ANAHEIM, CA - PMA Fresh Summit has wrapped and my head is still spinning from all the innovations I saw on the show floor. It’s not easy for us as an industry to outdo ourselves, but we somehow manage to do exactly that every year! Keeping this theme in mind was Sunkist Growers, who took to the show with a citrus vigor. I had the pleasure to chat with Julie DeWolf, Director of Marketing, to find out what all the company had to offer.
“We have a brand-new and complete portfolio of organic citrus available, along with an entirely new line of packaging,” Julie began, and I could already tell that I was about to be overwhelmed by newness in the best way possible. “We’re also looking forward to Lunar New Year this year. Every year, we create a custom set of packaging, limited-edition. This year, it’s the Year of the Rat, so we have a beautiful 10 lb box and a supporting display bin.”
As the grower continues to increase its presence in the organic space, it also is upping its game on the packaging front. If the Year of the Rat design wasn’t enough to knock your socks off, perhaps the high-graphic blood orange carton will do the trick.
“Outside of that, we have a whole portfolio of customizable materials and programs to help increase selling space when there’s not enough room on the floor. Our display bins can take care of that in a small footprint. So, with all of these new materials, the goal is for retailers to be able to engage with consumers and educate them on the taste, quality, and versatility of Sunkist citrus,” Julie shared.
To hear more about it from the marketing maven herself, watch our exclusive video above! And don’t forget to stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for all of the post-Fresh Summit content.
CANADA - It’s no secret that Costco is loved by many. Membership is at an all-time high, and the crowd at the first grand opening in China has proven that Costco can hold its own in international waters. However, Canadians seem to be loving those Costco samples just as much as we do down here in the States. Costco has gained a massive following in Canada, nudging out Walmart as the second biggest retailer in the country.
Kantar, a global data, insights, and consulting company, recently announced some key insights on the retailer, which now employs more than 10,000 employees in the country and reports consistently strong sales numbers.
"Costco is really a competitor. And what we forecast is that it is going to widen its gap to Walmart in terms of revenue. It’s going to dwarf Walmart over the next five years as well," said Amar Singh, Senior Analyst on Retail and E-Commerce for Canada with Kantar.
Narcity claims that membership costs and bulk purchases played a big role in the retailer surpassing Walmart in Canada. Other services and products like houseware, travel, medicine, and gas have made Costco an all-around retailer that meets most of consumers' needs, especially when food comes into play.
"One of the reasons it has been successful is its grocery expansion. It’s more becoming a grocery store now with a very strong grocery presence. And it still delivers on its true value hunt experience, which Canadians love," Singh claimed.
Not to mention its strategic expansion plans. When it first moved into the country, Costco targeted urban centers and suburbia to better monopoloize on the already available concentration of consumers.
“They have very strong accessibility amongst Canadians and on a per capita basis the penetration of Costco in Canada is greater than the U.S. Canada over-indexes when it comes to penetration,” said Singh. “On a per capita basis, Costco has a higher penetration in Canada versus the U.S. and that’s just because Costco has been very strategic of where it opened its clubs and with that it's accessible to most Canadians.”
According to Retail Insider, Costco not only beat out Walmart, but Sobeys and Metro to claim the second spot. But who won out on the first?
“Costco has very strong penetration as much, if not higher, than Walmart in Canada, but Loblaws as we all know is the biggest retailer across all channels and with all the portfolio and presence that it has in Canada,” reported Singh.
With that in mind, will Costco be planning a more aggressive approach into the Canadian market? Keep reading ANUK as we report the latest in retail.
CALIFORNIA - California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, declared a state of emergency yesterday, after the massive Kincade fire—located in Sonoma County—ravaged through more than 66,000 acres and numerous other fires began cropping up along the state.
According to a report from CBS News, Cal Fire announced that the fire was only 5 percent contained as of this morning. It has destroyed 96 structures and 80,000 are currently threatened, state officials related to the news source. The National Weather Service noted that the wind is expected to shift on Monday, which will offer firefighters a 24-hour window of semi-favorable conditions to help beat back the flames in aerial strikes. However, another wind event is expected Tuesday evening, and there is no rain expected for the end of the month.
Currently, over 200,000 people have been evacuated from their homes.
In response to both the fires and the dry wind events, PG&E began cutting power for more than 2 million homes and businesses on Saturday. 1.3 million of those were in the Bay Area. There is no word yet on when the power will return.
AndNowUKnow will continue to keep its eyes on the latest developments and report on affected growing regions, evacations, and more.
NOGALES, AZ - This time of year marks a turning point in our lives—changes in the weather, in our daily lives, and in produce growing seasons. The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA) will celebrate this change in the season with its 51st Annual Fall Nogales Fresh Produce Convention and Golf Tournament. Slated for November 7-9, the event will take place at the Tubac Golf Resort in Arizona. One of the event’s highlights will be Keynote Speaker Rick Stein, Vice President of Fresh Foods at the Food Marketing Institute, who will speak to the Power of Produce.
“If you’ve never seen Rick Stein talk about the Power of Produce, you are missing a fascinating and enlightening discussion,” said Lance Jungmeyer, President. “Rick brings so much passion to the data, and he really helps people understand the trends that are about to impact the produce department. If you are wondering how to position your company and your products, this presentation will be very insightful.”
According to a press release, Stein has worked as an executive in retail for over 20 years, leading marketing, merchandising, and operating sectors for several companies. He will kick off the FPAA’s Convention with his speech on the Power of Produce, which will touch on new and evolving issues in the industry. The event celebrates another season of fresh produce traveling from Mexico to the U.S. via the port of Nogales.
In addition to Stein’s speech, the event will feature a segment called Fresh Produce Story Teller, which touches on the lives of three industry leaders. There will also be a hot topics panel moderated by Chris Ciruli of Ciruli Brothers, featuring Tom Stenzel of United Fresh, Ron LeMaire of CPMA, and many more. On the second day, attendees will celebrate the Pillars of the FPAA awards ceremony, in which industry volunteers and innovators will be honored by the association. This segment will take place during the Convention Gala featuring a sit-down dinner, dancing, and a presentation from the Salad Bar Program. The golf tournament will be split between the second and third days of the event, wrapped up by lunch and an award presentation.
The 2019 Fresh Produce Convention and Golf Tournament is already looking to exceed everyone’s expectations. For more of the latest news in produce, keep reading us at ANUK.
SANTA MARIA, CA - Bonipak Produce, the family-owned, California-based grower, packer, and shipper of fresh produce, took this year’s PMA Fresh Summit as an opportunity to launch its new branding. At the show, attendees got a first-hand look at the grower’s refreshed logo and new organic logo, as well as new brand taglines.
“For more than 87 years, Bonipak has been proud to offer the best in quality and freshness from seed to sale,” said Joe Leonard, CEO. “As we continue to celebrate our history and welcome our fourth generation into the company, we felt it was time to refresh our branding. Bonipak is proud to continue our tradition of providing top-quality produce to our customers and their consumers. Our new look will not change our long-standing commitment to growing fresh, nutritious produce for many years to come.”
According to a press release, Bonipak’s new logo has been updated and modernized to reflect its continued dedication to providing nutritious, fresh produce for many generations to come, while still honoring the company’s rich 87-year history.
Bonipak has also been growing its line of organic products, and has introduced a new organic logo that features a complementary purple and teal combination, and the tagline, “freshness you deserve.”
The new branding is already being implemented, so consumers can soon expect to start seeing the new logos, color palettes, and taglines on all of Bonipak’s packaging, signage, and communications.
For four generations, the company has been committed to sustainable growing practices and ensuring the best quality for its customers through its seed-to-sale approach. Bonipak grows, harvests, cools, processes, and ships millions of cartons of fresh vegetables to retailers, wholesalers, and foodservice customers across the globe.
AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the latest in produce news.
SANTA MONICA, CA - A recent announcement revealed that the industrial-focused private equity firm, Sole Source Capital (SSC), acquired a majority interest in the Southern California-based produce distributor Worldwide Produce (WWP). The company has experienced continuous revenue growth since its founding in 1989, allowing it to maintain a reputation for providing high-quality produce and superior service levels to its customers. Details of this transaction have not been revealed to the general public.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Sole Source as we further solidify our market leadership in the Southern California market and expand into additional geographies,” said Abbas Ghulam, Co-Founder of WWP. “Sole Source’s wealth of experience investing in founder-owned companies will be invaluable as we expand our company’s footprint while maintaining WWP’s uncompromising commitment to product quality and customer service. I am excited to work closely with the Sole Source team to achieve our strategic objectives.”
With significant experience investing in companies that can benefit from its M&A capabilities, SSC plans to continue making meaningful investments in technology. According to a press release, it plans to use its acquisition of WWP as a platform to scoop up other regional distribution companies, leveraging its positive reputation and industry relationships that run deep.
“Worldwide Produce represents a compelling opportunity to invest in a premium business with an established reputation for high-quality service,” said David Fredston, Managing Partner of SSC. “We are impressed with WWP’s strong track record, which includes sustained revenue growth through the Great Recession, and look forward to leveraging the company as a platform for consolidation in the space.”
Congratulations to Sole Source Capital and Worldwide Produce on this exciting team-up! For more of the industry’s latest, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SALINAS, CA - Muzzi Family Farms is extending its sales family with the addition of two new members. Max Hoularis will take on a Sales position, while Bryan Fregoso will be joining the team as Sales Coordinator.
“We are excited to add these two very talented individuals to the Muzzi Family Farms Sales Team. I look forward to working with them both as we continue to grow the business,” Paul Mocettini, VP of Sales and Marketing, said in a press release.
Hoularis has eight years of produce industry experience under his belt. He first started his career with Kroger as a Fresh Produce Inspector. He then went on to work for Tradin Organics as a Vegetable Trader and then Dole, where he spent the past four years. Hoularis is a Salinas native and a graduate from Cal State Monterey Bay.
Fregoso is also a Salinas native. A recent graduate from North Salinas High School, Fregoso is kicking off his produce career by joining Muzzi Family Farms. As Sales Coordinator, he will assist in customer relations and the daily responsibilities of the sales team.
While the Muzzi family has grown, harvested, processed, and shipped fresh, frozen, organic, and conventional vegetable products for more than 50 years, it wasn’t until 2012 that the family opened Muzzi Family Farm to handle the sales of its produce items. Today, the grower’s offerings include fresh, washed, and bagged leafy greens, such as spinach, arugula, kale, and spring mix and IQF frozen spinach, kale, swiss chard, bell peppers, and Brussels sprouts.
Congratulations to Hoularis and Fregoso on their new positions!
WESTBOROUGH, MA - Alongside its plans to expand along the East Coast, announced in August of this year, BJ’s Wholesale Club is leaning into furthering its expansion strategy in Michigan.
According to a report from Crain's Detroit Business, the retailer announced it will be opening three new operations in the state: two new storefronts in metro Detroit, as well as a warehouse in Chesterfield.
BJ's Wholesale Club will open a warehouse club in Madison Heights, at the former site of a Super Kmart at 29101 John R Road on November 2. On November 19, it will open a Taylor location at Eureka Road and Racho Boulevard. The two clubs, which come with gas stations, are expected to generate 300 jobs.
With two wholesale clubs in the works in the Detroit area, BJ's will also outfit a third location in Chesterfield Town Center, a 200-acre development, next year.
Other retailers in the area include grocery giant Kroger, whose recent spate of store openings rocked the industry newswire earlier this year. Will BJ's give the company a run for its money? Stay with us at AndNowUKnow as we cover the latest in retail.
NEW YORK CITY, NY - When it comes to building business, sometimes you’re only as strong as your partners. For Fabric, a startup company with aims to make automated logistics available to retailers big and small, it’s shooting to be a top partner within the industry. TechCrunch reported that the company recently raised $110 million in Series B funding, bringing the total funding raised to $136 million.
“When Amazon announces it’s providing free same-day deliveries of $1 items, that becomes the consumer expectation—and the faster the delivery, the more complicated and expensive it is,” Steve Hornyak, Chief Commercial Officer, recounted to TechCrunch. “Our aim is to enable all other retailers to stay relevant and competitive in this world that Amazon has created, providing the operational, strategic, and financial infrastructure they need to meet consumer expectations profitably, sustainably, and at scale in an on-demand world.”
In October of last year, Fabric opened its first micro-fulfillment center in Tel Aviv. Inside, robots pick up inventory so human workers can stay busy at a scanning station. Each station can process up to 600 orders a day, including one-hour deliveries.
Currently, the company has 14 sites under contract, including three being built in New York City. One of those is scheduled to open by the first quarter of next year and will be available to retailers who want to make on-demand fulfillment, including one-hour deliveries, available to their customers, the news source reported.
This platform model, Hornyak added, ideally would expand into other U.S. cities by next year. Deals with certain retailers are currently in talks and will be reported in the coming months.
As retailers seek to crank out online orders as fast as possible, who will be the first to get involved with Fabric? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest.
SEATTLE, WA - If Amazon is in its feelings over its split from Fed-Ex earlier this year, the e-tail giant isn’t showing it. Instead, Amazon is plowing forward with more strategic moves to bolster its delivery network and operation. This week, the company announced it is teaming up with new partners GNC, Health Mart, and Stage Stores in order to expand its Counter service (a network of staffed pickup points where shoppers can recieve their Amazon packages) to thousands of Amazon Hub locations.
“The response we’ve heard from our customers and partners after the launch of Counter earlier this year has been tremendous,” said Patrick Supanc, Worldwide Director of Amazon Hub. “This new network of pickup points gives customers a pickup experience that is fast, flexible, and convenient, and partners are thrilled with the strong engagement and additional foot traffic Counter is driving for their stores.”
According to a press release, Counter—which is part of the Amazon Hub family, including Locker, Locker+, and Apartment Locker, and designed to bring the ultimate convenience to customers via pickup and return points—easily turns a store of any size into a pickup location available to millions of Amazon customers. Now, with GNC, Health Mart, and Stage Stores in its ranks, Amazon is speeding up the delivery process with new Counter locations, furthering the growth of its logistics network.
The success and uniqueness of Amazon Counter has also drawn quite a bit of industry interest, with retailers, convenience stores, and small businesses clamoring to partner with Amazon on this service, as noted in the retailer’s press release.
What other strategies is Amazon rolling out to continue to strengthen its delivery operation and network? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you covered on the latest grocery retail news.