PHARR, TX - Last week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility intercepted over 1,109 pounds of narcotics hidden inside of a broccoli shipment. In total, the illegal substances amounted to around $18,418,500.
“This was truly a notable seizure in the commercial environment,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. “Our officers’ ability to maintain an excellent enforcement posture while keeping trade flowing and uninterrupted is one of our main priorities.”
According to the CBP’s press site, this outstanding find occurred on February 16 at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility after a CBP officer referred a tractor/trailer hauling a commercial shipment of fresh broccoli for further examination. The first part of the inspection involved utilizing non-intrusive imaging equipment, which allowed the officers to discover a total of 432 packages of suspected narcotics hidden within the trailer.
Through further investigation, CBP officers removed and seized 341 packages of alleged methamphetamine weighing 895 pounds (406 kg) valued at $18,000,000; 87 packages of alleged marijuana weighing 202 pounds (91.5 kg) valued at $40,000; three packages of alleged heroin with a weight of 8.82 pounds (4 kg) valued at $353,000; and one package weighing 3.31 pounds (1.5 kg) of alleged cocaine valued at $25,500.
CBP OFO seized all the narcotics along with the tractor/trailer and the case remains under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
AndNowUKnow will continue reporting on the latest in the fresh produce industry.
SEATTLE, WA - The newswires were abuzz this morning as yet another major announcement has been made from the e-commerce behemoth, Amazon. We teased the news of its plans for a Seattle-based grocery store back in November, but without warning, the store—dubbed Amazon Go Grocery—has now officially opened. The new store is piloting Amazon’s use of a cashierless format technology that has fueled the company’s 25 convenience stores across the U.S.
According to the news source Tech Crunch, this new store features a full lineup of grocery departments, including sections dedicated to fresh produce and prepared foods. At 10,400 square feet, the facility is Amazon’s largest to use the “Just Walk Out” cashierless technology.
While the company’s innovative technology has managed to streamline the shopping experience through reduced wait times and foot traffic, experts say that this may be more complicated when applied to the traditional grocery format.
What will be Amazon’s next move in the grocery space? And what can we expect from its cashierless technology? Only time will tell, so stick around as we continue to report at ANUK.
WATSONVILLE, CA - Though we regularly name-drop trailblazers here at ANUK, very few come close to the impact Cindy Jewell has had on the produce industry at large. As a longtime produce advocate, innovative marketing maven, and indomitable leader in her own right, Cindy has built a legacy any industry up-and-comer dreams of building for themselves—a legacy that now includes her latest venture, SCJewell.
As Cindy sets out to start her own company and blaze a new trail for our industry’s marketers, I sat down to chat with her about this exciting next step in her produce journey and how she made this decision after 15 years with California Giant Berry Farms.
“Working for Bill Moncovich and Pat Riordan at California Giant was the opportunity of a lifetime, as they quickly taught me how to have fun while taking risks,” Cindy began when I ask her how she decided to start SCJewell. “I knew I was creative, but I never had the chance to explore it with trust like they provided me. Much of what we have accomplished in marketing here at California Giant began with stepping out into uncharted territory with new programs and initiatives. Sure, we had a couple of black eyes along the way, but we learned early on what worked and what didn’t in building this brand. I know now that taking this risk, walking away from California Giant, is also worth the reward.”
When it comes to the physical act of blazing a new trail, those we deem trailblazers make it look easy. In actuality, it’s a lot of work—a lot of weed whacking and plowing ahead even when the going gets tough. Cindy, like many trailblazers before her, however, looks into the face of these challenges unflinchingly. After all, a challenge is just an opportunity to reapply your passions to a new pursuit.
“I really felt like it was time to take on a new challenge,” Cindy continued. “As much as I have loved and been gratified by the accomplishments here at California Giant, I am ready to take on new initiatives and work for myself while continuing to support the produce industry in creative marketing. I have passion, creativity, and an incredible network of friends in the industry that I cherish. My journey has led me here, and I am grateful for every relationship gained and lesson learned along the way. I absolutely love what I do every day to help move the needle of fresh produce. I wake up every morning with new ideas that really motivate me to make a difference. I also have a strong passion for giving back and want to make sure I am able to continue with cause marketing initiatives like Tour de Fresh, the United Fresh Start Foundation, and others doing so much to improve health and wellness.”
With SCJewell officially kicking off in March, I asked Cindy what the industry can expect from her new marketing undertaking.
“I hope to work with several different types of clients in the industry and stay connected to telling positive stories about farming. The best part of any day is spent talking with a farmer and being able to tell their story to the consumer who buys their fresh produce,” Cindy reflected. “There is so much work to be done in making these connections, I would love to be able to spend time making a difference there. I also want the opportunity to stay connected to the industry associations so I can continue to make a difference in our communities and with public policy.”
Alongside these goals is the over-arching mission to expand the reach of fresh produce and keep its biggest competitor out of shoppers’ grocery carts—a mission that SCJewell has already adopted.
“One conversation I have really enjoyed over the last several years is bringing produce brands together. When a stranger asks me, ‘What do you do?’, the conversation always circles back to, ‘Who is your biggest competitor?’ I’ve always answered non-fresh items and candy—an answer that shifts the conversation to all the positive attributes of fresh produce,” Cindy revealed. “I look forward to continuing this conversation long into the future. I hope that by telling produce’s story, I can steer those strangers away from the candy aisle and into the produce department. We still have a long way to go, but this is why I plan to stay in the industry for years to come.”
Should you choose to look up the definition of a trailblazer in the dictionary, you might find a photo of Cindy Jewell smiling back at you—with a lengthy list of her produce accomplishments underneath. As Cindy embarks on this next stage of her career, AndNowUKnow will continue to report from the trail she blazes.
IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!
Today, I am bringing you some of the category and weather news from around the industry. Check back twice weekly to see the latest around all growing regions.
WARM OUT WEST WHILE CHILLY IN FLORIDA
California
California began a five-day heat wave yesterday which will see temperatures about 10° above normal for this time of year.
Regions such as Santa Maria, CA, which have an average high temperature of 64° for February, had a maximum temperature yesterday of 75°. Today and tomorrow will be about the same but will hit 80° on Thursday and Friday. Oxnard will see approximately the same temperatures as Santa Maria.
The desert region of Coachella along with the San Joaquin Valley will see maximum temperatures in the mid 80°s all this week.
These warm temperatures bode well for increased production of strawberries along the coast, oranges out of the SJ Valley, and all items of the Coachella Valley. Look for increased volume this week and into the weekend.
Florida
On the other side of the country in Florida, the script will be flipped. Florida has been experiencing its own heat wave for the last 10 days or so, which has led to heavy volumes of strawberries, but that will come to an abrupt end tomorrow as a storm front comes through the state. The strawberry regions of Plant City and Palmetto will see rain tomorrow (up to .75”) with cold temperatures to follow on Thursday through Sunday. Look for maximum temperatures over those four days to reach the mid 60°s and minimum temperatures to range from the upper 30°s to the mid 40°s.
The vegetable regions of Belle Glade and Immokalee will see rain as well tomorrow followed by much cooler temperatures. Expect maximum temperatures over the next four days to be in the mid-60°s and minimum temperatures to be in the low 40°s with an occasional upper 30° temperature.
Monday will begin a gradual warm-up across the state with maximum temperatures back in the 80°s by mid-week.
Look for production volumes to slow over the weekend due to these cool temperatures.
UNSEASONABLY COOL TEMPERATURES COMING TO MEXICAN LIME COUNTRY
The same storm making its way across Florida tomorrow will also hit the Mexican coastal lime growing regions of Veracruz. The region can expect up to 1.0” of rain tomorrow which will most likely halt harvests for the day. Along with the rain will come cooler temperatures. Expect maximum temperatures to drop over 20° from a high yesterday of 87° to a high 67° tomorrow. These cooler temperatures will last through Saturday. Look for another chance of rain on Friday and Saturday.
HOT TEMPERATURES CONTINUE IN CULIACÁN
The warm temperatures last week in Culiacán, Mexico, have led to increase in production of all items coming from this region. These warm temperatures will continue this week with maximum temperatures reaching into the low 90°s with minimum temperatures in the mid 50°s. Look for markets to loosen as volumes increase once again. Temperatures will cool next week with highs in the low 80°s and possible low temperatures dipping into the 40°s. We will update you again on Friday.
Thank you as always! We will be back later this week with another report.
LANCASTER, PA - A new partnership was born recently between two great apple leaders in the industry. Hess Brothers Fruit Company teamed up with Rainier Fruit Company to expand its WildTwist™ apple program.
“We are always looking for the next big thing, especially in a very crowded field, and we believe that WildTwist apples are a true game-changer for the category,” Andy Tudor, Vice President of Business Development for Rainier Fruit, commented. “These apples offer superior eating with a popular pedigree to match and consumers will immediately recognize its varietal parents as an incredible starting point for a great apple.”
According to the press release, Hess Brothers has had several successful years of sales trials, and is excited to debut WildTwist to a bigger audience. The apple grower recognized the potential for this apple to be successful very early on, and found a like-minded partner in Rainier Fruit Company.
“Our customers have been excited to get this apple on the shelf,” Andy Figart, President of Hess Bros. “It’s a phenomenal eating experience and can reinvigorate the apple category from late winter through the summer months when sales are traditionally slow.”
The new partnership between Hess Bros. and Rainier Fruit will produce a “phase one” volume that is 50 percent produced in the Eastern U.S. and 50 percent in the Western U.S.
“This great apple deserves our best effort in a crowded time for the apple category,” continued Figart. “We want to make working with WildTwist as easy as possible for our retail partners. Having production on both coasts will allow for national and regional customers to take advantage of freight efficiencies, as well as maximizing existing relationships.”
A cross between HoneyCrisp and Cripps Pink, WildTwist apples deliver an explosive crunch with an intricate flavor that will leave consumers wanting more. The apples are available now through June, providing ample opportunities for retailers to take advantage during key times. Both Hess Bros. (booth #629) and Rainier (booth #111) will be exhibiting WildTwist at the Southern Exposure Conference in Tampa, Florida, February 27-29.
CULPEPER, VA - As a partner to Ahold-Delhaize USA, BrightFarms has positioned itself well for continuous growth. The locally grown salad provider recently announced that it is expanding distribution in the Mid-Atlantic, tapping Ahold banner Food Lion’s more than 330 Virginia-based stores. Following the expansion, the partnered Food Lion locations will be serviced from BrightFarms’ Culpeper, Virginia, greenhouse.
“Ahold-Delhaize USA is a leader in local produce. Since launching with Giant Landover in 2016, we’ve been fortunate to partner with several of its brands.” said Steve Platt, Chief Executive Officer of BrightFarms. “With our increased capacity on the East Coast, we're thrilled that we now have the opportunity to supply Food Lion’s Virginia stores with our fresh, delicious, and pesticide-free greens.”
Since 2016, BrightFarms locally grown salads have been sold throughout the Mid-Atlantic in more than 160 Giant Landover stores. The new Food Lion stores will expand BrightFarms’ reach into Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and communities in western Virginia.
It will also strengthen the company’s presence in Charlottesville, Richmond, and Norfolk, growing its customer base and making its local, pesticide-free produce accessible to more consumers. The Food Lion portfolio will include popular BrightFarms’ varieties like Sunny Crunch, Baby Spinach, Spring Mix, Baby Arugula, and Mixed Greens.
“Food Lion is committed to providing locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and affordable produce for our customers across the towns and cities we serve. We’re excited about this expanded partnership with BrightFarms, which will expand our ability to deliver to our Virginia customers the high-quality, locally grown salad greens they expect from Food Lion,” said Chris Dove, Food Lion’s Vice President of Produce Category and Merchandising.
According to a press release, BrightFarms’ Culpeper greenhouse has also supplied GIANT Food Stores in Pennsylvania since 2017. Increasing consumer demand from those stores led BrightFarms to open its newest greenhouse in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, earlier this year. GIANT began sourcing product from the 280,000-square-feet Selinsgrove greenhouse earlier this month, enabling the Culpeper greenhouse to begin supplying all Food Lion stores in Virginia.
For more accelerated growth initiatives across the fresh produce industry, keep a tab open for us at AndNowUKnow.
MILLEN, GA - The date draws ever nearer, and the excitement continues to build as more Southern Exposure news is released. It seems the Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) is feeling this energy because the premier produce resource in the Southeast recently unveiled a brand refresh to mark 20 years of success, symbolizing progress as well as the future of the association. Ahead of Southern Exposure, SEPC is debuting a new logo and website to kick off the prestigious networking event this week.
“Our goal for the new logo was to progress our identity and to better reflect our growing membership,” said David Sherrod, President and CEO of Southeast Produce Council. “We could not be prouder of the new logo and are excited to use this to propel the Southeast Produce Council into the years ahead.”
While the design of the logo was enhanced, the SEPC pillars and recognizable colors remain the same: Purple = Innovation; Green = Education; Gold = Community; Red = Networking. According to a press release, participants of Southern Exposure will see a 10-foot display of the new logo in key locations during the event, as well as additional signage to highlight the launch of the refreshed brand identity.
All members of the association, media, and fresh produce colleagues are encouraged to use the new logo moving forward and can download it from the newly updated website.
Follow along with us at ANUK as we bring you the latest SEPC news.
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on Write On Marketing as part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). The Los Angeles, California-based company allegedly failed to meet its contractual obligations to the sellers of produce it purchased, resulting in it being barred from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without the approval from the USDA.
Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.
Write On Marketing Inc., failed to pay $619,195 to nine sellers for produce that was purchased, received, and accepted in interstate and foreign commerce from August 2017 to July 2018. This is in violation of the PACA. Write On Marketing Inc., cannot operate in the produce industry until Jan. 9, 2022, and then only after they apply for and are issued a new PACA license by the USDA.
The company’s principals, Arnulfo Diaz, Jose Salazar Jr., and Rudy Gomez Bravo, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until Jan. 9, 2021, and then only with the posting of a USDA approved surety bond.
The USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated and flagrant violations of PACA as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.
The PACA Division, which is a part of AMS’ Fair Trade Practices Program, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, the USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 7,800 callers with issues valued at approximately $148 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
For further information, contacts, and to read the press release in its entirety, please click the link here.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The cat has been out of the bag for quite some time now as Amazon has been testing its new grocery format in multiple locations. Most recently, the retail heavyweight announced that its Amazon Fresh store was making significant progress in Southern California. The company is now moving forward with more customizations for its brick-and-mortar format, entering a new partnership with the supply chain technology giant Dematic to host a micro-fulfillment program in its Los Angeles-based store.
According to SupplyChainAnalysis, this new system will inhabit 20 percent of the location’s space. The long-awaited Amazon robots will also be at work, fulfilling up to 12 orders every minute. Additionaly, the same artificial intelligence used in its fulfillment centers will be applied to this new system.
Dematic has also partnered with retailer Meijer for a similar concept. The news source stated that this technology is expected to entirely revamp the delivery supply chain.
Who else will scoop up this innovative partner? Follow along with us at ANUK to see how it all shakes out.
WASHINGTON, DC - Scroll through any social media site, and you’ll see video upon video of new twists and innovative food pairings trending amongst consumers. A big focus as of late, though, is the utilization of fresh produce. United Fresh is taking the guesswork out of foreseeing trends with its Winter 2020 issue of Fresh Insights for Foodservice, highlighting on-trend applications for fresh produce in restaurants, at retail, in meal kits, and more.
“This edition of Fresh Insights for Foodservice highlights innovative ways that produce is being featured with two ever-popular foods: burgers and ice cream,” said Andrew Marshall, Director of Foodservice and Foundation Partnerships. “As winter’s gray skies and cold temperatures encapsulate most of the country, watermelon radishes and kiwifruit add a pop of color and tropical flare to entice and delight diners in a variety of foodservice concepts.”
According to the press release, the Winter 2020 issue provides insights into the latest In Season winter trends, spotlighting watermelon radishes, kiwifruit, and how burgers continue to evolve on restaurant menus, both with plant-based options and unique produce accompaniments. The On the Horizon section looks ahead to summer, showcasing the latest trends and data in hot peppers, finger limes, and ice cream. Additional sections of Fresh Insights for Foodservice include the Chain Report, which explores the latest produce introductions at national restaurant accounts, and the View From Above section, which includes a focus on grab-and-go concepts that cater to consumers’ increasingly busy lifestyles. The issue is rounded out by the new Kids’ Table section, which highlights creative applications for fresh produce on restaurant kids’ menus. This quarter’s report focuses on apples, a perennial kids’ menu favorite and versatile fruit.
“Going forward, the ‘Kids’ Table’ section will be an opportunity to shine a light on how fresh produce is being presented to our youngest consumers,” said Sarah Grady, Manager for U.S. Strategic Supply Chain, McDonald’s Corporation, and Co-Chair of the United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board. “With families choosing to eat outside the home on a more consistent basis, we will be looking for opportunities to elevate, and interact with, foodservice operators that are making fresh choices more easily accessible to children and families.”
The United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board will be hosting a webinar scheduled for Thursday, February 27, at 2:00 p.m. EST/11:00 a.m. PST, to provide the industry with an opportunity to engage in conversation about the report. At the webinar, a guest speaker from Datassential will highlight the notable statistics from the report, as well as provide an opportunity for produce professionals with an interest in foodservice to ask questions and gain a broader understanding of what may be driving current trends. Registration for the webinar is available on the United Fresh Website.
Fresh Insights for Foodservice is available free of charge for United Fresh members ($50 for non-members) here.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we bring more updates in the fresh produce space.