CYPRESS, CA - As sustainability and food safety concerns remain top of mind, an innovation has arisen to wash worries away for consumers while giving the retailer an amazing value-added offering for their produce departments. ECOS®, the plant-based cleaning products company based in southern California, is putting a new definition to the term ‘clean eating’ with its latest plant-based product.
“With the spread of COVID-19, we found ourselves on the front lines as an essential business. Along with our safer household cleaning products and hand soaps, our plant-based ECOS Fruit + Veggie Wash has also become an important tool in the fight against the coronavirus,” Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, President and Chief Executive Officer, shares with me. “Consumers are looking to help build their immunity by eating more fruits and vegetables, and they know that washing produce is more important than ever. ECOS Fruit + Veggie Wash is the perfect product to meet that demand with ingredients that are safe and effective at removing pathogens and residues.”
ECOS’ new Organic Fruit + Veggie Wash is a plant-based product that provides a layer of protection by lifting unwanted residues and contaminants from surfaces of fruits and vegetables. Jenna Arkin, ECOS’ Vice President of Innovation, formulated the new organic produce wash with a unique surfactant from nature—soap nuts.
“Our produce wash uses saponin from the soap nut, a berry that comes from a South American tree. We’re using plants to clean plants, which I think is pretty cool,” says Jenna.
“With COVID-19, we need to make sure that we wash all produce that comes into our home,” Kelly continues. “As a mom, I’m very aware of the chemicals I use in my home. I love that our ECOS Fruit + Veggie Wash uses safer plant-based ingredients and that I don’t have to worry about any aftertaste on my food.”
The ECOS team offers a wide variety of green household cleaners for consumers to have a peace of mind, and Kelly says she’s especially proud of her team at ECOS and their response to the pandemic.
“Our team is working so hard to make sure we can provide what consumers really need right now,” Kelly expresses. “They’re working extra shifts and overtime, using masks and gloves, and maintaining safe spacing to keep our retailers stocked and to make sure the families that depend on us are taken care of.”
With facilities in California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Washington, the family-owned company is focusing not just on safer ingredients, but also more sustainable manufacturing. ECOS has reduced its waste by over 95 percent since 2010, and is now one of the first companies to have achieved the sustainability “trifecta” of carbon neutrality, water neutrality, and TRUE Platinum Zero Waste certification.
The world of produce is vast, with different fruits and vegetables just waiting to be discovered and eaten. Or, in this case, used to amplify others for a clean eating experience, making our industry more plant-based than before.
WASHINGTON, DC - United Fresh Produce Association is back with its Summer 2020 issue of Fresh Insights for Foodservice. Aimed at highlighting on-trend foodservice applications for fresh produce in restaurants, retail, meal kits, and more, this issue is one you’re not going to want to miss.
“This summer has been encouraging to see the hardworking foodservice sector develop new and creative ways of continuing to feed their customers,” said Sarah Grady, Manager, U.S. Strategic Supply Chain, McDonald’s Corporation and Chair of the United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board. “It’s equally exciting that part of their focus is to bring in new and on-trend fresh fruit and vegetable options which not only introduce customers to new concepts, but also takes advantage of the innovations coming from fresh produce growers and providers.”
According to a press release, the “In Season” section highlights trending summer produce, such as green beans, nectarines, and seasonally inspired produce pairings for seafood entrees, including salads and salsas in summer and heartier root vegetables for winter dishes. The “On the Horizon” section covers specialty citrus, the versatility of cabbage, and various ways fresh produce is being used to add new flavors and visual appeal to old favorites.
“We’re encouraged by the passion and commitment of foodservice operators and supplier partners across the industry who are supporting their communities, implementing reopening strategies, and beginning to once again focus on new menu ideas and innovation,” said Andrew Marshall, United Fresh’s Director of Foodservice and Foundation Partnerships. “We applaud those operators who have reopened safely, expanded take away and outdoor dining, and are already starting to plan for fall and winter menus.”
The “Kids’ Table” section continues the focus on breakfast, detailing ways that operators cater to children with the help of their favorite fruit: strawberries. Additionally, this quarter’s “Chain Report” spotlights innovative produce-centric dishes from top restaurants chains and includes special focus on mushrooms, cherries, and tomatoes. The final section, the “View From Above,” addresses what health means to consumers during the time of COVID-19, consumer preferences for immunity-boosting foods, and the benefits consumers are seeking from menus.
A webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, August 19, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. EST. Register for free here. And the issue of Fresh Insights for Foodservice can be downloaded free of charge for United Fresh members—available here!
Be sure to stay tuned for more news like this with your friends at AndNowUKnow.
CALIFORNIA - Anyone residing in Northern California has likely encountered some effects of the state’s incredibly unusual weather events that took place over the weekend. Thunder, lightning, rain, and fire have struck this prominent growing state's upper half in a matter of a few days, keeping our Sacramento-based ANUK team on its toes.
We were alerted to several severe thunderstorms that loomed over the Bay Area yesterday and have since spread to other regions of Northern California. According to abc7, the thunder came in tandem with record-breaking heat and light rain, leaving the state’s fresh produce growers to wonder what this unprecedented weather has in store for our industry.
Record heat is expected to continue through today and potentially all week. EcoWatch reported that high winds and temperatures in addition to aggressive lightning sparked multiple fires in California, and even manifested into a “firenado” near the Nevada border on Saturday. Thunderstorms continue to hit Northern California in addition to rolling blackouts due to the high heat.
It is still unclear how long these unique weather events will move through the state, but AndNowUKnow will keep you up to date.
ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - Retailers everywhere are working around the clock to ensure that they’re using only the best technology at market. Naturally, such a herculean task requires a mighty will to succeed, and luckily, Ahold Delhaize has that in droves. The retail giant recently announced the winners of its first-ever Cleaning Bot challenge, a competition that helped scout new talent and smart tech solutions for its operations. The winners selected were Fybots and Adlatus Robotics.
"Smart technology, such as Artificial Intelligence and robotics, offers countless possibilities for the retail industry, the consumer, and society at large," remarked Frans Muller, President and CEO. "With this challenge, we wanted to further develop our ongoing initiatives and explore how our great local brands and support offices can use this technology to better support associates as they serve customers. I was impressed by the quality of the pitches and the innovation behind the solutions."
The challenge, a press release explained, underscores the ambition of Ahold Delhaize to help create the future of retail, supported by technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics.
"A clean environment for associates and customers is now more important than ever," continued Muller. "Cleaning tasks are often physically demanding and include many repetitive tasks. Increased cleaning cycles, due to COVID-19, have put teams under a lot of pressure. Robotics can help these associates. By reducing their time spent on repetitive cleaning, associates can focus more on customers, where they can make an even greater difference."
Over 380 companies were scouted for the challenge, all of whom pitched their solutions in two tracks. The first track, won by Fybots, catered to cleaning solutions. The second track, won by Adtlatus Robotics, focused on promising future technologies that can be co-developed.
Adlatus will explore a partnership with Ahold Delhaize's AIRLab to co-develop new applications for its robotics technology.
How far will robots take retailers in the future of grocery tech? AndNowUKnow will continue to explore.
SOUTH AFRICA - Who can resist a citrus campaign that plays on songs by The Beatles? Consumers of Summer Citrus from South Africa’s (SCSA) supply certainly could not, as the company’s ‘Here Comes the Sun’ promotion received high engagement and impression numbers, earned participation with several national influencers, and saw an increase in the brand’s Instagram followers. The company’s 21st consecutive citrus season was headlined by the successful consumer promotion to elevate South African fruit during peak season.
“During the summer months, demand for citrus is usually high, and this year we’re experiencing an all-time peak of consumption! With the promotion, our goal was to inform shoppers about the superior sweet flavor and quality of our South African fruit, but also present ways to use the product effectively during these unprecedented times,” said CEO Suhanra Conradie. “Our summer promotion came at an interesting time in history when people are looking for extra ways to indulge in sweet, comforting treats while boosting their immune health. We were pleased to be able to engage with our followers and attract new shoppers during this time and offer positive and encouraging messaging throughout the summer months.”
Through the eight week promotion, SCSA offered consumers chances to win kitchen-inspired prizes and highlighted new recipe inspiration featuring the sweet summer citrus to capitalize on increased consumer social media usage and demand for citrus during the pandemic, according to a press release.
To further elevate the promotion, SCSA utilized influencers to garner user generated content and earned over 5 million social media impressions. The influencer partners curated recipes and photos that not only showcased the SCSA brand but also real world applications using the product. As a result, the influencers received multiple messages from other consumers via Instagram inquiring about the brand and possible partnerships, further proving the promotion’s success and value.
Shoppers are still seeking citrus fruit to help them keep strong immune systems this summer, and to prepare for the upcoming fall and winter months. There are three months left of the SCSA season, so contact an importer today to place an order. The team at SCSA is committed to implementing an ongoing marketing program to keep shoppers engaged throughout the rest of the crop and encourage them to ask for citrus from South Africa when shopping at their local market.
Excuse me while I put on the Abbey Road record! For more unique ways that fresh produce leaders are engaging with consumers, keep checking in with us at ANUK.
SAN DIEGO, CA - The road to growth and success is oftentimes challenging, but ultimately worth it. For Organics Unlimited, that path has led the company to a successful 20 years in the business and 15 years for its proprietary program, GROW. The small family business has grown into a recognizable stronghold with a purpose—to work with small growers and become a full-circle sustainability company.
“Transitioning conventional growers into organics is a three-year program, but we are there every step of the way. We are always working with new growers to transition because it is a process. The idea here is to keep going and trying to make our label more recognizable in the market,” Mayra Velazquez de León, President and Chief Executive Officer, explains. “We want to make sure that people know what GROW is, what GROW does for the community, and for the people that are growing our fruit. Right now, we are continuously working with small growers and fair-traded products to increase our brand recognition. Maybe in the future, we can bring in another product other than bananas, plantains, and coconuts.”
A new variety to throw into the sustainable organic mix? The GROW initiative could benefit from this, but I would venture that the new category could benefit more.
GROW is a fully transparent program where $0.60 of every box sold goes to fund and support programs such as scholarships, vision and dental clinics, clean water programs, malnutrition recovery, and disaster relief. Since its inception, Organics Unlimited has reached $2.7 million raised for various initiatives.
“It is incredible! We started selling two pallets of GROW a week, and now about 90 percent of what we sell is under the GROW label,” Mayra tells me. “Due to the demand, we’ve had to increase the land we work with and added new growers. We just need to keep growing because you can see that the shopping trend is not only going to an organic label, but to an organic label that has something behind it, which is social responsibility.”
Consumers are more conscientious about the products they purchase, and shopping habits are trending toward more organic and sustainable branding. This allows purpose-driven companies like Organics Unlimited to thrive and expand.
“We really appreciate smaller growers as it’s easier to manage the organic system and because we’re able to work with all those growers that people don’t usually want to,” says Mayra. "It’s helping the community in a way, and we’re very proud of that. Growers show that they’re thankful by working with us in our organic practices, so we really enjoy working with them. They know that we are focused on fair trade, and that’s very important to them, too. It works both ways.”
Produce is very much a give-and-take industry, but it is one where everybody benefits. With innovative game-changers like Organics Unlimited at the helm, ANUK cannot wait to see what’s in store.
CANADA - As blue summer skies give way to purple fall nights, Oppy is ushering in a new fresh fruit product sure to drive sales at retail during this seasonal transition. The new offering, its Blue Goose prune plum brand, has enjoyed a loyal fanbase for decades thanks to its consistent high quality.
“Blue Goose prune plums are a familiar brand that has consistently delivered an excellent flavor and texture profile over the years, so consumers often look for them as a mark of quality,” Sales Manager Jon Bailey said. “The health benefits of the micro-nutrient rich prune plums, combined with their deliciously sweet flavor, means they have an enthusiastic following every summer and give retailers a welcome color break from the usual products on display.”
As an industry-leading grower, marketer, and distributor of fresh produce from around the world for over 160 years, Oppy has a long history of seamlessly bringing one-of-a-kind fruit that caters to a more targeted consumer base, helping retailers offer much-needed differentiation to various categories. The plums also enjoy considerable fanfare in specific metro regions, particularly in the Eastern U.S. and Canada.
The plums offer consumers an enjoyable eating experience thanks to their sweet and luscious flavor with tangy undertones, and dense flesh with an easily removable pit. The versatile prune plums are ideal for snacking, baking, and even preserving. Four sub-varieties of the fruit are packed under the Blue Goose brand including early Italian prune plums which began the first week of August, late Italian prune plums expected by mid-August, as well as Empress and President plums that ship late August through to mid-September.
Catering to a wide-range of retailer needs, Oppy’s prune plums are available in high-graphic pouch bags, as well as bulk volume fill boxes of varying weights including 30 pounds for early and late Italian plums, and 28 pounds for Empress and President plums, according to a press release.
As the summer months wind down, be sure to check out Oppy’s unique fresh fruit lineup to keep those register rings going all year long.
SANTA PAULA, CA - The might of our industry knows no bounds, as companies continue to buckle in for expansion and growth. This time around, it’s Calavo Growers that is ratcheting up its expansion in the form of executive promotions.
Robert Wedin, who joined Calavo in 1973, has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Sales. He has served as Vice President of Sales and Fresh Marketing since 1993. Throughout his career, Wedin has also served as a Director of the California Avocado Commission and is currently a Board and Executive Committee Member of Producesupply.org, a consortium of leading produce suppliers who are working to facilitate e-commerce adoption in the produce supply chain, a press release noted.
“Calavo is fortunate to have an executive of Rob’s caliber, with his deep knowledge of our business and the industry. Over his many years of leadership at Calavo, Rob has delivered a strong record of business growth, developed new organizational capabilities, and cultivated strategic customer relationships,” said James E. Gibson, Chief Executive Officer.
Mark Lodge has also been promoted to Chief Operations Officer, where he will be responsible for overseeing all of Calavo’s production facilities in the U.S. and Mexico. Lodge joined Calavo in 2019 as Executive Vice President of RFG Business Operations, following 25 years leading large scale manufacturing and logistics businesses. He served most recently as Executive Vice President at Revolution Foods, supplying all-natural school meals across the U.S.
Prior to that, he was President at True Fresh HPP and True Food Innovations, and was instrumental in establishing the Fresh & Easy manufacturing business in the U.S. for Tesco.
“Mark has brought his expertise in foodservice innovation to our operations and has demonstrated his capability as a business leader in evolving and strengthening our global supply chain,” said Gibson. "These promotions recognize the impact of Rob and Mark’s outstanding leadership in their respective roles. They will continue to work closely with me and the rest of the executive team to drive the success of our company.”
Congratulations to the Calavo team and to Mark and Robert for their new roles!
SEATTLE, WA - I can remember a time when Amazon sold only books. Those days, while long behind us, saw the expansive growth of a book seller into a formidable retail contender. Once more, Amazon is expanding, this time staking further claim to the Texas market. Announcing its first fulfillment center in Forney, Texas, the retailer is anticipated to launch the new facility in 2021.
“We’re excited to be expanding our network of operations in Forney,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s Vice President of Gobal Customer Fulfillment. “We are grateful for the strong support we’ve received from local and state leaders as we broaden our footprint around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. We look forward to creating over 500 jobs for the local Forney community, with industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.”
Amazon is also planning a new 200,000-square-foot delivery station in Forney.
The new delivery station is anticipated to begin its roll out later in 2020, further solidifying the e-tailer’s hold on the market.
“Bringing a transcendent company such as Amazon to Forney is a huge step for our community,” said Mary Penn, Mayor of Forney. “One of my biggest priorities has been to create more jobs and bring economic opportunity to our citizens. Now more than ever, this is a crucial time for economic growth, and I feel confident Amazon will bring that to the City of Forney. I’m grateful to Amazon, city council, and staff for making this possible.”
How will Amazon’s expansion in Texas prepare it to tackle other markets? AndNowUKnow will continue to cover the latest.
SALINAS, CA - Expansion is one of those industry terms that seems to ring nicely throughout the supply chain. Expanding to the beat of its drum, Church Brothers Farms recently announced an increase in production and market availability on two of its newer products. This move is only one piece of the company’s continued focus on innovation and convenience.
“Our whole leaf and specialty salad programs are about providing our customers with convenient items that are prepped and ready to use,” said Rick Russo, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We are committed to providing fresh produce items that are easy to handle in the kitchen and are excited to offer Ready Leaf™ and Urban Blend to a wider market.”
Ready Leaf is a hybrid green leaf lettuce variety with Romaine and Iceberg properties. Triple washed and ready to use, a typical leaf is 4 inches to 6 inches long and 3 inches to 5 inches wide, a little smaller than traditional green leaf varieties. Ready Leaf has a 17-day shelf-life and is available year-round due to growing regions in both the United States and Mexico, as stated in a press release.
Reintroduced with new branding, packaging, and production capacity, Ready Leaf has one of the highest leaf counts per pound in the industry at 55–60 leaves per pound. A higher leaf count translates into more servings per pound and cost savings, as Ernst van Eeghen, Vice President of Business Development, said.
“Ready Leaf was developed to frame a burger bun or sandwich with just the right amount of green frill, crunch, and sweet flavor,” van Eeghen added. “With consistent sizing, there is less labor needed which means lower cost and 100 percent yield.”
Church Brothers Farms pioneered the smaller whole leaf concept in 2008 with the introduction of Teen Green™, and continues to improve product quality with new varieties, farming, and harvest practices, processing methods and package optimization. In 2019 the company opened a whole leaf lettuce processing line in San Luis, Mexico, more than doubling production. In addition, Urban Blend is now available to a wider market, expanding the specialty salad offerings from Church Brothers Farms.
Urban Blend is a mix of baby red chard, wild arugula, and baby kale. The bold texture and flavor of the blend stand up well to any dressing base; and its array of colors and shapes enhances plate appearance.
“Easy to use in the kitchen, Urban Blend allows for a range of applications and pairings, delivering more bite, crunch, and flavor,” van Eeghen said.
Sounds like a new lettuce market opportunity is opening up at retail! Keep an eye out for game-changing expansions like this as we at AndNowUKnow continue to report.