Pacific Coast Producers

As an employee of a family farmer-owned cooperative that packs fresh fruits and tomatoes into shelf-stable cans and plastic bowls, sustainability isn’t just a catchy buzzword, it’s in the DNA of everything we do. While some may have reservations about canned fruits and tomatoes, the more experience I have in the industry, the more I understand that canned fruits and tomatoes are often as fresh as fresh can be.

Last harvest season, I had the opportunity to take customers on a tour that started in the tomato field of one of the grower-owners who manages our cooperative. As we rode on the tomato harvester and saw the tomato gondolas receive their tags for traceability purposes, we took the short 2-mile drive to the tomato cannery where the gondolas were emptied and the tomatoes were washed, sorted, and packed within 5 hours or less. As a part of our commitment to grow the highest quality tomatoes in the Mediterranean climate of the Northern California Valley, we leverage innovative methods to use water sustainably.

We replaced chemical peeling with steam peeling. High heat is applied that causes the skin of the tomato to loosen, creating vapor inside the tomato to steam it quickly while retaining taste and nutrients. Vacuum is then applied to separate the skin from the tomato using optimal peeling technology. Steam peeling retains the higher quality texture and color of the tomatoes than other abrasive peeling methods. While a significant portion of tomatoes that are peeled with chemicals are unsafe for consumption and must be discarded, 100% of the tomato that is steam peeled is used—peels and juice are recovered and used for items like tomato paste and tomato sauce.

80-90% of all steel produced is still in use today due to sustainable recycling efforts. Recycling a single can of fruit or tomatoes conserves enough resources to wash laundry, stream a show for an hour, or light a four-hour light bulb

The USDA Economic Research Service estimates that between 30% and 40% of the entire U.S. food supply is wasted every year. As we can quickly pack canned fruits and tomatoes, we not only lock in freshness but also peak nutritional value into a shelf-stable container. Since canned fruits and tomatoes do not require refrigeration during storage, transport, or in grocery stores and restaurants, far less energy is consumed compared to fresh or frozen produce.

Since our canned fruits and tomatoes are packed at the peak of ripeness, the flavor and nutrition are locked in at the time the can is sealed. Unlike the high waste of fresh crops, cans act as a vault sealing in freshness, nutrition, and protecting food from air and light. Due to their long shelf life and affordability, canned fruits and tomatoes may be eaten throughout the year, when fresh produce may not be available—at a price that doesn’t break the budget.

Steel cans are the most recycled container in the U.S. By leveraging magnets, recycling centers and landfills recover steel cans, including cans that aren’t introduced specifically to a recycling stream. Steel food cans are infinitely recyclable—they are recycled repeatedly without losing strength or quality. In fact, 80-90% of all steel ever produced is still in use today due to sustainable recycling efforts. Recycling a single can of fruit or tomatoes conserves enough resources to wash a load of laundry, stream a show for an hour, or light a light bulb for four hours.

As a dad of two young kids, I’m grateful for family farmers who tirelessly work to provide healthy, high-quality fruits and tomatoes that are affordable and healthy for my two squirrely kids. If an afternoon snack of canned fruit hasn’t been on the menu lately or canned tomatoes haven’t been an essential ingredient in your home-cooked dinner, I hope you are excited to reconsider. And for my fellow can fans, I hope that the next time you open a can of fruit or tomatoes, you are reminded of the American family farmers who are committed to sustainably and affordably supplying essential food to you and your loved ones.