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Dave Mills, of Mills Valley Farms, credits the late Jack Hougham with discovering the farm's lettuce
stayed fresh longer if torn by hand versus cut with a knife. But not all discoveries occur according
to plan, as is the case here. Hougham made his breakthrough by accident after leaving some
lettuce in his car overnight and observing the hand-torn lettuce appeared to be in better shape
than the lettuce cut with a knife.
After extensive R&D resulting in lettuce and celery that is gently separated from the root
stem by hand, the Wholeaves concept was born. "The no-cut method of leaf lettuce recovery seals
in freshness naturally and eliminates the use of preservatives" Mills says, adding that "because
of the tearing process, Wholeaves enjoy a naturally extended shelf life.
Twelve thousand fertile acres in California's Imperial Valley and Yuma, Arizona, offer a distinct
advantage, and the Mills Family Farms labor-intensive process has the added benefit of hand-selected
leaves that "are 100 percent usable with virtually no waste factor," according to Mills.
To the chef hard at work in the kitchen, Mills says, prep time is greatly reduced because Wholeaves are
meticulously cleaned and carefully packed.
Family-owned since 1958, Mills Family Farms produce comes in small, easy-to-handle recyclable packaging
that presents a solution to the overcrowded walk-in, while limiting paper waste by as much as 80 percent.
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