PERTH, AUSTRALIA - The Land Down Under is becoming a Costco-forward locale as the big-box retailer furthers its Australia expansion efforts. This week, Costco announced that it will be opening a new store in a seemingly untapped market for it: Perth, Australia.
“We’re looking at opening and starting negotiations with as many local suppliers as possible. Our buying teams have already been in Perth a couple of times and had some discussions with a large number of suppliers,” said Patrick Noone, Managing Director, Costco Australia, said to the The West Australian. “We already have several thousand Perth members that shop at Costco on the east coast, so we know that there’s a degree of competition that we can introduce to the market.”
The new Perth store was originally expected to open in May of 2020, but thanks to the arrival of the building firm, the location is now expected to open its doors to the public as early as March.
“The construction by Georgiou is going very quickly, very professionally. We’re very pleased with it,” Noone continued. “We’re confident our prices will be as good or better than anything else in the local retailer."
For more of the latest retail expansions as they happen across the world, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.
LOUISVILLE, KY - Beyond Meat® has been leading the plant-based pack after it went public in April of this year. Since then, the company has seen its stock prices soar in conjunction with its recent partnerships with popular fast food restaurant chains and meal kit companies. Kentucky Fried Chicken® (KFC) is the latest company to team up with Beyond Meat to test the plant-based waters, this time with Beyond Fried Chicken™—a plant-based chicken that is the first-of-its-kind in the quick service restaurant (QSR) space.
"KFC is an iconic part of American culture and a brand that I, like so many consumers, grew up with. To be able to bring Beyond Fried Chicken, in all of its KFC-inspired deliciousness to market, speaks to our collective ability to meet the consumer where they are and accompany them on their journey,” commented Ethan Brown, Founder and CEO of Beyond Meat. “My only regret is not being able to see the legendary Colonel himself enjoy this important moment.”
KFC has been mulling over the idea of testing plant-based products since May, but it seems like it is now ready to take the plunge. According to a press release, the restaurant chain will introduce Beyond Fried Chicken in Atlanta, Georgia, to start. The plant-based chicken will be served at the Cobb Parkway restaurant in Atlanta, and curious consumers can receive a complimentary sample of Beyond Fried Chicken from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm on August 27, with purchase of any KFC menu item, while supplies last. Customers who wish to go all in on the new menu option can opt for Beyond Fried Chicken nuggets or boneless wings.
"KFC Beyond Fried Chicken is so delicious, our customers will find it difficult to tell that it's plant-based," said Kevin Hochman, President and Chief Concept Officer for KFC U.S. "I think we've all heard 'it tastes like chicken'—well our customers are going to be amazed and say, 'it tastes like Kentucky Fried Chicken!'"
Will a positive response encourage KFC to roll out its Beyond Fried Chicken nationwide? And who will be the next restaurant chain to bolster is menu and sales with more of Beyond Meat’s plant-based products? AndNowUKnow will report.
PLANT CITY, FL - Wish Farms is following the sun with its berry program, currently in the midst of its summer program in California. The outlook is a path to increasing demand in the off months, premium flavor, and a steady market.
“We’ve had ideal weather during the planting season and expect a quality crop,” James Peterson, VP of Sales, shares, explaining California weather hasn’t dealt any blows to crop production or quality. “We began harvesting mid-August and will continue through November, projecting promotional volumes throughout September.”
In fact, James says the market’s steadiness at this time is better than he has seen in the last two years. As for the current crop, Wish Farms’ product includes both conventional and organic Monterey and Cabrillo strawberry varieties, which have higher brix and flavor profiles.
“Wish Farms is focused on flavor, and because of this, we have dedicated ourselves to growing only varieties that we would be willing to take home to our families,” he tells me, with a surprise up the team’s sleeve coming as soon as next year. “We are excited to release a new proprietary strawberry variety on a small scale with plans to ramp up in the 2020-2021 season. We made the decision a few years ago to discontinue select varieties from our program that do not meet our flavor standards. While high yield and shipability are desirable strawberry traits, we feel strongly that consumers will come back again and again for berries that taste good.”
He explains to me that strawberry demand tends to trend lower in September and October. The company believes there is a direct correlation between lower demand and strawberry varieties that lack flavor being grown in this time period.
“We hope by making growing decisions and varietal selections that focus on flavor, we can reverse this trend,” he concludes.
Wish Farms continues to invest in breeding and varietal trials across all growing regions. This coming Florida strawberry season, the company’s primary acreage will be dedicated to the consumer favorite Sweet Sensations. And with sibling varieties on the horizon that hold promise for equal popularity, the berry market seems to be in for some new trends in demand!
BROOKFIELD, WI - Retailers en masse are going under the hammer to renovate, remodel, and refresh their store concepts to keep up with the new age of high-quality convenience. The latest to join the group is Sendik’s Food Market, which recently launched a $5 million expansion project to upgrade its store format with trendy new perks.
“As The Corners [of Brookfield] continues to innovate and enhance the customer experience, we’re thrilled to be taking part and elevating the shopping experience to one that has never been done before in Southeastern Wisconsin,” said Ted Balistreri, Co-Owner of Sendik’s, in a statement.
According to the journal sentinel, the project will officially be completed by mid-October, after first kicking off in January of this year. The project included expanding one of its stores from 35,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet and adding the likes of a new mezzanine lounge and in-store dining and bar offerings, including a bistro area touting fresh-squeezed cold-pressed juices and homemade smoothies, shareable plates and appetizers, craft beer and wine, espresso drinks, nitro cold brew, and more.
In addition, the store will also now include a grill station, where shoppers can order their favorite grilled items.
To stay apprised of all the latest grocery retail expansions, keep reading AndNowuKnow.
SALINAS, CA - Sometimes moving forward means going back to your roots. For Lisa Davis, this dream came true when she accepted the role of Senior Manager of Customer Agriculture Relations at Bonduelle Fresh Americas—Home of Ready Pac Foods (BFA). While BFA is a new company in her fresh produce career, the move will allow her to more than reminisce about her agricultural operations background and deep passion for the land.
“I am excited about this opportunity and I have already learned so much about Bonduelle that I am nothing short of amazed at what a forward-thinking and dynamic family company it is,” Lisa shares with me, adding that the real excitement is that they created this unique position that allows her to use everything she has learned in the industry to this day from marketing to retail sales and business development. “Now, I get to go back to where it all starts, and right in my backyard. I am front-facing with growers to understand and communicate what is happening in the field while also engaging with our sales team and with customers. I am enthusiastic about the synergy between sales, customer, and our Ag OPS team. I must say I love being a part of a stellar and Dynamic Ag Ops organization. With this, I can speak to our sales team and the customer on grower happenings to help understand and support them. In other words, ‘crop to customer’ is a great way to look at my new role.”
One of the exciting elements about this position for Lisa is that it will allow her room to grow and create the best opportunities for Bonduelle Fresh Americas, its customers and its grower relationships, all based out of the Salinas, California, office.
“We are very excited to welcome Lisa as a new team member joining the commercial team to amplify our status as an agricultural leader with our customers and in the ag community,” Leif Hickman, Vice President of Commercial Development, tells me. “Lisa's role is unique and will create a new dynamic to elevate our role as a trusted adviser in our relationship with our customers while expanding our relevance as a premier produce and plant-based products company.”
With Lisa’s experience in agriculture, sales and marketing, and the credibility she has already established with customers, her presence on the team will accelerate the company’s growth and continue to expand the Bonduelle Fresh Americas difference.
So what are some of the key responsibilities of Lisa’s role that will surely keep her busy? Far from few!
As Senior Manager of Customer Agriculture Relations, she will provide proactive communication on growing practices and crop expectations while coordinating and leading customer field tours in the growing regions. Additionally, she will integrate sales, marketing, and agriculture production activities into the company fold and develop and execute communication solutions that are customer- and sales-centric.
Add in her responsibility to work closely with Bonduelle's industry-leading Food Safety team to strategize, develop, and increase customer awareness of food safety practices while employing experience in negotiating value-added salad customer contracts, and Lisa's day is just beginning.
Her position will also take her through understanding the private label process in order to design contract negotiations in tandem with focusing on sales communications for key ag weather events, transition communication management, and food safety events.
“Lisa's depth of experience will also offer all of us new opportunities to learn about how we improve upon and maximize our current efforts, so it's likely her role will expand to include other aspects of commercial development in the coming weeks and months,” Leif expresses.
Congrats, Lisa, on this most recent move—it is always a joy to watch you grow and help others grow as well!
UNITED STATES - Is it just me or does it seem like Trader Joe’s is expanding, and at a more rapid pace than usual? The cult specialty grocer recently announced that it would be opening two new stores: one in Kansas and another in Florida. On top of that, the grocer also confirmed that it will in fact be moving forward with its first-ever Arkansas-based location, according to ABC7.
The RE Journals reported that Trader Joe’s did confirm it will be developing a store in Wichita, Kansas—news that was probably met with raucous cheers as Trader Joe’s was one of the most requested grocery stores by Wichita residents. An opening date has not yet been disclosed, but with most of Wichita claiming to be a Trader Beau, I’m sure locals won’t be out of the know for long.
According to the Miami Beach Times, Trader Joe’s second Miami Beach location will officially open its doors on Tuesday, August 27. The store was first announced in 2017, four years after the grocer debuted its first store in the area. However, the news source noted that Trader Joe’s is not the only specialty grocer laying claim to Miami Beach, with The Fresh Market, Publix, and Whole Foods Market all within range.
And, Trader Joe’s Arkansas debut is one step closer to welcoming the masses. ABC7 reported that plans for the new store were reviewed and approved, namely that of building alterations. This news comes weeks after Trader Joe’s decided on this particular location in the Natural State and months after the rumor mill first began to churn.
All in all, it truly is a Joe’s world, and the rest of us are just living in it!
To stay afloat amongst all the latest grocery retail news, keep clicking your way to ANUK.
WENATCHEE, WA - It’s that time of the year again where apple growers around the country are beginning to prep and harvest for the fall season. One apple that’s already in the harvesting stages is SweeTango®, which is grown in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and Nova Scotia, Canada—with the Western regions already harvesting and the Eastern and Midwestern regions kicking off harvesting on September 1.
“Stemilt just started harvesting its share of the SweeTango apple crop in Washington State late last week,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt Growers’ Communications Manager. “It’s looking like a beautiful crop with average sizing and great quality, and we look forward to start getting it to grocery stores shortly.”
In addition to Stemilt, other SweeTango apple growers are reporting that overall crop volume is shaping up to be higher than last year. According to a press release, this season’s fruit quality is exceptional so far, with minimal russeting. Rod Farrow, Co-Owner of New York-based Fish Creek Orchards, even went as far to describe this year’s SweeTango harvest as top notch, noting that this is the case thanks to ideal growing summer conditions that featured plenty of heat and moisture.
“We’ve had some good SweeTango crops over the past few seasons, but this one is turning out to be pretty special,” Farrow said.
Fellow New York grower, Mark Russell, Co-Owner of Two of Clubs Orchards, also confirmed that this year’s harvest will yield the larger sizes that shine at retail.
“The red color just started coming on, and my crew is rubbing their hands together waiting to get in there and start picking because, you know, that means we'll all be able to start eating them,” said Russell, explaining that harvest in Rochester will being in a matter of weeks. “But I will make them wait until that blow-you-away flavor kicks in.”
Reporting from the Midwest Region, Scott Swindeman, Owner of Applewood Fresh Growers, noted that while harvest this year for the region is kicking off a few days later than usual, “a great apple is worth waiting for.”
Jennifer Parkhill, Executive Director of the Next Big Thing grower cooperative, which managers the SweeTango apple variety, painted just as positive of a picture for the SweeTango crop on the sales side of things.
“The orchards have ripened well and the harvest is now underway. This early season apple is one of the most flavorful and stunning varieties. The new crop will be on retail shelves shortly, and consumers can look for large attractive fruit on display or smaller fruit for school lunches,” Parkhill said.
Once the SweeTango crop is harvested, the apples are then cooled to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is part of a conditioning process that locks in the apple’s sweet-tangy flavor and ensures the quality of the apple’s prized thin skin yields its delicious crunch. After this process is completed, the apples will be ready to ship, so retailers prepare yourself for a SweeTango autumn starting Labor Day!
To stay on top of the latest fresh produce news like this, keep popping back to AndNowUKnow.
CHICAGO, IL - Home Chef promoted former Vice President and Interim Head of Operations, Alice Thompson, to the Chief Operating Officer position. Previously with the meal kit delivery company, Thompson was responsible for leading logistics, customer support, operations excellence, food safety, and more.
“Since joining our team as an MBA intern, Alice has demonstrated an exceptional ability to evaluate large-scale initiatives, improve system efficiency, and ultimately, create a greater experience for our Home Chef customers,” said Pat Vihtelic, Founder and CEO. “Since our inception, simplicity has been our mantra, and Alice’s contributions have helped us deliver a delightful cooking experience to millions of e-commerce and retail shoppers nationwide."
British-born Thompson will use her global business expertise in her new role to scale the growing business with the key leadership team she helped develop, according to a press release. Moving forward, she will play a crucial role in managing the planned business growth as the company seeks to expand the size of its operations out of Home Chef’s new San Bernardino production facility, which was announced on July 31, this year.
“Building great teams is essential to our success, and clear communication between them will be vital as we add new products and ramp up our e-commerce and retail business channels,” Thompson commented. “We will also thoughtfully add more operational technology to ensure our processes scale effectively to manage demand without interrupting our current high levels of customer satisfaction.”
Thompson previously served as Global Systems Manager for London-based CRCC Asia Ltd., where she oversaw sales teams across the U.K., Australia, Italy, and the U.S. She also led cross-functional initiatives to improve the customer experience. In the new role, Thompson will use that global leadership experience to help Home Chef achieve its ambitious goals.
“It’s an exciting time to be at the forefront of technology and product innovation in the food industry and I could not be happier with my new role on the Home Chef leadership team,” Thompson continued.
With a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Thompson is more than qualified for the new role, but she brings a well-rounded background to the position as well. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University College London (U.K.), and has visited 65 countries, including a year she spent volunteering in Latin America.
We at AndNowUKnow extend congratulations to Alice on her new promotion! Stick with us for the latest in the industry.
SEATTLE, WA - I’m assuming shoppers in Houston, Minneapolis, and Phoenix are frantically getting their grocery lists ready—only to stay home!—because AmazonFresh is coming to town! This week, Amazon announced that it is expanding its popular grocery service to the aforementioned metropolises, giving city residents with Prime memberships access to free two-hour delivery options on tens of thousands of products.
“We’re thrilled to introduce AmazonFresh to Prime members in Houston, Minneapolis, and Phoenix,” said Stephenie Landry, Vice President of AmazonFresh and Prime Now. “Prime members tell us they want their stuff even faster. We’re happy to deliver on that task and can’t wait for customers in Houston, Minneapolis and Phoenix to take advantage of one- and two-hour delivery from AmazonFresh.”
And, if shoppers have an extra roommate in the way of Alexa, they can simply say, “Alexa, order apples from Fresh,” and she’ll make sure only their favorite varieties (based on past purchases or top results) make their way to their carts.
According to a press release, Prime members can access AmazonFresh for $14.99 per month as an add-on to their Prime membership, which lets them choose from thousands of items across all grocery sectors, including fresh produce.
Recently, reports surfaced asserting that Walmart is at the top of the grocery delivery food chain, so Amazon's latest service expansion could very much be a solution to work its way back to that number one spot.
To keep up with all that Amazon throws at us on the weekly, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.
DALLAS, TX - The Association of Growers and Packers of Avocados From Mexico and Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (known as AFM) plans to open a restaurant in Dallas, Texas. It's a dream come true for all millennials.
The restaurant concept is a first for AFM, but the organization has teamed up in the past with On the Border for a summer pop-up.
The Dallas Business Journal states that AFM has about 30-40 recipes in the works for the new eatery, but plans on streamlining the offerings for the menu when the restaurant does open. Not to worry, there will be a plethora of guacamole offerings to assuage consumers from the mockamole trauma. AFM is doing its due diligence and ensuring that every dish (and cocktail) contains an element of avocado, even concocting some avocado ice cream of its own. I’m all down to try anything at least once, and Chopped has prepared me mentally enough to give (almost) any ice cream flavor a shot.
The finalized menu is still pending, so keep reading ANUK for the latest updates.