UNSPSC 50541540: Frozen non GMO howgate wonder apples

The variety of non GMO apples known as non GMO howgate wonder apples that have been frozen for preservation. This means that they are produced without the use of methods that genetically modify organisms by means that are not possible under natural conditions. Such methods include cell fusion, microencapsulation and macro-encapsulation, and recombinant DNA technology (including gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of genes when achieved by recombinant DNA technology).

Traditional methods of breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue culture are considered to be non-GMO.

UNSPSC 50541540 Frozen non-GMO Howgate Wonder apples, a Commodity code, shows minimal alignment between the code's narrow product specification and the actual work being solicited under it. Recent state and local opportunities tagged with this code overwhelmingly solicit broad school nutrition procurement — frozen and fresh produce, grocery items, dairy, meats, and related food service supplies — rather than the single apple variety the code nominally names. The issuing bodies are school districts and their nutrition services departments, supplemented by one city procurement office. School nutrition procurement dominates the recent activity: the City of Bridgeport Department of Public Purchases, Hancock County Board of Education, State of Georgia, Early County Board of Education, City Schools of Decatur, Rockwood R-VI School District in Missouri, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, and Douglas County School System in Georgia have all posted solicitations in the past six months. These jurisdictions are pursuing National School Lunch Program compliance, Buy American provisions requiring minimum 51 percent domestic agricultural content, HACCP food safety plans, whole-grain standards, low-sodium formulations, and delivery schedules to multiple school sites. The scope includes frozen products, fresh produce (apples across multiple varieties, berries, cruciferous and root vegetables, citrus, melons, leafy greens), dairy, meats, breads, condiments, and non-food supplies.

Geographic concentration is heavily weighted toward Georgia school districts — Hancock County, Early County, City Schools of Decatur, Savannah-Chatham County, and Douglas County — with secondary activity in Connecticut (City of Bridgeport) and Missouri (Rockwood R-VI). Representative recent opportunities include the Hancock County Board of Education IFB for fresh produce (due June 26, 2026) spanning over 200 line items including multiple apple varieties and delivery to three school sites for the 2026–27 school year; the City of Bridgeport solicitation for grocery items (due June 30, 2026) covering over 1,100 line items supporting the Bridgeport Board of Education's Food & Nutrition Services; the City Schools of Decatur IFB for frozen foods and grocery items (due May 15, 2026) serving ten Decatur school sites; and the Douglas County School System RFP SN 26-004 (due March 4, 2026) for fresh produce and eggs to serve 30 school districts across two geographic areas with estimated annual spending of approximately $5.5 million combined. The code's nominal specificity — a single frozen apple variety — does not reflect procurement practice; vendors responding should expect to stock multiple fresh and frozen produce lines, commodities, and ancillary supplies rather than a single SKU.