SAN DIEGO, CA - If you didn’t have enough to go bananas over ahead of this year’s PMA Fresh Summit, Organics Unlimited is adding more excitement to the must-attend event’s lineup. This year, the organic produce provider is highlighting its organic, eco-friendly growing practices, sustainability, and its GROW by Organics Unlimited social responsibility program, which uses banana purchases to help communities.
“We look forward to exhibiting again this year at PMA Fresh Summit to share our vision of sustainability, including growing organic bananas that are fairly traded and environmentally responsible farming practices as well as exciting new developments within our company,” said Mayra Velazquez de León, President and CEO. “Visitors to our booth will enjoy great giveaway items like magnetic toy monkeys, always a crowd favorite, and reusable natural fiber bags.”
Organics Unlimited grows certified organic bananas, as well as organic plantains and organic coconuts, which is on target with consumer demand that continues to trend towards organic produce that is fairly traded, supports small growers, is sustainably and ethically grown, and contributes to positive social change. Organics Unlimited hits all of these marks in its growing regions in Colima and Michoacán, Mexico, and Ecuador, where it works in close partnership with local small growers to support their organic production processes and implement the best practices that provide healthy, safe, and consistent tropical organic produce year-round.
According to a press release, sales from Organics Unlimited’s GROW organic label bananas have provided nearly $2 million in aid since 2005; for every box of GROW bananas sold, a percentage is earmarked for the GROW fund, which are then used for youth educational programs, health clinics, and dental and vision care in Mexico; clean water and early childhood education programs in Ecuador; and disaster relief and environmental initiatives like long-term protection of the Arroyo Alamar watershed, which feeds into the San Diego-Tijuana region, from manmade pollution.
To hear more about Organics Unlimited’s story—which began in 2000 with a commitment to providing organic and sustainable produce to consumers in the U.S., Canada, and Asia—stop by booth #681. For more pre-PMA news coverage, keep on reading AndNowUKnow.
NEW YORK, NY - Unfortunately, food waste in our industry is often unavoidable. However, it seems as though everyone involved is working to collaborate on a solution. The new “Software as a Service” platform, Crisp, has narrowed in on the issue and today announced the availability of its software for beta testing, intended to reduce food waste while increasing profitability. This follows the onboarding of 30 customers—who have a range of $15M to $10B in revenue—during the alpha stage of the platform.
“We have learned a tremendous amount after meeting with hundreds of food suppliers and retailers,” said Are Traasdahl, CEO and Founder. “Their feedback has informed our approach to create a solution that will simply integrate with their business operations, delivering clear and actionable insights. We will be consolidating complex data inputs into value-based solutions that offer a significant ROI.”
According to a press release, Crisp was established to create fresh and actionable business insights that address points of inefficiency throughout the supply chain, from forecasting to staffing and campaign analytics. BCG reported that 1.6 billion tons of food worth about $1.2 trillion goes to waste annually, so this forecasting comes at a crucial time in the food supply chain. Crisp’s forecasting helps to eliminate over-ordering that causes food waste and reduces out-of-stocks, ultimately leading to increased profitability.
"As an alpha partner for Crisp's forecasting platform, we have been impressed by the responsiveness of the Crisp team and their interest in truly understanding our business needs and goals," said Gary Pfeiffer, Executive Vice President of Superior Farms. "We appreciate that Crisp prioritizes ease of use and look forward to utilizing its platform to optimize our supply chain and reduce waste."
The company believes that at the root of food waste is a lack of efficient communication between food suppliers, retailers, and distributors, caused by an IT infrastructure that is often cumbersome, prone to human error, and siloed. Crisp aims to consolidate every byte of data to generate more reliable and automated sales forecasts that can then be used to drive better, more efficient operations across the food chain.
In September, the company announced a $14 million Series A funding round that was led by FirstMark Capital, along with Spring Capital, Swell, and HDM LLC. Crisp’s new platform will be available for general availability in Q1 2020.
I have no doubt that this is the beginning of a solution to the food waste problem we are all up against. To find out how Crisp’s new software impacts the supply chain, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - Florida-based retailer Publix has made efforts to expand in new markets, but it is still keeping an eye on its home turf. Not one to give up, the retailer has recently pressed the gas on a new store 17 years in the making.
According to News4Jax, for some time Publix has been eyeing a spot in East San Marco that would be a part of a retail and foodservice development. Many locals are eagerly awaiting the new store, and are anxious to see the land developed.
“I think it is a good opinion to open Publix and more stores or restaurants here since this will offer more job opportunities for the people and for the people who live in San Marco," resident Hajir Aldaod commented. "They don’t have to drive all that way to get their groceries. They can just go grab their groceries.”
A town hall meeting was held to discuss the details of the new shopping center and answer questions. Although many residents are excited at the prospect of new retail options, others were concerned about how the new Public location might change the neighborhood.
“This is a historic area, and I have always loved it for all the old buildings. I just can’t see a Publix being here," local resident, Patricia Botz said.
Will the new store make it past the planning phase into reality? Keep reading AndNowUKnow for more updates.
NEW YORK CITY, NY - Apples are a special category, summoning key memories for shoppers about the fall season. I spoke with Hudson River Fruit Distributor’s Alisha Albinder, to discover the ins and outs of this apple harvest—and how retailers can get in on the apple mania.
“We’re just about halfway through harvesting, and right now we are shipping Cortland, Empire, Gala, Fuji, Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, Macoun, McIntosh, and SnapDragon®. We’re really getting into the thick of it,” Alisha, Owner/Operator, explained to me. “All of the varieties are coming on strong, and shortly we will be adding Red Delicious, Romes, Pink Lady, and RubyFrost®. For us in the Hudson Valley, the weather was perfect this season, with cool nights and warm days, which gave the fruit a great color and taste this year.”
As Alisha shared with me how beautiful the crop is this year, our conversation turns to higher volumes and why grocers should be on the lookout to push apple sales.
“With so many new varieties in the Marketplace now, it's an exciting time of year for us and the retailers to showcase all of the great apples available. We hope that with so much excitment in the category that it will increase consumer consumption," Alisha remarked. "We are also very excited about this years newly designed Tote bag created by the New York Apple Association. This beautiful new packaging really resonates with consumers, and showcases Apples from New York!”
She also told me about the company’s plans for Snapdragon, a proprietary variety that’s been a rising success. As Hudson River jumps into harvest for Snapdragon, Alisha told me that it expects a 50 percent increase in volume over last year.
All around, exciting news for New York apples!
As we gear up for prime apple season, AndNowUKnow will continue to report on any updates in the category.
MEMPHIS, TN - Last year, Kroger closed one of its stores in Orange Mound. Residents were left without a full-service grocery store; the closest Kroger was 30 minutes away by bus, leaving a Save-A-Lot and an Aldi as options for shoppers in the heart of the community. However, recent reports show that Superlo Foods will now take over the empty lot with the help of the community.
"[Residents] have been crying out for the last 20 months because they didn't have a full-service grocery story in the heart of the community," Memphis City Councilwoman Jamita Swearengen said. "It's very difficult to catch a bus with a lot of groceries in hand."
On Monday, it was announced that Kroger was donating its vacant, former store at 2269 Lamar Avenue to Memphis-based Superlo. This is the first time in Kroger's 136-year history that it has donated a building to a competitor, Kroger Delta Division President Victor Smith stated to Memphis Business Journal.
"[Since arriving in December], I've heard a lot about this one important promise we made to the community…to bring a grocer back to historic Orange Mound," Smith said. "We can drop the competition for a moment."
Local news site WREG Memphis reported that Superlo hopes to have the new store operating by December 1. City officials, community leaders, religious leaders, and the Greater Memphis Chamber were able to convince the grocery chain to donate the property. Over the past 20 months, Kroger had lengthy discussions with multiple grocers about taking over the space with the help of the city.
"We wouldn't let the issue drop," Mayor Jim Strickland stated. "It took us to sweeten the pot to make it financially viable."
According to the Memphis Business Journal, the city helped bring the grocery operators to the negotiating table and then helped Superlo with a $100,000 grant, via the Division of Housing and Community Development, and what may be a PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) option.
"I'd never expect to be standing in the lobby of Kroger Delta Division headquarters with [a Kroger] sign behind me," Superlo President Randy Stepherson stated before continuing in a light-hearted manner. "I'd like to commend Kroger, this one time, for what they've done for the community."
Superlo will be going under renovations mounting up to $500,000 or more. AndNowUKnow will keep you up to date with more details as they unfold.
UNITED STATES - In this fast-paced age of convenience, food delivery services have become a staple in many American’s lives. DoorDash and Postmates are two of the biggest names in the game, but with competitors like Instacart, who only offers a grocery delivery service, how can these companies maintain their spot at the top? The Wall Street Journal reported that consumers in the U.S. spend more annually on groceries than they do at restaurants, so it’s never been a question of if these companies will link up with supermarkets, but when.
The news source reported that DoorDash and Postmates are among a handful of companies who are now making deals with companies outside the restaurant ring. This puts the two in direct competition with companies like Amazon.com and even Uber, which has made many waves of late with its foray into grocery. Postmates announced that it will begin deliveries from Walgreens stores in New York, but hopes to take the service nationwide, and is already making deliveries from some 7-Eleven and Walmart stores.
DoorDash also makes some deliveries from Walmart, but recently entered an agreement with Mercato, an e-commerce platform, allowing it to make deliveries from 750 grocery stores in 22 states. Uber Technologies’ Uber Eats division is also testing grocery delivery in other countries.
However, not all that glitters is gold. The Wall Street Journal stated that many customers would still rather take a trip to the grocery store than pay extra for delivery. Plus, orders from grocery stores will most likely be bigger and take longer, which could potentially cause complications for the couriers. Those are just a couple reasons why companies like Grubhub have decided to stay in the restaurant realm. On the flip side, the news source reported that grocery delivery done well has the potential to strike a fine balance between the high demand of groceries early on in the day and the evening rush hours plugged by restaurant pick-ups.
With so many factors to consider, there’s no doubt that the grocery delivery endeavor will continue to evolve. Be sure to stick with us at AndNowUKnow and you won’t miss a thing.
PASCO, WA - How can schools get students interested in eating fresh foods? Chelan Fresh has partnered with Fuel Up to Play 60, and will provide the program with 10 portable breakfast/salad bar carts to be used in nine Fuel Up to Play 60 schools in 3 states across the country. The portable breakfast/salad bar carts will be provided to recipient schools in Florida, Virginia, and Washington in time for the 2019-2020 school year.
“As one of the original supporters of the Fuel Up to Play 60 team, Chelan Fresh has been a leader in the produce industry ensuring kids try and continue to choose nutritious food items at school and at home,” said Mac Riggan, Director of Marketing, Chelan Fresh.
According to a press release, more than 13 million students in the United States come from food insecure households that lack the means to get enough nutritious food on a regular basis. The portable breakfast/salad bar carts are an innovative solution that will reach over 9,000 students, serving an estimated 1.1 million meals annually. Last year, Fuel Up to Play 60 and Chelan Fresh served an estimated 1.3 million meals.
As companies within our industry work alongside schools to serve more nutritious options, it makes a difference in the lives of students. The rolling carts from Chelan Fresh will provide easy solutions to school nutrition and meal service teams, allowing schools the opportunity to position the cart in areas that provide students easy access to nutritious foods. Cooling trays and assets on the portable cart also provide easy serving opportunities reducing the need for ice and other resources needed to keep food cool, as well as help provide easy clean-up for school food service and maintenance staff.
The company began its support of the Fuel Up to Play 60 program in 2011. Since that time, it has provided over $750,000 in funding and in-kind resources to support increasing student’s access across the country to nutritious foods including fruit, vegetables, dairy and whole grains. Throughout its partnership with Fuel Up to Play 60, the company has maintained its ongoing commitment to help K-12 schools improve or expand their nutrition programs.
Thanks to Chelan Fresh for leading the way in providing healthy foods to those in need. Keep reading AndNowUKnow for what’s happening in the world of partnerships, campaigns, and more.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Have you ever wanted to step foot in a real, live potato growing field? Well, now all of us who aren’t lucky enough to be potato farmers will get the chance to wake up and smell the potatoes! This week, Side Delights® unveiled a new program that’s wielding cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) video and podcast-based technology as a means of inviting consumers to step into its very own potato fields and understand the importance of the concept, “Grown Where it Matters.”
“‘Grown Where it Matters’ engages and immerses consumers in the farm where their potatoes are grown,” said Kathleen Triou, President and CEO. “The program’s digital and in-store communications are designed to educate shoppers about where their potatoes are grown, the passion that the farmers have about growing fresh quality potatoes, and the hope that these types of farms will carry on for the next generation.”
According to a press release, locally grown products are a $20 billion industry—a number that’s only increasing as more and more consumers take an interest in growing practices, harvests, packaging, and the role of sustainability in the production cycle. Within the potato category, Side Delights has found that local, organic, and knowing your farmer are all trends that can help drive sales. As a result, the company is engaging with consumers through the powerful marketing tool of storytelling—and what better way to tell its story than through immersive 360° VR videos and a podcast series?
“Potatoes taste best when they reflect the true sense of the soil where they are grown,” continued Triou, before noting that the Side Delights brand is sourced from farms in eight geographically diverse growing areas located near some of the largest population centers in the U.S. Thus the “Grown Where it Matters” concept further connects the Fresh Solutions Network® (FSN) farmers with their regionally relevant market and deepens the relationship that shoppers have with Side Delights potatoes—relationships that will only grow stronger as Side Delights narrates the history and heritage of its farms, sustainability practices, passion, and more within its new VR program.
The program first launched with a grassroots PR marketing effort, the “Adopt a Potato Farmer” food blogger program. Now, Side Delights is aiming to introduce its program to a broader audience, with plans to unveil the tech via social media, a 2020 digital ad campaign, and in-stores with POS like Kwik Lok tags and eye-catching potato display cards that encourage shoppers to experience the 360° virtual farm tours and podcast interviews on Side Delights’ website page.
And, if you find yourselves at PMA Fresh Summit in a few weeks, you can check out Side Delights’ newest program at booth #3940. Attendees can enjoy a sneak preview of the VR videos with 3D goggles(!) so be there or be square!
For more of the latest rolling down the produce pipeline ahead of PMA, stick around ANUK.
SANTA MARIA, CA - Wait, did someone say Fresh Summit? In case you hadn’t heard, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA)’s biggest event of the year is fast-approaching, and none other than the biggest names in produce will be there. One of which is the Southern California-based grower, shipper, and processor Gold Coast Packing. I got the chance to speak with the company’s Marketing Coordinator, Crystal Chavez, about what Fresh Summit means to Gold Coast.
“Our team is hoping to make new connections at Fresh Summit, as well as meet up with our customers and industry members that we already have a relationship with,” said Crystal. “One of our goals is to always be in constant contact with our customers. Having the conference in California (our home state) this year makes it even easier to meet up with them. In the past, we have been able to gain new customers at Fresh Summit. The show makes it easy to share what new and innovative items are available at Gold Coast with industry members from across the U.S. and different parts of the world.”
With that, I asked Crystal which of Fresh Summit’s wide array of opportunities her team is hoping to take advantage of.
“PMA always has amazing speakers at Fresh Summit. Our team is looking forward to listening to this year’s Keynote Speakers and taking part in the experience extensions,” she said. “The New Product Showcase is always fun to check out because we get to see what is new and trending among other companies. Plus, we get to see how we measure up and where we stand with our current and future projects.”
Aside from infinite connections to be made, Gold Coast is attending the event with plans to exhibit its newest product.
“We will be showcasing our new Value-Added Brussels Sprouts. We are now offering Whole and Halved Brussels Sprouts in foodservice packs. The Whole and Halved Brussels Sprouts join our long time offering of Shredded Brussels Sprouts, creating a full lineup of Brussels Sprouts at Gold Coast,” Crystal told me.
Not only will there be new Brussels, but Gold Coast will also exhibit its new booth design at Fresh Summit, which invites attendees to sit down, relax, and learn about all the great products coming out of the Santa Maria Valley. Make sure to stop by booth #1981 to learn how Gold Coast is anchored in quality from seed to sail! And keep checking with us at ANUK for all the news in produce.
BENTONVILLE, AR - Walmart is taking a hands-on approach at optimizing the supply chain. As part of its latest employee investment endeavor, the retail giant debuted a first-of-its-kind Supply Chain Academy earlier this year, with the first class of graduates completing the course last week, September 27. The academy is designed to train Walmart’s supply chain associates and help them achieve advancement.
“Within the Walmart supply chain, we are focused on creating a great place to work where our more than 100,000 associates can be empowered to solve problems for our business,” said Greg Smith, Executive Vice President of Walmart U.S. Supply Chain. “This first Supply Chain Academy is a pivotal step on that journey. North-central Texas customers will see the impact of the training and hard work of these graduates on the shelves of the more than 140 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs this distribution center serves.”
According to a press release, the Walmart Supply Chain Academy—which calls a distribution center in Sanger, Texas, home—is modeled after 200 other Walmart Academies that train U.S.-based store associates. These academies adhere to the belief that growth and success are achievable if new skills are regularly introduced and so long as both Walmart and its associates are adapting to today’s changing retail landscape. At the Sanger Supply Chain Academy, graduates studied leadership, safety, supply chain foundations, and additional area-specific training.
“Walmart stands apart from our competitors in both the retail and supply chain industries by providing full-time, permanent positions with great pay in all areas of the country,” added Steve Miller, Vice President of Supply Chain People. “This is yet another example of Walmart’s commitment to investing in our people so that they can live better and grow in a field that is rapidly evolving.”
Following the success of its first class of graduates, Walmart has big plans for its inaugural academy. In the press release, the retailer noted that it plans to introduce this pilot program to more distribution centers across the U.S. in the next two years.
For more retail news like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.