Baldor Specialty Foods adds water spinach to its diverse produce lineup

The distributor expects to provide uninterrupted, year-long availability of the leafy green commonly used across Asian cuisines

Baldor Specialty Foods, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic’s largest premium produce and speciality foods distributor, announced the addition of Water Spinach, also known as Ong Choy in Cantonese, to its selection of premium produce. This introduction marks another milestone in the company’s legacy of sourcing unique and high-quality products, with its ability to provide this speciality green to foodservice from reliable and safe farms.

“We’re thrilled to be able to bring a safe, steady supply of Water Spinach to our restaurants and food service providers,” said Scott Crawford, Baldor VP of Merchandising. “It’s part of our continuing commitment to bring new fresh and diverse offerings that will inspire our customers or solve problems for them.”

Ong Choy, or Water Spinach, is a versatile leafy green vegetable with a rich culinary heritage. It boasts a tender texture, mild flavour, and exceptional nutritional profile, making it a prized ingredient in cuisines across Asia. With long, narrow, spinach-like leaves and crisp stems, water spinach has a spinach-meets-celery flavour that is earthy and subtly sweet, and complements a wide range of dishes, from stir-fries and soups to curries and sautés. When cooked, its leaves lose volume while the hollow stalks hold in sauces, as a bucatini pasta does, and maintain their crunchy bite.

While Water Spinach has long been celebrated in many parts of the world for its flavour and nutritional benefits, its cultivation and sale in the US have faced legal restrictions in several states. This is primarily due to its classification as an invasive species in certain regions, having the potential to dominate native vegetation and disrupt ecosystems. However, Baldor will be sourcing its Water Spinach exclusively from B&W Quality Growers, one of the largest growers of speciality leafy greens, who are commercially licensed to cultivate Water Spinach.  They adhere to strict agricultural practices, ensuring both quality and environmental responsibility.

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