Did You Know: Baby Carrots Aren't Actually Baby Carrots
The success story behind how one guy boosted carrot sales.
By Tamara Jayne — 04 Mar 2024, 05:07 PM
You might think baby carrots were made for snacking. But there's actually another reason why they were created.
It all started with one farmer by the name of Mike Yurosek from California.
In the 1980s, Yurosek noticed that many of his carrots were rejected by stores because they weren't the "perfect shape or size".
Throwing these "ugly, imperfect" carrots away seemed wasteful, so he came up with an ingenious idea
He repurposed a bean-cutting machine to chop these misshapen carrots into bite-sized pieces.
But during taste tests, people preferred these carrot chunks as a snack rather than for cooking.
Yurosek then decided to refine his process by creating smoother and more appealing versions, which eventually led to the creation of what we now know as baby carrots
They were sold under the brand name 'Bunny-Luv' (later acquired by Grimmway Farms).
This innovative solution not only minimised waste, but also transformed carrots into a convenient and appealing snack option
As soon as baby carrots hit stores during the '90s, carrot consumption more than doubled.
In fact, they've become such a hit that around 70% of carrot sales in the US today are said to be baby carrots.
They helped people eat more carrots while also reducing waste for farmers. Win-win!
