NOVI, MI - The need for industry innovation continues to be the driver behind Lineage’s ambitious expansion strategy. With the opening of its newest facility, the global temperature-controlled warehouse REIT announced the opening of a cutting-edge cold storage warehouse in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania.

“Finding solutions to problems in the food supply chain by using innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Lineage,” said Sudarsan Thattai, Chief Information Officer and Chief Transformation Officer. “To us, innovation is not just a buzzword but a driving force behind our efforts to create a better and stronger supply chain. The new fully automated Hazleton facility marks another significant addition to our automated network, furthering our purpose of delivering food safely and reliably to millions of families around the globe.”

The new, fully automated cold storage warehouse optimizes its strategic location and advanced technology to increase the value for Lineage’s customers. Complementing its existing cold storage network in Pennsylvania, the company’s Hazleton warehouse is strategically positioned to deliver added value for its customers and their consumers.

The new facility spans approximately 386,000 square feet with approximately 85,000 pallet positions for handling and storing temperature-controlled food products. As a press release shared, the state-of-the-art building is equipped with cutting-edge technology and automation, including cranes and rail-guided vehicles, which are used to store, move, and retrieve products within the warehouse.

Inbound lanes at the facility also feature Lineage’s proprietary computer vision technology that automates the receiving process for greater speed and accuracy, as well as automated layer picking that enables additional operational efficiencies for customers with large SKU offerings.

This expansion marks the most recent addition to the cold storage expert’s network of more than 80 fully- and semi-automated buildings. More information on this expansion can be found here.

How will the company continue to expand to meet the needs of its produce partners? ANUK will surely report.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - As DoorDash continues to position itself as a delivery partner to retail, its growth plans appear to be paying off.

“In Q3 2024, we continued to drive strong growth in Total Orders, Marketplace GOV, and revenue, while generating positive GAAP net income for the first time as a public company,” DoorDash shared in its report. “Our goal is to build a large and durable business that helps local merchants succeed and expands the potential of local economies.”

To achieve this, the company noted that it must invest in its existing services and launch new services to ensure strong returns.

“We believe our results in Q3 2024 reflect our ambition to pursue large growth opportunities, our optimism in believing we can innovate around the problems of the day, and our humility in focusing on small improvements in day-to-day operations. We expect these characteristics to persist at DoorDash, which means we expect to continue investing to expand the potential of our services while holding ourselves to high standards of execution,” the company went on to note.

Key financial highlights from the release include:

• Total Orders increased 18 percent year-over-year (Y/Y) to 643 million and Marketplace GOV increased 19 percent Y/Y to $20 billion.
• Revenue increased 25 percent Y/Y to $2.7 billion. Net Revenue Margin increased to 13.5 percent from 12.9 percent in Q3 2023.
• GAAP net income (loss) attributable to DoorDash common stockholders was $162 million compared to $(73) million in Q3 2023. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $533 million from $344 million in Q3 2023

“We are excited by the execution of our teams and the performance of our business so far in 2024. In the near term, we expect our priorities to remain consistent; we will likely spend the majority of our time trying to improve day-to-day execution and the majority of our investment capital expanding the scale and scope of our new verticals and international markets. Longer-term, we believe there is much more we can do to generate value for consumers and help local merchants be successful, and we are investing in new areas that we hope will become meaningful businesses over time,” the company concluded in the Operational Highlights portion of its report.

To read more, click here.

AndNowUKnow will continue to report on all updates across the supply chain, so stay tuned.

MIAMI, FL - For three generations, Tierra Suelta has been growing, importing, and shipping premium tropical fruits. The company is now expanding its core wholesale business with direct-to-retailer programs across the United States and Canada.

“By shipping direct to retailers, we extend shelf-life, optimize product quality, and reduce shrink,” said Steve Stutz, Principal. “Retailers and consumers are also interested in knowing where their food is grown. So, besides the authenticity and deep expertise that comes from three generations of farming, traceability and food safety are enhanced because we grow, pack, and ship our own fruit.”

With the demand for tropical fruit rising, Tierra Suelta is marketing its freshly launched retailer programs with new branding. But that’s not the only differentiating factor that makes this company stand out.

“We’re the only tropical fruit grower I know of that has a full-time agronomist on staff,” said Frank Abreu, Principal. “This allows us to combine the art of farming—learned from our parents and grandparents—with the science of modern agriculture to ensure we are providing the optimal water and nutrients to consistently produce the best-tasting, premium fruit. In the past year, we have added over 30,000 feet of state-of-the-art, Primus-certified cold storage right here on the farm. Our fruit goes straight from the field to the cooler where we pack under optimal conditions, further protecting quality and freshness.”

A press release noted that Tierra Suelta is a woman- and minority-owned business.

In addition to Tierra Suelta’s farms in South Florida, the company has a farming joint venture in Ecuador, which ensures a year-round supply of dragon fruit.

Tierra Suelta also employs innovative, 100 percent recyclable packaging and methods to further protect its fruit, reduce shrink, and increase retailer profits. For example, its star fruit is individually wrapped and can be delivered in protective, 2-pack clamshells.

“Tierra Suelta combines authentic, family-farming skills with modern agronomy, cooling, packing options, and shipping to provide significant advantages to retailers in terms of enhanced product flavor, quality, consistency of supply, and reduced shrink, yielding higher profits and happier shoppers,” concluded Stutz.

Keep reading us here at AndNowUKnow for the latest in all things fresh produce.

MONTEREY, CA - Technology plays a vital role in our industry, and that role continues to advance with each passing year. Digging deeper into this crucial element of fresh produce operations, the Organic Grower Summit (OGS) 2024 will feature a special ag tech presentation showcase by Farm Progress.

"Technology is essential to advancing organic farming practices, and we’re excited to provide a platform for leaders in ag innovation to connect with growers," said Matt Jungmann, National Events Director for Farm Progress. "This year’s ag tech presentations at OGS offers a firsthand look at new tools and technologies that can help drive sustainable and effective practices across the industry."

Featuring leading ag tech innovators dedicated to transforming the future of organic agriculture, the exclusive presentation offers attendees a unique opportunity to explore the latest advancements in agricultural technology. As a press release shared, the featured industry leaders are pioneering advancements across a spectrum of technologies that support organic growers, with solutions addressing efficiency, sustainability, and productivity in organic farming.

The event will highlight presentations from Farm-ng, Titan Tire, Montag Manufacturing, Strauss, Mahindra, Zimeno, DBA Monarch Tractor, Eco2mix, and more.

After the insightful showcase, show attendees will join Ag Tech Opening Reception, sponsored by Strauss, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The networking event provides a collaborative setting where attendees can connect directly with technology providers while enjoying light refreshments, the release added.

A pass to OGS provides attendees with full access to these exclusive presentations and receptions.

For more information on the Organic Grower Summit 2024, taking place December 4–5 in Monterey, California, click here.

More trade show news is on the way, so stick around!

WENATCHEE, WA - The consumers have spoken, and Ambrosia Gold® apples are taking up a resident spot on their grocery lists this season. CMI Orchards recently unveiled a consumer study with Category Partners, in which the beloved branded variety was crowned as the top preferred apple in blind taste tests against seven other high-flavor branded and core varieties.

“We selected Gala for the match-up against Ambrosia Gold, as both apples satisfy consumers seeking mild, low-acid sweet apples. Ambrosia Gold apples captivated surveyed participants with their honey sweetness and stunning bi-colored yellow and pink-blushed appearance,” said Rochelle Bohm, Vice President of Marketing at CMI Orchards. “Crisp and slow to brown, Ambrosia Gold is the natural upgrade for shoppers seeking a mild, low-acid apple with high sugar content. Our study shows Ambrosia Gold excels in flavor and appearance, even surpassing Honeycrisp in texture. Ambrosia Gold dominated our entire study with the highest scores in every category.”

During the study, an impressive 85 percent of participants ranked Ambrosia Gold in their top three, with 75 percent preferring it over its comparable core variety, Gala.

“Ambrosia Gold blends apple innovation with wide appeal and high consumer satisfaction,” added Vice President of Business Strategy Loren Foss. “Retailers stocking Ambrosia Gold can expect increased sales and happier customers due to its consistently great taste and visual appeal—the proof is in the data!”

Due to this increasing consumer preference, CMI recommends replacing one Gala SKU with Ambrosia Gold to attract mild apple fans and capitalize on the trade-up opportunity, a press release shared.

“Gala is an important variety and one of the best-selling apples in the U.S.A.,” said Foss. “We’re not saying remove Gala from the shelf altogether, but to allocate one of many Gala SKUs to Ambrosia Gold—trade shoppers up, elevate their eating experience, and give retailers a fresh tool to capture incremental sales.”

To help drive register rings for the already popular variety, CMI offers an innovative approach to enticing consumers with custom signage at the ready.

“Our Like Gala? You’ll LOVE Ambrosia Gold® campaign includes stanchion signage and shelf point-of-sale materials to promote this upgrade,” she shared. “Retailers can work with CMI to customize in-store and online marketing.”

To access the full results and insights garnered from the study, click here. To read more about this premium apple variety, click here.

For more industry updates from ANUK, stay put!