FRESNO, CA - In the world of produce, we obviously want consumers to make fresh fruits and veg their go-to snack, but this captures just a portion of the market, and we want the whole enchilada, as they say. It is up to growers, producers, and retailers to expand consumers’ minds and plant the seeds for a wide world of produce applications. When planning campaigns to drive up consumption and sales, companies are turning to culinary experts who understand the nuances and many uses for fresh produce. Roger Mooking is one such chef who most recently was tapped by the California Table Grape Commission to elevate the humble grape to a position of epicurean honor.
“I'm trying to introduce new ways of utilizing grapes. Everybody snacks on grapes, but as a fresh, light ingredient, we're highlighting different ways to incorporate them into recipes,” he told me. “I created some recipes where you can grill with grapes—like the Chicken Grape Skewers with White Grape BBQ Sauce. We also came up with other recipes, like a tapas dish with Aromatic Marcona Almonds and California Grapes, as well as a Chipotle Pork Taco with California Grape Salsa, to name a few. We want to show people that you can do all the traditional things with grapes, but also incorporate them into savory recipes or grilling in really interesting ways that make sense and that are tasty, with a unique, but familiar pop of flavor.”
Roger is a chef, restaurateur, television host, cookbook author, and Juno (Canadian Grammy) award-winning musician—but that’s a mouthful, so I’ll just call him an all-around Renaissance man. Trinidad-born and Canadian-raised, Roger brings an eclectic and global mindset to all he does, whether it’s cooking, hosting, or recording music. He has made appearances on The Today Show, Iron Chef, Top Chef Canada, Good Morning America, Guy’s Grocery Games, and as a judge on Chopped (where he also won the All-Star Chopped celebrity chef episode). When he’s not gracing our screens or dropping mad beats, he is in the kitchen, cultivating culinary masterpieces.
Bringing his fresh outlook on food and love of produce to his partnership with the California Table Grape Commission, Roger promotes California table grapes in a way that brings fresh inspiration to consumers.
“I eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and herbs of all kinds, and I'm always experimenting with recipes. I also eat tons of grapes—so when this came along it was a natural fit for me,” he said. “I wanted to come up with cool, inventive recipes that use grapes in a way that people haven't seen before, while still being familiar and approachable. I like the challenge of that.”
In this partnership, Roger has contributed three new recipes to the Commission’s online recipe portfolio, paired with an extensive media campaign including a press push regarding his involvement with grapes and a satellite media tour with the Commission. The campaign has already seen a positive response with consumers whose minds are blown by the many uses for grapes. The introduction of alternate applications is key—when consumers can think of more ways to use a produce item, it broadens the methods for consumption, which in turn, drives up volume and sales.
What really struck me when I spoke with Roger, was the way he waxed poetic about cooking with grapes. He can recall the, shall we say, “retro” ways that grapes have been used in the past—marshmallow grape salad was what came to his mind first. But that’s not the path he wishes to go down. Sure, grapes fit well in the dessert category of uses, but it’s the savory applications that most people don’t think of on their own.
“Grapes take on a different character when you cook or grill them because they blister in the heat. They still hold their integrity, but the natural sugars become more highly concentrated. So, you still get that burst, the pop, and the cracks on the skin—like it was a sausage casing—but then you get a super sweet concentrated flavor because it developed in the sugars by cooking it,” Roger commented.
The California Table Grape Commission’s website is packed with inventive recipes for both savory and sweet grape-centric dishes, and with a media campaign to drive consumer interest, the table grape category is undeniably on the rise—no wonder Roger felt inspired to throw his chef’s hat in the ring.
To view all of these inventive recipes, head to the California Table Grape Commission's recipe database here.
For more news on category trends and strategies, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!
While nothing is for sure in regard to Dorian, 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.
NORTH CAROLINA WATERMELONS TO SEE BRUNT OF STORM
As of today, per the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, the heaviest rainfall from Dorian will fall on the coastal plains of North Carolina this Thursday.
The city of Seven Springs is anticipated to receive 6.00” of rain. Clinton will see 5.00+” and Fayetteville will see 2.50+” of rain. Winds are anticipated to be upwards of 30 mph on Thursday for the region.
This region of North Carolina is a large producer of watermelons this time of year. As we have seen with this storm, things can change from one day to the next so trying to anticipate what will actually happen on Thursday is only an educated guess at this point.
FLORIDA AND SOUTHERN GEORGIA WILL BE SPARED
As of today, there is no heavy rain or wind forecast for the main Fall growing regions of Florida or Georgia. In fact, there is only sunny skies anticipated for eastern and northern Florida as well as Southeastern Georgia.
VIRGINIAN TOMATOES TO SEE MODERATE RAIN
As of today, the tomato growing regions of Hanover and Onley, Virginia, will see approximately 2.00” of rain on Thursday and Friday. They are also anticipating winds around 30 mph on Friday.
NOTHING IS FOR SURE
As we have seen, current predictions with Dorian have changed dramatically to what was forecasted only last Friday. What we are presenting today is the latest info we have but there is no certainty as to who will actually see heavy rain totals and who will not. We will have a recap for you on Friday.
Thank you as always! We will be back later this week with another report.
SOUTHEAST U.S. - Millions living along the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina were forced to evacuate over the holiday weekend as Hurricane Dorian made its way toward the Southeast of the U.S.
Dorian developed into a Category 5 over the weekend, bringing devastation to the Bahamas into Monday morning before being reported to slowly head toward the States.
“North Carolina has endured flooding from two strong hurricanes in less than three years,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement. “Now is the time to prepare for Dorian. To the people of North Carolina, particularly those still recovering in the eastern part of our state, we are working hard to prepare and we are with you.”
Some of Florida’s coastal residents were among the first in America to evacuate. According to initial estimates from the Red Cross, over 13,000 homes have been destroyed in the Bahamas from Dorian. AccuWeather reported that officials are working to prepare residents for similar extreme damage on coastal cities of the southeastern U.S.
President Donald Trump originally had a planned trip to Poland that he has since opted to send Vice President Mike Pence to instead so he can be in the country when the system makes landfall.
"We just got off a video conference call with President Trump and the FEMA folks, governors McMaster [South Carolina], Cooper, DeSantis [Florida] and I about the path of the hurricane and the preparations,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said in a video posted to Twitter on Sunday. “It’s still a massive storm and still heading our way. We’re hoping it’s going to turn north, but we need folks to remain vigilant and flexible. We will certainly keep you updated over the next 12 to 24 hours.”
With Dorian’s path still uncertain as we head into midweek, AndNowUKnow’s thoughts are with those affected as we hope for the hurricane’s quick abatement.
WASHINGTON, DC - If the global political climate, existing and potential tariffs, and an idea of what 2020 holds weren’t enough motivation to attend 2019’s Washington Conference, United Fresh just threw another log on the proverbial fire. The association revealed that the industry will get to hear directly from Sonny Perdue as the U.S.’ Secretary of Agriculture appears as a keynote speaker.
“United Fresh is thrilled to further build our relationship with Secretary Perdue as he headlines our advocacy conference this September,” said United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel. “His experience working within the Administration and with Congress positions Secretary Perdue to deliver unique insights to our attendees and to the fresh produce industry overall.”
Perdue will keynote the conference’s General Session Breakfast, Wednesday morning, September 18, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Washington, DC’s Grand Hyatt. According to a press release, he will address the key issues facing the produce industry, from immigration reform and the need for a stable, legal workforce, to expanding fresh produce access for all Americans.
Attending the General Session Breakfast requires a United Fresh Washington Conference registration. If you have not yet registered for United Fresh Washington Conference, which takes place September 16-18, click here to start making your plans to attend.
In addition to this big news, other new events are being introduced at this year’s conference to help prepare attendees for successful meetings on Capitol Hill.
Perdue became the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture on April 25, 2017, bringing a versatile background that included having been:
- a former farmer
- an agribusinessman
- a veterinarian
- a state legislator
- Governor of Georgia
Perdue recognizes that agriculture is an issue and industry which cuts across political party boundaries, having grown up in Georgia where agriculture is the leading economic driver. According to United Fresh, he recognizes that the size, scope, and diversity of America’s agricultural sector requires reaching across the aisle so that “partisanship doesn’t get in the way of good solutions for American farmers, ranchers, and consumers.”
This year is shaping up to be a cannot-miss conference, so get in on those last-minute travel savings and hear for yourself what one of America’s leaders in present-day ag has to share.
BRONX, NY - I think it’s every foodie’s dream to recreate their favorite products. My dad brews his own beer, but his mini-vineyard out front has yet to produce fine wine like that of Musto Wine Grape Company in Hartford, Connecticut. Consumers like my dad are one of the many reasons this distributor has partnered with D’Arrigo New York of the Hunts Point Produce Market in Bronx, New York, to provide access to the best grapes, juices, equipment, supplies, and knowledge available.
"We are very excited to embark on this new partnership. Our families have known each other for some time and we share not only a love for agriculture but a love for family and tradition," said Gabriela D’Arrigo, Vice President of Marketing and Communications.
To provide these offerings, Musto draws from its 100+ acres of vineyard in the Suisan Valley in California. Aside from its own harvest, the company sources wine grapes and juice from the best wine growers found throughout California, the Pacific Northwest, South Africa, and Chile. Now that the two are partners, these growers will benefit from the hands-on approach of two well-run family businesses who share a demand for perfection.
The partnership combines 50 years of winemaking expertise from Musto and 70 years of fruit and vegetable farming, distribution, and marketing from D’Arrigo, taking all of their offerings to the next level. D’Arrigo will have access to everything from wooden barrels to analytical services for lab testing wine, making its mission to offer winemaking kits and classes a small feat. I think it’s safe to say you can sign my dad up for all of the above.
Products and services offered by the partnership include:
- Fresh wine grapes and wine juices
- Winemaking kits
- Winemaking equipment
- Winemaking cleaning, fermentation, and aging supplies
Congratulations to both Musto and D'Arrigo on this unique partnership!
GREEN BAY, WI - This summer has been quite eventful on the management and the employee side of many retailers in the U.S. as companies look to find the middle ground in disputes across the country. On August 24, 2019, drivers and warehouse workers of the UNFI/SuperValu warehouse in Green Bay, Wisconsin, voted to reject the company’s proposed contract and authorize a strike.
"UNFI prides itself on being a good neighbor and providing healthy, sustainable food to their customers, but they need to apply these same values to how they treat their own workers," said Teamsters Local 662 Business Agent Tom Strickland. "Attempting to replace quality health care is neither healthy, nor sustainable."
Green Bay joins a growing list of UNFI/SuperValu distribution centers engaged in labor disputes around the country, according to a press release. Unions at several UNFI/SuperValu locations have either authorized strike action or are locked in major legal battles with the distributor.
"This vote is a wake-up call to UNFI that we will not just roll over and accept a reduction in our health care benefits," said Craig Vandenheuvel, a 20-year UNFI/SuperValu employee and Chief Steward. "Our health care is very important to all of us and our families. We've given up wage increases over the years to keep our high-quality health care and there's no way we're going to let the company take it away."
Teamsters Warehouse Division Director Steve Vairma also threw his hat in the ring.
"UNFI/SuperValu is the second-largest wholesale grocery distributor in America, with net sales of over $10 billion last year and is the largest distributor for Amazon's Whole Foods. They can absolutely afford to provide family-sustaining jobs and quality health care to all of the people who work hard to make this company function," said Vairma.
How will the strike play out? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest so check back as the discussion heats up.
KENT, ME - While the daylight hours decrease as we move towards the fall, one thing that will not be on the decline are supplies of Maine broccoli. For those operations looking for flavor and consistency as we move into the holiday push, Fresh from the Start’s Maine broccoli crop has ramped up and is now in full swing.
“Warm days and cool nights make Maine an ideal spot for growing broccoli,” Category Manager Lauren Keenan shared as she reflects on the program.
Fresh from the Start plants more than eight varieties across 2,800 acres, dependent on the time of harvest.
“This involvement results in the highest quality product for our customers. When you buy from us, you are buying directly from the grower,” Keenan continued. For its East Coast customers, crops can arrive days fresher than more distant operations since they can deliver to most major East Coast markets in 24 hours.
This season, the company is shipping both crown-cuts at 40-45 ct. per case and bunches at 14 ct and 18 ct and anticipates shipping will continue into October, according to a press release. In addition to broccoli, Fresh from the Start offers a seasonal cauliflower program that will run through mid-October, and also offers a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on a year-round basis.
As the grower, Fresh from the Start has a hand in the entire process whether it is controlling all inputs of the crop starting from seed selection to harvesting with their own crews or post-harvest trucking to customers. With a promise of value and quality, the company ensures USDA inspection on each load at the farm level before shipping.
Crown or bunch, I'll take them all! Keep checking back with AndNowUKnow on continued crop updates across the broccoli category and beyond.
U.S. & CHILE - We may be out of the clementine season now, but we’re in the heart of the mandarin, navel, and lemon season. The citrus spree continues as we dive in with Karen Brux, Managing Director with Fruits from Chile.
“North America is the primary market for Chilean Citrus,” Karen starts. “Nearly 100 percent of Chile’s clementines, mandarins, and navels are sent to North America. Lemons are also an important item for Chile, and while North America is its largest market, East Asia—primarily Japan—and Europe also take considerable volumes of lemons.”
Total volume across all citrus is expected to be down by eight percent this year, from 358,452 tons in 2018 to 329,000 tons in 2019 (see chart below). Despite the dip, the category has seen phenomenal growth over the past several years, especially in mandarins, the highest volume shipped to North America from Chile.
The “easy peeler” category of clementines and mandarins saw the highest growth—not to my surprise; they’re pretty addicting and easy to snack on. Marketing strategies in North America also contributed to those numbers, along with the strong, steady supply from Chile for the summer and fall demand. Riding off of that success, the navel and mandarin promotions are coming in hot—or cool—with developments such as a social media contest, kids cooking classes, digital coupon, in-store demos, or even a combination of all four.
“We have a large range of promotion materials, but we offer custom design items for retailers,” Karen continued. “There are a number of Southern Hemisphere countries exporting citrus to North America, but Chile not only has consistently high-quality fruit, we also have strong marketing to help retailers drive sales. This is key.”
Karen then goes on to state that the strong social media campaign has more than 350,000 Facebook fans and almost 20,000 on Instagram. Fruits from Chile easily (and actively) engages consumers with great usage videos, nutrition tips, beautiful recipes, and lots of promotions/giveaways. The high percentage of lemons being sold through foodservice channels has also led Fruits from Chile to run digital ad campaigns with a few key foodservice publications. With such high popularity, Fruits from Chile also exhibits at a number of foodservice events.
To hear more about these Chilean varieties, watch the video above featuring Karen herself. For the latest in all citrus news, keep reading ANUK.
BRENTWOOD, MO - September is known as the month for a lot of things: Better Breakfast Month, Classical Music Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Honey Month. Now, it will also be known as National Fruits and Veggies Month™ (NFVM). The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is celebrating all things fruit and veg during the month of September to encourage consumers to eat more every day.
“We know many industry stakeholders and consumer-facing influencers look forward to September as a prime time to focus on categorically promoting fruits and vegetables to consumers, ultimately for the public good, and this year, PBH has an invigorating story to share with the new Have A Plant™ Movement,” says Wendy Reinhard Kapsak, Registered Dietitian and President and CEO. “The time is now to celebrate food rooted in a better mood with everyone’s favorite plants—fruits and veggies.”
Traditionally known as National Fruits and Veggies – More Matters™ Month, the organization is refining the title to elevate fruit and vegetable consumption as a national priority and to encourage a less-prescriptive approach when talking about and enjoying fruits and veggies, according to the press release.
The NFVM theme, Have A Plant™—Food Rooted In A Better Mood, ties directly to the PBH’s new behavioral science-based call-to-action, Have A Plant. Through its transformational research and consumer insights platform, PBH further established Americans’ need for creative, yet simple advice to help them enjoy more fruits and vegetables each day. The new consumer movement, Have A Plant, aims to inspire Americans with actionable, realistic, and FUN steps to connect eating fruits and vegetables with feeling happier and healthier. And, with more people trying to enjoy plant-packed meals more often, Have A Plant reminds them that all fruits and vegetables are delicious, nutrient-rich plants.
PBH is amplifying that reminder by providing seven steps for consumers to show their support for National Fruits and Veggies Month:
- Join the Have A Plant Movement: Enjoy all the fruits and veggies that you know and love—fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100 percent juice—that taste great and are proven to support your health and happiness!
- Rock the Have A Plant T-shirt: Click here to purchase a limited-time edition of PBH’s Have A Plant™ t-shirt for yourself, your friends, family, and colleagues.
- Follow PBH’s Social Channels: Learn more about National Fruits & Veggies Month, get creative tips/tricks from PBH’s Fruit & Vegetable Ambassadors in Action (FVAA), and more on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
- Take the Have A Plant Pledge: Whether it’s something you’ve been meaning to try, or just experimenting with adding something new to foods you already love, commit to adding one more fruit and/or vegetable to your routine everyday this month. Take the Have A Plant Pledge and download the graphic to share on your social media channels using #haveaplantpledge.
- Spread the Fruit and Veggie Love on Social Media: Challenge friends, family, colleagues, and your community to get involved in National Fruits & Veggies Month. Doing so makes them more likely to engage in and win PBH’s social media contests but isn’t required. Include the hashtags, #haveaplant, #haveaplantpledge, and #NFVM2019 in any social media posts related to National Fruits & Veggies Month. Download sample posts and graphics here.
- Chat It Up with PBH FVAA Members: Join in PBH’s September Twitter chat with PBH Fruit and Vegetable Ambassador in Action, Beau Coffron, Lunchbox Dad on Tuesday, September 17 at 2:00 p.m. ET to learn and share creative ways to pump up fruit and veggie intake using the hashtag, #NFVM2019.
- Enter Weekly Contests and WIN! Participate in PBH’s weekly social media contests throughout September for a chance to win up to four $150 Amazon gift cards! At the start of each week in September, PBH will release a contest across their social channels.
- Week of 9/2: Take a selfie with or picture of your colorful, plant-powered shopping cart while at the grocery store.
- Week of 9/9: Take a selfie with or picture of a new fruit you tried.
- Week of 9/16: Take a selfie with or picture of a new vegetable you ate.
- Week of 9/23: Take a selfie with or picture of your plant-packed plate.
How will retailers take advantage of this campaign for more rings at the register? Stay with ANUK as we report more in the industry.
WASHINGTON, DC - This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses as part of the Perishabel Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). Each company failed to meet their contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased product from, as well as failed to pay reparation awards issued under PACA. As a result, the below listed companies have had their PACA licenses suspended and are now barred from engaging in PACA-licensed business without approval from the USDA, according to a press release.
Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Hector H. Gonzales, d/b/a Hugo Produce, operating out of Los Angeles, California, for failing to pay a $4,676 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Hector H. Gonzales was listed as the sole proprietor of the business.
- Miami Growers Inc., operating out of Jersey City, New Jersey, for failing to pay a $6,960 award in favor of a Hawaii seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Kanti V. Patel was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
- Texas Green Grove Produce LLC, operating out of McAllen, Texas, for failing to pay a $10,312 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Luis F. Mejia was listed as a member of the business.
- CTA Inc., doing business as American Freeze Dry, operating out of Ferndale, Washington, for failing to pay a $114,609 award in favor of a Washington seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Jonathan Tan, Gurprett S. Cheema and Jagit S. Aujia were listed as the officers, directors and/or major stockholders of the business.
PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.
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, dealer, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,350 PACA claims involving more than $63 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $156 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
For further information, contacts, and to read the press release in its entirety, please check out the link here.