest Chopped Kit because the product contained undeclared wheat, soy, cashews and coconuts, allergens that could cause life-threatening allergic reactions. The recalled product had been distributed in 11 U.S. states. The recall was announced in June 2020.
Source

Recent events

2020.06.30
Reported2020.06.30
Fresh Express product recall over possible Cyclospora contamination[6]Fresh Express product recall over possible Cyclospora contaminationfox17online.com
Fresh Express issued a voluntary recall of products produced at its Streamwood, Illinois plant because of the possibility of Cyclospora contamination. The article reports about 200 illness cases and says affected products were sold in Michigan and other states.
2020.06.21
Reported2020.06.21
Fresh Express recalls Southwest Chopped Kit salad[8]Fresh Express recalls Southwest Chopped Kitfox13news.com
Publix announced that Fresh Express was voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of its 11.5-ounce Southwest Chopped Kit because wheat, soy, cashews, and coconut might be present but were not listed on the labels, potentially causing life-threatening allergic reactions.
2020.06.21
Reported2020.06.22
Fresh Express recalls Southwest Chopped Kit[7]Fresh Express recalls Southwest Chopped Kitwmdt.com
Fresh Express voluntarily recalled specified lots of its Southwest Chopped Kit because they contained undeclared wheat, soy, cashews and coconuts, which could cause life-threatening allergic reactions. The recalled product had been distributed in 11 U.S. states.
2020.06.20
Reported2020.06.21
Hy-Vee recalls bagged Garden Salad over possible contamination[9]Fresh Express recalls Southwest Chopped Kitkwqc.com
Hy-Vee announced a recall of its 12 oz. bagged Garden Salad product across its eight-state region because it may be contaminated with Cyclospora. Customers were advised to discard the product or return it to a Hy-Vee store for a full refund.

Overview

History

Products and positioning

Controversies

Recent events

Sources25 sources