THE WOODLANDS, TX - As we listen for the needs and demands of today’s buyside operators, one necessity we constantly hear about at AndNowUKnow is the desire for a one-stop-shop for products and quality. The Fresh Food Group is a leading operation answering that call and with a mission to bring the most value to its customer relationships. Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Purchasing Doug Burris takes a beat to share the drive behind the company and its family of brands.
“The Fresh Food Group is one of those visions that came to fruition in response to strong consumer demand for fresh and on-the-go convenience,” Doug shares with me. “The Fresh Food Group combines three best-in-class organizations with complementary production and products.”
These organizations include, Country Fresh—a leading provider of fresh-cut fruit, apple slices, vegetables, and fresh snacking solutions as well as Sun Rich, which cuts and prepares made-to-order fresh fruit for foodservice. Rounding out the trifecta is Tiffany Gate, which creates, manufactures, and delivers fresh prepared foods to some of the largest retail and foodservice companies in North America.
“Under the Fresh Food Group, we unite fresh-cut expertise, prepared food capabilities, and an expanded geographic presence to become a full-service, fresh solutions partner for retail, foodservice, club, and convenience stores,” Doug expresses. “Our mission is to provide an experience unparalleled in quality and freshness in the most socially and fiscally responsible way possible.”
On top of that, add a strong vision to create extraordinary value as a market leader providing safe, convenient, and delicious fresh food solutions, and you have a partner who can respond to, and anticipate, the needs of customers across the U.S.
“A cornerstone of the Fresh Food Group philosophy is agility. We partner across channels to develop products tailored to customers and consumers and also develop custom packaging designed to maximize shelf space,” Doug tells me. “We continue to see strong trends in snacking, side dishes, ready-to-go meals, and meal kits. Demand is high for products that add to the convenience value proposition. Consequently, fresh-cut and value-added produce is moving farther down the processing continuum. Our goal is to get product as close to the final state as possible making it as convenient as possible. This requires continued investment in research and development, cooking technologies, and packaging design.”
The Fresh Food Group also features:
- Custom Packaging: As mentioned, most of its packaging is custom designed for fresh-cut. The Fresh Food Group works with partners closely to ensure that its utilizes shelf space in the most efficient manner. This allows its customers to offer more variety in space that is limited.
- Speed to Shelf: The Fresh Food Group’s geographic footprint enables frequent and low-mile deliveries to distribution centers across the country.
- Hand-Cut: The Fresh Food Group hand-cuts select fruit and vegetable products and focuses on training of its cutters to ensure the highest level of quality and appearance for fresh-cut products. This also enables flexibility in product specifications for partners.
- Total Family of Products: Cut fruit and vegetables, side dishes, fresh snacking, parfaits, foodservice cut fruit and fruit salads, deli salads, pasta kits, meal kits, salad kits, sauces and dressings, and soup and stew kits.
“Relationship building is essential to our business model. We serve some of the most successful brands across the retail, food service, and industrial channels and are proud to be entrusted as a manufacturer of private label programs for most major retailers and foodservice companies in the country,” Doug adds.
As you can see so far, the Fresh Food Group is far from a one trick pony. Add in the fact that while most of its products are sold under private label, the Fresh Food Groupalso provides fresh-made meal solutions through its Freshly Crafted brand.
For the Fresh Food Group, fresh is expanding inside the company and outside in the produce departments as well.
“Strategic retailers are investing heavily in perimeter departments as fresh categories are merging and sometimes undefined. Fresh-cut is expanding beyond produce and into other departments, such as deli. Moreover, consumer tastes and trends change rapidly. As a result, fresh cut partners must be agile to quickly adapt to an ever-changing ecosystem,” Doug notes. “Fresh products and packaging must also be geared toward omni-channel shopping with the rise of e-commerce, delivery, and online grocery pickup.”
While PMA Fresh Summit is still weeks down the road, we all know how time flies in the fresh produce industry. Make sure you stop by the PMA-first timer, which will be featuring a full range of its fresh product assortment.
With fresh innovations raising the bar across the whole of the produce industry, you can be sure we will be keeping our finger on the pulse of produce and beyond.
BURLINGTON, MA - The New England Produce Council (NEPC) recently announced that industry veteran, Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites and former Vice President of Produce for Sysco, will be the featured speaker at NEPC’s keynote breakfast. The topic he will be speaking on is “Foodservice, Nutrition, and Making a Difference.”
“It’s a pleasure to welcome Rich to the NEPC Expo this year. Rich brings with him a wealth of retail, wholesale, and foodservice expertise. He has been a leader in the industry for over 40 years and we look forward to his insight,” said NEPC President, Anthony Sattler.
Dachman’s presentation will cover topics such as the complex matrix of foodservice distribution, the success of a distributor-operator relationship, and the ways the produce industry can make a positive impact. The keynote is just one part of the 20th annual NEPC Produce, Floral & Food Service Expo, set to take place September 18-19 at the Hynes Convention Center, in downtown Boston.
According to a press release, Dachman brings to the table an abundance of produce industry experience—40 years worth of it, in fact. He began his produce career at his family-owned business in Denver. In 1992, Dachman joined FreshPoint Inc. and became President of FreshPoint Operating Companies in Houston, Denver, Atlanta, and the company’s central procurement office in Salinas, California. When Sysco acquired FreshPoint in 2000, Rich was appointed to the position of Senior Vice President, Western Region, and in 2007 was promoted to Vice President of Produce for Sysco Corporation.
He retired from Sysco this summer, after which he joined Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit organization changing behavior among children and their families to prevent obesity. The company delivers donated fresh fruits and vegetables to families, teaches them how to cook, and then tracks their behavior changes.
Dachman has received multiple awards, including the Center for Growing Talent’s Jay Pack Cultivating Our Future Award, and Produce for Better Health’s Excellence Award. He was Chairman of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) in 2012, capping more than 10 years of leadership service for PMA.
Congratulations to Rich on this great honor!
THE DALLES, OR - Between a milestone year for partnerships and premium weather giving way to stellar quality, the Orchard View Cherry team is closing out 2019 on several high notes.
“This was our largest volume year ever. But the defining moment was that we had consistently phenomenal quality. Because temperatures were quite moderate, the sugars were able to develop more fully, making for very sweet cherries. This allowed us to have less stressful days so that we could enjoy the wins that much more,” Brenda Thomas, President of Orchard View Cherries in The Dalles, Oregon, said.
Mother Nature must have sensed that this year marked a decade since Orchard View teamed up with exclusive marketer Oppy, deciding to give the partnership the best gift a grower can get from her.
“We’re thrilled to be toasting to our union alongside a record volume increase of 10 percent,” said Oppy’s Senior Vice President, Categories and Marketing James Milne. “It truly was a 10/10 year.”
Thomas attributed much of the partnership’s success to working well together, saying the team is lucky to have commemorated multiple milestones all in one fantastic year, not the least of which was a wave of positive comments from consumers.
According to a press release, the feedback came throughout the shorter-than-typical seven-week season spanning June 13 through August 1.
“People always have their own special story about cherries, they seem to usually bring up a cherished memory from when they were kids. Cherries really are a treat and people appreciate that because they are only in store for a limited time,” Thomas said. “I’m so thankful for the support we’ve received from retailers through promotions, engaging displays, and more! Our team works very hard to get fruit to market in pristine condition and we’re so grateful our retail partners present them to their shoppers with care and creativity.”
Milne explained that, each summer, Oppy is blown away by the response in the market.
“No one wants to miss out on these premium cherries while they’re here for a limited time,” he said, to agreement by Oppy Sales Manager Larry Hanson.
“I am honored to be a part of shipping these phenomenal tasting cherries each year. Brenda and her team don’t take shortcuts. They pick to eat, and picking at the right time is of the utmost importance to them,” Hanson said, after having relocated from his home in Nogales, Arizona, to the farm each season for the last eight years.
This is just a small piece of the passionate commitment both sides have brought to the cultivation of a memorable cherry season and more.
Looking to the horizon, Orchard View has another key milestone in its sights that will be here before the team knows it.
“We can’t wait for the day we get to say our fresh cherries have been enjoyed around the globe for over 100 years,” Thomas said excitedly of the company’s approaching centennial, which arrives in 2023. “We’re not necessarily seeking out a certain taste in a cherry but rather one that fully embodies the characteristics of a cherry everyone looks for—a bright exterior, plump, juicy, and sweet interior and bright stem. We hope to celebrate our anniversary with the cherry of the future.”
Comparing cherry life to Santa’s break between Christmas Eve and preparations for the following year, Thomas laughingly shares it is a brief moment between the celebration of one cherry season and getting ready for the next. Such is the life of the wonderful industry we serve!
BENTONVILLE, AR - It seems that grocery delivery is a norm now; shoppers prefer the convenience of their groceries and food items delivered to their houses at the push of a button without the need of having to interact with society. I for one do. However, Walmart is taking it a step further—the company has a delivery service named Delivery Unlimited where customers have the option to pay a yearly $98 fee or a monthly $12.95 fee to receive unlimited Walmart Grocery Delivery orders.
“Grocery Delivery takes convenience to a new level, and our customers love it. With Delivery Unlimited, we’re providing incredible value for our customers and leveraging our unique assets to save them both time and money,” said Janey Whiteside, Chief Customer Officer.
According to Walmart’s press release, the retailer saw resounding success during its pilot earlier this year in Houston, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Miami and Tampa, Florida. The company intends to expand the program to all 200 metro areas currently offering Walmart’s Grocery Delivery, reaching to 1,400 stores later this fall. By the end of the year, the service will be available in more than 1,600 stores and more than 50 percent of the country.
“We’ve been investing in our online grocery business by quickly expanding our Grocery Pickup and Delivery services. Delivery Unlimited is the next step in that journey,” said Tom Ward, Senior Vice President, Digital Operations, Walmart U.S. “By pairing our size and scale and these services, we’re making Walmart the easiest place for [customers] to shop. Combine that with the value we can provide, our customers can’t lose.”
The delivery service employs 45,000 personal shoppers to handpick the products and has various delivery services. The membership comes with a free 15-day trial, and customers will continue to have the option to pay a per-delivery fee without a membership. Grocery Pickup is still available in nearly 3,000 stores where customers can have curb-side pickup.
How will this latest strategy place Walmart in today’s market? Keep reading ANUK as we report on the latest.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Fresh Direct Produce, a portfolio company of middle-market private equity firm HKW, has recently announced its acquisition of Islands West Manufacturing. This agreement follows Fresh Direct’s acquisition of Emperor Specialty Foods in July of this year. Financial details have yet to be disclosed.
“This acquisition meets several key objectives for Fresh Direct Produce, offering our customers a range of complementary new products, a wider and more efficient distribution network, and a state-of-the-art processing facility, adding capacity and improving operations,” commented President, CEO, and Co-Founder of Fresh Direct, Davis Yung. “ With a strong leadership team already in place, Islands West immediately provides the fresh-cut capabilities our customers want, while at the same time expanding our overall product offering and geographic reach.”
Islands West was founded in 1995 in Victoria, British Columbia, and is a family-owned wholesalers of produce, processed fruits, fresh-cut vegetables, and dried spices. The new company will bolster Fresh Direct’s operations. Fresh Direct, which has its headquarters nearby in Vancouver, British Columbia, distributes more than 1,000 domestic and imported organic fruit and vegetable items.
“We are very pleased to partner with an organization that has the talent and capabilities of Islands West. The expanded range of products, in particular, the offering of fresh-cut vegetables, allows for significant cross-selling opportunities,” said Kent Robinson, HKW Partner and Chairman of the Board for Fresh Direct, in a press release. "HKW’s emphasis on health and wellness remains a key area of focus; this add-on strengthens our commitment to that sector.”
For more industry acquisition news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Avocados are known as green gold for a reason, and those of us within the industry are well aware of the category’s importance. I had the chance to talk to Gary Caloroso, The Giumarra Companies’ Regional Business Development Manager, about the state of domestic and international avocado programs.
“Currently, we are finishing our California avocado season and focusing primarily on Mexican Hass avocados,” he began. “We will have some Chilean Hass avocados as well, but their overall availability will be lower this year.”
With its Mexican avocados already available year-round, Gary told me that he anticipates their quality to continue to be excellent. Additionally, he explained that there are no current issues with weather, but Mother Nature can always play a role in harvesting as it relates to the amount of volume and the size of the fruit.
Currently, Gary informed me that the avocado market is steady, with expected supplies to increase as we move into the fall. Now that consumers are heading into football season, there’s a strong emotional connection between avocado consumption and watching the game. (I can attest to this, given how much guacamole my father and I can put away on Sundays.)
“Global and domestic demand continues to grow,” Gary shared. “We expect that trend to continue into the foreseeable future as avocados lend themselves to an exciting amount of uses for a variety of eating occasions, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacking. Our industry will always continue to benefit from the positive news regarding the nutritional and health benefits of avocados.”
Will the avocado market stay on this track? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
BENTONVILLE, AR - In our fast-paced and innovation-driven world, any edge could mean a big step in the race to the top. Big names are making daily announcements to keep up with each other’s progress, and today Walmart made moves with an executive addition, Nuala O’Connor.
The company’s new leader, a former Amazon VP among other impressive titles, will assume the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel of Digital Citizenship, reporting directly to Executive Vice President of Global Governance, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary Rachel Brand.
“Walmart is one of the most important and influential companies in America and around the world,” said O’Connor. “I am thrilled to join the business and look forward to working on responsible digital citizenship as technology transforms the retail industry and the daily lives of our associates, customers, and communities.”
O’Connor joins at a time when Walmart is rapidly transforming its customer and associate experiences. Her new function will aid in how Walmart uses data and technology in order to support the company’s goal of being the most trusted retailer. According to a press release, the new VP brings more than 20 years of technology policy and legal leadership experience.
“This Digital Citizenship function will counsel the company on issues related to privacy, use of data and data governance, emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and records management,” said Brand. “They will advise not only on whether we may legally use data or technology in a particular way, but also on what effect that use would have on our relationship of trust with our customers and stakeholders. I can’t think of anyone better than Nuala O’Connor to serve in this new role. She is an internationally recognized expert in technology policy, and her vast experience in data privacy, information governance, and emerging technology issues makes her a perfect fit for this role.”
In the private sector, she served as both Vice President of Compliance and Customer Trust and Associate General Counsel for Privacy and Data Protection at Amazon, was the Chief Privacy Leader at General Electric, and held both Privacy Leadership and Legal Counsel roles at DoubleClick. Most recently at the Center for Democracy and Technology she served as President and CEO.
In the public sector, Nuala served as the first Chief Privacy Officer at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as Deputy Director of the Office of Policy and Strategic Planning, and later as Chief Counsel for Technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Nuala began her legal career in private practice at Sidley Austin, Venable, and Hudson Cook.
Nuala holds a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University, a Master of Education from Harvard University, and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
Congratulations to Nuala O’Connor on this new and exciting role!
KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO - Canada’s greenhouse capital is bringing its flavor and innovation to Tennessee’s Music City this week with SEPC’s Southern Innovations Organics and Foodservice Expo rarin’ to go. Red Sun Farms is one of those companies helping to lead the charge and with a full portfolio of offerings and more.
“Our company is committed to exceeding our customers’ expectations, demonstrating innovation through foodservice and organics partnerships. Our successes are in the roots of our seed-to-plate approach and are strategic in design to deliver the very best flavor and quality 365 days a year,” Harold Paivarinta, Senior Director and Head of Sales for North America, shares with me. “There is an excellent opportunity in the specialties and organics sectors as we see these categories expand year after year. It’s our responsibility, as growers, to listen to the market, create the products our customers are looking for, and help our retail and foodservice partners build excitement.”
The main theme of this expo across organics and foodservice truly is “opportunity,” as Harold echoes, and can be tapped with differentiation through new varieties offering unique flavor, textures, and colors.
“Consumers begin their connection with fruits and vegetables through a sensory journey of color and aroma, and then foodservice partners enhance that experience by introducing the texture, complementing the colors, and creating delicious aromas to inspire new and creative ways to enjoy produce,” Harold adds.
With the highly anticipated show about to open its doors, the team from Red Sun Farms is very excited to showcase some of its favorite specialty varieties for the foodservice industry, along with the company’s most popular organic formats. In recent years, there has been a lot of conversation in the industry around sustainability and as one of the first tomato producers to pack organic grape tomatoes in fiber, Red Sun is excited to share its success over the past five years in this eco-friendly packaging.
“SEPC delivers a new standard in events designed to connect the grower with the retailer on innovation in both foodservice and organics,” Harold expresses. “This event offers excellent networking opportunities, premier education, and information sessions with the twist of a social atmosphere to ignite new and old connections.”
The team at Red Sun Farms looks forward to welcoming attendees at SEPC Southern Innovations booth #302. Enjoy Nashville, my friends, and stay tuned for more coverage on this burgeoning show!
UNITED STATES AND MEXICO - Earlier in July of this year, Texas passed a bill—Texas House Bill 2155—that would speed up the inspection of trucks carrying fresh produce over the Texas-Mexico border. Recently, officials from both countries are working together to expand a joint pilot inspection program that would also reduce wait times for ag products at the border, although it is currently unclear if these two programs are connected.
"The backup at the Texas border is affecting more than just people—it affects goods, including agricultural products," said Sid Miller, Commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture. "We've got to keep our cross-border trade healthy and moving."
According to a press release from Mexico’s Department of National Service of Health, Safety, and Agrifood Quality (SENASICA), this program has already been implemented at Port Laredo’s Colombia Solidarity International Bridge, where the wait times have been reduced by 3.5 hours. FreightWaves also reported that the pilot program has been a partnership among U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, (SADER) and Mexico's Tax Administration Service (SAT).
"The program consists of transports that have the American security certification of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), which cross Mexican customs without inspection, through the Free and Secure Trade (FAST), which allows the border crossing to decrease on average 3.5 hours," the SENASICA release noted. "Through the pilot program from Jan. 11 to Aug. 25, more than 23,000 tons of food (86 percent vegetables and 14 percent meats) have entered the U.S. through the FAST lane at Colombia bridge, Nuevo León, Mexico, and Laredo, Texas, in an average time of 1.5 to two hours, compared to the five or seven hours they register during a normal crossing.”
How will this program continue to benefit our industry? AndNowUKnow will report the latest.
NASHVILLE, TN – Steve Robinson may be newer to the produce industry, but one thing is for sure: He has a deep understanding of why fresh ingredients are the stepping stones of all great food. This year, the Southeastern Produce Council (SEPC) invited Steve to participate in the Southern Innovations Organics and Foodservice Expo as Keynote Speaker. I sat down to ask him some questions about the event, but wound up being charmed by his concise explanation of the produce category’s importance (the Southern accent was an added bonus).
“The event is valuable because it challenges a few paradigms about the role of not only the ingredients, but the role of brands, in creating more valuable products for consumers and helping them not only enjoy better food but have a better experience,” Steve told me.
Formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Chick-fil-A, Steve’s background in foodservice gives him a unique perspective on the upcoming Southern Innovations Expo. With that in mind, I asked him why he believes people should attend the event.
“I think the advantage is to help people understand that all brands are different. They all have different niches in the marketplace and are all trying to create different images and experiences. Ingredients have the potential to help build a brand and fulfill brand promises,” explained Steve. “In the case of Chick-fil-A, our overall commitment was to create flavorful food with high-quality ingredients. Backing up from that, it meant we had to have a supply chain of high-quality, fresh produce. It was just as much about delivering our brand expectations as it was making food.”
If you ask me, those are the words of a man deeply rooted in the movement to improve food safety, quality, and of course, taste. At the close of our discussion, I asked Steve if he could give us any teasers as to what he will speak about at the event. To which he laughed and divulged a topic of his speech.
“If you don't have the right culture, you'll never have a great brand, and you're probably never going to partner with a great brand,” he said.
Congratulations to Steve Robinson on the honor of being Keynote Speaker at this year’s Southern Innovations Organics and Foodservice Expo. Keep checking in with us at AndNowUKnow for more updates as the event draws nearer.