UNITED STATES - Transportation is a crucial part of what we do in the produce industry. To ensure that transportation is one of its top priorities, C&S Wholesale Grocers, alongside other industry leaders, recently launched the Smart Transportation Council (STC). Founding Members include C&S Wholesale, PLM, Microsoft, Optio3, Palfinger Lift Gates, and Merlin Solar.
According to Bulk Transporter, the new industry association says its mission is to orchestrate remote operations management product development activities across original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), advocate for open standards, and help OEMs deliver streamlined and more powerful solutions to fleet owners and operators at a lower total cost of ownership.
“C&S is an innovation leader in the wholesale grocery business,” said Chris Trajkovski, Vice President of Transportation, Fleet Maintenance, and Safety and Compliance. “We are proud to be a founding member of the STC and have high hopes that by working together we can finally solve this puzzle. Fleets need to step up and articulate a clear set of requirements so our key vendors can make smart investments. And we need world-class technology companies to help spur innovation.”
Will other retailers take on the transportation issue? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
WASHINGTON, DC - Eight months after Dr. Scott Gottlieb announced his resignation as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the administration has selected a new leader. In a 72 to 18 vote on Thursday, December 12, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Stephen Hahn as the FDA’s new Commissioner.
Dr. Hahn received an undergraduate degree in biology from Rice University and attended medical school at Temple University, along with postgraduate training that included a clinical residency and fellowship at the National Cancer Institute, according to TMC News. Dr. Hahn is a well-respected radiation oncology expert and the current Chief Medical Executive of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, CNN reports.
In the new role, Dr. Hahn will address the opioid epidemic and vaping and tobacco concerns, but he is also stepping into the tail-end of another romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak and will play a pivotal role in continuing the industry’s food safety efforts.
How will this new leadership impact the produce industry? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA - Between physical expansion, corporate growth, and an onslaught of leadership appointments that have taken place just within 2019, Allen Lund Company has had quite a busy year. Needless to say, the national third-party transportation broker has doubled down on its growth strategy, aiming to expand its services even further. This effort was not wasted, as the company was recently named as one of the Los Angeles Business Journal's 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies in Los Angeles for 2019.
"It is very gratifying to be recognized in the ‘Fastest Growing Private Company’ category as we see ourselves as a growth company, even though we have been in business for almost 44 years," said Edward Lund, President. "We look to continue to grow in the very dynamic logistics industry for many years to come."
According to a press release, this year’s version of the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 100 fastest growing private companies is impressive, with the combined revenue of the businesses listed weighing in at $7.4 billion. With companies like Caulipower and SnackNation also on the list, Allen Lund is in good company. To see the list in its entirety, click here.
For more innovative companies across the industry, stick with us at ANUK.
OXNARD, CA - There is nothing quite like the flavor, texture, scent, and overall eating experience of a really great mango. And there is nothing quite like finding—this being the consumer in me speaking—a retailer I can rely on for a consistent and delicious mango program and supplier partner. When I put my B2B hat back on, one of the companies that always comes to mind when I think of mango excellence is Freska Produce International.
“With our year-round availability we have the capability to service and commit to programs from our vast experience of importing mangos,” Gary Clevenger, Managing Principal, shares with me. “We have spent the time, effort, and costs to have our food safety and social audits completed annually and we are now fully-certified for Fair Trade from our shippers in Mexico. We work on relationships with our customers to make sure they have what they need, when they need it.”
It may go without saying that customer service remains an everyday constant for suppliers at the top of their game and not only with retail partners but growers themselves remain of utmost importance as Freska works to ensure they are getting the best possible returns.
Currently, Freska is harvesting and shipping mangos from Ecuador as the season winds down. Shipping from Peru has already started with Kents and by January Freska should be totally into Peru as well as starting Ataulfos out of Mexico in late January.
“The peak out of Peru will begin the first part of February and Mexico will get started at the end of January, with reds following in mid-February,” Gary says. “The main varieties upcoming as a whole will be Tommy Atkins and Kents with some Ataulfos for the next 30 days. The market remains pretty good on large fruit in the 7s, 8s, and 9s range with some weakness on 10s and 12s due to a lot of 12s in the market today. Kents from Peru should have some bigger sizes but will have to wait and see how the harvest progresses. Quality is outstanding.”
Mangos provide an ideal splash of color and flavor during this cool winter season in the Nothern Hemisphere and Freska is ready to partner with retailers to ring in the New Year right.
LOS ANGELES, CA - This week, Wonderful® Pistachios is celebrating the television debut of its new “Almost Everyone Loves No Shells” marketing campaign. As part of a $15 million investment in the No Shells brand—one of the largest to date—the new campaign builds off of the brand’s recent launch of new flavors (Chili Roasted and Honey Roasted) and consistent year-over-year double-digit sales growth.
“Our Wonderful Pistachios No Shells brand is incredibly exciting for us right now, as it’s the fastest growing piece of our business and people can’t get enough of pistachios without the shells,” said Adam Cooper, Senior Vice President of Marketing for The Wonderful Company. “This fun and engaging campaign pulls inspiration from the brand’s ability to make healthy snacking easier.”
“Almost Everyone Loves No Shells” will introduce consumers to the reason for the “almost” in the new campaign’s title. Sheldon, beloved tortoise and resident adversary in the campaign, is stepping into the limelight for humorous effect.
The campaign will focus on No Shells as an easy and convenient way to enjoy the great taste and nutrition benefits of Wonderful Pistachios, according to a press release.
“We’re excited to incorporate Sheldon into our new No Shells campaign because we’re considering him to be a new member of the Wonderful Pistachios family, although he’s quite hesitant to join our side,” said Bobby Pearce, Chief Creative Officer for the Wonderful Agency. “This campaign, created by Wonderful Agency, is our way of talking about the brand’s main differentiator, the lack of shells, in a humorous, unexpected, and culturally relevant way.”
Wonderful Pistachio’s latest campaign will be amplified by large-scale social and digital pushes, FSIs, and public relations and influencer marketing, on top of the TV commercials—all of which will run throughout 2020.
For more information about Wonderful Pistachios, the “Almost Everyone Loves No Shells” campaign, or to view current and past commercial spots, please visit GetCrackin.com, Facebook, and Instagram.
SACRAMENTO, 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.
COACHELLA VALLEY TEMPERATURES TO DIP INTO MID-30°s NEXT WEEK
Current temperatures in the area are nice with highs in the mid-70°s and lows in the upper 40°s. Come next Monday and Tuesday, temperatures will cool off as maximum temperatures will only reach the low 60°s and minimum temperatures will dip into the mid-30°s. These temperatures will probably not have any affect on the broccoli and lettuce coming from the region but could slow down the production of colored bells. Please check with shippers to see if they expect any slowdowns.
POTENTIAL RAIN COMING TO COASTAL CALIFORNIA ON THE 21st
Strawberry growing regions of Santa Maria and Oxnard are currently experiencing beautiful growing conditions with maximum temperatures in the upper 60°s and minimum temperatures in the low 50°s. These temperatures will continue through all of next week. Come next Saturday the 21st, there is a decent chance of rain forecasted. We will keep you updated next week.
COOLER TEMPERATURES COMING TO NORTHERN HALF OF FLORIDA NEXT WEEK
Weather this week in the strawberry regions of Florida was perfect with maximum temperatures around the 80° mark and minimum temperatures in the upper 60°s. This stable weather will continue through next Tuesday until a storm comes through bringing rain and cooler temperatures. Expect up to .25” of rain with maximum temperatures in the 60°s and minimum temperatures in the 40°s. There is an additional chance of rain for Saturday the 21st.
CENTRAL MEXICO BERRY REGIONS EXPERIENCING PERFECT WEATHER
The berry regions in the states of Michoacán, Jalisco, and Irapuato are all experiencing typical weather for this time of year. Maximum temperatures are hovering around the 80°s while the minimum temperatures are in the mid-40°s. Last week, Mexico shipped 80 loads of tomatoes and look for volume to pick up more steam into Christmas.
Thank you as always! We will be back next week with another report.
OHIO - A year can fly by, but for those of us in the produce industry, a year can pass by in what feels like a blink. It seems like only yesterday we reported on Aldi’s expansion into Ohio, noting its rapid-fire expansion across the country all the way back in February. Nearly a year later, the grocer continues to saturate that market, opening up two new stores—and remodeling one—in Northeast Ohio.
In a report by Crain’s Cleveland Business, Sam Climer, Aldi’s Director of Operations for the Cleveland, Akron, and Canton market, noted to the news source that the two new stores in Northeast Ohio are the grocer’s fourth and fifth stores to open just this year. The number of units now totals to 60 in the area.
He remarked that “there’s always opportunity to grow” as shoppers continue to hit the market looking for high-quality products at competitive prices. Not only does Aldi offer steeply discounted items due to its large assortment of private-label offerings, the stores are designed specifically to give customers a “streamlined shopping experience.”
This growth plays into Aldi’s aggressive plan to expand to 2,500 stores by the end of 2022, and to add 25,000 jobs to the workforce.
Which other markets will Aldi start flooding? AndNowUKnow will keep its eyes on the retail market as we head into 2020.
EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - Robinson Fresh, a division of logistics provider C.H. Robinson, recently announced the promotion of Michael Castagnetto to President. He will succeed Jim Lemke who retired earlier this year and will report to C.H. Robinson President and CEO Bob Biesterfeld.
“I’m proud to lead a team of people with deep industry knowledge who our customers can rely on,” said Castagnetto in a recent statement. “I look forward to continuing to evolve fresh supply chains and ensure our customers have the products, services, and information they need to drive smarter solutions.”
A press release noted has been with C.H. Robinson since 2005, during which he has held various leadership roles including General Manager of the Tropical and Dry Vegetable Categories, Director of Global Supply, and Vice President of Global Sourcing. Prior to that, he was a Sourcing Manager at Food Source, which was acquired by C.H. Robinson. Throughout his career with the company, Castagnetto has been a key player in the evolution of the company’s fresh business into one of the leading supply chain product and services companies in the fresh food industry.
“Michael has a passion for serving customers and ensuring the success of our employees. He is a strong leader with a proven track record of establishing successful teams built on trust, common goals, and communication. His many years of leadership across all aspects of the business position him well to lead Robinson Fresh into the future, and I’m pleased with his appointment to this role,” concluded Biesterfeld.
Congratulations to Michael on this new role. AndNowUKnow looks forward to hearing more news from C.H. Robinson and Robinson Fresh!
CHINA & U.S. - China and the United States have been going back and forth on plans for trade deals and tariffs between their economies. Following threats from China and several appeals made by U.S. companies to the Trump administration, the two announced this morning that they have entered phase one of a monumental deal. Details of this deal are currently few and far between, but signs point to a promising turn of fate for those operating between China and the U.S.
According to CNBC, the two countries have reached a trade deal that is expected to provide relief on tariffs as well as increased opportunities for agricultural purchases. Additionally, rumored structural changes will include intellectual properties as well as technological challenges. While not many details were disclosed, Chinese officials briefed reporters and the U.S. President touted the agreement as an “amazing deal.”
“President Trump is following through on his promise to rebalance the relationship between the U.S. and many of our global trading partners. In the wake of the early harvest trade deal with Japan and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the phase one trade deal with China represents another encouraging step forward in the effort to level the playing field for American farmers in this important market,” Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif said in a recent statement. “We are excited to hear from the Administration that the deal is to include not only substantial increases in agricultural purchases by China and a return to normal, but also commitments to address China’s non-tariff barriers. Non-scientifically based sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards have been used too often to deny access of American product to the Chinese market, and we’ve long urged that this problem be resolved. We look forward to reviewing additional details of the phase one deal and working with the Administration to ensure the deal delivers wins for our fruit, vegetable and tree nut growers.”
While Nassif said that many farmers understand short-term pain must sometimes be endured to achieve long-term gains, no amount of government aid can make up for lost market shares or displacement by competing suppliers. For this, the Western Growers Association urged the Administration to quickly finalize and implement this deal, “bringing us one step closer to restoring market access and getting back to normal for American fruit vegetable and tree nut producers.”
From what is currently available, we understand that the U.S. will relieve tariffs placed on Chinese goods in phases, which the news source stated was a priority for Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen of Beijing. Shortly afterward, the Trump administration stated that the next round of tariffs will be canceled by Sunday.
Further details include the U.S. plans to leave 25 percent tariffs on $250 billion imports, while cutting duties on $120 billion worth of products to 7.5 percent. The news source stated that China is also considering a cancellation of Sunday’s tariffs.
Beijing’s Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Han Jun, said that agricultural purchases are also expected to increase significantly. As part of the deal, the U.S. President insisted on the Chinese purchase of American crops, according to tweets. Furthermore, both countries plan to make adjustments to intellectual properties, technology transfers, and financial services, according to CNBC.
Although the trade deal has yet to follow through with legal procedures in Washington and Beijing, the two are building out a timeline for finalization. To see how the U.S./China trade deal ultimately plays out, check back in with us at AndNowUKnow.
UNITED KINGDOM - In case you were wondering, the ANUK team has been running through the 916 with some serious plant-based woes. As more fast food chains began adding vegan options to their menus, we patiently waited for McDonald’s to announce its own claim to plant-based fame—but to no avail. It’s been a long time coming, and finally, one of the biggest names in fast food debuted a vegan option—and U.S.-based consumers still won’t have the pleasure of enjoying them!
This week, McDonald’s responded to the clamor for vegan options by launching a new Veggie Dippers meal in the United Kingdom. The new Dippers, which are vegan nuggets made from rice, red peppers, tomato pesto, and split peas and then fried in breadcrumbs, will be available starting January 2, 2020. According to a report from BBC News, the product will be fried separately from meat products—ensuring a fully vegan meal.
The move stems from increasing consumer demand in the United Kingdom for more vegan-friendly options at fast food chains. In the last 12 months, McDonald’s noted that it had seen an 80 percent uplift in consumers ordering vegetarian options.
Will this product cross the pond? We at AndNowUKnow certainly hope so! And where there is hope, there is life—so keep checking back with us for the latest plant-based updates.