Herb, specialty, and garlic shippers all report a return to normalcy and a continuation of upward sales trends, as foodservice operators look for new ways to enhance their mealtime offerings and set themselves apart from the competition.

Herbs are particularly popular among foodservice operators, said Charles Coiner, president of Rock Garden South, Miami, which does most of its business with foodservice operators. Only one in 10 consumers puts a package of herbs in his shopping cart, Coiner said, while a chef might use rosemary, basil, or other herbs on every dinner he prepares.

In the past, herb use was pretty much limited to high-end restaurants, said Kirk Schmidt, co-president of Quail Mountain Herbs LLC, Watsonville, California. Today, just about all restaurants, with the exception of fast-food establishments, use them.

Restaurants use about the same mix of herbs as retailers, said Tim Heydon, chief executive officer for Shenandoah Growers Inc., Harrisonburg, Virginia. But he said foodservice packaging is significantly larger -- in sizes like 4, 8, and 16 ounces. Some herbs are shipped in plastic containers, to minimize bruising and extend shelf life, he said.

Coiner said more foodservice mainliners have switched to quarter-pound, re-sealable bags instead of stocking dozens of sizes in several slots in warehouses.

And Schmidt said he’s noticed a growing demand from foodservice for herbs like mint and sage, and sales of chives, oregano, rosemary, and thyme also are growing steadily.

In the specialties category, Robert Schueller, assistant marketing director for World Variety Produce Inc., Los Angeles, said foodservice operators have taken a liking to just about all tree fruits, especially pluots, plumcots, and apriums -- all hybrids of plums and apricots.

“We’re seeing a lot of menus being changed for tree-fruit season, which starts in late May and goes pretty strong through September.”

Many restaurants now order sub-acid and white-flesh peaches and nectarines for use in appetizers, salads, and desserts, he said. And champagne grapes from California are popular from late June to late September.

Frieda’s Inc., Los Alamitos, California, offers a foodservice availability guide that lists customized foodservice items, said Tristan Millar, marketing director. “Foodservice is mainly concerned about presentation and about labor,” she said. “The more they have to cut it, slice it, dice it, peel it, the more expensive it becomes for them.”

Pearl onions and potatoes, hand-carved vegetables, and radishes shaped like flowers are some of the specialty offerings from Frieda’s. And oca, a fingerling-shaped root from New Zealand that tastes like a potato with sour cream, has become a new gourmet items for chefs, Millar said. It ships from June to August.

Omar Reynaga, salesman for Coosemans L.A., Los Angeles, said foodservice operators buy a lot of mesclun mix, herbs, and baby peeled carrots.

Coosemans has received more requests for its 3-pound box of kosher-certified mesclun, he said, and it now offers ‘endigia’ endive, a brighter red endive mainly used in salads at foodservice.

In the garlic category, the peeled variety is more popular among foodservice operators, shippers say. That’s because it saves labor costs in the kitchen, since it doesn’t have to be peeled, and it tastes better than dehydrated garlic, said Jon Vessey, president of Vessey & Co., El Centro, California. Vessey said foodservice demand for garlic is increasing, especially for 5-pound jars that stay fresh in the refrigerator. Chefs serve garlic because of its health benefits and because it’s an easy way to liven up a lot of dishes, he said.

Christopher Ranch LLC, Gilroy, California, also does a lot of business with foodservice distributors, said Patsy Ross, vice president of marketing. The company helps restaurants set up ‘garlic galas’ that feature a number of garlic dishes and promotional events. Tucci Bennuch, a Chicago restaurant, has a contest in which customers guess the number of garlic bulbs in a large jar and win a prize.

Christopher Ranch offers 3- and 5-pound jars of refrigerated, peeled garlic cloves, a 5-pound re-sealable bag, and, for heavy users, a 30-pound industrial-size pail as well as a 30-pound bag in a box, Ross said.

She said garlic is popular in Mediterranean and Asian cooking, especially Thai, Korean, and Chinese.