GRAND RAPIDS, MI - ’Tis the season of giving, and consumers aren’t the only ones getting in the spirit. Retailers and growers alike are forming strategic partnerships as a way to give back to their communities. SpartanNash and CMI Orchards are doing just that—partnering up to support military service members, veterans, and their families. Working with CMI Orchards, more than 135 SpartanNash retail stores will carry the American Dream® apples, with a portion of proceeds slotted to benefit American heroes.
“Customers have a growing appetite for these new and popular apple varieties—and we can’t wait for our store guests to try them,” said Tom Swanson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Corporate Retail. “On top of that, each purchase supports Operation Homefront and our nation’s heroes. This is the type of partnership that means so much to us at SpartanNash, because it allows us to support our troops and veterans while delivering what our store guests want, when they want it—fast and friendly.”
According to a press release, SpartanNash is a leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries around the world and sees firsthand the sacrifices that military families make to protect our freedoms. Therefore, the company is committed to raising awareness and vital resources year-round for those who served or continue to do so. With every bag of American Dream apples, SpartanNash is proud to support the national nonprofit organization Operation Homefront and its mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect.
Store guests at SpartanNash’s corporate-owned stores in eight states can choose from some of the top branded apples from CMI, including Ambrosia Gold®, Kiku®, Kanzi®, Jazz™, and Envy™. Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Grocery, Dan’s Supermarket, Family Fresh Market, and other SpartanNash stores will carry the five varieties of apples. The American Dream program, developed by CMI Orchards, has donated more than $40,000 to veterans organizations to date.
“SpartanNash is committed to serving our military heroes and their families, both at home and abroad, and this Veterans Day—and every day of the year—this is just one small way we can say ‘thank you for your service,’” said Meredith Gremel, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communications. “Our military heroes make the American Dream possible, and we are proud to support them with this partnership."
In addition to the American Dream apples, which will be in stores on November 10, SpartanNash will honor current servicemembers and veterans of the Armed Forces by offering an 11 percent Veterans Day discount on all eligible products. The 11 percent discount will be offered Sunday, November 10 and Monday, November 11. All active duty, Reserve, National Guard, and veterans who present proper identification at any SpartanNash company-owned store on November 10 or 11 will receive this discount.
For 17 years, Operation Homefront has provided critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year.
SpartanNash has partnered with Operation Homefront in the past, granting more than $205,000 to the organization through SpartanNash Foundation fundraising campaigns. In 2018, the SpartanNash Foundation also supported more than 40,000 military families, granting more than $400,000 to nonprofit partners such as Operation Homefront, Fisher House Foundation, Vetshouse, and Warriors at Ease.
Hats off to SpartanNash and CMI Orchards on this generous partnership. For more of the latest news in produce and retail, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
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.
FREEZING TEMPS COMING TO WEST FLORIDA TOMATO REGIONS
Starting today, look for temperatures in and around the Quincy, Florida, growing regions to begin a downward slide that will culminate next Tuesday with minimum temperatures touching the freezing mark.
Look for the minimum temperature to only reach 43° tonight, which is a drop of 20° from yesterday. Today’s maximum temperature will only reach 66°. These cooler temperatures will continue through the weekend. Next Tuesday, a storm will come through the area dropping the temperatures even more in which will see the minimum drop to 32° on Tuesday and Wednesday. Come Thursday, the minimum temperatures will be back into the 40°s, but by then the damage will be done. Could cause serious damage to plants.
Although Central and Southern Florida are coming online with their winter tomato crops, western Florida is still a significant player. Expect growers to go in and pick heavy before the cold temperatures come next week.
SOUTHERN GEORGIA TO FREEZE NEXT WEEK—THANKSGIVING GREEN BEANS MAY BE LOST
The first frost of the season is coming to Georgia next week. The same cold weather hitting northern Florida next week will take its toll on southern Georgia as well. The regions of Sumpter County, Moultrie, and Quitman will all see freezing temperatures next Monday and Tuesday night. Tuesday, November 12, will be the coldest of the two nights with forecast temperatures to drop to 30°. Wednesday night is expected to be 32°.
Look for the green bean crops to be wiped out. Other items currently coming from this region are bell peppers, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, greens, and squash. If you are pulling from these areas, take precautions and stock up now.
EXPECT HOT TEMPERATURES TO EXCELERATE YUMA LETTUCE
After a cooler than normal October and first few days of November in Yuma, things have changed and temperatures are really heating up.
October saw a significant amount of days with average daily temperatures below normal in Yuma with the coldest temperatures coming in the last seven days of the month and the first few days of November. Average temperatures for these days were more than 10° below normal.
Temperatures began to make the change this past Monday and now appear to be on a hot streak for at least the next ten days. Look for maximum temperatures to be 90° over the next ten days with minimum temperatures in the low 60°s. You couldn’t ask for better weather. Look for production of lettuce and other crops to start within the next ten days.
Coachella Valley is experiencing the same weather. Look for product to start there within the next week.
Thank you as always for your support. We will be back next week with another report.
SANTA MARIA, CA - It seems like only yesterday I was discussing end-of-summer plans and somehow I’ve arrived at the holidays. How time flies! The produce industry understands how quickly days can slip into months, which explains how Babé Farms already had its head in the game as it looked toward the seasonal holiday push. While consumers are preparing for holiday meals, I asked Matt Hiltner, Marketing Coordinator, about the grower’s carrot crop, and how buyers can take advantage.
“In our coastal growing region in Santa Maria, California, we are fortunate to be able to grow, pack, and ship our colorful selection of carrots year-round. At Babé Farms, we grow six varieties of baby bunched carrots, including our French variety, an orange carrot, yellow, purple, pink, and white carrots, and Thumbelina, our round carrot. In addition, we offer hand-peeled carrots in French and mix-color offerings. These are available in a 5 lb “ZIP” bag as well as bulk, multi-color carrots with no tops in 25 lb sacks,” Matt explained.
Noting that the current carrot market is steady and active, it’s a perfect time for retailers and foodservice operators to continue stocking up as the holiday season begins.
“Right now, we are seeing strong supplies coming in on nearly all our baby bunched carrot offerings,” he remarked. “Now is a wonderful time to stock up as chefs begin their holiday menu planning.”
The Santa Maria weather, Matt shared with me, has made for excellent carrot quality. Babé Farms expects to see great supplies and quality throughout the holidays. And it would be remiss to not mention the company’s other specialty items, which includes its celery root, baby beets, kohlrabi, fennel, and radishes. All of these hearty vegetables elevate holiday cuisine.
“With low-carb and keto diets trending, celery root and kohlrabi are godsends in the kitchen when looking to recreate mashed potatoes, gratins, soups, stews, and other fall/winter favorites. And no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without the stuffing. Elevate your stuffing game this season by adding fennel to the mix. Fennel provides a lovely aroma and licorice flavored crunch that will make stuffing a standout on a crowded Thanksgiving dinner plate,” Matt noted.
Retailers can facilitate these ideas by making grab-n-go recipe cards available to customers and cross-merchandising these vegetables with corresponding recipe ingredients, he shared with me. Consumers may also be intimidated by unique vegetables like celery root and kohlrabi, so it’s important for retailers to educate them with signage or even in-store cooking demos.
As the holiday season continues, AndNowUKnow will keep you abreast of all things related to produce.
NYSSA, OR - While the average person may rely on the convenience of their weather app to determine the day’s climate, I prefer scrolling through my social media feeds and seeing the snow flurries, storm clouds, and sunshine in the backgrounds of my friends’ posts. Lately, my friends in the Pacific Northwest have been bundled up under November’s rainy skies, with Owyhee Produce being no exception.
I chatted with Shay Myers, General Manager, to find out how Owyhee Produce’s onions have been faring in the colder climes this season.
“Harvest is completed, and we are packing our storage crop of onions,” Shay began. “It was a challenging harvest this season for a few reasons: a late start date, rains, and early freezes. On our farm, around 10 percent of the crop has had potential freeze damage. Fortunately, our new optical grader has assisted in helping us maintain our high-quality standards while minimizing the shrink from the frozen crop, with most of these onions graded and run across our sorting line. Other than that, quality looks excellent. We are looking forward to having good quality through the duration of our season as we continue to pack from our bulk storages all the way till May.”
In terms of volume, Shay forecasted average volume this year, as a result of Mother Nature freezing that extra 10 percent of crop late in the harvest. Despite this minor setback, the Owyhee Produce team is expecting to turn its onions into onionade (…like lemons/lemonade) with the promotable volumes it does have.
“We will see tighter supplies as a result of the freeze somewhere down the line. As far as seeing any spikes or dips in demand currently, it’s just the normal status quo, although our onions are generally consumed at a higher-level during November, December, and even January,” Shay shard with me.
As demand begins to ramp up around the winter holidays, Shay pointed to Owyhee Produce’s new palletizer and bagging system—which will be installed within the next couple of weeks—as well as its new growing fields in California as a way of keeping up with voracious consumer demand.
“We are excited to be California onion growers! We are just getting started planting this week. This will close the loop in our supply system to be able to take care of our customers the same way that we do during the 10 months of the year when we are running our Idaho packing facility,” Shay explained. “We are hoping the outcome of this new expansion and partnership in California will add value to the customers we serve with a true year-round onion program.”
For more of the freshest produce news straight from the fields, packinghouses, and growers themselves, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.
CALGARY, ALBERTA - What’s the holiday season without an onion or two? Flavorless, absolutely flavorless. Fortunately, consumers, retailers, and foodservice operators won’t have to endure a flavorless winter this year as Thomas Fresh’s Canadian season has officially begun, adding to its U.S. operations and bolstering its supply of the 12 unique onion varieties it offers year-round.
To find out more about how Thomas Fresh is preparing for one of the busiest grocery shopping time periods of the year, I tapped the grower’s Andrea Dubak, Marketing Specialist, and Heron Espino, Potato and Onion Buyer.
“As a Canadian-based company, we see a strong push for our onions during Thanksgiving, which starts during mid-October. Demand stays elevated until the Christmas season—when shoppers are entertaining and generally cooking more from home due to the colder Canadian weather,” Andrea shared with me. “Onions are a staple offering at Thomas Fresh, and so we provide our customers with dozens of pack sizes and bulk variations to help them find the right onion product for their store.”
This season, that right onion product could be any of Thomas Fresh’s varieties, which Heron noted are sporting good overall quality from all regions the grower actively sources onions from.
“Our volume of sales has increased compared to last season. We have seen steady volume with our medium yellow, sweet, and red onions, as well as our tri-colored bag, which is a convenient mix of red, white, and yellow onions,” Heron said. “Mother Nature has been a challenge for the last few years, with cold weather potentially impacting our volumes in some regions this season. However, it is still too early to confirm, so we are not expecting any volume concerns to supply our commitments with our customers.”
Heron went on to describe the onion market as steady with the potential to become volatile in the next few weeks, based on a careful analysis of source reports in a number of regions. As a result, a spike in pricing is expected to occur sooner rather than later as we head further into the fall season.
“The increase is due to growing pressure in some regions to fill customer demand as the holidays approach,” Heron explained.
In addition to the upcoming holidays, this season is also expected to be an exciting one thanks to a few new Thomas Fresh packaging options and labels, including its second year of its Think Pink Onion program—this time as an organic onion—and its new eye-catching wine tag label for its 3lb sweet onion and yellow onion.
“Compared to our previous design, our new tags provide a bolder look for consumers. We look forward to offering this exciting new packaging during the holidays,” Andrea told me. “Another hot item is our 7 lb red onions, a new product launched in April. The 7 lb bag is a useful size for big holiday gatherings, as red onions are fantastic to caramelize or roast with butter, honey, and balsamic vinegar for Christmas dinners!”
It might only be the beginning of November, but I don’t think anyone in the supply chain will have to worry about anything but a holiday season bursting with flavor thanks to Thomas Fresh and its team. As AndNowUKnow continues to bring you the latest news from fresh produce fields around the world, stay right here.
CHICAGO, IL - As Hazel Technologies makes waves in the produce world with innovations and partnerships, someone’s got to lead the team when crossing international waters. Who better to take charge than industry veteran Martin Roeder as the new Latin America Sales Manager?
“Martin brings decades of knowledge and experience to our team and will be a key asset in growing our business throughout Latin America,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO of Hazel Technologies. “Key additions like Martin will allow us to continue to provide value from the grower level all the way to the retail shelves, reducing costly waste and improving sales for suppliers and retailers alike.”
Roeder brings over 20 years of experience leading commercial strategy in Latin America for companies such as Monsanto, where he led the technology development division in Ecuador, Panama, and Peru. After that, he joined Spectrum Technologies to manage sales efforts across South America and Australia. According to a press release, Roeder will lead Hazel’s business efforts in the Latin American region and will report directly to Pat Flynn, CMO.
As a native of Peru, Roeder has deep ties to Latin America, earning his Bachelor’s in Agricultural Engineering from Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in La Molina, Peru. He also earned his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Universidad de Piura in Lima, Peru.
The company's patent-pending technologies have been studied and tested by many of the country's top academic research programs including UC Davis, Oregon State University, and Cornell University, a key point of differentiation for the company. Mission Avocado, WP Produce, and Frieda’s are just a few of the leading produce companies that have partnered with Hazel to utilize this technology.
Congratulations to Martin Roeder from everyone at ANUK! Keep reading on for more exciting changes in sustainability, retail, and fresh produce.
MCALLEN, TX - Lone Star Citrus continues to wow the industry with its grapefruit brand, Winter Sweetz and, with its latest announcement, it wants to wow us again! The Texas-based company announced the start of its twelfth season of supplying grapefruit throughout the United States. Now in full production, Texas Red Grapefruit will be available through April 2020, with peak sweetness from November 2019 to March 2020.
“We are thrilled with this season’s harvest and look forward to sharing our sweet and juicy Texas-grown Red Grapefruit with shoppers this winter,” said April Flowers, Director of Marketing. “The bright color and juicy texture is the perfect pick-me-up during the winter months, and we’re excited for our winter promotion to showcase the many ways consumers are able to use this versatile fruit.”
Winter Sweetz’s upcoming winter promotion will utilize email campaigns, social media promotions, influencer partnerships, and outreach to both regional and national media to drive foot traffic in stores and increase sales of Texas Red Grapefruit. The promotion will share helpful and inspiring content to change the perception that grapefruit can only be enjoyed by cutting the fruit in half and sprinkling sugar on top. Simply not true!
The company’s grapefruit is grown in the temperate and sunny climate of the Rio Grande Valley, a press release noted. This summer, the region experienced a lighter bloom, which allowed the fruit to increase, on average, one size compared to the previous season.
Winter Sweetz grapefruit began shipping mid-October and is currently in full production. Consumer-friendly gift cartons are also available to promote in-store impulse purchases.
Keep up with the latest in produce by reading AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, DC - As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint under the PACA against Genaro Produce Incorporated. The company, operating from Florida, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to ten produce sellers in the amount of $284,981 from September 2016 through October 2018.
Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
Genaro Produce Incorporated will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for two years, or one year with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
The PACA Division, which is in the Fair Trade Practices Program in the Agricultural Marketing Service, 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, 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 the USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
For more information, contacts, and to read the full press release, please click here.
ISSAQUAH, WA - Delivery start-up Instacart has found a spot for itself in the grocery retail space, and has been forming partnerships with grocers for some time. Instacart has partnered with major retailers like Costco, Walmart, and Whole Foods (the latter of which saw the partnership terminated earlier this year). But now, Costco has expanded its partnership with Instacart to test a free prescription drug delivery program. The deepening of its relationship with Instacart seems a prudent move as the retailer seeks to strengthen its convenience capabilities.
The test program will take place in California and Washington, according to CNBC, and includes delivery with no fees on orders over $35 (minus tip), to a Costco member’s home or office. The pilot program offers a range of delivery speeds—some in as quick as an hour—that will require additional delivery fees, though usually less than $10. The news source reports that customers will receive updates on their orders via text, just as Instacart does for its other grocery delivery ordering.
There is one key difference between the new service being tested and standard grocery delivery services—only customers over the age of 18 may order, and they will be required to show proof of identity upon delivery. The service also requires the Instacart workers receive extra training and earn a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) certification.
Costco has recently been trailing behind major retailers in the e-commerce space, so the expansion of its Instacart partnership could potentially give it a leg up on the competition. Because Instacart is such a major player in the grocery delivery sector, a more concrete partnership would be a boon for Costco.
However, Costco won't be alone in the $300 billion pharmaceutical market, as CNBC reported many big-name retailers are trialing their own services. That's not to say that Costco's new program, when paired with its already thriving grocery delivery services, won't prove to be a pivotal strategy in the crowded market.
AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on all the biggest retail developments.
ANAHEIM, CA - At industry shows like PMA Fresh Summit, it’s easy to get caught up in the showroom floor or the many networking opportunities, but just as important are the learning opportunities. Valuable panels populate the pages of the event’s itinerary, because in these situations the entire industry is gathered and can, as a group, receive training and inspiration that can elevate the produce world. Dan’l Mackey Almy, CEO of DMA Solutions, made sure to take advantage of the speakers and presentations at her disposal.
“We were able to have an interactive dialogue with a consultancy firm, sparks & honey, and they led us through micro and mega trends—we got to discuss how could this impact our industry,” she commented.
The presenters gave a master’s class on the evolution of food trends, breaking the topic up into three key areas—innovation, demographics, and entertainment—as a way to inform industry marketing strategies. As a marketer, Dan’l saw great potential in the presentation and noted that attendees from all different aspects of the industry could see the importance of how trends influence the world of produce, particularly trends that push the envelope.
“Even though they may be outlandish, if we’re thinking about them in a horizontal fashion, we’re going to benefit and be able to react to them sooner than we traditionally would when we think outside the box and think about them as tangible trends that we can actually respond to,” Mackey Almy said.
With all the resources at our disposal—especially at exceptional shows like Fresh Summit, it would be crazy not to take advantage of all the information and experience floating around in the ether. So, the next time you find yourself pondering whether to attend the next education panel you see, take a page out of Dan’l’s book and grab a seat, sit back, and get ready to expand your mind.
AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you exclusive content from the best and brightest in the industry.