• In US, Fresh‐cut produce sales increased in value from $3.3 billion in 1999 to $15.5 billion in 2007.
• The European fresh‐cut industry has shown exponential growth since the early 1980s.
• Fresh‐cut produce is sold in open‐air markets and food stands in many Asian countries and is increasingly being sold in supermarkets.
• Growing consumer interest in international markets in new or exotic tastes.