DENVER, CO - What does a brand say? Whether it is consumer- or industry-facing, it is a promise to your audience. For the Center for Produce Safety’s (CPS) new brand, the promise is clear: to help fuel produce safety change. At the center’s 2024 Annual Research Symposium on June 18-19 in Denver, Colorado, the produce safety-centric research organization revealed a bold new logo and visual branding, strengthening its commitment to the CPS mission.

Board Chair Joe Pezzini of Taylor Farms and CPS Executive Director Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli unveiled the new branding to a full house of industry members and produce safety stakeholders. In an effort to continue sharing the organization’s dedication to the message, CPS Board Director Amy Gates of ALG Unlimited gives us an exclusive peek behind the CPS rebrand.

“We wanted a brand that would help CPS energize the third part of our produce safety mission: fund science, find solutions, and fuel change,” Amy shares, pulling back the curtain on the intention and the process. “The new visual evokes two of our core principles: continuous improvement and collaboration. Both of those principles are key to fueling change.”

Featuring intertwining arcs wrapping around the letters C, P, and S, the new logo calls to mind interlocked hands, or the symbol for infinity, Amy reveals. The graphic, its font, and related earth-toned color palette are modern and inviting, she adds.

“The new branding has already made its first appearance in an annual report CPS distributed to symposium attendees that summarizes the 2023 accomplishments of the CPS community. The brand will soon begin appearing across all CPS communications vehicles, traditional and digital, over the coming months,” Amy details. “While our focus will always be first and foremost on the science, you are going to see more visual style and cohesiveness from CPS moving forward across all our communications channels. This will help us better spread the word about produce safety knowledge to all of the industry.”

When I ask Amy about the genesis of such a project, she tells me that the new branding was the result of a months-long project that began with input from CPS’s Executive Committee, and then the entire Board of Directors.

The rebranding project was managed for CPS by Julia Stewart of Clarity Communications LLC, New Orleans, Louisiana. A brand style guide and branded collateral were developed by Karyn Baskette with Yondee Designs, Ashburn, Virgina. The logo art itself was created by AS Creative Services, Kensington, Maryland.

“We are excited to bring this new brand to life in the months ahead and share this journey with our colleagues and the greater industry as well,” Amy concludes.

With such gravity in its values and investment in its promise to the industry, CPS is reinforcing its food safety message for the standard of all.

Please keep checking back with AndNowUKnow for the latest on CPS endeavors, efforts, and initiatives as the organization seeks to evolve the way we understand, commit to, and execute food safety.

FLORIDA - We learned some exciting news recently in regard to Aldi’s acquisition of approximately 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations that took place last year. It was announced that the retailer has begun work to convert some of the Winn-Dixie stores in Florida into new Aldi locations.

"We have officially kicked off the conversion process for the first several stores, including stores in Panama City, Deltona, Pensacola, and Lakeland, Florida," an Aldi spokesperson said by email, according to jacksonville.com.

True to the usual Aldi store format, the announcement noted that these new locations will be smaller once converted. The focus is on providing only essential items to shoppers in a convenient format.

Consumers will find "a quick, easy shopping experience with great products at the lowest possible prices," Aldi said.

The news source reported that other store conversions may be planned in Tampa and Fleming Island due to recent permits being filed.

"We remain committed to hiring as many Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket associates as possible from converted stores to ALDI," an Aldi spokesperson said, "and we have already seen strong interest in open positions from SEG managers and associates."

On a final note, the company also stated that not all of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets locations acquired will be converted.

ANUK will report as we learn more.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - Here’s a national food day that is as sweet as can be. Dole Packaged Foods launched the first-ever National Pineapple Juice (a.k.a “PJ”) Day this weekend, and to celebrate this, the company invited fans to host their own “PJ in your PJs” brunch parties across the country on August 17.

“All of us at Dole are so proud to have created National Pineapple Juice Day as a way to celebrate the delicious, tropical flavor of pineapple that stands out from other fruit juices,” stated Orzse Hodi, President of Dole Packaged Foods, USA. “Dole has been providing juice lovers the refreshing taste of sunshine in a can for close to a century, and we’re looking forward to fans nationwide celebrating the beverage as unique as they are on National Pineapple Juice Day and beyond.”

A press release added that as part of the national observance, Dole encouraged juice fans to enjoy their days differently by making a simple and delicious change to the typical morning routine by switching to Dole® 100% Pineapple Juice, which is boosted with vitamin C.

Additionally, Dole teamed up with lifestyle brand Printfresh to offer custom-branded luxury pajama sets, to help get the party started. PJ fans even had the opportunity to win their own “pajama party starter packs” via @DoleSunshine and @Printfresh social media pages.

“Known for our vibrant, organic cotton loungewear, Printfresh is committed to making every day brighter, which also perfectly embodies the spirit of Dole’s values to leave a positive impact on people and the planet,” said Amy Voloshin, Founder of Printfresh. “As a woman-owned and ethically conscious brand, we offer bold designs and inclusive sizing to ensure there’s an ideal fit for everyone. Our hand-crafted designs offer a unique change of pace when it comes to cozy time, so teaming up with Dole Pineapple Juice was the perfect pairing.”

Fans also participated via social media, with hashtags #DolePineappleJuice, #NationalPineappleJuiceDay, #PJinyourPjs, and #LetYourGlowShow.

Cheers to the nationwide brunch parties that took place this weekend!

TUCSON, AZ - This year’s Southwest International Produce Expo (SWIPE) is returning to Tucson, Arizona, on November 7–9 at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa. With over 60 top retailers and foodservice buyers already expected to be in attendance, anticipation is building for the upcoming event, hosted by the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA).

“We are seeing SWIPE booths selling rapidly, and we encourage companies to sign up quickly if they want to secure a spot before the event sells out,” says Lance Jungmeyer, FPAA President. “The demand for booth space shows the growing importance of this event within the produce industry. Exhibitors are drawn to the fantastic ratio of buyers to exhibitors, helping people have one-on-one with their customers and potential customers.”

Among the companies expected to be in attendance for the second annual event are key industry players like Sysco, Sobeys, Walmart, Markon, Grocery Outlet, Pro*Act, Rancho Market, Charlie’s Produce, and Associated Wholesale Grocers. As a press release noted, last year’s show had almost as many buyers in attendance as there were exhibitors. The expo’s impressive lineup of buyers ensures that SWIPE will once again offer exhibitors an advantageous opportunity for interaction and business development.

Adding to the excitement, the 55^th Annual Desert Golf Classic tournament is poised to be a great combination of business and fun, and the Fresh Produce & Floral Council (FPFC)/FPAA partnership on the tournament plays a big part in that, the release added. The tournament is currently open to FPAA and FPFC members. Registration for golf will open to the public on September 1.

“We are excited to work with our sponsors to come up with impactful ways for them to have their companies recognized during SWIPE,” says Jungmeyer. “By organizing fun events attendees want to sponsor like our Bourbon, Beer, and BBQ event, creating meaningful education sessions that people want to attend, and having a fantastic golf tournament we are hosting with our friends at the Fresh Produce & Floral Council, people feel their sponsorships really pay off.”

With booths already quickly selling out and top buyers confirmed to attend, FPAA recommends securing your spot at this anticipated event as soon as possible.

“We’re expecting spots to fill up faster than ever before,” adds Jungmeyer. “If you’re planning to join us on the course, we highly recommend registering as soon as possible because Starr Pass is a great course, and this tournament will sell out.”

For more updates in the lead-up to this event, keep reading ANUK.

FRESNO, CA - In an industry as vibrant as ours, it can prove challenging to stand out. Not so for Fowler Packing, who walked away from our annual Besties Awards in Monterey, California, with a Bestie for Best Email Ad Campaign.

“Our team is inspired by current trends and the ever-changing nature of our industry. We aim to create campaigns that surprise and delight your readers while sharing our latest varietals,” shared Kiah Ruvalcaba, Director of Marketing. “Each ad campaign is designed to evoke a positive response and provide valuable information quickly and engagingly.”

Kiah also touched on the essentiality of email campaigns as a tool for Fowler Packing.

“They allow us to share updates and seasonal promotions efficiently. By investing in this area, we ensure our messages are clear, impactful, and memorable, driving engagement with the industry,” she explained.

As the industry has evolved, so has Fowler—and this is reflected through its Besties win.

“We're always looking for ways to stand out, whether through vibrant colors, minimalist designs, or clever copywriting. Our goal is to ensure each email leaves a lasting impression,” Kiah concluded.

For the awards process, our team handles the initial nominations to ensure each nominee meets our stringent standards. We then share our nominees with our Besties committee.

The committee is composed of experienced retail buyers or individuals with substantial experience and knowledge in their respective fields. This year, they voted on every category except for one: Retailer of the Year. Each committee member received a ballot with three nominations for each award category. Based on their votes, we determine the winners of the Bestie Awards.

Once again, we extend a well-earned congratulations to Fowler Packing!