BAKERSFIELD, CA - The warm rays of August have me lounging about in my living room under a high-powered fan as of late, noshing on all the fresh and delicious literal fruits of labor that this season has to offer. As summer peaks, what better fruit to nosh on than grapes?
Anthony Vineyards’ Rob Spinelli, Sales, has given me a golden opportunity to learn more about what’s coming from the field to retail.
“By the middle of August, you’re going to start seeing the newer high flavor varieties coming in like the Sweet Sapphire, Sweet Heart, Candy Heart, and Candy Dream. The week of August 12 will see other varieties like Sweet Globe, Sweet Scarlet and Timco to name a few,” commented Rob. “There’s a slight delay, but that might actually work out for us during the dog days of summer.”
And the heat is on, making these juicy grapes sound even more satisfying to munch on. Despite the rainy weather in May and the cool June, Rob assured me that volumes will remain in promotable volumes and to keep an eye on the organic varieties coming in for great opportunities to push the segment front and center. The beginning of the season was not easy for many California grape growers for a host of reasons, but the market is beginning to stabilize to create a more healthy dynamic between suppliers and buyers, Rob notes.
“The organic grape program is still going strong. Our organics have a steady volume now, which means steady pricing,” continued Rob. “We’re seeing good quality, especially with the greens—they have a good size, brix, and are also eating great right now.”
Small, convenient, portable, and oh so crunchy, these grapes have weathered through hurdles in the arms of the Bakersfield area and have come out shining and ready to eat. Anthony Vineyards' high flavor varieties are available in 1 and 2 lb clamshells and variety-specific pouch bags, sure to excite customers’ palates and draw in a loyal fan base.
Keep reading ANUK for the latest in all crop updates.
MOUND, MN - If the value of a team member can be found in their attitude, aptitude, and ability, then I think it is easy to say that Naba Bakar possesses and excels in all three areas. Having proven herself as a leader and expert in strategic planning and brand management, Bakar has been promoted to the role of Director of Marketing for Golden Sun Marketing.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to continue to drive the strategic direction of Golden Sun Marketing and deliver long-term growth and success for our clients," Bakar shared. "I'm honored to work for a company with deep roots in the fresh produce industry and especially proud of our powerful team of marketing professionals.”
Bakar’s role was effective as of August 1st. She has been with Golden Sun Marketing for three years touting a quick trajectory from Marketing Manager to Senior Marketing Manager in just that small window of time.
“Naba has been an integral part of the team for her strategic thinking and strong marketing skillset that have helped us grow,” President Don Goodwin said. “She has proven herself to be a natural leader for our marketing team and our clients. I have a great deal of confidence in Naba, and I look forward to her leading our market efforts as she supports our clients.”
The newly promoted Director of Marketing brings a marketing background of more than seven years, ranging from corporate marketing to startup ventures, according to a press release. In addition, Bakar earned a BS in Biological Sciences from the American University in Washington D.C. and an MBA from the Minnesota School of Business.
“No different than the industry as a whole, our company continues to grow in new and challenging ways,” Tom Thompson, Vice President, reflected. “We are excited about what is ahead and having Naba in a leadership role will help drive us and our clients there faster. Her balance of creative and marketing skills coupled with her vision and passion for the business is a rare find, so we are very lucky to have her continue to grow with us in this new role.”
Golden Sun Marketing’s core services include business strategy, business development, and marketing. The firm's clients span a wide range of seed companies, growers, shippers, and distributors.
Congrats, Naba, on the amazing promotion and good luck on the exciting road ahead!
LOS ANGELES, CA - For the fourth consecutive year, Wonderful Halos broke onto the Smarty Pants 2019 Brand Love™ list, making it the top healthy snack brand by both parents and kids for the second year in a row. The Wonderful Company’s Wonderful Pistachios also made it to the list this year.
“The Pure Goodness of Halos’ sweet, seedless, and easy-to-peel mandarins continues to win over the hearts and minds of parents and kids year-over-year, as America’s most-loved healthy snack brand,” said Adam Cooper, Senior Vice President of Marketing at The Wonderful Company. “We are thrilled that parents and kids also recognize and adore Wonderful Pistachios as a healthy snack that’s gaining popularity on their grocery lists. As today’s consumers seek healthier snack options, it’s fantastic that Wonderful Halos and Wonderful Pistachios have become parents’ and kids’ ‘go-to’ as the fun-to-eat, healthy food brands they love most.”
The study released by Smarty Pants states that the delicious mandarins were ranked number 17, and the only healthy food brand to rank among parents’ top 20 favorite brands. In its (very successful) effort to stay relevant with the youngins these days, Halos continued its partnership with 7-year-old Ryan of Ryan ToysReview. The media mogul is one of YouTube’s top video creators boasting over one billion views per month and nearly 21 million subscribers. Talk about a prime market, amiright?
With more than 16,000 parents and children ages 6–12 across the country surveyed, it’s hard to argue with the choice of Halos. To find out more about what’s hip in the produce world, stayed tuned with ANUK.
SACRAMENTO, CA - It appears WiFi on our industry’s spacecraft was working overtime on Friday, because not only did selfies and submissions pour into our inbox, but at warp speed—Doctor Spock couldn’t chase (any Rihanna fans out there?)! But our winners—our winners hit new high records in all of the galaxy by zooming into our inbox with grace, poise, and, of course our favorite thing ever: bright smiles!
Bre Macomber, Marketing Specialist for the Tom Lange Company, beamed her selfie to the top of our inbox, earning herself the title of buy-side winner and the $100 cash prize!
“The Snack merges real-time news with sprinkles of fun, and the Lange Family is always on watch for the next issue to come in,” Bre shared with us following her win. “THANK YOU, ANUK!”
On the supply-side, Kimberly Chan, Associate Buyer for 99 Cents Only, once again returned show off just how speedy she is at locating our ANUK apple logo! Now she gets to walk into another Monday $100 richer and with the coveted bragging rights only the Find the Apple Logo contest can bring!
"Thank you, The Snack! I always look forward to this contest and for the amazing content from your magazine! Woohoo I’m back!" Kimberly exclaimed after learning she'd won yet another round.
If you didn’t have luck this round, not to worry! Subscribe to The Snack Magazine here (subscription is valued at $129 per year), and keep an eye out for future contest announcements on ANUK for another chance at winning our cash prize.
July 2019 Snack Magazine-Volume 42
Remember that contest rules require that submissions include a person pointing out the logo on the cover of The Snack Magazine, and the countdown only begins once we announce the contest in AndNowUKnow’s newsletter.
Congratulations to our July winners! And we’ll see the rest of you intergalactic stunners in our September round next month!
EVERYWHERE, P.I. (PRODUCE INDUSTRY) - While my favorite color is green, my favorite flavor is blue—blueberries that is. If I could only eat one single fresh produce item for the rest of my days, it would be the little blue globes that I cannot seem to get enough of. My tastebuds seem to pivot and change on the regular—a common dynamic with today’s consumer, I’d say—but for today, blueberries are here to stay as a staple in my diet.
I found myself quite curious this morning as to what might grace the plates and paws of our friends in the fresh produce industry, and so I inquired with some of our go-to members out there: What is one fresh produce item that you could eat every day for the rest of your life and why?
Here are some of the thoughts they shared to take some fun in our Friday up a notch! Drumroll, please!
Dave Corsi, Vice President of Produce and Floral, Wegmans Food Markets
"That is a very difficult question to answer as I have many fruits that I love! Besides cherries, that are at the top on my list, but not available year-round, I absolutely love Calimyrna figs. I’d have one every day if they were available year-round!!"
Mike Roberts, Director of Produce Operations, Harps Food Stores
“How are you going to ask a neutral Produce Director such a question (wink, wink)?! Tomatoes for me! Because I can eat them in so many different ways! Salads, sandwiches, burgers, salsas, and even by themselves—you put them in front of me and I will eat ‘em.”
Jan DeLyser, Vice President Marketing, California Avocado Commission
“There are many fresh produce items that I could easily eat every day for the rest of my life. However, if limited to one fresh produce item…you know my answer, it’s no surprise, it would be California avocados. Their freshness, taste, nutritional value, as well as versatility of usage, take them to the top of my list.”
Nichole Towell, Senior Director of Marketing, Duda Farm Fresh Foods
"Well, I should say celery, (haha) but it would be cherries. And, if I could eat them every day, it might ruin my 'why,' but aside from being delicious when in season, they evoke memories from my childhood of summer vacation. Wouldn’t it be nice to be on summer vacation every day?"
Gene Harris, Senior Purchasing Manager, Denny's Corporation
"I am a produce lover of many tastes, but when it comes to the everyday produce item, I will take seedless watermelons. They are light, sweet, very refreshing, and good for you!"
Teri Miller, Senior Category Manager, The Fresh Market
“There are so many, but I would have to say bicolor corn! Corn has been my favorite since I was very young, but back in the dark ages, you could only get fresh corn during the summer. I couldn’t wait to go to the farm stand. They had the best, or at least that is what I remember. Several years ago, I ate it right off the stalk in Jason Turek’s field—BEST EVER! On the cob, creamed, fried, baked, it’s all YUMMY!”
Paul Kneeland, Executive Director of Fresh Operations, Gelson’s Markets
"While every day is a long time, I would have to say raspberries of course! Sweet like me (haha). They are great in ice cream, desserts, with cream, jam on bread, and by themselves. Oh, did I mention desserts?"
I would love to hear some of the other faves from our produce-passionate friends, so please, shoot us a note and we would love to share yours as well!
SACRAMENTO, CA - What is up, August! To be honest, I’m only excited that you (August) are here because that means we’re one month closer to raiding Area 51 and freeing our little green friends! It also means that it’s time to find our other little green friend—the ANUK apple logo—on the cover of the July issue of The Snack Magazine. That's right—another round of our Find the Apple contest has officially begun!
This round is sure to be one of the hardest yet—I admittedly am still hunting for that lil' green logo—so if you think you’ve got what it takes, sidle on up to our inbox with a photo of all 32 of your teeth, a copy of our out-of-this-world issue, and your best impression of an E.T.-phone-home finger.
If you haven’t received a hard copy of our July issue featuring Mother Earth herself, click here for the digital cover. But before you snap that pic, be sure to do the following:
- Show your face! We want a break-the-internet-level selfie!
- Be sure your finger is pointing to the AndNowUKnow apple logo
If your photo checks off all the above boxes, email it to [email protected] to join the running for the $100 cash prize!
Every round, we choose two winners, one from the buy-side and one from the supply-side. If your photo lands in our inbox ahead of everyone else’s, you could join the winners circle with some of the quickest produce people, like:
- Monina Knox of Sobeys (reigning buy-side champion!)
- Kyle Stock of Fresh Concept (reigning supply-side champion!)
- Chris Olsen of Gold Coast Packing
- Kimberly Chan of 99 Cents Only
- Danny Ortiz of Sysco
- Dustin White of Fresh Concepts
- Brandi McGuire-Sisco of Topco Associates
- Mike Mendez of NatureFresh™ Farms
Interested in receiving a copy of The Snack to give you a leg up in future challenges? Subscriptions are valued at $129 per year, click here to subscribe.
Good luck and may your spacecraft’s WiFi be the strongest it’s ever been on this here Friday!
PHOENIX, AZ - Longtime leader, current President, and Chief Operating Officer for Sprouts Farmers Market Jim Nielsen has stepped down from his post. The announcement comes following an extended medical leave, according to news source Phoenix Business Journal, which reported that the retailer filed a brief with the SEC yesterday regarding the transition.
He has remained private about his medical leave, but Nielsen is not immediately parting ways with Sprouts. Instead he is transitioning to Senior Advisor through March 31, 2020, taking responsibilities assigned to him by current CEO Jack Sinclair.
The outgoing executive has been with Sprouts since April of 2011, starting and retaining his post as Chief Operating Officer while additionally being named President in 2015. Last December, Nielsen became interim Co-CEO with ex-CFO Brad Lukow before Sinclair took on the role permanently, and the company states on his bio that Nielsen has a long history of growing the Sprouts brand.
Nielsen began his career at Smith’s Food and Drug in 1986 and held positions such as Store Director and Senior Merchandising Manager before leaving in 2002. Prior to joining the retailer, Nielsen served as President, Vice President, and General Manager of Henry’s Farmers Market from 2006 to 2011. From 2002 to 2006, he served in roles of increasing responsibility at Wild Oats Marketplace, including Director of Operations, Director of Non-Perishables, and Director of Merchandising.
We wish Jim Nielsen our best during this next step of his grocery career.
WASHINGTON, DC - Next year’s BrandStorm™ details are no longer under wraps! This week, United Fresh revealed that the fifth annual event will be held in one of Texas’ crown jewels: Austin. This is big big big news since the last four years’ worth of BrandStorms have all taken place in San Francisco, California! Next year’s event will take place on February 10-12, 2020, at the University of Texas at Austin’s AT&T Hotel and Conference Center. So, dust off your cowpeople hats, boots, and belts, harness your Western cool, and get ready to two-step with the best of them at one of our industry’s biggest marketing events.
"BrandStorm gets more and more exciting each year,” said Mark Munger, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at 4Earth Farms and Chair of United Fresh’s Produce Marketing and Merchandising Council. “This year, I’m most looking forward to the energy and excitement that a new city can bring to a creative event like this. I know Austin will provide an exciting atmosphere for learning and exploration."
A project of United Fresh’s Produce Marketing and Merchandising Council, BrandStorm aims to gather produce marketers for a jam-packed event full of education, idea-sharing, and innovative dialogue with peers, colleagues, and industry leaders. Each year, members from around the produce industry have attended and engaged in all levels of brand and marketing fun, including enhancing their knowledge, acquiring new strategies, and getting a glimpse at the next wave of tools and innovations.
The show will kick off with the signature BrandStorm tour on February 10, giving an exclusive group of attendees access to the marketing teams behind some of the biggest brands in the Lone Star State, followed by the Welcome Reception at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center.
On Tuesday, February 11, the education storm rolls in early with a breakfast general session followed by a day of idea deluge, according to a press release. With over 20 workshop topics to choose from, attendees will be able to learn from the best of them at workshops and X-Change sessions.
The event will conclude on Wednesday, February 12, with a breakfast panel followed by a half-day of education, before wrapping up with a closing lunch general session.
"This event is an annual must-attend for all members of your marketing team,” said Kim St George, Vice President, Business Development, Renaissance Food Group, and Vice Chair of United Fresh’s Produce Marketing and Merchandising Council. “I find a level of renewed energy and excitement each year I attend. The content is timely and always spurs new strategies for our team to adopt."
But Austin isn’t the only thing new to BrandStorm this year! The masterminds behind the event are also introducing a new Make it Rain ideas! topic submission, encouraging industry marketers to submit topics that most impact their role to be included in this year’s programming. Those interested can submit their topic here.
United Fresh members can attend BrandStorm for $695 with discounts offered to marketing teams (from the same company) at the reduced rate of $645 each when you register two or more colleagues. Non-members can attend for $895. In addition, companies who are committed to exhibit at United Fresh 2020 Convention & Expo, June 16-18, in San Diego, California, can take advantage of the 2020 Exhibitor Value Package which includes one FREE BrandStorm registration for a member of your marketing staff who would be a first-time BrandStorm attendee.
To register, click here. And to keep on dosey-doe-ing with the ANUK team, stay right here for all the latest fresh produce news.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA - Kroger-owned meal kit company Home Chef is expanding into California, and not in a small way. The convenience category player announced it is welcoming a San Bernardino County, California, production facility that will nearly triple the size of its operations.
"Our secret sauce has always been our customer-first approach," said Pat Vihtelic, Home Chef's Founder and CEO. "Everything about our experience is designed with the customer at the center. By keeping our West Coast facility in San Bernardino, we will be able to continue to provide the best possible cooking experience."
With this move, Home Chef will retain more than 300 existing jobs in San Bernardino, with expansion planned to follow the move, according to a press release. The company has been doing business in the city of San Bernardino since 2015, and the San Bernardino County Economic Development Agency actively welcomed the move by facilitating key meetings between Home Chef and its various resource partners to ensure the company could take advantage of a number of incentives. These entities included:
- The city of San Bernardino
- GO-Biz
- The San Bernardino County Workforce Development Agency
"We are proud to call the city of San Bernardino our West Coast home. We look forward to creating more jobs and continuing to make a positive impact on the local community," said Alice Thompson, Home Chef's Chief Operating Officer. "We have an incredible team recruited from the San Bernardino area. Maintaining that team was top of mind as we determined where to expand our West Coast presence."
The county also provided assistance related to Home Chef's site selection efforts while the Economic Development Agency helped to expedite permitting between city and county departments to meet project management milestones associated with the meal kit provider’s expansion. Even the county's Workforce Development Agency is working with Home Chef on numerous workforce initiatives.
"It is even more gratifying when a company is able to build upon its success in our county. We know that our workforce, strategic infrastructure, and attainable lifestyle can make a real difference for companies that are looking to grow and establish a strong West Coast presence. Home Chef is a great employer that now provides our population with the opportunity to work in a leading-edge sector of the fast-growing meal kit delivery industry," said San Bernardino County Deputy Executive Officer of Workforce and Economic Development Reg Javier.
The company stated that its new state-of-the-art space will help accommodate both the e-commerce and retail branches of the business. It seems this is a developing growth strategy we are seeing just the beginning of. As it unfolds further, AndNowUKnow will bring you the latest.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Online retailers like Amazon have long held sway over consumers demanding convenience, but brick-and-mortar grocers have been steadily pushing back, with efforts to provide consumers with a similar level of ease and flexibility in their shopping experience. Walmart first began testing its Scan & Go concept in 2017, with an app allowing consumers to scan items’ barcodes as they shop, pay by mobile phone, and leave without going through the standard checkout counter. Kroger followed suit in December of that year, with its own Scan, Bag, Go program. Now, Meijer has begun a full-scale expansion of its attempt to implement a similar checkout model, Shop & Scan—and public response has been very favorable.
"We're all challenged by time and busy schedules, so Shop & Scan allows customers the opportunity to truly be in control of their shopping trip, from the moment they walk in our stores to the minute they walk out," said Tom Wilson, Regional Vice President. "Customers are appreciative of the simplicity of scanning and bagging as they go because they can save time and avoid lines, speeding up their checkout experience."
To partake in the new checkout experience, shoppers must first download the free Meijer Mobile App, according to a press release. Then, as they shop, customers will scan the barcodes on the items they wish to purchase and bag their own groceries. The app will display a running total of the items purchased, so shoppers can keep track of the items they buy. Once their shopping is completed, they can then scan their phone at a self-checkout lane, pay, and be on their way.
The Meijer Mobile app has already been downloaded 1.1 million times since the initial Shop & Scan pilot launched in Michigan last year. Since then, reportedly more than 80 percent of the retailer’s customers have used the Shop & Scan app as part of their experience. Reportedly, shoppers have most enjoyed the program’s integrated shopping list and ability to clip available Meijer member reward coupons, mPerks, to scanned items.
At this time, the retailer has expanded this service to 179 of its stores throughout Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and has plans to continue rolling out the Shop & Scan program to more stores this year.
Will this tech upgrade bring a new breed of consumer to Meijer stores? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.