Monsanto Debuts New Variety of Lettuce

“We are pleased to offer consumers a new lettuce choice that has the sweetness, crunchiness and juiciness of iceberg with the added nutrition equal to 246% of the folate and 174% of the vitamin C in iceberg,” said Dan Canales, Misionero Vegetables’ Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

2 May 2012 --- Misionero Vegetables and Seminis Vegetable Seeds are teaming up to bring consumers Frescada, a new U.S.-grown lettuce that is a cross between iceberg and Romaine lettuce. Frescada lettuce will be available in select Sam’s Club stores in six states and offers consumers the sweet taste and the crispy texture of iceberg lettuce with improved flavor, nutritional content and a deeper green color than iceberg lettuce.

“We are pleased to offer consumers a new lettuce choice that has the sweetness, crunchiness and juiciness of iceberg with the added nutrition equal to 246% of the folate and 174% of the vitamin C in iceberg,” said Dan Canales, Misionero Vegetables’ Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Co-branded under Misionero’s Garden Life brand, Frescada is cored, trimmed and ready to use without any waste. Consumers simply open the bag, use what they need and store the remaining product in the re-sealable container.”

Frescada is very versatile and can be prepared the same as other lettuce. In whole leaf form, Frescada is perfect for any lettuce wrap. Use Frescada in your favorite salad, on sandwiches, in appetizers or for plate presentation. Anywhere you use other varieties of lettuce, you could use Frescada.

According to Tanya Alfonso, Seminis’ Consumer Traits Business Development Manager, the company’s Vegetable Seed business developed Frescada using traditional plant breeding.

“Seminis is focused on bringing innovations to vegetable growers and the consumer,” said Alfonso. “Frescada brings consumers a great-tasting, versatile lettuce for their favorite dishes and we are pleased to be working with Misionero Vegetables for our Frescada launch.”