A new player has entered the retail fresh produce game. There has been a nationwide 52 percent growth in the pre-cut salad business, growing by more than $643 million in sales, says Roberta Cook, UC Davis agricultural economist. "This consumer trend for pre-packaged 'salad kits' has led store managers all over the country to change their display techniques to attract more salad customers," says Cook. This trend has been accompanied by a marked decline in iceberg lettuce sales and a rise in demand for romaine lettuce -- the primary ingredient used in pre-cut salad kits. National consumption surveys indicate that regional sales of pre-cut salad are heaviest in the Northeast and the South, Cook says.