Steam bag lets consumers give potatoes a 'home-made' taste

M&Q Packaging Corporation working closely with customer Agrow Fresh Produce Company of Chicago, IL has provided its MQ36 dual-ovenable steam bag as a key component in Agrow Fresh’s “Simply Season &Steam” fresh petite red potatoes.

Consumers like the idea of steaming vegetables because they see it as healthy. Having a steam bag included in each bag of small-sized fresh potatoes brings convenience and taste…the potatoes can be seasoned as desired…to the kitchen. The 11x17 MQ36 bag is delivered to Agrow Fresh pre-folded to the size of a match book and inserted along with the potatoes into a 24 ounce, color printed poly-bag. At meal time, just open the MQ36 bag, fill it with potatoes and seasonings, close the bag using the plastic tie provided, and pop into the microwave for 12 minutes. The potatoes are steam-cooked to a tender and creamy texture with no pots or pans to clean afterwards.

According to Mike Recchia, Agrow Fresh president, the company is the only one at this time providing shoppers with a steam bag packed with the fresh potatoes. “Agrow Fresh is about understanding what consumers are looking for and answering it,” said Recchia. “We wanted to take fresh and convenient, and put them together.” They tested many seasonings combinations in their kitchen and liked the results, but had to hunt for steam bags in the supermarkets without success. “We came to M&Q with the challenge and they not only had the right bag, they came up with folding process that makes inserting them efficient on our automated packaging line. It’s a win-win for everyone,” added Recchia.

Even the 24 ounce bag is unique, the product of much consumer research to determine a reasonable sized offer for the average-sized family. Mike Recchia points out that, “these potatoes are fresh and unprocessed. You wash and cut your potatoes as you wish…halves, quarters, slices…and season. You can use your own herbs and spices or try dry salad dressing packets.” For those looking for some direction, recipes are printed on the 24 ounce bag and are available on the Agrow Fresh website.

The MQ36 dual-ovenable steam bag is a one mil, oil resistant, nylon structure that is oven-safe up to and including 400 degrees Fahrenheit and meets FDA standards for high-temperature cooking. “The bag works great. As a consumer you don’t have to think or worry about it. And you can steam any sized potato. The possibilities are endless,” said Curt Rubinstein, sales and marketing manager for M&Q.

Currently, Agrow Fresh has “Simply Season &Steam” and private label packages in supermarkets from the mid-west to the mid-Atlantic region and can see broadening the product line by moving into purple, Yukon, and white potatoes. “They’re all fantastic in a steam bag,” adds Mike Recchia.

M&Q Packaging Corporation is a division of M&Q Plastic Products, a world leader in the plastics manufacturing market. For more than 50 years, M&Q has pioneered the development of high temperature film solutions. M&Q Packaging is a leading provider of engineered film products for diverse applications in the food, medical and aerospace industries. The company is the only North American manufacturer of polyester shrink cook-in bags that provides both the extrusion of the film and the fabrication of the bags. Since the company controls the entire process, it has the ability to provide shorter lead-times, flexible order quantities and lower prices. For more information about M&Q Packaging and the MQ120 Oven Bag visit www.mqplastics.com.

Agrow Fresh Produce Company is a quality-oriented grower, packer, and shipper of all types and sizes of fresh potatoes and onions, specializing in Red and Yukon Gold, and customer-designed mini-bags of potatoes and onions. The management team has over 150 years of experience in the produce industry and is proud to be a member of PMA, Five-A-Day for Better Health Foundation, and Red Book and Blue Book rating services. Agrow Fresh is also a strong supporter of America’s Second Harvest. For more information about Agrow Fresh and Simply Season &Steam visit www.agrowfresh.com.