September/October 2019 - 17

BEVERAGES
3 QUESTIONS WITH BOB MCCLURE
Produce Processing: What makes a great pickle
cucumber?
Bob McClure: If you ever cut open a cucumber, there
are seeds in it. The larger the seeds are, the more
water content that cucumber has, which over time
means it's going to be mushier. It's not going to be
as crunchy. ... When working with our farmers, if we
have the opportunity for them to grow the seeds that
we choose, we're choosing those that have very small
seeds or even no seeds at all.
PP: Michigan grows more pickle cucumbers any other
state, but the growing season is short. Where do you
source the rest of the time?
BM: When we first started out (in 2006), we were
getting them from whomever we could get them from
at a good price, because we were small and we didn't
have bargaining power. ... Even then, we used local
processors and local growers to help us get through
certain seasonal gaps. Now we have enough buying
power where we're contracting with farmers. During
the summer season from July through September, we're
ordering from our Michigan farmer. The rest of the
season we use Mexico, Texas, Florida and up through
where the sun warms up the ground. Then we'll move
up through the Rust Belt until we get back to Michigan.
PP: You mentioned earlier that you just finished
processing a stock of cucumbers, but now have an empty
cooler. Are you looking at creating any other new lines?
BM: I can't not have people working for a couple of
days because they're going to start looking for other
jobs. We have to have alternative products that we can
make in case there is a shortage or say the cooler goes
out and cucumbers go bad. What else are we processing
so we can help our team and their families have a
steady source of income. So are the things we're always
thinking about - how do we have alternative things
we can process that aren't supply chain dependent, or if
they are, we can switch things over quickly.
We have these snack packs that are being put into
the market. They're the little tiny cornichon style
pickles. They're usually very tart, but we reformulated
our brine mixture a bit to be more approachable to a
younger audience. We're excited because it offers a
more approachable price point in retail (about $2 a
pack). You can take them anywhere. They're TSAcompliant,
so you can even take them on a plane.
FEATURE
SORTING AND PEELING SOLUTIONS
FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY
For more than 40 years, TOMRA Food designs and manufactures sensor-based sorting machines
and integrated post-harvest solutions for the food industry, using the world's most advanced
grading, sorting, peeling and analytical technology.
FOOD.US@TOMRA.COM
WWW.TOMRA.COM/FOOD
PRODUCE PROCESSING
15

http://WWW.TOMRA.COM/FOOD

September/October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2019

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