NORTH AMERICA - Food brings us together, defines us, and sometimes makes us draw a line in the sand. But so long as you can eat it all up in the end, it’s a debate worth having. And seeing as the experts in our industry see it all, we thought it might be best to go to them for which fruits and vegetables of our labor would be their personal staple.
Sit back and enjoy Part 2 of our rendition of: If you had to, what is one fresh produce item that you could eat every day for the rest of your life and why?
Mike Venton, GM of FRESHCO Formats and Fresh Food, Nationally, Sobeys
Local corn, just picked. It’s one vegetable where the taste is so superior just after picking, you can eat it raw and it’s fabulous!
Mary Zink, Produce Category Merchant, Wegmans Fine Foods
I’d have to say, a nice firm, flavorful blueberry…not only are they delicious, but they are the King of Antioxidants and so good for you, too!
Michael Deusebio, Senior Director, West Coast Produce Operations, C&S Wholesale
The thought of doing anything over and over every day for the rest of my life is not appealing, but if I was forced to pick just one item I think that call is pretty simple for me: watermelon!
Here again, if you have to pick just one, it better be versatile. Watermelon has so many uses and applications, it’s really hard to get bored with it.
Besides being a great source of hydration after a long bike ride and the endless health benefits (loaded with nutrients that help everything from reducing inflammation to aiding digestion), try making a margarita with watermelons; you can’t do just one. How about watermelon as a salad with feta cheese and mint? I’ve made a cold gazpacho soup with watermelon before, it’s killer!
But my favorite way is cold right out of the fridge with some coarse salt…addicting! It has to be sweet, and not mushy or overripe, which is not always a given. I’ve been in the industry for…well let’s just say a few years, and I still haven’t found a sure-fire way of selecting the perfect melon. Tapping, thumping, sugar spot...it’s all nonsense. The only true way is to just cut it open!
James Saldutti, Director of Produce, Earth Fare
Nectarines, organic preferably. Aromatic, juicy, and sweet, it’s a taste of summer all year long and loaded with health benefits, too!
Stephanie Hilton, Marketing & Business Development, Seven Seas
Well, of course, it would have to be fresh strawberries. They are not only amazingly healthy for you, but the number of ways in which they can be used is endless; from breakfast to dinner and all the way to dessert.
Lori Taylor, Founder & CEO, The Produce Moms
I would pick Guava. Guava takes me back to a special stage of my life when I was completing my Spanish studies at the University of Guanajuato and the University of Habana. Food is certainly about the flavor and the nutritional properties, but, most importantly, food is culture. This stage of my life, my early 20s during my immersion studies, was when I really gained my independence, became bilingual, and started to see the world with a bigger lens. I loved what I learned about myself during my time in Mexico and Cuba. Guava was part of each and every day in these countries–usually paired with coffee! Every time I see, smell, or taste Guava I’m reminded of my time in Guanajuato and Havana… ¡Salud!
Richard Leibowitz, President, Culinary Specialty Produce
While all the fruits and veggies mentioned above are wonderful, I cook regularly and I do not know how I would survive without onions. It is the produce I use more than anything. Actually, the whole Allium category. That’s my story and I am sticking with it.
Wondering how this began? Check out Part 1 here.
When it comes to finding joy in what you do, there is no industry like the produce industry. If this made you think about what fruit or vegetable you would choose as your everyday staple, let us know at [email protected].
NEW YORK CITY, NY - After recently completing the formation of its governance structure, the CEA Food Safety Coalition is welcoming new members to join leading controlled environment leafy greens producers in establishing food safety standards, educating, and protecting consumer health.
“The growing methods in our industry are different as compared to field-grown produce,” said the Coalition’s Chairman Paul Lightfoot. “This coalition provides an opportunity for all brands in the space to collaborate to further protect consumers by establishing standards and sharing insights. This is a critically important step in maintaining consumer confidence and supporting the growth of our industry.”
As part of its official launch, which included filing its articles of incorporation and adopting bylaws, the coalition elected and announced the roster for its Board of Directors, including the following:
- Board Chairman - Paul Lightfoot (BrightFarms)
- Acting Executive Director – Jack Seaver (Plenty)
- Board Vice Chairman – Marc Oshima (AeroFarms)
- Board Secretary – Christopher Livingston (Bowery Farming)
- Board Treasurer – Paul Sellew (Little Leaf Farms)
- Board Member - Michele Kubista (Revol Greens)
- Board Member Daniel Malech (Plenty)
CEA stands for controlled environment agriculture, which, according to a press release, is agricultural food production in environments that are indoors (such as in greenhouses and vertical farms) and controlled, providing crops with ideal growing conditions and protection from outdoor elements (such as weather and animals).
“We frequently get questions from growers and buyers as to what food safety means in a CEA environment,” said Dr. Jennifer McEntire, Vice President for Food Safety at United Fresh Produce Association. “We look forward to helping the coalition develop appropriate food safety standards for this growing segment”
The coalition is currently developing an enrollment process for admitting new members and encourages all leafy greens growers employing controlled environment methods (including hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics) and who are willing to submit to third party food safety auditing to join—and even apply for the permanent Executive Director role.
For more fresh produce news like this, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
GERMANY - Produce crime strikes again! This time in Germany, where customs officials intercepted the largest individual cocaine drug bust in the country’s history. 4.5 tons of the drug were confiscated in a shipment of soybeans—valued at approximately $1 billion euros ($1.1 billion USD), so say what you want about Germany, but clearly their drug sniffing dogs have earned their kibble.
"This outstanding success proves once again how powerfully German customs fight crime," Rolf Bösinger, the State Secretary in charge of customs at the Federal Ministry of Finance, said. "With sophisticated risk analysis, customs succeed in opening the right containers and extracting illegal goods from the enormous number of containers that pass through the Port of Hamburg every day."
The shipment originated from Montevideo, Uruguay, and arrived in the Port of Hamburg, with an intended final destination of Antwerp, Belgium, according to CBS News. The shipment’s paperwork claimed it was nothing but soybeans, but, as Maury would say, the test determined that was a lie. Upon investigation the customs agents found more than just soybeans, instead uncovering 4,200 packets of pressed cocaine in 211 duffle bags.
Drug smugglers have long been using produce as a cover for their operations, hiding drugs in everything from bananas and carrots to dried fruit and bell peppers. Although I find myself oddly impressed with these crooks’ produce-forward predilections, the vigilant efforts of customs and law enforcement prove, once again, that crime doesn’t pay.
ORLANDO, FL - Produce for Kids (PFK) has brought back its annual Power Your Lunchbox campaign, now in its sixth year. Taking place until September 22, 2019, the campaign asks families to show how they power their lunchboxes using the hashtag #PowerYourLunchbox.
“As parents and guardians, we all want our kids to succeed in school and the foundation of that success is the right nutrition to keep students’ brains powered all day long,” said Trish James, Vice President. “Along with our like-minded brand partners, we are working hard this back-to-school season to make sure families have the resources they need for success while raising funds for families in need.”
According to a press release, the program itself encourages families to eat more nutritious lunches as they look toward the beginning of the school year. This year, nine brands are coming together to provide 180,000 meals to Feeding America’s programs that impact families and children. These brands include: Bee Sweet Citrus, Crispy Green®, GROW Bananas, Litehouse®, NatureFresh™ Farms, Pero Family Farms®, Shuman Farms’ RealSweet®, WHOLLY® GUACAMOLE, and Zespri® Kiwifruit.
In addition, PFK is welcoming a new registered dietitian, Sally Kuzemchak, to serve as the association’s official registered dietitian. She is the author of RealMomNutrition.com, as well as cookbooks The 101 Healthiest Foods for Kids and Cooking Light Dinner Time Survival Guide. Throughout the program, she will be active on the Produce for Kids Instagram, providing content to poweryourlunchbox.com, and sharing tips on the Healthy Family Project podcast.
The website is also sporting a fresh look this year, highlighting kid-friendly recipe inspo and content featuring brand partners and back-to-school tips and tricks. There’s also a sweepstakes where consumers can enter to win an Echo Show. Additional elements to the campaign include national e-newsletters targeting families, content creator/influencer outreach, and social media promotion throughout the duration of the campaign.
Social media will play a huge role in the program, with Instagram being at the forefront. Utilizing popular content creators, Takeover Tuesdays, IGTV, and Live videos, the campaign will seek to reach as many IG-lovers as possible. The press release also noted that the recently launched Food Rx Instagram series featuring Jessica DeLuise, PA-C, CCMS will shift focus to back to school and eating a healthy lunch. Instagram users can enter weekly giveaways using #PowerYourLunchbox for a chance to win lunchbox items like fun sandwich cutters, bento boxes, and more.
Produce for Kids will also be active on Twitter, hosting a #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter party on August 15 at 4 p.m. EST. This party will encourage questions and comment from families, and will be releasing a series of back-to-school podcasts episodes on the new Produce for Kids podcast, Healthy Family Project. The Twitter party and podcasts will focus on everything back-to-school related, including healthy lunchbox ideas and meal prep.
“To date, Power Your Lunchbox has contributed the equivalent of nearly 1.3 million meals to Feeding America,” James concluded. “It’s very hard to do your best on an empty stomach and this program is able to provide inspiration for families and also provide much needed help to families who are facing hunger.”
Retail dietitians are also invited to join in on the Power Your Lunchbox efforts by downloading materials from the Produce for Kids retail dietitian focused online hub for use in stores.
To stay up to date on the latest in fresh produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
YERINGTON, NV - In just over 12 years, The Nunes Company has taken its 32 acre start to over 4,000 acres of organic, fresh vegetables and leafy greens.
Tom Nunes (T5), fourth generation farmer and company President, walks us through the journey to growing in Yerington, NV, and beyond.
“It all incubated in 2008 with Mark Crossgrove, our Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, striking up a meeting with David Peri,” T5 says, explaining the two envisioned the growth and expansion that fresh vegetables could have in this climate. “What makes Yerington, NV, unique is land, infrastructure, an ideal climate, the fertile soil, and tremendous expertise in the cultural and farming side. It allows us to produce premium organic vegetables during the summer months.”
The Nunes Company takes great care in the packing of each and every products. T5 explains that the equipment used allows the team to have great efficiency and help its workforce perform at the highest level, both in quality and production.
“The beauty of the relationship between the Perry family and the Nunes family is likemindedness. We’re both stewards of the land. We take great pride in the environment. We take great pride in what we do. We’re proud of the people that work for us and the crops we produce,” T5 shares.
To learn all about the Nevada move from June to October, all the varieties the Nunes Company covers, constant growth and expansion, and what it all comes down to, watch the brief, high-graphic video above.
REEDLEY, CA - The California grape season is always highly anticipated amongst retailers and foodservice operators alike as consumers look for the best of the best to fill their shopping baskets. Fruit World Co., like the company name implies, is one of those great partners seeking to create a fresh fruit lifestyle in produce departments and is doing so this summer and into the fall. With the company’s organic California grape season having kicked off in July, Fruit World is looking to build on promotional opportunities with its customer base and expand its relationships with new retailers and operators.
“Available through October, our California grape program brings a full organic line of innovative and heritage varieties from new and old school growers in the Golden State,” Co-Owner and Operator Bianca Kaprielian shares with me. “It is an exciting time to build value in the produce department and on the plate.”
Fruit World offers three types of industry packing across its organic red, black, and green varieties, showcasing a 9 x 2 lb pouch bag, a 20 x 1 lb clamshell, and a 10 x 2 lb brown paper tote. The company occasionally has people ask for a loose volume filled pack which Fruit World can tailor its efforts to as well. For the company’s organic Thomcord grapes, it packs the variety either in a 20 x 1 lb high-graphic clamshell or a 10 x 2 lb brown paper tote.
“We listen to the needs of our customers and work closely with them on designing a program that is specific to their business model and demographics,” Bianca says.
The team is expecting a steady supply of its organic Thomcord grapes during the 2019 season, as the company confirms consumers love these grapes and anticipates the return of the high demand the variety has seen in previous years. Thomcords are a hybrid of the heirloom "grape jelly" Concord grape and popular Thompson Seedless grape and are known for being exceptionally flavorful and aromatic.
While the company seeks to give customers those traditional and innovative varieties, Fruit World truly prides itself on the heritage varieties grown on heritage vines.
“One of our partners is Pete Wolf, who was one of the first organic growers in California. If this gives you any idea of his roots in the industry, Pete’s organic certification number is 002,” Co-Founder and Operator CJ Buxman tells me. “Pete implemented sustainable practices when organic was more of an underground movement and as you can see, organic has become mainstream. We are very proud to work with Pete, who brings some of the sweetest, crunchiest grapes around. The eating experience truly encapsulates the history of the land, the industry, and the aroma and flavor that particular consumers are seeking.”
For an industry of storytellers, sometimes the best ones are the fruit themselves. At least in Fruit World’s mind, the grapes are the real star.
OVIEDO, FL - Duda Farm Fresh Foods is coming to the rescue for consumers who crave sweet-tart citrus all year long, with the announcement of the launch of its import citrus program for the 17th consecutive summer. The company imports citrus from the southern hemisphere to bring U.S. consumers citrus with optimal quality, flavor, and volume, from mid-May through October.
“At Duda Farm Fresh Foods, we are constantly improving our citrus variety to provide quality fruit for our customers year-round,” said Dan Duda, President. “Importing citrus from our growers in the southern hemisphere allows us to provide a solution to seasonal gaps in the U.S. market.”
Duda Farm Fresh Foods maintains close relationships with growers in the southern hemisphere, and while the company sources fruit primarily from Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, it is also bringing in high-quality products from Morocco and Argentina, according to a press release. It is through these grower relationships that Duda is able to provide consumers with excellent citrus year-round.
“Preserving our relationships with growers in the southern hemisphere for over 17 years now is a great accomplishment and one we are very proud of,” said Alberto Cuellar, Vice President of Global Business. “As consumer demand for citrus in the summer increases, we will continue to meet that need through our citrus import program.”
The company’s line of imported citrus, sold under its Dandy® label, includes lemons, clementines, navels, and Cara Cara oranges. Duda introduced Argentinian lemons during the 2019 season, which are available in stores now. Another popular addition has been Chilean easy-peeler clementines which have a premium sugar-to-acid ratio, which results in a sweeter citrus, perfect for late summer snacking.
For more produce industry news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
UNITED KINGDOM - One of Kroger’s biggest partners, Ocado, has just been scooped up by a leading U.K.-based grocer—or at least half of it has. Marks and Spencer (M&S) announced this week that it completed its acquisition of half of Ocado, marking the start of Mark and Spencer’s 50/50 Joint Venture with the online grocer. As part of the deal, Melanie Smith, the current Strategy Director at Marks and Spencer, will become CEO of Ocado Retail, effective September 1, 2019.
“Ocado Retail’s future, as part of a joint venture with M&S, is full of opportunity. The new company will be able to offer customers even greater range, service, quality, and value,” said Tim Steiner, Chief Executive Officer of Ocado. “Our collaboration will also allow us to grow the business faster, add more jobs, and create more value for all our stakeholders. We are very excited to be working together. I am very excited about Ocado Retail Limited continuing to realise its fullest potential under Melanie’s leadership.”
According to a press release, the new partnership will bring together the strength of Marks and Spencer’s brand and its leading food quality and product development with Ocado’s proprietary technology and award-winning service. The two will then transition into offering over 6,500 Marks and Spencer food products on Ocado.com by September 2020.
“I have always believed that M&S Food could and should be online. The addition of Ocado to our family of businesses marks M&S’s first truly transformational step in shaping our future as a digital-first retailer,” said Steve Rowe, CEO of Marks and Spencer. “Through its unique technology, Ocado has developed the most cost advantaged model in online grocery retail, and our new partnership unlocks growth for M&S Food through an immediately profitable, scalable presence in the UK’s fastest growing grocery sales channel. I am absolutely delighted that our JV will be led by Melanie. She is a real talent; who combines extensive retail knowledge, strategic vision, and a focus on delivery.”
In addition to Melanie Smith taking on the CEO position of Ocado Retail, Steve Rowe, Stuart Machin (M&S’s Food Managing Director), Tim Steiner, and Duncan Tatton-Brown (Ocado’s Chief Financial Officer) will become the directors of Ocado Retail. Steiner will serve as Chair. Lawrence Hene, the current interim Managing Director of Ocado Retail, will be appointed Deputy CEO for a transitional period before moving back into a senior role with the Ocado group, as noted in the press release.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lawrence for his incredible achievements with ocado.com since 2011, which he has been instrumental in growing to the business it is today, and I look forward to continuing to work with him, both during his transitional role at Ocado Retail Limited and when he moves back to the Ocado Group,” Steiner continued.
For the full details of the transaction and rationale, click here. And for more breaking grocery and fresh produce news, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.
BOISE, ID - Albertsons, one of the nation’s largest retailers, recently announced the addition of two retail superstars to its executive team. Gineal Davidson has been named President of the company’s Portland Division and Mike Theilmann has been named EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer. He replaces Andy Scoggin, Albertsons’ former Executive Vice President of Human Resources, Public Affairs, Government Relations, and Labor Relations, who announced his plans to leave the company at the end of the calendar year.
Davidson has been with the retailer for over 30 years. She began her career with Albertsons as a Courtesy Clerk and has since held positions such as Service Deli Sales Manager, Store Director, Six Sigma Black Belt, District Manager, and Director of Sales Support. She was named Division Vice President, Marketing and Merchandising of the company’s Shaw’s Division in 2016 and returned to the Intermountain Division in 2017 when she was named Vice President, Strategic Initiatives. Davidson was named to her most recent role of Intermountain Division Vice President, Marketing & Merchandising in October 2017. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
“We’re thrilled to have an operator of Gineal’s caliber to lead our Portland Division team,” said Susan Morris, EVP and Chief Operations Officer. “Gineal is a dynamic leader with a fantastic track record of leading winning teams, and we look forward to her taking on this key role within our company.”
According to a press release, Theilmann was most recently with Heidrick & Struggles, an Executive Search and Leadership Consulting firm, where he served as the Global Practice Managing Partner, Human Resources Officers Practice.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Albertsons Companies’ leadership team at such a pivotal moment in retail,” said Theilmann. “At no other time has the retail game been changing faster than it is today. Our omnichannel, technology-driven world isn’t just transforming how we shop; it’s influencing how companies attract, retain, and develop talent in order to grow and sustain results, too. I look forward to the opportunity we have across Albertsons Companies 2,200+ stores to build the best workforce in the industry, and to create a culture that people can’t help but want to be part of as employees and as customers.”
Throughout his 30-year career, he has held positions with Diageo, PepsiCo, Yum, and JC Penney. During his time at Yum, Thielmann held several human resources positions, such as VP of People Services, VP of Human Resources, Europe, and SVP Chief People Officer for the international business. He also served as Chief Human Resources and Administration Officer of J.C. Penney from 2005 to 2009. He was promoted to Group Executive Vice President in 2010, where he led store operations, supply chain management, human resources, and administration.
“Mike brings to Albertsons Companies both proven HR leadership and a winning track record in developing strong cultures of employee engagement and development. His experiences across many industries, in large service-centric companies, and his ability to connect operating priorities to talent and culture priorities will be invaluable as we navigate this new era in retail,” said Vivek Sankaran, President & CEO. “I look forward to working with Mike as we continue to grow and develop as a locally great, nationally strong omnichannel retailer.”
Congratulations to Gineal and Mike on these new positions!
INDIA - As the retail space heats up in one of the largest potential markets on the planet, companies are climbing over each other to get a piece of the India pie. Walmart recently beat out Amazon and nabbed a 77 percent interest in Indian e-commerce company Flipkart—a whopping $16 billion transaction. Now, it looks like the Bentonville-based retailer has once again gotten the upper hand on Amazon, recently committing to a $50 million investment into Indian fruit and veg supply chain startup, NinjaCart. But Amazon isn’t ready to give up the fight just yet.
According to ETtech, Walmart has not officially finalized the deal with NinjaCart, but is expected to close in the next three weeks. The retailer will reportedly get a seat on the board of NinjaCart as part of the transaction, though Walmart has not released any comments on the speculative deal.
According to Entrackr, Amazon is taking its own major steps into the Indian retail space, entering into talks with one of the country’s biggest brick-and-mortar retailers, Reliance Retail. The e-tailer is purportedly looking to acquire a 26 percent stake in the company, as marketplace firms are not allowed to own more than 26 percent stake in sellers under Foreign Direct Investment, the news source reports. Reuters reports that Reliance Retail, valued at $5.53 billion, will help expand Amazon's retail footprint in the country.
With these two retail giants continue to duke it out in one of the fastest growing markets in the world? What will be the next strategic partnership? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.